Stephan Francis will spend the next four years in jail for having a loaded AR-15 rifle and f Britains currency is set to feature black and ethnic minority figures for the first time ever after a long-running campaign. A non-white individual has never featured on coins or notes in the UK and the Banknotes of Colour campaign has been urging the government to change this. Zehra Zaidi, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate who spearheaded the campaign, told The Independent the governments interest is the culmination of two and a half years of hard work. She added: People from all backgrounds helped build Britain. We Too Built Britain campaign group wanted to show inclusive history and all the people from all ethnic and social backgrounds and all walks of life who helped build Britain. "Notes and coins if you see Bank of England and Royal Mint websites are supposed to reflect those who we feel contributed to our history, economy, and culture as a nation. "Our campaign felt an absolute urgency to acknowledge that ethnic minorities have been part of that conversation and achieved so much. We hope it helps build cohesion, inspires young people and unites us as a nation that we all have an equal stake and contribution in society. Unity now is more important than ever, especially given some of the divisions we see online, the divisions we have faced post Brexit. Lets move forward, positively, acknowledging all our contributions. Treasury minister John Glen told The Sunday Telegraph that Rishi Sunak is contemplating campaigners' demands to have influential Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people featured on a set of coins. Mary Seacole, British-Jamaican Crimean War nurse, Noor Inayat Khan, a World War II agent, and the first Indian and Gurkha soldiers who were awarded with the Victoria Cross, are potential figures who are being considered to feature on currency. Recommended Scientist Rosalind Franklin commemorated with new 50p coin The Treasury has encouraged the Royal Mint to draw up suggestions and designs for possible coins. Mr Glen told the paper Mr Sunak was keen to support the timely proposal. He added: The chancellor is aware of this. We are obviously supportive and keen to be positive about it, we need to see some firm proposals from the Royal Mint but we are keen for this to happen. People celebrated the possible move to feature black and ethnic minority figures on British currency on social media. Black and ethnic minority people could feature on British coins for the first time. The Mary Seacole Trust were delighted to support @Zehra_Zaidi in her campaigning, the Mary Seacole Trust said in a statement. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Actor Sonu Sood recenty attended a virtual event e-Mind Rocks 2020, where he opened up about the raging debate on nepotism in Bollywood. The actor said that he used to work-out with late Sushant Singh Rajput in the same gym, and when the news of his death first broke, he thought it was fake. He had to call up other acquaintances to find out it was unfortunately true. He said that he knew Sushant from his television days and knew him to be a very hardworking person. "When an outsider comes to the city and makes it big, it makes us very proud and gives every newcomer hope. But when something like this happens, it leaves all of us heartbroken," he said at the event (via). He said that this will also have an effect on future generations of actors coming from different cities as parents also have the notion that the film industry is unsafe for people struggling in Mumbai. Sonu said that the pressure is real. Thousands of people come to Mumbai to look fo work but only a very few get their big break. Sonu said, "An outsider will always remain an outsider. When I came to the city, I already had a degree in mechanical engineering, I thought people's approach towards me would be different. But it wasn't. I never got an entry into office. I realise in those first 6-8 months that is the journey is going to be tough." He added that the only thing he can tell outsiders coming to the city is that they should do so only when they have nerves of steele. He further said that just because someone looks a certain way and has a well-built physique doesn't mean a production house will spot them and give them work. On the other hand, he added, that star-kids have easy access because their parents can call a director and they can get work. He even said that it will be easier for his kids to get work if they want to. He further said that his late parents would ask him why his pictures in posters were smaller in comparison to other actors. He then said that he believes the attention he has been receiving in the media since his help in the migrant crisis is his parent's "magic from heaven." He will be next seen in Prithviraj, starring Akshay Kumar and Manushi Chhilar. Ray Dalio is a hedge fund manager who has served as co-chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates since 1985. All the way back in September 2017, Id discussed a letter that Ray Dalio published on the state of domestic and world politics. At the time, hed suggested that politics would play a greater role in affecting markets than any time since 1937. When we look back at the last three years, Dalios prediction holds true. No year bears this out more than 2020. This year started with the killing of a top Iranian general, which inflamed tensions between the United States, Iran, and their respective proxies. An oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia also contributed to turbulence in oil and gas markets. However, nothing compares to the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The nations of the world are progressing quickly towards a vaccine. However, the pandemic has also worsened tensions between great powers. Ray Dalio is particularly concerned about the relationship between two of the top dogs on the planet. Ray Dalio: Why the U.S.-China economic clash could lead to conflict In recent comments, Dalio said that economic tensions between the United States and China could escalate into armed conflict. He drew parallels with the economic tensions that existed between the great powers in the years before World War I and World War II. Tensions between the U.S. and China have risen since China imposed a new security law on the semi-autonomous region of Hong Kong. Back in the spring, Ray Dalio said that the days of U.S. hegemony were numbered. As the U.S. struggles with its relative decline on the world stage, the likelihood of an armed conflict will increase. A shooting war between the U.S. and China would be catastrophic. We should all hope for the triumph of diplomacy in the years and decades ahead. However, this environment will inevitably lead to more investment in military and defence for the U.S., China, and other powers. Because of this, I continue to have my eye on defence stocks. Story continues Two defence stocks to snatch up in the summer Investors who wish to heed Ray Dalios words should consider some of the top defence stocks on the TSX today. Both companies are reliant on the aerospace industry. This sector has been throttled during the pandemic. Fortunately, this has created a potential buy-low opportunity. CAE (TSX:CAE)(NYSE:CAE) is a Montreal-based manufacturer of simulation technologies and training services to airlines, healthcare specialists, and defence customers. Its shares have dropped 41% in 2020 as of close on July 23. The company released its fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2020 results on May 22. It was a strong year overall for CAE, even as the COVID-19 pandemic weighed on its earnings to close out fiscal 2020. Annual revenue increased 10% to $3.6 billion, and it closed the year with a $9.5 billion order backlog. Defence revenue in Q4 FY 2020 fell 12% from the prior year, largely due to delays related to the pandemic. For the full year, defence revenue experienced 2% growth. Shares of CAE last possessed a favourable price-to-earnings ratio of 17 and a price-to-book value of 2.1. CAE faces challenges as the aerospace sector looks to bounce back. However, Im still bullish on this stock in the long term. Heroux-Devtek is another Quebec-based firm in the aerospace and defence sector. Shares have dropped 48% so far this year. In Q4 FY 2020, the company still achieved sales growth of 5.6% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 16.4%. All its facilities have continued operations, and its boasts available liquidity of $193 million. The companys funded backlog stood at $810 million to close out the year. Two-thirds of this backlog were taken up by defence orders. The stock looks attractive, as it is trading near a 52-week low. The post Ray Dalio Is Worried: Heres Why You Should Invest in These TSX Stocks Today appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 Published on 2020/07/26 | Source The burgeoning bromance between Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai chief Chung Eui-sun continued Tuesday at Hyundai's research center in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, where the two former archrivals met to discuss cooperation in future mobility. Advertisement They met for the first time in May, when Chung visited Samsung's factory in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province to discuss the development of electric-car batteries. The two tycoons looked into cooperative projects in next-generation mobility, ranging from electric cars to self-driving vehicles and urban aerial mobility. Automaker Hyundai's envisioned future business areas coincide with Samsung's new growth engines of automotive parts, artificial intelligence and 5G communications technology. Lee announced plans in August of 2018 to invest W180 trillion into AI, 5G, biotech and car parts over the next three years and hire 40,000 workers (US$1=W1,197). Industry watchers say a synergy between the two conglomerates could yield major effects. One senior industry insider said, "Domestic competition has become meaningless in an era of unlimited global competition across borders and industries". The insider added that increased cooperation between corporate chiefs, which also includes SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and LG chairman Koo Kwang-mo, raises the possibility of unprecedented synergy between Korean conglomerates, which have traditionally been at war as they vied for a finger in every pie. The four fishermen tried to escape but the BSF speed boat chased and intercepted them within 500 meters of Indian territory Kolkata: In a mid-river flag meeting, the Border Security Force (BSF) handed over four Bangladeshi fishermen, caught in Murshidabad of West Bengal, to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). The four are Rokib Ali (52) and his three sons: Mohammad Raju Ahmed (32), Dilwar Hossain (29) and Rakib Islam (25) from Kholabona village of Horipur in Rajshahi. At a flag meeting held between the two forces in the middle of river: Ganga, the BSF 35th battalion company commander at the Border Out Post Madan Ghat handed over them alongwith their two engine fitted boats and other paraphernalia at around 5 pm on Friday to BGB first battalion company commander of BOP- Sonaikundi at Rajshahi, said BSF (South Bengal Frontier) Deputy Inspector General SS Guleria. He informed that at around 8.25 am on Friday the four in the two boats were seen fishing in the river around 600 meters inside the Indian territory by a BSF patrolling boat. The four fishermen, who entered illegally, tried to escape but the BSF speed boat chased and intercepted them within 500 meters of the Indian territory. They were brought to the bank of the river and were questioned. The BSF however found them not involved in any other trans-border crime except violating the international boundary. Mr Guleria said, "Keeping in view the existing bonhomie and good relations between both border guarding forces, a decision was taken to return the four fishermen to the BGB." BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 60 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Workers disinfected the floors and pillars of Mecca's Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia as the first of 1,000 pilgrims began arriving for an unusually limited hajj this year. Saudi Arabia has said because of the coronavirus only "very limited numbers" of people will be allowed to perform the annual pilgrimage which traditionally draws around two million Muslims from around the world. Earlier this month, the kingdom issued guidelines for those who will be allowed to perform the pilgrimage. Pilgrims will have to bring their own prayer mats and can only drink from packaged water battles filled from Mecca's Zamzam well. For the first time the hajj will not include pilgrims from outside the country. Instead, the kingdom said that 70% of pilgrims allowed to make the pilgrimage this year will be from among foreign residents of Saudi Arabia and 30% would be Saudi citizens. Saudi pilgrims will be selected from among health care workers and security personnel who have recovered from COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. The foreign residents making this year's pilgrimage should be between the ages of 20 and 50, and that they have not performed the hajj before. The pilgrims will have to quarantine before and after the hajj, and they will be tested for the coronavirus. Saudi Arabia has one of the Middle East's largest outbreaks of the virus, with infection rates rising by 3,000-4,000 cases daily. More than 264,000 people have contracted the virus in the kingdom so far, including 2,703 who have died. Hajj will begin on July 28 and end on August 2. (Representative Image) ANN ARBOR, MI In the battle for control of Ann Arbors City Council, there are defenders and disrupters. There are those who call for preserving and protecting single-family neighborhoods, and those who call for more housing density and, in their words, disruption. MP Board 12th result 2020 date and time, MPBSE result 2020, When, Where to check Madhya Pradesh Board 12th Result, www.mpbse.nic.in, mpresults.nic.in, mpbse.mponline.gov.in: Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) is set to release the result of class 12 for the year 2020 on its official website. The final date confirmed by the board is July 27. Know all the related details here. MP Board 12th result 2020 date and time: Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) is set to release the MPBSE 12th result 2020 on its official website mpbse.nic.in on July 27, 2020. The MP Board 12th Result 2020 was earlier scheduled to be announced in the 3rd week of July but it got delayed due to coronavirus. The Principal Secretary of school education Rashmi Arun Shami herself informed earlier that the MPBSE MP Board 12th Result 2020 will be released in 3rd week of July but because of coronavirus it got postponed. The result is now set to be released today. The board has officially confirmed the release dates of the MP Board MPBSE Class 12th Result 2020. Also, students are advised to keep their admit cards with them tomorrow, as result may be announced anytime today. The details mentioned on the admit card will be required to be able to access the MPBSE 12th result 2020. As students are required to login through a login page to access the result. This year more than 8 lakh students appeared for class 12 exams. The exams were held in more than 3,682 centres across the state of Madhya Pradesh. The exams also got postponed due to coronavirus. The exams were scheduled to be held in the month of March but were postponed and were concluded on June 15. Also, all the exams were conducted keeping all the safety protocols in mind. Also read: UPSC Recruitment 2020: Know how to apply for 122 vacancies @upsconline.nic.in MP Board class 12th result 2020: How to Check MPBSE 12th Result 2020 online: Go the official website of Madhya Pradesh Board, mpbse.nic.in or mpresults.nic.in. Click on the link that reads MP Board Class 12 Examination 2020. Enter the login credentials into the Login Menu that appears before you. Click on the Submit button. Your result will appear on the screen. Download and Print your result for future reference. Class 10 results were released by the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) on July 4. The pass percentage recorded was 62.84 per cent. Also read: States have no power to cancel university exams: UGC tells Maharashtra HC For all the latest Education and Jobs News, download NewsX App The president can send federal forces into cities so long as they stay within their statutory authority of enforcing federal law, David Sklansky, a Stanford Law School professor, said. But that distinction can become hazy once federal officers have boots on the ground. Some critics wonder if Trump is using the protection of federal buildings as a pretext to get federal officers involved in patrolling streets and targeting protesters. The president can also invoke the Insurrection Act, a rarely used, 213-year-old law, to deploy military force to quell unrest. It was last used in 1992, to respond to Los Angeles riots following the acquittal of four white police officers charged with beating a Black motorist, Rodney King. Trump in June threatened to resort to military action to quell protests and violence in U.S. cities but has yet to do so. By Express News Service CHENNAI: On the day Tamil Nadu crossed a grim milestone of 2 lakh Covid-19 cases, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said that government hospitals across the State will be augmented with more oxygen support systems, which are vital in treating severely infected patients. The State reported 6,988 fresh cases and 89 deaths on the day, driving up the tally to 2,06,737 and the toll to 3,409. Meanwhile, 7,758 people were discharged on the day, taking the total figure to 1,51,055. This is almost three times higher than the 52,273 active cases in the State. Addressing media persons at the Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital here, the health minister said oxygen support systems would be set up at all government hospitals in the State since such a facility is vital for treating Covid patients. Government Omandurar Hospital will have 250 more beds equipped with oxygen cylinders, he said. The minister had earlier inspected the ongoing works to set up cylinders at the hospital. Vijayabaskar further said 2,176 pregnant women have been tested positive in the State so far. Among them, 1515 were discharged. There is zero mortality rate in newborns, he said. The health minister also met the new mothers at the hospital and enquired about their health. Apart from pregnancy, the mothers may have had severe stress due to the Covid. Doctors helped them well with regular counselling, Vijayabaksar added. He further said active cases in the State have come down from 42 per cent in June to 26 per cent now. Hospital occupancies are just around 50 to 60 per cent now, he said. The minister said that drugs like Remdesivir have been very effective in curing patients, as it helped prevent the virus onslaught on the lungs. Remdesivir has been a life-saving drug. We have adequate stock and even private hospitals are purchasing it from the government, he said. On Saturday, 64,315 samples were tested, taking the total tests to 22,87,334. Chennais daily tally remained almost steady with 1,329 cases on Saturday. In another development, more than 300 Covid-19 patients who are quarantined at a care centre in Kallakurichi district came out on road and staged a blockade, demanding better amenities. Traffic was affected for more than an hour even as officials tried to pacify the protesters. Bambi Northwood-Blyth has found love in the arms of a hunky Australian actor Thomas Cocquerel. The 29-year-old model, who split from her fashion designer husband Dan Single three years ago, is reportedly living with her new man, 30, in a beachside apartment in Bondi. While the couple have kept their relationship mostly out of the public eye, they were spotted looking very amorous last Saturday as they strolled down the Bondi promenade arm-in-arm. Meet Bambi's new man! Model Bambi Northwood-Blyth, 29, has found love in the arms of a hunky Australian actor Thomas Cocquerel, 30. Pictured together in Bondi last Saturday The secretive twosome have yet to confirm their romance publicly, nor have they uploaded any photos of one another to social media. Sydney-born Thomas has appeared in a number of local and international productions, including One Mile To You, In Like Flynn, Otherlife, Celeste, and Kidnapping Mr. Heineken. He has also appeared in several television shows, including Australian drama Love Child and American series The 100. Famous face: Sydney-born Thomas (pictured) has appeared in a number of local and international productions, including One Mile To You, In Like Flynn, Otherlife, Celeste, and Kidnapping Mr. Heineken The thespian is next set to star in the psychological thriller film Escape Room 2 - a sequel to the 2019 flick Escape Room. Thomas has enjoyed several high-profile romances over the years, including a fling with Lilly Collins and Glee star Dianna Agron. Meanwhile, Bambi split from her husband Dan Single in 2017, one month after he fell 'feet first' from a bedroom window at the Hotel Grand D'Amour apartment in Paris. Ex-files: Thomas has enjoyed several high-profile romances over the years, including a fling with Lilly Collins in early 2014 Famous flame: After splitting from Lily, he went on to date Glee Star Dianna Agron (right) for nine months Following the horrific accident, Bambi was seen rushing to a nearby hospital, where Dan was placed in an induced-coma. A month later, previously supportive fans turned on him, labelling him 'pathetic' for using fundraising website Go Fund Me to ask for $250,000 to cover hospital bills. It was later claimed Bambi was 'mortified' about Dan's decision to ask for money, and reports subsequently emerged speculating the pair had split during the fallout. Case of the ex: Bambi split from her husband Dan Single (left) in 2017, one month after he fell 'feet first' from a bedroom window at the Hotel Grand D'Amour apartment in Paris. Pictured in 2015 However the lauded fashion icon has since vehemently denied that was the case, instead revealing that there were still 'good vibes' between the pair. Alongside an image of the model staring out to sea posted to his Instagram, Dan explained: 'By the way [she] didn't leave me because of a stupid go fund me page I don't even remember writing, days out of a coma in a complete morphine haze.' 'She has her own dreams to chase and it's her time to do it now. She works hard and is making those dreams come true and I am very proud of her, nothing but good vibes... Go girl!' the clothing entrepreneur added. Federal officers wearing camouflage fatigues sat in the dark, shoulder-to-shoulder, lining the marble lobby of the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse. Where lawyers toting briefcases have typically crossed the gleaming floor, officers now waited with rifles and launchers slung across their shoulders, holding shields and outfitted in helmets and gas masks. Sudans prime minister said Sunday the country would send security forces to conflict-stricken Darfur to protect citizens and the farming season. Abdalla Hamdoks announcement came two days after gunmen in the region killed at least 20 civilians, including children, as they returned to their fields for the first time in years, the latest in a string of violent incidents. The impoverished western region has seen years of conflict since an ethnic minority uprising prompted the government to launch a scorched-earth campaign that left 300,000 people dead and displaced 2.5 million. A joint security force will be deployed in the five states of the Darfur region to protect citizens during the farming season, Hamdoks office said in a statement after he met a delegation of women from the region. The force will include army and police forces, it said. Violence in Darfur has eased since Bashirs ouster by the army amid mass protests against his rule last year, with a preliminary peace deal signed in January between the government and a coalition of nine rebel groups, including factions from the region. Farmers displaced in the conflict have since started to return to their land under a government-sponsored deal reached two months ago, in time for the July-November planting season. But bloodshed has continued, particularly over land rights, according to expert Adam Mohammad. The question of land is one cause of the conflict, he said. During the war, peasants fled their lands and villages to camps, and nomads replaced them and settled there. On Friday, armed men drove into a village and killed 20 civilians returning to their fields for the first time in years, an eyewitness and a tribal chief told AFP. In late June and early July, hundreds of protesters camped for days outside a government building in the Central Darfur town of Nertiti to demand that the government beef up security after multiple killings and looting incidents on farmland and properties. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court over charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in the conflict. For 21-year-old Priya, a Mumbai-based volunteer with an NGO, the coronavirus lockdown restriction is threatening to upend everything she has fought for in the last five years. Priya, who hails from a middle-class family, identifies herself as a female born in a male body. But the lockdown-imposed home isolation has awkwardly placed herself under the constant gaze of her transphobic family members who she says are now constantly after her to renounce her hard-earned identity as a transwoman and even get married. They want me to cut my hair short and become a boy again, says Priya over the phone from a safe space, away from the watchful eyes of her aggressive elder brother and transphobic parents. According to her, she had successfully completed her social transitioning as a woman, meaning she is now a publicly recognised transwoman, and was in the process of officially initiating her gender transition, when the lockdown happened. Before lockdown, I was at office most of the time. Now I am living with my family 24x7. They refuse to acknowledge my identity as a woman and keep addressing me by my dead name, says Priya, who was Ajay before she abandoned her birth name. I have never felt like a male, she says, adding she experienced the internal conflict even when she was as little as four years old. It didnt bother my family much then. Gradually, my parents, relatives and cousins started mocking me and kept taunting me to behave like a boy. Since Priya was also a studious student in school, academics took precedence over battle for identity for a brief period. Then one day, hell broke loose, when a picture of hers dressed as a woman, with makeup and all, leaked from her phone, while she was doing her second year engineering. My mom was shocked and was in complete denial. My brother became violent and aggressive. They were afraid of the consequences, if my father came to know about it. Her father, a small-scale businessman, finally came to know about it, when one of her college mates who had a crush on her came home and confronted him and even threatened to kill her after she spurned his advances. Priya was a popular as transwoman in college, winning beauty pageants. My parents, instead of protecting me, made me feel ashamed and locked me up in my room, says Priya. Thats the first time she felt abandoned by her family. The next day, she ran away from home. She was eventually coaxed back to her house citing her mothers poor health and her academic future. Now, years later, the coronavirus lockdown has instilled in her with an eerie sense of deja vu. I no longer have access to community friendly space I had before. I am facing micro aggression and transphobia every day. Studies show that Priyas situation is not unique or even a third world problem. Around 73 percent of the 1.3 million trans youth in the US are not in very supportive households. The challenge faced by Shreya, a colleague of Priya who completed her transition into a woman in 2008, is of a different nature. With travel restrictions and priority of doctors shifting towards coronavirus patients, her mandatory bodily checkups, every three months, have come to a halt. My doctor has prescribed some medicines over the phone, says Shreya. But its not working. I am already experiencing side-effects like bleeding, lack of sleep, anxiety and hearing loss. The difficulty in accessing healthcare for non-COVID patients, especially transpersons, is acknowledged by Dr PS Bhandari, consultant plastic surgeon at LNJP hospital, New Delhi, who specialises in sex reassignment surgeries. Any non-COVID treatment is going to be extremely difficult now, he says. Even if you get appendicitis and go to a hospital, they will ask for a COVID-19 test first. Unless there is a whole dedicated department to treat transsexuals, they will never get priority in treatment, says Dr Bhandari. He calls for greater support and understanding from family members towards transpersons. Dr Narendra Kaushik, chief plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon at Olmec, a centre dedicated exclusively for transgender surgeries, says the number of queries relating to sex-change and medical guidance have increased since the lockdown began. We get around 60 calls per day, he says. The centre which used to conduct up to 70 surgeries per month is hoping to resume surgeries, suspended since March, gradually by August. Transitioning from one gender to the other is a multi-step process consisting of psychological evaluation, hormonal treatment and surgery. It can take anywhere from three to five years and sometimes even more, depending on the extent of transition an individual wants. The surgery is also risky and irreversible. But for people like Priya and Shreya, its their determination not to fit into boxes made by society that drives them to go under the knife. But its not going to be easy. Priyas parents have already initiated marriage discussions. They have started talking about finding a bride for my brother. I know where that conversation is going to go, says Priya, hinting how she is going to be the next in line. The family is also planning to relocate to Rajasthan, their home state. If that happens I have no option, but to become a boy, says Priya referring to her conservative-minded family elders. They are trying their best to change my mind. I dont know how long I will be able to resist. Sangeeth Sebastian is a senior journalist based in New Delhi with a keen interest in transforming cultural attitudes around sex, religion and masculinity. Assistant Inspector General of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu (Rtd.) was a former Commissioner of Police in Oyo and Rivers states and the FCT. He also served as a former Commissioner of Police in charge of the Mobile Force (MOPOL); Commandant, Police Staff College, Jos and the Assistant Inspector General of Police 7, Abuja and Zone 2 (Lagos and Ogun). In this exclusive interview by PeesReporters, he blames Governor Ben Ayade for the increasing rate of crime in Cross River State. As a former top police officer who attained the level of an Assistant Inspector General of Police, what do you think must have been responsible for the increasing waves of crime in Cross River State? Cross River is one of the easiest states to police in Nigeria. It has only two roads- the one that leads up to the Itu Bridge and the one that goes straight to Ugep and to Ikom. From Ugep, the road goes straight to Ikom. At the Mbok Junction, the left goes to Abakaliki and the straight one leads to Ogoja and then Gakem, our boundary with Benue State. Then at Ikom, we have the one that leads to the borders, just a few kilometres and the other one leads to the Obudu Ranch but which has now become impassable. The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was there and, after so much money was spent to work on that road, there is nothing to show for it. The road became impassable, not up to one year after. So, there is nothing to police in Cross River. But, today, Calabar South is a no-go area. How can they say it is a no-go area? We have allowed criminals to take over. If the government is not a criminal government or if most of the elements in government are not criminals, why should we perpetrate all these evils in a state that was once known as a very peaceful state? What could account for the change in the security outlook of the state? Now, cultists, kidnappers and armed robbers have taken over. Go to the State Housing which is supposed to be the GRA of Cross River State, you will see boys with small guns. They snatch peoples bags and phones at gunpoint. You go to the ATM in Calabar, as soon as you leave, they will accost you, take your bags, money and phones. Is that a state? Cross River is even worse than Borno State and all those places where we have the Boko Haram insurgency, but criminal cases are under-reported here. You go down to Ikom or Obudu where a DPO was killed and a DSS officer was injured. A DPO killed? That was not possible when I was a Commissioner of Police. I will hunt for the killers and make sure that I inconvenience that area for one year. I was Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). I left those places in peace. Why wont there be crime when the police have no means of patrol? If the governor procures two hilux pick up vehicles each for the only 18 divisons, crime will reduce. As I am talking to you, the Cross Rivers State Police Command does not have a serviceable vehicle; not just one for the Operations Department, for the CID and for the SARS. What they have are dilapidated and very old vehicles. Go to the area commands; go to the divisions and tell me how crime will not be perpetrated in the state. Where lies the fault of the Governor Ben Ayade-led administration in all these? Let me tell you, the state governor has a security vote of not less than N500 million every month and which is domiciled in the account of his Chief of Staff (CoS). He should tell us what he is doing with that money. Look at the local government fund: they are pilfering it here and there. If you buy two vehicles from the fund of a local government area and give to the police division in that local government area, they will do something with it, patrolling. Travellers from Calabar to Ikom are robbed once it is 5pm. Why? The spots are known but where are the patrol vehicles? None. Who gives the governor information? They only want him to hear what he wants to hear, singing his praises as the digital governor. I will never join them to do that rubbish. If we decide to keep quiet, how will the state move forward? The government of the day supports criminality. Criminals are arrested, cultists, kidnappers and armed robbers are arrested, one person or the other will just go there and the next thing is that all those charges are withdrawn or the DPP will write or enter into a noile prosequitor. Such inconsistency cannot work. A known cultist is facing criminal charges, but they have gone ahead to change the charges and gave him a soft-landing so that he can become a councilor in Calabar South. What I am seeing here cannot happen in Yoruba land or in the North. Our leaders have failed us. But we thank God, we are alive; we are back. I cannot go back to the police, I am above 60 years old. I have no ambition whatsoever of becoming the governor of this state. What for? Is it to use and blow siren which I have been blowing for the past eight or nine years? Go on Google, you will see my name; mention my name anywhere, people know me. But we must correct what is happening in Cross River State. What exactly do you want the governor to do? The governor should tell us how many security vehicles he has bought since he took over as the governor of the state, over five years ago How many times has the IGP, or DIG Operations or AIG of the zone come to the state to commission vehicles for the police? If he floods Calabar, even with those small Hyundai cars (like 20 or 30 units), and they keep patrolling consistently, with all seriousness and without compromising, crime rate will drop in the state capital. If you are caught with a gun, trying to endanger the life of any other person, the law says the security agent should use his weapon on such a person. In broad daylight, people will be shooting. If the people in government are not in support of cultism, why should it continue? You see where a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, all because he wants to become a governor, will be parading the streets with cultists. The next Cross River State governor will be selected by the people. If you like, go there and manipulate, but the next governor will be selected by the people. We will dig deep into your past to see how useful you have been to the community. Are you saying the governor is not doing enough in terms of security? If the governor buys about 30 Hilux pick-ups and gives to the OPs and the police divisions for the first term, they will be patrolling the roads. The second term, he buys another set of 30 units, the crime rate in Cross River State will drop. That is just that. A serious governor will never joke with security. I want to tell you that there is no Commissioner of Police who comes to the state that has not complained to me that he hardly sees the governor. A CP will arrive in Calabar and it will take about two or three months to see the governor. The governor is the Chief Security Officer and the chairman of the state Security Council committee, while the CP is the deputy chairman of the committee. As soon as a new CP arrives, a good state governor, who wants peace in his state, would arrange that the next thing after the handing over, the CP will move straight to the Government House to see the governor. Sometimes, a CP will tell me that he has been calling the governor but the governor will keep him on the line for about five to 10 minutes or that he will call the CP later. No governor, not even a minister, has ever done that to me. I will not take it from you. I will tell you, Your Excellency, I will not work with you again. I want to go back to Abuja. That was how I was operating. The AIGs have made similar complains that they cannot see the governor. A serious governor will never joke with security. So, the people of Cross River State must cry out. It is the first duty of the governor of a state. That is why he is the Chief Security Officer of his state; he is to provide security for the people of the state. Ayade must do it because we are not going to condone further killings again. We are going to investigate any killing. This is our state; we have retired military generals and retired top police officers here, but what are they doing? They have to speak out. We are not fighting the governor: we only want him to do what is proper. You said the governor is not holding security meetings with the service commanders in the state Ayade has abandoned security meetings with service commanders. Let the governor tell us how many times he has held security council meetings with the service commanders in the state, the police commissioner? I am not talking about the kangaroo emergency ones that he will just call them because something has happened. It is mandatory that, every month, the state governor must hold security meetings with the service commanders. This is not the case in Cross River. If it is done, Governor Ayade should show us the minutes, even on the television. We will not allow these things to continue. We will be talking for the people of Cross River State. This is to make sure that justice, good governance and accountability prevails in the state. Members of the Traditional Rulers Council are people who are very close to the people at the grass roots level who should be feeding the government with information. But the governor should tell the world how many times has he held meeting with them? It has been over a year that the governor lastvheld a meeting with the traditional rulers. Is that what is going on in the other states? Everybody is keeping quiet, but we are not going to keep quiet. What is expected of the governor and what do you have in mind to effect the changes? We have to change things in this state. The next person who wants to become the governor, from any political party, we are going to profile that person. We will come out; we will shout and if a party decides to impose you, you will fail because we will come out and we will be actively involved in the selection of the next governor. This time, nobody is going to bring anybody who will tell us the time is 9o clock when it is actually 3o clock. We will not accept that again. You also claimed that the governor is interfering in the affairs of the local councils. How do you mean? Yes, Governor Ben Ayade should stop interfering in affairs of the local councils. He has told the whole world that he saved N11.36 billion local government fund. We appreciate him, but the local council chairmen have been sworn in by him: they and their deputies dont have official vehicles. They have no running grant and imprest for the past seven weeks now. The governor should please respect his promise and himself. He is yet to do what he said to the whole world. The governor should release the money, the N11. 36 billion, to the local government areas. Apart from that, some people in his government, especially the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, are having the audacity of writing the local government councils and giving them names of those that should be appointed as special supervisory councilors or PAs. The commissioner doesnt have such rights. The governor does not have such rights. It is the exclusive preserve of the local council chairman. You are interfering in everything, but how can the state move forward by doing such a thing? Can the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government write a letter to you, as the governor, and say you must appoint some persons as commissioners or as head of one agency or parastatals? If he cannot do that, why are you, as the governor, doing that to the local councils? These are the things that we must cry out against and let you know. For me, I will never ever sing his praises. What for? Any day the governor wants to reply me, let him go ahead. I will talk and tell the whole world. My advice to him is this: please let us start to do the right thing. Why are you insisting on the removal of the state Commissioner for Health, Mrs Betta Edu? You will recollect that sometimes early this month, the Cross River State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) accused her of unethical handling of COVID-19 testing in the state. She was alleged to have, by her acts, put the residents of the state in a precarious state of health, resulting to the death of many people. The allegations were contained in a letter, dated July 5, 2020, in which the NMA passed a vote of no confidence on her and also referred her to the NMA National Disciplinary Committee and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). These allegations still subsist and there has not been any improvement in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. We will ensure the removal of Commissioner for Health, Mrs Betta Edu and if the governor does not want to sack her, well the law will take its course. We will pursue her matter and make sure that she goes to jail. The governor does not have the power to withdraw the charges against her. Before I round off on this issue of COVID-19, I just got information from the NMA, Cross River State that they are submitting a situation report to the Minister of Health. However, testing has commenced at the Lawrence Henshaw Memorial Hospital. But the government is refusing to upload the results to the NCDC. 75 per cent of the results on the NCDC Situation Report, as of now, are only from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH). Meanwhile, the government has refused to activate the Adiabo Isolation Centre. As soon as the 5-bed isolation centre at the UCTH is filled, patients are sent away. Sent back to where? They are sent back to the society so that they will now go and continue to spread the virus. I dont know if you saw the headlines on AIT Television, yesterday, that they have started testing at Boki Local Government Area. This is preposterous; this is evil. Ikom and Etung local government areas have a legal border with Cameroon. We are supposed to start testing in Ikom and Etung local government areas before we get to Boki Local Government Area. He should go and do the testing in Obudu and in Calabar, then we will know that the government is serious. What is the problem of the state? The Federal Government is trying to fight COVID-19, but here we are trying to conceal it. They want people to continue to die so that there will be nobody to oppose the mismanagement of this government or what? You seem to be so bothered about the welfare of the state, but have you ever reached out to the governor, privately, to discuss the problems and the way out? It is nothing personal. I am not the only one he is doing this to: he has been doing that to some other prominent indigenes of the state. On two occasions, I have met with the governor and talked about these issues. In his usual way, he only said he will do something about it, but nothing has been done so far. On another three occasions, when he came to Abuja, I also traced his house: I went there and dropped a letter that we have to see. He did not get back to me, up till this moment. But since he has refused to call for a private meeting, where we can discuss and resolve all these issues affecting the state, then I think it will be appropriate to come into the open. I hope that Governor Ayade would see reason and find a way to attend to and address the problems affecting the state, especially the issue of insecurity and pervading crimes. Interview Credit: Press Reporters The current August reopening plans of the University of North Carolina campuses are a serious threat not only to the campus communities but also to the state. As of now, the coronavirus has sickened more than 3.8 million Americans and killed more than 146,000. It is spreading at 60,000 new cases a day, leading the world in pandemic disaster. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, the spread of the virus continues to accelerate as deaths have eclipsed 1,600 and records in daily case totals and hospitalizations continue to be broken. At such a moment, the reopening of college campuses cannot be done safely without comprehensive, systematic and frequent testing an approach for which there are no current plans. The UNC System argues that it is following CDC guidelines and those guidelines do not mandate testing. A July 8 New York Times article, however, makes it clear that the CDC responds to directives from the president, who has said testing is too costly and unnecessary. Further, the U.S. has been following CDC guidelines from the outset with the result of the continuing spread of the disease and the worlds worst death toll. Even Europe has closed its borders to Americans. The CDC is not sufficient. Haiti - Security : Andy Durosier, DG of the Ministry of Tourism victim of a terrible accident Saturday Andy Durosier, Director General of the Ministry of Tourism was the victim of a terrible road accident on the RN #3, near Pignon and Dondon in the North department. The driver of the land Cruiser in which Andy Derosier was, lost control of the vehicle for a yet undetermined reason, before violently hitting an electric pole and overturning on the roof. Kimberly Antoine, Andy Durosier's assistant died instantly, Jean Pierre Desir the driver was seriously injured and died in hospital while Andy Durosier survived his injuries and according to the latest information his condition would be stable. Note that Kimberly Antoine and Jean Pierre Desir accompanied the delegation of the Ministry during a mission of preparation and planning of the celebration of the 350 years of the city of Cap-Haitien, with the organizing committee of these festivities and the town hall of this city. Reacting to the terrible news Eddy-Jackson Alexis, the Secretary of State in a note "[...] associates himself with the pain of all those seriously affected by this tragedy in particular the families of the victims, their loved ones, their work colleagues and employees of the Ministry of Tourism. On behalf of the government, the Secretary of State extends his sympathies to the families of the victims, to the Director General, Andy Durosier, still in shock, and to the Minister of Tourism Myriam Jean, very touched by this tragedy." The Ministry of Tourism has learned with infinite sadness of the death of Mrs. Kimberly Antoine and Jean Pierre Desir "[...] while deploring this loss for the institution, presents its deepest sympathies to the families, relatives of the victims and to the employees of the institution. It takes the opportunity to reiterate all its support to the parents afflicted by this bereavement." For his part, Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe presented his sympathies to the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Myriam "[...] In this painful circumstance, I ask everyone to show solidarity with the Minister, her staff, as well as bereaved families. It should be noted that the condition of Director General Andy Durosier is stable." HL/ HaitiLibre Ivory Coasts 86-year-old former president Henri Konan Bedie said Sunday that age is an asset ahead of being declared his opposition partys candidate for Octobers tense presidential election. After years of political turbulence in the West African country, the election has been tipped into uncertainty by the sudden death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly earlier this month. Coulibaly was a popular figure, seen as the anointed successor of President Alassane Ouattara, who had ruled out standing for re-election on October 31. But Coulibalys death has stirred speculation that Ouattara could run after all. Bedie, who served as president from 1993 until he was ousted in a coup in 1999, is hoping to fill the power vacuum. He is the leader of the Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast (PDCI), which held a convention in Abidjan on Sunday to select its candidate. There is no age limit Around 9,000 delegates will vote at 388 polling stations across the country in the partys primary, but the result is not in doubt Bedie is the only contestant. The result is expected to be announced at noon on Monday. For us at the PDCI, age is an asset, Bedie told reporters after casting his vote. Age brings together experience as well as competence. Opponents of Bedie, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2000 and 2010, have criticised his advanced age. In response, the PDCI party chief said thats their problem! There is no age limit under the constitution. I am gathering all my physical and intellectual strength. Bedies previous presidency came at a time when Ivory Coast was a haven of peace and stability in restive West Africa, before the coup that removed him from power, a low-lying civil war, and the bloody political unrest that followed. Bedie said he hoped to fulfil a mission of public safety to restore Ivory Coast. The Sphinx of Daoukro Dubbed the sphinx of Daoukro after both his native town and his economy with words, Bedie was mentored by Ivory Coasts founding president Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who ruled until his death in 1993 and remains a beloved figure to many in the country. The PDCI was part of a governing coalition with Ouattaras RHDP party from 2011 to 2018, but the alliance broke up over the question of who would be the 2020 presidential candidate. Some analysts now expect Bedie will face Ouattara, 76, despite the president saying in March he would not stand again to make way for the new generation a comment seen as a reference to Bedies presidential aspirations. But after Coulibalys death from a heart attack, Ouattaras ruling RHDP party has struggled to find an alternative candidate for the October 31 vote. If Ouattara chooses to run, it will likely spark accusations of abuse of democracy under the countrys two-term presidential limits. He has previously argued that a constitutional change has reset the clock, enabling him to potentially run again. Ivory Coasts third major national party, the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), has yet to name a candidate. It is unclear if the partys founder Laurent Gbagbo, whose refusal to step down as president after losing a 2011 election triggered a stand-off that claimed 3,000 lives, will be able to run. Gbagbo was cleared of crimes against humanity last year by the International Criminal Court but prosecutors are appealing the ruling. Preliminary data shows that reports of child abuse around the nation have plunged during the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown, according to an NBC News analysis, while experts are concerned there could be an unseen surge in abuse behind closed doors due to COVID-19 related unemployment and financial strain. An NBC News analysis of data from 43 states and Washington, D.C., found that reports of abuse and neglect in April 2020 dropped by an average of 40.6 percent in each state from the levels reported in the same month of 2019. Experts predicted the drop in reporting when the coronavirus pandemic was declared, noting that school closures keep children out of the view of the adults who make a fifth of all child abuse reports teachers and school officials. At the same time, they fear the rising unemployment and other economic stresses linked to the outbreak have increased the risk of abuse and neglect. The absence of reports, however, means theres no way to confirm a surge, despite alarming anecdotes from emergency rooms, pediatricians and hotlines. Researchers and advocates say this lack of clarity has added urgency to a movement to put more resources into prevention, reforming a system that has long prioritized intervention and relied on mandatory reports of children who have already been hurt. The system that we have is reactive, said Steven Olender, senior policy associate at the Childrens Defense Fund. We're suddenly very worried that everyone is at risk, instead of [having] a system where we know that we have infrastructure in place to help support and take care of families. What the data does and doesnt show Comparing 2019 to 2020 by month, the data shows that the monthly state totals of child abuse reports were an average of 14.2 percent lower in March 2020, 40.6 percent lower in April and 35.1 percent lower in May. Most schools across the country closed to curb the spread of COVID-19 on March 16, and nearly all states mandated or recommended closure by the following week. Story continues By the end of that week, half the countrys states had enacted shelter-in-place orders and 3.3 million people had filed for unemployment following business closures and layoffs. Studies conducted after the 2008 recession showed that the similarly sudden rise in unemployment was linked to an increase in child abuse. Whether a surge in child abuse has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is unknown. But a June study by data-analysis organization Mathematica suggests that as reports of suspected maltreatment dropped, the children who were reported were on average at a higher risk of actually having faced abuse or neglect. During the first two months of the lockdown, March and April, pediatricians across the country reported treating more severe injuries caused by abuse, along with an increase in fatalities. Image: Amari Boone (KXAS) When three-year-old Amari Boone was rushed to the hospital from his home in Fort Worth, Texas on April 10, his ribs were fractured, each of his fingers and arms were broken, and he was suffering from a brain injury. Two days later, Amari became the fourth child to die of abuse in Fort Worth this year, a city that police say sees an average of two such cases in a year. The hospital that treated him said nine children were admitted for abuse-related injuries between March 17 and the days following Amaris death. They really had horrible, horrible inflicted injuries, said Dr. Jamye Coffman, medical director of Cook Childrens Medical Centers Center for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. Amari Boone and the three other Fort Worth children who suffered fatal injuries each died at Cook Childrens. When Amaris foster parents brought him to the hospital a few weeks later, his injuries were so severe he was put on life support as soon as he arrived, until the bleeding in his brain put him past recovery. Amaris death was ruled a homicide, but his case is still under investigation and no arrests have been made. His grandmother, Kiceshi Iaymon, blames his foster parents for Amaris death, but they deny harming him. Deondrick Foley, one of his caregivers, said he doesnt know how Amari was injured. Foley said he saw the injuries after picking Amari up from daycare, and then took him to the hospital. As official reports of abuse dropped across the country, calls to the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline increased. The 24/7 anonymous hotline saw an increase in calls by 31 percent in March, 17 percent in April and 43 percent in May when compared to 2019, according to Chief Communications Officer Daphne Young. Childhelp is not affiliated with protective services agencies and takes calls from anywhere in the U.S. Image: Amari Boone (Ariana George) Were getting much more intensified calls, more abuse disclosure, and stories of sexual abuse and much higher anxiety calls from people who are suffering, Young said. If there was a rise in the severity of abuse cases during state shutdowns, it isnt reflected in state agency data. In most states, reports to child protective agencies that meet the states definition for abuse or neglect have to be selected or screened in for investigation. These more serious reports dropped by nearly the same amount that total reports did, NBC Newss analysis showed. Investigations into maltreatment can take months, meaning agencies dont yet have complete data on how many substantiated cases of abuse occurred this spring, even for cases that were reported. We dont know what we dont know, Coffman said. Moving toward prevention The lack of information surrounding abuse and neglect during the pandemic adds urgency to what experts called a paradigm shift happening in the child welfare field: shifting resources away from intervention and more toward prevention. Our systems are designed to produce the results that they produce, said Melissa Merrick, CEO and president of Prevent Child Abuse America. If we redesign our system, meaning we transfer our investments that are meant for treatment, after-the-fact services, into prevention that would necessarily produce a different outcome. The shift began in 2018, when the Family First Prevention and Services Act was passed, they said. The law allowed states to allocate federal funds that could previously only be used for foster care services instead toward mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services for children who are at risk of being removed from their homes. Implementation of the Family First legislation is still in its early phases, and not all prevention programs are eligible for reimbursement under the law, including child care. Programs that more directly alleviate financial burdens can reduce maltreatment, experts say, especially since so many cases are of neglect, rather than abuse. One study showed that raising minimum wage by $1 reduced reports of child maltreatment by nearly 10 percent. Directing funds to food pantries, baby pantries and childcare subsidies, Merrick said, are some ways to further reduce neglect. We can learn from COVID-19 that the best way to stop what we call child abuse and neglect is to focus on poverty, said Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protective Reform. Instead of a massive system of investigation, focus on concrete help to ameliorate the worst effects of poverty. With the pandemic putting agencies at risk of tightening their budgets, line items that are not reimbursable by the federal government are usually the first to go, Olender said, which is why its so important for federal funds to be available for prevention programs. Another way to work toward prevention is to expand the places and agencies mandatory reporters can make referrals to beyond protective services, suggested Olender and Amy Templeman of the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities. If teachers and others instead reached out to a home visitation program or a food bank, Templeman said, they can avoid unnecessarily subjecting children to extensive investigations or separating families. The growing use of the Childhelp hotline, Young said, may be because it was treated as a a soft landing space for incidents that may not need to be reported to child protective services. Iaymon, Amaris grandmother, says that his death could have been prevented. Amari was already under Texass legal custody when he died, the states Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) confirmed. After his parents and other family members were unable to care for him, Iaymon said, he was taken in by foster parents in January. Weeks before he died, however, his mother saw bruises on his body and sent photos to DFPS. DFPS maintains it conducted background checks and home visits on his caregivers before they were approved, though it declined to confirm whether any home visits occurred after his mother reported suspected abuse. Foley said DFPS visited unannounced, two or three times a week, in the weeks preceding Amaris death. Iaymon said thats not enough. If a child had been abused, why would you keep him in that home? Iaymon said. They failed my grandson. Note on methodology: NBC Newss analysis of statewide data includes seven states that recorded data on a weekly basis, so exact numbers for each month are estimated. Data from one state is inexact and was estimated from a line graph. CORRECTION (July 27, 2020, 11:24 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the name of Amy Templeman's organization. It is the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, not the Alliance of Strong Children and Families. A person who is active duty is in the military full time. They work for the military full time, may live on a military base, and can be deployed at any time. Persons in the Reserve or National Guard are not full-time active duty military personnel, although they can be deployed at any time should the need arise. AGs sue Trump admin. over rule allowing doctors to not perform abortions, trans surgeries Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A group of Democratic state attorneys general is suing the Trump administration over its rule that allows doctors to decline performing abortions and transgender surgeries. The legal action challenges the administration's reversal of an Obama-era regulation that included someone's "internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, neither, or a combination of male and female" in its definition of "sex discrimination" in section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. The regulation also included "termination of pregnancy" in that same definition. New York Attorney General Letitia James is leading the effort and is joined by 23 other state attorneys general representing California, Washington state, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, among others. James has claimed that the change in language was tantamount to denying people healthcare, saying it was "especially egregious" to do so during a pandemic. Last month, the Trump administration revised those regulations, reverting back to the previous standard of sex discrimination, that which discriminates on the basis of biological sex. The Department of Health and Human Services announced it would enforce the contested section "by returning to the governments interpretation of sex discrimination according to the plain meaning of the word sex as male or female and as determined by biology. The agency held that the change maintains vigorous enforcement of federal civil rights laws on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, and sex, and restores the rule of law by revising certain provisions that go beyond the plain meaning of the law as enacted by Congress." With the insertion of "gender identity" and "termination of pregnancy" language, the Obama-era rules were understood to mean that should a doctor or medical institution voice ethical or religious objections to performing an abortion or doing a cosmetic gender surgery, they could be referred to the Department of Justice for legal action and potentially risk losing federal funding. We are restoring respect to the rule of law, Roger Severino, the director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS, said in a June 12 interview with RealClearPolitics. The Obama-era definition, he added, created extraordinary confusion in the science and medical fields. Since December 2016, federal courts have twice held that the Obama regulations contravened religious freedom protections set forth in established civil rights statutes and other laws protecting religious liberty. Mary Beth Waddell, senior legislative assistant for the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., said previously of the Trump administration's reversal that it will protect health care providers from being forced to participate in and perform services that substantially violate their consciences and help protect their patients. Central to disputes where transgender-identified people are concerned is the language used to define key terms and how it applies in law. Days after the HHS formally returned its policies to its solely biological legal definition, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County which held that sexual orientation and "transgender status" are included in the legal definition of sex discrimination regarding Title VII, the federal civil rights statute pertaining to employment. Edith Quammen was caring for sick children amid neighbors' influenza deaths a century ago when she consoled her father in a letter after her mother died. "Look up now for God and Mama's sake and say 'Thy will be done,'" Quammen wrote from Plaza to her father in Austin, Minn., in December 1918. "Remember we love you and are grieving for you and with you." Letters of the family are among the State Archives' records documenting the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed a confirmed 1,378 people in North Dakota and likely thousands more. Letters, diaries, newspapers and oral histories tell of the personal and painful tolls the so-called "Spanish flu" rent a century ago. Now, the State Historical Society of North Dakota is looking to collect personal stories of the coronavirus pandemic. 'That real person's story' Since the call went out in April, about 50 people have responded with stories, videos and photographs. The Historical Society is soliciting physical objects documenting the pandemic, via online questionnaire. There is no time frame for the project, which could be shown in the future in a rotating exhibit case of recent acquisitions. "Part of what we're doing this for is so future generations can learn the North Dakota story," Audience Engagement & Museum Division Director Kim Jondahl said. "Because you can read the national headlines, but sometimes when you actually get to read that real person's story of what they went through and their struggles and their challenges, it puts a whole different personal perspective on the pandemic." Some stories have brought tears to her eyes, she said. People have expressed feelings of isolation and extreme loneliness. "The famous 'Coronavirus' took away my ability to go out and get my braces on, get my license, stop me from getting an education, and it stopped me from seeing my grandma," one account says. "I wake up every morning and I do the same thing every single day. I have never felt so lonely. You feel as if you can't eat any food since there is barely even enough toilet paper to use. On the bright side, this has given the Earth a break, and a time to heal." Other accounts talk of peace in being at home with family. "I've connected with my girlfriend in a new way, spending most of our days together has gotten us to understand each other a little bit better, I think we're both a little more patient with each other," one says. "So this virus hasn't been all bad, there have been some positives, albeit few compared to the destruction and havoc it's wreaking across the nation." Jondahl said that "sometimes when critical, historic events happen, that information is not collected, particularly in oral histories, until decades down the road. When it's done that way, some of those personal stories are lost or missing, or perspectives have changed over the years, so this is our opportunity right now to capture these stories while they're happening." The Historical Society already has received several objects of the COVID-19 era, Assistant Registrar Elise Dukart said. Items include one cloth mask, packaging for food shipped for Passover and a yard sign advertising a local restaurant's delivery and curbside service. Interested donors can fill out an online questionnaire to submit objects to the Museum Collections Committee for consideration. Dukart said potential items include homemade masks, baking items, businesses' plastic barriers, empty hand sanitizer bottles, toilet paper and other products in high demand amid the pandemic. Visit statemuseum.nd.gov/share-your-story or send questions to museumacquisitions@nd.gov to learn more about the project. 'It brings it to life' Personal stories and accounts of the flu pandemic are scattered across newspapers, letters and diaries, State Archivist Shane Molander said. Some collections of family papers span decades but offer as little as a few sentences about the flu, he said. Quammen's letter to her father noted a 28-year-old man who died and was buried "without one word of prayer or song" as his wife and four children lay sick in bed. "There are so many sick here," she wrote. "I have been helping some." Newspapers are a wealth of information, from public health advertisements ("Coughs and sneezes spread diseases as dangerous as poison gas shells") to news items such as the Hillsboro City Commission's quarantine order and Mayville residents donning masks -- similarities to 2020 coronavirus stories. "By having these letters and newspapers from the time, it brings it to life," Molander said. Oral history interviews also mention the flu, he said. There also are school superintendents' reports that offer a glimpse into the pandemic, when some Logan County parents faced court troubles for keeping their children out of school "for unreasonable lengths of time." People ages 16-30 had the highest fatality rates for the flu, said Bismarck State College history professor Perry Hornbacher, who researched the 1918 pandemic for a 2004 paper. Pregnant women also were especially vulnerable. Many children were orphaned. Hornbacher flipped through Tribune stories that fall announcing school, church and other closures and mounting flu deaths from the outbreak, which lasted into 1919. "Large number of deaths in local hospitals reported over Sunday," read an October 1918 headline to a story announcing flu deaths from Fargo to Flasher, of people ages 20 to 39. "It was the young people who were getting it and dying in large degrees," as opposed to elderly people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19, Hornbacher said. The flu began to wane as the armistice came that ended World War I in November 1918. Local history Neither the state nor local historical societies have objects related to the 1918 flu pandemic. But Mandan's American Legion Post No. 40 is named for Sgt. Maj. Gilbert Furness, the first Mandan soldier to die during World War I, according to Mandan Historical Society Secretary/Webmaster Kathye Spilman. The 20-year-old Furness died of flu-related pneumonia in October 1918 at Camp Zachary Taylor in Louisville, Ky. The historical society maintains a small exhibit about him. The group's "History Harvest" event, from 1-5 p.m. Aug. 2 at the North Dakota State Railroad Museum grounds in Mandan, will collect information and artifacts dealing with Mandan city history, including the coronavirus. Appointments are encouraged. See mandanhistory.org for contact information. The Bismarck Historical Society hasn't made any formal solicitation for coronavirus items, but its Collections Committee "would definitely consider the right types of items," said Evan Laib, a member of the society's board of directors. "I think items that would trigger a 'nostalgic' feeling to those that lived it," such as window heart displays and businesses' social distancing paraphernalia, he said. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, have commiserated with the AbdulRazaqs over the passage of their father, Abdulganiyu AbdulRazaq. Late Mr AbdulRazaq, who is the father of the incumbent governor of the Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, died in the Federal Capital Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, on Saturday morning. He has been buried according to the Islamic rites in his Ilorin residence. Mr Tinubu described the death of the Kwara-born politician as the end of an important era in the country. In a condolence statement personally signed by him, Mr Tinubu said: The passing at 93 of the iconic patriot and elder statesman, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Folorunsho Abdulrasaq, popularly known as AGF, signifies the end of another era in the annals of this country. The likes of AGF were the proverbial hewers of wood and drawers of water who laboured hard for the strong foundation upon which our dear country was erected. He was there in the thick of all the nationalistic struggles and negotiations during the transition from colonial era to an independent Nigeria. He said the death of Mr AbdulRazaq has left a huge vacuum in our national life. Mr Saraki, in a separate statement, described the deceased as one of the statesmen produced by Kwara State. READ ALSO: I commiserate with Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq and all his siblings, the entire AbdulRazaq family, the Emir of Ilorin, the Ilorin Emirate and the people of Kwara State over the passing away of the Mutawalli of Ilorin, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq. The late AGF, as he was fondly called by people who knew him, was one of the statesmen produced by Kwara State. He will be sorely missed. According to him, the late AbdulRazaq did his best in the service of the people in Kwara State and Nigeria as a lawyer, politician, diplomat and President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, in a condolence message signed by his chief press secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, said he received the news of the death with great shock and sadness. He urged Governor AbdulRazaq to take solace in the fact that the late patriarch lived a good life which made great impact not only on his immediate family members by virtue of the illustrious children he has produced, but the nation at large. Prince Joachim of Denmark underwent emergency brain surgery following a blood clot but is now in a 'stable condition', the Danish palace has confirmed. On Friday, the 51-year-old son of Queen Margrethe, who is sixth in line to the throne, was rushed to Toulouse University Hospital in France, where he was immediately operated on. The procedure was 'successful' and the prince's condition is said to be stable, while his wife Princess Marie, 44, remains by his hospital bedside, according to a Royal Court statement. Just two days earlier, Prince Joachim had been celebrating his second son's 18th birthday at the Danish royals' summer residence, Chateau de Cayx in Cahors, in southern France. Prince Joachim of Denmark (pictured in August 2018) underwent emergency brain surgery following a blood clot on Friday but is now in a 'stable condition', the Danish palace has confirmed Just two days earlier, Prince Joachim had been celebrating his second son's 18th birthday at the Danish royals' summer residence, Chateau de Cayx in Cahors in southern France. Pictured, the prince with his family on the happy occasion In a statement the Palace said: 'His Royal Highness Prince Joachim was admitted to the University Hospital of Toulouse, France, late last night. 'The prince was operated on immediately afterwards for a blood clot in the brain and the operation was successful. The condition of His Royal Highness is stable today.' The statement continued: 'The Royal House has no further information at this point in time, but it is the wish of Her Majesty The Queen that the public respects the privacy of the family during the hospitalisation.' The prince's procedure was 'successful' and his condition is said to be stable, while his wife Princess Marie (pictured together in August 2018), 44, remains by his hospital bedside, according to a Royal Court statement On Friday, the 51-year-old son of Queen Margrethe, who is sixth in line to the throne, was rushed to Toulouse University Hospital (above) in France, where he was immediately operated on On Wednesday, the prince had celebrated his son Prince Felix's 18th birthday, alongside the teenager's mother and his ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. The parents were joined by their eldest son Prince Nikolai, 20, and Joachim's current wife Princess Marie and their two children Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight. Sharing intimate family photographs to Instagram, the group are seen hugging one another in a group snap. Prince Joachim and Princess Marie (pictured in September 2019) have two children together Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight Prince Joachim of Denmark and his ex-wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg divorced in 2004 after 10 years together - they were Denmark's first royal split in nearly 160 years. The prince, who is the second son of Margrethe and Prince Consort Henrik, is sixth in line to the throne after his elder brother Crown Prince Frederik and his four children with Australian-born Crown Princess Mary. He has since remarried Paris-born Marie Cavallier, now Princess Marie and the couple have two children together Prince Henrik, 11, and Princess Athena, eight. Patna, July 26 : When the entire country was busy remembering the brave soldiers on Kargil Vijay Diwas, a 25-year-old woman gave birth to a baby girl onboard an NDRF rescue boat in Bihar's flood-hit East Champaran district on Sunday afternoon during an evacuation operation. The girl was born at around 1.40 p.m. on the rescue boat of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which was on a rescue mission on in a flood-hit village affected by river Burhi Gandak -- a tributary of Ganga also known as Sikrahana in its upper reaches. Image Source: IANS News The news brought cheers to the region where the flood situation has worsened following incessant rain in the past few days. The birth of the girl was the 10th such incident onboard NDRF rescue boats in the last seven years, including a twin, NDRF Director General S.N. Pradhan told IANS. The NDRF personnel had also facilitated a childbirth on its rescue boat on July 22. "The NDRF is committed to not only saving lives but also facilitating life in all manifestations, including the birth of a child into this world. It is our sworn ethos and we will continue to abide by it. We owe it to the love and support that we have got from the people of India," Pradhan said. Presently, a total of 21 NDRF teams are deployed in 12 districts of Bihar to tackle the floods, which have affected over 10 lakh people, said the DG, adding that his force has rescued over 4,000 people in Bihar. The NDRF facilitated the childbirth in a dramatic rescue mission, as her mother, Rima Devi (25), the wife of Muni Lal Mahato, a resident of Gobari village in East Champaran district (Motihari), was in advance stage of pregnancy. On getting the information about the pregnant woman, rescuers of 9 Battalion NDRF, who were engaged in search and rescue operations near the same village after a drowning incident, promptly responded and rushed to her house on a boat. The NDRF team, with the help of one Asha (Accredited Social Health Activist) worker, rescued the woman and headed for the nearby Primary Health Centre in Banjariya after assessing her condition. During the course of evacuation on the NDRF rescue boat, the force said the woman developed severe labour pain. "Noticing this, NDRF rescuers accompanied by the Asha worker and her family members decided to help the expecting mother deliver on the boat itself," the NDRF said. Finally, the woman delivered a baby girl on the NDRF rescue boat under the supervision of her rescuers from the force and the Asha worker. The mother and the new born have been shifted to the nearby Primary Health Centre in Banjariya (Motihari) in an ambulance where their condition is stated to be stable, the NDRF said. NDRF personnel are trained in emergency medical response and during the course of professional training, all the rescuers are taught handling of childbirth during emergency along with other disaster response training. NDRF is an Indian specialised force constituted "for the purpose of special response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) -- Syndicated from IANS (Alliance News) - London-based bank HSBC Holdings PLC has denied Chinese media reports that it had "framed" telecom giant Huawei or "fabricated evidence" that led to the arrest of a top company official. Washington's investigations into Huawei a for allegedly violating US sanctions on Iran a started before the bank's involvement with the company in late 2016, the lender said Saturday in its first public comments on Huawei's legal battle in North America. "HSBC has no malice against Huawei, nor has it framed Huawei," the bank said in a statement posted on the Chinese messaging app WeChat. "HSBC has not fabricated evidence or concealed facts, nor will it distort facts or harm any customers for our own benefit." The HSBC statement comes a day after Chinese state media, including the communist party mouthpiece People's Daily, published reports accusing HSBC of lying about Huawei during an investigation by the US department of justice. The probe led to Canada arresting Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in December 2018. China's internet censors blocked access to HSBC's statement within hours of publication, without offering an explanation. Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, is under house arrest in Vancouver, Canada, fighting extradition to the US. Washington says Meng had concealed Huawei's alleged dealing with Iran from lenders including HSBC. Meng's lawyers last week said HSBC was well aware of Huawei's activities in Iran, but claimed ignorance to dodge further US punishment.A The bank has come under pressure as US-China relations sour.A The lender has come under fire in Britain for backing a controversial security law on Hong Kong a one of its biggest markets. The law allows Beijing to curb political freedoms in the semi-autonomous Asian financial hub.A source: AFP Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Naya Rivera's devastated younger sister Nickayla Rivera posted a moving tribute to the late Glee star on Instagram this weekend. The actress' body was recovered from Lake Piru in California this month, days after she went missing during a boating trip with her son Josey, four, who was found safe. 'Sister, There are no words to describe my love for you,' Nickayla wrote on Instagram this Saturday alongside a throwback picture with Naya. 'My world is turned upside down': Naya Rivera's devastated younger sister Nickayla Rivera posted a moving tribute to the late Glee star on Instagram this weekend 'Side by side or miles apart, our connection is infinite. Our bond is unbreakable. We were complete opposites, yet simultaneously the same,' she added. 'The yin to my yang. I never knew that by losing you, I would find so much of you in myself,' wrote Nickayla, who is seven years younger than Naya. 'I've never known a life without you in it & still cant imagine it. My world is turned upside down,' Nickayla continued. 'But through it all, everything we were, we are still. Ill always look at you with the same eyes as I did when I was young.' Happier times: Nickayla is pictured in a previous Instagram post with Naya Nickayla concluded her moving tribute by writing: 'My shmaya, Ill love you for eternity & miss you every second of my life.' She also posted a photo with her late sister Sunday night on Instgagram and wrote in the caption, 'I love you' Naya took Josey boating on Lake Piru on July 8 and vanished - although he was found safe and asleep on the boat, she was gone, though her life jacket was on board. Quality time: Naya posted this picture of her and Nickayla getting ready to go out Remembering when: Naya and Nickayla are pictured on a trip to Atlanta Police declared her presumed dead a day after her disappearance, and a search ensued until her body was recovered on July 13. The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office found no sign of drugs or alcohol being involved in her death, which they declared an accidental drowning. 'We know from speaking with her son, that he and Naya swam in the lake together at some point during their journey,' said Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub at a news conference, as quoted by People magazine. 'It was during that time that her son described being helped into the boat by Naya, who boosted him onto the deck from behind. He told investigators that he looked back and saw her disappear under the surface of the water.' Noting that Naya went missing in 'mid-afternoon' and that 'there are a lot of currents on the lake that appear particularly in the afternoon,' the sheriff theorized 'that the boat started drifting, it was unanchored, and that she mustered enough energy to get her son back onto the boat, but not enough to save herself.' Naya shared Josey with her ex-husband Ryan Dorsey, who wrote on Instagram post this Saturday: 'This is so unfair...there's not enough words to express the hole left in everyone's hearts. I can't believe this is life now. I don't know if I'll ever believe it.' To the Editor: Coronavirus exposes the utter hypocrisy of Republicans like Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia on the question of individual rights. They believe that women have no individual rights to decide for themselves whether to get an abortion, yet they oppose orders requiring individuals to wear masks because they believe that people have individual rights not to wear masks even if doing so means that thousands of additional deaths will occur as a result. Its a very curious view of individual rights and family values by these Republicans, by our president and by other Republicans who stand by them even as Florida, Georgia and other red states report record coronavirus cases and deaths! David S. Elkind Greenwich, Conn. To the Editor: My 1-year-old grandson claims that making him wear a diaper is a serious infringement of his freedom. Its absolutely not acceptable in a free world, he said, quoting a protester of a mask ordinance in Idaho and echoing the views of the governor of Oklahoma and others. How can I refuse him? Unlike the mask resisters, at least he wont be exposing us to a deadly virus. Dena Abramowitz Shorewood, Wis. To the Editor: You would not take legal advice from a doctor, you would not take medical advice from a lawyer, so why would you take coronavirus advice from a politician? Six people, including a civil services aspirant, were arrested for robbing ATMs using explosives in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, police said on Sunday. Hemant Chauhan, superintendent of police, Damoh, said that the mastermind of the gang was 28-year-old civil services aspirant Devendra Patel and the gang, arrested by Damoh Police on Saturday, was looting ATMs by blowing them up using gelatin sticks since June last year. The accused had formed a gang and started looting ATMs by blowing it up with the help of a detonator since June last year. Recently, they blew up an ATM in Simaria area in neighbouring Panna district on July 19 and looted cash worth Rs 23 lakh. He added that Devendra had learnt the technique of looting ATMs on the internet. Most of them are educated and have good knowledge of technology. Devendra Patel, who is a civil services aspirant, had learnt the technique of looting ATMs on the internet. They used to come on two bikes by covering their faces. Two people used to overpower an ATM gaurd and spray black paint on cameras, two used to connect the detonator with the bike battery and two used to collect the cash. They used to take only 14 minutes in committing the whole crime, Chauhan said. However, the gang was busted following a robbery in Panna, thanks to a CCTV camera installed in a shop next to the ATM. After committing crime in Panna, they followed the same modus operandi but didnt pay attention to a CCTV camera installed in a shop just next to the ATM. Police got some important clues from the CCTV footage and arrested them from their native village, Chauhan said. The other five members of the gang were identified as Jgeshwar Patel, Nitesh Patel, Jairam Patel, Rakesh Patel, and Param Lodhi, all residents of Khajri village of Damoh district. Police recovered Rs 25.57 lakh cash, two country made pistols, eight live cartridges, detonator, fake currency notes of Rs 3 lakh and a coloured printer from them. Police are also interrogating the gang to know whether they are involved in other crimes too as fake notes of Rs 500 denomination were also recovered from a house of Devendra Patel, said the SP. Egypt's Minister of Defense and Military Production Gen. Mohamed Zaki ordered to send a shipment of medical supplies to help the Yemeni people in the fight against COVID-19 and other illnesses. The shipment, carried by a military aircraft on Sunday, is to be delivered to the legitimate government in Yemen through Riyad-based King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief). The move comes in pursuance of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's directives to ease the burden of the brotherly Yemeni people and support their efforts to combat COVID-19. Search Keywords: Short link: Invite to church led Hollywood designer down path to abandon gay identity Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A former Hollywood designer who worked with celebrities and supermodels and once identified as gay has articulated why contemporary sexuality labels do not accurately describe him and detailed his own road to Damascus. In interviews with media organizations this week, author Becket Cook explained that he knew he was same-sex attracted at an early age and later embraced it as his identity for years before he was faced with a come-to-God experience. "The main thing that happened was the Holy Spirit, Cook told The Christian Post in a phone interview on Tuesday. My encounter with God was so road-to-Damascus. But I knew instantly that being gay was not my identity anymore, that dating guys was not a part of my future and I didn't care. Cook, the author of the 2019 book A Change of Affection: A Gay Man's Incredible Story of Redemption, told The Christian Broadcasting Network on Monday that he felt that he had to hide his same-sex attraction growing up. He dated girls when he was elementary school through high school. But, it was all a facade. After college, Cook moved to Los Angeles to pursue a creative career in the arts and came out as gay, fully embracing homosexuality as his identity. "After each relationship with a guy, and after it would end, I had total amnesia [about] how it all ended and I would think, 'Oh, the next guy is going to be perfect. And the next guy is going to be amazing, he remembered. But within a few years, relationships would end and usually were punctuated by cheating and infidelity. But several years ago, Cook unexpectedly encountered the living God. At the time, Cook thought the entire purpose of his life was fulfillment in finding true love in another guy and career success. He achieved success as a set and production designer, as he did covers for outlets like Vogue and worked with a lot of stars like Katy Perry, Paris Hilton and Oprah Winfrey. Everyone you can imagine, I worked with them, he said. He also started his own mens fashion line that reached popular fashion citys like New York and Paris. But his accomplishments did not fulfill him, he said. "Is that all there is to life?" he recalled thinking after a celebrity-laden fashion show after-party in Paris on one occasion. Everyone was there from the fashion world. Kanye [West] was there that year, he recalled. I was kind of looking out over the crowd and it just struck me so profoundly. Is that all there is to life? Just going to parties for the rest of my life. Is this what it is all about? Cook said he started panicking and was overwhelmed with a sense of emptiness. After getting back to Los Angeles and getting busy with work for about six months, he randomly encountered some Christians in a coffee shop in 2009 with their Bibles open on the tables. He said that was the first time he had seen a Bible in public in Los Angeles. At that point in his life, Cook said he was a practical atheist. He said he asked the group if they were Christians. They told him about what they believe and shared the Gospel. After Cook asked the group what their church believes about homosexuality, they told him that they believe homosexuality is a sin. Cook said he appreciated their honesty and they invited him to church that following Sunday. When they responded that [homosexuality] is a sin, I kind of had this moment where I thought maybe there is a God, there is a slim chance that God exists, he told CP. At that point, I was practically an atheist. I thought the Bible was like any Greek myth. But Cook wondered if God exists and homosexuality is a sin, would that mean that he had built his life on a false foundation. "I remember taking this idea that homosexuality was my identity and kicked it up out of my brain and put it on an imaginary shelf," Cook explained. On that Sunday, he woke up and attended the church service. The pastor preached on Romans 7, a sermon that resonated with him. Cook remembered thinking while the pastor prayed over him: Why does this straight dude love me so much? Because it seemed so loving what he was saying and praying," Cook explained. Moments later, the Holy Spirit came in power, Cook said. Cook was overcome by His presence and began bawling. In response to those who claim that Cook is suppressing his true self by saying he no longer identifies with homosexuality, Cook said that he lived that life for many years and did everything that came with it. "I marched in gay pride parades. I marched in gay marriage equality parades. I was super gay. I tried that for 30 years, Cook said. "My hope is that people will realize how much more amazing it is to deny yourself and follow Christ rather than just give in to sin now just to satisfy some immediate need." Cook said that he is happy to leave that dead man behind because He is worth it." Today, Becket spends much of his time doing ministry work as he speaks about the issue of homosexuality at churches, schools and conferences across the country. The author believes that the turmoil besetting the Western world as a result of postmodernity and not having any objective truth whatsoever is a heavy burden for any human being to bear. "I was at that point in my life where that burden was crushing me," Cook explained. "The plus side of this issue [of homosexuality] being so dominant in the culture is that the Church can no longer look away, and they actually have to deal with it. And pastors are getting educated on this issue and are getting way more insight on this issue than they did in the 1980s." WASHINGTON Kimberly Guilfoyles popularity with major donors caught the attention of President Donald Trump last year, as she traveled the country appearing at fundraisers for his reelection campaign with her boyfriend, Donald Trump Jr. Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host, had been hired by the campaign as a senior adviser, but in December, the president personally asked her to lead the fundraising effort of Trump Victory, his campaigns main committee for major donors. She accepted, and was tasked with developing a network of mid-tier supporters who are seen as pivotal to Trumps chances of winning a second term, and with whom he never formed a deep bond in 2016. Guilfoyle made inroads with some of the donors who had rejected calls from others on Trumps team. Yet Trump supporters inside and outside the campaign now say the operation she has built hasnt lived up to the expectations of some Trump fundraisers, and that her management style and that of some of her aides have alienated others. Some of the problems have been attributed to the inability to conduct in-person fundraising since the coronavirus pandemic began shutting down Trumps donor events in March. Midlevel donors tend to give more when they can see and speak with the president. But in interviews with The New York Times, Guilfoyles critics said that she had devoted a disproportionate amount of attention to glitzier, high-dollar fundraising, and that they believed she used her position and the fact that shes seen as a de facto member of the Trump family to support her public image and lifestyle. Most of those interviewed insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly. I think she likes the spotlight a little too much, said Dan Eberhart, an oil executive and a donor to Trump. He called Guilfoyle a voluble supporter of the president, but said that when she was previously working for the pro-Trump super PAC America First Action, she often talked about her own media presence. At least two staff members asked to be taken off her team, in part because they disliked working with other members, according to people familiar with the circumstances behind moves. And a lavish birthday party for Guilfoyle at Trumps Palm Beach club in March was partly funded by some campaign donors, which raised eyebrows. More concerning to some donors and campaign aides has been private plane use by Guilfoyle and her team, which has caught the eye of several staff members. In January, as requests started coming in for private flights, the campaign had to work out a plan for approving such trips, which must be listed as in-kind contributions or reimbursed by the campaign in order to comply with campaign finance laws. Guilfoyles private flights did not violate those laws, although in one case, two of her aides, without seeking prior approval, took a private flight to a fundraising event in March. The campaign then had to reimburse for the trip at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars, according to two people familiar with the trip. Tim Murtaugh, a campaign spokesman, said that flights categorized as in-kind contributions to the campaign are funded by the donors directly. Aides said such planes had allowed for maximum attendance by top officials at multiple events per day. In any event, Murtaugh said, the cost of flights and the efficiencies they provide are investments in fundraising events that raise millions of dollars for the presidents reelection. Through the campaign, Guilfoyle declined to be interviewed. The Trump campaign provided statements praising Guilfoyle and the campaigns fundraising effort from the Republican National Committees chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel; Jeff Miller, a veteran Republican fundraiser; Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, the House Republican leader; and two members of the finance team. McDaniel called Guilfoyle one of Trumps strongest and hardest-working advocates. The complaints about Guilfoyles fundraising numbers reflect some of the harsh realities of Trumps reelection prospects, particularly in the era of the coronavirus. A businessman who trusts almost no one, Trump has often turned to a small circle of family and friends for critical aspects of his reelection, regardless of their previous experience. That is what happened with Guilfoyle, people familiar with the situation said. And his campaigns fundraising, once seen as an overwhelming advantage, has lagged in the last two months behind that of his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden. The mid-tier donors that Guilfoyle has been tasked with developing are seen by campaign insiders as a key to closing the fundraising gap. These donors give their own money, but also are dispatched to collect or bundle potentially significant sums from their associates. Trumps untraditional 2016 campaign did not have an organized program devoted to bundling, which requires endless rounds of phone calls; it is usually left to lower-profile finance staff and consultants, rather than big-name campaign surrogates with close ties to the Oval Office like Guilfoyle, the ex-wife of Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, a Democrat. Guilfoyle left Fox News in 2018 and took a position at America First Action. That year, she and the presidents son revealed they were a couple. At fundraising events, donors responded to her Fox News celebrity and would line up to meet her, according to America First aides. But they said Guilfoyle was mostly used as a surrogate and did not have any staff reporting to her. They said she left the super PAC to maintain a legally mandated firewall between it and the campaign, which often deployed the younger Trump as a surrogate. At the campaign, she initially served as an adviser to Brad Parscale, who was then the campaigns manager, before accepting the title of national chair of the Trump Victory finance committee. Parscale has paid Guilfoyle since she came to the campaign, routing the payments through his private company. Guilfoyles defenders say that she is being targeted by junior staff members on the campaign who dont like what they view as her blunt style. They say she works nearly around the clock, sometimes making calls past midnight to lock in donations. Kimberly has amazing energy and brought a lot of new people into the campaign and made them feel empowered and important, said Jack Oliver, a veteran Republican fundraiser. Her relationship with the family makes people understand that the president cares about the work the volunteers are doing. Her defenders also say she has made the best of a tricky situation, throwing herself into virtual donor cultivation, participating in bundler conference calls and phone banks, and presiding over an increase in activity by some donors and bundlers, despite having scaled-back activity because of the coronavirus. They insist her deputies, Caroline Wren, a veteran Republican fundraiser, and Sergio Gor, a former aide to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., are effective. Still, under Guilfoyles stewardship, mid-tier donors have not contributed as much as hoped by some Trump allies involved in fundraising for Trump Victory, which comprises Trumps campaign committee and the RNC. Bundling figures are fungible and, with the exception of the amounts bundled by lobbyists, which are subject to mandatory disclosure to the Federal Election Commission, there is no way to fact check them. The people critical of Guilfoyle said the tallies attributed to her initiatives are sometimes padded to make them appear more successful. Sometimes bundlers are retroactively credited as having raised funds that were not initially attributed to them, they said. The campaign said that the funds credited to the bundling program were tracked using identification numbers affiliated with individual supporters. The Trump campaign said it raised more than $20 million this week from a virtual fundraiser organized by Guilfoyle. But according to internal tallies, more than half of those funds came from small donors who paid $45 or more to participate, while $6 million came from major donors who were treated to a video chat with Trump that was moderated by Guilfoyle. That means less than $4 million came from donors who gave in the middle-tier of roughly $2,800 each, the category Guilfoyle is responsible for, despite the fact that donors in that range were offered access to a separate program featuring appearances by top Republican officials. Overall, the campaign said that the bundler program accounted for $73 million of the $91 million raised by Trump Victory since the beginning of this year, though there is no way to independently corroborate this figure. And it said that since Guilfoyle took the helm of the program in mid-January, it increased the ranks of bundlers from 1,000 to 6,500. After Guilfoyle tested positive for the coronavirus during a trip to Mount Rushmore for an official White House event celebrating the Fourth of July, people close to her said that she and Donald Trump Jr. would drive back to the east coast. But they flew aboard a private flight instead, leaving behind Trump Victory aides to Guilfoyle, who were told to self-quarantine in their hotel for several days, according to a Politico report on Thursday. A campaign aide said that it was not Guilfoyle, but other campaign officials, who had instructed the staff to remain in South Dakota, and that the change in her plans came because it was deemed less of a security risk than driving across the country with Trumps son, who requires Secret Service protection. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (July 26, 2020) paid tributes to the fallen soldiers on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of Kargil war at the National War Memorial in Delhi. Rajnath Singh recounted the words of veteran BJP leader and then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee after India had declared victory. Singh said that the Kargil war proved that India will not succumb to external pressures and that India is a responsible nation, quoting Vajpayee. "In the name of national security we have only defended ourselves under attack we have never attacked another country. While, the Kargil war also proved that when under attack we are able to give a befitting reply," he said. Singh said that the sentiment that was witnessed 21 years ago is still the same in the country. "We are a peace loving nation but in times of national crisis we will not shy from taking any big step to protect the unity of the country," he said. Along with the defence minister, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General M M Naravane, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh also paid tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the National War Memorial. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced a successful end to "Operation Vijay" after a nearly three-month-long battle in the icy heights of Kargil. War ended after Indian soldiers pushed back the Pakistani troops from the captured peaks. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war. Since then the day has been observed as "Kargil Vijay Diwas" to commemorate India's victory in the war 'We flooded Instagram with positivity and joy," Celine Dee says. To do so is no small feat in the often toxic environment of social media platforms - and especially in the midst of a global pandemic. Celine, along with her colleagues at Dublin branding agency RichardsDee, set up Creatives Against Covid-19, an art project that has now been turned into an exhibition at the Guinness Storehouse. The idea was born after Celine's team were moved by figures released early in lockdown that showed an increase in calls for help to the ISPCC Childline and Women's Aid. After approaching the charities to offer its support, the agency developed a brief, calling on creatives to submit artworks that would be sold to raise funds for both causes. The response was overwhleming, with over 1,200 pieces submitted from 30 countries. These included everything from photographs and graphic designs to poems, which were sold as prints for 40 each. The campaign became something of a viral sensation, gaining support from the likes of Harper's Bazaar in the US, and creating that much-needed jolt of positivity for everyone who came across it online. Expand Close Design by Pan Cooke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Design by Pan Cooke Celine says that the part of the reason for its success was the campaign's inclusive approach. "Every single work we received went on sale. For creatives, it didn't matter what age you were, what discipline you work in or what stage in your career you're at, you could impact women and children's lives." Key, too, was the project's theme of 'soon'. "Lockdown was a moment, we knew it would pass. But it was an opportunity to focus on the things we love to do. The beauty was in seeing that those were all the really simple things, from sea swimming to hugging our friends." As the world slowly opens back up, that 'soon' has become 'now' for many of those simple things. We can, for instance, enjoy a pint of Guinness with friends again - a pleasure that came up time and again in the artworks. That didn't go unnoticed by the folks at St James's Gate, who offered the Guinness Storehouse as an exhibition space for the campaign. 'Soon is Now' runs until August 31 and features all of the project's artworks, in what Celine describes as "an installation of creativity, hope and love during lockdown". Anyone who bought a print - or buys one at creativesagainstcovid19.com, where they are still on sale - will receive a free ticket, as well as an optional pint to raise a toast to the return of the simple pleasures that couldn't come too soon. Standard Chartered Bank forecasts Viet Nams 2020 growth at 3% Manufacturing and services sectors are likely to recover and be the main growth driver in the second half of the year. Photo vcci.com.vn Standard Chartered Bank expects Viet Nams growth to slow to a multi-year low of 3 per cent this year on soft external demand, with external headwinds set to offset domestic outperformance. The forecast was in the banks recently published research report for the third quarter. Growth is likely to rebound in the second half of the year (H2) driven by the strength of the domestic economy; global headwinds are likely to partially offset this. Viet Nams dependence on the global economy is the second-highest in ASEAN after Singapore; its trade-to-GDP ratio of 198 per cent is among Asias highest, driven by electronics exports. We expect 3 per cent growth in Viet Nam in 2020; further monetary and fiscal support in H2 could push growth closer to the Governments target of 4-5 per cent, said Chidu Narayanan, economist for Asia, Standard Chartered Bank. According to the latest macro-economic report, manufacturing and services sectors are likely to recover and be the main growth driver in the second half of the year. The manufacturing sector growth is estimated at roughly 1.5 per cent in 2020, with its contribution to growth down 1.8 percentage points. The services sectors contribution to growth is likely to fall to 0.5 percentage points from 2.8 percentage points in 2019. Construction activity is expected to decline on subdued sentiment and declining foreign direct investment (FDI). However, public infrastructure investment is likely to be stronger than in the past 18 months, driven by Government stimulus. A slowdown in tourism and related activities is likely to weigh on consumption, which is projected to pick up in H2 following the reopening of the economy but to remain below 2019 levels. Standard Chartereds economists anticipate Viet Nams trade to pick up in H2 as global demand recovers, but a recovery to pre-COVID levels is unlikely. Demand from China should support a pick-up in both exports and imports near-term; however, subdued global demand is likely to impact trade growth. The bank expects trade balance to remain in surplus this year as lower imports offset soft exports. The study forecasts FDI inflows to decline this year on heightened uncertainty and depressed investment sentiment globally, totalling US$13 billion. Government measures should support FDI inflows in H2. In addition, the sustained relocation of low-tech manufacturing to Viet Nam amid geopolitical tensions should partly offset subdued sentiment, supporting FDI inflows. European firms more positive about Vietnams business climate European businesses are more positive about Vietnams trade and investment environment in the first few months after COVID-19, the Business Climate Index (BCI) unveiled by the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) on July 22 showed. Accordingly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when social distancing and travel restrictions brought normal business operations to a halt, the EuroCham BCI fell to its lowest-ever score of 27 percent in the first quarter of 2020. However, after the Government implemented a world-leading public-health and economic response, Vietnam was able to return to business-as-usual much sooner than other countries, who continue to struggle with the impact of the virus. As a result, the positive sentiment of European business leaders began to bounce back, recording a 7 percent jump between February and April to reach 34 percent. The BCI also found that more than 25 percent of European enterprises had benefitted from the Governments postponement of tax, while around one-in-five had benefitted from a reduction in rent and a suspension of social insurance contributions. Despite these positive signs, however, challenges remain for European enterprises, according to the survey. A large proportion, 88 percent of the interviewed businesses, felt negative effects as a result of the pandemic in the three months to April. Meanwhile, more than 50 percent said that a reduction in taxes such as corporate income tax, personal income tax and value added tax would help them emerge stronger from the crisis. Chairman of EuroCham Nicolas Audier said: This data is further evidence that Vietnam is one of the international success stories of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also shows that the Governments effective and sure-footed handling has had a tangible impact on the confidence of European business leaders. The next challenge will be adapting to the new normal where COVID-19 is present in other countries but where global trade remains essential to domestic economic growth. This will require imaginative solutions to address issues such as the return of foreign experts on whom many international companies depend, he added. Over 49 percent of enterprises expect business to improve in Q3 browser not support iframe. Nearly half of firms in a recent survey of the General Statistics Office on business trend of firms operating in processing and manufacturing, expect business situation to improve in the third quarter of 2020. Meanwhile, 19.4 percent of the respondents said the situations will be more difficult and 31.5 percent said that production will be stable. Non-State enterprises were the most optimistic with about 82.6 percent of them thinking that the production and business situations in Q3 will be better and more sustainable in comparison with the previous quarter. The rate was over 79 percent in the State-owned sector and nearly 76 percent among foreign-invested firms. Regarding factors that affect production of enterprises in the second quarter, 53.6 percent of businesses were of the view that high competitiveness of domestic commodities are the biggest factor affecting the operation of enterprises. In term of production volume and sale in the third quarter, over 48 percent of firms predicted that their production scale will increase./ Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical faces revenue slump Viet Nams largest refining and petrochemical firm, Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR), reported total revenue of more than VND31.7 trillion (US$1.36 billion) in the first half of this year, down 38 per cent against last year. The company suffered a loss of VND4.25 trillion in the first half of the year while it enjoyed a post-tax profit of VND704 billion in the same period in 2019. In the second quarter alone, BSR reported revenue of more than VND13.7 trillion, down by more than a half compared to last year. It suffered a loss of nearly VND1.9 trillion in the quarter. BSR attributed the poor business results to the influences of the COVID-19 outbreak combined with falling oil prices. The company has trimmed its total revenue and post-tax profit targets for 2020 by 21.5 per cent and 59 per cent year-on-year to VND80.7 trillion and VND1.18 trillion, respectively, if crude trades at $60 a barrel on average in the year. The board will make an adjustment if there is any change in the movements of oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic. BSR has filed for listing on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the northern market regulator said on Tuesday. The company plans to list more than 3.1 billion shares on the northern stock market, representing its charter capital of VND31 trillion. BSR is traded on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) with code BSR. If approved, BSR will become the largest listed firm by charter capital on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX). BSR is also expected to develop a plan in which its parent National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam or PVN) will cut its ownership in the firm from 92.12 per cent. Thailands 2020 rice exports forecast to hit lowest in 20 years The Thai Rice Exporters Association on July 22 predicted that the countrys 2020 rice exports will drop to 6.5 million tonnes, the lowest volume in two decades, owing to drought and a strong baht currency. The associations latest forecast for Thailand, the worlds second-largest rice exporter last year, is lower than its previous expectation of a seven-year low of 7.5 million tonnes for 2020. It attributed that to a persistently strong baht compared to other currencies and drought cutting Thai rice output by 5 million tonnes this production season, making prices higher and uncompetitive. The new forecast of 6.5 million tonnes is the lowest volume in 20 years, said Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, adding the previous low was 6.15 million tonnes in 2000. From January to June, Thailand exported 3.14 million tonnes of rice, about a third less than the same period last year, the associations data showed, less than Indias 4.53 million tonnes and the 4.04 million tonnes shipped by Vietnam. Meanwhile, lower global purchasing power has seen Thai white rice lose out to cheaper grades offered by Vietnam in key Asian markets like the Philippines. China, once a Thai rice importer, has also beat Thailand in key African markets with cheaper prices. Vietnam Airlines launches Dien Bien - Hai Phong flights Vietnam Airlines on July 22 launched a new domestic route linking the northwestern province of Dien Bien and the northern port city of Hai Phong. The national flag carrier is currently operating 59 domestic routes. The latest is its second commercial one to Dien Bien and its eighth to Hai Phong. Four return flights will be conducted each week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Flights depart Hai Phong at 12:05pm and Dien Bien at 2:10pm. Vice Chairman of the Dien Bien Provincial Peoples Committee Le Thanh Do said the launch of the new route is significant in implementing the Party and States policies on prioritising the development of domestic tourism in the context of COVID-19, which is hitting all sectors hard, including aviation and tourism. Cambodia, China conclude FTA talks: Ministry Cambodia and China have wrapped up trade talks following a video conference between Cambodian Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak and his Chinese counterpart Zhong Shan on July 20, the Cambodian Commerce Ministry said in a press release. Rasmei Kampuchea quoted the press release as saying that both sides spoke highly of the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), which mirrors the long-standing and comprehensive partnership between the two countries. The successful conclusion of negotiations over the FTA within a short timeframe reflects the commitments of the two countries leaders to building closer ties, the ministry said. The FTA will provide various socio-economic benefits to the two peoples through trade liberalisation and the facilitation of investment and cooperation in a number of fields. Both countries are completing all the necessary internal procedures for the FTA to be signed this year. The two countries began to discuss the feasibility of a bilateral FTA in December 2019 and launched the first round of negotiations in January. Japanese firm to invest in protective clothing factory in Vietnam Japan will assist apparel maker Matsuoka Corp. in producing protective clothing in Vietnam to diversify supply chains and lessen its dependence on China amid the coronavirus crisis. Matsuoka plans to invest 3 billion JPY (28 million USD) in An Nam Matsuoka Garment Co., its Vietnamese manufacturing unit, to start production of protective wear and other items in several months, local media has reported. Matsuoka is one of 30 Japanese firms which were recently named recipients of official subsidies from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to promote Japan's drive to diversify supply chains and reduce its dependence on China. The Japan External Trade Organization, which announced the list of subsidy recipients last week, said 15 of the 30 firms are connected with projects in Vietnam and six in Thailand. Matsuoka, of Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, established its Vietnamese unit last November before the coronavirus outbreak as part of an ongoing campaign to produce apparel products mainly in Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Vietnam, US to strengthen fishery law enforcement capacity The Directorate of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the US Department of State signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 22 in Hanoi on strengthening fishery law enforcement capacity. Cooperative activities include developing and implementing technical assistance cooperation programmes and projects for Vietnamese fisheries law enforcement agencies to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other crimes related to fisheries, and providing information on training, investigation techniques, and education in international law enforcement for law enforcement officials. The two sides will coordinate to organise training courses and exchange expertise in the fields of investigation, supervision, and patrolling at sea, offer technical assistance on the operation of specialised equipment, implement professional exchange programmes on patrolling fishing vessels, and support the construction of training institutions. The MoU is expected to further promote cooperation between Vietnam, the US, and international law enforcement agencies to ensure the sustainable maintenance of marine resources and the fight against IUU fishing. Daniel J. Kritenbrink, US Ambassador to Vietnam, said the US is willing to share its experience and technical expertise with Vietnam and hopes to work with the country to develop fisheries sustainably and support the countrys fishermen against illegal threats at sea. Tran Dinh Luan, General Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, said that since 2015 the US and the directorate have cooperated to increase fishery law enforcement capacity and management through technical training courses, study tours, experience exchanges, and other technical support activities. He hoped the MoU would create a premise for upcoming bilateral cooperation. Indonesia, UK to complete joint trade review this December Indonesia and the United Kingdom (UK) agreed to complete the Joint Trade Review (JTR) this December to improve the economic relations between the two countries, an Indonesian official said on July 21. This agreement came to light at a meeting between the two countries held virtually on July 20 21. The meeting was a testament to the strong commitment of the two countries to improving trade and investment relations, said Iman Pambagyo, Director General for International Trade Negotiation at the Indonesian Ministry of Trade. The pandemic and the uncertain global economic situation are increasingly pushing the two countries to strengthen cooperation to overcome the challenges while preparing for a closer long-term partnership, Pambagyo said in a statement. Last year, the two governments signed the Terms of Reference of the JTR. The two countries, which are major economies and members of Group 20, have the opportunity to renew and develop the stronger economic ties. The JTR is a collaboration between Indonesia and the UK to assess the current condition of their bilateral trade and investment relations, and look for possible opportunities to enhance bilateral cooperation for the future, the official remarked. This review will produce a joint report including recommendations for the two governments. Pambagyo said the UK was ranked 22nd among Indonesia export destination countries, and 23rd among its importers. Last years two-way trade was valued at 2.4 billion USD, of which Indonesias exports to the UK stood at 1.4 billion USD. Meanwhile, the UKs investment into Indonesia totalled 87.6 million USD. After the UK declared its exit from the EU, the country began conducting bilateral explorations with various countries, including Indonesia. In contrast, the largest economy in Southeast Asia intends to finalise various trade agreements to encourage exports and state revenue. Various activities to be held for ASEAN businesses this year The Vietnam Business Summit 2020, themed Digitalised Vietnam: Adaptability Towards Sustainable Development, is to take place on November 12, a press conference in Hanoi on July 22 heard. The summit is among a series of events to be hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) as Chair of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC) in 2020. This will be an opportunity for investors to study Vietnams economic outlook amid COVID-19 and determine the potential for cooperation in economic sectors that are strengths of Vietnam in the context of global economic uncertainties, such as logistics, agriculture, and IT services, said VCCI Chairman Vu Tien Loc. Following that summit will be the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ASEAN BIS 2020), slated for November 13 and 14 and the most-anticipated event for the ASEAN business community. Themed Digital ASEAN: Sustainability and Inclusiveness, it is expected to see the attendance of senior leaders from ten ASEAN member countries as well as eight ASEAN dialogue partners. ASEAN ABIS 2020 will focus on six topics, including ASEANs economic outlook, technologies and future jobs in ASEAN, innovative agriculture, green growth through good governance; logistics and smart cities; and innovative ASEAN and digital startups. The VBS and ASEAN BIS 2020 will help enterprises seek cooperative opportunities and learn of new trends in order to adopt suitable development strategies, Loc said. Moreover, the ASEAN Business Awards 2020 (ABA 2020) were launched in July and will honour ASEAN businesses that have made outstanding contributions to regional development. Organisers will receive registrations and conduct assessments from August to October and then announce the winners in November. ASEAN BAC Vietnam and VCCI will also coordinate with the Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) to implement the ASEAN Network of Digital Startups - Digital STARS 2020 project, which aims to form a network of digital startups in ASEAN and therefore promote digitalisation, especially among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises - the driving force of the regional economy. An Giang mobilises 806 billion VND to build rural bridges The Mekong Delta province of An Giang has mobilised more than 806 billion VND (35 million USD) has been mobilised over the last few years to build 581 new rural bridges. The figures were released at a recent meeting to review its five-year project on using private investment for the construction of rural bridges. The province has numerous canals, ditches and rivers that have caused difficulties for transportation and local economic development, especially in rural areas. Nguyen Phu Tan, Director of the provincial Department of Transport, said the project achieved 120.7 percent of the target, exceeding the plan of 100 bridges. The project was estimated to cost 1.5 trillion VND (65.2 million USD), including 480 billion VND from the private sector and the remainder from the State Budget. As a result, the total of 806 billion VND exceeded the targeted amount. The province gained success in the project thanks to the joint efforts of local government, residents and sponsors, Tan said. Local residents contributed 117,164 workdays and donated more than 1,500sq.m of land to build the bridges. The province plans to build seven new bridges in Tinh Bien district, with a total cost of 11.5 billion VND. Many bridges are expected to be built in Chau Doc city in the coming time. Le Van Nung, Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, praised the contributions of organisations, businesses and sponsors that took part in social charity activities in the province, including building new rural bridges. He called on them to continue supporting the project in the 2020-2025 period and asked local authorities to have a regular maintenance plan to ensure quality and long-term use of the bridges. The committee awarded certificates of merit to 148 organisations, businesses and sponsors for their contributions to the implementation of rural bridges in the province in the 2016-2020 period. RoK automakers expand presence in six ASEAN markets Automakers in the Republic of Korea (RoK) saw their sales increase in six member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over the past three years helped by strong demand in Vietnam, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) revealed on July 22. They sold a combined 184,595 vehicles in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines in 2019, accounting for 5.2 percent of the vehicle markets there. The RoK automobile sales in the six markets rose from 168,834 units in 2018 and 133,937 in 2017, with their market share increasing from 4.7 percent in 2018 and 4 percent in 2017. Seo Jin-won, a researcher at KAMA's trade and international cooperation division, said that in recent years, rising demand for vehicles of the RoK in Vietnam, in particular, boosted overall vehicle sales in the six ASEAN markets. Indonesia inaugurates refuse-derived fuel facility Indonesia recently inaugurated its first facility to produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in Cilacap, Central Java. The facility was built at a cost of 90 billion IDR (6.29 million USD) by Indonesias Public Works and Housing Ministry (PUPR), the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the Danish International Development Agency, Central Java and Cilacap administrations and building materials manufacturer PT Solusi Bangun Indonesia. The plant is able to produce 50 tonnes of RDF from 120 tonnes of waste every day and the fuel will be used as an alternative to coal to power cement plants. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Indonesian Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut B. Pandjaitan underlined that the RDF facility is also a pilot project for improving Indonesias waste management which had been a complicated problem. He affirmed that the country needs a breakthrough in waste management to reduce cities or regencies dependence on final disposal sites, saying that has long been an issue both on the environment and social fronts. Currently, the Indonesian government is mapping the potential and making technical rules to encourage the potential use of RDF as an alternative to waste management in various regions in the country. The PUPR will team up with the ministry of energy and mineral resources and the PT Indonesia Power to carry out the programme. The Indonesian government is targeting to operate 12 waste-based power plants which are expected to generate 234 megawatts of power by 2022. The worlds fourth most populous country of more than 260 million people produces large amounts of waste and is the second largest contributor of plastic pollutants in Asia Pacific, according to a 2015 study. Bac Giang earns 300 million USD from lychee this year The northern province of Bac Giang pocketed some 6.9 trillion VND (300 million USD) from lychee and support services this year, up 600 billion VND against last year, according to local authorities. It sold more than 164,000 tonnes of the luscious fruit from Luc Ngan, Luc Nam, Tan Yen, Yen The, Lang Giang, and Son Dong districts, raking in some 5.2 trillion VND, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade reported. The average price of the fruit stood at 31,200 VND per kg, compared to 31,800 VND in 2019. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, Bac Giang paid greater attention to promoting domestic lychee consumption, especially in the central and southern regions. As a result, up to 52.5 percent of its lychee output was consumed domestically. As for export, apart from traditional markets such as China and the EU, Bac Giangs lychee were also shipped to the demanding Japanese market for the first time, with export volumes reaching some 200 tonnes, helping to raise the value of the fruit. According to Tran Quang Tan, Director of the department, the area of lychee grown under VietGap and GlobalGap standards increased from around 1,200ha in 2019 to 15,200ha this year. The US has granted IRADS (Irradiation Reporting and Accountability Database) codes to 218ha while Japan has granted area codes to 19 areas with 103ha. Notably, the province organised an online conference connecting 62 Vietnamese cities and provinces with four Chinese provinces, with 2,300 delegates in attendance, in order to seek ways to promote lychee consumption. Vice Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee Lai Thanh Son said Bac Giang commits to supporting domestic and foreign lychee growers and traders in harvesting, processing, and consumption. An e-commerce floor for Bac Giang lychee has been launched to diversify marketing and trade channels, as the ravaging pandemic made it virtually impossible for foreign traders to come directly to the locality to buy the fruit. More than 130 customers purchased some 2,100 tonnes of lychee via the platform, at an average price of 64,700 VND per kg. It was a surprise that more than 8 tonnes of lychee sold out after just eight hours of being available online via MoMo e-wallet, the Saigon Union of Trading Co-operatives (Saigon Co.op) said. The sales were part of the post-pandemic Supporting Vietnamese Farm Produce programme run by Saigon Co.op, MoMo, and the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The online event offered MoMo users discounts and delivery services when buying lychee and ST Xuan Hong rice. In the first three hours of the programme being opened, every customer ordered an average of 5 - 10 kg of lychee, and the figure then later escalated to 30 - 50 kg and even to a record 90 kg. Over the last four years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has worked with Japans Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to conduct testing and negotiations to pave the way for lychee exports. MAFF finally agreed to import lychee from Vietnam last year. Japanese experts went to Bac Giangs Luc Ngan district early on and were satisfied with the lychee growing areas granted with export standard codes. They still had to directly supervise the process of harvesting, preserving, and packaging of lychee to be exported to Japan, however. Exports must be packed and treated with methyl bromide fumigation at facilities approved by the Plant Protection Department and MAFF, with a minimum dosage of 32g per cu. m. for two hours, under the supervision of Vietnamese and Japanese plant quarantine officers. Khanh Hoa embraces advanced technologies for marine aquaculture The south - central province of Khanh Hoa will increase the use of advanced technologies in marine aquaculture in the next five years, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The department said it would encourage farmers to replace wood with new materials that are more resistant to winds and waves such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to make floating cages for breeding. Farmers would also be encouraged to adopt advanced techniques for farming lobsters, seabass, grouper, cobia, and yellow pomfret, it added. During a meeting with province authorities last week, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong said Khanh Hoa has strengths in the three main pillars of fisheries, namely offshore fishing, large scale marine aquaculture and seafood processing. But considering it has more than 300km of coast and numerous bays and lagoons, it has not fulfilled its potential, he said. Besides, its use of traditional techniques for marine aquaculture threatens environmental pollution and the safety of workers, he warned. It should therefore pursue development of smart agriculture which is a suitable solution for the province in the future, he said. The province has three marine aquaculture models that use advanced techniques and new materials developed by Australis Aquaculture Viet Nam Limited, Research Institute for Aquaculture No 2 and its Agriculture Extension Centre. The centre is breeding cobia in round-shaped HDPE floating cages based on Norwegian techniques. The success of the models has helped expand the provinces marine economy and its marine aquaculture to an industrial scale, the department said. It has also helped restructure fisheries towards increasing value-addition and sustainable development, it said. The province has more than 54,000 lobster breeding cages with an annual output of more than 1,300 tonnes and 10,000 cages for fishes with an annual output of 4,000 tonnes. Lobster is one of the provinces key products and is bred mostly in Van Ninh District, Ninh Hoa Town and Nha Trang and Cam Ranh cities. Marine fishes are mostly bred in bays and lagoons. Most farmers breeding them in floating cages not only use traditional methods and technologies but also operate on a small scale, which cause environmental pollution, according to the department. AEON tells Vietnamese firms seeking to increase exports to Japan to up their game Vietnamese exporters must make highly competitive products if they want them to be distributed in Japan through the network of AEON group, experts told a meeting in HCM City on Wednesday. Speaking at the workshop, held to discuss exports to Japan organised by the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), Nguyen Huu Tin, its director, said though Viet Nam has been able to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, the global situation remains grim, causing a shortage of raw materials and severely affecting export activities. In the new normal state Vietnamese businesses must apply advanced technologies, improve their production capacity and competitiveness, develop new supply chains, and seek new export markets. Japan is one of Viet Nams biggest trade partners, accounting for a large proportion of some of Viet Nams key exports such as garment-textiles and fisheries. Nishitohge Yasuo, general director of AEON Viet Nam, said the countrys exports through his companys network were worth US$381 million last year, of which 75 per cent were garments. The exports of food items and consumer goods remained low, he said. Yuichiro Shiotani, general director of AEON Topvalu Viet Nam, said Japan is the worlds third biggest economy with highly demanding requirements of imports, especially food, garment-textiles, footwear, fisheries, agricultural, plastic and wood products. These are many products that Viet Nam has advantages of, and AEON has prioritised their import from Viet Nam, particularly of apparel, food and household and healthcare products for distribution through its stores globally, he said. It has provided technical support to improve the production capabilities of Vietnamese suppliers, helped them access Japanese customers and increased the purchase of Vietnamese goods to sell at its stores in Japan and elsewhere, he said. Nguyen Thi Duy Xuan, director of AEON Viet Nams supplier management division, said to enter the supermarket system, suppliers need to meet stringent technical standards and requirements. The product must not have a low reputation for quality. They must have the required licences and certificates. Shipping conditions and product containers must conform to the requirements of each type of product. Products must meet Vietnamese requirements related to traceability and environmental protection. The use of plant protection drugs, antibiotics, veterinary drugs, and others in production must also comply with Vietnamese regulations. Shiotani said Vietnamese businesses need to enhance investment, expand scale, improve the quality of their products, and produce in the form of original equipment manufacturer (OEM), among others. AEON has stringent conditions for export partners, he said. For example, the production scale must be 10 times the quantity ordered and enterprises must have experience in producing [those] products. AEON also has a code of conduct for export partners, which involves basically complying with the laws of the country to which they export their products. It has provisions related to child labour, forced labour, hygiene and safety, discipline, working time, wages and benefits, management responsibilities, and environmental protection. AEON makes an assessment of prospective vendors factories before signing any agreement. Tomoaki Fukui, senior director of AEON Topvalu product division, said the Japanese market has its own standards and so does AEON. The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Japanese company have signed a memorandum of understanding under which AEON is committed to increasing Viet Nams exports through its supply network to $500 million this year and $1 billion by 2025. Rubber companies report lower earnings amid falling rubber prices Rubber producers reported poor second-quarter business results due to decreasing rubber prices, eyeing industrial zone development. Since the beginning of this year to mid-April, natural rubber prices have dropped sharply, then maintained at low price areas so far. In the second quarter of 2020, the price of world natural rubber on the Tokyo Commodities Exchange fluctuated between 130-145 Japanese yen (US$1.31-1.35) per kilo. While in the same period of 2019, the product was traded at 175-240 Japanese yen per kilo. The prices of natural rubber are much affected by the prices of artificial rubber, which is produced from petrochemical refining, thus its prices are closely mimicked with oil prices. When oil prices fall, artificial rubber is produced at lower prices and vice versa. Oil prices have shown signs of recovery since its low peak in mid-April 2020, but due to weak demand, US crude West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent Crude are only traded at around $40-$43 per barrel. If the global economy continues to operate under current capacity as influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be difficult for oil demand to recover as previously. Phuoc Hoa Rubber JSC (PHR) announced revenue of VND256.88 billion (US$11 million) in the first half of this year, post-tax profit of VND395 billion, down by 26.56 per cent and 250.63 per cent year-on-year, respectively. Tay Ninh Rubber JSC (TRC) reported revenue of VND61.5 billion in Q2, post-tax profit of VND16.7 billion, up 1.3 per cent and down 43.36 per cent year-on-year, respectively. In the first six months, the company earned total revenue of VND113.7 billion, post-tax profit of VND37 billion, down by 13.53 per cent and up by 10.81 per cent compared to the first six months of 2019. In the first quarter, TRC recorded a surge in revenue from the liquidation of rubber trees, while in the second quarter there was no revenue from this activity. Confronting falling rubber prices, companies are shifting from rubber plantations to develop industrial zones as they eye capturing opportunities from global value chains. Phuoc Hoa Rubber Company has got the Prime Ministers approval to convert its 345ha of rubber land in Tan Uyen District, Binh Duong Province, to develop the Nam Tan Uyen Industrial Zones expansion project. At the annual shareholders meeting in 2019, Phuoc Hoa also announced its plan to transfer 691ha to Vietnam Singapore Industrial Park Company Ltd (VSIP) to develop VSIP No 3. Dong Nai Rubber Corporation recently asked the provincial Peoples Committees permission for the conversion of land use purpose of 18,000 out of 37,000ha of rubber land the company was currently managing. Under the companys proposal, 5,000ha of land would be used to develop industrial zones and clusters in Thong Nhat, Long Khanh, Cam My and Long Thanh districts. The rest would be used for developing high-tech agriculture and urban areas. Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG), which manages around 400,000ha of rubber land, has invested in 12 companies which operate 16 industrial zones with a total area of more than 6,500ha. According to BIDV Securities Company, the industrial property market would be spurred from next year by the approval of free trade agreements (FTAs), especially the European Union Viet Nam FTA (EVFTA) the trade deal with commitments about improving institutions and business climate to make Viet Nam more attractive to investors. The COVID-19 pandemic was accelerating the transformation of global value chains, during which Viet Nam could emerge as a centre for investment inflow, the company said. Digiworld reports highest ever quarterly sales Digiworld Corporation reported record quarterly revenues of nearly VND2.6 trillion (US$112 million) in the second quarter, a 29 per cent year-on-year increase. Profit after tax was up 36 per cent to VND48 billion ($2.1 million), it said. First half revenues and profits increased 45 per cent and 55 per cent to VND4.9 trillion ($211 million) and VND93 billion ($4 million). The company said laptop and tablets sales increased by 65 per cent during the second quarter to nearly VND1.1 trillion ($47.4 million). It attributed this to the demand for equipment for learning and working online due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Mobile phones sales rose 19 per cent to VND1.15 trillion ($49.5 million). Office equipment and consumer goods sales were worth VND298 billion ($12.8 million) and VND59 billion ($2.5 million). The company said performance indicators are at their best ever levels. It said it is striving to achieve the years targets of VND10.2 trillion ($439 million) in revenues and VND202 billion ($8.7 million) in profit after tax, increases of 20 per cent and 25 per cent over last years figures. Digiworld is the countrys leading market expansion services provider. KIDO shrugs off pandemic problems to achieve 17 per cent profit growth in H1 Food producer KIDO Group has reported a 17.4 per cent rise in profit before tax to VND180 billion (US$7.7 million) for the first half. Net revenues increased by 14.2 per cent to VND3.7 trillion ($159 million) due to strong growth in the cooking oil segment. Eighty one per cent of net revenues came from the cooking oil business, 18 per cent from the ice cream business and 1 per cent from other businesses, the company reported. Faced with the impact of COVID-19 and fluctuations in raw material prices, the company took timely measures such as shifting the distribution system, reviewing and optimising the product portfolio and focusing on core and premium products. Studying the snacking trends among young people and realising the need to use products with high nutritional value, it has launched new products, it said. As a result, ice cream sales fell by 12 per cent while revenues from cooking oil soared by 23.5 per cent year-on-year, it said. This year marks an important milestone in the companys development: it is the year in which KIDO Group entered the snacking industry. The company expects the snack segment to make a substantial contribution to revenues this year. Of its subsidiaries, KDF said its net revenues were VND674 billion ($27.8 million), down 12 per cent from the same period last year due to the impacts of COVID-19. However, profits before tax were VND144 billion ($6.2 million), or 72 per cent of the full-year target. Vocarimexs revenues went up by 4 per cent to VND1.5 trillion ($66.7 million) and profits by 11.86 per cent to VND111 billion ($4.8 million). The Tuong An Vegetabel Oil Company (TAC)s revenues were up 28.12 per cent at VND2.2 trillion ($94.8 million). Golden Hope Nha Be (KDNB), a new subsidiary, reported a 27 per cent increase in revenues to VND513 billion ($22.1 million), while profits were VND9.4 billion. US launches anti-dumping probe into Vietnamese copper pipes The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has officially began an anti-dumping investigation into copper pipes imported from Vietnam, with the alleged dumping margins of 111.82%. The Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated on July 22 that the period under investigation ranged from October 1, 2019, to March 31. According to data revealed by the DOC, the countrys total export turnover for the product to the US last year reached US$146 million. Following the launch of the probe, the DOC will move to finalise their decisions regarding respondent selection within 20 days of the investigation notice being published. Once the selection is completed, the DOC will then send questionnaires to mandatory respondents and request them to reply within a 30-day period. In line with US regulations, if relevant local firms fail to co-operate with the investigating agencies or do not submit complete responses in a timely manner, then the DOC will use all existing data in order to reach a conclusion on the matter. As scheduled, the DOC will issue their preliminary conclusions regarding their anti-dumping investigation on December 17. The launch of the probe comes after copper pipes became the fifth product to be sued by the US for trade remedies since the start of the year. "Al-Taqwa was a disaster": Newport GP Dr Hanna El-Khoury. Credit:Scott McNaughton The Al-Taqwa College cluster started in late June when a senior school teacher attended class with a cough. The outbreak has since been linked to 183 cases. Dr El-Khoury said that when an Al-Taqwa student presented to him with cold and flu symptoms on June 25, DHHS had not reported any concerns about the school. When the student tested negative to coronavirus, the doctor told them there was no need to quarantine from their family or friends. The student subsequently tested positive, along with members of their family. On June 29, DHHS announced Al-Taqwa College was closed for cleaning. Dr El-Khoury said that had he known earlier that a staff member had tested positive, he would have advised the student to quarantine for 14 days regardless of their test results. Dr El-Khoury, a GP for 30 years, said that despite his strong connection to the school community, including a shared Arabic heritage and language with many Al-Taqwa families, he was never contacted by anyone from DHHS or provided information about the outbreak beyond what was publicly available. Al-Taqwa was a disaster, he told The Age. It was a disaster for me, especially when you feel you are giving wrong information. GPs bill their patients through the federally administered Medicare Benefits Scheme and traditionally have had little to do with the DHHS. Dr Cameron Loy, a Lara GP and Victorian chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said the relationship between GPs and the DHHS had improved in recent years and particularly during the pandemic. I dont want to minimise the efforts they have gone to, he said. They have come a long way towards understanding general practice in the last couple of months. However, Dr Loy said local doctors did not have access to tailored information about outbreaks in their communities. Lara, west of Melbourne, is part of the City of Greater Geelong, which is largely COVID-19-free. It also borders Wyndham, the local government area with Australia's highest number of cases. We need to know what is happening in our local areas, Dr Loy said. I often get information about where the cases are from the Geelong Advertiser rather than the department. It would be incredibly useful for me to know whether there are cases in Lara. Dr Haikerwal this month provided a 13-page briefing to the Premier's office raising concerns about the COVID-19 response. He called for the rapid development of a framework to clarify the responsibilities and procedures for GPs and pathology providers when treating COVID-19 patients and urged the DHHS to modernise its archaic reporting methods. Loading Get it right now, Dr Haikerwal wrote. If it escalates, we then have a robust system underpinning and guiding what we do. Currently, it is a morass. A DHHS spokesperson said the department was in regular communication with GPs to help them through the COVID-19 crisis. GPs play a key role in not just assisting people when they are unwell, the spokesperson said. GPs have also been important referral pathways for anyone with coronavirus symptoms helping them to get tested, manage any mild and moderate symptoms at home and referring patients with more severe symptoms to a hospital. Dr Franklin said this communication was not apparent. There is a dedicated DHHS hotline for health professionals but GPs are told that for practical assistance in accessing personal protective equipment or COVID-19-testing kits, they need to contact their local Private Health Network, a separate bureaucracy administered by the federal government. Dr Franklin says GPs have "dropped through the cracks'' of the public health response. Credit:Jason South Three high schools close to Dr Franklin's practice were closed last week for cleaning but no information has been provided to her about local COVID-19 clusters. I feel like weve just dropped through the cracks, she said. Dr Franklin said the experience of Chris Higgins, a Toorak doctor who was criticised by Health Minister Jenny Mikakos for inadvertently spreading the virus after he went to work early in the pandemic with cold and flu symptoms, had discouraged some GPs from seeing suspected COVID-19 patients. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Under watchful eyes, circa 1900s. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection By Robert Neff For many Koreans, 1901 was a year filled with deficiencies. One of the most pressing was the lack of rain that many superstitious people thought was a sign of displeasure from the gods. In July, sacrifices were made throughout the country in hope of bringing the much-needed rain. Along the Han River, several bags of coins and a number of pigs were thrown into the water in hope of appeasing the gods. In other places, high officials offered sacrifices at the Ancestral Tablet Halls. There first offerings were apparently not accepted it wasn't until the fifth offering did the gods deign to grant moderate showers to the region, but they were not enough to save the rice crops. The court officials tried to assure Emperor Gojong there would be no shortages of rice and other staples but they were lying things were beginning to look bleak. Adding to the misery of the people, rice merchants began price gouging. At the beginning of summer, the price of rice was 400 cash per measure but, due to price gouging, had climbed to just over 700 cash. The government quickly interceded and began arresting merchants. As a consequence, the price of rice dropped to 500 cash. Laboring in the fields, circa 1900s. Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection In just a few weeks away, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's biography "Finding Freedom" will be released. Many people have already pre-ordered the bookbecause they want to know what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's real reason for leaving the royal family, and of course, for what they think of the British royal family. A royal expert claimed that "Finding Freedom" and the couple's explosive claims will surely make the monarchy and royal aides "squirm." Though the book will talk about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's side of the story, their spokesperson insists that they have no involvement with it. Rhiannon Mills said that the book portrays Queen Elizabeth II and her family as "uncaring and dysfunctional." Meghan and Prince Harry have also claimed that the family can't fix their own problems without the help of palace aides. Some of the allegations on the book claimed that the 38-year-old former actress and her 35-year-old blue-blooded husband didn't feel protected and felt that they had no choice but to leave from the "vipers" that is in the palace. Mills claimed that the book would say that the Sussexes' make people polarize opinion. "Some see the way they've acted as disrespectful to the Queen; others admire them as a forward-thinking and inspiring couple." "Finding Freedom" will also talk about their jealousy of Prince William and Kate Middleton, money issues as they quit the royal family, and seeing Prince Harry and Meghan as the "third wheel" of the monarchy. Authors of "Finding Freedom" Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who have been huge supporters of the couple since the beginning, described a culture of increasing tension between the Sussexes and other senior members of the royal family. By March, it was described that the Cambridges and the Sussexes grew so bitter that by then, they weren't even speaking to one another. The author said, "Although Meghan tried to make eye contact with Kate, the duchess barely acknowledged her." Scobie further told The Sunday Times, "To purposefully snub your sister-in-law, I don't think it left a great taste in the couple's mouth." Speaking further of the growing tension, Meghan and Prince Harry felt like their complaints were not heard and taken seriously, and even believed that palace aides have been leaking stories of them to the press. Durand and Scobie wrote in their book, "There were just a handful of people working at the palace they could trust." Excerpts from the highly-anticipated biography have already been released. It's anticipated the bombshell new claims will send relations between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the rest of the royal family to another level of "low." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have already viewed themselves as someone who propelled the monarchy to new heights. However, it may be perceived as arrogant by some. The couple is said to have liked being in control of their narrative in the early days of their marriage, but when they were told to operate under Buckingham Palace's umbrella after splitting from Kensington household, "was a big disappointment to them." "As their popularity had grown, so made Harry and Meghan's difficulty understanding why so few inside the palace were looking out for their interests," the authors added, "They were a major draw for the royal family." READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II Tired of Prince Andrew? Monarch Orders Son to Pack His Bags And Leave CEDAR RAPIDS Kennedy High School Spanish teacher Jennifer Neilly wants the Cedar Rapids Community School District to start the academic year virtually to avoid exposing students, their families and teachers to the coronavirus. That option, however, may have been taken away from the district when Gov. Kim Reynolds made a proclamation last week requiring over 50% of core subjects be offered in school buildings. Neilly was one of a dozen teachers who drove in a caravan from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines to join a demonstration called Drive for Lives advocating for a safe return to schools and asking the governor to rescind her proclamation and allow local school leaders to make their own return to learn decisions. I know the school district has a draft plan and one is 100% online (learning), Neilly said. I feel strongly this is the safest option. I dont know how easily it will be to stay 6 feet apart in a classroom. Organizers of Drive for Lives stand for four goals: 1. Supporting school districts working to develop return to learn plans in conjunction with advice from public health experts; 2. Rescind of Reynolds proclamation on July 17, which mandates face to face learning; 3. School districts to develop safe plans for return to learn based on current data on the spread of COVID-19; 4. And for concerned students, parents, teachers, district leaders, and other government officials to work together to protect students and their communities. Participants in Drive for Lives were asked to stay in their vehicles during the demonstration, which started from East High School in Des Moines Friday at 1 p.m. Educators and allies decorated their cars. On Neillys car was written in car paint: CRCSD start the year online. On another vehicle that left from Cedar Rapids on Friday, it was written: Superintendent (Noreen) Bush, make the virtual push. Neillys two children, 9 and 6 years old who attend school in the Cedar Rapids district, road along with her to the demonstration Friday. Neilly is planning on enrolling them in virtual learning this fall if her husband, who is also employed by the school district, is able to work from home even as she goes back to teaching in-person. We would prefer to have them learn remotely, leaving the schools to be open to support families with more critical (in-person learning) needs, Neilly said. Rhonda Michells, a teacher at Harding Middle School who caravaner to the demonstration Friday, brought her boyfriends daughter with her, who is a 4th Grader in the district. Michells, who has taught in the district for over 30 years, said she does not feel safe going back to the classroom. I want to be back in the classroom, Michells said, adding that she would like to see data first such as how many positive cases of the coronavirus would cause a school to close. After Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that Karan Johars manager will be questioned in connection with Sushant Singh Rajputs death, Kangana Ranauts team has accused the Mumbai Police of shameless nepotism. In a series of tweets, Kanganas team asked why Karans manager was summoned instead of him. Kanganas team alleged that Karan was kept away from the investigation as he was Aaditya Thackerays best friend. So Karan Johars manager is summoned but not @AUThackerays best friend @karanjohar!! @MumbaiPolice stop making a joke out of SSR murder investigations, a tweet from the team read. How can @MumbaiPolice display blatantly shameless nepotism even in issuing summons? Kangana has been issued summon not her manager but Chief Ministers sons best friends manager is called for questioning, why? saheb ko pareshani na ho issliye (So that His Highness is not inconvenienced)? another tweet read. So Karan Johars manager is summoned but not @AUThackeray 's best friend @karanjohar !! @MumbaiPolice stop making a joke out of SSR murder investigations.https://t.co/iAQGJzLy2x Team Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 26, 2020 How can @MumbaiPolice display blatantly shameless nepotism even in issuing summons? Kangana has been issued summon not her manager but Chief Ministers sons best friends manager is called for questioning, why? saheb ko pareshani na ho issliye? Team Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 26, 2020 Tomorrow, Mahesh Bhatt will be called for questioning and we will later call Karan Johars manager too. If required, Karan Johar can also be called for questioning in the Sushant Singh Rajput case, the Maharashtra home minister told ANI on Sunday. He had earlier said that the police will look into allegations that Sushant was blacklisted in the film industry. Also see: Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic cradle her baby bump in loving snap from maternity shoot Sushant died by suicide on June 14 and the Mumbai Police have already recorded the statements of more than 35 people. Kangana had earlier claimed that his death was a planned murder in a video shared on social media. She hit out at the film industry for sidelining him and ignoring his achievements. She also pointed fingers at the lapdog journalists who had been writing blind items against him and portraying him as neurotic and an addict. Recently, in an interview, Kangana accused Karan of declaring Sushant a flop star and said that he dumped Drive on Netflix, to show that he could not find buyers for the film. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918 Follow @htshowbiz for more SPRINGFIELD State officials will distribute more than 60,000 cloth masks to state agencies, boards and commissions to protect the health and safety of employees returning to the workplace. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Central Management Services (CMS), and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency are spearheading the effort. All State employees are required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing while at their worksites. As more of our economy reopens and Illinoisans returns to work, the single best thing you can do to help our state is wear a mask everywhere you go. The administrations top priority remains protecting the health and safety of the people of Illinois; and by providing 60,000 face coverings for the hardworking men and women who help keep state government running, we are ensuring our state workers have the tools they need to stay safe, said Governor Pritzker. If worn properly, using a face covering has been shown to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. We have learned that people may be most infectious up to two days before they begin showing symptoms. But if an infected individual is wearing a face covering, it can help prevent the droplets from their mouth or nose from reaching others around them. By wearing a face covering, you are respecting those around you and helping reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Illinois Department of Central Management Service (CMS) developed the States Return to Work guidelines and surveyed each State agency, board and commission under the jurisdiction of Governor Pritzker to gather information about their site-specific return to work plans. Under the guidelines, all state employees must have the accurate personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to safely return to their worksite. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), overseeing the States logistics response for COVID-19, used this information to supply each employee with two cloth face masks. The health and safety of employees is our top priority, especially within the workplace, said Janel L. Forde, Director of CMS. The State continues to make a coordinated effort to supply employees with the guidance and resources they need to protect themselves and each other while providing critical services to keep Illinois up and running. The advice and guidance we are giving State agencies, boards and commissions is the same advice and guidance we are giving each and every business across Illinois. Implementing a face covering policy is a simple yet effective way to protect your workers and customers, said Alicia Tate-Nadeau, Director of IEMA. IEMA urges all business owners to carefully evaluate their emergency operations plans to ensure they address the needs of a COVID environment. Proper planning for all hazards or emergencies, such as COVID-19, can ensure business continuity while protecting our workers, customers and our bottom line. The masks were obtained from a private party source via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Employees were supplied with cloth masks to reserve medical grade PPE for health care professionals on the front line of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan, visit coronavirus.Illinois.gov. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a buzzword in tech these days. The term, which encompasses a range of technologies including machine learning and data analysis. The goal is to create systems that can perceive, learn, and reason in ways that mimic human capabilities. At its best, AI will allow machines to understand the gestalt of a situation and react accordingly, a capability that humans take for granted but has tended to elude computer systems, which in their turn excel at analyzing minute details. A wide range of tech companies are working on AI systems; artificial intelligence holds the promise of real-time data analysis and situation monitoring, with the machines capable of handling routine decisions. While it hasnt been achieved yet, the outlines of success are visible on the horizon. Every smart investor knows to keep his eyes on the horizon; that is, to plan every investment with long-range intentions. Just how long is up to the individual, but most investors agree that a move isnt long-term unless its held for more than one year. Warren Buffett has famously said, If you are not willing to own a stock for 10 years, do not even think about owning it for 10 minutes. With this in mind, we used TipRanks' database to identify three AI stocks that have been highlighted by some of Wall Streets best tech sector analysts. These are analysts with 5-star ratings, standing above their peers in accuracy and average returns and theyve tapped Artificial Intelligence as a tech segment for the long run. Veritone, Inc. (VERI) Well start with Veritone. This media tech company offers a cloud-based operating system for AI that uses machine learning to turn data into useful intelligence. The software allows users to process audio and video in real time, enhance analytics and research apps, reduce content review times, and streamline time spent on low-value, high-effort tasks. The value of the product to the customers can be seen in the quarterly earnings trends and the share appreciation. The last six months covering the worst of the global pandemic and economic recessionary pressures have seen VERIs earnings steadily improve and the share price rise to its best level in over two years. Earlier this month, Veritone showed its confidence by adjusting its Q2 revenue guidance upwards. The guidance, of $13.1 to $13.3 million, is well above the previous upper guide of $12.2 million. Story continues The share price has tracked the gains in revenue and earnings. The stock has more than doubled since the February/March market collapse, rising from $3.03 to $10.83 now. Patrick Walravens, writing from JMP Securities, was impressed by Veritones new revenue guidance, and reiterated his Buy rating on the stock. In his comments, he said, Veritone seems to be gaining traction in its Government, Legal, and Compliance verticals as it experienced record bookings in the quarter we believe the company is moving its cost structure in the right direction with recent cost-reduction initiatives and upgrades With his $17 price target, Walravens shows his own confidence that VERI will see 57% growth in the year ahead. (To watch Walravens track record, click here) Overall, VERIs Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating is based on 4 Buys and just a single Sell. The stocks current price is $11.80, and the average price target $16.25 suggests it has a 50% upside potential. Note that even the low-ball target estimate, of $15, is well above the current price. (See Veritone stock analysis on TipRanks) ZoomInfo Technologies (ZI) Next up is ZoomInfo, a marketing tech company. ZI offers the usual features and services that customers expect in digital marketing intelligence, including account management, data management, demand generation, and lead prospecting. The companys AI cloud software is specifically designed to improve efficiency in these tasks, letting sellers get to the business of selling. ZoomInfo is a newly public company, having held its IPO just this past June. The opening was a success, with share prices almost doubling on the first day and nearly tripling in the first few trading sessions. Even now, after nearly two months during which the initial excitement waned and the glow came off the rose, the stock is still trading 88% above its initial price of $21. The strong IPO prompted SunTrust Robinson analyst Terry Tillman who is rated in the top 10 of the TipRanks analyst database to initiate coverage of the stock with a Buy rating. Tillman wrote of ZoomInfo, We believe ZoomInfo represents a rare combination of strong top-line growth and best-in-class profitability. Its go-to-market (GTM) sales intelligence platform drives positive outcomes for B2B sales and marketing organizations - increasing leads, customers and revenue. Premium valuation justified owing to accelerating demand for GTM intelligence and company-specific drivers leading to significant revenue and profit upside. Tillmans Buy rating comes with a $60 price target, implying an impressive 51% upside potential. (To watch Tillmans track record, click here) ZoomInfo holds a Moderate Buy rating from the analyst consensus. This is based on 16 reviews, including 7 Buys and 9 Holds. The stocks $55.07 average price target suggests it has room for 32% growth from the $41.66 trading price this year. (See ZoomInfo stock analysis on TipRanks) CareDx (CDNA) Last on todays list is a tech company in the health care sector. CareDx develops and delivers diagnostic surveillance systems for heart transplant patients. The companys AI-powered software monitors patient progress in real time, allowing both the patient and the doctors to respond to any rapidly changing health issues in time to ensure a more successful outcome. The result is a novel development in long-term care. While CareDxs products were originally designed to monitor heart transplants, the company has expanded. Its products now monitor most human organ transplants including kidneys, an important niche, as the first successful organ transplant was conducted with a kidney, and this procedure is still among the most common of transplants. CareDx also has cloud-based AI systems to monitor lab results, and to connect digital implants with remote monitors. The companys earnings have proven mostly immune to recent economic instability, as medical transplant patients and doctors cannot simply stop using the monitoring systems. And with a firm user base, the stock recovered well from the late-winter market crash. CDNA is up over 130% since bottoming out in March. Covering the stock for Piper Sandler, analyst Steven Mah wrote, We believe CareDx has the broadest transplant care platform in the industry and we remain confident that it is well-positioned to protect and extend its first-mover advantage in both pre- and post-transplant patient management to drive long-term growth. In addition, we are encouraged by the resiliency of its essential tests and ability to operate in a COVID-19 environment. Mah gives CDNA a Buy rating, along with a $54 price target that implies an upside of 66% for the next 12 months. (To watch Mahs track record, click here) All in all, with 4 recent reviews on record, all Buys, CareDx has a unanimous Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus. The stock is currently selling for $32.59, and the average price target, at $42.75, suggests a one-year upside of 31%. (See CareDx stock-price forecast on TipRanks) To find good ideas for tech stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Indias first-ever cargo container train for export to Bangladesh arrived at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in West Bengals Petrapole from Kolkatas Majerhat Railway Station on Sunday, S S Guleria, the Deputy Inspector General, Border Security Force (BSF) of the South Bengal Frontier said in a statement. According to the statement, the train is the first of its kind to export to Bangladesh passing through a Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) container freight station, Majerhat, Kolkata, and Petrapole in India to Benapole in Bangladesh. The train, with the engine number 16557R A/W, had 50 containers and halted for about 25 minutes on the zero line for train immigration formalities. The train is equipped with an electronic cargo tracking system (ECTS) and the containers are electronically sealed and tracked by the Transecur company. MGH Group Private Limited is involved in a contract with Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) to run this train, the statement said. The statement further added, Earlier, the wagons of the Good Trains could be tampered with for human trafficking as well as smuggling of contraband to Bangladesh through ICPs between India-Bangladesh by smugglers. The running of this container train will put a check on the smuggling activities at the border in the coming time. The electronic seal makes it impossible for smugglers to put illegal baggage in it. This will make it a lot more convenient and efficient for the BSF to checking the train on the zero line. She recently returned from a week relaxing on the sun soaked sands of Tenerife. And Gemma Collins seemed eager to share the holiday vibes when she announced a summer sale of her fashion line to her Instagram on Sunday. The former TOWIE star, 39, oozed confidence as she modelled her designs, showcasing her recent three stone weight loss. Confident: Gemma Collins seemed eager to share the holiday vibes when she announced a summer sale of her fashion line to her Instagram on Sunday A sun-kissed Gemma wore her loose blonde tresses in gentle waves and highlighted her glowing features with groomed eyebrows, rose blush and a glossy pink lip. The fashionista struck a pose in seven of her Gemma Collins Collection pieces, kicking off with a fitted taupe jersey with a bodice fastening neckline. Reality star Gemma captioned her social media fashion parade with the upbeat message 'SUMMER SALE HONEYS. Something to cheer you all up !! I only have two sales a year so ENJOY.' The blonde bombshell finished her post with a smiley face and a link to her clothing line's website. Gorgeous: Recently single Gemma styled a number of her tops which she teamed with a pair of classic white skinny jeans with slashed knees Recently single Gemma styled a number of her tops which she teamed with a pair of classic white skinny jeans with slashed knees which complemented her red pedicure. The actress showcased two signature sweatshirts in white and baby pink, both boasting three quarter sleeves and a central silver star logo picked out in glitter. Looking like a gorgeous Essex mermaid, Gemma modelled a pretty pink kaftan decorated with a starfish motif and bearing a beaded neckline which showed off her trim waist. Siren: Looking like a gorgeous Essex mermaid, Gemma modelled a pretty pink kaftan decorated with a starfish motif and bearing a beaded neckline Goddess: The star's dramatic weight loss was plain to see in the summery numbers, with Gemma showcasing a pair of toned shoulders in a striped cold-shoulder tunic with a palm tree pattern The star's dramatic weight loss was plain to see in the summery numbers, with Gemma showcasing a pair of toned shoulders in a striped cold-shoulder tunic with a palm tree pattern. Along with her beach and picnic wear, Gemma also modelled an elegant blue and white maxi dress with a plunging neckline flaunting the star's ample assets. The floor length frock sported a royal blue skirt printed with an elegant leaf design and clung to Gemma's slimmed down frame. Trim: Gemma also modelled an elegant blue and white maxi dress with a plunging neckline flaunting the star's ample assets Sporty: The actress showcased two signature sweatshirts in white and baby pink, both boasting three quarter sleeves and a silver star logo picked out in glitter on the front Active: Essex native Gemma has shed almost 50 pounds during lockdown by avoiding takeaways, cooking meals from scratch and going on bike rides with her nephews Essex native Gemma has shed almost 50 pounds during lockdown by avoiding takeaways, cooking meals from scratch and going on bike rides with her nephews. Boutique owner Gemma has also opted for additional Skinny Jabs which are reported to curb one's appetite. The Dancing on Ice star split from long-term beau James Argent, 32, at the beginning of this month, following a very public text row which Gemma shared to her social media. Gemma announced the separation by posting break up texts on her Instagram account in which James called her a 'hippo' and a 'fat f**k.' The star had originally planned a summer holiday in Marbella but cancelled when she heard her ex would be there, opting for sun-drenched Tenerife instead. James has apparently been enjoying the single life In Marbella as was seen partying at pal Elliot Wright's bar with Love Island's Amy Hart, Georgia Harrison, and Sadie Stuart on Thursday. Singapore Citizen Pleads Guilty to Being Illegal Agent of Chinese Gov't, US Justice Dept. Says Sputnik News 18:33 GMT 24.07.2020 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A Singaporean national pleaded guilty on Friday to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government, the US Justice Department said in a press release. "Jun Wei Yeo, also known as Dickson Yeo, entered a plea of guilty today to one count of acting within the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign power without first notifying the Attorney General, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 951," the release said. The Justice Department said in the release that Yeo began to work with Chinese intelligence officers as early as 2015. The Chinese handlers tasked Yeo with getting non-public information from Americans, including US military and government employees with high-level security clearances, it said. The Justice Department noted that Yeo could face up to ten years in prison. On Thursday, the US government charged four individuals with visa fraud in connection with a scheme in which they also lied about their connection to China's People's Liberation Army. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address We need to talk. Its not that we dont appreciate being appreciated. We do. But this healthcare heroes nonsense is actually killing us. All over the world, people have clapped for healthcare workers, banged pots and pans out of their windows, praised us to the heavens and its not like there isnt a roll call of the fallen to justify it all. The Hippocratic Oath is not the same thing as a death wish. Credit:Nic Walker In Britain, there is even a clamour to award us medals, as if we are soldiers in some kind of war. But we didnt sign up to defend our country, come what may. I dont recall pledging to unhesitatingly sacrifice my health or my life to protect my patients, when that risk was entirely due to organisational incompetence and negligence. We are not soldiers. We are workers in what has suddenly become a very dangerous workplace, just like miners, farmers and steeplejacks have been for hundreds of years. If you have visited the Line of Lode Memorial to the 800 miners who have lost their lives in and around Broken Hill since mining began in the late nineteenth century, you will have been struck by how the long lists of fatalities from the early years have now dwindled to one or two some years and most years none at all. People like to laugh about "the absurdities of OH+S", but in my seven years as an emergency doctor in a remote hospital which is the first port of call for casualties for a major set of operations in the offshore gas industry, I cannot recall seeing a single industrial injury. Not a single one. The UKs only centre dedicated to stamping out female genital mutilation is facing closure after the government pulled its funding, putting women at fresh risk of harm. Cash has been quietly withdrawn from the unit set up by Theresa May, when she vowed to end FGM within a generation leaving it struggling to survive, The Independent can reveal. The crisis comes despite hundreds of new victims of FGM being identified every month and just one successful prosecution for the practice, despite laws being on the books for 35 years. The head of the units advisory board said its work had never been more essential, warning: It would be devastating if all of its vital work had to come to an end. The centre receives referrals on girls at risk from FGM, carries out assessments, takes out protection orders and trains thousands of teachers, social workers, police officers and lawyers. Jointly run by Barnardos and Local Government Association (LGA), after opening in 2015, it has been stripped of funding as part of a 76 per cent overall reduction revealed by The Independent last week. Ending FGM will not happen if the centre closes down just five years after being set up by the government, protested Leethen Bartholomew, who leads the National FGM Centre. We will not be there to protect the girls who need us. We know that FGM is still being practised in communities across England. There are still girls who are being cut and so will face a lifetime of physical and emotional pain. It is a hidden form of child abuse. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty Anita Lower, the LGAs FGM spokesperson and the boards chair, urged the government to think again in the spending review announced by the chancellor for the autumn. Its work is crucial in supporting the governments important objective of ending FGM in the UK within a generation, she warned. And the Liberal Democrats also demanded restored funding before it is too late. The Conservatives have put in jeopardy the very services that too many girls need, said Christine Jardine, the partys spokesperson for women. The Independent understands the unit is already running a much-reduced service, after annual funding of about 700,000 was removed without an announcement, from the end of June. Yet, since data was first collected five years ago, around 24,420 women and girls in the UK have been identified as having been affected by FGM. The latest figures, released last week, showed 6,590 women and girls were treated for the practice in the year to March of which 205 were born in the UK. And 145 procedures were performed illegally in the UK, according to hospital and GP records, NHS Digitals annual report said. Announcing the opening of the centre at a high-profile Girl Summit a major international conference in London in 2014 Ms May vowed to challenge beliefs and behaviours. We are making progress. Today we are taking one more step on the road towards giving women a voice and eradicating these harmful practices, the future prime minister pledged. The unit has been funded through the Department for Educations childrens social care innovation programme. Since 2015, it has supported more than 1,000 survivors or potential victims of FGM and secured 41 applications for protection orders, which can force the surrender of passports or other travel documents. Around 18,000 social workers, teachers, police and legal professionals have been trained by the centre. In October 2017, its remit was expanded to include breast flattening and child abuse linked to faith or belief. The closure threat is revealed after evidence of an explosion in cases of forced marriage and honour-based abuse during the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Karma Nirvana, a group training the police, NHS and social services, reported a 200 per cent surge in helpline calls in March and April. A government spokesperson said funding for the centre was time-limited while we worked on more permanent solution to tackle this terrible practice. We have also introduced tough safeguarding laws to compel certain professionals to report if they have encountered cases of FGM in under 18s, provided funding for charities to support victims of FGM and, through our new relationships, health and sex education curriculum, we are teaching pupils about the emotional and physical damage of FGM in an age-appropriate way, as well as teaching that it is a crime, the spokesperson said. Gone With the Wind Actress Olivia de Havilland Dies at 104 Gone with the Wind star Olivia de Havilland, who also won an Academy Award for her role in another film, died at 104, according to her publicist, Lisa Goldberg. Goldberg told TheWrap that she died at her home in Paris, France, of natural causes. The longtime actress, who was born in 1916 in imperial Japan to British parents, played Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in Gone with the Wind, who had a conflict with Scarlett OHara, played by Vivien Leigh. She also appeared in films such as The Adventures of Robin Hood, and won Oscars for her performances in To Each His Own and The Heiress. Her greatest impact perhaps occurred when she sued Warner Bros. in 1943 to gain freedom from the studio after her contract with the company had expired. The previous interpretation of the contracts meant that she would have had to work longer than her seven-year contract and the years of actual service to the company would be spread over a longer period of time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The legal battle and victory is now known as The De Havilland Decision. I was deeply gratified when, returning to MGM after his long and distinguished military service, Jimmy Stewart asked the court on the basis of that decision for a ruling on his contractand thus the contracts of other actor-veteransand received, of course, a favorable verdict, de Havilland said in 1992. She added of the case: When I won the final round of my case on Feb. 3, 1945, every actor was now confirmed as free of his long-term contract at the end of its seven-year term, regardless of how many suspensions he had taken during those seven years. No one thought I would win, but after I did, flowers, letters, and telegrams arrived from my fellow actors. This was wonderfully rewarding. Meanwhile, in the 1940s, when she joined the Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences, and Professions, she was asked to deliver a speech for the committee that contained views from the Communist Party USA, and the group was later identified as a front organization, according to the Wall Street Journal. The actress also noted that the organization rarely embraced the kind of independent spirit it publicly proclaimed. It always ended up siding with the Soviet Union even though the rank-and-file members were noncommunist, the report said. She told the paper: I thought, If we reserve the right to criticize the American policies, why dont we reserve the right to criticize Russia?' Of the group, she added: I realized a nucleus of people was controlling the organization without a majority of the members of the board being aware of it. And I knew they had to be communists. New York, July 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Brazil Smart Stadium Market By Software, By Service, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05916822/?utm_source=GNW Brazil smart stadium market is expected to grow at a steady rate during the forecast period.The Brazil smart stadium market is driven by the strict public security & safety regulations in stadiums set by various sports governing associations. Additionally, increasing number of sports events is further expected to propel the market over the next five years. The Brazil smart stadium market is segmented based on software, service, company and regional distribution.Based on software, the market can be categorized into digital content management, stadium & public security, building automation, event management and others. The building automation software segment is expected to dominate the market during the forecast years. This can be accredited to the shift towards smart building automation by various stadium operators in order to seek for solutions for space utilization, operational and cost efficiencies, sustainability and building maintenance. Major players operating in the Brazil smart stadium market include NEC Latin America S.A., IBM Brazil Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc. (Brazil), Intel Corporation, Fujitsu General DO BRASIL LTDA., Johnson Controls BE DO Brasil Ltda., NTT do Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda., Ericsson Brazil, Honeywell Do Brasil Ltda, Schneider Electric Brasil Ltda. and others. Years considered for this report: Historical Years: 2015-2018 Base Year: 2019 Estimated Year: 2020 Forecast Period: 20212025 Objective of the Study: To analyze and forecast the market size of Brazil smart stadium market. To classify and forecast Brazil smart stadium market based on software, service, company and regional distribution. To identify drivers and challenges for Brazil smart stadium market. To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in Brazil smart stadium market. To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in Brazil smart stadium market. The analyst performed both primary as well as exhaustive secondary research for this study.Initially, the analyst sourced a list of service providers across the region. Subsequently, the analyst conducted primary research surveys with the identified companies.While interviewing, the respondents were also enquired about their competitors. Through this technique, the analyst could include the service providers which could not be identified due to the limitations of secondary research. The analyst examined the service providers, distribution channels and presence of all major players across the region. The analyst calculated the market size of Brazil smart stadium market using a bottom-up approach, wherein data for various end-user segments was recorded and forecast for the future years. The analyst sourced these values from the industry experts and company representatives and externally validated through analyzing historical data of these product types and applications for getting an appropriate, overall market size. Various secondary sources such as company websites, news articles, press releases, company annual reports, investor presentations and financial reports were also studied by the analyst. Key Target Audience: Smart stadium service providers, vendors and other stakeholders Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers Organizations, forums and alliances related to smart stadium Market research and consulting firms The study is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as service providers, vendors and partners, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities. Report Scope: In this report, Brazil smart stadium market has been segmented into following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below: Market, By Software: o Digital Content Management o Stadium & Public Security o Building Automation o Event Management o Others Market, By Service: o Consulting o Deployment & Integration o Support & Maintenance Regions: o North o North-East o South o Mid-West o South-East Competitive Landscape Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in Brazil smart stadium market. Available Customizations: With the given market data, we offers customizations according to a companys specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report: Company Information Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05916822/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ File photo of the national flags of China (R) and the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan) The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to U.S. law enforcement officers' forced entry into the Chinese consulate general in Houston. U.S. law enforcement officers on Friday forcibly entered the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston. In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston are diplomatic and consular premises as well as China's national property. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-U.S. Consular Convention, the United States must not infringe on the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston in any way, he said. "China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to U.S. forced entry into the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston, and has lodged solemn representations. China will make a proper and necessary response in this regard," Wang said. MELBOURNEVictoria is continuing to break covid-19 records as 10 more Victorians lost their lives while the state clocked 459 new cases. The state hit its deadliest single-day toll as Premier Daniel Andrews on July 26 confirmed the deaths, including a man aged in his 40s, one of the youngest people to die from COVID-19 in Australia to date. The deaths take the state toll to 71 and the national figure to 155, while 228 Victorians remain in hospital with the virus, including 42 in intensive care. Seven of the deaths registered overnight were linked to aged care centres, where there are currently 560 active cases. Andrews expressed his concern about the spread of the virus among care facilities as well as healthcare workers, where there are 381 active cases. He announced Victorias last line of defence would be further supported by calling up students, retired doctors and the army to help. Around 20 Australian Defence Force members will begin a training program with paramedics, including driver training and proper PPE protocol. I hope that is seen as a particularly innovative way of putting the best skills to the best use, he said. Andrews also said it was too early to make a decision on a lockdown extension, claiming the numbers are still far too high and they needed to stabilise. He encouraged Victorians to keep getting tested as the state had almost 43,000 tests conducted on July 25 and sent stern advice to anti-maskers. Ten families are going to be burying someone in the next few days. Wear a mask, its not too much to ask, he told reporters. And whats more, the nurse who will be treating you or a loved one, theyll be wearing a mask. By Ulises Izquierdo At the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, in Haryana, Rohtak, the first part of phase 1 human trial of Covaxin, India's first coronavirus vaccine, has been completed. The principal investigator of the vaccine trial team, Dr. Savita Verma, informed about it on Saturday. At the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, in Haryana, Rohtak, the first part of phase 1 human trial of Covaxin, Indias first coronavirus vaccine, has been completed. The principal investigator of the vaccine trial team, Dr. Savita Verma, informed about it on Saturday and said that after the encouraging results of the first part of phase-1 trials of the vaccine, six people have been administered for the second part of phase-1 trials. She also said that 50 people from all over India were administered the vaccine. On July 17, human trials of Covaxin had started with three volunteers getting the vaccine on that day. People aged 18-55 years having no co-morbid conditions were administered for Covaxin Phase 1 trials. Also read: Madhya Pradesh Board MPBSE 12th Result 2020: How to check MPBSE 12th Result on mobile phone Also read: Recite Hanuman Chalisa 5 times a day to stop Coronavirus spread In alliance with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, Bharat Biotech has developed and manufactured Covaxin. At AIIMS, Delhi also the trials of Covaxin has begun. The first dose of the injection was given to a man, who is in his 30s. Since last week, for the trial of Covaxin at Delhi, over 3,500 volunteers have already registered. On Friday, the principal investigator of the study at AIIMS-Delhi said that no immediate side-effects have been observed so far. The ICMR has chosen 12 medical facilities across the country where phase 1 human trials of coronavirus vaccine are being conducted presently. ICMR- National Institute of Virology, Pune isolated a strain of SARS-CoV-2 from which Covaxin is derived. Also read: Rajasthan crisis: Congress launches #SpeakUpForDemocracy campaign For all the latest Health News, download NewsX App Flash Russia hosted an international video conference on July 14 with a theme of "The Role of Responsible Political Powers in Maintaining International Security against the Backdrop of COVID-19 Global Pandemic". The meeting was hosted by Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of the United Russia political party and Deputy Chair of Russia's Security Council, and included political leaders from more than a dozen countries such as China, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Africa and Vietnam. Song Tao, minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), attended the meeting. Medvedev discussed the severe impact on countries across the world brought by COVID-19. He noted that the pandemic had led to an economic downturn, rising unemployment, social unrest and cyber security issues. In light of these problems, each country should enhance the protection of their own citizens, support the World Health Organization's key role in fighting the pandemic, and cooperate with and abide by international laws. Medvedev said that, currently, certain countries were placing nationalist interests at the top of their agenda, created political competition between countries in regard to pandemic prevention and vaccine development. Such behavior was not conducive to safeguarding people's health and safety, nor to world peace and stability, he said. He urged each country, as a responsible political power, to adhere to the values of solidarity and humanitarianism, strengthen dialogue and cooperation in security, promote international cooperation through inter-party exchanges, and contribute to the strength of political parties to meet the common challenges of mankind. Song briefed the meeting on China's efforts in pandemic prevention and control. The CPC Central Committee adhered to President Xi Jinping's words to put "people first" and "life first". China regarded the protection of people's lives and health as its top priority, and taken effective measures and achieved major strategic results in pandemic prevention. It had also actively participated in international cooperation. Song said the severe impact of COVID-19 had deepened the international community's awareness of international safety and security issues. As the makers of internal and external policies of each country, political parties should consciously assume the responsibility of political leadership, take the lead in practicing multilateralism and support the United Nations agencies to play an important role, abandon the cold war mentality, and strive to build a fair and just international security structure for mankind. The CPC was willing to work with political parties of all countries, contribute to world peace and global development. China was committed to providing assistance to the maintenance of the international order, and joining hands with all countries to build a community of a shared future for all humanity. Attendees at the video conference spoke highly of the CPC's achievements in leading the pandemic response in the country. They thanked China for providing support and assistance to other countries through inter-party and other channels. They expressed willingness to fight against the pandemic alongside China, together safeguard world peace, stability and security. Qian Hongshan, Vice Minister of the IDCPC, also attended the conference. Spreading the love of music Q: I was very impressed with your talks about music. Why did you decide to return to Vietnam while you had many great opportunities in the US? A: I left Vietnam seven years ago when I had just finished 11th grade at Chu Van An High School in Hanoi on a full scholarship to Italy. I then went to the US to attend university and study my PhD. I had many job opportunities such as a cello instructor at several universities. However, I decided to return to Vietnam. I thought that it was time for me to contribute to the community and the homeland. In Vietnam, I could do small things to spread my love of cello and music to all people. Q: Coming back after a long time away, how do you feel about classical music in Vietnam? A: Compared to the time I left the country to study abroad, musical activity in Vietnam is now more diverse. There are many young teachers who have been trained in foreign countries. Young artists are very active, they have organised their own shows and many spontaneous orchestra groups have been formed. I saw that classical music has great prospects for development in Vietnam. I hope that more families can hold concerts and invite others to listen. This form of event is very popular in foreign countries. Accordingly, audiences do not need to go to large concert halls to listen to classical music. I aspire to do small things like that which can be absorbed into life. I hope people will study and listen to music more; thereby, their spiritual life will be improved. Q: What are your plans after your return to Vietnam? A: I will organise many small activities to connect art forms with music. In addition to big shows, I want to hold smaller ones, including playing classical music in coffee houses with Sun Symphony Orchestra members. That is a popular model abroad because they think classical music is not too luxury. Many pieces were composed by famous authors such as Schubert in a familiar environment. I like small shows like that very much because I can feel the audiences energy. I will also work with artist Trang Trinh to implement projects to popularise musical education for children. In August, I will cooperate with painter Do Vu to talk about the interaction between music and painting. That will be a way for us to attract each others audiences. I am always curious and interested to connect knowledge and exploration. While teaching, I want my students to ask a lot. An artist, who wants to develop his career, should have a good mindset. The right method of teaching is to inspire the students thought process. Q: In your opinion, what are the targets of music? A: The targets are high standards as well as the greatest and the most quintessential things that humans have created. Not everyone can follow and create music. Artists are intermediaries bringing beauty closer to audiences, so they themselves must understand and feel the beauty first. My path was thanks to both predestination and luck. I wondered what I would do in this life. In my journey, I learned many lessons as well as facing pain and failure. The experiences have helped me mature and improve my cello sound. Cellist Phan Do Phuc Music is not only a profession but also a reason for living Q: As I know, you began your music career with the organ. What brought you to the cello? A: It can be said that the cello chose me as I entered the Hanoi Conservatory of Music and began my journey with this special instrument. The more I played it, the more I loved it. Cello contains many interesting features such as its vocal range being very wide with both low and high notes. People who study the cello love low notes. The cellos timbre is very special, touching the audiences hearts. While playing cello, I feel that I am living in the music. Q: Do you still dream of conquering the worlds major awards? A: I think I am not motivated by a youthful desire to chase major awards. I will do small things to satisfy my curiosity first. And then the more I expand the connection, the more audiences I will attract. As a result, the sound of the cello will have more opportunity to spread in popularity. I want to conquer audiences who have never heard about the cello. I think every person is born with a certain role in society. And most importantly, I will dare to pursue my path persistently. Q: When do you spend time practicing the cello? A: I still practice the cello every morning. It is my spiritual food to maintain my skills. An artist should nurture his love and spread the energy to his students, helping them understand the musics value. When we know these core values, we will realise that music is not only a profession but also a reason for life. Therefore, we should make more of efforts to push ourselves beyond our limits in the best way possible. Hundreds of Thai protesters sang a Japanese cartoon jingle on Sunday with lyrics mocking the government as hungry hamsters feasting on taxpayer cash, part of a new protest movement by youth who say they are using whimsical tactics for serious ends. Thai youths have been defying a coronavirus ban on gatherings to hold rallies almost daily since last week. The first rally, by a group called the Free Youth Movement, drew more than 2,000 activists, one of the biggest anti-government protests since a coup in 2014. At Sundays demonstration, protesters sang new lyrics to the theme song for Hamtaro, a Japanese cartoon about a hamster who loves sunflower seeds. They ran in circles around Bangkoks Democracy Monument, like hamsters running in a wheel. The most delicious food is taxpayers money, they sang. Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament! Leaders of the Free Youth Movement have said they will return to the streets for another large-scale demonstration next week if their demands are not met, including dissolving parliament, revising a constitution written by the military and ending the harassment of government critics. 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 Some of the protests have been whimsical in tone, but the protesters say their political aims are serious. The adults may think because were doing this, they cant take us seriously. But this is the way for the new generation, said a 20-year-old protester who gave her name as Fah. We are doing this differently in hope that something will change. Reuters On April 1, a mistrial in the quadruple-murder trial of James White in Rensselaer County marked the end of the last jury trial in the Capital Region for nearly four months and counting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The wait to resume trials is ongoing but signs are pointing to a possible end to the delay. Grand juries, the panels that meet behind closed doors and decide whether to charge people with crimes, recently began convening again in every county in the state outside New York City. And in parts of the state, including New York City, trials that already had empaneled juries and were delayed due to the coronavirus are continuing. The full resumption of jury trials will apparently depend, in large part, on the health of the participants at the grand juries and continued trials. Grand jurors are now meeting once a week. If that limited exposure results in lots of positive COVID-19 test results, the delay for jury trials will surely continue. If those grand juries and few trials are free of COVID-19 infection, the time frame could be far sooner. The answer to the looming question is, for now, a big unknown. As you know we have been taking a very deliberative and measured approach in resuming in-person appearances in courthouses, said Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration. We are closely monitoring and will be evaluating how that goes before making any final decisions on (civil and criminal) juries. Most likely we will initiate civil jury trials first, but we are still exploring all our options. Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney sounded prepared for jury trials. He said the number of cases awaiting trial in his county could exceed 35, including some homicide trials. We impaneled new grand juries last week and so far have adjusted to the resumption of those activities smoothly, the longtime district attorney told Law Beat. We are using a courtroom instead of our grand jury room because we cannot socially distance 23 people, witnesses, attorneys and a court reporter in that space where chairs are three-and-a-half-feet apart. I am sure when the time comes we will be ready to conduct trials with similar social distancing and masking. The jury will not be confined in a jury box but will undoubtedly be spread out through the courtroom. Last spring, the murder trial of White before Rensselaer County Judge Debra Young began right as the coronavirus was starting to spread. The court system took steps for safety. For instance, jurors were separated a seat apart. Alternative jurors were in the gallery. Hand sanitizer was aplenty. At the time, masks were not yet mandatory. Much more is known now and policies have changed. Anyone entering a courthouse now will have their temperature taken and have to answer questions. Chalfen provided Law Beat with a photo of one of the jury trials that will be resuming Tuesday, a murder trial in the Bronx. Everyone in the photo wore a mask. The courtroom was outfitted with Plexiglas barriers. Expect this to be the new normal when trials do eventually resume. Expect other changes too, such as longer periods of jury selection. Expect lawyers to express concerns over the scheduling of witnesses from out of state if the person is from a state requiring quarantine. And expect that trials will face the possibility that the proceedings may end in mistrials, just like the White case did. That trial ended after a juror fell ill. At least two others jurors were reluctant to come to court out of fear they could contract COVID-19. The judge declared a mistrial saying she believed she had no other choice. The jury had bee deliberating the case at that point for more than 16 hours over four days. White, charged with the 2017 stabbing murders of Brandi Mells, 22: Shanta Myers, 36, and Myers' two children: Jeremiah, 11, and Shanise, 5, will likely be among the first cases to be tried when trials resume. And his trial won't be alone. The only question is when. A Black Lives Matter protester, who was shot dead during in Texas by a driver who sped toward the crowd before opening fire Saturday night, was pushing his quadruple amputee fiancee in her wheelchair just moments before the shooting. The victim has been identified as Garrett Foster, whose mother, Sheila, spoke to Good Morning America on Sunday. Foster's mother said her son had attended several peaceful protests with his fiancee Whitney Mitchell, who is a quadruple amputee. Sheila said Foster was pushing his fiancee right before he was fatally shot. The shooting happened just before 10pm during a protest in Austin, police spokesperson Katrina Ratliff told reporters early Sunday. Scroll down for video Garrett Foster (pictured with his fiancee), who was shot dead during a demonstration in Texas when he approached a vehicle Saturday night, was pushing his quadruple amputee fiancee in her wheelchair just moments before the shooting Foster (pictured with his fiancee) was seen holding an AK-47 while speaking to media before he was killed Saturday night In the clip, Foster (pictured at the protest) is heard saying: 'They don't let us march in the streets anymore so gotta practice some of our rights' During the demonstration, a vehicle had honked, turned down a road and then sped toward protesters, witness Michael Capochiano said. The vehicle became surrounded by shouting protesters, and Foster approached the vehicle carrying his AK-47, Capochiano recalled. The driver then stuck a gun out of the car window and fired several shots, hitting Foster, before speeding away, according to the witness. But Foster's mother said the man 'got out of his car and started firing shots, and my son was shot three times'. Foster was then rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Sheila told GMA that she wouldn't be surprised if her son was carrying a gun because he was licensed to carry and probably 'would've felt the need to protect himself'. The open carrying of long guns is generally allowed in Texas. First responders are seen preparing to transport Foster to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead Sheila also said that Foster and Mitchell had been together since they were 17 years old. Before Foster was fatally shot, he was seen speaking to local media about why he was carrying his AK-47. In the video, Foster is heard saying: 'They don't let us march in the streets anymore so gotta practice some of our rights.' Ratliff said a suspect has been detained in connection to the shooting and is cooperating with police. Police said they are currently searching for a second suspect who is believed to have also opened fire during the protest. The Black Lives Matter demonstration was streamed live on Facebook and captured audio of a vehicle's horn honking. Footage posted during the Facebook Live showed the moment when several shots rang out as a group of about 100 people marched and chanted 'fists up! Fight back!' There were no other deaths or injuries reported. No other details from police or the EMS were immediately available. Protesters took to streets across the United States overnight into early Sunday, sparking clashes with police, amid a wave of public anger over Donald Trump's planned 'surge' of federal agents into large cities. Foster's mother Sheila (pictured) said a man driving a vehicle during the protest 'got out of his car and started firing shots, and my son was shot three times' Sheila also said that Foster and Mitchell (pictured as teens) had been together since they were 17 years old The demonstrations against racism and police brutality - ignited two months ago by the death in Minneapolis of unarmed African-American George Floyd - come as Trump faces an increasingly tough battle for re-election, and is campaigning on a 'law and order' platform. He has met stiff resistance from big city mayors, like Lori Lightfoot of Chicago, many of them Democrats who accuse Trump of magnifying the problem for political gain. Though Lightfoot has accepted federal help from the Trump administration she told CNN's State of the Union on Sunday: 'Ive said it before and Ill say it again, no troops, no agents that are coming in outside of our knowledge, notification, and control that are violating people's constitutional rights. Thats the framework.' 'We can't just allow anyone to come into Chicago, play police in our streets and neighborhoods when they don't know the first thing about our city. That's a recipe for disaster,' she added. 'That's what you're seeing playing out in Portland on a nightly basis, we don't need that here. That's not a value add, it doesn't help enhance our public safety.' Protesters marched in Austin, Texas, as well as Louisville, Kentucky; New York; Omaha, Nebraska; California's Oakland and Los Angeles, and Richmond in Virginia. An incident similar to the Austin shooting occurred in Colorado when a Jeep plowed through a Black Lives Matter march along a highway near Denver Saturday night. Police said a protester shot a gun and wounded at least two other demonstrators. An incident similar to the Austin shooting occurred in Colorado when a Jeep (pictured) plowed through a Black Lives Matter march along a highway near Denver Saturday night One of the protesters who was shot during the mayhem on Interstate 225 in Aurora was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Protesters are seen along the highway where the jeep had plowed through the crowd Protesters and medical personnel are seen attending to a wounded demonstrator A woman who also appeared to dodge the Jeep, fell 20 feet off the highway as she escaped to safety, witnesses said One of the protesters who was shot during the mayhem on Interstate 225 in Aurora was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The other demonstrator who was wounded showed up at the hospital with a graze wound, the Aurora Police Department tweeted. A woman who also appeared to dodge the Jeep, fell 20 feet off the highway as she escaped to safety, witnesses said. A search is now on for the shooter, whom witnesses believed open fire to stop the Jeep. The driver and passenger from the Jeep were detained after police later located and towed away the vehicle. In Seattle, police arrested 45 people during a night of violent protests in which demonstrators set fire to trailers by a construction site for a youth detention facility. Protesters slashed car tires and smashed trailer windows, prompting police to declare a riot and clear the streets with pepper spray and flash-bang grenades. Police Chief Carmen Best implored people to 'come in peace to the city,' and castigated the demonstrators. 'The rioters had no regard for the community's safety, for officers' safety or for the businesses and property that they destroyed,' local media quoted her as saying. Protesters marched in Austin, Texas, as well as Louisville, Kentucky; New York (demonstrators pictured Saturday night); Omaha, Nebraska; California's Oakland and Los Angeles, and Richmond in Virginia Demonstrators took to the streets in New York on Saturday to stand in solidarity with other large cities across the US where President Donald Trump has threatened to send federal agents New Yorkers made their way to Times Square on Saturday night for a demonstration In Seattle (pictured, demonstrator being arrested on Saturday), police arrested 45 people during a night of violent protests in which demonstrators set fire to trailers by a construction site for a youth detention facility Police push a demonstrator to the ground during protests in Seattle on Saturday A demonstrator kneels in front of police with his hands in the air during protests in Seattle on Saturday Federal agents were sent to Portland, Oregon (pictured early Sunday morning), nearly two weeks ago by the Trump administration, which has threatened to send more federal officers to other major cities In Portland, police and federal agents fired tear gas and forcefully dispersed protesters early Sunday. Police moved in after a group of protesters tried to pull down a fence erected around a federal courthouse. Portland has taken center stage for the highly controversial crackdown by federal agents ordered by Trump - one that is not supported by local officials, and which many say smacks of authoritarianism. Saturday's demonstration began peacefully, with crowds playing music and dancing, blowing soap bubbles and attaching red roses to the barricades. But it ended - like many before it - with tear gas fired after protesters attached ropes to barricades surrounding the city's courthouse in an attempt to pull them down. Protesters carry painted riot shields during a march on Saturday in Oakland, California One Oakland demonstrator is seen holding a sign that reads 'abolish the police' during a protest on Saturday Oakland protesters gather to condemn the use of federal troops in major US cities on Saturday Hundreds of protesters were seen marching during a demonstration in Oakland on Saturday Officers arrest a woman in front of the US courthouse in downtown Los Angeles during a protest on Saturday A demonstrator holds a 'black trans lives matter' sign during a Los Angeles protest on Saturday Portland police declared the area a riot, ordering protesters to leave, before they were joined by federal officers to clear the area. Portland police earlier confirmed a man was stabbed, with the suspect 'held down by protesters' before he was detained by officers and charged with assault, according to a statement. The victim was transported to hospital with a serious injury. The inspector general of the US Justice Department on Thursday opened an official investigation into the federal crackdown, but an Oregon federal judge on Friday rejected a legal bid by the state to stop agents from detaining protesters. Trump last week announced a 'surge' of federal agents to crime hotspots including Chicago, following an increase in violence in the nation's third-largest city. Federal authorities said agents deployed there would partner with local law enforcement, not serve as riot-control forces as seen in Portland. Kargil Vijay Diwas 2020: Indian Army recollects what happened in Kargil on this day Valiant heroes of 1971 Liberation War to be honoured on Vijay Diwas Our armed forces' valour inspire generations: PM on Kargil Vijay Diwas India pti-PTI New Delhi, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to armed forces to mark the 21st anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war, saying their valour continues to inspire generations. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. 21 years since India's Kargil war victory: Defence minister pays tributes at National War Memorial PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory. "On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations," Modi tweeted, adding that he would speak more about it in his Mann Ki Baat address. The prime minister used the hashtag #CourageInKargil. US-based ConocoPhillips, a global energy corporation, said that it has signed an agreement to buy land in Canada from Kelt Exploration in the shale-rich Montney acreage for cash consideration of approximately $375 million. This acquisition is 140,000 net acres in the liquids-rich Inga-Fireweed asset Montney zone, which is directly adjacent to the companys existing Montney position. The transaction increases the companys Montney acreage position to 295,000 net acres with 100 percent working interest. Key attributes for the transaction include: Adds over 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BBOE) of high-value resource with an all-in cost of supply of mid-$30s (WTI basis). The acquisition cost is approximately $2-$4 per barrel on a WTI cost of supply basis, depending on pace of development. Increases exposure to the core of the liquids-rich Montney acreage. Production associated with the acquired asset is approximately 15,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBOED). Adds over 1,000 high-quality well locations. Increases scale, which will drive supply chain and offtake improvements. Transaction economics do not assume any incremental capital investments are made in the Montney in the next several years. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2020. The effective date for the transaction is July 1, 2020. We have tracked and analyzed this adjacent acreage position for a long time, said Matt Fox, executive vice president and chief operating officer. It represents a high-value extension of our existing Montney position, and were pleased to capture this opportunity at an attractive cost of supply that meets our criteria for resource additions. The transaction provides operating scale and flexibility to create significant value for shareholders by applying our drilling and completion techniques on this asset and optimizing our future overall Montney development plans. Separately, the company announced that it initiated production from its Montney development in the first quarter of 2020. Production continues to ramp up from the companys first multi-well pad. Our current Montney development is performing according to our projections and plans. Were still in the process of bringing our initial wells online, and early results are encouraging: we have confirmed the liquids-rich nature of the play and also confirmed that transferring the drilling and completion techniques were employing in the US. Big 3 can add significant rate and recovery potential to the play. We view the Montney as a very attractive long-term asset and todays announcement gives us significant running room at a very attractive all-in cost, Fox concluded. TradeArabia News Service State-owned BPCL has introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for its employees ahead of its privatisation by the government. The government will hand over the reins of the country's third-biggest oil refiner and second-largest fuel retailer to private players soon. "The Corporation has decided to offer a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), with a view to enable employees, who are not in a position to continue in service of the Corporation due to various personal reasons, to request for grant of voluntary retirement from the services of the Corporation," Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) said in an internal notice to its employees. The scheme title 'Bharat Petroleum Voluntary Retirement Scheme - 2020 (BPVRS-2020)' will operate from July 23 to August 13. According to senior BP official, the scheme has been introduced to provide an exit option to employees of the company who do not want to work under private management. "Some employees feel their role, position or place of posting may change once BPCL is privatised. So this scheme offers them an exit option," he said. BPCL has over 2,00,00 employees. The government is expected to sell its entire 52.98 per cent stake in the company. According to the senior official, around 5-10 per cent employees of BPCL are expected to opt for the VRS. The government will receive the Expressions of Interest (EoI) for buying BPCL by July 31. According to BPCL notice, all employees who are 45 years of age or above are eligible for the VRS. It, however, excludes active sportspersons (employees recruited as sportsperson who are yet to be deployed in the mainstream) and board-level executives. "Employees opting for VRS would be eligible to receive a compensation payment equivalent to two months' salary for each completed year of service or the monthly salary at the time of voluntary retirement multiplied by the balance months of service left before normal data of retirement on superannuation, whichever is less," it said. Those opting for VRS will be paid repatriation expenses. They will also be available for medical benefits under Post Retirement Medical Benefit Scheme. They will also be eligible for encashment of leaves including casual, earned and privilege leaves. However, those employees who opt for VRS will not be allowed to be employed by any of BPCL's joint ventures. Also Read: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram district court for 'wrongful' firing of employee Also Read: Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls likely to open; metro trains, schools to remain shut The Trump administration ordered the Houston consulate closed this week, saying Chinese agents tried to steal medical and other research in Texas Beijing: Chinas foreign ministry complained Saturday that American law enforcement officials improperly entered its consulate in Houston, which was ordered to close in an escalating diplomatic feud. The ministry gave no details, but US federal agents checked the consulate's doors and a locksmith was seen working on a lock Friday after Chinese diplomats left ahead of a 4 pm deadline to close. US-China relations have plunged to their lowest level in decades amid conflicts over trade, technology, Hong Kong, spying accusations and complaints of abuses against Chinese Muslims. The Trump administration ordered the Houston consulate closed this week, saying Chinese agents tried to steal medical and other research in Texas. Beijing responded by ordering Washington to close its consulate in the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu. As for the US sides forcible entry into the premises of the Chinese Consulate General in Houston, China expresses strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition, said a foreign ministry statement. China will make a proper and necessary response to this. The statement said that the Houston consulate was Chinese property, and that under diplomatic treaties American officials had no right to enter. In Chengdu, spectators snapped photos outside the US Consulate on Saturday as police in T-shirts and surgical masks stood on the sidewalk and the closed-off street in front of the walled compound. A bus drove into the compound, but spectators saw few other signs of action. On Friday, a man was detained by police after he set off firecrackers outside the consulate at about 7 pm, Chengdu police said on their social media account. It said the man was given a warning. The total number of Pakistani terrorists in Afghanistan is estimated at between 6,000 and 6,500, most of them belonging to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), posing a threat to both countries, according to a report by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaeda and associated individuals and entities was submitted by the 1267 monitoring committee of the UNSC. The report stated that TTP, which is a large terrorist group present in Afghanistan, is led by Amir Noor Wali Mehsud, supported by his deputy Qari Amjad and spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani. TTP has claimed responsibility for various high-profile attacks in Pakistan and has facilitated others by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and Lahskhar-e-Islam. Many former TTP members have already joined ISIL-K (Islamic State of Iraq and Levant-Khorasan) and member states expect that the group and its various splinter groups will align themselves with ISIL-K, it said. The total number of Pakistani foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan, posing a threat to bothcountries, is estimated at between 6,000 and 6,500, most of them with TTP, the report noted. This report has yet again proved that Pakistan continues to be sheltering and supporting terrorists on its soil. On July 21, Islamabads claim of not aiding terror was busted after Pakistani ID cards were recovered from the bodies of terrorists killed in Afghanistans Kandahar province, Khaama news agency reported. In another recent attack, 25 Taliban terrorists, including 12 Pakistanis, were killed in an airstrike by NATO Rescue Support in Takht-e-Pol town of the province. Last month, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan raked up a controversy by calling slain terrorist and 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden a shaheed (martyr) while addressing the National Assembly. Amid frequent reports of Pakistans misdemeanour, the country received another extension on the Grey List during the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary session on June 25. Islamabad is yet to complete 13 out of 27 items of its FATF Action Plan. First Republic Bank (NYSE:FRC) is definitely a stock you want on your radar. The $128 billion asset bank focuses on serving high-net-worth individuals in wealthy markets such as Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Not only was it one of the top performing bank stocks over the last decade, but it is also one of the few banks still growing earnings during the coronavirus pandemic. It's trading just a few dollars lower than where it started the year. Here's why. Earnings are strong While most banks are reporting a significant decline in profits or losses, First Republic has actually managed to grow its earnings, despite the heavy economic downturn that has resulted from the pandemic. The bank reported net income in the second quarter of $256.8 million, up about $38 million from the second quarter of 2019. That's after increasing its dividend after the first quarter of the year. One main contributor to its second-quarter success was the ability to increase loan volume -- and net interest income -- by about $50 million year over year. But another big reason behind the bank's success is its ability to maintain strong credit quality. Most banks have been setting aside large sums of cash to prepare for looming loan losses, which has directly cut into their profits. First Republic set aside a roughly $31.1 million provision in the second quarter of the year, which is up about $10 million from the second quarter of 2019. It also set aside more than $60 million in the first quarter of the year. But its total allowance for loan losses as a percentage of total loans is still fairly low compared to the industry right now, at 0.58%, and the bank has very few charge-offs (debt unlikely to be collected) through the first six months of the year. This almost seems too good to be true given the economy, but First Republic provides some good information about its loan book that supports these numbers. For one, the bank's loan portfolio seems to avoid industries heavily impacted by the coronavirus. Loans to retail, hotels, and restaurants make up less than 2.4% of total loans, and the bank has no exposure to the automobile, credit card, oil and gas, casino, airline, and most travel industries. And the bank really seems to stick to stringent underwriting standards. The median loan-to-value (LTV) ratio on a loan originated over the past two years in the bank's commercial real estate (CRE) portfolio is 46%. That means the median CRE borrower is putting down a 54% downpayment, which presumes a safer loan because the borrower already has a ton of equity in the property, and there is less to pay down. Meanwhile, the median LTV ratio on a loan originated over the past two years in the bank's multi-family portfolio is 53%, while that number is 60% in the single-family residential portfolio. Also, the median FICO score over the past two years in the single-family residential portfolio is high, at 774 . The bank has modified about $4.3 billion of loans, meaning they've changed the terms of the loan -- likely due to financial stress. While management on the company's recent earnings call said it's hard to know the exact health of those loans at this point, they seemed to feel fairly confident. Here's what First Republic Bank CEO Jim Herbert had to say: We have, as you might imagine, scrubbed them considerably and probably more importantly is we know our clients very well. We know the situation very well. Suffice it to say that the vast majority of those modifications have quite reasonable loan-to-value ratios into the 50s. And so we don't expect to be very much at risk ultimately on losses. We will have some anecdotal situations, but it's our opinion, we don't have a systemic issue at this point. Continued strength It's almost hard to see a bank continue to grow and perform well in this kind of environment and not be a little weary, but First Republic looks very solid. The share price is doing extremely well for a bank stock, the company has continued to boost earnings during the pandemic, and credit quality looks very strong. Obviously, investors should watch every bank during a time like this, but I have lots of confidence in this stock continuing to perform well. Travel plans of thousands of British residents in Spain have been complicated after the UK government decided on Saturday to bring back two-week quarantine requirements for all travellers arriving from this country. The decision to remove Spain from the travel corridor list that allows movement between the UK and certain other countries with no self-isolation requirements, comes, said the UK government on Saturday, "following a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace of change in confirmed cases" in Spain. "The Joint Biosecurity Centre together with Public Health England have updated their coronavirus assessments of Spain based on the latest data. As a result, Spain has been removed from the lists of countries from which passengers arriving in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are exempted from the need to self-isolate," said a government spokesperson on Saturday. "Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK. "Weve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary. Both our list of quarantine exemptions and the FCO travel advice are being updated to reflect these latest risk assessments," said the statement. British holidaymakers currently in Spain have been told they can stay for the remainder of their holiday but must self-isolate for two weeks on their return. Paul Charles, a travel industry consultant, estimates that a million and a half British nationals were due to travel to Spanish holdiay destinations this week. Travel agencies and airlines will now be facing thousands of enquiries from customers, unsure whether to cancel or postpone their trips. Tour operator TUI announced the cancellation of flights between the UK and Spain on Sunday. The British government is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. "This does not cover the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands because travel advice is based on the risk to the individual traveller and Covid-19 infection rates are lower there than mainland Spain," it said. The two-week self-isolation rule, however, applies to passengers arriving from all parts of Spain, including the islands. U.S. Says Russian Military Supplying More Weapons And Vagner Group Fighters To Libya By RFE/RL July 25, 2020 The U.S. military has accused Russia of supplying more offensive weapons and fighters to Libya in an attempt gain a foothold in the North African country. U.S. Africa Command's (AFRICOM) latest accusation against Russia on July 24 comes as Libya's rival camps face off in a potentially bloody battle over the strategic central coastal city of Sirte. The Pentagon released photos it said showed Russia continues to provide supplies and equipment to the Vagner group, a Russian private military company. It said Russian military cargo aircraft are supplying Vagner fighters and their proxies with air-defense equipment, trucks, armored vehicles, and fighter jets. "The type and volume of equipment demonstrates an intent toward sustained offensive combat action capabilities, not humanitarian relief, and indicates the Russian Ministry of Defense is supporting these operations," General Gregory Hadfield, AFRICOM deputy director of intelligence, said in a statement. The U.S. military has previously accused Moscow of deploying fighter jets to Libya and earlier this month said the Vagner Group had laid land mines and improvised explosive devices in and around the capital, Tripoli. Russia is using the Vagner group "as a proxy in Libya to establish a long-term presence on the Mediterranean Sea," AFRICOM said. Russia, mostly through the Vagner Group, has been helping Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east of the country in their fight against the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli. France, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates also back Haftar's forces. Turkey, which has deployed troops, drones, and Syrian rebel mercenaries to Libya, supports the government in Tripoli, alongside Qatar and Italy. Ankara's intervention in Libya in January turned the tide of the war by rolling back Haftar's offensive against Tripoli. Turkey and Russia, the main external power brokers in Libya, have been seeking an elusive cease-fire. In an escalation, Egypt's parliament this week approved a direct troop intervention in Libya if Turkey-backed forces from Tripoli advance on Sirte. A battle over Sirte threatens to unleash direct conflict between Turkey, a NATO member, and U.S. allies in the region. The United States supports a cease-fire, paving the way for a political solution in the country. Libya has been torn by civil war since a NATO-backed popular uprising ousted and killed the country's longtime dictator, Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, in 2011. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-accuses-russia- weapons-vagner-libya/30746298.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 25) President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed his former top security aide as chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Brigadier General Jose Eriel Niembra, a former commander of the Presidential Security Group, took over as the militarys top intelligence officer, Malacanang and the Armed Forces announced on Saturday. Niembra replaced Brigadier General Oliver R. Artuz, who retired in a ceremony via teleconferencing on Friday. Under Brigadier General Artuz, 697 target personalities from various threat groups were neutralized through ISAFPs unilateral and joint operations with other AFP units and law enforcement agencies, the AFP said in a statement. It also mentioned his other contributions to the governments coronavirus response. AFP Chief of Staff General Felimon Santos, Jr. expressed confidence Niembra would lead his team "to greater milestones in the future." Brigadier General Francisco Ariel Felicidario III also assumed a new post as head of the AFP Peace and Development Office following the retirement of Brigadier General Cesar De Mesa. An Israeli soldier kicks a Palestinian flag in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on January 29. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman Joel Carmel was raised in London's Jewish community. He was passionately committed to defending Israel from its many critics, whom he believed were biased and did not grasp the constant threats to its security from the Arabian world. He went to Israel as soon as he could, joined the army, and rose to the rank of second lieutenant. He served in the West Bank territories, which Israel occupied after the Six-Day War in 1967. The West Bank is home to 2.8 million Palestinians, as well as more than 500,000 Jews, who are often described as settlers. When he witnessed the occupation as a soldier, he said he came to realize that Israel's policies were as much a force for violence as the terrorism it was supposed to prevent. Carmel said he left the army determined to prove that "you can be a patriotic Israeli and criticize the occupation." He now works with Breaking the Silence, an organization of military veterans that says it hopes to show the Israeli public what daily life is like for Palestinians living under the occupation. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. As a teenager growing up in the comfortable suburbs of north London, the heartland of the British Jewish community, Joel Carmel had a singular passion: defending Israel against its critics. "My synagogue, my youth movement, my school were all Zionist organizations. Zionism meant not just Israel has the right to exist but actively defending Israel," he said. In this bubble, all of Israel's critics were biased, Carmel, the son of a rabbi, said. "Everyone was against us. Everything in the MSM was anti-Israel, and we had a responsibility to show the other side," he said. "That meant saying what Israel did was always a security issue and Israel had to do whatever it had to defend itself." Related video: How COVID-19 is impacting US Army basic training Carmel became a young zealot for Zion a prodigy of pro-Israel campaigning. Passionate and articulate, he won a communal "Apprentice"-style competition the Ambassador's Prize, which recognized his talent for defending Israel. Story continues At 18, Carmel relinquished his place at a British university, made "aliyah" to Israel (aliyah, which means "return," is imbued with deep spiritual and nationalistic connotations), and joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soon after. Joel Carmel during his service in the Israel Defense Forces as a second lieutenant. Joel Carmel "It wasn't because I wanted to be a soldier. I wanted to be an Israeli and to do what everyone else did. I wanted to be useful," he said. Indeed, the soldier's life did not come naturally to Carmel, he said. "Most of the young Israelis were very excited about picking up a gun because it's cool. I hated it. I didn't like the smell of gunpowder, and it was nerve-racking to hold this weapon," he said. But ever the high achiever, he was selected for officer training. He learned he would be posted at COGAT the acronym for Israel's military bureaucracy,the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories. Carmel described it as the "shadow government" that Israel built to rule the West Bank, which is home to 2.8 million Palestinians and was captured from Jordan in the Six-Day War in 1967. Since then, more than 500,000 Jews have gone to live in the territory and build often controversial settlements. "I wanted to be the moral soldier. I believed I could be that soldier who gives the Palestinians good service service with a smile," Carmel said. "Later I realized you could be as smiley as you like. You could give Palestinian children sweets, but ultimately, you control their lives with military power." During his officer training, he said his doubts about the occupation began to crystallize. One morning at a Bethlehem, West Bank, crossing point, where Palestinian workers gathered to gain entry into Israel, Carmel said he witnessed an upsetting scene. "You've just got to be there to feel it," he said. "Thousands of young Palestinian men crushed into tunnel cages on the way to the security check. People forced to climb on top of one another that was when I started to think, 'There's something wrong here.'" Palestinian workers wait to cross an Israeli-controlled checkpoint on May 2, 2019. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta He said another critical moment for him was a visit for the young officers to the mosque at the Caves of the Patriarchs, in Hebron, a city south of Jerusalem. It is believed to house the graves of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and both Muslims and Jews treasure the shrine. There is also a synagogue on the site. When Carmel and his fellow trainee officers arrived, he said he was shocked when they did not remove their shoes to pay even minimal respect to Muslim beliefs. "I was tramping around in my military boots in their mosque," he said. Once he was a freshly minted second lieutenant in the IDF, he was assigned to the Jenin district of COGAT. His job was issuing travel permits to Palestinians who wanted to enter Israel to visit family or hospitals. There, businessmen were given priority over the "regular people," he said. As a young officer, he controlled the freedom of movement of tens of thousands of people. His work was stressful and had Big Brother overtones, he said. The permit-application process required Palestinians to provide exhaustive biographical information, he said. "It was part of Israel's effort to control we had to know everything," he added. 'They are people' When he was assigned the role, he was excited at the opportunity to learn Arabic. But he said his language skills never went beyond issuing military orders: "'Stop. Hold up your hands. Leave the room. Enter the room.' No social context just instructions." The workload was heavy. He processed hundreds of travel-permit applications a day. But he got to know his opposite numbers in the Palestinian National Authority they were like him, he said: young overworked petty bureaucrats trying to keep their bosses happy. "That was a humanizing experience for me," he said. "'They all want to kill us'; that's something you hear in Israel. But as an officer in the Jenin district, I met loads of Palestinians daily. I realized that just isn't true. They are people." After two years, Carmel said his doubts were magnified. The occupation as a defense against Palestinian terrorists was one dimension of what he witnessed, he said, adding that humiliating and instilling fear into Palestinians was another. Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip after the Six-Day War in 1967, which it fought against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Business Insider/Google Maps The night of the "mapping operation" was to be his epiphany. He said he rode along to a Palestinian village in an IDF jeep and watched the driver strike the trash cans outside each home, leaving a trail of stinking rubbish and rotting vegetables in the street. They burst into the home of a Palestinian family, he said. As the bleary-eyed parents and children were guarded by the heavily armed soldiers, others rifled through their draws and cupboards. Carmel said he tried to smile at a small Palestinian boy, but he just glared back. The search revealed nothing they rarely do, according to Carmel and it had no military objectives, he said. As the soldiers exited the village, Palestinians on rooftops threw paint bombs at their jeeps, he said, adding that an Israeli soldier stuck his gun out the window and fired rubber-tipped bullets wildly. "That was the moment I realized I wanted to get out of the army. I didn't want to be doing something that I viewed as immoral," he said. "We are punishing people who haven't done anything," he added. "Yes, there is terror, and some people are very threatening to us. But the occupation is a system of constant violence, and we shouldn't be surprised if some of that comes back to us." The army learned lessons from Carmel Carmel's next move risked a prison sentence. Refusing to follow an order was a severe military crime, but it was a price he was willing to pay. He wrote a letter to his commanding officer. "I genuinely felt at the time that by being at such odds, ideologically, with the establishment and the unit I was in, it affected me emotionally and severely limited my ability to do my job to the best of my ability," he said. "That being the case, I was worried about the impact that would have on the tens of thousands of Palestinians whose freedom of movement I controlled, and who ultimately would be the ones to suffer most." After a series of meetings with the top brass and a lot of yelling, he was shunted to a nonjob to finish his service, he said. "When I left I realized that even if I had been the chief of staff, there was nothing I could do. The instructions come from the government. It's a political decision," Carmel said. But he did achieve one unexpected change. After his service finished, he became a case study for trainee officers. He said a lecture was "dedicated to that 'crazy soldier.'" "They brought up on the screen the letter I wrote to my commander. The purpose was to weed out people who might have a moral objection. I had been a huge waste of resources for the army. The army learned lessons from me," he said. Carmel eventually went to university in Jerusalem, married, and now works for Breaking the Silence. According to its mission statement, it is "an organization of veterans who have served in the Israeli military who have taken it upon themselves to expose the Israeli public to the reality of everyday life in the Occupied Territories." "Israelis love their soldiers, and it's difficult stuff to hear from us: 'We experienced those things because we were sent by you, the people, to oppress other people in your name,'" he said. Many would rather not listen, according to Carmel. He and his colleagues are often called liars and traitors, he said. An Israeli soldier during a protest in the West Bank on February 2. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma Now 28, Carmel is the father of a baby girl. The occupation is in its 54th year, and the thought she could be called upon to defend it in the 75th fills him with dread. "There's this old Israeli mantra: We do what we do so our kids won't have to serve in the army. It gives me hope that many good people are fighting for this cause and people are listening to us," he said. "I'd rather be that father than the father who tries to ignore it and find my daughter in the army one day." Carmel's life has been a journey through ideology and conflict. When he reflected on his days as a young firebrand for a could-do-no-wrong Israel, he said he'd have some advice for his younger self. "I would say do some more reading. That would have helped me understand that every criticism of Israel is not an attack on its right to exist," he said. "You can be a patriotic Israeli and criticize the occupation. It would have changed things in my life if I had known that then." Read the original article on Business Insider The dance troupe led by Amala Shankar and her husband Uday Shankar was the central force of the cultural movement that introduced new dimensions in Indian dance and choreography Imagine living a life that spanned the entire modern history of dance in India, traversing the transitions from nautch to oriental dance, to 'art-dance', witnessing the creation of a new dance language and the institutionalisation of training. Imagine being witness to the heaving of an entire system of dance, that too in a nation that was unshackling itself from colonial rule and trying to find an identity. What a gift to have been a part of the time when dance became cross-cultural, pan-cultural, borrowed, adapted, and transformed, at rates unparalleled in the past, and with consequences that were phenomenal. To anyone who has ever danced or played an instrument, or has seen a dance performance or listened to music, encountering the name 'Shankar' is inevitable. Uday Shankar and Ravi Shankar are names that are part of India's cultural history. But what about the women in their lives? They too created history by being a part of the same legacy. Amala Shankars life (1919 2020) was in itself a study in the transition from the poetic lifestyle of erstwhile Bengal aristocracy, to the communist legacy; she had seen it all within her lifetime. The danseuse who breathed her last at the age of 101 on Friday in Kolkata connected the north, south, east and west of the country to each other through her art. Her father took her to Paris at the tender age of 11 (a story she delightedly retold over and over again) to view the international colonial exhibition in the city. She remembered wearing saris when she was a little girl and pretended to fetch water, feeling like a dancer, as she lifted the pot and put it on her hip and swayed while walking. However, she recalled wearing a frock while in Paris, which is where she met the Shankar family for the first time. Oh! How handsome he looked! she remarked heartily about her late husband, Uday Shankar, to a hooked audience that included me, when she was 97 years old. Her story left me with gooseflesh. The 11-year-old was invited to the Shankar household to play with the youngest in the family Ravi Shankar. They wore marvellous clothes like Indian princes, and their mother gave young Amala a sari to don. And so began her fairytale in the world of music, dance, fashion, parties, agony and ecstasy. Her husband was 19 years older to her, and women were wooing him by the dozens. The statuesque beauty of Amala was admired on stage, even though, momentarily, she did lose Uday Shankar to another woman. However, in his final moments, it was Amala who cared for him. Her journey in the world of dance with and after Uday Shankar is well documented. Amala Shankar had a special bond with South India. Dr Jagadeeshan of KJ Hospitals, and his wife Meera, hosted her frequently at their home. Their son Keshav was particularly dear to her. She enjoyed visiting Chennai also because she had lived in the city for quite some time. Meera recalls how in the early '80s they were hoping to invite her son Anand Shankar for an event, but got connected to her instead. Amala offered to bring her troupe and did so, marking the beginning of a long friendship with the family. Amala ji has a strong connection with Chennai, as she used to reside at Boag Road in Thyagaraja Nagar. When she relocated to Kolkata, she gave their residence to be used by the Communist Party," Meera tells me. Theatre artiste Pralayan Chandrasekaran adds that Uday Shankar had given the house away to CPI at a throwaway price, even though many film producers and others were offering huge sums for the property that was close to actor Shivaji Ganesan's house. The building witnessed landmark productions and conversations that went on to define the history of performing arts in India. Uday Shankar was one of the founders of IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association), which has groomed stalwarts of Indian art. The dance troupe led by the couple was the central force of the movement where new dimensions in Indian dance and choreography were introduced by them. Meera goes on to add how every time Amala Shankar visited them, "which was at least once a year, she would make it a point to visit her house, as she had a lot of remembrances there, including the footprints of her and her family on a plaque that was embedded there." "In fact, one of her most cherished visits was when my son took her to see her land and her old house, so that she could relive all her memories. She was extremely disappointed when she saw that the entire house had been demolished, but with great fondness, retrieved her plaques, brought them home, and repainted them. She also visited her tailor, as she felt that only he knew how to stitch her perfect blouses," she says. Meera tells me how, on one of their trips to Darjeeling, they made a stop at Kolkata. Amala Shankar was ecstatic about their visit, and ensured that they met her entire family. "It was at this time that we also got to see the famous Uday Shankar Dance School with a first-hand narrative from her about its history and conception," Meera says. She reminisces how Amala ji loved singing and dancing during her visits, and fondly recalls her showing them the shadow dance movements she had conceptualised, besides teaching rhythm to the boys. "Such was her closeness to our family, that I recollect when I was visiting Bangladesh, she was so worried for me that she ensured I connected with the Vice Chancellor of the Dhaka University so that I had somebody I could fall back upon. The danseuse loved Kerala food, especially jackfruit. "In fact, she had a combination of jackfruit, rice and milk, that, if presented to her, would make her light up. Another interesting food combination she enjoyed was rice, fish and mango," Meera says. The artiste was extremely meticulous about her appearance as well. There would never be a crease on her saris, and the shawl was always draped to perfection. If she folded a sari, it would seem like it had been ironed. Shyamala Surendran, a Mohiniattam dancer and teacher in Kochi, also fondly remembers her time with Amala Shankar. I remember the workshop she did for us in 2003, she says. She invited young people to come up on stage in their everyday clothing, and told them dance is nothing but lifting of one's hands and swaying to music. She made us move in circles to the count of four, with a clap at one, and with our right hands stretched out and left hands swinging. The count changed as we moved, and before long, everyone was intoxicated with the flavour of dance! She is a proud owner of some paintings by Amala Shankar, which she had made with her fingers dipped in paint; she never used a brush. She was a terrific lady with a zest and enthusiasm for life that is unmatched, Meera remarks. Music and dance were in her being, and her talks greatly revolved around this, even in her anecdotes on life with her husband, as they would take their troupe around the world. A couple of years ago, I took her to a Kuravanji production by Bharatanatyam dancer Padma Subrahmanyam in Chennai, when she told me: Dynamics of dance are as close to the dynamics of life as any art I can imagine. Dance changes with every body, with time, with country, with weather, and does not have one history but many," a rather succinct summary of her life's profound trajectory. All images procured by the author, except where indicated otherwise North Korean authorities have imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong after discovering what they called the country's first suspected case of the novel coronavirus, state media reported Sunday. Leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting on Saturday to implement a "maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert" to contain the virus, official news agency KCNA said. If confirmed, it would be the first officially recognised COVID-19 case in the North where medical infrastructure is seen as woefully inadequate for dealing with any epidemic. KCNA said a defector who had left for the South three years ago returned on July 19 after "illegally crossing" the heavily fortified border dividing the countries. But there have been no reports in the South of anyone leaving through what is one of the world's most secure borders, replete with minefields and guard posts. Pyongyang has previously insisted not a single case of the coronavirus had been seen in the North despite the illness having swept the globe, and the country's borders remain closed. The patient was found in Kaesong City, which borders the South, and "was put under strict quarantine", as would anybody who had come in close contact, state media said. It was a "dangerous situation... that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster", the media outlet added. Kim was quoted as saying "the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country", and officials on Friday took the "preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City". The nuclear-armed North closed its borders in late January as the virus spread in neighbouring China and imposed tough restrictions that put thousands of its people into isolation, but analysts say the North is unlikely to have avoided the contagion. South Korea is currently recording around 40 to 60 cases a day. Earlier this month Kim warned against any "hasty" relaxation of anti-coronavirus measures, indicating the country will keep its borders closed for the foreseeable future. (AFP) The Central Coast town of Wamberal is preparing to be hit by heavy rain and large swells over the coming days, with the council piling up more than 150 rock-filled bags, while neighbours are exchanging messages and emails with updates. Wamberal resident Margaret Brice spent Sunday morning driving around providing breakfast to council workers helping to prepare for the storm and checking in on friends. Earthmoving equipment moves boulders to create a sea wall to protect damaged houses at Wamberal on Sunday. Credit:Getty Images "I try not to be dominated by fear, I try to be optimistic and cross our fingers that what we have done is enough," she said. Preserving Pahaska: The Museums of Buffalo Bill He was born in Iowa, earned his nickname in Kansas and buried three children in upstate New York. But the spirit of William F. Buffalo Bill Cody known to Native Americans as Pahaska, or Long Hair still shines most brightly on the western Plains and in the shadow of the Rockies. This three-part Focus series features the museums and towns that most extensively preserve Codys legacy: Denver, where he died; Cody, Wyoming, which he co-founded; and North Platte, his longtime home base and the birthplace of his world-famous Wild West Show. Today: Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming Aug. 2: Buffalo Bill State Historical Park, North Platte For information on the Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave at Lookout Mountain in Golden, Colorado, click here. Second of three parts. CODY, Wyo. One bumpy ascent of craggy Cedar Mountain suggests its just as well that William F. Buffalo Bill Cody rests on the smoother Lookout Mountain near Denver. The city below has done quite well since his 1917 death, boasting nearly 10,000 people, 1 million tourists annually and the largest of the museums telling the story of Codys life. I like to say (that), basically, Lookout Mountain has the body but we have the objects, said Jeremy Johnston, historian and former curator of the Buffalo Bill Center for the West. Cody has more: the legacy of Buffalo Bills most successful investment. He promoted North Platte across the nation and world throughout his Wild West Shows 1883-1913 run. But though Cody was connected with North Platte for 34 years, he didnt found it. He succeeded with his Scouts Rest Ranch at North Platte and TE Ranch southwest of Cody. He also invested in Wyoming hotels, Arizona mines and coal and oil fields all blamed for draining much of his fortune by his 1917 death. But Cody, Wyoming, is going strong 125 years after Buffalo Bill and others saw its potential as an agricultural center and the eastern gateway to Yellowstone National Park. And its leaders very quickly realized after Buffalo Bills passing that tourism and the founding of the American West was a good draw, Johnston said. Watering a desert Buffalo Bills attention turned to northwest Wyoming in the early 1890s, when the Wild West was at the peak of its fame. Yellowstone Park, the nations first, had been created in 1872. But the areas main river bore an unattractive name based on its high sulfur content: Stinking Water. No matter. Several Wyoming entrepreneurs, led by a Kentucky native and U.S. senators son named George Beck, saw productive irrigated farmland where a desert stood. One of them, Horton Boal, had married Buffalo Bills daughter Arta and invested with Cody in a hotel in Sheridan. Beck, who spent much of 1893 surveying for a canal, was in Sheridan when Cody arrived that fall. Beck reasoned, If we can get Cody on board, well have the best PR man in the world to promote this project around the world, Johnston said. Buffalo Bill, who had engaged in irrigation in Nebraska and dreamed of a stage line into Yellowstone, eagerly climbed aboard. He claimed he first saw the area after bathing his eyes in the Stinking Water as treatment for an eye infection, sister Helen Cody Wetmore wrote in 1899s Last of the Great Scouts. He came up with this crazy, Moses-like founding of the town of Cody, Johnston said. I look at the pictures of early-day Cody. How did they buy this? But Buffalo Bill sold the hell out of this place. The Cody Canal along the Shoshone River, renamed for the Native American nation, was enhanced by a 1910 dam six miles west of Cody. Renamed Buffalo Bill Dam in 1946, its surrounded by a state park and backs up a reservoir, both also bearing Codys name. It was the worlds tallest dam when finished. Park County ranked fifth among Wyomings 23 counties in total agricultural products sold in 2012. It ranked No. 8 just before the 2020 census with an estimated 29,194 people, led by Cody (9,860) and nearby Powell (6,128). The countys Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad line can be traced to Buffalo Bills influence, along with the road from Cody into Yellowstone, U.S. Highway 14-16-20. Codys enterprises One can find echoes of Buffalo Bills North Platte experiences in Cody, which formally began with a post office in 1896 and was incorporated in 1901. When the Wild West played Washington, D.C., in 1899, Cody was visited by John H. Peake, who had published the North Platte Enterprise in 1873-74. He launched the Cody Enterprise on Aug. 31, 1899, with Buffalo Bill as co-owner. Its still in business. Codys 1882 Old Glory Blowout in North Platte the precursor of rodeo and the Wild West Show paved the way for Julys annual Cody Stampede and summer-long Cody Nite Rodeo, founded in 1919 and 1938 respectively. And downtown Codys crown jewel, the Irma Hotel, was named for his youngest daughter and only child born in North Platte. Opened on Nov. 1, 1902, the Irma continues to welcome diners and lodgers. Buffalo Bill had two reserved suites, and Irma and her husband, Fred Garlow, ran the hotel after serving as Scouts Rest Ranch managers from 1908 to 1913. The couple also died there, three days apart, in October 1918 when the Spanish flu pandemic swept through Cody. Irma and Fred Garlow are buried in Codys Riverside Cemetery. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Buffalo Bills TE Ranch, 33 miles southwest of Cody, is privately owned. But visitors bound for Yellowstone Park can stop by or stay at Pahaska Tepee Resort, which Cody opened near the east entrance in 1904. A friendlier rivalry Cedar Mountain offers an impressive vista of all Buffalo Bill and his partners wrought. But it doesnt hold Codys body, because he took out that stipulation in his will in 1913 to let his wife, Louisa, make the decision. Angst over losing his grave to Denver planted the seeds of todays Buffalo Bill Center of the West. Some Cody relatives had loaned items to the Lookout Mountain museum found by Johnny Baker, Buffalo Bills foster son, near his grave in 1921. But Helen Cody Wetmores daughter, Mary Jester Allen, began pushing for a museum in the town her uncle co-founded. She had national figures on her side like sculptor Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, who created the Buffalo Bill The Scout sculpture of Cody on horseback behind the museum. It was dedicated on July 4, 1924, with Whitney paying the $50,000 cost of the sculpture and the future 40-acre site of the Center of the West. Allen co-founded the Cody Family Association in 1925 to raise funds and buy items for the museum, which she led until her 1960 death. It opened on July 4, 1927, in a log-cabin replica of TE Ranch headquarters now home to the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce. If You Go Buffalo Bill Center of the West Address: 720 Sheridan Ave., Cody, WY 82414 Website: centerofthewest.org Phone: 307-587-4771 Directions: From North Platte, 569 miles northwest on Interstate 80 to Ogallala, U.S. Highway 26 into Wyoming, I-25/U.S. 87 to Casper, U.S. 20-26 to Shoshoni, U.S. 20 to Thermopolis, Wyoming Highway 120 to Cody and U.S. 14-16-20 through downtown Museum divisions: Buffalo Bill Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Whitney Western Art Museum, Draper Natural History Museum, Cody Firearms Museum Hours (through Sept. 15): 8 a.m.-6 p.m. MT daily Cost: Adults, $19.75 (senior citizens, $18.75); children 6-17, $13.25; children 5 and younger, free (admission good for two days) Other Cody sites in area Irma Hotel: 1192 Sheridan Ave., Cody, 307-587-4221, irmahotel.com Pahaska Tepee Resort: 183 N. Fork Highway, rural Cody (on U.S. Highway 14-16-20, near Yellowstone National Park east entrance), 307-527-7701, pahaska.com TE Ranch Headquarters: 222 Road 6Eh, rural Cody (privately owned) Cody Country Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (original Buffalo Bill Museum site): 836 Sheridan Ave., Cody (across from Buffalo Bill Center of the West), 307-587-2777, codychamber.org Riverside Cemetery (gravesites of Fred and Irma (Cody) Garlow): 1721 Gulch St., Cody, 307-587-6662, riversidecemeterydistrict.com Cody Theatre: 1171 Sheridan Ave., Cody (Wild West Spectacular: The Musical on stage during summer months), 307-587-2712, codytheater.com, codywildwestshow.com Buffalo Bill Dam & Visitor Center: 4808 N. Fork Highway (U.S. Highway 14-16-20), rural Cody, 307-527-6076, bbdvc.com But Allen and some other relatives also called from moving Buffalo Bills body from Lookout Mountain to Cody. Baker and his backers reburied it under 12 feet of concrete to thwart that idea. Meanwhile, relatives backing the Wyoming museum reclaimed their loaned items from Colorado. I really think Mary Jester Allen wasnt too interested in the bodies of Buffalo Bill and Louisa Cody, Johnston said. I think she was interested in all the objects the family had on display at Lookout Mountain. Todays Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave at Lookout Mountain retains photographs of the items removed to Wyoming, said Betsy Martinson, its program administrator for the City and County of Denver. They included Codys 1870s Springfield .50-caliber bison-hunting rifle, Lucretia Borgia, on display in the Center of the Wests Buffalo Bill Museum. Its missing its gunstock because it broke off in 1875 when Cody used it to fend off a charging elk, Johnston said. Lookout Mountain also originally exhibited French painter Rosa Bonheurs 1889 painting of Cody on horseback, now in the Center of the Wests Whitney Western Art Museum. One of Buffalo Bills prized possessions, it was rescued in 1891 from the flames that consumed his original Welcome Wigwam on or near the 1800 block of West Front Street in North Platte. Buffalo Bill Museum visitors will find many items from throughout Codys life: an authentic Deadwood stage from the Wild West Show, sharpshooter Annie Oakleys wool riding habit, a replica of his show tent with authentic furnishings and many family photos and Wild West posters. North Platte visitors also will see an 1870s George P. Bent pump organ, played by Louisa and Arta Cody, that once was in the parlor at Scouts Rest Ranch. But current displays mostly omit Codys North Platte years. That will be fixed when the museum next updates its exhibits, Johnston said. The Buffalo Bill Museum moved across U.S. 14-16-20 in 1966, three years before completion of its current home in the second-oldest wing of the Center of the Wests 300,000-square-foot complex. The Whitney wing, which opened there in 1959, includes other artworks featuring Cody, Western paintings from the Irma Hotel and the works of famous Old West artists such as George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Remington. Other wings hold the Plains Indian Museum (1969), the Cody Firearms Museum (1976), the McCracken Research Library (1980) and the Draper Museum of Natural History (2002). Admission is good for two days, Johnston added, offering plenty of time to see how his museum which drew some 170,000 people in 2019 continues Buffalo Bills original mission of making sure the Old West he knew wasnt forgotten. The Cody-Lookout Mountain rivalry which gained a third player when Scouts Rest Ranch was restored in the 1960s has evolved into a friendly relationship in which they sometimes loan artifacts to each other, their directors said. He was all over the West and played such a critical role in opening the American West (that) you cant really say one community owns him, Johnston said. Next Sunday: Though its the youngest major Cody museum, Scouts Rest Ranch ably anchors North Plattes tributes to the townsman who took its name around the world. More on William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody and his legacy: Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Former third-grade teacher Kristen Bristow helps her daughter Andie, 6, with a book report while her other daughters Kat, 12, left, and Ellie, 11, do homework at the kitchen table in a home schooling session during the coronavirus pandemic on April 16 in Riverside, Calif. Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS A 39-year-old volunteer Church worker from Rwanda stood in the night to Sunday in a police interrogation, to have the fire in the Cathedral of Nantes laid. He was taken to remand him to a prison term of up to ten years and a fine up to 150,000 euros threatens. His lawyer Quentin Chabert told the newspaper Presse-Ocean, his client "regretted bitterly," he did. Michaela Wiegel Political correspondent, based in Paris. F. A. Z. Twitter The man whose residence permit was not renewed in France, directly after the fire of the police had been interrogated. He was responsible for the closure of the Cathedral. The suspicion fell on him, there's no sign of a break-could be secured. He was after the first interrogation in police custody, however, first on the left. On Saturday night, the competent public Prosecutor Pierre Sennes ordered a new interrogation after the investigation had clearly revealed arson as the cause of the fire. At three different Points, in front of the large organ as well as in the two ships, had been placed in the fire. The Rwandans was a confession. Background for the Crime was the fact that his residence permit was not renewed. no estimate of restoration costs The man worked for four years as a volunteer community servant in Nantes. The rector of the Cathedral, Hubert Champenois, spoke to him after the fire to be "full trust". Compared to the AFP news Agency Champenois said the man, "love in the Cathedral" and you would never want to destroy. The history of the Rwandan refugees in man is not known. He was cared for since his arrival in France of the municipality and received an accommodation. with the serious fire in the night to Saturday of last week, the Cathedral emerged in the late-Gothic St-Peter-and-Paul-heavy damage. The organ, a masterpiece from the 17th century. Century, burned completely. A large stained-glass window in the facade, as well as paintings, were destroyed or damaged. An estimate of the restoration cost yet. In the Cathedral in Nantes, had it burned in 1972. At the time, a roofer with his cutting torch had triggered a fire in the roof. The Church was built between 1434 and 1891, in the Flamboyant style of late Gothic. Updated Date: 26 July 2020, 08:20 By PTI LAHORE: A 101-year-old murder convict in Pakistan has sought an early release from jail citing several age-related ailments, a media report said on Sunday. Mehndi Khan was 86 when a murder case was registered against him, The Express Tribune reported. As the Home Department did not send any response, Khan approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking orders to the authorities for his early release. On his petition, the LHC ordered the Home Department on July 15 to take a decision within three weeks. Khan, lodged in Gujrat District Jail, is serving life sentence handed to him in a murder case registered against him in 2006. His counsel said that the petitioner was suffering from various ailments. Regional Manipur political crisis: BJP central observers return to Delhi Correspondent IMPHAL, Jul 25 | Publish Date: 7/25/2020 1:19:01 PM IST After taking first hand stock of the internal discord among the ruling BJP legislators, BJP national vice-president Bijaiyant Panda and former Union minister Manoj Sinha left Imphal for New Delhi on Saturday. The two BJP central leaders came to Imphal on Thursday (July 23) with the primary task of resolving the discord among state BJP legislators after some party legislators demanded replacement of N Biren Singh as chief minister. From the first day of their arrival in Imphal, BJP national vice-president Bijaiyant Panda and former Union minister Manoj Sinha held a series of meetings with state party leaders and functionaries including ministers and legislators. The two central leaders met them individually and elicited their opinions and wishes at Hotel Grande, Imphal where they stayed. The four BJP ministers who were reportedly under home quarantine after they returned from Delhi and skipped a recently convened cabinet meeting also met with them. Of the four, the two central leaders took had the lengthiest discussion with works minister Th Bishwajit whom they met on Friday. They had also met some ministers of NPP and NFP, the coalition partners of the BJP in the N Biren Singh led coalition government separately. After completing the series of meetings, the two central leaders also met chief minister N Biren Singh at the latters official bungalow. State party leaderships, ministers and MLAs were tight-lipped about the purpose of the visit of the two central leaders. Highly reliable sources however say that they were in Imphal to take stock of the discord among the legislators. Many of the party legislators have been demanding replacement of N Biren Singh as chief minister while some others were demanding ministry reshuffle. The discord among the legislators of the ruling party was not a new one. It first appeared after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The discord reappeared recently after the failed attempt of the opposition Congress to topple the coalition government in the middle of June this year. While the discord was yet to be resolved, the position of chief minister N Biren Singh is at stake after an MPS officer, in her affidavit submitted to the High Court of Manipur, alleged that the chief minister pressurized her to favour an arrested drug kingpin. It was during this development that the four ministers of the party in the present coalition government had earlier met central leaders of the party in Delhi and asked them to resolve the matter. In the coalition government, BJP has only five ministers including the chief minister. Even though the four ministers had not divulged the purpose of their visit to the national capital, the visit of the two central leaders of the party has hinted that they had highlighted the matter of internal discord to the party central leadership. Houston: Hurricane Hanna pummeled the south Texas coast on Saturday night with howling winds and a surging sea that threatened a broad area already contending with an intense spike in coronavirus deaths. Hanna is the first hurricane for the 2020 Atlantic storm season, which is expected to be unlike any other in recent memory. Authorities will have to contend with sheltering and evacuating people while also maintaining social distancing protocols and other pandemic restrictions. By nightfall, Hanna's blistering winds were ripping up the Texas coast near Corpus Christi. A deadly storm surge was expected to hit a 480-kilometre area of the shoreline, from the town of Sargent in the north to Port Mansfield in the south, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. The NHC forecast that Hanna would lose steam as it moved inland across Texas and north-eastern Mexico overnight local time. But the storm could dump more than 50 centimetres of rain in the area by Monday. That could cause life-threatening flash floods, while the storm could spawn tornadoes on the coastal plains. Before Edafe Okporo helped found New York City's first and only shelter for asylum-seekers and refugees, he was wandering the streets of Elizabeth, New Jersey, a refugee with nowhere to go. Although he was homeless, Okporo was happy to be in the United States. "Everything just changed when I stepped my feet into this country," said Okporo, 30, an LGBTQ activist who fled his homeland, Nigeria, in 2016, "because there is an opportunity to dream of a better future, to have a path here as a gay man." Okporo grew up in Warri, a city in southern Nigeria. Not only was he poor growing up, but he also struggled with his sexuality. When high school classmates discovered that Okporo was interested in boys, he said, they outed him to his parents, who made him undergo conversion therapy. Image: Guest lay in beds provided at the shelter. (Zac Hacmon) Later, while attending college in Enugu, Nigeria, he arranged a meeting with a man he had met through a dating website. What he thought was a date, he said, turned out to be a "siege." Once he was inside the man's apartment, he said, a group of men jumped out of a closet and held him hostage while they stole money from his bank account. "That was the first time I realized that it's not just that my parents were trying to prevent me from being gay," he said, "but they were trying to protect me from such kind of persecution." Nigeria, a former British colony that gained independence in 1960, is one of 68 U.N. member states that criminalize homosexuality, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. Many such laws are thought to be rooted in the British Empire: According to a report published in the Cambridge Review of External Affairs in 2014, former British colonies are "much more likely" to criminalize same-sex acts than other countries. Since 1999, however, some parts of northern Nigeria that are governed by Sharia law punish homosexual activity with "caning, imprisonment or death by stoning," according to Human Rights Watch. Story continues Traumatized by the attack, Okporo spent the rest of college forcing himself to date women. He joined a church and even became a pastor. But after he graduated in 2014 the same year Nigeria made same-sex relationships punishable by up to 10 years in prison he decided he could no longer live a lie. He moved to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, where he helped found the International Centre for Advocacy on Right to Health, an LGBTQ rights organization and HIV clinic. But Okporo's activism made him a target. One night in 2016, alone in his apartment, he was startled awake by a loud noise. A mob, he said, was ramming down his door. They rushed in, dragged him into the street and beat him unconscious. Some good Samaritans found him, saw his ID card and carried him to the clinic where he worked. "When I woke up in the clinic, I knew I had to leave Nigeria for me to be safe," he said. After fleeing to Dubai and then returning to Nigeria, he obtained a visa to attend the International LGBTQ Leaders Conference, organized by the Victory Institute, in Washington D.C. a chance to seek asylum in the U.S., where same-sex marriage had recently been legalized and which he pictured as "a very accepting place." Image: Clothes at the RDJ Refugee Shelter thrift store. (Zac Hacmon) That image, he said, turned out to be different from the reality. Okporo approached an admission officer at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and explained that he was seeking asylum. He said the officer took him to an airport jail cell, where he was forced to sign deportation papers. "The officer came and he put handcuffs on me," Okporo said, "and drove me to the detention center in New Jersey." Okporo would spend five harrowing months in a detention center in Elizabeth. Immigration Equality, a group that advocates on behalf of LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrants, connected him with a lawyer who helped him fight deportation in court. After winning his case, he was released from detention, but he had nowhere to go. His only resource was a phone number advertised on a flyer tacked to the wall of the detention center. The number belonged to First Friends of New Jersey and New York, an organization that supports detained immigrants and asylum-seekers. A volunteer picked Okporo up and drove him to a YMCA shelter in Newark, New Jersey. He used a computer at the public library to connect with a former colleague from the International Centre for Advocacy on Right to Health, who was living in Queens, New York. She agreed to let him stay with her for three months while he found work, first at a New Jersey-based catering company and then at a nearby HIV clinic. But Okporo wanted to do more to help asylum-seekers and refugees like himself. He said he persuaded the leaders of the RDJ Refugee Shelter in Harlem named after homeless advocate Robert Daniel Jones to turn the shelter into a full-time transitional nonprofit that offers transitional refuge for migrants fleeing violence and persecution abroad. Housed in a church, the shelter is New York City's only full-time refuge for asylum-seekers and refugees. The 10-bed shelter has provided temporary housing for more than 80 migrants, said Okporo, the shelter's director. The shelter also provides legal counseling and job assistance. The number of refugees in the U.S. is the lowest since 1980, according to the Pew Research Center. The Trump administration last year capped the number of refugees permitted into the U.S. at 18,000, down from 30,000. The administration also enacted a rule last year that prevented immigrants from claiming asylum in the U.S. if they did not first try to claim it in a country they passed through on their way to the U.S. border. Late last month, a federal judge ruled that the restriction was illegal. However, a newly proposed rule would allow the Trump administration to deny asylum to immigrants who are considered public health risks because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under those restrictions, Okporo said, asylum-seekers would face more barriers coming to the U.S. than ever before. Image: A bathroom at the shelter. (Zac Hacmon) "The pandemic has given the administration an opportunity to really close the door for a lot of the refugees and asylum-seekers who usually expect America to be that place of safety when they think about fleeing their countries," he said. Not everyone fleeing homophobic and transphobic violence abroad is from a country that criminalizes homosexuality, he said, noting that a majority of those housed in the RDJ Refugee Shelter who have received asylum are from Honduras and Jamaica. While sex between men is outlawed in Jamaica, same-sex activity is legal in Honduras. Still, LGBTQ migrants, particularly those who are transgender, face widespread persecution in both countries, Okporo said. Many non-LGBTQ migrants, he added, are fleeing war-torn regions. All too often, LGBTQ asylum-seekers who make the journey across the border end up homeless, he said, because family and friends with permanent residence in the U.S. will not open their doors to them. "Most of them face a kind of rejection even from their community in New York," Okporo said. "The shelter provides them that space to be themselves even in New York City." Okporo, who has a degree in food science, considers himself lucky. Many asylum-seekers do not have the education or proper documentation to qualify for jobs or shelter, he said. Transgender asylum-seekers and refugees in the process of transitioning are especially vulnerable, he said, because they often lack documentation and frequently experience discrimination and violence in shelters. "Knowing that New York is one of the most liberal places in the world and people are still subjected to such kind of persecution just makes me wonder where else in the world can LGBTQ migrants be safe," he said. Image: Edafe Okporo and Juan, a guest at the shelter for asylum seekers in New York City. (Zac Hacmon) Okporo is a finalist for the David Prize, an initiative of the Walentas Family Foundation that awards grants to New Yorkers who are making a difference. Okporo said that if he is selected, he will use the money to expand the RDJ Refugee Shelter, which subsists largely on grants and donations. He would also train faith leaders around New York City to use their churches, mosques and temples as places of refuge for migrants fleeing violence and persecution. Okporo no longer feels the need to hide who he is. "I have wanted to be open about my sexuality all my life," said Okporo, who is unashamed to hold hands with his boyfriend, Nicolas, when they walk the streets together. "There is no way I'm going to hide it." In June, for the second year in a row, Okporo shared his story during NYC Pride's annual LGBTQ celebrations, which this year were virtual. He has also written a book, "Compassion is Worth More: Using Your Civil Power to Create Change." He said it is important for people to listen to the struggles of LGBTQ migrants, who are unable to vote, and to understand that the fight for civil rights did not end with marriage equality. "When I came to the U.S., I discovered that some states, they have laws that permit conversion therapy. I was shocked. ... In the U.S., I thought that gay marriage had eliminated such kind of struggles," he said. "A lot of gay people in America after gay marriage think that it is over," Okporo added. "It's not over." CORRECTION (July 26, 2020, 11:30 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Okporo's hometown of Warri. It is a city of more than 500,000 people in southern Nigeria; it is not a village. Follow NBC Out on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. After more than five decades working for the BBC, investigating and presenting some of the biggest stories in its history, I feel as if those three letters run through my spine like a stick of Blackpool rock. But today I write in sadness. Ive just finished watching for the tenth time an outrageous piece of BBC TV news journalism that concluded that Winston Churchill, once voted Britains greatest statesman in a BBC poll, was a racist responsible for the killing of thousands of Indians during the terrible famine of Bengal in 1943. The six-minute segment on News at Ten was biased, partial, unbalanced and filled with the spite and venom of the worst of toxic woke culture now pulsing through the heart of the Corporation. Viewers were left in no doubt that the reporter agreed with her own preferential report, concluding that today a generation of Indians more confident about our place in the world are questioning why there has not been more widespead condemnation of the dark chapters in our colonial history Churchill was described in last Tuesdays report as the precipitator of the mass killing that he personally made the situation much worse. One famine victim said: The British government was killing us by starving us. Two academics directly and indirectly blamed Churchill, and the BBCs own reporter provided a summation that consolidated the allegations. Viewers were left in no doubt that the reporter agreed with her own preferential report, concluding that today a generation of Indians more confident about our place in the world are questioning why there has not been more widespead condemnation of the dark chapters in our colonial history. There was a time when the BBC was the worlds most trustworthy news network. What on earth has happened? The BBCs charter is unequivocal on its statutory commitment to impartiality, which it describes as fundamental to our reputation. Impartiality? Youd better believe it. During my years there, nothing was judged to be more sacred. Take, for example, the coverage of the Profumo scandal, which reached its height with the trial of Christine Keeler in 1963. Her friend Mandy Rice-Davies accused the then Lord Astor a central character in the affair of having sex with her. Told in court that he denied this, she famously responded: Well he would, wouldnt he? The protester who sprayed graffiti on the statue of the wartime leader during the Black Lives Matter protests, accusing him of racism, must be overwhelmed with gratitude at the BBCs vindication When the distinguished presenter Peter Woods read out her words on the evening TV news bulletin, he was accused of having a twinkle in his eyes. Yes, seriously! The response to this complaint from a handful of viewers was extraordinary, certainly by the lamentable standards of today. The tape of the broadcast was rushed up to the sixth floor to be investigated by the chairman of the BBC, the board, and the director-general before a verdict of not guilty was eventually reached. To achieve its stance of rigorous impartiality, the BBC ensured that hard news and opinion were kept completely apart. There was an ocean of blue water between its news department and the current affairs department, responsible for such programmes as Panorama and Newsnight. The separation remained as sacred as the difference between the Old and New Testaments. When I moved from the staff of BBC TV News to current affairs, I had to give up my staff job and re-engage as an occasional freelancer so that I could be allowed to pass opinion in my reporting. The BBC, meanwhile, could always say, correctly, that it had no responsibility for my views. Yet today that holy contract is well and truly broken. And so it is that News at Ten is allowed to use Huw Edwardss authority and credibility and the Corporations reputation for truth to call Churchill a racist killer. The protester who sprayed graffiti on the statue of the wartime leader during the Black Lives Matter protests, accusing him of racism, must be overwhelmed with gratitude at the BBCs vindication. Never mind the truth that at the time of the Indian famine, Britain was half a dozen Nazi U-boats away from losing the battle of the Atlantic and thus facing its own catastrophic shortage of food. Never mind that Churchill had no spare aircraft to carry food food that we didnt actually have all the way from Croydon Airport to India. Never mind that London and the North were being blitzed nightly in firestorms of destruction. The BBCs bizarre obsession with youth, diversity and the ever-growing pressure of woke argument threatens to become its final act of self-harm. BAME, LGBT+, Black Lives Matter they all represent genuine movements by minorities, the angry young, and social media regulars. These movements, however, still represent in total only a very small part of Britain. Any broadcaster or newspaper editor who appeals to a minority audience wont last long in an open market, nor is he or she serving the freedom of the Press to hold truth to power, ventilate unpopular ideas and use balance in all controversial arguments. There was a time when the BBC was the worlds most trustworthy news network. What on earth has happened? The BBCs charter is unequivocal on its statutory commitment to impartiality, which it describes as fundamental to our reputation. Impartiality? Youd better believe it A former controller of BBC4 actually said, in public, that he didnt want middle-aged white men standing up and telling stories on his channel. That was just before I, an old middle-class white man stood up and filmed a report about the trial of former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, which not only gave BBC4 the biggest audience it has ever had but even had me trending on Twitter. Eight days after the horrific death of black suspect George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in America, the presenters on BBC1s One Show announced they had joined Black-out Tuesday to pause and reflect on the worldwide protest against racism. So tonight, out of respect, there will be no social media from us on the show tonight. Aside from the fact that such a gesture is utterly vacuous, there is the serious question: what is the BBC doing openly taking the knee and aligning itself with Black Lives Matter? This is a movement which believes in an immediate end to capitalism and the abolition of the police. One of the wisest and most important opinion-makers in Britain, Trevor Phillips, has warned that the woke BBC is facing an existential crisis over its political correctness (and concomitant Tory scepticism). The broadcaster added: Worst of all, the increasingly woke behaviour by the Corporation is endangering the central justification for special treatment, which is its universal reach. The BBC has to recognise social change, sure, but it is not the institutions role to lead it. While news and current affairs departments are gasping for increased budgets, most slashed beyond recognition, director-general Tony Hall has found 100million in an ever-ready slush fund to increase diversity in the BBC. Meanwhile it gets rid of talent such as John Ware and Jane Corbin as permanent reporters from Panorama, presumably to save a bob or two. The BBC at its best is the most wonderful public service broadcaster in the world. Wise leaders have ensured it absorbed and calibrated change without changing the essential character, reach and sheer goodness of the outfit. Now suddenly, the Twitter trolls, the social media addicts, the young, the immature and the often daft have become the BBCs recruitment and audience target. If you believe Winston Churchill was a racist killer, sit back and enjoy the product. If not, try to help the BBC leap off the greasy slope down which it is sliding faster every day. A second Thai restaurant in Sydney has been linked to coronavirus after a staff member tested positive. NSW Health has urged anyone who visited Thai Rock in Potts Point for more than two hours between July 15 and 25 to be tested. Patrons have also been urged to isolate for two weeks from the date they visited the restaurant. The venue has the same owners as Wetherill Park Thai Rock restaurant, which has become the biggest cluster in NSW with 67 cases. The positive case is the second linked to the Potts Point restaurant after a confirmed COVID-19 case visited on July 17. A staff member from Potts Point Thai Rock restaurant (pictured) tested positive for COVID-19 The new cases have sparked fears the second wave of coronavirus infections in Sydney could spread east after being mainly contained to the western suburbs. NSW Health have began contact tracing to confirm the origin of the new infection. Two other western Sydney restaurants have issued isolation warnings for customers after an infected couple visited last week. Customers who visited Tan Viet Noodle House in Cabramatta between 1 and 2pm on July 22 and An Restaurant in Bankstown between 9 and 11am on July 23 have been told to isolate. Georges River Grammar School in Georges Hall has been closed for deep cleaning after a student was confirmed to have coronavirus. New South Wales recorded 14 another cases on Sunday, with six of the 14 new cases associated with the Thai Rock Wetherill Park restaurant cluster while two are linked to Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Harris Park. The outbreak cluster from Thai Rock restaurant in Wetherill Park (pictured) continues to grow Four are associated with a cluster tied to a funeral service at St Brendan's Catholic Church in Bankstown last Saturday morning. NSW Health says isolation and testing are musts for everyone who attended the service, a burial at Rookwood later that day and Mount Pritchard's Our Lady of Mount Carmel the next day, July 19. Those at a July 16 service at St Brendan's and at a Fairfield funeral home on July 17 must also heed the same advice to 'isolate, get tested for COVID-19 regardless of any symptoms, and continue to self-isolate for 14 days even if the test is negative', the health department says. 'If symptoms develop, get tested again,' Dr Jeremy McAnulty said on Sunday. Testing clinics are available at GPs, hospital and in a carpark in Fisher Street, Cabramatta. No new cases were linked to the Crossroads Hotel or Batemans Bay Soldiers Club clusters. Anyone who attended Mount Pritchard's Our Lady of Mount Carmel (pictured) on Sunday July 19 is urged to self-isolated and get tested The cluster at the Crossroads Hotel at Casula in Sydney's south-west stands remains at 56 and has since reopened. Three new cases recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm Saturday were returned travellers while one case remains under investigation. More than 25,100 tests were reported across that time after a record 30,535 were processed in the previous 24 hours. NSW Health has now recorded 3,479 cases - up 249 in the past 21 days. The number of people being treated by NSW Health rose by two to 99. Four remain in intensive care, including one on a ventilator. Advice to avoid all non-essential travel and gathering remains in effect. 'Of particular concern is transmission in venues such as hotels and restaurants, the gym and social gatherings,' the health department said in a statement. 'Consider using a mask in situations where you are unable to social distance, particularly indoors.' HEIDELBERG Marilyn Farquhar demands to know why RCMP officers shot her brother Barry Shantz dead when they were called to help him during a mental-health crisis. Somebody needs to stand up for Barry and whats right, the Heidelberg woman said. Kitchener-born Shantz died on Jan. 13 in Lytton, B.C. when a six-hour standoff with the RCMP ended with him being shot and killed on his front porch. He was 63. Shantz was the oldest of three children born to Jean and Abram Shantz, their father raised Old Order Mennonite but having left the community. Growing up in Kitchener, Shantz was rebellious and always seemed to find trouble. He left home at 17 and went out to British Columbia where an uncle lived and got him a job in a mine. He was spreading his wings at a very young age, Farquhar said. Shantzs passion for advocacy emerged in an unusual place prison. His penchant for trouble led to criminal activity and he was sentenced in 1994 to 15 years for money laundering and drug possession in the United States. During the 13 years he served, Shantz kept busy reading law books to help other inmates with legal issues, filing grievances and Freedom of Information requests. He organized a work strike among prisoners, leading to six months in solitary confinement. Farquhar kept in close contact with her brother, visiting him with her family when he was in various prisons in New York state. The day he was released and deported back to Canada, she was overjoyed to pick him up and bring him back to her familys home to give him some time to acclimate after so long behind bars. Farquhar saw the experience of being in prison changed her brother, and the trauma lingered throughout the rest of his life. He was definitely a different person when he got out. Once back in B.C., Shantz was hired by his lawyer to help out around the firms Abbotsford office. Shantz started out with maintenance-related tasks and didnt hesitate to roll up his sleeves to get a job done a trait that had impressed his lawyer while Shantz was in prison. Then Shantz was asked to clean up the street outside the office, located in an area with rampant homelessness and drug use. Thats what sent Barry on his ultimate mission, Farquhar said. Rather than shuffling the people along so they would be out of sight, Shantz became an outspoken advocate for the homeless, drug users, sex workers and mentally ill. Farquhar said that mission became all-consuming for her brother. I knew he was making amends for the wrongs he did in his life, she said. He saw that he could make a difference there. Shantz threw himself into lobbying, not hesitating to create a disturbance or ruffle feathers especially among city officials when he thought they werent doing all they could to help the citys less fortunate. He fought bylaws banning harm-reduction programs and sleeping in public parks. He co-founded the advocacy group Drug War Survivors, which was part of a court battle with the city that resulted in a 2015 B.C. Supreme Court ruling that set precedents for the rights of the homeless. He had a passion for helping people and he did whatever it took, Farquhar said. He showed so much empathy to people who couldnt help themselves. But, at the same time, Shantz himself was struggling with mental-health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder from his prison time. Three years ago while Farquhar was visiting him, Shantz broke down in tears, saying he didnt know how to cope and that he wasnt getting the help he needed. Thats when it sunk in with me hes really struggling, Farquhar said. But he didnt share more about what he was experiencing, and the moment of candour passed just as suddenly as it appeared. Then, this past September, Shantz came back to Waterloo Region to visit their gravely ill father. In retrospect, I think he came to say goodbye, Farquhar said. He knew the end was close. I knew that. On Jan. 13, the woman Shantz was living with called for help because he seemed suicidal and had a gun. Farquhar pieced together details of that day from news stories because officials wont release information about the police response while an investigation is underway by the Independent Investigations Office. That civilian oversight agency in British Columbia is similar to the Special Investigations Unit in Ontario, which is responsible for looking into incidents involving police officers. Shantzs son found out two days later about his fathers death because people were talking about the incident, then he called Farquhar to tell her the grave news. Reportedly, the RCMP response included about 30 officers, a helicopter, and canine unit. Two other people in the home, the woman and her daughter, got out safely before the incident. Shantz reportedly called police during the standoff, saying he was coming out and wanted to be shot which is just what happened when he stepped out onto the porch. They knew he wasnt well, Farquhar said. Since then, she has been in touch with the coroner, RCMP and investigating body to find out more about her brothers death and make sure they know the terrible impact his loss has had on the family. She travelled to B.C. in February for a memorial service, and earlier this month to talk with family about the victim impact statement she wrote. Shantzs absence is being felt by more than just his family. During her February visit, Farquhar went to a homeless camp to give out food and beverages and as soon as she said her brothers name people began giving her heartfelt condolences. It was just overwhelming, Farquhar said. They started sharing stories about all he had done for them, and not just his advocacy but also personally lending a hand to people in need. One person he drove to hospital, another he took into his home while she waited for a spot at a rehabilitation centre. He didnt just try to help. It was a friendship there. Farquhar is left with a burning anger and many questions about her brothers violent death. Why was the response apparently so heavy-handed for someone who was armed but only a danger to himself, and who had no history of violence? Was a mental-health professional called to provide advice, and were other options considered besides deadly force? Did the fact the incident took place on an Aboriginal reservation have an influence on how it was handled, or was Shantzs notoriety as an activist a factor? Finally, was the police response proportional to the threat? Farquhar would answer that question with an unequivocal no, adding that RCMP put her unstable brother into what appeared an inescapable position. It was a terrible response from the police. Farquhar filed a complaint with the Independent Investigations Office and the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission about the use of lethal force on a person who was suicidal. Shes also getting help for free from a lawyer specializing in police brutality, who was a friend of her brothers after working at the same firm. The investigation is set to conclude in early August. I think Im probably dreaming that there will be charges, Farquhar said. I dont have huge expectations for that. She is determined to fight for her brother who deserved better, just like he would have done for the vulnerable he advocated for tirelessly. She wants to create a noise, just like Barry does. My voice is one more voice to add to examples of what were doing wrong. Read more about: The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan will soon submit a plan to ease quarantine to President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev. From August 1, separate statistics will be kept on pneumonia caused by a presumably coronavirus. This was announced by Minister Alexei Tsoi. The new approach "will make it possible to make correct predictions of morbidity," although "it will lead to a deterioration in Kazakhstan's position in the international ranking of morbidity and mortality from coronavirus infection." The situation with COVID-19 in Kazakhstan is the most discussed today, since nothing has radically changed recently. The promised mass testing has not been carried out. Hospitals are overcrowded, many patients are treated at home, although the Ministry of Health urges not to self-medicate. But there are not enough doctors, and those that exist are exhausted. The drug shortage remains completely. Mortality is on the rise. The country has recorded 610 deaths from coronavirus. Another 150 deaths are pending before the commissions. At the same time, as noted by Alexei Tsoi, 234 thousand cases of pneumonia were recorded in the republic, but how many of them are caused by the coronavirus, and how many are of a different nature, is now impossible to isolate. It was assumed that from August 1, Kazakhstan will switch to a new classification of coronavirus infection in its citizens. If earlier community-acquired pneumonia was not taken into account, then, at the insistence of the WHO, the authorities of Kazakhstan promised to add it to the statistics on COVID-19. This has already been done by neighboring Kyrgyzstan. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also recommended that the Ministry of Health determine the statistics on pneumonia. "All data on the situation with the pandemic, no matter how sad they may be, should become the property of society. The more transparency and mutual trust, the faster we will together cope with this scourge," Tokayev wrote on Twitter. On July 17, Aleksey Tsoi announced the unification of statistics as a decision already made. "Statistics on morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 will be formed from two sources of data - laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 and viral pneumonia, unspecified, but with similar symptoms," he said. The head of the Ministry of Health noted that the new approach "will make it possible to make correct predictions of morbidity," although "it will lead to a deterioration in Kazakhstan's position in the international ranking of morbidity and mortality from coronavirus infection." However, at the last moment, the Ministry of Health changed its mind and decided not to combine the data on COVID-19 with the already available data on pneumonia. Apparently, concern for the image came to the fore. Although it is hardly worth worrying about - Kazakhstan entered the top 30 world leaders in the incidence of coronavirus. "We will show the coronavirus, which was officially detected according to the test results. Plus, we will separately show pneumonia, which has similar symptoms to the coronavirus, including mortality," Tsoi said. Exit from quarantine, according to the minister, will depend on what the situation with the spread of coronavirus infection will be on August 2. "Now we are developing a plan. Literally in the near future we want to voice these approaches. We connect international experience, a lot of experts are connected. How countries got out of quarantine, what measures. It is clear that there will be no relief immediately," Tsoi said. He stressed that the concessions will be introduced in stages, the epidemiological situation will be assessed, including in each region. Kazakh expert Marat Shibutov believes that a turning point in the fight against coronavirus will come in the next couple of weeks. "Minister Aleksey Tsoi clearly identified all the bottlenecks in the confrontation with the coronavirus - from tests to oxygen in regional hospitals. And, accordingly, he told how he would deal with them. There are many measures - from interest-free loans to wholesale drug importers by akimats to special 100 buses with diagnostic equipment for rural areas. In general, in my opinion, a professional person and understands well what needs to be done. I think in the next couple of weeks there will be a turning point in the fight against coronavirus, "Shibutov wrote on his Facebook page. Meanwhile, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration Dauren Abayev noted that the scale of the coronavirus threat in Kazakhstan was underestimated. "There are many questions about the situation with the coronavirus. I would like to give clarifications on some of them. Today, at almost all levels of government there is a clear understanding that the scale of the threat was underestimated. There is a full awareness of responsibility. And, of course, of all this will be the necessary conclusions have been drawn, "Abaev wrote on his Facebook page. He clarified that the conclusions do not mean resignations at the level of heads of cities and regions or ministers, but a systemic restructuring of public administration. "The state apparatus needs to get rid of unusual functions, transfer them to private hands, to civil society. The civil service should become more attractive for strong specialists with good education and experience. Certain legal aspects of work also need to be changed. For example, in the conditions of an emergency, akimats simply lost time to acquire drugs due to lengthy formal procurement procedures. You can scold them as much as you like, but tomorrow they would still have to prove to the inspection authorities that this is not a corruption scheme, but simply a desire to save lives. And there were enough such examples, "Abaev said. Improvising musicians are always diving into the unknown. Uncertainty is a moment-by-moment pathway to creative freedom. Yet musicians, too, are incredibly vulnerable in these COVID-19 times. So theres something undeniably moving about watching musicians step onto a stage during lockdown and remind themselves of who they are. Under Lockdown 2.0, theres no scarcity of physical commodities such as toilet paper or hand sanitiser. Instead, the more intangible assets of everyday life can be hard to come by: optimism, hope for the future and the ability to stay positive. These Digital Times: Barney McAll The third and final instalment of These Digital Times (the Melbourne International Jazz Festivals 2020 online program) opened with a blast of musical sunshine from Perth, where 12 members of the Junkadelic Brass Band were permitted to gather in the same room! to share their irresistible take on New Orleans street music and show off their ingenious recycled instruments. Who knew a toilet seat could sound so good? American keyboardist-producer Taylor McFerrin and drummer Marcus Gilmore recorded their iso-performance in separate studios in New York and LA, with Gilmore responding to McFerrins sampled beats and synth patterns. The pre-determined rhythmic structures didnt leave the drummer much room to move, but the set was a timely display of creative resourcefulness in the COVID-19 era. The local, live-streamed component of the program began with an atmospheric set from drummer David Jones and his trio. Ensconced in near darkness that all but obscured Jones beatific smile, the trio embarked on an evocative journey encompassing ghostly resonance, grainy funk and intuitive exchanges that favoured texture over timekeeping. Young saxophonist Holly Moore (leader of this years artist development program Take Note) assembled an impressive sextet to premiere a suite of works culminating in Under The Cobblestones, The Beach, a majestic piece filled with tenderness and warmth. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus E.Shestakov meets the staff of Belavia Airlines On July 20, 2020 the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Evgeny Shestakov, visited Belavia Airlines, where he held a meeting with the staff of the company. During the conversation the Deputy Head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry briefed on the state policy of Belarus in the field of international relations with foreign states, the main areas of work on liberalization of entry to the Republic of Belarus, cooperation on the return of Belarusian citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic, work of diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Belarus on organizing the election campaign for the elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus abroad. As part of the event, E.Shestakov also answered questions from the audience. The main attention was paid to the current state and prospects of further practical cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Belavia Airlines. print version As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ CHAMPAIGN Its been one year since Troy Daniels took off his police uniform and badge, but his career as a crime fighter is far from over. Its just taken on a new look. The former deputy chief of the Champaign Police Department now is the founder and host of a podcast devoted to solving crimes and promoting understanding of criminal justice. Two of his "True Crime Takedown" podcasts have already hit the airwaves. A third is in production. 'True Crime Takedown' is a brand created by my digital company, called Crime Fighters Media, said the 56-year-old Champaign native. We plan to create several brands to push out crime content in a number of ways. The primary focus of the company will be on national and global stories and tying in local Crime Stoppers organizations when possible, he said. With 34 years of experience as a patrol officer, detective, SWAT leader and administrator, Daniels has plenty of street cred and just as many stories to tell. Early heart-disease diagnosis won't slow down retired Champaign cop Troy Daniels said he chose to share the news of his heart health because he wants people to know how valuable and easily accessible the cardiac calcium-score screening test is. His podcast mission is four-fold, he said. One is to find missing people; second is to solve unsolved crimes; third is to learn whatever lessons we can from solved crimes; and fourth is to get a deeper understanding of criminal justice issues of the day, he said. Daniels devoted his first podcast to a subject near and dear to his heart the 1976 New Mexico murder case that launched Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers has played such a critical role in solving the cases Ive been involved in locally, and its also been a really important part of my career, he said. For half his career, Daniels was actively involved in Crime Stoppers of Champaign County. He started as the Champaign Police Departments liaison to the nonprofit group that pays rewards for anonymous tips that help police in their investigations. In 2008, he became an advisor to Crime Stoppers USA and has served on its board since 2012, a role he continues. Crime Junkie podcaster Ashley Flowers came to a Crime Stoppers USA conference to talk about her work and ended up inspiring Daniels about his retirement job. Assisted by his wife, Kelly, a heart nurse by day who has a masters degree in business administration with an emphasis in information technology, Daniels got his first podcast on the air June 30. He met his own self-imposed deadline of July 1, just nine days shy of the one-year anniversary of his departure from the Champaign police force. The first episode was definitely a learning experience, he said. We had to learn how to insert music and edit. My wife learned the software really quickly. She is helping with the editing part of it. She also helps with just about every other aspect as well, including research, the website and marketing. Mitch Marlow, sales and public relations manager for Champaigns Virginia Theatre, wrote the catchy theme music, titled The Takedown, for the podcast, which Daniels said he would like to keep between 20 and 45 minutes. The star of the premiere 30-minute episode, former Albuquerque police Detective Greg MacAleese, is now a missionary in the Philippines. The beautiful part about technology is you can interview people anywhere. I interviewed (MacAleese) using GoToMeeting, Daniels said. That was a video MP4 file. My wife converted it to audio and edited it into a podcast. The second podcast is about the 2010 murder of Taylor, Mich., police Officer Matthew Edwards, whose father, David, was the youth pastor at Bible Baptist Church in Champaign, where Daniels was a member as a boy. Daniels said the feedback hes received has been very positive. There lots of room for improvement. Im just an old police officer who doesnt know jack about journalism, he said with a laugh. Thats not stopping him from trying. And hes hoping to supplement his retirement income by asking subscribers to pay $5 a month to hear his stories and help offset his operational costs. For that fee, subscribers get early access to his bi-weekly ad-free episodes, one ad-free bonus episode per month, and video and audio extras. To sign up, visit truecrimetakedown.com/team. It seems incredulous to many people that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex would choose to leave the British royal family. After all, its the only life the prince has ever known. It also afforded him a life of affluence, privilege, and luxury. Meghans story is a bit different. Though she had a great relationship with her father, she grew up middle class with her single mother in LA. From there, the Duchess of Sussex carved out a career for herself in Hollywood, scoring a starring role in the acclaimed drama series Suits. Despite some of its many pluses, royal life was something Meghan was unable to get used to, so she and the prince left. Though many royal fans and experts believed the Sussexes would be out of their element, they seem to be hitting their stride. RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Warned the Royal Family About Megxit Several Times, Source Claims Meghan Markle believes leaving the royal family was fate The British public and press never gave Meghan the opportunity to find her way in the royal family. Instead, the tabloids terrorized and speculated about her life, even throughout her pregnancy with her son, Archie. Things got so bad that the duchess retreated into her home at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor when she was not working. Now that shes on the other side of things, sources close to the duchess says that she believes everything that happened was fate. Shes been using her voice to speak out against police brutality, the injustices of the coronavirus pandemic, and against negativity. Meghan said her work as a leader is more important than ever right now and that shes been speaking with Oprah and other community leaders on how she can be part of the solution, an insider told Daily Mail. RELATED: Meghan Markle Is Learning From Her Biggest Royal Mistake Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not rushing things Now that their lives are completely their own again, Prince Harry and Meghan are doing things differently this tme around. You can say what you want about Meghan, but she works incredibly hard, a source told Vanity Fair. The problem is she and Harry have a tendency to hatch big projects over dinner and expect them to be actioned within days. Meghan had brilliant ideas, but she was always in a hurry and aides had to sit down and explain that foundations and big projects take thought, time, and commitment, they cannot be rushed. Now, with so much going on in the world, the Sussexes have pushed the launch of their Archewell Foundation to 2021. They have learned from the mistakes of the past and taking their time with Archewell, the source revealed. They want to get the next stage right. RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Could Have Used Princess Annes Approach to Royal Life, Documentary Claims Meghan Markle and Prince Harry know exactly what theyre doing Though the Sussexes havent exactly taken off running in their new lives, they are laying a great foundation. When the world returns to normal, they will thrive outside of the royal family. A source explained their approach to Town & Country, Kent said the hospital is seeing about the same population of COVID-19 patients recently that it saw at the beginning of the pandemic. He said the population sometimes spikes as outbreaks occur in nursing homes or other locations and then drops back down as those outbreaks are resolved. Tesoriere echoed Kent. We certainly had a fair amount of COVID patients early in April, and we saw some spiking around Memorial Day in June and the whole country is seeing a spike as things open up, Tesoriere said. When it first hit, probably 50% of our patients were going into ICU and on respirators, but weve done a good job of avoiding that as many of the newer patients are younger and the research has shown that its better to avoid using respirators, if possible, he said. Weve developed some different treatment protocols as a result. Ive never seen research come out so quickly and changes come so fast. Everyone is working hard on this, he said. Officials from both hospitals said that should a surge of COVID cases occur, they currently have the capacity and capability to handle it. In the hopes of preventing another global outbreak like the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam has announced a ban on the trade of wild animals. As per reports, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a directive to ban the trading of wild species in the country including eggs, organs, or body parts. Ban on all forms of wildlife trade According to reports, conservationists who in the past have criticised Vietnam for its flourishing animal trade have welcomed the move. Demand for wildlife products, both legal and illegal, is arguably one of the highest in the region with reports estimating Vietnam's wildlife trade as a billion-dollar industry. Tiger parts, rhino horns, and pangolins in the guise of being used in traditional medicine are some of the most smuggled goods across the globe. Earlier in February, 14 conservation organisations had sent a letter to the Vietnamese government stating that new and deadlier viruses like COVID-19 would continue to pose a threat in the wildlife trade is allowed to practice. In addition to trade in animal body parts, online wildlife trade is also a big aspect of the notorious business in Vietnam. Read: Vietnamese PM Holds Meeting With New Zealand Counterpart Following the COVID-19 pandemic, and its links to infamous wet markets in Chinese city of Wuhan, the global wildlife trade as a whole has come under scrutiny. As per reports, several species of wild animals are kept together cramped in small cages in these wet makers in extremely unhygienic conditions. These markets, therefore, become a perfect breeding ground for new and deadly viruses like COVID-19 which has now infected over 16 million worldwide. Read: Vietnam & UK Hold Talks On Strengthening Bilateral Strategic Partnership First local case in over 100 days Vietnam confirmed its first local case of COVID-19 in more than three months on Saturday, July 25 as authorities scrambled to contain the infection and trace patient contacts. As per reports, the new case of infection has put the city of Danang back on high alert. Vietnam had managed to contain the local transmission of the virus for 100 days with its widespread testing programme and sweeping quarantine guidelines and had managed to keep the caseload to 417. Read: US Congress Introduces Resolutions To Mark 25 Years Of Ties With Vietnam Read: Vietnam Confirms First Local Case Of COVID-19 In More Than Three Months, Alert Raised New Delhi, July 26 : In his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the women self-help groups in Bihar for making masks depicting Madhubani paintings. These masks have gained popularity during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Modi said, "This Madhubani mask not only propagates tradition but also provides employment to the people ensuring health and safety." In his address, he also referred to the innovative use of the bamboo industry in the northeast. He said that artisans from Manipur, Tripura and Assam have started making quality water bottles and tiffin boxes from bamboo. "If you look at their quality, you will not believe that bamboo bottles can be so decorative and eco-friendly. When you make them, bamboo is boiled with neem or other medicinal plants which also brings out medicinal properties in them," he remarked. The Prime Minister also made a mention of the lemongrass cultivation by a group of people in Jharkhand. He said, "More than 30 groups in Bishunpur, Jharkhand cultivate lemongrass, which is ready in four months and its oil is sold in the market at competitive price and there is good demand for it." Modi said that a positive effort helps to turn disaster into opportunity and difficulty into development. T J S George By There was neither common sense nor political sense in putting Telugu poet and activist Varavara Rao in jail two years ago without trial and bail. He did support Naxalite excesses, but jailing a writer for that is equivalent to giving his writing more mileage. As it happened, authorities excelled themselves in foolishness. In jail, Rao was hit by COVID-19. He was found lying on a soiled bed soaked in urine with no one to attend to him, turning delirious often. The National Human Rights Commission had to interfere to get him moved to a hospital. JNUs Sharjeel Imam was in a similar plight at the other end of the country, Guwahati. Out of 1,100 inmates in the central jail there, 600, including him, caught the disease. Small wonder because, as Sharjeels relatives reported, hundreds of positive patients are being forced to live in inhumane conditions inside the jail. What does the Indian state gain by being inhumane? It must have known that such tactics would not break a man like Rao. He had spent 10 years in various prisons under the orders of various governments. The law saw him as an offender when violence rocked the Bhima Koregaon village near Pune in 2017-18. Dalits and their Leftist supporters had held the Elgar Parishad, a commemoration event to mark the 200th anniversary of a battle. When violence followed, the Pune police took the BJP-sponsored position that the Parishad was arranged by communist forces to spread rebellious thoughts. The ridiculousness of this line stood exposed when two retired judges came forward and said they were the main organisers and sole funders of the Parishad. One of them said their aim was to defend the Constitution by fighting Hindutva forces. The BJP looked foolish. It overplayed its hands when it produced a letter said to have been found in the house of an arrested Maoist with details of a plot to assassinate the prime minister, mentioning even the names of the conspirators. Are our Maoists so amateurish? No secret organisation worth its name would put operational details in a callously kept letter. Yet, the BJP propagandists thought that the world would take its word as gospel. The police lost more face when its arrest list included Sudha Bharadwaj, widely admired not only for her political daring but also for her decision to give up her American citizenship (she was born there), the opposite of what ambitious Indians dream about. As an Indian, she was of course at the mercy of the police who did not even pretend to frame charges against the arrested persons. Bail was rejected repeatedly. Varavara Rao was a proclaimed Marxist and some of his ideological convictions were of the extremist kind. His defence of Maoist excesses was not acceptable to many. But his was an intellectual approach to politics, and it was important that it was countered by intellectual arguments. Police approach not only did not solve the problem; it left the intellectual foundations of the problem unchallenged. In all, 25 cases, including murder and use of explosives, were filed against Varavara Rao. Prosecution failed to prove a single charge and the man was acquitted in all cases as not guilty. The first imprisonment in 1973 under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act was invalidated by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the ground that writers could not be imprisoned unless their writings were directly linked to crime. In this case, the jail term was directly linked to creativity. Rao wrote a bunch of poems that appeared in a 1974 collection titled In Jail. The poet in him was not in jail at all as he wrote: This is jail for the voice and the feet/But the hand hasnt stopped writing/The heart hasnt stopped throbbing. Almost half of Varavara Raos body of work was done in jail. He never departed from his independent, anti-establishment standpoint as he wrote poetry, translations, essays plus a whole book on literary criticism. He remained defiant all the time, referring to the murder of literary creations in the course of watches, searches and raids. A collective of writers protested against his being treated cruelly. Of course, they knew the reasons for the treatment meted out to him. The whole world knew the reasons. And the reasons were old, familiar ones. They stemmed from authorities with a guilty conscience trying to cover their sense of guilt with more guilt. That is all that authorities know. That is all they want to know. That is how small they are. An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma after a former employee of the companys India branch made some sensational allegations against the Alibaba and its founder. In a stunning case, a Gurgaon court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma after a former employee of the companys India branch made some sensational allegations against the Alibaba and its founder. The former employee claimed that he was wrongfully fired for objecting to alleged censorship and fake news on the companys app, according to a report by the Reuters. Interestingly, the case comes just weeks after the govt banned 59 Chinese apps including Alibabas UC News and UC Browser. In court filings of 20th July, which are available with news agency Reuters, the now-fired UC Web employee claims that the company had been censoring and editing content as per Chinas political interests. The employee also claimed that Alibabas apps UC News and UC Browser displayed fake news, with the aim of causing social and political upheaval. The district court judge in Gurugram has now summoned Alibaba, its founder Jack Ma and around a dozen other people or company units. Reuters claims that they may appear in court or send a lawyer on their behalf on July 29th. The judge also asked for a response in writing by the company and its executives within a month. Also read: China is using CPEC to take over Paks politics: Report Also read: Joe Biden Will Not Hold The Line Though UC India hasnt spoken out directly on the petition the company issued a statement claiming that it had been resolute in its commitment to the Indian market and fair treatment of its locally hired employees, and its policies fully comply with local law. The former associate director at the UC Web workstation in Gurugram is reportedly seeking $2,68,000 in damages. In his filings, the petitioner has highlighted some clippings of news that he alleges were false. This former employee claims that the news items included a post where a headline read Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan. Also, the court filings contained some keywords that were allegedly used by UC Web to censor news on its platforms. The keywords were in both English and Hindi. As per the court filings, these keywords were used by the accused to censor its content in India. The filing also said that in order to control any news related content to be published against China was automatically/manually rejected by an audit system evolved for this purpose. This court case is serving as a new hurdle for Alibaba after Indias app ban. Data from Sensor Tower shows that before the app ban by the Indian Government, there were 689 million downloads of UC Browser in India. UC News had 79.8 million downloads in India, most of them were during 2017-18. Also, after the app ban by the Indian Govt, UC Web started laying off several Indian staff members. While banning UC browser, news and other apps, India had stated that banned Chinese apps on credible inputs of the apps being a threat to Indias sovereignty. The IT Minister of India had then said that India took the app ban decision to protect its citizens data and public order. No comments have been made on the subject yet by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, Chinas foreign ministry in Beijing or Indias IT ministry in New Delhi on the litigation yet. Also read: First case of Covid-19 suspected in North Korea, emergency measures imposed For all the latest Business News, download NewsX App GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids police released information about two shootings overnight and early Sunday morning. The first incident involved a 21-year-old man. Police said he showed up at an area hospital with a gunshot wound to his thigh at around 6:15 a.m. Sunday morning. Police officials said the incident occurred in the 1100 block of Butterworth St. The Grand Rapids Police Department is still investigating and did not provide any other details. The second incident occurred in the 700 block of Watkins SE, where there were reports of shots fired at 3:43 a.m. Sunday morning. Police found 20 casing across the street from a house that was hit. Seven rounds appeared to have hit a house, one round entered the house through a window and one struck a gas meter, police said. Grand Rapids Fire Department responded for the struck gas meter. The resident of the home was asleep at the time, police said. No information is known about a suspect or vehicle. MORE FROM MLIVE: Coronavirus changes plans for two high-profile Muskegon development projects West Michigan organizations stand in solidarity with nationwide protests Rescuers perform CPR on brothers shocked when boat mast strikes power line The joint committee of the Council of Elders and the Political Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned that the unmitigated persecution of Ewes by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government is projecting division and chaos in the country. We have come to a stage where, as sons and daughters of the Volta Region, we can no longer stand aloof and see our people treated as second class citizens or, in some cases, total strangers in their own country, said Mr Dan Abodakpi, Chairman of the NDC Volta Regional Council of Elders. At a press conference in Ho on Wednesday, which was attended by national and regional executives of the NDC, he cited the deployment of military personnel in some border communities in the region. 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 Terrorists groups are using the Covid-19 pandemic to advance propaganda and fundraising, a UN report has said warning that the "fear of irrelevance" with terrorism going out of the news cycle could lead to outfits planning attacks once restrictions are eased. Should the pandemic lead to a severe global recession, it said the international community "may be faced with further headwinds" in countering terrorism and extremist narratives. With the Islamic State managing to have a "captive audience" during the lockdown in several countries and if it has "successfully" used it for planning and recruitment, the report said that the easing of restrictions on movement could witness a spike in attacks in non-conflict zones. Also, it said, the "fear of irrelevance" with the Covid-19 largely eclipsing terrorism from news cycle could also add to the terrorist outfits' desperation to launch attacks. The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaeda and associated entities has said that the impact of the pandemic has varied between conflict zones and non-conflict zones. It said the terrorists are taking advantage of the situation that the attention of security forces is diverted elsewhere, a United Nations (UN) report has said. The report noted that authorities cannot impose meaningful restrictions in conflict zones for public health reasons and in general, the short-term terrorist threat has risen in conflict zones and fallen in non-conflict zones. "Where access to health care is limited, especially in conflict zones, the feeling of vulnerability may fuel extremism, as may economic distress caused by the pandemic. Even where the short-term threat is lower, the long-term impact of Covid-19 may increase it," the report said. On Sunday, DH said, quoting the report, that there is a significant number of ISIS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka, noting that the al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent terror group which reportedly has between 150 and 200 militants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar is planning attacks in the region. According to the report, the Islamic State's (IS) propaganda and media output have been "largely unaffected" by Covid-19. It has called for attacks on its "enemies while they are weakened and distracted" while presenting the pandemic as a "divine punishment of the West and a cause for celebration". The IS has also recognised that the virus could be "weaponised" but no countries have reported that there was no attempts to do so. The UN report said that there have been no indications that the IS is "systematically attempting" to weaponise" the virus. "The Monitoring Team has seen reports of some preliminary thinking along these lines and other terrorist groups have looked at the option more seriously, which may itself prompt IS and/or Al-Qaida to do so because terrorists take an interest in each others propaganda and tactics. This is a potential threat that needs to be kept under review." the report, however, warned. Analysing the situation, the report said the Covid-19 curfews and restrictions in countries have limited movement of people and could lead to disruption in terrorist planning. "Restrictions on international travel significantly constrain terrorist mobility, networking and finance related activity. The same restrictions have reduced the number of potential targets available globally. Travel to tourist destinations has dried up and tourists already abroad have been repatriated. With public gatherings discouraged and venues closed, there are few targets available to terrorists looking to undertake IS-inspired attacks, it said. This highlights the operational limitations of IS since it gave up its external operational capability. Member States believe that the group has increased the urgency with which it is seeking to reconstitute that capability, although there is no evidence that it has succeeded as yet," it added. Advertisement as Ma Uzokwe goes home amidst tributes, eulogies By CHUKS EKE Christian have been charged to embrace and live the life of Jesus Christ if they want to enjoy life of peace here on Earth and in eternity. The Parish Vicar at All Saints Anglican Church, Ojoto, Rev. Canon Timothy Onyeka who gave the admonition during the burial service of Late Ma Grace Akuoyibo-Onu Uzokwe at Enugo village, Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state, said any living being has the right to choose whether to embrace Christ during his life time and inherit eternity or to embrace the devil and inherit hail fire. Speaking about the Nonagenarian who was the mother in law to Rev. Osita Oguaka, a retired Anglican priest, the vicar described her as a dedicated Christian who lived a life worthy of emulation. According to him Mama has lived her life and gone back to her maker. Todays message is for the living. We need Jesus Christ to be able to inherit eternal life with God. In his tributes, Former Dean, Ojoto Anglican Deanry, Rev. Canon Ken Anaukwu extolled the virtues of Mama saying that she was never absent from church despite her age during his pastoral visits. Rev. Oguaka said that she was happy to have had her as a mother inlaw saying that his wife Nneka took after her mothers gentle, caring and peace loving nature. One of the deceased grandson, Onyedika Oguaka recalled how Granny taught them peace and unity. She always say, A broomstick can be broken but a bunch of broomsticks cannot. Moreover, Hon Tony Uche Ezekwelu, former Assembly man and SSA to Gov on Youths Mobilization and Chief Dennis Okafor, an Igweship contestant in Ojoto, said that Ma Uzokwe was known for her hardwork and honesty. Mama who is my Aunt was a soldier of Christ, a farmer and business woman. She tells you the truth to your face without fear or favor. Although she lived up to 90 but will be missed, said Ezekwelu and Okafor Also, President General, Ojoto, Chief Donatus Anozie described the deceased as a peacemaker urging the bereaved to walk in the legacies of their mother. The trio of Chief Uzoma Ikukuoma Ojoto, Chief Uzonna Okolie and Mr Stephen Onyekachi in their separate speeches extolled both the virtues of the deceased and In-laws saying that they were at burials because of the many lives the family have affected positively. However, the deceased only son, Mr. Samuel Uzokwe after eulogizing his late mothers virtues thanked all the clergymen including the officiating priest, Rev Chukwunonso Molokwu and those that came to commiserate with them bidding them farewell and Gods blessings. Published on 2020/07/26 | Source A rocket carrying Korea's first military communications satellite blasts off at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Tuesday. /Yonhap Advertisement Korea on Tuesday became the 10th country in the world to put a military communications satellite into orbit. The Anasis-II satellite lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on a Falcon-9 rocket made by U.S.-based commercial space firm SpaceX. The satellite will send data twice faster than before and can maintain signal quality even if subject to jamming attacks from enemy forces. The military has used the multipurpose Mugunghwa-5 satellite, which was launched in 2007, but needed its own communications satellite. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 Trend: The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan has issued a statement, Trend reports. The radical Armenian groups have recently organized and made barbaric attacks on the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions and our compatriots in various countries amid the military aggression of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district, the statement said. All this is the result of the policy related to the phobia of Azerbaijan which is pursued by the Armenian leadership for many years and the current government of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan encourages this policy, the statement said. The hate campaigns, once aimed at Azerbaijanis, have led to the ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani people in the lands of their ancestors, where Azerbaijanis have lived for centuries. Unfortunately, now we are witnessing another campaign of hatred against the Azerbaijani people, the statement said. But the plans of the Armenian leadership to seize a new part of the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, inciting hatred towards us, will fail and will have the opposite effect this time. Our statements and appeals in support of the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict not only were rejected by Armenia, but our existence is denied, we are bombarded with messages full of hatred by the puppet of the Armenian leadership, the statement said. We are endlessly inspired by the civic stance demonstrated by our compatriots worldwide, the statement said. We are proud of all our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters who, both in the trenches and abroad, firmly hold out against Armenians who share the ideas of the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) terrorist organization, the statement said. The Armenians have fierce hatred when they see the flag of Azerbaijan. We call on our dear compatriots not to succumb to the Armenian provocations, to remain calm and to beware of possible Armenian terrorist attacks," the statement said. Most of the EU's banks are strong enough to survive the impact of the coronavirus crisis, according to ECB vice president Luis de Guindos. In a few days time, the ECB will be publishing the outcome of its vulnerability analysis of banks, which is a substitute for the stress tests, Mr de Guindos said in an interview with the Spanish news website El Independiente. There is every indication that, with this high level of solvency, most European banks could withstand a 9% fall in GDP and survive the two years it will take to return to the level of output seen before the spread of Covid-19, he said. Still, banks should be extremely prudent when distributing dividends, according to Mr de Guindos, who noted that the average capital ratio of European lenders is around 15%. The ECB recommendation to suspend dividend payments is geared toward preventing a credit crunch, he said. Bank profits should not be used to pay dividends, but to further support lending. The ECB is leaning toward extending a request to banks to restrain payouts until at least the end of the year, as several members of the supervisory board dont see enough clarity on the economy to justify returning to dividend payments. Meanwhile, Bundesbank president Jens Weidmann challenged the landmark stimulus package agreed by EU leaders, emphasising the importance of controls for the funds that seek to pull the regions economies out of the worst recession in memory. Mr Weidmann, who is a member of the ECB Governing Council. In an interview, Mr Weidmann questioned aspects of the package, saying it shouldnt serve as a springboard for large-scale EU debt for regular household financing. While the creation of the 750bn fund to address the fallout from the pandemic was the right thing to do, he said, it needs a control mechanism so that the money is spent wisely and efficiently. It is important that support measures are limited so that they automatically expire in the course of time and the public finances stabilise again, he said. Bloomberg Ireland's best loved and one of its most successful broadcasters, Gay Byrne, has left just over 1.1m in his will. For a man who broadcast countless hours of radio and television, his will, which was made just 12 days before his death last year, was short and to the point. In just three clauses, he made a bequest to his grandchildren, appointed his wife Kathleen as one of his three executors and left the "entire residue" of his estate to her. The will, made on October 24, 2019, while he was in the last stages of prostate cancer, was signed Gabriel Mary (aka) Gay Byrne. According to documents lodged in the Probate Office last week, Gabriel Mary Byrne left estate valued at 1,142,876. Although he lived at Shrewsbury Square, Sandymount, he died at Onslow, The Baily, his family home in Howth, which is now owned by his daughter Suzy and her husband. He appointed his wife, the broadcaster and writer Kathleen Watkins, businessman Gerry Houlihan and Ronan O'Byrne, a company director, as his executors. He left 32,500 to each of his grandchildren living at the date of his death "with the express wish that this legacy should be used for educational purposes" and the entire residue to Kathleen. Read More While working for Granada Television in Manchester, the legendary Dublin-born broadcaster was signed up for a summer 'filler' which eventually became the weekly The Late Late Show. This went out at first on Saturday nights and later on Friday nights continually from 1965 to 1999 with Gay Byrne as presenter. He also presented The Gay Byrne Show on RTE Radio from 1972 to 1999. "Gay Byrne was the Irish woman's first affair," said actress and comedian Rosaleen Linehan. Video of the Day He was also pulling in television and radio advertising worth millions and in the process, he became Ireland's best paid broadcaster - although he never had a permanent pensionable job. At one point, he was offered 1m to transfer to the first private national broadcaster Century Radio, but after a weekend considering the proposition at his home in Howth, he turned the offer down. Along the way, he invested in a prime office development in Nassau Street, Dublin, and other properties. But he was less fortunate in buying Anglo Irish Bank shares and investing in syndicates put together by the financier Derek Quinlan, which left him financially constrained after the property collapse in 2008. But probably his most unfortunate financial decision was his involvement with the well-known Dublin accountant Russell Murphy. In his autobiography The Time of My Life, Gay Byrne titled one of his most emotional episodes 'The Betrayal', a chapter that oozes with the hurt, pain and indignity he suffered from the actions of his trusted accountant and friend. "Russell Murphy, one of my closest friends, father-figure; he embezzled all of my life savings. He also used a power of attorney to borrow money for himself, using my investments as collateral. After he died, I found that not only was all my money gone, but I was in serious debt," he wrote. It was an episode that coloured the rest of his life and left him fretting about money and who he could trust and, in a way, tied him to a steady income stream from RTE. Gay Byrne died on Monday, November 4, 2019, aged 85. A Malaysian court will hand down its verdict in Najib Razak's first corruption trial on Tuesday, nearly 16 months after it began probing the former prime minister's role in the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal. Najib and his inner circle are accused of plundering sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad in a mind-boggling fraud that stretched around the world. Stolen cash was allegedly used to bankroll Hollywood hit "The Wolf of Wall Street", starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and US investment titan Goldman Sachs also became embroiled in the scandal. Anger at the looting played a large part in the shock loss by Najib's coalition in elections two years ago after six decades in power. He was subsequently arrested and hit with dozens of charges over the fraud. Najib is currently facing three separate, 1MDB-linked trials, and the first finally reaches its climax this week in the Kuala Lumpur High Court. The case centres on the transfer of 42 million ringgit ($9.9 million) from former 1MDB unit SRC International into Najib's bank accounts. He denies any wrongdoing, and his lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told AFP ahead of the verdict: "I feel good about the defence." The ex-leader, who is facing four charges of corruption and three of money-laundering in the case, insists he was ignorant of the bank transfers. His defence team has portrayed Najib as a victim and instead sought to paint financier Low Taek Jho, a key figure in the scandal who has been charged in the US and Malaysia, as the mastermind. Low, whose whereabouts are unknown, maintains his innocence. - Political turbulence - Prosecutors insist Najib was in control of the 1MDB unit and that they have a solid case, but observers believe recent political upheaval could affect the outcome of the trial, which began in April last year. Najib's scandal-mired party returned to power in March as part of a coalition after a reformist administration collapsed. Since then, 1MDB-linked charges were unexpectedly dropped against the ex-leader's stepson Riza Aziz, one of the "Wolf of Wall Street" producers, in exchange for him agreeing to return assets to Malaysia. Prosecutors also dropped dozens of charges against Najib ally Musa Aman, the former leader of Sabah state. If Najib -- currently free on bail -- is convicted on Tuesday, he could be sentenced the same day. Each charge of corruption carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, and each money-laundering count is punishable by a term of up to 15 years. But the 67-year-old is likely to appeal, and may not be jailed straight away. If he is found guilty and the conviction is upheld, then he would also be barred from political office for several years. Bridget Welsh, a Malaysia expert from the University of Nottingham, said a conviction would be viewed positively by many for bringing "some accountability on the scandal of 1MDB". By contrast, an acquittal "will do serious damage to Malaysia's international reputation", she added. Authorities in several countries are investigating the 1MDB theft, which funded a global spending spree that included the purchase of high-end real estate, artworks and a superyacht. The amounts involved in Najib's first case are small compared to those in his second and most significant trial, which centres on allegations he illicitly obtained over $500 million. US authorities, who are investigating the fund as money was allegedly laundered through the American financial system, believe $4.5 billion was looted from 1MDB. Malaysia had charged Goldman Sachs and a string of its current and former staff as the investment bank had helped arrange bond issues worth $6.5 billion for 1MDB. Prosecutors had claimed that large amounts were misappropriated during the fundraising. But on Friday, Malaysia agreed to a $3.9 billion settlement with Goldman in exchange for dropping all criminal proceedings against the Wall Street titan. Amid the political crisis in Rajasthan, the Congress on Sunday sought to keep up the pressure on Governor Kalraj Mishra and accused him of acting in a partisan way and listening what it dubbed as voice of his masters at the Centre. "The Governors are bound in the function with the aid and advice of the state government (council of ministers) but he is listening to his masters' voice, that is from the government at the Centre," party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said while addressing a press conference here. The Governor is facing a flak from the Congress for not acceding to the state government's request to convene a special Assembly session to enable Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot prove his majority on the floor of the House in the wake of rebellion by Sachin Pilot and 18 other Congress MLAs over leadership issue. The Governor maintained on Friday that no one was above the constitutional decorum. Singhvi added: "Constitutional authorities -- be it the Governors, courts or central government -- are supposed to not only know their constitutional roles and boundaries but to scrupulously follow them in letter and spirit and promote the true intent of the framers of the Constitution." The Supreme Court lawyer said that court cases pending in the Rajasthan High court and the Supreme Court on the issue have nothing to do with the convening of the Assembly session in the state. "Consider the following questions which arise in that regard, qua the conduct of high persons and institutions like the Governor or the central government. "Is it commonsensically (sic) conceivable that any Governor ever should refuse or delay the holding of a floor test, which truly determines who has the numbers and objections/ queries, intended to delay and postpone the floor test, and not let the cat out of the bag as to who really has the numbers?" the Congress leader said. "Is the Governor and his diverse advisers who have generated such queries not aware of established jurisprudence -- from the Constituent Assembly to diverse SC judgments -- that unequivocally establish that the Governor is powerless and without jurisdiction in matters where he is advised by the state Cabinet?" The Congress spokesperson cited many legal cases in support of his contention that the government has the power to call an Assembly session, apart from debates in the Constituent Assembly. Singhvi quoted the Sarkaria commission report, saying that "the Governor should not risk determining the issue of majority support, on his own, outside the Assembly. The prudent course for him would be to cause the rival claims to be tested on the floor of the House." Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Haiti - News : Zapping... A young boy stabbed to death Friday evening a young boy was fatally wounded with a stab at "Lan Site", north of the town of Jeremie. An argument between two young people would be at the origin of the tragedy. Urgently transported to the hospital of Saint Antoine de Jeremie, the young victim did not survive his injury. Cap-Haitien no longer picks up junk The municipal administration of Cap-Haitien informs the population, that following the shortage of its fuel stocks, the city hall service is no longer able to ensure the daily collection and collection of garbage in the city. Electricity project in Baie-de-Henne "I am very happy to announce to the people of the commune of Baie-de-Henne [Dept. of the Northwest] that the downtown electrification project that I proposed to the President of the Republic, HE Mr. Jovenel Moise, will be implemented on Thursday July 30, 2020. I say thank you to the President," former deputy of Bombardopoliss / Baie-de-Henne Jean-Michel Moise (Federalist Party). Donation of 30,000 dollars from the American Embassy The Office for Security Cooperation at the United States Embassy in Port-au-Prince has donated $ 30,000 in humanitarian aid aimed at helping in the fight against Covid-19 in Haiti. Covid-19 : Patrons' festivals raising awareness of pilgrims During the patronal feasts of Saint Jacques Majeurs in Plaine du Nord and Sainte Anne in Limonade, the Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with the departmental network of the North, mobilized its health officers to educate visitors and pilgrims on the actions barriers to limit the spread of Covid-19. The efforts of the PNH welcomed One of the members of the presidential commission for disarmament, dismantling and reintegration, Jean Rebel Dorcenat, praised the efforts of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) to fight against the proliferation of armed gangs in the country, affirming that since the appointment of Rameau Normil at the head of the PNH, several gangs have been dismantled and gang leaders have been imprisoned at the National Penitentiary. HL/ HaitiLibre London: Prince Harry took offence at what he deemed was his brother Prince William's "snobbishness" towards Meghan Markle when he advised him to "take as much time as you need to know this girl", a new biography has claimed. William, the Duke of Cambridge, had warned his younger brother of the pace of their blossoming relationship, according to Finding Freedom, wanting to make sure he was not "blindsided by lust". The book claims to detail the rift between Prince Harry, Prince William, Meghan and Catherine, pictured walking behind behind Prince Charles at Westminster Abbey in March. Credit:AP In an extract published in The Times, London, authors Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie say Harry, the Duke of Sussex, interpreted the choice of words "this girl" as "the tone of snobbishness that was anathema to his approach to the world". The book claims that one anonymous member of the royal family referred to Markle as "Harry's showgirl", while another allegedly told an aide she "came with a lot of baggage". Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-25 17:39:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on July 23, 2020 shows the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "America is a great nation, there are many great things about the United States, but there is something wrong about the politics of the United States, in which politicians resort to untruthful, harmful information and spread that information to their own population around the country, around the world," said Sudheendra Kulkarni, former chairman of Mumbai-based think-tank Observer Research Foundation. NEW DELHI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- "The coronavirus pandemic should not be politicized, much less should it be politicized for the purpose of winning an election" as U.S. politicians have been trying to do, an Indian expert has said. "This is most unfortunate that this kind of politicization goes against the spirit of science," said Sudheendra Kulkarni, former chairman of Mumbai-based think-tank Observer Research Foundation, in a recent interview with Xinhua. Kulkarni said it is only objective scientific research that can bring out the truth, but politicization of a pandemic of this kind comes in the way of global cooperation that is absolutely necessary today. "The very global scale and scope of the pandemic has made global cooperation and global collaboration necessary," he said. "This is the time for the world to come together." People visit the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States, July 24, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Describing the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) as "most unfortunate and condemnable," the expert said only international and collaborative research can bring out the truth, and all countries should cooperate with the WHO in this regard. "All the information that comes out from anywhere in the world should be collected by the World Health Organization, and it should come to a scientific objective decision," he added. "My understanding is that China certainly has been transparent and sharing the information with the World Health Organization and with the international community," he said. He noted that it is a very good sign that the entire world is currently researching on an effective vaccine. "My very strong belief is that countries should collaborate, share information, share their research so that the world gets a vaccine at the very earliest time," he said. He said as soon as COVID-19 broke out, China had been active not only in trying to contain the spread but in researching over an effective vaccine. "China has done really commendably in containing the spread of the epidemic, even though it was the first victim of the epidemic," he said. The second batch of medical aids offered by the Chinese government is pictured at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, April 20, 2020. (Photo by Eddy Peters/Xinhua) Lauding Chinese efforts to send medical teams and providing personal protection equipment and other materials to many countries around the world, the expert said this shows a very strong sense of human solidarity on the part of the Chinese people and the Chinese government. "I believe that every country should show the same spirit of solidarity to the extent that they are capable of," he said. "The spirit of solidarity is something that is common all over the world and this is the time when humanity should show together solidarity in this hour of crisis." "America is a great nation, there are many great things about the United States, but there is something wrong about the politics of the United States, in which politicians resort to untruthful, harmful information and spread that information to their own population around the country, around the world," Kulkarni said. Kulkarni stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic does not respect any national border, nor does it respect any cultural, religious, racial borders or identities, so the fight against COVID-19 should have no boundaries. "It is time to build a community with a shared future for mankind, similarly it is time to build common health for mankind to promote health as a common gift, and a common necessity for the whole of mankind," he said. The referral comes more than a month after Egypt's prosecutor general directed that the teenager involved be admitted to a rehabilitation centre designated for abused women Egypts public prosecution has referred six people to criminal court on charges including kidnapping and sexual assault of an underage Egyptian TikToker known by the alias Menna Abd El-Aziz, a statement by the public prosecutors office said on Sunday. The defendants, four young men and two women, were referred to court on charges including kidnapping Abdel Aziz, having sex with her without her consent, and indecent assault using force and threat," the statement said. They also face accusations of robbing the victim, threatening to defame her, and violating her privacy online. The statement said that the prosecution has provided evidence to support the accusations from Abd El-Azizs testimony, police investigations, testimonies given by the defendants to prosecutors, a forensics report confirming assault on the victim, and proof of drug use by some of the defendants. The case of Abdel Aziz, 17, came to light in May after she posted a live Instagram video claiming that one of her friends had raped, beaten and injured her, and pleaded for help from the government. She was arrested on 26 May and ordered detained pending investigations over charges including inciting debauchery and forging an online account, her lawyers at rights group Egyptian initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) said at the time. Two weeks later, Egypt's public prosecutor ordered Abd Al-Aziz be transferred from custody to a rehabilitation centre designated for abused women amid investigations into the young girls sexual abuse claims. Abd El-Azizs video went viral, sparking a lot of controversy on social media, with some people claiming that the alleged rape victim deserved what happened to her due to what they described as her inappropriate behaviour and social media posts, while many others came to her defence, saying that rape is a crime regardless of the victims behaviour. EIPR had called for her immediate release, saying that prosecutors should have dealt with her as a victim and a rape survivor rather than a defendant. In a series of videos and social media posts, the culprits mentioned in Abd El-Azizs video denied her claims, accusing her of stealing a mobile phone and claiming that she had sex with the alleged rapist consensually. Later, Abd El-Aziz appeared in an Instagram video with her alleged rapist where she said that she had made up with him, asserting that people were trying to drive a wedge between [us]." The prosecution said in previous statements that Abd El-Aziz was pressured by the family of one of her attackers to announce on social media that she had reconciled with him. It said that Abd El-Aziz was driven into a dangerous life in which she met with the rest of the defendants who assaulted her. Under the Egyptian penal code, rape and sexual assault can be punished with jail terms of up to a life sentence. The addition of aggravating circumstances could lead to the death penalty. Article 267 also says that the perpetrator can face the death penalty if the victim is under the age of 18, or if the perpetrator was the victims kin, guardian, wage servant, had authority over her, or if multiple perpetrators committed the crime. Article 268 of the law stipulates that sexual assault is punishable by a minimum prison sentence of seven years and a maximum of life imprisonment. Search Keywords: Short link: 60,000 unregulated oyster trestles are ruining Lough Foyle. That was the claim made this week by Inishowen councillor, Terry Crossan. He was speaking on a motion he had before a Donegal County Council meeting in Letterkenny in which he said action was now needed to resolve the issue. Cllr Crossan said the ongoing proliferation of oyster trestles on the western shore of Lough Foyle was having a severe detrimental effect on both the environment and society in the local area. He said it was now up to the council to contact the minister concerned and impress on him the need for the government to engage with the UK government and seek to resolve the jurisdictional issues that are inhibiting aquaculture regulation. He said the main overriding regulatory issues are the lack of a licence and authorisation by a competent authority; the lack of spatial considerations-foreshore licence/leases; the lack of assessed impact on designated features of the Foyle Natura 2000 sites and the knock on effects of the lack of regulations in terms of environmental and socio-economic concerns which could be mostly attributed to a lack of enforcement, traceability and a lack of accountability. He added the first view any visitor got of Lough Foyle and the start of the Wild Atlantic Way wasn't very picturesque. Between Muff and Moville there are almost 60,000 unregulated oyster trestles. Lough Foyle is a major habitat for native and migratory birds, a large area of which is designated a special area of protection (SPA) under the EU birds directive. It was of cross-border and high ornathological importance and regularly supported in excess of 20,000 migratory birds, he said. The Sinn Fein councillor warned it was now time to protect the shores of Lough Foyle before its beauty and distinct natural and rich habitat was lost forever. I am not against aquaculture per se but I ask it should be properly regulated efficiently and effectively and does not cause nuisance and preserves the amenity it provides for the wider community. There are many unique ecosystems in this area which are suffering because of this unregulated activity, he added. The motion was seconded by Cllr Albert Doherty who pointed out the 25km of Lough Foyle coastline which for historical reasons was part of a territorial dispute with another jurisdiction. Now with Brexit on the horizon the dispute had come to the fore again despite an agreement between the Irish and British Governments in 2011 to resolve these issues relating to the lough. Not only is the Foyle under the remit of the Foyle and Carlingford Commission but it was also under the remit of the Crown Estates because of the seabed. The real fishery potential of the lough is not being fully realized, Cllr Doherty said. He added if there is to be a North-South Ministerial Council meeting at the end of this month, the council needed to find out what was it that allowed the prolifieration of various developments on the Foyle without regulation as well as the situation regarding sewerage and sewage incidents with outfall pipes going into the Foyle. Director of Housing, Corporate and Cultural Services, Joe Peoples said the council will write to the Minister about the matter. U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook acknowledged the challenge ahead on ending the crisis thats torn apart the Gulf Cooperation Council, with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates part of the boycott thats targeted fellow member Qatar since June 2017. Egypt as well joined the boycott, which saw nations close their airspace and borders to Qatar. Police detain a demonstrator during protests in Seattle on July 25, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Police and demonstrators clash as protests continue in the city following reports that federal agents may have been sent to the city. (AFP) Seattle: Police in Seattle used flashbang grenades and pepper spray Saturday against protesters who set fire to construction trailers outside a youth jail, amid a wave of public anger over President Donald Trump's planned "surge" of federal agents into major cities. The sounds of repeated small detonations rang out in the streets of the city in Washington state, and smoke rose from an area where demonstrators had set fire to trailers by a construction site for the youth detention facility, an AFP reporter observed. Demonstrators slashed car tires and smashed trailer windows. Police in riot gear faced off against the demonstrators, some of whom held up umbrellas against falling pellets of pepper spray. The Seattle Times newspaper quoted police as saying 16 people were arrested on suspicion of assault against officers, obstruction and failure to disperse. The latest spasm of violence came after police and federal agents fired tear gas and forcefully dispersed protesters further south in Portland early Saturday, also in anger over Trump's heavily-criticized "surge" of security forces. The city, the biggest in the state of Oregon, has seen nightly protests against racism and police brutality for nearly two months, initially sparked by the death of unarmed African American George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota. Portland is also a stage for the highly controversial crackdown by federal agents ordered by Trump -- one that is not supported by local officials there, and which many say smacks of authoritarianism. Civil unrest was not only confined to Portland. On Saturday, three members of a black militia were shot in Louisville, Kentucky at a Black Lives Matter protest, local media reported, citing police. Their injuries were not life-threatening. The protest, to demand justice for a black woman who was killed by police as she slept in her home, drew members of the black militia and a rival far-right militia, with the heavily armed groups facing off while separated by riot police. The groups dispersed peacefully later Saturday afternoon. In Portland, Friday's demonstration was mainly peaceful, with crowds playing music and dancing, blowing soap bubbles and setting off fireworks. But it ended -- like many before it -- in a showdown between protesters and police, which escalated in a haze of tear gas and flashbang devices. One group of protesters formed a line with umbrellas and makeshift shields to try to protect themselves, as at least two fires burned outside fences around a federal courthouse. Tear gas was first fired around 11:00 pm. By 2:30 am police and federal agents were clearing the scene outside the courthouse with tear gas, pushing protesters back. Earlier, protesters who spoke to AFP complained of the federal agents' presence in the city and voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, which helped drive demonstrations across the country for weeks after Floyd's killing. "I don't like what's happening down here, what Trump is doing," Mike Shikany, a 55-year-old aerospace engineer, said, adding he did not "want to get anywhere near the little green men," meaning the federal troops. Portland retiree Jean Mullen, 74, said that without pressure nothing would change. "It's time to become the country we always brag about being. And we can't brag anymore, about anything. We aren't first in anything and it's a terrible, terrible thing to see at the end of my life," she said. The inspector general of the US Justice Department on Thursday opened an official investigation into the federal crackdown, but a federal judge in Oregon on Friday rejected a legal bid by the state to stop agents from detaining protesters. Trump, who is campaigning for re-election in November on a platform of "law and order," announced on Wednesday a "surge" of federal agents to crime hotspots including Chicago, following an increase in violence in the nation's third-largest city. Agents deployed there will partner with local law enforcement, not riot control forces as seen in Portland. Local officials have warned they would draw the line at any Portland-style deployment. "They were saying this was a more-transmissible variant. But everyone was saying it was a mild variant, as well. That's not necessarily what we're seeing in pediatrics," Dr. John Lukeman said Monday. Agra : Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a scathing attack against political parties opposing the governments demonetisation decision. His ire was particularly directed against parties who, he said, were behind chit fund companies. I know what sort of people are raising their voice against me. Does the country not know whose money was invested in chit fund business? Lakhs and crores of poor people invested money in chit funds. But with the blessings of politicians, crores and crores of rupees have vanished. Due to chit fund loss, hundreds of heads of families were forced to commit suicide. said Prime Minister Modi at a rally in Agra on Sunday. Though the Prime Minister did not take names but his broadside is seen directed against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who led a march of a section of opposition MPs to the Presidents House against Modis demonetisation last week. Modis comments were an oblique reference West Bengal's multi-crore Saradha scam and Ponzi schemes that led to the arrest of many prominent personalities including leaders and MPs belonging to Mamatas Trinamool Congress. Prime Minister Modi said such political leaders are criticising him since they have been hit hard by demonetisation. "Look at their history and they are questioning me," he said. Prime Minister said he wanted to curb black money by demonetisation. He said the inconvenience and hardship faced by common people shall not go in vain. I had said that people would face inconvenience, but I want to commend the people who are still supporting our decision. I can assure all of you that your sacrifice wont go in vain. He said demonetisation has delivered a big jolt to the fake currency that floated around to push drugs and other narcotics being pushed into the country. Since the drug cartel thrived on fake currency the demonetisation shall choke the business like never before," he said. Referring to government's decision of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, Modi said the decision has not been taken to harass people but to help poor, marginalised and honest people. He cautioned people not to let their Jan Dhan accounts to be misused by corrupt people."I have come to request you. These corrupt people are very cunning. They may approach you to deposit Rs 2.5 lakh in your account. They can ask you to return Rs two lakh after six months and offer you Rs 50,000. But please do not let these people take advantage of you. There are reports of misuse of zero-balance Jan Dhan accounts by black money hoarders and the Centre is looking into it. It has warned that violators will be prosecuted under the Benami Transactions Act that carries a penalty, prosecution and rigorous jail term of a maximum seven years, PM Modi added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Battles are fought not just on borders but also within a country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, urging citizens to behave responsibly in order to boost the morale and honour of soldiers and asking countrymen to refrain from social media practices that could be detrimental to the nation. Everyone must decide his/her role in these battles that play out on many fronts simultaneously, Modi said in his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address, reminding people that soldiers fight to protect the country under the harshest conditions while calling for a strong sense of national unity. In his address, which coincided with the 21st anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, Modi also accused Pakistan of trying to back-stab India by nursing delusions of encroaching upon Indian soil in 1999, when New Delhi was looking forward to mending its ties with Islamabad. Modi also said people bound by a common thread who put the country above everything else bolster the strength of soldiers. At times, without paying heed to the essence, we encourage certain things on social media that are detrimental to the country. There are times when we keep forwarding things out of sheer curiosity. Despite knowing that it is wrong, we keep doing it. These days, battles are fought not just on borders; they are fought within the country too, on many fronts simultaneously. And every countryman has to decide his or her role in that. We too should determine our roles, fully bearing in mind soldiers fighting on the borders under the harshest conditions, Modi said. His comments came at a time when India and China are locked in a border dispute in eastern Ladakh with military and diplomatic officials of the neighbouring countries attempting to hammer out a disengagement plan. A violent clash on June 15 that killed 20 Indian Army soldiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese troopers in Galwan valley and the subsequent tensions in bilateral relations have triggered an intense political debate, including on social media. Hitting out at Pakistan, Modi said India can never forget the circumstances under which the Kargil war took place. Pakistan had embarked upon this misadventure, nursing delusions of encroaching upon Indian soil, to distract attention from the internal strife prevailing there. India was then in the process of making efforts to foster good relations with Pakistan, Modi said. The war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring countrys Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. Quoting a Sanskrit adage, Modi said, to the wicked, enmity with one and all for no reason comes naturally. People with such a disposition keep thinking of harming even their well-wishersthat is why when India extended a hand of friendship, Pakistan tried to respond, stabbing in the back. But after that, when our gallant army displayed deeds of valour, when India demonstrated her might the whole world watched it... What former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said from the ramparts of the Red Fort after the Kargil war is still relevant, Modi added. Atalji had then reminded the nation of a mantra of Gandhiji. Mahatma Gandhis mantra wasin the face of any dilemma, in order to decide what to do or what not to do, one must think of the poorest and the most helpless person of India. One must assess whether ones deed will result in benefitting that particular person or not. Going beyond Gandhijis thought, Atalji had said that the Kargil war has given us another mantra. And the mantra was: before taking any important decision, we should think whether our step, our endeavour is befitting to the honour of the soldier who laid down his life in those remote mountains, Modi said. Modi urged the youth to visit a website highlighting the tales of bravery of armed forces and police personnel since Independence. Today I call upon you to visit, the website, www.gallantryawards.gov.in, positively. There, you will come across an array of information on our brave warriors and tales of their valour. And when you discuss these with your friends, they will become a source of inspiration, he said. Modi said he, too, got an opportunity to visit Kargil and witness the gallantry of the jawans. That day is one of the most precious moments of my life, he said. Criticising Modis address, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said the governments action and policy made it clear that the Prime Minister had failed to understand Soldiers Ki Baat. Under his leadership, India has the lowest defence budget since 1962. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has frozen the dearness allowance of serving officers of army, navy and air force. The CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) has pulled up the government for providing sub-standard gear to soldiers serving in Siachen...many more such examples show that BJP uses valour of our soldiers only for votes, he alleged. MANISTEE COUNTY 2020 has been a year for the record books, especially for youth 4-H participants with animal projects. With countless in-person fairs being cancelled across Michigan due to concerns surrounding COVID-19 and Michigan State Universitys decision to suspend all in person 4-H youth events until Sept.1, there was mounting concern that youth with animal projects would not have a space to display a years worth of hard work. Michigan State University Extension announced in May they would be utilizing the virtual fair platform Fair Entry to provide an alternative educational experience as well as provide an alternative method of sale. Were excited to be able to provide this platform to the kids as well as the community. says Allison Olson, Program Coordinator for Benzie and Manistee counties. Its a life gives you lemons, make lemonade, teachable moment for our youth and volunteers. Weve all had to turn on a dime this year and its been hectic, said Olson adding they "have all responded well to it and are making the best of it." Fair Entry is user-friendly and offers us options we didnt have before, we can handle sales, donations, and animal processor destinations all in one place. We can even accept credit card payments this year. Olson said. 4-H youth can register in Fair Entry until Aug. 1. Judging will take place Aug. 11 - 14 with the main auction running Aug. 17 - August 20. There will also be a resale auction from Aug. 21 - 22, for any animals that have been donated back for resale. All our judges who were scheduled to judge our in-person classes agreed to stay with us and transition to judging our virtual showcase, so were grateful for that. said Olson. The Virtual Auction is open to the public, and buyers from previous years have been sent the traditional buyer letter. According to Olson, kids would traditionally reach out to potential buyers themselves as part of their participation requirements for Fair, however due to COVID, MSU and 4-H waived that requirement for this year. Buyer letters are being sent from the MSU Extension county office to buyers from previous years, however if a member of the public would like to check out or participate in the Auction they still can. Contact your local county MSU Extension office and they will send you the information via email or regular mail. The community can also stay up to date with information by following Benzie County 4-H on Facebook at. Long term, we know that the sea level rise has been happening. Weve seen that from NOAA over the years, said Lou Belasco, floodplain manager for the city of Cape May. From a flooding standpoint, we look to bolster our natural systems. Weve looked to bolster the shoreline along the harbor front. If we can increase those wetlands and soak up some of the sea level rise, we can offset some of the losses, he said, adding, Its a two-pronged approach. ... We also recognize that there are hardscape solutions that need to be done. There are areas that we look to raise the roadway, like on Yacht Avenue. Weve had talks with the Army Corps of Engineers for Wilmington and Beach to raise the road there. Advertisement One should not bother himself with the sensational dissolution of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national working committee by President Muhammadu Buhari and his equally dramatic order on the feuding parties to sheath their swords, most observers agree that the crisis-ridden ruling party has at least been handed a sure life-line out of its self-inflicted troubles. Whether the measures taken were strictly legal or constitutional or whether they actually reach to the roots of the problem that caused the crisis which is the unbridled jousting for the control of the party as indeed the contestations over the soul of the party is a different matter entirely. With a good chance, Yobe State Governor, Maimala Buni has a fair chance of putting the broken components together within his given time frame. Towards achieving success, the former national chairman, Adama Oshiomhole and the out gone NWC members have made the Maimala Buni task easier. Whereas Oshiomhole has accepted the decision of the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) in good faith, going as far as withdrawing his pending appeal at the Supreme Court, the latter has sensibly acquiesced to the resolutions taken at the partys NEC to allow peace a chance. Unfortunately, if we agree that the catalyst- certainly not the casus belli- for the rapidly unfolding events was the debacle in Edo, one cannot but wonder if the party has equally adverted its mind to the other crises foisted by the factionalisation of the party in the state more so as the gubernatorial election is few weeks from now. Yes, the highest organ of the party, NEC has affirmed the primary that produced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate; but then, with the state chapter of the party torn down the middle with one party rejecting the process that produced the candidate, the handshake, would appear to have gone past the elbow-so to say! For a party, that is an enviable position to be. Here is a party that produced the governor who has now decamped to another party to try luck. We are talking of a party whose onetime governor did not just rebuff all entreaties by the party and its leadership to swear in elected members of the state legislature, but employed conceivable tricks out of the rule books to keep majority of the elected members out of parliament using his minions in and out of government. So much for his attempts to play the victim, we are supposed to accept that Governor Godwin Obasekis unilateral abrogation of the seats of 14 members in a 24-member parliament is an acceptable political play since, apparently, he deigns to so pronounce. In this, he has made it clear, that the governors word, like those of ancient pharaohs must be law and respected! That Obaseki enjoys the perquisites of incumbency and with it the advantages is of course given, what is at issue is whether his legion of moles remaining should be allowed to press that advantage to the detriment of the party now that the dust he created in his former party is beginning to clear out somehow. Where then does Anselm Ojezua, the other factional chairman of Edo state APC belongs now that his principal sponsor, Godwin Obaseki has dumped the party he imposed him on? As it is, the matter isnt so much about his claim of being elected chairman with four-year tenure to expire in 2022; rather, it is one of fidelity to his party in the aftermath of the affirmation of Pastor Ize-Iyamu as his partys candidate. Will he now surrender his pride to work with a candidate that he once publicly scorned or will he, as it appears to be the case, remain to spoil the fun for his party and its candidate? The bottom line; will the party overlook the schism promoted by those whose mantra of Right of First Refusal has fallen flat on their faces? What about the other injured party- the lawmakers elected but denied taking their seats? Where does their interests- which are legitimate fit in the forced but uneasy truce from Maimala Buni? Will the party, as it seems reasonable to do, apply the same stick to the recalcitrant mob, that have all the while defied the partys instruction to inaugurate the majority lawmakers through frivolous court actions? Will President Buharis order on all to withdraw all litigation apply also to those denied their right? This brings us to the issue on the capacity of Maimala Buni to handle the task bestowed on him with passion and dexterity without inflicting any injury. One cannot be in doubt of the capacity of Maimala Buni to deliver the expected positive results to the President going by his political experience and administrative skills. From the look of things, he has already started recording success. He has brought back a strong pillar of the party that was greatly missed in the 2019 elections, Rt.Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the 8th House of Assembly from Bauchi State. There is no doubt to the fact that Dogaras return to his former political base may be a blessing to the APC in Bauchi State as several other aggrieved founding members of the APC may return to where they co-founded in 2013 through the mega-merger. The likes of Sen. Isa Hamma Misau, Hon. Aminu Tukur, Bappa Aliyu Misau, Shehu Barau Ningi and of course some PDP sidelined or abandoned foot soldiers may join Dogara in coming days as rumored. In his opinion, Bauchi State APC Media/Publicity Committee chairman, Comrade Sabo Muhammed said: Within few weeks, APC has received to its fold three strong political giants; Hon. Farouk Mustapha from New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Hon. Musa Shittu Zaki from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara also from the PDP that he joined as a vocation. Bauchi state APC is expecting the return of several others that have sheathed their swords and now battle ready to retake the state from clueless and inept leadership that is retarding the progress of the state with parochial sentiments that may inflict severe injury on our cherished unity built over the years by past governors. Although, Yakubu Dogara has not publicly declared his defection to APC, but feelers from his political camp has confirmed his defection and return to APC which was debunked by PDP Bauchi State chairman, Hamza Koshe. Hon. Dogara remains a card carrying member of the PDP in Bauchi State. He has not officially communicated to the PDP that he has defected. As usual, we consider him as our member and we shall continue to see him as our member. We nominated some serving commissioners and other political office holders in government. He remains our member despite the claims of his defection, Koshe said. In a recent bloviation of mine in this space, I made so bold reckless, some said as to declare that theres really nothing in the Trump agenda thats antithetical to democracy. Holy moly! Did that ever send my progressive friends into frenzied spasms of outrage. Youd have thought I had asserted that Satans not such a bad guy after all. I always knew you were a little loony, said a liberal buddy of mine over beers, but this moves you up there on the straightjacket ward. Please allow me to elaborate on my point, at the risk of provoking the progressive brethren to further teeth-gnashing and garment-rending. To start with, note I did not say that everything Trump has ever said or done is in harmony with democratic values. I limited the observation to his core agenda. This agenda includes: Being openly wary of the Pentagons inclination to drag the country into quagmires abroad of marginal interest to America. Openly criticizing the sinister, coup-like activities of the Swamps intelligence aparatchiki. Openly disputing the immigration status quo long favored by big business as a source of cheap labor and a way of restraining the wage levels of American workers. Openly challenging the global free trade arrangements that dismantled Americas manufacturing sector and reassembled it in Shanghai, meanwhile enriching a transnational corporatist elite of hesitant, uncertain allegiance to America. Openly questioning the cozy business arrangements the tech gadzillionaires, the NBAs owner/player plutocracy and others including, not least, Joe Bidens son are pleased to maintain with Xi Jinpings ruthlessly oppressive, brutal autocracy. Trumps posture on these matters, Ill wager, makes the Swamp, corporate, media and university elite a lot more uncomfortable than it makes, say, the typical UAW, IBEW or Teamster member. As I noted in my uber-fascist column (as one apoplectic progressive descried it), there are plenty of reasonable grounds on which Trump may be condemned and constantly is: his petty Twitter squabbling, his blowhard blather, his fact-averse hyperbole, his insufferable egotism and all the rest. But its nonsensical to say as it has become fashionable to say in progressive circles that Trumps core agenda makes him a wannabe fascist dictator on the model of a Berzilius Windrip. (A google detour informs us unlettered deplorables that Windrip was the folksy rightwing authoritarian character in a Sinclair Lewis novel, It Cant Happen Here.) Im not sure how youd describe Trumps political philosophy. Quite possibly hes not reflective enough to have one. Maybe you could say hes a practical, populist capitalist. Maybe you could say hes a marketing hustler, a political opportunist. If so, does that distinguish him all that much from the more standard-issue politician types, such as Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden? Whatever you elect to call Trump, its something of a stretch to call him a conservative or even, really, a Republican. He made his mark and fortune in the left-wing milieu of Gotham, and then one day he took up residence in the Republican Party the way a hermit crab takes up residence in an empty shell it comes upon. No Democrat ever suggested Trump was a threat to democracy in all the years he helped bankroll the party with his donations giving $694,750 more to Democrats than to Republicans in the two decades of 1989 to 2010 (Ballotpedia). The beneficiaries of Trumps largess included Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, John Kerry, Andrew Cuomo, Kamala Harris and ta-dah! Joe Biden. Are any of these recipients proposing given the Trump malevolence they now allege to return the donations with interest? Not that Ive heard of. We now know from the investigations of an Inspector General appointed by President Obama that Trumps election prompted a freaked-out Swamp to go to the super-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court with contrived evidence that Trump had been in cahoots with Vladimir Putin. The patsy court gave the nod for extraordinary, unprecedented snooping on the Trump campaign, precipitating the great Russia Collusion snipe hunt. Trump is routinely tabbed as the 21st centurys Il Duce and Der Fuhrer. A recent Google search of Trump-Hitler produced 24.8 million hits. A search of Trump-Mussolini yielded 1.77 million. But Trump hardly fits the mold of the classic right-wing dictator. Hitler and Mussolini, although both socialists, took care to accommodate powerful business interests. At the same time, they enhanced the coercive powers of government, ratcheting up its regulatory controls. In contrast to that duo, Trump in resisting the Swamp orthodoxy on immigration and foreign trade, especially is hardly making a calculated effort that entirely pleases the corporate powers that be. Nor does the Trump agenda otherwise enhance the regulatory powers of government. At least, arguably, certainly no more so than the agendas of previous administrations, particularly Obamas. From the day he announced his candidacy, Trump stepped on sensitive economic toes with his core agenda. His hysterical detractors included, and continue to include, an influential cadre of typecast country-club Republicans, of GOP old guard fat cats. They include, especially, stick-in-the-mud neoconservatives, so-called, who are entirely comfortable with foreign military interventions and laxly policed immigration and who find Trump to be decidedly unsettling. These never-Trump Republicans are now reported to be teaming up with the Biden campaign news that, if true, is surely sweet music to Swamp ears. Having taken up residence in the empty Republican Party shell, the hermit crab Trump has felt compelled to expend time and energy in futile attempts to mollify the partys establishment rearguard. Thus the Trump show has featured cameo appearances by such un-Trumpian figures as the mustachioed Capt. Kangaroo lookalike, John Bolton, National Security Advisor, who after beating the drums for war in Iraq took up beating the drums for all-out war with Iran. A succession of such Republicans has trooped across the stage, departing to write tell-all exposes after limited success in thwarting Trumps core agenda from the inside. That agenda no doubt involves nuances way beyond Trumps comprehension. In trade and immigration matters, theres surely plenty of gray area. But youll find a lot more concern for these nuances in the university faculty lounges than on the factory floor. In any event, immigration and trade are certainly, at the least, debatable topics, not the mandatory orthodoxies Trump detractors insist they are. After all, it was not long ago that labor unions were in the forefront questioning the impact of trade deals and immigration policy on American workers. Civil rights icons such as Congresswoman Barbara Jordan were once in the vanguard of those protesting that open-door immigration undercuts low-income Americans, especially blacks. Today such positions will get you denounced as a xenophobic Know Nothing redneck. How, then, to account for the extent and intensity of the hysteria that has gripped the various anti-Trump constituencies? Yes, hes an obnoxious jerk. Conceded. But can this explain the howling irrationality of Antifa and other Muqtada-al-Sadr-style street militia protests that have turned Minneapolis, Portland, Chicago and New York into urban versions of post-Saddam Baghdad? Could it be that theres a dreaded, unvoiced fear around the Swamp, around the university faculty lounges and around the newsrooms that the economy can function just fine, thank you, with a reduced level of meddling ministrations by fussbudget activists and busybody reformers? Could there be, in other words, a dread fear that Trump just might be onto something, as seemed apparent before the Wuhan virus derailed the economy? The very thought of the possibility surely causes night terrors to trouble the sleep of many a Swamp inhabitant. Its all the more absurd to harp that Trump poses a threat to democracy given the defiant exuberance of his foes. There seems little chance of tamping down their determination to vent as fully and gleefully as the First Amendment guarantees them the right to do. They daily excoriate Trump as a Klavern-certified white supremacist. They say hes a homophobe, an Islamophobe, a xenophobe, a transphobe, a whateveraphobe. He actually has been labeled a bibliophobe, a cenophobe and a dikaphobe. (Google em yourself.) Jon Stewart called him F-kface von Clownsticks. Is Stewart now off in Trumps gulag swinging a sledge hammer at a rock pile? Or is he actually still riding around in chauffeured limos and flying first class? The latter, I do suspect. Hollywood limousine liberals and other wits and wags ridicule Trump as Adolf Twitler, Agent Orange, Benedict Donald, Boss Tweet, and Donald Dodo. And that only gets us as far as the ds. Hes been called a fascist carnival barker, a human airhorn, a traitor, the Felon in Chief and Putins butt boy. And those are the more or less printable epithets. In consequence of all this, is the American gulag overflowing with columnists, editorial-page editors, cable commentators and Internet dissenters as for example Xi Jinpings gulag is? Have Madonna and Alex Baldwin been rounded up in the dark of night and shipped off to wilderness re-education camps? Is it Trumpian Brownshirts who are pelting police with bricks and bottles and smashing windows and setting buildings ablaze and looting liquor stores? Is it Trump who has been banning certain speakers from appearing on our university campuses? Has Trump cuffed the New York Times Dean Banquet and CNNs Don Lemon and perp-marched them off to the paddy wagon? I think not. I think, in fact, the New York Times and CNN owe Trump a huge debt of gratitude for single-handedly saving them from a free-fall crash in circulation and plunge in audience share. If anything, Trump has proved by the ruckus hes incited that democracy in America is alive and well and kicking. The Zamfara Police Command has beefed up security around the Emir of Shinkafi, Muhammad Makwashi, to forestal the breakdown of law and order over alleged disturbance. The emir came under fire from some chieftaincy holders and residents of Shinkafi over the recent traditional title of Sadauki (Defender) given to a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, by the emirate council. The command Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu, who made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau on Sunday, said the increased security was done since Friday. According to the police spokesman, the emirate council learned that some people were planning to lead a demonstration within Shinkafi. The emirate wrote to the police command seeking protection and to avert any breakdown Fani-Kayodeof law and order which is what we did as a security outfit. We also deployed our patrol teams throughout Shinkafi so that peace and order can be maintained because the Commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Nagogo has always warned people from taking the law into their own hands. If anyone has grudges against any other person or persons, there are established legal channels to take such grudges to, including going to the courts but we will not allow anyone to cause any trouble, Mr Shehu explained. He reiterated that what was happening in Shinkafi was not house arrest of the emir as being speculated but protection for the emir Also while speaking to NAN, a close associate of the emirate council, Murtala Dale, said we suspected moves by some miscreants to attack the emir while on his way for Friday prayers which was why we requested the police for protection. You see all these are coming as a result of the recent traditional title given to Femi Fani-Kayode by the emir which some people condemned, he said. NAN reports that critics of the title were not happy with several comments against the North, northerners, Hausa/Fulani, Islam and the Sultanate which they alleged were attributed to the former minister. (NAN) Flash U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday that his administration is closely monitoring Hurricane Hanna after it made landfall in the southern state of Texas. The storm, the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season, made landfall at 5:00 p.m. central time (2200 GMT) on Padre Island, Texas, as a Category 1 hurricane. More than an hour later, the hurricane made a second landfall nearby. The National Hurricane Center said it brought maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. As the hurricane is moving onshore, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, beach flooding, and dangerous rip currents at the local beaches, as well as very strong winds with damage to buildings and trees, and power outages will continue to be the main threats, according to the National Weather Service. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Saturday that he has issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties in the "Lone Star State." The hurricane came as the number of coronavirus infections continues to surge across Texas, which has reported more than 389,000 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted earlier this year that a likely range of 13 to 19 named storms, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes, for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes. Trump also said on Saturday that the federal government is monitoring Hurricane Douglas, which is off the coast of Hawaii, a U.S. state in the Pacific Ocean. The White House additionally said Trump has declared that an emergency exists in Hawaii. The Pacific Disaster Center said Saturday that the hurricane is "tracking toward the Hawaiian Islands." The storm is "expected to pass near the Hawaiian Islands late Saturday through Sunday," the organization tweeted. "Heavy rainfall is expected for parts of Maui; with potential storm surge, tropical storm winds, and heavy rainfall for Oahu." Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The Vietnam Banks Association has just sent a dispatch to propose the Ministry of Information and Communications lower charges for banking services via SMS. The Viet Nam Banks Association said that charges for banking services via SMS were too high. Photo nld.com.vn This is the third time within three months the association has sent the proposal to the ministry. The association said that the banking sector had reduced customer support fees in order to effectively implement the Prime Minister's Resolution 84/NQ-CP dated May 29 this year on tasks and solutions to remove difficulties for production and business and promote the disbursement of public investment and ensure social order in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the banking sector had not been supported by partners to reduce fees, it said. It said that the SMS charges which telecommunications businesses were applying to banks were much higher than those for individuals. For example, MobiFone and VinaPhone were charging VND820 (US$0.035) per SMS for financial transactions and VND500 for ads and customer care messages. Viettels fee was VND785 per SMS for financial transactions and VND500 for others. Meanwhile, charges for SMS between individuals were around VND250-300 each. The association added that the current SMS charges were too high, adding it was necessary to lower them to encourage the use of cashless payments. The association said that SMS banking fees collected by banks were currently low and only collected once per month ranging from VND5,500 to VND11,000 per month. Many banks were adopting free policies to increase technology utilities for customers and accelerate the conversion to online transactions, it said. Each money transfer or payment transaction needs to send at least two messages to customers. Each customer has 15-20 transactions per month on average, equivalent to 25-30 messages per month, worth about VND20,000-25,000 per month. The association calculated that a small-scale bank generating about 9-11 million messages per month has to pay telecommunications businesses from VND7.5 to 9 billion. The Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV), one of the four largest banks in the market, reported that its SMS output had been increasing over the years. There were 365.58 million messages in 2017; 473.62 million in 2018; 635.48 million in 2019 and 320.38 million in the first five months of this year. The total output of the three years and the first five months of this year is approximately 1.9 billion messages, costing nearly VND1.2 trillion. If operators applied the normal text message fees of about VND300 each, the cost would be reduced by about 50 per cent, said the bank. VNS In a speech delivered by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library on Thursday local time, the U.S. politician once gain made hypes of the so-called China threat and distorted China-U.S. relations, like he always did. It was another round of attacks and slandering on China planned by certain U.S. politicians in the recent month. Pompeos remarks were not fact-based and called white black, and the whole speech was characterized by ideological prejudices and Cold War mentality, representing the typical lies recently fabricated by high-ranking U.S. officials about China. Lies never stand the test of facts. Pompeo, who chose the Richard Nixon Presidential Library as the venue to deliver his speech, has drained his brain to stage such a ridiculous farce, following those who had done similar deeds, such as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Robert C. OBrien, FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Attorney General William Barr. However, any attempt to fabricate or distort the history is never tolerated. According to the Shanghai Communique, which was released by the two countries when former U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972, there are essential differences between China and the U.S. in their social systems and foreign policies. However, the two sides agreed that countries, regardless of their social systems, should conduct their relations on the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, noninterference in the internal affairs of other states, as well as equality and mutual benefit. Under the efforts of both China and the U.S., their bilateral relations made historic breakthroughs over the past 40 some years. However, Pompeo is nether respecting history nor facing the facts. He made conceptual shift and said the U.S. aims to induce change in developing relationship with China. He also painstakingly fabricated a tearjerker in which he fantasizes that China wants to raid the U.S. In the eyes of the people around the world, the worst secretary of state in American history without a single diplomatic achievement is just unscrupulous and has no moral compass. The leadership by the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the most essential attribute of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and a choice made by history and the people. The CPC always represents and firmly safeguards the interests of the Chinese people, and is supported by the 1.4 billion Chinese people. No country, individual or force has the right to deny the path that is chosen by the Chinese people and has been proved right in practices, or is able to stop China from marching forward along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Richard Haas, president of Council on Foreign Relations, a New York-based think tank, pointed out sharply that Pompeo has made diplomacy impossible-quite a stance for Americas chief diplomat to take, unless his goal is to ensure diplomacy fails. The more efforts are taken by the U.S. politicians to slander China, the more darkness and conspiracies of them are exposed. They made every attempt to pass the buck when the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases exceeded 4 million in the U.S., and did everything to impede international cooperation and impact international order. Pompeo said in his speech that If the free world doesnt change doesnt change, communist China will surely change us. However, its clear that China is the one who has been committed to building a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind. The country is always a constructor of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a guardian of international order. If there must be one thing that China hopes to change, that is the country will neither compromise with hegemony nor follow the beaten path to seek hegemony. Instead, it hopes to uphold the spirit of mutual respect, justice and equity, and win-win cooperation, and blaze a new trail in relations between countries that favor dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance. Pompeo and his peers, finding Cold War cliches from the dust heap of history, are making hypes everywhere to slander and attack China. The U.S. Secretary of State, dreaming to establish an anti-China alliance, goes counter to the trend of times featuring peace, development, cooperation and win-win results, as well as the hopes of most countries in the world. His dangerous and mean attempts are doomed to fail. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy.) A big worry for Pakistan is the presence in Afghanistan of militants, particularly linked to the TTP or Jamaat-ul-Ahrar or Lashkar-e-Islam, as well as those with the Baluchistan Liberation Army, which has taken responsibility for high-profile attacks this month in the southern Sindh province as well as in southwestern Baluchistan Province. Several Pakistan military personnel have been killed this month in southwestern Baluchistan province in battle with insurgents. The easy answer to this apprehension is to say that if you believe (as I certainly do) that defeating President Trump is the prerequisite for anything good happening again in American politics, you should welcome everyone willing to help get the job done. And in light of Trumps threats to challenge the results if he loses, the health of our democracy may depend on Bidens winning by a landslide that would leave not a smidgen of doubt about what the voters were saying. This is an all-hands-on-deck proposition. A suspect has led the police to exhume the skeletal remains of a man he has allegedly admitted to have murdered three years ago. The police said the suspect, Yakubu Atubiga, alias Phobia, 38, a resident of Fawobotoso in the Ahafo Ano North District in the Ashanti Region, had initially denied killing Martin Kwabena Amuzu, but after further interrogation, he admitted burying the head of the deceased in an anthill, while he dumped the other parts of the body in an abandoned well. He consequently led the police to retrieve the skull and other skeletal parts. Missing The abandoned well Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Godwin Ahianyo, said some time in August 2017, one Mr Gyau reported to the police of the disappearance of Amuzu, who was then 32 years. He said on July 7, this year, the police in Tepa received intelligence that in August 2017, Atubiga had shot and killed Amuzu on a farm at Kwame Baah cottage. According to the PRO, one Akwasi Twumasi had found Amuzus body on a cocoa farm and went to inform Nana Bowie, the chief of the cottage, about it, but the chief asked him not to tell anyone about it. Mr Ahianyo said following the intelligence, Atubiga was arrested, together with the deceaseds former employer and Twumasi. Exhumation order Mr Ahianyo said on July 20, this year, the police secured an exhumation order from the Tepa District Court, and together with officers from the Environmental Health Unit and the Ashanti Regional Crime Scene Team, went to exhume the skull, together with a pair of white rubber slippers and a multi-coloured T-shirt suspected to belong to the deceased. The following day, he said, the suspect again led the police to an abandoned well at the cottage where he claimed he had dumped some of the skeletal remains of the deceased. The bones and the skull had since been deposited at the Tepa Government Hospital for preservation and DNA analysis. Source: Graphiconline.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 One driving factor is that most biology textbooks are presented as a history of science, Ballen says. No women from the 1600s through 1900 were mentioned in the books surveyed. Thats 300 years of just white men in textbooks, she says. Instead, biology textbooks could be written with more emphasis on illustrating concepts with contemporary examples, instead of historical ones. When you look at contemporary examples, you get more diversity; both women and scientists of color have greater access to biology, they are more accessible for textbook authors and publishers to find, and more prominent in their field. File image Preparations are underway to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on August 5. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is overseeing the preparations for the event personally, ensuring that it is celebrated like Diwali, News18 reported. The auspicious moment has come after 500 years of struggle and must be celebrated like Diwali, Adityanath said during a meeting with seers and saints. Residents accordingly have been asked to light earthen lamps on the eve of the event. The UP tourism department is equally involved in the preparation of festivities to make the celebration merrier, the report said, adding that roads, railings, and walls surrounding the temple area are being painted with murals. The occasion will be live-streamed on Doordarshan so that devotees can access the event. Diwali will be celebrated in Ayodhya from August 3. Saints will also participate in 108 Hanuman Chalisa recitations in the temples, according to Mahant Kanhaiya Das, president of Ayodhya Sant Samiti, the report said. On July 25, Adityanath visited the Ram Janbhoomi Temple site and placed the idols of Laxman, Bharat, and Shatrughan on their new 'asanas'. According to a trust member, only 200 people have been slated to attend the event while maintaining all social distancing norms. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 03:55:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Saturday reported 123 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of cases in Libya to more than 2,500. The center said in a statement that it received a total of 1,074 suspected samples, of which 123 were tested positive, adding that six patients have recovered while one died. The center said the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Libya so far is 2,547, including 510 recoveries and 58 deaths. A series of protective measures against the pandemic have been taken by the Libyan authorities since the first case was announced in March, including closing the country's borders, closing schools and mosques, banning public gatherings, and imposing a curfew. China donated medical supplies, including nucleic acid diagnostic kits and masks, to Libya in June to help the country fight against the pandemic. Enditem Martina Cawley of Family Carers Ireland, Sligo/Leitrim branch is seeking nominations for 2020 Netwatch Carer of the Year Awards, which recognise, celebrate and shine a light on the remarkable contribution of Irelands 355,000 family carers. There are 2,512 Family Carers in Leitrim, one of whom will be named Leitrim Carer of the Year for 2020 at the awards ceremony on November 6th 2020. Family carers across Ireland make extraordinary sacrifices and work extremely hard, sometimes 24 hours a day, to provide care for family members and friends in their own homes. The Covid-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of their role in society as they prop up our healthcare system by keeping their loved ones at home and out of hospital. With limited access to essential services and particularly respite, family carers are overstretched and receive little acknowledgement for their unpaid work which saves the State 10bn each year. Nomination forms are now available online at www.familycarers.ie or via the National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. People from Leitrim are encouraged to nominate a family carer that they know who deserves this recognition. Martina Cawley, Sligo/Leitrim Manager with Family Carers Ireland, said, The awards recognise Leitrims Leitrim family carers for their unyielding sacrifice and commitment to care for their loved ones at home. Whilst 2020 has been challenging for people across Ireland, this has particularly been the case for family carers, many of whom lost their vital supports and services during lockdown. Now more than ever, they deserve to be recognised and celebrated for their enormous contribution to our society. I hope people will go online and nominate a local family carer for an award. An Inspirational Launch The 2020 Netwatch Carer of the Year Awards were launched in Swords on Saturday, 18th July with scenes of celebration as inspirational teenager Jack ODonovan (17), who lives with cerebral palsy, completed an extraordinary 5km walk in aid of Family Carers Ireland. He crossed the finish line with the support of his family, neighbours and friends including Netwatch CEO Wendy Hamilton and Brand Ambassador and Irish rugby legend, Mick Galwey. Wendy Hamilton, CEO, Netwatch said, At Netwatch, we all feel very privileged to have this opportunity to work with such a vital service. We acknowledge the strength of family carers, whose service to the country has become more critical in recent months and certainly more difficult. The decision to look after a loved and vulnerable relative may be a simple one to make, but it is powerfully difficult to deliver on. Lockdown has not made it any easier. Jacks great effort here today shows us how important it is to move past the language of what cant be done, towards the language of what must be done. This is our second year supporting the Netwatch Carer of the Year Awards and every day we spend with Family Carers Ireland we learn something new. Nomination forms are now available online at www.familycarers.ie, through Family Carers Irelands 21 resource centres nationwide or via the National Freephone Careline 1800 24 07 24. The 2020 Netwatch Carer of the Year Awards will be presented by Family Carers Ireland patrons Mary Kennedy and Marty Whelan at a scaled-back event at The Westin Hotel, Dublin on November 6th. www.familycarers.ie / www.netwatchsystem.com It was among the most alarming takeaways from a gun violence meeting attended by Greater Toronto Area mayors, police leaders and provincial and federal politicians. Not only were shootings rising, but the victims and the perpetrators were getting younger. That sobering fact appeared to galvanize the January meeting of the minds, called to address unacceptable levels of gun violence across the GTA. From it came a resolve to combat the bloodshed through a host of changes, ranging from increased border security to electronic bail bracelets to greater investments in communities. But six months and a pandemic later, gun violence is thriving. Young people continue to be both victimized and accused of shooting up homes and neighbourhoods, to deadly effect. In Toronto this year, shootings have injured nearly 100 people and killed 24, nearly half of those victims dying before their 30th birthday. Community advocates, criminologists and politicians alike know recent violence is part of a longer-term trend. Between 2014 and 2019, the number of shootings and victims nearly tripled in Toronto; last year, 240 people were injured and 44 killed in 492 shootings in the city. The issue does not respect city limits. In York Region, shootings increased 500 per cent over the same period, from nine in 2014 to 54 last year. In Peel, there were 30 shootings and two deaths in 2014; by 2019, there were 92 shootings and 12 deaths. The statistics are both alarming and telling: they underscore how our current efforts to curb gun violence arent working. In some cases, promises for action remain unfulfilled. The first allotment of $250 million in federal funding specifically earmarked to fight gun violence by the Liberal government during the 2019 election, for instance, has still not been handed over. At the January meeting, Mayor John Tory stressed that the federal money $50 million a year over five years is needed now. Its very clear to me that they need to get a move on with that $50 million, said Irvin Waller, a professor emeritus in criminology at the University of Ottawa and author of Science and Secrets of Ending Violent Crime, although he noted the amount is peanuts in terms of whats needed. But, Waller said, there are bigger reasons why efforts to curb gun violence, particularly law-and-order initiatives, havent yet produced results: They werent really initiatives that were likely to work. The evidence is very clear that the police, courts and prison system have only a limited effect on violence of all sorts, including gun violence, he said. Marcell Wilson, a former gang member and co-founder of One by One Movement, a non-profit that works to prevent at-risk people from joining gangs, said now is the time to think big. Nothing is too crazy to put on the table now except what we know hasnt worked, he said. And we seem to be stuck in that cycle. Heres a look at the problem and what could be done: Gun violence in Toronto this year Shootings are among few types of crime that have remained constant throughout COVID-19. So far, the city has experienced gun violence comparable to 2018, when it saw 51 fatal shootings, the highest count in the last decade. And in the number of recorded shootings and deaths, Toronto is outpacing year-to-date statistics from 2019 the worst year on record for people killed and injured in shootings. Year over year, gun violence visits the same neighbourhoods in the city. According to data obtained by the Star spanning 2012 to 2019, the majority of gun deaths occur in the citys northwest corner, in north Scarborough and in downtown Toronto. Shooting injuries follow the same geographic pattern. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, an assistant professor of criminology at the University of Toronto, said these are very densely populated and under-resourced areas where, all too often, social and economic marginalization are present. Gun violence is often a product of social ills, and thats where we see a concentration of social ills thats likely to produce the conditions in which violence emerges, he said. Bail and bracelets Amid a spike in gun violence last summer, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said an ineffective bail system meant alleged criminals were all too frequently being released on firearms charges, only to reoffend. Officers rearrested 53 people who were out on bail on firearms charges between August and September 2019 alone, police said. The provincial government, meanwhile, created intensive bail teams at courthouses in Toronto and Peel Region for Crown lawyers handling firearm-related offences, a measure to ensure bail is denied for people charged with violent offences. That initiative, part of Ontarios Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy, was criticized by many in the legal community, who say its difficult to get bail on firearms charges. Provincewide statistics for 2018 show that while 39 per cent of cases involving firearms charges resulted in the person being detained, 30 per cent saw the accused being released at the bail stage. Statistics for 2019 were not available upon request, but a spokesperson for Ontarios Ministry of the Attorney General said from October 2018 to June 2020, the Toronto bail team conducted 716 bail hearings and 92 bail review hearings. A bail review hearing allows the prosecutors to appeal a bail decision before a Superior Court judge. As a result of this initiative, the dedicated bail team has the resources to quickly launch a bail review hearing. They are already familiar with the case, and local gang culture, and can ensure that the strongest possible evidence is placed before the court when the Crown is seeking detention for serious firearm charges, a ministry spokesperson said. Those at the January meeting also raised the idea of making electronic monitoring bracelets which help people on bail stay on track more accessible. They are used infrequently because the accused have to foot the bill. Saunders said in an interview Friday that bail compliance is still contributing to gun violence. But he expressed hope that a recent provincial initiative, which covers the cost of the bracelets, will make a difference. I think that this could serve a critical role in the reduction of gun violence, Saunders said. Bail compliance continues to be an issue in York Region, too, said media relations officer Sgt. Andy Pattenden in an email. He added that changes that courts made as a result of COVID-19 have not helped the issue, saying theres been an increase in the number of people charged with violent offences being released on bail. Changes at the U.S. border The majority of crime guns used in Toronto in recent years have been smuggled from the U.S., prompting police and politicians to call for greater vigilance at the border. According to statistics from late last year, 222, or 75 per cent, of the 296 firearms Toronto police were able to trace between January and October originated in the U.S. In 2018, 70 per cent of sourced guns were from the U.S. At the January meeting, Joel Lightbound, parliamentary secretary to the public safety minister, said better intelligence sharing between the Canada Border Services Agency and local police was required to allow them to collaborate more efficiently. Asked whether that has happened, a spokesperson for CBSA said the agency has continued working with law enforcement in the GTA. While the details and nature of these engagements will not be disclosed to ensure the integrity of intelligence and investigative activities, we are continuing advancements in border intelligence, detection and security, said Ashley Lemire. A Peel Regional Police spokesperson said they have a dedicated officer working with U.S. customs officials attempting to stem the flow of guns across the Canadian/U.S. borders. According to statistics provided by CBSA, even with COVID-19 border closures, officials have seized 181 firearms in Ontario alone this year. By the same time last year, they had seized 225 firearms. Gun control Two weeks after a gunman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia in April, the federal government banned a range of assault-style guns like the one used in the massacre. The move was lauded as a significant step forward by those seeking greater restrictions on firearms. But gun control advocates say the next step must be a handgun ban. In a statement marking the second anniversary of the Danforth shooting, Ken Price whose daughter was among 13 injured in the mass shooting that killed Reese Fallon, 18, and Julianna Kozis, 10 reissued that call. We must do what other thoughtful nations have chosen to do and prohibit handguns, he said in a statement on behalf of Danforth Families for Safe Communities. Bill Blair, Canadas public safety minister, has said the Liberals gun control legislation will allow municipalities to decide that handguns cannot be legally kept within city limits. But Price said that approach could easily create a patchwork of laws that will sow confusion. Critics say a handgun ban would not decrease Torontos gun violence problem, because of guns coming predominantly from the U.S. Wilson, the former gang member, said based on what he knows, neither gun bans nor buybacks work, because criminals do not follow any type of law. More police, more money As shootings spiked in the summer of 2018 and last year, Toronto police launched multimillion-dollar initiatives to fight gun violence through increased enforcement. Both years saw more officers deployed throughout the city in high-risk areas. Last years initiative, Project Community Space, saw $4.5 million in funding from all three levels of government. Neither project resulted in a year-end reduction in shootings, though Toronto police said the 2019 initiative led to higher solve rates for shootings. Saunders said on Friday he considered it a success, in part because of the 247 guns seized. Critics say these are Band-Aid solutions that dont address the causes of crime, and perpetuate the idea that policing is the solution to gun violence. A Star analysis in 2019 found when money is granted to or approved by city council, enforcement efforts have been heavily favoured over community interventions. That trend continued earlier this month, when council rejected a motion asking Toronto police to reduce its 2021 budget by 10 per cent and instead fund community initiatives. Waller, the Ottawa criminologist, said crime prevention research supports taking 10 per cent of the money governments spend on the criminal justice system and diverting it to initiatives to address social issues including poverty, mental illness, homelessness and substance abuse. The investment can pay dividends, Waller said, that could eventually provide as much as a 50 per cent reduction in crime. I do not understand how any politician with a straight face today can say that increasing the police budget is going to reduce violence. This is just not true, Waller said. Asked about city council rejecting the police budget cut, Waller said whats most important is that council spend the equivalent amount on the things that work. Thats what is going to save lives. Thats whats going to stop people from coming out of hospital emergency rooms in wheelchairs. Thats whats going to reduce the trauma that goes along with shootings, Waller said. Funding for youth, community programs Last week marked the official launch of An Ounce of Prevention, a community-based initiative offering free counselling and supports to Black and racialized youth involved in the criminal justice system or who are vulnerable to gang involvement, as well as their families. The initiative is a prime example of upstream programming intended to reduce or prevent crime by supporting young people and their families. The aim is to create a Toronto where the future of Black and racialized youth is not determined by contact with the criminal justice system, said Kemi Jacobs, executive director of Delta Family, one of five Toronto-based community organizations that have joined forces to deliver the program. Funded by Public Safety Canada, its an example of the federal government investing in what Blair called evidence-based, community-led projects that make a real difference in the lives of marginalized communities. But advocates have long said governments arent supporting enough of these initiatives, which address the root causes of violence, especially with young people. And when they are supported, theres too often a ticking timer on funding, something Tory remarked on during the Ounce of Prevention launch. One thing I hope is that Public Safety Canada gives a 10-year funding commitment, he said, noting a small funding window can see programs cut off just as they are getting traction. Tory has repeatedly called on provincial and federal governments to increase investments in kids, families and neighbourhoods. Asked why the first allotment of $50 million promised for gun violence hasnt yet been provided, Public Safety Canada said a funding decision by ministers has not yet been made. In the meantime, the spokesperson noted cities can still access initiatives such as the Public Safety Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund and the Youth Gang Prevention fund. In 2014, Toronto city council approved a Toronto Youth Equity Strategy based on the provincially commissioned Roots of Youth Violence report, which spelled out how to address those root causes. In 2018, the Star found the strategy had failed to deliver on many of its planned programs. In 2019, Tory vowed to commit the money to fill any gaps and it was only in 2020 that city staff declared the mandate complete. In July 2018, responding to escalating violence and at the mayors urging, council approved an anti-gun-violence plan of more than $50 million. But council approved no new dollars, instead relying on provincial and federal funding. Today, community aspects of that plan remain largely unfunded despite repeated requests to the federal government, city staff told the Star. The federal government did provide $6.8 million to expand a community healing project using youth mentors working with their peers in targeted neighbourhoods. While the city applied for $32.7 million in grants for community programs like an intervention program to specifically target youth at risk before retaliatory violence occurs, $26 million remains unfunded. During the 2020 budget process, Tory vowed to increase the budget to tackle community violence by $6 million, including money for new youth hubs dedicated safe spaces in libraries and recreation centres for young people to hang out, do homework and receive mentorship. As of July, those programs are moving forward, staff said, including planning for the 10 new hubs. Farley Flex, co-founder of community-based organization Urban Rez Solutions, one of the initiatives helping deliver An Ounce of Prevention services, emphasized the importance of collaboration to support youth and families. The more of us that come together in a collaborative context, the easier the load is, he said at the Ounce of Prevention launch. We call it ants moving a leaf. With Star files Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing for the Star. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based reporter covering city hall and municipal politics for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags David Rider is the Stars City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics. Follow him on Twitter: @dmrider Trump eases controls on exports of lethal drones to US allies Iran Press TV Saturday, 25 July 2020 12:13 AM US President Donald Trump has moved to make it easier to export some types of American-made lethal drones to Washington's allies, saying that the allies need US technology and that other countries outside of a non-proliferation pact were taking over the market. Trump had approved a move to diverge from the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), in which 35 countries agreed to restrict the sales of unmanned arms delivery systems, the White House announced in Friday. The MTCR is an international agreement that sets rules for export of missiles and related weaponry. US drone producers, facing increasing competition from abroad, especially from Chinese and Israeli rivals who often sell under lighter restrictions, have lobbied hard for the rule changes. The new measures are part of Trump's so-called "America First" policy, which seeks to rewrite the rules of global commerce in favor of the US and reduce the country's trade deficit. The MTCR was designed to control the spread of missiles that could deliver large payload like nuclear weapons. But the treaty also covered armed drones. Trump's new order will reclassify armed drones from technology whose export is severely restricted to a category that can be considered on a case-by-case basis, according to AFP. The change will allow sales of the Reaper and Predator drones used by the US military, as well as others made by US military manufacturers. "The MTCR's standards are more than three decades old," the White House said in a statement. "Not only do these outdated standards give an unfair advantage to countries outside of the MTCR and hurt United States industry, they also hinder our deterrence capability abroad by handicapping our partners and allies with subpar technology." Human rights and arms control advocates have warned that the new US measures risks fueling violence and instability in regions such as the Middle East and South Asia. They have criticized Trump's order and said the US sale of advanced drones to more countries could fuel the global arms race. "The Trump administration has once again weakened international export controls on the export of lethal drones," said Senator Bob Menendez in a statement. "This reckless decision makes it more likely that we will export some of our most deadly weaponry to human rights abusers across the world," he said. The move marks a major step toward overcoming a long-standing US taboo against selling armed drones to countries other than a handful of Washington's most trusted allies. The only sales of armed US drones in recent years have been to Britain and Italy. A list of potential buyers being given fast-track treatment is expected to expand to include more NATO members, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf Arab counties, as well as treaty allies such as Japan and South Korea, the people familiar with the plan said. Also likely to be in the favored group would be key partners such as India, Singapore and Australia as well as many of the 35 signatories to the MTCR. US drone manufacturers are seeking to gain a larger share of the global military drone market, which has forecast will rise from $2.8 billion in sales in 2016 to $9.4 billion in 2025.US drone manufacturers are seeking to gain a larger share of the global military drone market, which has forecast will rise from $2.8 billion in sales in 2016 to $9.4 billion in 2025. There has been a sharp rise in the number of US drone strikes around the world since Trump took office, according to a report published in December by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The team working on an archaeological dig 15 kilometres south of Melita found an intact hearth this past week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 25/7/2020 (543 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us The team working on an archaeological dig 15 kilometres south of Melita found an intact hearth this past week. On July 18, The Brandon Sun reported on a second season of work on the site where, in 2018, Erik Olson found modified bison scapulae, which were used as hoes and might lead to knowledge about a pre-contact agrarian Indigenous society in southwestern Manitoba from the late 1400s to the 1600s or 1700s. Archaeologist Alicia Gooden exposes a hearth feature found next to the femur, or upper leg bone, of a bison and a bison scapula, or shoulder blade. (Photo courtesy Mary Malainey) A hearth is the focal point of activities, and other material remains are usually found around such a feature because people like to gather around the hearth and do work, said Brandon University anthropology professor Dr. Mary Malainey, who is leading the dig. "That means somebody built a fire, and it looks like a fairly substantial fire," Malainey said. The location, south of where a hoe was found, also yielded a "bone feature." "There are some upright bones the upper leg bone, a bison femur, sitting almost vertical and a bison scapula sitting right next to it," Malainey said. When the Sun spoke with Malainey Friday, she said the team would be exploring that area for more material remains. Jewel Stouffer, a Canada Summer Jobs student, and Dr. Sara Halwas backfill two units after archaeological excavation is complete. (Photo courtesy Mary Malainey) "Were going to get soil samples, and were going to try and get a better understanding of what was going on," she said. "Everything we found in that area is consistent with a bone-tool workshop. We believe thats whats going on here. Theyre making bone tools. Twenty metres to the south, we found an area where theres a whole bunch of small flakes." Malainey said thats what you get when someone sharpens their tools. The team is opening up more units near these finds. Because of COVID-19, Malainey is spacing units a small square or rectangular area of exploration further apart than she normally would be, to keep everyone at a distance from each other. Wearing a mask in the heat when youre doing hard work all day is less than optimal, she added. Units are a part of an overall grid archaeologists impose on a site. "We have to know where the material was collected. That helps us put together an accurate picture of what happened in the past," Malainey said. "We have reams of paperwork and photographs. This is our one chance to interpret the pre-contact activities correctly. We have to make sure we collect all the information required to do that." Jewel Stouffer, a Canada Summer Jobs student, backfills units after an archaeological excavation is completed. Malainey said the results of survey work Clear View Scannings Kyle Rempel is doing with ground-penetrating radar is going much better than expected. Rempel was able to cover a lot of ground, and that will help understand if people were living in the prairie areas west of Gainsborough Creek, a tributary of the Souris River. There is also prairie on the other side of the highway on the east side of the creek. So far, the team has been digging in the valley where the bison-scapula hoes were found. "But we know from ethnographic and archaeological evidence a lot of Indigenous farming communities would spend their summers up on top at the prairie level and not in the valley," Malainey said. "They would go down to the valley in the winter, because thats where all the trees are." Malainey is thrilled with the reception the project has received from area First Nations. After the July 15 blessing with Greg Chatkana, Chicago Demas and Sheree Blacksmith from Canupawakpa, a pipe ceremony was held last Saturday with Chief Eric Pashe, Elder Linda Nadon and Darryl Taylor from Dakota Tipi First Nation. "We are digging up the archaeological (material) remains of Indigenous people prior to European contact. It is their history. Its not ours. We are very aware of that," Malainey said. "We are sensitive to the fact that in the past, Indigenous perspectives were ignored. There was no consultation. This area of Manitoba is particularly sensitive because there are so many burial mounds, and we want to make sure that all the First Nation communities in the area know what were doing and know that we are very careful, that we want to interpret the history of their ancestors properly." Malainey said if the team is in a situation where they might be in a sensitive area, it will stop and consult with the First Nations. Malainey is also thrilled that roughly 80 people made it out to visit the site last weekend. "It was pouring rain, and we had people lined up to go visit the site," she said. "I was just completely floored. It was amazing." Malainey said its important for members of the public to see the significance of the site, where there is strong indication of Indigenous cultivation. "I want people in southwest Manitoba to value that." Site visits for the public are taking place again today and Sunday at 10 a.m. and noon. Those who are interested are invited to meet the researchers in the grassy plain west of Highway 83, approximately 500 metres north of the junction with 10N. Physical distancing will be observed. mletourneau@brandonsun.com Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism. By Jessica Corbett, staff writer at CommonDreams. Originally published at CommonDreams After a U.S. district judge on Friday denied the Oregon attorney generals request for a temporary restraining order against federal agencies, officers deployed to Portland by President Donald Trump dispensed tear gas and fired impact munitions as the thousands of protesters gathered in the city until early Saturday for ongoing demonstrations against police brutality. #PORTLAND update 7/25/2020: *Largest crowd of protesters in weeks face off with federal agents. *More tear gas, more impact munitions. *Many protesters wore colors in solidarity with their professions. *25 people arrive with marching band drums.https://t.co/vyvPdnm7x5 pic.twitter.com/zG3eHAOsQs Jim Roberts (@nycjim) July 25, 2020 Friday night featured one of the largest crowds since the Portland protests kicked off in late May, with at least 4,000 people in the streets, according to The Oregonian. The night started with a rally on the steps of the downtown jail next to the federal courthouse on Southwest Third Avenue. A parade of vehicles, many adorned with Black Lives Matter decorations, circled around the area. The drivers honked the car horns in rhythm with the crowds Black Lives Matter chant. The large crowd expanded after 9 p.m. when a march from the waterfront arrived. Many marchers wore distinct colors tied to specific professions or community groups. Social workers wore green. Dining industry workers wore chef coats. Healthcare workers wore blue. Groups of parents, who started the collective attire trend nearly a week ago, wore yellow and orange. Participants in the citys Friday night events included members of the groups Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers Against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives, the Wall of Moms, and a new Wall of Vets. Backed by the beat of drums, the demonstrators chanted Black Lives Matter and Feds go home. WATCH: Protesters chant Black lives matter at police in Portland. pic.twitter.com/ipXZd9esAT The Hill (@thehill) July 25, 2020 Feds started abducting protesters and a wall of moms formed. They gassed the moms, so dads brought leaf blowers. They beat a Navy veteran who just wanted to speak with them, then a wall of vets came together. They attacked volunteer medics, so nurses showed up in scrubs. https://t.co/cQBCjojxq2 ACLU (@ACLU) July 25, 2020 Early Saturday, The Oregonian reported, fireworks were set off from a crowd near the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse, the site of repeated overnight confrontations between federal officers embedded inside and demonstrators gathered outside. In recent days, as President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy federal agents to other major U.S. cities and actually sent a tactical team to Seattle, the conduct of the presidents secret police in Portland has drawn intense condemnation on a national scale and provoked multiple lawsuits. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mosman weighed in on one of those cases late Friday, denying Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblums request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Protection Service and their agents. In response to reports of unidentified federal agents in unmarked vehicles snatching people off the streets of Portland, the states suit asked the judge to force the federal officers to identify themselves and their agencies before arresting or detaining anyone in the city, and to prohibit detentions or arrests without a warrant or probable cause. NEW: A federal judge denied a request by the Oregon AG for an immediate order that would force federal officers in Portland to identify themselves when making arrests and place limits on when they can make arrests. https://t.co/KsTYEmcU6H pic.twitter.com/PzYy0zW8zG Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) July 24, 2020 Mosman wrote in a 14-page ruling (pdf) that although the suit involves allegations of harm done to protesters by law enforcement, no protester is a plaintiff here, and it is not seeking redress for any harm that has been done to protesters. Instead, it seeks an injunction against future conduct, which is also an extraordinary form of relief. The judge ultimately determined that the state failed to show that it has standing to bring the case and denied the TRO request. According to The Associated Press: Legal experts who reviewed the case before the decision warned that the judge could reject it on those grounds. A lawsuit from a person accusing federal agents of violating their rights to free speech or against unconstitutional search and seizure would have a much higher chance of success, Michael Dorf, a constitutional law professor at Cornell University, said ahead of the ruling. The federal government acted in violation of those individuals rights and probably acted in violation of the Constitution in the sense of exercising powers that are reserved to the states, but just because the federal government acts in ways that overstep its authority doesnt mean the state has an injury, he said. Rosenblum responded in a statement Friday that expressed her disappointment with the decision but also noted that in last Wednesdays two-hour hearing, the judge expressed concern with the legality of the federal law enforcement tactics we are seeking to stop. While today the court declined to issue an immediate order putting a stop to those tactics, we are, nevertheless, hopeful these abuses will stop and no other Oregonians will be subject to them or to the chilling effect they have on the right to engage in peaceful protest, Rosenblum said. The attorney general added that while she respects Mosman, I would ask this question: If the state of Oregon does not have standing to prevent this unconstitutional conduct by unidentified federal agents running roughshod over her citizens, who does? Individuals mistreated by these federal agents can sue for damages, but they cant get a judge to restrain this unlawful conduct more generally, she said. Todays ruling suggests that there may be no recourse on behalf of our state, and if so that is extremely troubling. The ACLU, which was not part of the state case but is involved in multiple other legal challenges related to the conditions in Portland, also expressed disappointment with Mosmans denial. While the decision in the states lawsuit is disappointing, federal agents should not for a minute think their unconstitutional actions will go unanswered, said Jann Carson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon. The ACLU will be in court again to hold federal agents accountable for their unconstitutional attacks on the right to protest. The Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois (CAPCIL) has received an unrestricted $5,000 grant from SBB Research Group, a Chicago-area investment firm that recently launched a monthly grant program supporting impactful nonprofits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Headquartered in Lincoln, Illinois, CAPCIL's mission is "to empower persons with low income and the aged' with numerous vital services to thousands of families across five counties. As an Essential Business under Governor Pritzker's executive orders, the organization has continued to operate and serve the community throughout the public health crisis. The agency's efforts have been especially impactful during the pandemic. CAPCIL's Meals on Wheels program delivers nutritious food to elderly individuals, a population that is particularly vulnerable to the virus. They also operate food pantry co-ops at different locations. In addition to its nutrition services, CAPCIL provides job-training and career-planning, wellness checks, emergency kits, medical transportation, and many other forms of life-changing assistance to low-income families. Since CAPCIL's largest annual fundraiser was canceled due to COVID-19, the organization has been deprived of much-needed funding and SBB Research Group's donation couldn't have come at a better time. "We're grateful to SBB Research Group for offering a financial opportunity to support vital programs and agencies during these challenging times," said Breann Titus, CAPCIL's Director of Agency Development. "We're proud to support CAPCIL at this critical time," said Sam Barnett, Ph.D., SBB Research Group's CEO. "Giving back to the community is an important value of our firm, and we're pleased to know our support will be put to good use by CAPCIL's team." For more information about CAPCIL: https://www.capcil.info. Grants from SBB Research Group can be applied at: https://www.sbbrg.org/apply-for-grant. Any 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is encouraged to apply and grants are awarded to different organizations every month. About SBB Research Group Founded in 2010, SBB Research Group is an innovative Chicago-area investment management firm. Founder, CEO Sam Barnett, Ph.D., is an applied mathematician and neuroscientist specializing in quantitative predictions of complex systems, and COO and CCO Matt Aven provides expertise in economics and computer science. They lead an interdisciplinary team of researchers continually striving to optimize the protection and growth of investor capital. The company specializes in creating bespoke funds seeking both stability and long-term results through a systematic investment approach. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200726005022/en/ Contacts: Katie Lach SBB Research Group contact@sbbrg.org 1-847-656-1111 https://www.sbbrg.org/ VARYING travel restrictions by local government units (LGUS) are posing a great challenge to the sustainability of airline operations in the country amid the pandemic. Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and customer experience, said besides weak demand, shifting LGU rules are putting pressure on the airlines operations as it tries to rebuild its network. She said while they understand every LGUs concern in accepting locally stranded individuals, the varying regulations are not helping them to come up with stable flight schedules. Without standardization it will be difficult for us to plan our schedules and stabilize them, she said in an online press conference Friday, July 24. Cebu Pacific is currently serving 23 local destinations and one international destination since it resumed flying on June 3. According to Iyog, this is barely a third of its original network which was serving 63 destinations pre-pandemic. The airlines Manila to Cebu route, which had multiple flight frequencies in a day, for instance, was reduced to one flight per day. There are still so many uncertainties. We plan to grow the network but there are so many dependencies to be able to do that, she said, adding that the airline has created an agile squad that meets twice a week to check on the flight schedules and monitor the guidelines and restrictions of the destination. The Covid-19 pandemic has placed the aviation and tourism industries on a standstill. It limited the air travel movements, resulting in the loss of jobs and empty airports. According to Iyog, the impact was felt by all players in the aviation sector. Total passengers served by the countrys largest airlines fell by 94 percent to 800,000 in the second quarter of 2020, from 13.5 million passengers in the same period in 2019. Cebu Pacific, which flew 22.5 million passengers in 2019, initially targeted 24 million passengers to carry this year. Clearly, its not going to happen, she said. Story continues But amid the gloomy and uncertain outlook in travel and tourism, Cebu Pacific is keen on helping the country restore the trust and confidence of travelers for tourism to slowly recover. Iyog said neighboring countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam have gradually opened their domestic air travel. At present, only essential travels are allowed by the government. (KOC) When Ena Chadha was a Ryerson University journalism student in the late 1980s, she got a job for the summer as an intake officer in the Mississauga branch of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Picking up the phone and being right at the front-line hearing people share their stories and concerns, that was the root of me deciding I wanted to go into human rights, she said. After her journalism degree came law school, followed by a 20-plus-year legal career with a strong focus on human rights, including disability and race. More recently, she was appointed by the provincial government as a co-reviewer looking into allegations of anti-Black racism at the Peel District School Board. Chadha says she now feels like shes coming home, as she takes on the role of interim chief commissioner of the human rights commission. Human rights, a lot of people think about it as ivory tower or something global like the United Nations, Chadha said in a recent interview with the Star. Human rights in the province, it affects everybody. I talk about it as human rights when you get on the bus, its human rights on the sidewalk when you meet up with the police officer, its in your universities with respect to sexual violence. Chadhas appointment on July 22 is for a one-year term. She replaces Renu Mandhane, who had been in the position since 2015 before being appointed a judge on the Superior Court this year by the federal government. Chadhas tenure comes at a critical time in Ontario, one in which she sees the commission playing a crucial role as the province faces calls to dismantle systemic racism and grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and the plethora of human right issues stemming from it. Were at that moment of reckoning and I think the OHRC will be at the forefront of calling on all levels of government to be aware of how these issues intersect, she said. Universally, this moment is one where we have to recognize our collective responsibility and we cant lose sight that the Ontario Human Rights Code is an actual tangible, enshrined commitment as a society to tear down barriers of systemic racism, systemic sexism, all these forms of protected grounds. The commission, founded in 1961, is an arms-length agency of the Ontario government. Its role is to promote, protect and advance human rights through research, education, legal action and policy development. Those who know Chadha say shes well placed to take on the role as interim chief commissioner given her focus on human rights during her legal career. She has served as director of litigation at ARCH Disability Law Centre and has appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada on constitutional and human rights matters. Chadha also has experience working for all three pillars of Ontarios human rights system: the commission (where Chadha also once worked as counsel), the Human Rights Tribunal and the Human Rights Legal Support Centre. Chadha was a vice-chair at the tribunal from 2007 to 2015 and adjudicated on numerous cases including those dealing with topics such as sexual harassment and racial profiling. She also served as chair of the legal support centre, which offers legal assistance to people experiencing discrimination under the human rights code. She stepped down from that role prior to becoming interim chief commissioner. Shes an advocate but, at heart, shes a social justice advocate, and I think a huge part of that is championing access to justice, said Sharmaine Hall, the legal support centres executive director. And so I think both the commission and our organization will continue to benefit from the importance that shes placed on ensuring that all Ontarians have access to the human rights system. Some big files that will have greeted Chadha include an ongoing inquiry by the commission into racial profiling and discrimination of Black people by Toronto police. Despite COVID-19 delays, the commission says on its website it hopes to release its final recommendations by the end of the year. She said it was still too early in her tenure to offer a position when asked whether she has a stance on defunding the police, a call that has grown louder in Ontario and across the world in just the last two months. I think we are, as a society, all in agreement that we need to emphasize de-escalation, I think we need to emphasize recalibrating services across the board: education, health, policing, all of those, she said. Controversy erupted earlier this year when the government appointed an active-duty Toronto police officer, Const. Randall Arsenault, as a part-time commissioner while the commission was continuing with its inquiry into Toronto police. Chadha said the commission will of course continue to follow the directions set by the integrity commissioner, including that Arsenault recuse himself from any commission work dealing with Toronto police. Im all for broadening perspectives at the OHRC to those who deliver front-line services, she said, adding she will welcome Arsenaults input on other topics. Chadha is certainly no stranger to the work needed to tackle discrimination and racism. She brings her own lived experience as a racialized woman who grew up in Brampton, as well as a large body of work. When she was working as an intake officer for the commission back in the 1980s, the AIDS crisis was ongoing and homophobia was rampant. I was very aware of the discrimination experienced by the gay community and all of this was extremely emotional and difficult, she said. These forces came together to crystallize for me that I had to do human rights law. Among her cases while working as a young lawyer years later at the commission included the 1999 case of a gay man who had become a foster parent and was the subject of derogatory rumours at work. The case set a precedent that employers are responsible for a toxic workplace even if its just rumour-mongering among employees. And when she worked as an adjudicator at the Human Rights Tribunal, her decisions included the 2011 racial profiling case of an Indigenous man who police wrongly suspected was in possession of a stolen bicycle. Chadha found the man had been discriminated based on race during a street check by police. Last year, she was tapped by the Ontario government to be one of the reviewers looking into allegations of anti-Black racism and dysfunction at the Peel District School Board. Among other findings, the damning report concluded that racism disproportionately impacted Black students, including in academics and higher suspension rates, and that board leaders were paralyzed by inaction. Chadha said she will be drawing on perspectives gained from community members and experts during the review in her new role at the human rights commission. That was a life-changing experience, she said. There was such tangible harm that was experienced by racialized students and families, particularly anti-Black racism. It was palpable, it was painful and thats an experience Ill never forget. The Ontario government said it will be launching an open application process in the fall for a permanent chief commissioner. Chadha will have the option to apply, though shes not sure yet if she will. She said her commitment has always been to human rights in her work. She pointed out that after having to take a leave from her duties at the Human Rights Tribunal several years ago due to an aggressive form of breast cancer, it was human rights work to which she returned. Chadha may not have decided yet whether to put her name forward for the permanent job, but said, if they need me, Id be willing to serve. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Holidaymakers returning from Spain to Northern Ireland on Sunday morning will have to quarantine for 14 days over fears of a second wave in Covid cases. The so-called travel corridor with Spain was closed from midnight. The decision comes after Spain reported more than 900 new daily infections for the past two days. The decision means those coming back from the popular holiday destination, including its islands, will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to Northern Ireland. The decision to remove Spain from the exempt list was not taken lightly Robin Swann The move will come as a surprise to returning holidaymakers who left when Spain was part of the safe travel list. In a statement, the NI Department of Health said: The decision to introduce a quarantine period has been taken following medical and scientific advice. The new regulations will take effect from midnight, therefore anyone arriving after that time must self-isolate. Health Minister Robin Swann said: The decision to remove Spain from the exempt list was not taken lightly. I have always said I will move swiftly and take the necessary action to ensure our citizens are protected. I have spoken with my counterparts across the UK today and we agree that the recent upsurge in new positive cases in different parts of Spain are a cause for concern. As of midnight tonight, anyone returning or visiting Northern Ireland from Spain, including its islands, will be required to quarantine for 14 days. Travellers from Spain will have to quarantine for 14 days as of Midnight tonight https://t.co/AVIfUTmAeg Department of Health (@healthdpt) July 25, 2020 I will continue to monitor the situation in Spain and other countries, and make the changes to the regulations when necessary. There are five flights arriving into Belfast International Airport from Spain on Sunday. They include flights from Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza. There are also three flights departing the airport to Spain, with hundreds of holidaymakers from Northern Ireland. The flights are being operated by EasyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Pri... Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal and the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, said on Saturday that godfatherism was dead in Edo State. They added that Governor Godwin Obaseki would be re-elected to govern the state. The trio who were referring to Obasekis predecessor and former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, spoke at the inauguration of Obaseki re-election campaign held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, Edo State. Wike said the South-South region belongs to the PDP as he noted that nobody would be allowed to rig the September 19 governorship poll in the state. According to him, the people of the region will not allow any other political party to have a foothold in the area anymore. Wike, who is Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for Edo State Governorship Election, said Edo people must reject godfatherism, and that nobody would rig the election. He said, Former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, is making a U-turn to lick his vomit by presenting a candidate he earlier rejected and castigated. Today, we are here to tell the people of Edo State that they should not be afraid because nobody can rig the forthcoming election. Today is the end of godfatherism in Edo State. I want to thank Governor Godwin Obaseki for refusing to dance to the tune of godfatherism. Four years ago, Adams Oshiomhole said he cannot trust the APC governorship candidate that he was rusticated from school. Today, Oshiomhole is coming back to present the same person to Edo people. He thinks Edo people are fools. I challenge Edo people not to vote any person presented to them by Oshiomhole. While applauding Obaseki for his performance in the last four years, he added, As the Chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, I will be in Edo State, we will make sure that everything needed is done to return our PDP. Governor Obaseki has done well in the last four years. You should not allow anybody to deceive you again. Also speaking, Tambuwal took a swipe at Oshiomhole for attempting to practice the godfatherism he once rejected. He, however, urged Obaseki to hold on to God and the people to defeat the enemies of the state as he did in his own state, Sokoto. Also speaking, Tambuwal took a swipe at Oshiomhole for attempting to practice the godfatherism he once rejected. He, however, urged Obaseki to hold on to God and the people to defeat the enemies of the state as he did in his own state, Sokoto. He (Oshiomhole) was all over the place in the past, condemning godfatherism, but now wants to become a godfather in Edo, Tambuwal said. He called on the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, to build on the legacies of his predecessor, Prof Attahiru Jega, who, according to him, ensured that free and fair election was conducted in the state, enabling Oshiomhole to govern the state for eight years. Presenting the PDP flag to Obaseki as the partys candidate, Secondus described the governor as a gentleman and performer. Secondus, who noted that the party was proud of the performances of governors on its platform, said godfatherism would not be allowed in the state. He appealed to the President to ensure free and fair elections. Responding, Obaseki promised to sustain good governance in the state. Vietnam has reported big success in limiting the spread of COVID-19 inside the country. But the worldwide pandemic has left nearly 1 million Vietnamese unemployed. About 900,000 people are currently unemployed. Another 18 million are underemployed. Those numbers come from the countrys General Statistics Office report for the first half of 2020. The record jobless rate comes even though Vietnam is the most populous nation in the world to report zero COVID-19 deaths. Vietnam is also one of the few countries worldwide to see its economy grow this year. Experts say the huge job losses were mainly caused by the shrinking demand for its products from nations hit hard by the virus. The most affected areas have been in Vietnams cities. In the second quarter of 2020, unemployment in cities hit a 10-year high of 4.46 percent. During the same period two years earlier, the unemployment rate in cities was 3.09 percent. The rise also marks a change from the first quarter of 2020, when the International Labor Organization office in Hanoi said employment levels remained unaffected by the crisis of COVID-19. The complicated and unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic caused growth in most industries and sectors to slow down, the General Statistics Office said in a statement. Unemployment and underemployment have increased greatly. Such high jobless numbers are almost unheard of in Vietnam. The country historically reports continually rising trade growth, which fuels major factory and construction activity across the country. In answer to COVID-19, the country introduced a $2.7 billion relief fund that includes aid to workers. Vietnam is in the process of approving labor unions independent of the Communist Party. The move is part of a promise related to a new European Union trade deal. Vietnam depends heavily on exports to drive its economy, especially to the United States and the European Union. But consumer demand in both places dropped as the pandemic grew. However, there is still more investment going to Vietnam compared to most other nations. More Vietnamese are flying within the country compared to last year. The increase has come following a campaign to replace the loss of foreign visitors with local travelers. And, hotels like the Anam on Vietnams south-central coast say they have increased anti-virus safety measures to help bring more local visitors. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a report from VOA News. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story pandemic n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people complicate v. make something more difficult to deal with or understand sector n. one part of a country's economy relief n. help given to people in need fund n. an amount of money collected for a particular purpose consumer n. a person who buys goods and services replace v. to use instead of something else More than 100 lives have been lost to the novel coronavirus in Laredo. With five more deaths confirmed by the city Sunday, the total is now up to 104. The deaths reported Sunday were a man in his early 70s, a woman in her early 90s, a woman in her mid-50s, a man in his late 70s and another woman in her early 90s. Although all reported on Sunday, the deaths spanned from Thursday to Sunday morning. Britain will boost its ability to handle threats posed by Russia and China in space as part of a foreign, security and defence policy review being conducted by the UK government, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said late on Saturday. On Thursday, Britain said it was concerned about a Russian satellite test which involved the launch of a projectile with the "characteristics of a weapon". "This week we have been reminded of the threat Russia poses to our national security with the provocative test of a weapon-like projectile from a satellite threatening the peaceful use of space", Wallace wrote in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, adding that China also posed a threat. "China, too, is developing offensive space weapons and both nations are upgrading their capabilities. Such behaviour only underlines the importance of the review the (UK) government is currently conducting", he added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) More than 80,000 people in the country have now been infected with COVID-19, the Department of Health disclosed on Sunday, as it logged over 2,000 new cases a day for the fourth consecutive day. The COVID-19 case count has reached 80,448, after the agency reported that 2,110 more have caught the virus. Over 60 percent or 1,345 of the new cases came from the National Capital Region, based on the case report. Cebu province had 304, Laguna had 109, Negros Occidental had 66, while Rizal had 40. Recoveries also rose to 26,110, after 382 more patients have survived the disease. Meanwhile, the death toll is now at 1,932, with 39 new deaths. The DOH said the country has 52,406 active COVID-19 cases or currently ill patients, with the vast majority experiencing only mild symptoms. The DOH said the Philippines has 52,406 active COVID-19 cases, making it the country with the highest number of currently ill patients in the Southeast Asia region. Indonesia came next with some 37,000 active cases out of a total case count of 97,000, based on data from the Johns Hopkins University. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said NCR may revert to a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine if the national case tally reaches 85,000 by end-July. This figure was based on a projection made by researchers from the University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas, who also predicted a total of 2,000 deaths by July 31. READ: UP, UST researchers predict 85,000 COVID-19 cases in PH by end-July Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs said 36 more Filipinos overseas caught the virus, for a total of 9,275 infected. The death count remains at 653, while the tally of survivors are at 5,410. Global infections have hit over 16 million, with 644,000 deaths, and 9.2 million recoveries, according to the Johns Hopkins University. A resort in the Maldives. EyesWideOpen/Getty Images Small countries have long sold residency and passports to those with spare money willing to invest. Some of them are now essentially worthless with travel restrictions implemented because of the coronavirus. That's why the ultrawealthy seek out services of people like David Lesperance, a lawyer who's made a decades-long career out of secondary citizenships and doomsday plans. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. An adage says that consumers will vote with their wallets, but David Lesperance has a different analogy: voting with their feet. Lesperance, a double-decade American expatriate who's made his career out of helping wealthy people around the world move their citizenships and acquire secondary passports for myriad reasons, says business is booming this year. And with one of the most closely watched elections in history unfolding in the coming months, he says the ultrawealthy are worried about more than just a global pandemic. "If you look at the various markets, China picked up when Xiao Jianhua was snatched out of the Four Seasons in Hong Kong," Lesperance said in an interview. "People said 'crap they'll just come and grab you.'" Things only escalated with Hong Kong's extradition bill and eventual security law as part of China's crackdown on the semiautonomous province. Then the global pandemic hit, exacerbating fears about what may happen should a so-called blue wave hit in November. Wealthy people sitting in developed countries where anti-billionaire rhetoric is ratcheting up are in "wildfire zones," according to Lesperance. "What do you do when you're in a wildfire zone?" he said. "Well, you engage in fire-prevention techniques. For an American, you may do things like harvest capital gains so I'm paying 23.5% as opposed to 48% or higher in the future. 'I'm going to get fire insurance; I'm going to get alternate residences and citizenships; and I'm going to have a fire-escape plan in case of whatever it is.'" Story continues That's where careful planning comes in because not all markets are created equal. While countries like Saint Kitts and Nevis will sell a family of four passports for as low as $100,000 in a bid to raise revenue in the tourism-dependent nation, it might not get you far. Americans, long holders of the world's most powerful passport, are now barred from Europe, Japan, and many other countries. "Visa-free travel we have discovered now that the tide has gone out during the pandemic is useless," he said. That's why it's important for many people to have a backup plan well before things go south. Take one of Lesperance's clients in Florida. "Luckily we had got him one of the EU citizenship by investments," he said, "so he's sitting in a resort doing his 14-day lockdown in Malta." Read the original article on Business Insider The Niger State Government has commiserated with the people of Suleja and Gurumana in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state, over flood disaster and boat mishap, on Saturday, that claimed 10 lives. In a statement on Sunday in Minna, Mary Noel-Berje, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said that the government was disturbed by the incidents. She noted that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) and Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had issued flood alerts to some council areas in Niger. She urged all residents of the areas to adhere strictly to government advice on temporary relocation and clearing of drains to avoid a repeat of the ugly incident. On the boat mishap in Gurumana Community in Shiroro LGA, the official said that it was regrettable. She said that the government was not relenting in efforts to end banditry. She added that security agencies had been adequately mobilised to ensure protection of lives and property. The chief press secretary appealed to NEMA to urgently intervene to reduce hardship faced by the people of both communities. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government had, on July 13, appealed to communities around river banks, particularly the flood-prone areas and those situated on the tributaries of River Niger to be cautious and pay attention to the rising water levels in their areas. NEMA, NIHSA and NIMET had earlier predicted that some local government areas of the state and other states fall within highly probable flood-risk areas for 2020. (NAN) CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A day after roaring ashore as a hurricane, Hanna lashed the Texas Gulf Coast on Sunday with high winds and drenching rains that destroyed boats, flooded streets and knocked out power across a region already reeling from a surge in coronavirus cases. Downgraded to a tropical depression, Hanna passed over the U.S.-Mexico border with winds near 50 mph (85 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. It unloaded more than 12 inches (30 centimetres) of rain on parts of South Texas and northeastern Mexico. Border communities whose health care systems were already strained by COVID-19 cases with some patients being airlifted to larger cities found themselves under siege from the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season. There were no immediate reports of any deaths on either side of the border. Dr. Ivan Melendez, the health authority in Hidalgo County, Texas, was treating a patient overnight at a hospital when he and a nurse noticed water streaming down a wall and pooling on the floor. The water was flowing through a vent in the room, which had been retrofitted with a fan to create negative pressure and prevent the virus spreading through the hospital. After driving home in the storm in the middle of the night, Melendez was trapped Sunday morning in his home by downed trees and had no electricity. He used the phone to discuss whether to put a 58-year-old woman on a ventilator, a decision he felt uncomfortable making without seeing the patient in person. You look at the peoples eyes, he said. Youll know if theyre in despair. Another doctor decided to place the woman on the ventilator, he said later. Henry Van De Putte, CEO of the Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast chapter, said the organization would open more shelters with reduced capacity to ensure social distancing. Volunteers and people seeking refuge will undergo temperature checks, and a medical professional will be assigned to each location, he said. A community building known as the Dome in Mercedes, Texas, was set aside for evacuees who had tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to the virus. Across the region, shelters were also opened in hotels, schools and gyms. Van De Putte emphasized that people should not delay seeking help because of the virus. Yes, coronavirus provides risk, but so does floodwater, so does not having electricity, so does not having required medications, he said. Were doing everything we can do possible to make it a safe environment. In Mexico, four people were missing one in Topo Chico, Nuevo Leon and three in Reynosa, Tamaulipas - and 22 people were in shelters in the Mexican border city of Reynosa, according to a statement from the Security and Civil Protection agency. In Reynosa, a maternity hospital was damaged by heavy rain, and water had to be pumped out, authorities said. Some patients had to be moved to upper floors, and a few were evacuated to other hospitals, said Pedro Granados, director of civil protection for Tamaulipas state. Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna was the first big test. Gov. Greg Abbott said Saturday that some people in need of shelter would be given hotel rooms to keep them apart from others. Abbott announced Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved an emergency declaration that will provide federal aid. Hanna blew ashore as a Category 1 storm late Saturday afternoon with winds of 90 mph (145 kph) not far from Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles (210 kilometres) south of Corpus Christi. Myrle Tucker, 83, tried to ride out the storm in a powerboat docked in a Corpus Christi marina. But winds and rain blew out the vessels windows. Eventually rescuers in a dinghy were able to reach him and bring him to shore. Many other boats were flooded and lashed by the storm. Tucker said he told his rescuers he wasnt sure he would be able to climb out of his boat. They picked me up, he said. They carried me like a box of napkins. More than 150,000 customers lost power Sunday throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, utility officials said. Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where 60 babies tested positive for COVID-19 from July 1 to July 16. Farther south in Cameron County, more than 300 new cases have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks. The past week has also been the countys deadliest of the pandemic. Hanna came nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey blew ashore northeast of Corpus Christi. Hanna was not expected to be as destructive as Harvey, which killed 68 people and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage in Texas. In the Mexican city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, the rains shook tents in a refugee camp housing an estimated 1,300 asylum seekers, including newborns and elderly people, who have been waiting for months for court dates under a U.S. immigration policy informally known as Remain in Mexico. In the Pacific Ocean, meanwhile, Hurricane Douglas closed in on Hawaii over the weekend. ___ Merchant reported from Houston. Associated Press writer Maria Verza in Mexico City and Desiree Seals in Atlanta contributed to this report. Advertisement A Vietnam War veteran was pepper sprayed in the eye by federal agents as he railed against American atrocities during a protest early Sunday morning in Portland, Oregon. A photographer was filmed by journalist Andrew Kimmel as he was confronting a group of heavily armed Department of Homeland Security agents outside the federal courthouse in downtown Portland before dawn on Sunday. Mike Hastie, who served as an Army medic in Vietnam, screamed at the agents who stood lined up a few feet away when a federal officer suddenly approached him and doused his face with what appears to be a chemical irritant. Hastie appeared briefly shaken as he removed his glasses and rubbed his face. A Vietnam War veteran was pepper sprayed in the eye by federal agents as he railed against American atrocities during a protest early Sunday morning in Portland, Oregon A photographer was filmed by journalist Andrew Kimmel as he was confronting a group of heavily armed Department of Homeland Security agents outside the federal courthouse in downtown Portland before dawn on Sunday Mike Hastie, who served as an Army medic in Vietnam, screamed at the agents who stood lined up a few feet away when a federal officer suddenly approached him and doused his face with what appears to be a chemical irritant He then continued to scream at the agents, saying: We committed atrocities every single day in Vietnam. I stood next to a ditch in Vietnam and we murdered 170 Vietnamese people. And you guys dont know that! After the agents left, Hastie was seen struggling to recover. He told witnesses that he was sprayed in the eye. A few people nearby offered to assist him. Last weekend, video went viral showing federal agents use a baton to beat a Navy veteran, 53-year-old Chris David. David, 53, said he was drawn to the protest on the night of July 18 after seeing horrifying footage of federal officers driving around the Oregon city in unmarked cars, snatching demonstrators off the streets and spraying them with tear gas. Last weekend, US Navy veteran Chris David, 53, spoke out after a video of him getting beaten up by federal agents on July 18 in Portland went viral Video showed a federal officer beating David with a baton before a second officer sprayed him in the face with chemicals 'I wanted to ask them: "Why are you guys not following the Constitution?"' David said. 'But we never got there. They whaled on me like a punching bag' As a former service member himself, he said he wanted to talk plainly with the agents about why they were so blatantly violating their oath to protect and serve. But when he approached a group of the agents outside Portland's federal courthouse, he said one officer beat him with a baton, breaking his hand in two places, while another sprayed him with chemicals. 'I wanted to ask them: "Why are you guys not following the Constitution?"' David told Reuters. 'But we never got there. They whaled on me like a punching bag.' The incident from early Sunday morning took place on the 59th night of protests in Portland, which turned out to be one of the most destructive yet as protesters tore down the fencing surrounding the downtown federal courthouse. Federal police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray at the angry crowd which was estimated to be about 5,000 strong. Protesters starting their nightly civil unrest earlier than the previous nights. Protesters in Portland, Oregon, managed to breach the perimeter fence of the federal court building early Sunday morning - prompting a massive response from federal police who use tear gas and non-lethal munitions to clear the area A section of the perimeter fence around the courthouse is seen after it is toppled in Portland, Oregon, early on Sunday morning Protesters in Portland hold umbrellas as they face off with federal agents outside a courthouse in downtown early on Sunday morning The protesters faced off against both federal agents and Portland police officers in downtown early on Sunday morning By 10.30pm federal police started spraying the crowd with canned aerosol pepper spray. When that didnt stop the protesters, the federal agents fired thousands of rounds of rubber bullets. The night started off in the usual manner. At around 9pm, a group of protesters would normally listen to speakers from the BLM movement. After about an hour the protesters moved next door to the federal building and several hundred of them began shaking the fence. After several minutes federal police appeared and started their usual pattern of firing tear gas canisters and rubber bullets into the crowd. Federal agents stationed outside a courthouse in downtown Portland use tear gas to try and disperse protesters early on Sunday morning Protesters are seen outside the fence as federal agents surround the federal courthouse in downtown Portland early on Sunday morning Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in downtown Portland late on Saturday night and into early Sunday morning A federal agent clad in tactical gear is seen near the federal courthouse in downtown Portland early on Sunday morning A federal law enforcement official is covered in red paint during the Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Portland on Sunday Demonstrators in downtown Portland push on the fence surrounding the federal courthouse late on Saturday night But this time protesters didnt retreat. They shook the fence with such forced it finally collapsed around 1am on Sunday. Protesters huddled together with their homemade shields to protect them from getting hit by the federal police munitions. Simultaneously protesters on the corner of the courthouse were using a portable metal cutter to cut through the fencing as well. As they were cutting through the fence federal police were firing canisters of tear gas from the upper floors of the federal building down at the protesters. People with leaf blowers would quickly run to the canister and blow the tear gas back toward the federal police. Others used their umbrellas to shield the people cutting the fence. Portland police said they made several arrests during what was officially declared as a riot, though it did not specify an exact number. Black Lives Matter supporters beam George Floyd's last words onto a wall during a protest in downtown Portland on Saturday Demonstrator Dana Parks reacts as she is detained by a police officer during a protest against racial inequality and police violence in Portland on Sunday One of an estimated 5,000 protesters is seen above wearing a helmet and a gas mask near the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, late on Saturday night A demonstrator flashes a light at a federal office as tear gas fills the air during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland late on Saturday Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security are seen huddling in front of a crowd of demonstrators in Portland on Sunday A demonstrator lays down in front of federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Portland on Sunday Demonstrators take cover after federal officers deploy tear gas during protests in downtown Portland early on Sunday Police described via Twitter the 'violent conduct of people downtown' as creating a 'grave risk of public alarm.' Police demanded people leave the area surrounding the courthouse at around 1:20am on Sunday, and said that those who fail to adhere may be arrested or subject to tear gas and impact weapons. By 1:40am, both federal officers and Portland police could be seen on the streets, surrounding the courthouse, attempting to clear the area and deploying teargas. Protesters remained in the streets past 2:30am, forming lines across intersections and holding makeshift shields, as police patrolled and closed blocks abutting the area. In the hours leading up to the riot declaration, thousands of people gathered in the city Saturday evening for another night of protests as demonstrations over George Floyd's killing and the presence of federal agents sent by President Donald Trump showed no signs of abating. Crowds began to march toward the city's federal courthouse around 9:15pm, some marching from 5 miles away. A large group of demonstrators in the North Portland neighborhood also paraded by the police precinct there, which was roped off and had officers in riot gear standing outside the building. Protesters paused outside a downtown hotel, where federal agents are staying, chanting 'Feds go home' and yelling the names of black people killed by police. Portland police chase demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest in the early morning hours of Sunday Demonstrators use an umbrella to try to shield themselves from tear gas deployed by federal agents in Portland on Sunday A federal officer is seen above spraying a chemical irritant at a group of demonstrators in Portland on Sunday As protesters marched down the streets, the Portland Police Bureau posted on social media for people to not walk or block the street as they may be subject to charges such as disorderly conduct and interfering with peace officers. Hundreds of others crossed the Steel Bridge around 11pm to the courthouse, meeting up with thousands of people that had already been tear-gassed by federal agents. The fence surrounding the building had flowers and banners draped across as federal agents emerged from the courthouse to inspect it. They were met with fireworks shot over the fence. Federal agents tossed canisters of teargas at the crowd, while people ran towards the plumes, picked up some of the canisters and threw them back over the fence. As some protesters attempted to cut the fence using power tools, streams of pepper spray were spewed at the crowd. At the nearby Justice Center, images and words were projected onto the building including 'Keep fighting. Keep pushing.' During demonstrations the previous night federal agents repeatedly fired tear gas to break up rowdy protests that continued into the early morning Saturday. Authorities say six federal officers were injured and one person was arrested. Demonstrations have happened in Oregon's largest city nightly for two months since Floyd was killed in Minneapolis in May. Trump said he sent federal agents to Portland to halt the unrest but state and local officials say they are making the situation worse. There were demonstrations for police reform and against the increased presence of federal law enforcement in cities across the country Saturday. In Seattle, police declared a riot Saturday afternoon following large demonstrations and deployed flash bangs and pepper spray to try to clear crowds. Authorities made more than 40 arrests said 21 officers suffered mostly minor injuries. Chuck Lovell, the Portland police chief, released a video message on social media Saturday night calling for peace. 'Across the country people are committing violence, supposedly in support of Portland,' Lovell said. ShutDown DC is demanding that the Trump administration remove federal agents from cities like Portland, Oregon, and other towns. The image above shows federal police in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland on Saturday night A federal agent is seen above aiming non-lethal munitions at protesters in downtown Portland on Saturday Protesters in Portland manage to breach the perimeter fence of the federal court building in the early hours of Sunday morning, prompting a massive response from federal police who used tear gas and non-lethal munitions to clear the area Federal officers line up to deploy tear gas at demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Portland early on Sunday morning Protesters react to tear gas being deployed by federal officers during a protest in downtown Portland on Sunday A demonstrator tries to climb over a fence during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse Sunday, July 26, 2020, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Federal officers launch tear gas at a group of demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday Demonstrators gather during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse on Saturday in Portland, Oregon A demonstrator wears a costume during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday Demonstrators rally around a fire during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday Demonstrators shield themselves from federal officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday Federal officers advance on demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday A protester walks past a bonfire set at an intersection during a Black Lives Matter protest in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday 'If you want to support Portland then stop the violence, work for peace. Portland police officers and police facilities have been threatened. 'Now more than ever, Portland police need your support. We want to be with you in the community and working on the real relationships that will create change. 'We want to get back to the critical issues that have been hijacked by people committing crimes under the cover of the crowds.' Late Friday, a federal judge denied a request by Oregons attorney general to restrict the actions of federal police. The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering in Portland that began Friday evening an unlawful assembly. Harry Fones, a Homeland Security spokesman, said at a news conference Saturday afternoon some people launched large fireworks, threw hard projectiles and used power tools to damage property. Craig Gabriel, Assistant US Attorney for the District of Oregon, said at the news conference that of the six federal officers who were injured, one suffered a concussion and another was taken to the hospital for burns. He said one person was arrested for failing to comply with orders. That person was later released without charges, bringing the total number of people arrested on or near the courthouse property since early July to 60. Ram temple in Ayodhya to be ready by 2025, open for 'darshan' to devotees by 2023 end August 5: PM at Ram Temple event to be telecast live by Doordarshan India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Brume Pujan at the site for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5. This would be telecast live on Doordharshan, India's public broadcaster. At 12.30 pm on August 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Soil from RSS HQ sent to Ayodhya for Ram temple 'bhoomi pujan' The schedule was finalised as per the suggestions made by several astrologers. The Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be 161 feet tall, the architect of the Temple said. He also said that original design prepared in 1988 mentioned the height as 141 feet. The earlier design was prepared in 1988 and over 30 years have passed since. People are also very enthusiastic about visiting the Temple. Hence we through its size should be increased. As per the revised design, the height of the Temple has been increased from 141 feet to 161 feet, Nikhil Sompura, architect and son of C Sompura, the chief architect told news agency ANI. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News He also said that two mandaps have been added and all the pillars and stones that were carved based on the earlier design will still be used, he also said. He also said that the construction of the Temple will take 3.5 years. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra has decided that there will be not more than 200 people, including 150 invitees to ensure maximum social distancing. Swami Govind Dev Giri, Treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra said that it has been decided that there will not be more than 200 people including 150 invitees at the event. We will make Ayodhya the pride of India: Yogi Adityanath ahead of mega Ram Temple ceremony Before laying the foundation stone, PM Modi will offer prayers to Lord Ram at the Temple and Lord Hanuman at the Garhi Temple in Ayodhya. All chief minsters from different states will be invited for the programme. Veteran BJP leader, L K Advani will also be invited for the ceremony. There are elaborate arrangements on for the programme. The rituals will begin on August 3 and end with a brume pujan on August 5, following which the construction of the Temple would commence. Saturday, July 25, 2020 Biden Presidency Economics -- Broken U.S. Healthcare System -- 2020 Yearbook of Experts #1) 2020 Yearbook of Experts, Authorities & Spokespersons now available. Called: "Dial-an-Expert" by the New York Times. Larry King show: "Something Every Talk Show Producer Must Have." Profiles of 543 experts with bios, indexed by topic 348 pages. Free as a PDF at www.ExpertBook.com Hard copy is $8.95 at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Yearbook-Experts-Authorities-Spokespersons-2020/dp/B08CP9DKDH/ref=sr_1_1 See all the profiles and hundreds of thousands of news releases at the www.ExpertClick.com website. Interview the founder, Mitchell P. Davis @ (202) 333-5000 Or email: ExpertClick@Gmail.com @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # 2) Economic Consequences of a Biden Presidency Intro: Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden has already signaled that his victory in November 2020 means one thing for sure; hold on to your wallet. Personal and corporate tax rates, capital gains and deduction levels will be targeted for increases, with high income personal tax rates possibly doubling. Beyond that, the large number of burdensome regulations on small and large businesses which have been curtailed by the Trump Administration will be reinstated and increased. This "regulatory relief" has been a hidden boom in the economy. Reactions to the virus crisis and political unrest means more government oversight and control, not less. Looking at likely tax planning and investment scenarios should Joe Biden become President, is a wise course of action. Our guest is Economist Jack Hanney. Q & A: 1. Joe Biden has made it clear he will raise taxes if elected; he has just released a 110-page report that say he will says raise personal income tax rates, what else can Americans expect? Answer: According to the Biden-Sanders report, increases for the average tax payer will be about 4%, going from about 36% to 40% percent; high income rates are slated to double, going from 20% to 40%. Deductions and capital gains are also targeted. 2. What is the most disturbing part of the Biden-Sanders Report? Answer: Capital Gains, in the report Biden has indicted he will tax them at the same rate high earners, a punishing 40% tax rate. This will send financial capital fleeing from investment in the United States for low tax havens such as Ireland. All that repatriated money Trump brought back, and more, will leave the U.S. 3. Small businesses have been heavily impacted the various virus lockdowns, how can the Democrats expect to increase taxes and have this valuable economic resource survive? Answer: This is a burning question; can the populace sustain a tax increase without a ripple of devastation. While the bulk of federal and local income tax comes from high earners, the small business networks provide a massive foundation for the economic health of tens of millions. Name: Jerry McGlothlin Group: Special Guests Dateline: Hickory, NC United States Direct Phone: 919-437-0001 jerry@specialguests.com http://www.newsreleasewire.com/233718 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ #3) Respected Surgeon Unveils Systemic Tragedies of a Broken U.S. Healthcare System From: Dr. Alejandro Badia, Orthopedic Surgeon, Author & Healthcare Reform Advocate Miami, Florida Dr. Alejandro Badia is no stranger to the flaws and frustrations of the U.S. healthcare system. A leading hand surgeon with a medical degree from NYU, multiple accolades, and decades of experience, Dr. Badia has spent more than a quarter-century in the trenches of U.S. healthcare. His new book Healthcare from the Trenches is an open discussion of the failure of the U.S. healthcare system from the perspectives of its "providers" and patientsperspectives today's healthcare debate sorely lacks. "People are challenged because of a flawed system," says Dr. Badia. "Staff at insurance companies with no medical training dictate what constitutes reimbursable care. The result is that their interference disrupts the doctor-patient relationship, delays or prevents delivery of care, and presents new obstacles to new approaches that would improve patient outcomes and reduce costs." "Instead of simply squatting under the dark cloud of our current healthcare system, Dr. Badia stands tall and offers the opinions and perspectives of healthcare providers and patients." - Grady Harp, Amazon Top 50 Hall of Fame Reviewer, 5-stars In Healthcare from the Trenches, Dr. Badia challenges the entrenched bureaucracy in the U.S. healthcare systema bureaucracy that is only growing with each attempt to "fix" it. "Since the implementation of the [U.S.] Affordable Care Act, healthcare in America has become an even greater bureaucratic nightmare than before," Dr. Badia says. "What started as incremental interference in the relationship between doctor and patient with the passage of the Medicare Act of 1965 is now an impenetrable barrier made up of governmental and health care insurance industry red tape. The result is higher costs and greater inefficiencies." Name: Scott Lorenz Group: Westwind Communications Dateline: Plymouth, MI United States Direct Phone: 734-667-2098 scottlorenz@westwindcos.com http://www.newsreleasewire.com/233057 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # 4) Drowning Case Study to be presented by Gerry Dworkin From: Lifesaving Resources, LLC Lifesaving Resources (www.lifesaving.com) will be hosting a webinar on Monday, August 10, 2020, from 1:00 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST. This comprehensive and fast-paced webinar will be of benefit to Lifeguards, Lifeguard Instructors and Supervisors, Aquatic Facility Operators and Managers, and Public Safety and Rescue personnel, as well as attorneys engaged in drowning litigation. The case study is centered around an incident at a public swimming pool with lifeguards present in which a 62-year-old man drowned because the lifeguards failed to prevent, recognize, and effectively manage the incident. The webinar includes graphic video surveillance video of this incident, as well as another fatal submersion incident and is a real eye-opener which explains in graphic detail what the Standard of Care should have been and how the facility management breached that standard of care. Name: Gerald M. Dworkin Title: Consultant, Aquatics Safety and Water Rescue Group: Lifesaving Resources, LLC Direct Phone: 207-967-8614 gerald@lifesaving.com http://www.newsreleasewire.com/233603 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5) What Are People Forgetting to Clean Your house Isn't as Spotless as You Think From: William R. Griffin -- Cleaning Consultant Services Introduction: It's pretty close to impossible to get and keep your house perfectly clean. When a home is lived in, it gets dirty because people are coming and going, moving around and creating a mess as they use surfaces and areas. In most homes 80%-90% of the soil and contamination inside, gets tracked in from outside sources on shoes, clothes and pets. Even in a clean home, there will always be some level of soil that is hidden from sight or is so microscopic in size that you can't see it with the naked eye. These categories of soiling are not a problem for most occupants or obvious to the casual observer. Problems arise when soil levels become excessive or occupants have or develop sensitivities to the conditions and or contaminants (possibly immunosuppressed, elderly or very young, have asthma or other medical issues) or the contamination is or becomes infectious or hazardous to one's health. What We Often Miss When Cleaning and Why: If you can't see, feel or smell it, you probably don't know it's there, unless you expose or disturb it, generally it's not problem. When you move things around, you may notice visible soiling, such as when you look under a bed, move a trash can, couch, refrigerator or stove. These big items are some of the most common places to find an accumulation of soil because they are heavy, difficult to move and don't get moved very often. Other areas of soil accumulation include, high and low areas, corners, edges, attics, crawl spaces, inside of things and other places we don't see or come in contact with on a regular or daily basis. These things and areas fit into the category of "out of sight and out of mind". Name: Wm R. Griffin Group: Cleaning Consultant Services Dateline: Seattle, WA United States Cell Phone: 206-849-0179 bg1@ccsml.com http://www.newsreleasewire.com/233503 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6) SPJ introduces Media Trust Webinars for College Students From: Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) INDIANAPOLIS The Society of Professional Journalists will hold a series of summer webinars on media trust topics targeted to college students who are preparing to begin journalism careers. The sessions will feature prominent guests, including David McCraw, deputy general counsel for The New York Times; Amna Nawaz, senior national correspondent for PBS NewsHour; Katrice Hardy, executive editor of the Indianapolis Star; and Joy Mayer, director of TrustingNews.org. SPJ Journalist on Call Rod Hicks organized the series and will moderate all five sessions. "Rod Hicks has put together a master class about journalism that will benefit any student aiming for a place in the media world," SPJ National President Patricia Gallagher Newberry said. "If they want real truth about how the public perceives the media; about the place of bias, opinion and trust in the news; and about why it's vital to learn to cover communities of color, they'll get that and more from Rod and his line-up of super smart guests." The series will kick off Tuesday with a discussion of how and why the press lost so much of the public's trust and end Aug. 25 with suggestions for journalists and news organizations to reclaim it. The sessions, held on Tuesday afternoons, will deal with a different topic each week, including coverage of communities of color, perceptions of bias in news coverage and how to identify credible sources. Contact: Rod Hicks, SPJ Journalist on Call, 317-954-0025, rhicks@spj.org Ashlynn Neumeyer, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-361-4133, aneumeyer@spj.org http://www.newsreleasewire.com/233725 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7) The Economist's Big Mac Index From: Greg Womack -- Certified Financial Planner Greg Womack -- Certified Financial Planner When measuring the "value" of a currency, most think of a traditional yardstick such as gold. However, economists sometimes also look at more readily and widely available commodities for their studies. The Economist just released the latest version of its Big Mac Index, which tracks the cost of a McDonald's Big Mac around the world. In this year's Big Mac Index, you'll find that the Swiss are paying the Swiss Franc equivalent of $6.91 for a Big Mac, making it the most "expensive" Big Mac on the planet. But Big Mac fans everywhere might be glad to know that to know you can still get a Big Mac for less than two bucksin South Africa. There, you'll pay just the Rand equivalent of $1.86! Name: Greg Womack, CFP Title: President Group: Womack Investment Advisers Dateline: Edmond, OK United States Direct Phone: 405-340-1717 greg@womackadvisers.com http://www.newsreleasewire.com/233680 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8) Video maybe worth seeing re 'Final Exit 2020' ebook From: Euthanasia Research and Guidance Organization Name: Derek Humphry Title: President Group: Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization (ERGO) Dateline: Junction City, OR United States Direct Phone: 541-998-1873 ergo@finalexit.org http://www.newsreleasewire.com/232918 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9) COVID-19 Messaging: 5 Key Considerations From: Ad Council COVID-19 has challenged all of us to be exceptionally quick and focused with our communications. Fortunately, experts across industries have never been more generous with sharing insights into the best ways to communicate to audiences about how to keep themselves and others safe. I recently tuned into OpenIDEO's webinar on communication and behavior change during the time of COVID-19, where experts across tech and philanthropy shared insights based on the following question: "How might we rapidly inform and empower communities around the world to stay safe and healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak?" The webinar introduced and validated some key messaging tips that resonated with my experience working as a strategist at the Ad Council and as someone with a background in public health. Below are my top five takeaways that all communicators should consider when crafting messages related to COVID-19. 1. Understand a person's emotional arc and then nudge them toward a more positive experience. When COVID-19 first became a prominent threat to Americans, people initially experienced inward-focused concernsfear for themselves and their inner circleas evidenced by the panic buying of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. However, over time, as people started to become more comfortable with the new reality of social distancing, they shifted from looking inward to looking outward to consider how they could help and support others. This is where we've seen the emergence of countless stories of kindness that give us hope and make us feel more united. As Americans become more hopeful and less worried as they settle into their "new normal," it may be an opportune time to help edge them towards behaviors that support others. 2. Encourage people to do meaningful things actively. Most COVID-19 related messages have focused on passive actions, like staying home. However, people want to feel like they're actively doing something in order to feel fulfilled. And helping is one of the most effective ways to give people a sense of agency and purpose. Some brands, like Lowe's, have tapped into this desire to help by giving their consumers ways to express gratitude from home. This new app also empowers homebound users to help track the spread of COVID-19 simply by logging how they feel daily, even if unrelated to COVID-19 symptoms. 3. Say less, say it from the heart, and emphasize shared humanity. COVID-19 may be scary and complex, but in New York state, Governor Andrew Cuomo is a great model for how to effectively communicate about protecting yourself and others. His messages are simple, they express empathy, and in talking about his brother who was battling COVID-19, he demonstrated shared humanity by emphasizing what flattening the curve means for his family and what it means for us all. 4. Most of us working in the advertising industry have privilege in some way. Be sure to check yours as you communicate with others. It's easy to stay home when you can work remotely or when you have the financial means of stocking up on food. But many people, especially those who are systemically marginalized, do not have those privileges. The recommendation to wear a mask may seem simple to white Americans, but for Black or Asian folks, it could invite risk. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, masks can further isolate them. As communicators, it's vitally important to always check our own privilege by thinking about how our audience will perceive our message and find approaches that are sensitive to their lived experience. 5. Audiences are looking to people who are influential rather than people who are famous. The days where people turn to celebrities for guidance are changing. Even most young people, who are typically reachable through influencers, aren't turning to online influencers for news about COVID-19. "We're in this together" messages from the rich and famous have at times been met with criticism, making audiences less receptive to their intended messages. However, from this pandemic, a new breed of influencers have emergedhealthcare workers, public health experts, and activists have won people's respect and attention, making them highly relevant messengers during this time. We may be living in an unprecedented time, but these recommendations can help us be better communicators not only now, but also after the pandemic is over. As we navigate this new normal, not all our COVID-19 messaging will be perfect. What's most important is our willingness to listen, to learn and to make sure our audiences' lived experiences are respected. The post COVID-19 Messaging: 5 Key Considerations appeared first on AdLibbing.org. Name: Meg Rushton Group: The Advertising Council Dateline: New York, NY United States Direct Phone: (212) 922-1500 MRushton@adcouncil.org www.NewsReleaseWire.com/231218 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10) International Stop Plastic Pollution Comments From: Dr. Rob Moir -- Ocean River Institute Dr. Rob Moir -- Ocean River Institute Plastic waste is now found in the most remote areas of the planet. It kills marine life and is doing major harm to communities that depend on fishing and tourism. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General UN There are many reasons to reduce plastic pollution, and for me the most important reason is the pollution of our oceans and harm and death to creatures living in and near the oceans and waterways. Passage of the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act would reduce my stress indicating we can break free of plastic. I see and experience the extensive use of disposable plastic in my workplace. It would reduce my stress from knowing how much wildlife is harmed by our plastic waste. Charna Macfie, Qualicum Beach BC, Canada Less production of plastics in the U.S. will benefit me in two ways. First, our seas are an interconnected whole and a significant reduction in free floating plastic will also contribute to cleaner seas in the global commons. Secondly, if plastic production can be downscaled and replaced with greener sustainable products this will also reduce global total greenhouse gas emissions, since the U.S. is a large emitter. Youri Moleman, Amsterdam, Noord Holland NL Look at climate change. That's a bigger problem than plastic, but we can't all focus on that and forget about plastic that isn't how the world works. We can divide our attention across different things, using clean-up to strengthen prevention. . .. To truly rid the oceans of plastic, what we need to do is two things: One, we need to clean up the legacy pollution, the stuff that has been accumulating for decades and doesn't go away by itself. But, two, we need to close the tap, which means preventing more plastic from reaching the oceans in the first place. Boyan Slat, Delft NL Name: Rob Moir Title: Director Group: Ocean River Institute Dateline: Cambridge, MA United States Direct Phone: 617-661-6647 Cell Phone: 978 621-6657 Rob@OceanRiver.org http://www.newsreleasewire.com/230419 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Click to www.NewsReleaseWire.com to open and read all releases or click on release of interest. *Isn't Timing Everything? http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233763 *Is the 'triangle of Terror' Dismantling The West? == Excerpt From the Book 'First Comes The Mosque' http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233762 *Nancy Friedman -- The Telephone Doctor -- My Story http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233761 * "With Mom, Dad, Children Let's Beat the COVID-19" Campaign http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233760 *LIKE CORONAVIRUS, TERRORISTS MUTATE and SPREAD http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233759 *Choosing Peace and Freedom from Worry http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233756 *2020 Yearbook of Experts -- $9 at Amazon http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233758 *China: Remove pictures of Jesus or lose government aid http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233753 *Weekly Subscription News: Video Podcasts, Price Testing and Popularity http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233752 *Top Ten Twitter Tweets of July 25, 2020 http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233751 *Mermories of My Childhood http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233750 *Don't Wait to Start Writing http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233749 *Guest Column: What to do when your customers need first aid http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233748 *Palm Beach Floats Marina Marketing RFP http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233746 *Is This Rabbi Right About Covid 19 and Divine Judgement? http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233745 *CCRKBA: GUN BAN LOBBY SIDES WITH PORTLAND, OREGON RIOTERS http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233743 *Odds and Ends: Funeral and Death News http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233742 *Hidden Humor From Jan McInnis - Humor in Business Expert http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233741 *A Little Pruning Goes a Long Way http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233737 *5 Tips to Improve Your Team Pipeline After Covid19 http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233735 *Generating More Profits from Your Marketing Activity http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233731 *312 How to make it easy to consume your content: Tom talks Website Readability http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233728 *Modern Farmhouse Nursery with Carpet http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233726 *SPJ introduces Media Trust Webinars for College Students http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233725 *Children Leading the Way in Giving Back http://www.NewsReleaseWire.com/233724 Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 09:12:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory on Sunday renewed a blue alert for rainstorms in several provinces and regions, where incessant downpours have already wreaked havoc. From Sunday morning to Monday morning, heavy rainfall and rainstorms are expected in parts of Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu, the National Meteorological Center said, warning that some areas of Anhui, Jiangsu, Hunan and Hebei will experience up to 180 mm of daily rainfall. Some of the aforementioned regions will see more than 70 mm of hourly precipitation, accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, the center said. The center advised local authorities to remain alert for possible flooding, landslides and mudslides, and recommended halting outdoor operations in hazardous areas. China has a four-tier, color-coded weather-warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue. Enditem Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Thousands of high risk prisoners were said to be homeless upon release. (Getty) Almost 200 sex offenders have been released from prison without a home to go to, figures from the Ministry of Justice have revealed. Over 100 were said to be of "high" or "very high" risk to the public, according to MoJ data obtained via the Freedom of Information Act. On 68 occasions, "high and very high risk" sex offenders had no accommodation on release, while 53 homelessness cases involved "high risk" sex offenders and 70 involved "medium risk" prisoners. Authorities have warned that prisoners who are homeless upon release are almost twice as likely to be sent back to jail. Homeless ex-convicts are almost twice as likely to be sent back to jail within 12 months. (Getty) The figures relate to a period between 2018 and 2019 during which time the report found that 22% of prisoners presenting the highest risk to the public were homeless or had nowhere stable to stay. In total, there were 11,435 occasions when prisoners were homeless when they were let out 16% of released male offenders and 18% of female inmates. Justin Russell, the chief inspector of probation, has urged the government to provide homes for prisoners being released. He said: "We were particularly disturbed by the high numbers of higher-risk prisoners being released into homelessness or unsettled accommodation." It is difficult for probation services to protect the public and support rehabilitation if individuals are not in stable accommodation. But the Probation Service, which is part of the MoJ, claimed the figures did not necessarily mean prisoners "remained homeless" since the accommodation data relates only to the day of their release. It also said new teams had been set up to help offenders find housing after time behind bars. A spokesperson said: "Public protection is our number one priority. Sex offenders on licence must report regularly to their probation officer and abide by strict conditions which if breached can see them go back to prison." For decades we rolled along, loosening up our economy, deregulating workplace laws, privatising services and hooking ourselves into global capital flows and supply chains. Good times followed. True, we took some body blows in the wake of the global financial crisis in 2008 but quick action by the Rudd government staved off recession, something that many countries in the northern hemisphere could not avoid. People queue outside Centrelink in Melbourne in March. Credit:Getty Images So we kept going, counting on what had worked before to keep working. Politically, most of us bought into the Coalition's high-decibel campaigning against increased levels of public debt and budget deficits and voted for three different Liberal leaders at three successive elections to get us back into surplus. This was what we wanted. But the model that we'd installed wasn't exactly running like the clappers. Sure, at the start of 2020 the federal budget looked like moving into the black just but wages were stagnant, productivity growth was sluggish, and the economy was just ticking over. Law cannot change the nature of politics. Political parties will always find a way of bypassing the intent of the best of laws. So, in 1985, when the anti-defection law was made to end the malaise of defections, it was destined for failure. The law punishes Members of Parliament (MPs)/Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) for defecting from their party by taking away their membership of the legislature. It gives the Speaker of the legislature the power to decide the outcome of defection proceedings. Under the law, defection can take place in two ways. First, when a partys legislator voluntarily gives up membership of their political party. The law does not define this phrase, which is essentially a euphemism for anti-party activities. Courts have held that the actions of MLAs can be used to determine whether they have given up their partys membership. But this case-by-case interpretation gives political parties a wide ambit in initiating action against both errant and dissenting members of their organisations. It also means that many of these cases get caught up in legal proceedings. To bypass this provision now, MLAs resign from the legislature, as it happened in Madhya Pradesh earlier this year. The second mechanism for dissuading MPs/MLAs from shifting their loyalties is by punishing them for voting, contrary to the partys direction in the legislature. On the face of it, this is a more objective criterion for determining defection. But political parties dont like it. Because, in this case, the punishment comes after defecting MLAs have already caused damage by either toppling or saving a government against the partys wishes. Political parties want certainty in numbers before a vote deciding the fate of a government takes place on the floor of the legislature. Therefore, at the first hint of defections, parties start cloistering members loyal to them in hotels and resorts. Over the last 35 years, the anti-defection law has had zero success. But it has been successful in severely damaging the legislative framework of the country. It has had a negative effect on the deliberations in the legislature. Our legislators are now afraid of expressing their viewpoints on laws and policy issues for fear of reprisal by their political parties. And since the office of the Speaker is the decision-making authority in anti-defection proceedings, the non-partisan constitutional office has been dragged into party politics. Last year, while hearing a case related to defections in the Karnataka legislature, the apex court observed: There is a growing trend of Speakers acting against the constitutional duty of being neutral. Take, for example, the cases of defection in Tamil Nadu. The chair of the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has an interesting history. Lord Willingdon, the then Governor of Madras (who went on to become the Governor-General of India) presented it to the Madras Legislative Council in 1922. His grandfather was Henry Brand, who presided over the House of Commons for over a decade. During the presentation ceremony, Lord Willingdon hoped that those who sit in the Speakers Chair conduct the affairs of the legislature with good judgement and tact. It is the good judgment and tact of Tamil Nadu (and other states) that speakers have been questioned on multiple occasions. More recently, the Tamil Nadu Speakers three-year delay in deciding the defection petitions of 11 ruling party MLAs has been challenged before the Supreme Court (SC). The last Andhra Pradesh Speaker sat on the defection petitions of opposition MLAs, some of who went on to become ministers in the government. Their defection petitions remained undecided till the end of the term of the assembly in 2019. Long delays in deciding defection petitions allow two things. One, it ensures the loyalty of the defecting MLAs to the party they defected to, as the sword of losing their seat in the assembly keeps hanging over their head. Second, until recently, this tactic prevented the judiciary from interfering in defection cases. Vice-President V Naidu has called for timely disposal of defection cases, a stand that the Supreme Court also took earlier this year by stripping a Manipur minister of his office as the Speaker did not decide the defection proceedings against the minister in the last three years. After the Manipur ruling, the Goa Speaker has also been taken to court for delaying the decision on defection proceedings. But the blame does not always lie at the Speakers doorstep. The nature of defection proceedings is such that their ruling will impact the continuity of a government in power. Irrespective of their conduct, the neutrality of their office will be questioned and their decisions challenged in court. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with Speakers of state legislative assemblies have been discussing measures to uphold the prestige and dignity of the office of the Speaker. In the political drama of defections, two fundamental questions are missed out. Can a law find solutions to issues of debate, dissent and ambition within a political party? And if not, shouldnt the anti-defection law be scrapped before it does more damage to the legislative institutions and democracy? Chakshu Roy is the head of legislative and civic engagement, PRS Legislative Research The views expressed are personal Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended the government's decision to take a knife to the $1500-a-fortnight JobKeeper scheme at a time when almost a million people in locked-down Melbourne are reliant on the support payments. "It is still significant support," Mr Frydenberg told the ABC's Insiders on Sunday. "About 975,000 of the 3.5 million people on JobKeeper are employed in Victoria." Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the government will still provide "significant" support when JobKeeper is reduced. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Under JobKeeper 2.0, payments will be cut from $1500 to $1200 at the end of September until the last payment on January 3, when it will drop again to $1000 for the next three months. Payments for those working 20 hours a week or less will first halve to $750, and then reduce further to $650. Treasury estimates showed about three-quarters of Victorians on JobKeeper would remain on the support payments from October through to December, Mr Frydenberg said, meaning about half of Australians on JobKeeper would be in Victoria, which makes up a quarter of the nation's economy. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Dharmana Krishna Das formally assumed charge as Deputy Chief Minister (Revenue, Registration and Stamps) on Saturday. He signed on two files one on increasing validity of income certificate to four years and another on negating the need for producing income certificate by rice card-holders (BPL) for various government schemes. Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion, the Deputy Chief Minister thanked Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohna Reddy for reposing faith in him and entrusting him the responsibility of the revenue department. I will strive to ensure effective functioning of revenue, stamps and registration departments. With help of efficient officers in the department, services will be extended in a transparent manner, he asserted. Hailing the dedication of the Chief Minister for public welfare and development of the State, Dharmana described Jagan as one of the four best Chief Ministers in AP. The minister said to resolve land disputes, a land survey will be taken up shortly. He said the latest decision to negate the need for income certificates for rice card holders will benefit them immensely as they no longer have to run around government offices for getting ICs. The Chief Minister wants to ensure that every homeless poor gets a house of his own. House sites patta distribution will be taken up from August 15 to 30. With his novel initiates like village/ward secretaries, the Chief Minister has gained the blessings of the people and there is no doubt that he will be the Chief Minister of the State for another three decades, he predicted. Later, during a review meeting with officials, Dharmana directed them to resolve the long-pending problems on a priority basis. The Principal Secretary (Land and Disaster Management) informed the minister that land survey would be taken up soon to resolve land disputes. CCLA joint secretary Ch Sreedhar said computerisation of manual land records is under progress. He also enquired about the progress of various works taken up in different departments. Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesBY: CHRISTINA CARREGA, ABC NEWS (ATLANTA) The first of six days of celebration to honor the life of "The Boy from Troy," Rep. John Lewis began on Saturday in his hometown of Troy, Alabama. The civil rights and voting rights icon died on July 17 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80. Lewis, who is also known as the "conscience of the U.S. Congress" and affectionately called "Robert" by his family, was remembered during a public funeral service inside Troy University where attendees wore face masks and practiced social distancing. The funeral was in true "homegoing" style -- a word used to describe African American funerals celebrating the life of the deceased which often includes heartfelt remembrances. The day before Lewis' passing, his brother Henry "Grant" Lewis said he had their usual late night conversation where the congressman asked about the well-being of family members by name. "That's the John Lewis we grew to love ... He worked a lifetime to make sure the world was a better place for everyone," said Henry Lewis, adding, "Before he passed, he was at peace and ready to meet the Lord. Four of John Lewis' other siblings remembered their brother by echoing his iconic phrases like "good trouble is necessary trouble" and "See something. Say something. Do something. "It's up to us to keep his legacy alive," said Jackson Lewis, a great nephew of John Lewis. The civil rights leader served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives serving the 5th Congressional District of Georgia. John Lewis marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other voting rights demonstrators as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Despite conducting a peaceful demonstration, the peaceful protesters were beaten by police in an event deemed "Bloody Sunday. Following the Saturday morning service, a private ceremony will honor John Lewis at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma ahead of another public viewing. On Sunday morning, a procession from Brown Chapel will take place, making way to the Pettus bridge where Lewis will cross for the last time. Over the next week, Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, Alabama State Capitol and Georgia State Capitol. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Trust but verify. These words were made famous by Ronald Reagan in 1987 after the signing of the nuclear arms treaty with Mikhail Gorbachev. The words are from an older Russian proverb. I know there are some who think the words are contradictory, that if you really trust someone you dont need to verify what they say. But I think its sound practical advice to trust but with your eyes wide open. Perhaps a better way to make the point today would be: Observe and verify. The scientific approach is mainly based on verifying the results of experiments over periods of time. Its based on evidence, not hunches, although I realize that some hunches can reveal truths that can then be tested over time. Einstein, for example, arrived at some truths with thought experiments which he later tested with observations. What gives me cause to worry these days is that we appear to be making judgments without evidence, or adopting policies based solely on politics or opinions. Without debating the political issues around climate change, most scientists think climate is changing due to human activities. It would seem important, therefore, to deal with how to reduce the human adverse impact on our climate, yet we have withdrawn from the 2016 Paris Agreement dealing with greenhouse gas emissions, claiming it would hurt our economy. Or take the current coronovirus pandemic. We can argue about who thought it was real or a hoax, but the reality is that its now killing over 130,000 of us in this country. And yet, what health scientists tell us can help save lives and combat the crisis wearing masks, washing hands, and staying safe distances from one another or large crowds seem to be discarded, often for political reasons. The father of the scientific approach. Galileo, in 1609 by trial and error made his own spyglass based on a prior invention from the Netherlands. His findings opened a new understanding of the universe and our place in it which at the time was opposed by some religious authorities because the evidence did not support their own views based on the Bible and church traditions. Galileo discovered through observations and testing that the earth was not the center of the universe but with many other planets circled around the sun. Centuries ago, Galileo wrote these words that as relevant to us today as when written: And who can doubt that it will lead to the worst disorders when minds created free by God are compelled to submit slavishly to an outside will? When we are told to deny our senses and subject them to the whim of others? When people devoid of whatsoever competence are made judges over experts and are granted authority to treat them as they please? These are the novelties which are apt to bring about the ruin of commonwealths and the subversion of the state. Politicians would be wise to follow the findings of science and not their poll standings or upcoming elections. Our lives are at stake. John C. Morgan is a teacher and writer whose columns appear weekly in this newspaper. Portlaoise hospital has admitted a third patient with a suspected Covid-19 infection according to the latest HSE report. The new suspected case is revealed in the HSE's Covid-19 Daily Operations Update for July 25 which also confirms that two other patients continue to be cared for at the ICU of the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise. It represents the third case of confirmed or suspected Covid-19 infection to present in the space of a week to the Laois hospital. A patient has tested positive for Covid-19 has been in the hospital's critical care unit since being diagnosed on Sunday, July 19. A second patient with a suspected coronavirus infection is also receiving critical care, according to the latest HSE data. The hospital's ICU does not have three cases of suspected or confirmed Covi-19. There were 20 empty general beds both no spare ICU beds in the hospital as of 8 pm Saturday. The HSE's Covid-19 Daily Operations Update latest figures which are compiled and returned from all Covid treating hospitals after 8 pm each day and published the following morning. The Saturday report also confirms that no patients have confirmed or suspected Covid-19 infections at Portlaoise's sister hospital in Tullamore but there were five suspected cases in Naas where one of the unconfirmed patients is receiving critical care. The Portlaoise case is just one of 11 confirmed cases at hospitals nationally by 8 pm on Thursday. There were 108 people with suspected Covid-19 by 8 pm. This had dropped from 155 suspected cases at 11 am the same day. A total of seven hospitals have confirmed cases Covid-19 around Ireland. There were no deaths at ICUs. There has been an increase to nine in the number of hospital ICUs treating patients suspected of having Covid-19. Confirmed cases are being treated at ICUs in five hospitals The separate national daily update from the National Public Health Emergency Team revealed on Saturday confirmed that there have been no new cases in Laois since two were confirmed Sunday and Monday. The national figures include possible and probable infections. It shows that there have been 267 cases confirmed cases in Laois since February. For the last 25 years, I have conducted research on emerging viruses agents of diseases with exotic names like dengue, Zika and chikungunya. I have developed vaccines and anti-viral drugs in the laboratory, but I have also hunted these viruses in jungles across Africa, Asia and South America. Over this same time period, I have taught classes in virology and emerging infectious diseases to undergraduate and graduate students at New Mexico State University, and I have raised two wonderful kids one will start college and one will start graduate school next year. These were the experiences that shaped my response when a new virus, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, arrived on my doorstep this spring. At that time, we knew almost nothing about this virus or about COVID-19, the disease that it causes. We hoped transmission might wane over the summer, as influenza virus transmission does. We hoped it might be possible to halt SARS-CoV-2 transmission altogether, consigning it to the history books like smallpox. Thus, over spring break in March, I advocated for closing NMSU down and moving instruction online for the remainder of the spring term. The main motivation was to protect the health of students, staff and faculty. The bonus was that shuttering the university, in concert with state stay-at-home orders in general, greatly decreased virus transmission, buying precious time for hospitals to prepare to treat COVID-19 cases, testing centers to expand capacity and research to provide answers. Now, in July, we know much more, though still far from enough, about SARS-CoV-2. But some of our original hopes have been dashed. Far from slowing in the summer, transmission has skyrocketed in many places, and it is clear that eradication will not be achieved in the near future, if indeed it ever is. So, we need to learn to live in a world that contains COVID-19. The good news is since March we have discovered some easy things we can do personally to protect ourselves and our community. We can wear masks, stand 6 feet apart, get tested if we feel sick, and isolate ourselves and provide information to contact tracers if we are infected. With those tools in hand, we need to consider whether it is time to reopen college campuses. At first glance, returning to campus seems risky: All those students in dorms and classrooms interacting with one another must surely increase virus transmission, right? But its clear complete isolation is not the alternative behavior of college-age students. I know this from personal observations and epidemiological data. Rates of SARS-CoV-2 infections are increasing fastest in young adults between age 20 and 30 the college-age population. To some degree, this rise is attributable to a return to work. To a larger degree, it is attributable to a return to bars, restaurants, large parties and social gatherings where people do not wear masks or engage in social distancing. Researchers at Cornell University, an agriculture school like NMSU, albeit with a little more ivy on its walls, have recently published a study demonstrating that a return to campus in the fall would decrease SARS-CoV-2 infections when compared to fully online instruction. Why? Students would be subject to enforcement of masking and social distancing practices and have ready access to testing and contact tracing. The same will be true at NMSU, where we are fabricating masks emblazoned with the university logo, installing hand sanitizer stations across all buildings, measuring classrooms to ensure students can stay 6 feet apart, and moving classes too large to fit in our existing classrooms into fully online or hybrid formats. Critically, we are also putting in place programs to screen students for coronavirus infection so if campus life does begin to act as an engine of transmission, we can quickly detect the trend and act to reverse it. Of course there are students, staff and faculty who have conditions that render them more vulnerable to severe COVID-19, and they will have the opportunity to teach, work or learn from a distance. Why is NMSU in a rush to reopen when students can take most classes online? Because we know, as students know, that online teaching cannot substitute for the campus learning environment and hands-on training and social opportunities therein. A recent poll of our undergraduates showed 92% of them wanted to return to NMSU, 46% wanted face-to-face classes, and another 28% wanted hybrid classes. And we want them back. Would I send my own son and daughter to classes on NMSU campus? I would, and they would gladly go. As Alabamas health department reported just over 1,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the smallest increase since early July, one small towns police chief was battling the disease in an intensive care unit. The number of hospitalizations dropped from 1,536 on July 24 to 1,425 as of Saturday. However, its unclear if that is the beginning of a trend. Case and hospitalization numbers can be variable on weekends. Among the victims suffering with the disease in the state is the police chief of a town in Jefferson County. News outlets in Birmingham report that Brookside Police Chief M. Jones was in an intensive care unit with the disease. The police department said on its Facebook page that Jones cannot speak, eat or move without assistance. The cast of Netflix's O2 also includes French actors Mathieu Amalric and Malik Zidi. Melanie Laurent, who has acted in 6 Underground and Inglourious Basterds, is set to star in Netflixs French survival thriller O2. Anne Hathaway was earlier cast as the lead of this film. According to The Hollywood Reporter, filmmaker Alexander Aja, best known for Crawl and Piranha 3D, will direct the movie based on Christie LeBlancs original script which was on The Black List. The project marks Ajas return to French-language films after a gap of 15 years. Laurent will topline a cast which also includes actors Mathieu Amalric and Malik Zidi. The films story centres on a young woman who wakes up in a medical cryo unit. She doesnt remember who she is or how she ended up sequestered in a box no larger than a coffin. As shes running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare. The film will be produced by Vincent Maraval, Brahim Chioua and Noemie Devide for Getaway Films. (With inputs from Press Trust of India) The Swedru District Police Command has mounted a search for the arrest of a personnel of a Security Company at Agona Swedru for the alleged gruesome murder of a 69-year old man. Superintendent Seth P. Yirenkyi, the Swedru District Police Commander, who disclosed this to the GNA, named Abraham Adakyi, as the suspect and Mr John Kwame Akpanu as the deceased. According to Superintendent Yirenkyi, Adakyi was on duty at the Agona Swedru branch of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday, July 16, 2020 when the sad incident occurred. The District Commander said one private security man (name withheld) who was also on duty at the ADB with the suspect, reported that around 2300 hours that fateful night, Adakyi had a scuffle with the deceased. Superintendent Yirenkyi said the two were separated by the said Security man who afterwards left them to his duty post but later saw Adakyi stab the deceased in the abdomen three times. He said the Security man called for help and the deceased was rushed to the Swedru Municipal Government Hospital, where he was admitted at the Accident and Emergency Ward, where he later died. The District Commander said Adakyi was nearly lynched by the people but narrowly escaped. Superintendent Yirenkyi said the body of the 69-year-old man has since been deposited at the Swedru Municipal Morgue awaiting autopsy. The Swedru District Commander, therefore, called on the Public to offer relevant information to aid investigations. Source: GNA As kinnow growers are anticipating a sluggish market ahead of harvesting season in October, Punjab Agri Export Corporation (PAEC) has planned a campaign to promote the king fruit of Punjab across the country. PAEC general manager Ranbir Singh said on Sunday the states of southern India will be targeted under the Punjab Kinnow campaign from September onwards. Unlock 2.0 is being seen as a business opportunity to boost the mandarin hybrid with focus on its high nutritious value. It is for the first time that the state government is making an organised effort for kinnow promotion, he said. The top official also informed that chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had taken interest in PAECs initiative as kinnow growers were concerned about marketing their produce amid the pandemic. Punjab Agricultural Universitys state-supported research had proved that kinnows have anti-oxidant properties that not only reduce chances of cancer, but also lowered the risk of contracting diseases that affect immunity, like HIV. Kinnow seeds contain a high level of limonin, a natural content with medicinal value. The fruit will be marketed while highlighting these facts through social media and conventional strategies, he added. Besides ensuring freight subsidies for transportation, PAEC is also working to ensure logistic support to transport kinnows to the key states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Gujarat. Earlier, Union food processing industries minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had announced that the central government would provide 50% subsidy on storage and transportation of kinnows to the consumption centres. With about 33,000 hectare land under kinnow cultivation, Abohar belt in Fazilka district is the hub of of the citrus variety production. Abohar produces 60% of the states fruit. In 2019, it had produced 7 lakh metric tonnes of kinnow. Farmers are expecting a higher yield this year, but they are worried due to low rates being offered for pre-harvest contracts. A leading kinnow orchardist from Bhangar Khera village Raghav Sharda said a contractor has agreed to pay 12/kg for harvest from the farm. In 2019, farmers sold kinnow between 15-18/kg in wholesale. This year, we expect up to 50% jump in yield but not many contractors are coming forward to finalise deals, said Sharda. A second generation kinnow grower, Geet Setia said that till last year, informal trade commitments began from April onwards, after traders assessed kinnow production on the basis of fruit flowering. Though traders have started approaching, the rates are not encouraging. Kinnow growers are hopeful after PAEC has assured to help farmers in marketing the fruit, he said. According to kinnow trader Shivam Setia, presently the pre-harvest wholesale rate is between 9-12/kg even though a bumper yield is expected this season. Smooth transportation amid Covid-19 pandemic may be the determining factor for a stable kinnow market this year. Suppliers are not confident of investing at this juncture. The picture may be cleared by October, said Setia. Ready to gherao PMs house if needed says Ashok Gehlot India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, July 26: A day after leading a dharna at the Raj Bhawan in Jaipur, Rajasthan chief minister on Saturday said if necessary Congress MLAs will meet the President and hold a sit-in outside the Prime Minister's home to settle the crisis in the state. According to party sources, Gehlot said this while addressing a Congress Legislature Party meeting held at the hotel where MLAs loyal to him are holed up. He also told the MLAs that they may have to stay put there longer. Gehlot govt wants assembly session on July 31, drafts new proposal for Governor "The chief minister asked us to remain prepared to stay longer at the hotel. If required, he said, we would go to meet the President and would also hold a dharna outside the Prime Minister's residence," a party leader said. On Friday, Congress MLAs had squatted on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan for several hours, demanding that Governor Kalraj Mishra should summon a session of the Vidhan Sabha so that they can prove their majority. Gehlot alleged that the Governor was under "pressure from above" not to summon a session, hinting that the BJP government at the Centre was involved in the tussle for power in the state. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News The BJP condemned the sit-in at Raj Bhawan, and an earlier remark by Gehlot that "we will not be responsible" if the people of the state gherao. Futile for people to expect safety if CM himself makes guv 'feel unsafe': BJP attacks Gehlot The dharna at the Raj Bhawan was called off Friday night, according to the Congress, after Mishra said he will abide by the Constitution but not act under any pressure. The governor asked Gehlot to submit again his recommendation for a session, clarifying six points. These included queries on free movement of MLAs and the reason the session needs to be called urgently. Gehlot's government has been under threat after his now sacked deputy Sachin Pilot rebelled. Eighteen other dissident MLAs have also defied the party whip to attend CLP meetings. Including the 19 dissidents, the Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly and the BJP 72. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, July 26, 2020, 9:05 [IST] A proposal by Tata Steel for the UK government to invest over 900 million pounds or $1.2 billion in the company is part of the talks between the two sides. The company and the UK government are engaging in talks to secure the future of Port Talbot steelworks. Under this plan the state would control as much as 50 per cent stake in Tata Steel, Sky News reported. The proposal would also involve the company writing off a similar amount owed by the UK business. However, the UK Treasury declined to comment on the report and a Tata spokesperson in Mumbai said that they do not comment on speculation. The discussions also involve various options, including shutting down Tata Steel's blast furnace operations at Port Talbot to switch over to greener alternatives. Earlier a Tata Steel spokesperson had told The Economic Times that the company is in active discussion with the UK government on several options. Cooperation from the government is one of the options. The spokesperson said that the Port Talbot operations face structural challenges owing to the market conditions and the disruption caused by coronavirus pandemic. The spokesperson however, declined from commenting on "unsubstantiated speculation about the outcome of these discussions". The company employs 8,000 people in the UK, half of whom are in Port Talbot. Local MP Stephen Kinnock warned the government that it was urgent to save the jobs there. Also read: Tata Steel promises no forced job cuts at Amsterdam plant Also read: Can Tata group's Chandrasekaran create a TCS in FMCG? New Delhi, July 26 : A Gurugram district court has summoned tech giant, Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case where a former employee said he was wrongfully sacked after he objected to censorship and fake news on the company's apps. As per reports, a former employee of Alibaba's UC Web, Pushpandra Singh Parmar has alleged that UC Web used to censor content seen as unfavourable to China and its apps UC Browser and UC News spread false news "to cause social and political turmoil" in India. Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand of district court in Gurugram has issued summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen individuals or company units, asking them to appear in court or through a lawyer on July 29. The court has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, as per the summons. UC India said, "It had been unwavering in its commitment to the India market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation". In the court filings, Parmar included clippings of some posts showcased on the UC News app that he alleged were false. One post from 2017 was headlined in Hindi: "2,000-rupee notes to be banned from midnight today". Another headline of a 2018 post said: "Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan" with description of firing across the border between the countries. The Modi government has banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser and Xiaomi's Mi Community over national security concerns amid strained India-China bilateral relations after the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese PLA troops in eastern Ladakh. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a list of 59 Chinese apps that are now banned in the country. "These measures have been undertaken since there is credible information that these apps are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order," said a MeitY statement. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has dared the Opposition to topple his government and said though it is a 'three-wheeler' government, he is firmly in control of its steering wheel. ; Thackeray, who is also president of the Shiv Sena, said his alliance partners -- the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress -- are 'positive' and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is benefitting from their experience. He also took an aim at the Centre's ambitious Mumbai- Ahmedabad bullet train project, saying he would rather prefer such a high speed link between the state capital and Nagpur. 'The future of my government is not in the hands of the Opposition. The steering is in my hands. A three-wheeler (auto-rickshaw) is a vehicle of poor people. 'The other two are sitting behind,' Thackeray said in the second and last part of his interview published in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, ahead of his 60th birthday on Monday. 'Why wait for September-October as is being speculated. Topple the government right now since you get pleasure in toppling. Some people derive pleasure in constructive work while some are happy in destruction. If you feel happy in destruction, go ahead,' he said. 'You say the MVA government is formed against the democratic principles but when you topple it, is it democracy?' the chief minister asked. Notably, his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis earlier compared the ruling MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena and its ideological opponents Congress and NCP, with a three-wheeler, auto-rickshaw, and raised doubts over its stability. To a question, Thackeray said he hadn't switched sides, but only entered into an alliance. 'I did this because the purpose with which I had joined hands earlier turned out to be hollow,' he said. Asserting that the party ideology is important, he said, 'Show me one leader who has reached the top position in the party which he has defected to. It is all use and throw policy.' Targeting the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, he said, 'A three-wheeler is a vehicle of poor people. If I have to choose between a bullet train and an auto-rickshaw, I will chose the auto-rickshaw. If people don't want a bullet train, then it will not happen,' he said. 'If my government is a three-wheeler, it is moving in a proper direction, why should you have stomachache?' he said in a veiled attack at the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. Thackeray said when he attended the National Democratic Alliance meeting last time, 'there were 30 to 35 wheels like a railway train'. The chief minister said he would scrap projects which people feel are unwanted. He said MoUs worth Rs 16,000 crore signed recently are in initial stages and more investments are on the anvil. 'If the state requires a bullet train, I would demand a bullet train to connect Mumbai and Nagpur. I would like a bullet train which connects my state capital and the second capital. 'The feeling of neglect among people of Vidarbha would be wiped out. Just like the Mumbai Nagpur Samruddhi corridor, I would be happy with a bullet train,' he said. He also said the Congress's grievance of being neglected in the three-party alliance government was resolved after his meeting with the state Congress leaders. 'I have good coordination with (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar. I make a phone call to (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi some times,' he said. Thackeray asserted that the tripartite MVA government was functioning well. 'I admit that in the last few months, face-to-face meetings haven't happened. One more minister is coronavirus positive now after Jitendra Awhad, Ashok Chavan and Dhananjay Munde. All ministers are in touch with each other over phone or through video conferencing,' he said. Thackeray admitted the state's economy is not in good shape, but noted the entire world is facing such a crisis. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked all chief ministers not to announce any waivers or subsidies as populist measures due to which the economy would be further burdened. In an apparent reference to his criticism over not moving out during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thackeray said discussions and deliberations as well as signing of MoUs were being done by him sitting at home. Asked about the participation of Chinese firms in investing in the state, he said more than the presence of Chinese firms in the recent MoUs, what is important is whether Chinese investments should remain in the country or not. 'During a video conference meeting with the prime minister, I had requested him to frame a national policy on doing business with China,' he said. Thackeray also said his government had kept the MoUs with Chinese firms on hold. 'There should be a policy on whether Chinese companies should be allowed to do business in the country. If tomorrow, the situation improves and the Chinese prime minister is welcomed in India, why should we miss the business opportunities now?' he asked. The chief minister also rejected criticism that bureaucracy has an upper hand in his government. 'The government is the decision-maker and bureaucracy implements the decisions,' he added. London: Britain will boost its ability to handle threats posed by Russia and China in space as part of a foreign, security and defence policy review, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Sunday. On Thursday, Britain said it was concerned about a Russian satellite test that involved the launch of a projectile with the "characteristics of a weapon". Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. Credit:Getty Images "This week we have been reminded of the threat Russia poses to our national security with the provocative test of a weapon-like projectile from a satellite threatening the peaceful use of space", Wallace wrote in The Telegraph, London, adding that China also posed a threat. "China, too, is developing offensive space weapons and both nations are upgrading their capabilities. Such behaviour only underlines the importance of the review the government is currently conducting into our foreign, security, defence and development policy - the deepest and most radical since the end of the Cold War," he added. Most workplaces are inherently dull and utilitarian. Working from home translates mostly into a search for the grayest and most staid spaces to serve as backgrounds for video meetings. Rarely does a workplace take you back in time and reveal hidden connections. But Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, provides this unique opportunity. Tucked away in a corner of the imposing main building is a library. In a building full of rooms that serve multiple purposes and are forever changing their function, where ballrooms are used for officious conferences and dining rooms double as meeting halls, this library has remained, for almost a century, a space for silent contemplation. That alone is remarkable. Inside are some old secrets hidden in plain sight. Over a fireplace hangs a painting titled The Creation of Man. Its a naked male figure in repose,with two hands reaching down from the heavens towards his head, and fire engulfing him from above. Its a distinctly odd choice for a Presidential library, especially considering that the painter, Glyn Warren Philpot (1884-1937) was an acclaimed portrait painter. Even more intriguing is that fact that, unlike most of the other art at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the paintings in the Library were commissioned for the building, when it was still being constructed. So, this painting was commissioned specifically by Edwin Lutyens himself, for this space. I did a little digging and discovered that, before embarking on the Rashtrapati Bhavan project, Lutyens worked on Mulberry House in Westminster, London. He collaborated with two artists on works for the drawing room of that residence Charles Sargeant Jagger, who created a bronze sculpture titled Scandal, featuring a naked couple amid outraged onlookers; and Glyn Philpot, who created murals on silver foil titled The Loves of Jupiter. Jagger would later design the elephant-shaped pillars that still greet visitors to Rashtrapati Bhavan. For the library, Lutyens envisioned a masterpiece along the lines of Michelangelos Creation of Adam. Philpot, with his finely detailed portraits and religious leanings, seemed a perfect choice for that work. What Lutyens couldnt have known was that Philpot was changing. He was becoming more open about his homosexuality. And, since homosexuality was still a crime in England, he was expressing a lot of his conflict, longing and angst through paintings of the naked male form. The Creation of Man, then, combines new artistic influences from Philpots travels around the world, and reflects his own struggles. And so we have at Rashtrapati Bhavan a rapturous creation born of internal conflict. Quite unexpectedly, Philpots story continues in another painting in the library. This one is titled The Invention of the Printing Press, and it is not so much the art as the artist that is pertinent. Vivian Forbes (1891-1937) first met Philpot while serving in World War 1. They had a long and intimate relationship from 1923 to 1935, intermittently sharing a home and studio in London. Forbes had been a businessman in Egypt but, encouraged by Philpot, became an artist. It is likely that Philpot urged Lutyens to commission a work by Forbes for the library too. Six years after work on Rashtrapati Bhavan was completed, in 1937, Philpot died from a brain haemorrhage in England. Heartbroken, Forbes took an overdose of sleeping pills and died by suicide, in the same room, the following day. The really evocative bit? In the Rashtrapati Bhavan library, in a country neither ever visited, Forbes and Philpots two paintings still face each other, tracing a story you can only see if you know where to look. Who says workplaces cant be interesting? Praveen Siddharth is Private Secretary to the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form A member of one of five families that control Torstar Corp. has spoken out to say he does not support the NordStar takeover but the Torstar chair fired back Saturday, saying the families overwhelmingly support the deal and the single member who spoke out is not a major shareholder. I understand a member of one of the families is not pleased, but his shares represent but half a per cent of all voting trust shares and one tenth of a per cent of the companys total shares, said John Honderich in an emailed statement Saturday afternoon. To somehow suggest the voting trust is split is not only misrepresentative but mischievous. In a story published by the Globe and Mail on Friday, Butch Folland, a member of the Hindmarsh family and the great grandson of former Star publisher Joseph Atkinson, said he was disappointed by the process that led to the five-family voting trust signing a hard lock-up guaranteeing their support for the deal. I was really disappointed in the outcome. I felt that the process wasnt really fair in the way it affected me, Folland was quoted as saying. Folland, who did not immediately return a call seeking comment from the Star, was quoted saying he would have liked to have been given more information about a competing bid from Canadian Modern Media Holdings. Along with the voting trust, NordStars bid also had the guaranteed support of Fairfax Financial, which holds 40 per cent of Torstars class B shares. The voting trust and Fairfax signed the lock-ups July 11 after NordStar raised its 63-cent per share bid to 74 cents. On Tuesday, 98.7 per cent of Torstar shareholders voted in favour of the 74-cent-per-share bid from NordStar, controlled by entrepreneurs Jordan Bitove and Paul Rivett. According to a Torstar press release, 99.7 per cent of the votes by class A shareholders were in favour of the deal, along with 98.1 per cent of class B shareholders. Even among shareholders who hadnt signed lock-ups, support was strong, with 81.9 per cent voting in favour. Just a day before the shareholders vote, a competing bid from CMMH was raised to 80 cents per share, but it did not include the contingent value rights that were part of an earlier offer. Just over three weeks ago CMMH offered 72 cents per share plus contingent value rights that could potentially be worth up to 50 cents per share if certain milestones were met in the future. Both bidders and Torstar are still awaiting a decision from Ontario Superior Court Justice Cory Gilmore, who Thursday held a one-hour fairness hearing into whether or not to approve the NordStar takeover. During the hearing, Gilmore said she needed more time to examine written submissions by NordStar, Torstar, rival bidder Canadian Modern Media Holdings, and a minority shareholder. Gilmore said shed be in touch with lawyers for the various parties via email, although it wasnt clear when that communication would take place, and whether it would be to reconvene the hearing or to issue a ruling. 3 1 of 3 Douglas Zimmerman/SFGate.com Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Scott Dudelson/Getty Images Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Organizers of San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, which was due to celebrate its 20th annual event in October, have canceled the live event this year due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, organizers are planning an online iteration of the festival, called Let the Music Play On. On Saturday afternoon, the festival's artist relations manager, Bonnie Simmons, took part in a livestream with the rock band Los Lobos, announcing that while organizers could have tweeted out the news about the fall festival, they decided a livestreamed concert was more fun. Simmons went on to explain that the festival's in-person component needed to be canceled in accordance with current public health guidelines, but that "doing nothing just isnt our style." The Spanish government is focused on convincing Britain to exclude the Balearic and Canary islands from a 14-day quarantine it abruptly imposed on all travellers returning from Spain, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said on Sunday. "Spain is safe, it is safe for Spaniards, it is safe for tourists," Gonzalez Laya told reporters. She added that her government would take measures regarding other countries if needed, based on epidemilogic data, but that there would be no tit-for-tat retaliation taking place. Search Keywords: Short link: Report says Prime Minister Johnson also set to overhaul UK treason laws to counter threats posed by Moscow and Beijing. The United Kingdom will boost its ability to handle threats posed by Russia and China in space as part of a foreign, security and defence policy review being conducted by the government, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said. This week we have been reminded of the threat Russia poses to our national security with the provocative test of a weapon-like projectile from a satellite threatening the peaceful use of space, Wallace wrote in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, adding that China also posed a threat. China, too, is developing offensive space weapons and both nations are upgrading their capabilities. Such behaviour only underlines the importance of the review the government is currently conducting, he added. On Thursday, the UK said it was concerned about a Russian satellite test which involved the launch of a projectile with the characteristics of a weapon. Tensions between London and Moscow have been high in recent weeks, as the UK has targeted Russians with new sanctions, accused Russian actors of trying to meddle in last years election and said Russia has tried to hack into vaccine research. Separately, the UK announced on Monday it would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in an escalation of a dispute with China over its introduction of a national security law for the former British colony. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered equipment from Chinas Huawei Technologies to be purged completely from the UKs 5G network by the end of 2027. China once courted as the prime source of investment in British infrastructure projects has accused the UK of pandering to the United States. The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that Johnson was also set to overhaul the UKs treason laws to counter threats posed by China and Russia, with the step likely to see a new Treason Act, a new Espionage Act and a rewriting of the Official Secrets Act. Distance learning was an incredibly difficult experience for the teacher. She remembers feeling frustrated by the lack of engagement from students and struggling to figure out how to be effective outside of face-to-face settings. Still, Harris thinks its the safest option at this point. I think that distance learning 100% would be the best way to go, she said. Even if it means less engagement than being in school 100% of the time, people would be safe. And thats the most important thing. Tulsa Classroom Teacher Association President Shawna Mott-Wright said she fields questions every day from educators overwhelmed with anxiety due to potentially having to go back to school before the pandemic subsides. Many are in tears when they call. Some are immunocompromised. Others have family members they want to protect. The problem, Mott-Wright said, is that teachers have no way of knowing whether everyone in their classroom is COVID-free. Schools can have 100 people who have the disease but dont realize theyre infected. Many high schools throughout our state have daily attendance of 2,000 students or more, supported by adult staff numbering in the hundreds. In environments where there still exists significant community spread, we believe we will see cases in our districts, no matter what protective actions we take in our buildings. Each time there is a confirmed case in school, that school may be required to shut down, perform deep cleaning and quarantine individuals who come in contact with the infected individual. One need not be very imaginative to envision cases shutting down our schools for days on end, with a meaningful number of staff and students home on quarantine. It also potentially puts our entire communities in danger. Therefore, we are asking authorities to take measures to help get the prevalence of virus under containment as quickly as possible through sound public health directives. This is not, and should not be, a political issue. It is simply the right thing to do to keep our state operating as normally as possible. A town resident who believes the community is taking the Greenwich Police Department for granted decided to do something nice for the officers in town. Michael DAngelo, wife Valerie and son Michael John paid for a food truck to visit the Public Safety Complex for two hours on Sunday, July 19, to treat all the officer on duty to lunch. The family brought in Anthonys New York Hot Dogs and More from Westchester County, N.Y., to provide hot dogs, hamburgers and other food. It went incredibly well, DAngelo said. The food, cold drinks and a shady spot outside the station made for a fund event fun during the heat wave. DAngelo said he hoped the gesture will inspire others to show support for police offers, first responders and those in the military. Ive felt for a long time that a lot of people dont respect or appreciate the police department and all the work it does in our community. DAngelo said. I wanted to do something to say thank you and let them know theyre appreciated. They should be recognized more for the good work they do. And not only did the food hit the spot for officers, the familys gesture was also much appreciated. It is reassuring when a member of the community takes time out of their lives to do something to say thank you and share something nice with us, Lt. John Slusarz said. We all appreciate the support. Riverside The need for donations to the town food pantry at Neighbor to Neighbor has grown during the coronavirus crisis. To make sure people have enough to eat, the Parish of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Agnes in Riverside has launched a new initiative. Until further notice, the parish will be collecting food and other living essentials in a no-contact format to ensure safety. From 9 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday, a car or SUV will be set up with an open trunk in the parking lot across from the church at 4 Riverside Ave. Residents can bring bagged groceries and place them in the trunk. Groceries will be taken to the Neighbor to Neighbor food bank for distribution to its clients. According to the parish, needed items include peanut butter; jelly; oatmeal; canned meats such as chicken, chili, Vienna sausages and tuna; canned fruit; dried or canned red or black kidney beans; cereal; rice; and soup. Donations are also needed of toiletries, toilet paper, paper towels, sanitary products, cleaning products and paper grocery bags. The parishs Social Justice Committee put together the food drive. Committee member Rhonda Morley said she got the idea from a similar drive run by Lori Jackson, a Neighbor to Neighbor board member, at St. Pauls in Riverside. Our parishs mission is in part to be responsive to the needs of the community and our Social Justice Committees efforts do just that, said Lori Wilson, pastoral associate for administration and faith formation at the parish. Eastern Greenwich New parking restrictions have been put in place for Sunshine Avenue. After a unanimous vote by the Board of Selectmen last week, there will be no parking on either side of a designated 180-foot stretch of the road. The restriction was needed because the Department of Public Works is installing new sidewalks and curbs while retaining a popular large oak tree. The work to avoid cutting down the tree narrowed the roadway enough that the town decided to ban parking there for safety reasons. This will provide safe travel conditions for pedestrians and vehicular traffic, Lu Ann Bellantoni, business manager for the Department of Parking Services, told the Board of Selectmen. Bellantoni said the department received no objections from the neighborhood about the parking restriction. Residents were notified by letter before the Board of Selectmens vote. It was good to see a solution to save the tree, First Selectman Fred Camillo said. Greenwich In a smooth transition of power, the Greenwich Pen Women have found a new leader. Town resident Sarah Darer Littman stepped aside at the end of her term and was replaced by Lee Paine, also of Greenwich. While this transition was planned for the organizations annual meeting in Belle Haven, the coronavirus forced the writers to improvise. They held the election during their first collective Zoom meeting. Instead of Paine presenting the traditional thank you gifts and flowers to Littman at the meeting, she made a quick trip over to Littmans house for the presentation. Littman gave her the symbolic presidents gavel in a safe and socially distanced manner. When I agreed to serve as your president two years ago, Id never served on a board before in any position, much less as president, so it was very much a case of jumping into deep water and trying to figure out how to swim, Littman, the author of 18 young adult and middle grade novels, said during the virtual meeting. Being madame president has certainly helped me stretch and grow. Paine told Littman, You were the right person at the right time to be our president, because you successfully increased the Pen Womens usage of social media and integrated it into all that we do, and we are grateful to you. Paine is the first member of the Greenwich Pen Women who has been admitted in all three categories: arts, letters and music. She is a professional photographer and photography teacher and was a columnist for Greenwich Time for more than 20 years. The Greenwich Pen Women is a local branch of the National League of American Pen Women and has been an active organization since 1955. For more information, visit www.greenwichpenwomen.org. All of the programs, board meetings, social events and Arts, Letters and Music meetings for Greenwich Pen Women will be virtual for the rest of the 2020-21 program year. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Unique I CAN Work programme extended amid concern over COVID-19 economic and mental health impacts This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jul 26th, 2020 A unique employment support programme which is the first of its kind in Wales has been extended amid concern over the economic and mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. People struggling to find or hold down a job because of mental health difficulties are being encouraged to take advantage of the I CAN Work programme, which provides intensive support from employment specialists and health professionals. Following a successful 12 month pilot, which saw 500 individuals supported across North Wales, the programme has been extended for a further six months, with funding from the Welsh Government. The economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis is expected to have a significant impact on employment, with more than a fifth of UK employers planning to make redundancies in the coming months. Young people and the lowest paid are expected to be hardest hit, with women more adversely affected than men. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is also anticipating an upsurge in mental health referrals as the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown begins to make itself felt. Daniel Davies from Prestatyn is one of a number of people who have been supported by the I CAN Work programme. The 27-year-old trained chef experienced anxiety and low mood after spending five months out of work, before the I CAN Work programme helped him find a job with the catering team at Glan Clwyd Hospital in March 2020. My confidence and anxiety were shot after receiving a number of knock backs and I felt like giving up, he said. But my I CAN Work employment specialist was amazing and helped to boost my self-esteem by sending me on a confidence boosting course. She was very proactive and understood what type of work would suit me, rather than pushing me towards any old job. The programme has helped to give me a more positive outlook on life. Ive joined the gym and started to love and care for myself again. I believe I CAN Work can help you no matter what your issues are. The scheme is being led by Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board and delivered in partnership with personal support services charity CAIS, and the Rhyl City Strategy, who have successful track records of helping people into work. Llinos Edwards, service improvement manager at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: We know that many people experiencing mental health problems want to work, but sometimes need extra support to do so. Sadly we know that there will also be many people who lose their jobs in the coming months. We want to encourage anybody who is struggling to please get in touch so our I CAN Work employment specialists can provide the intensive support required to help them find and remain in employment. People can self-refer to I CAN Work or be referred by their GP or any other healthcare professional. For many of the 500 people supported over the past 12 months, making contact with I CAN Work has been the first step in improving their mental health and employment prospects. I CAN Work is based on the principles of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) employment programme, which is used across the world and is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as the leading model to help people with poor mental health into work. It is the first time that this approach has been adopted on a large scale in Wales. I CAN Work is one of a range of initiatives which form part of the health boards I CAN campaign, which aims to provide earlier support and empower people to take control of their mental health. For further information please visit the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board website. This is a year America won't soon forget. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has wreaked havoc physically and financially. It's responsible for more than 142,000 deaths in the U.S., and has cost over 20 million Americans their jobs. Worst of all, this physical and financial shock has occurred over a span of just five months. While resolving the physical toll of COVID-19 remains a challenge, lawmakers felt the most appropriate response to the financial hardships created by the pandemic was to throw a record amount of money at the problem. Thus, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act came into being. A necessary response to an unprecedented problem The $2.2 trillion CARES Act is massive. It absolutely dwarfs the $831 billion relief package put together by the Obama administration during the financial crisis to support banks and prop up the U.S. economy. This $2.2 trillion offered a variety of purpose, with these funds used to support struggling industries, supply capital to small businesses, and boost unemployment benefits for tens of millions of Americans (i.e., add $600 per week to what unemployed beneficiaries receive, through July). The CARES Act was also responsible for awarding over 160 million workers and seniors an Economic Impact Payment (as these stimulus payouts are officially known). Though $300 billion was apportioned, roughly $270 billion has been disbursed, thus far, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Under the CARES Act, a worker or senior could receive a maximum payment of $1,200, or $2,400 for a couple filing jointly. A parent or household was also able to net $500 for each dependent aged 16 and under. This meant a married couple with three young kids could receive a $3,900 Economic Impact Payment under the CARES Act. Of course, there were strict adjusted gross income thresholds that single ($75,000), head-of-household ($112,500), and married ($150,000) tax filers would need to fall under to receive this max payment. There's little question that the CARES Act was a novel and needed piece of legislation. Unfortunately, it didn't do much for the average American or family. Approximately three-quarters of stimulus recipients burned through their payouts in four weeks or less. This means the upcoming end of enhanced unemployment benefits on July 31, 2020, could spell trouble for rent, mortgage, auto, and credit card payments. Congress has a $2 trillion second stimulus quandary on its hands For months, pundits and the American public have pined over whether or not lawmakers would work on another stimulus package, complete with a second round of direct stimulus payments. That debate looks to now be settled. Over the past couple of weeks, President Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have all commented in favor of another round of direct stimulus payments to the public. With Democrats passing the HEROES Act in the House of Representatives in May, this meant both parties looked to be on the same page, at least in terms of desire to pass another round of stimulus. But there's a problem -- a $2 trillion problem. The HEROES Act that the Democrat-led House passed on May 15 came with a roughly $3 trillion price tag. It assigned $200 billion in hazard pay to frontline workers, offered $1 trillion to states in need, gave additional funding to hospitals to fight COVID-19, extended enhanced unemployment benefits through January 2021, and offered a second round of direct stimulus payouts, to name a few of its directives. Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell commented last week that the Republican-led Senate's second stimulus bill will come in around the $1 trillion mark. It'll include $105 billion for the reopening of schools, another round of payment protection program loans for small businesses, and, of course, direct stimulus payments to working Americans and seniors. The gap between these proposals is a whopping $2 trillion. That's not a difference that can simply be swept under the rug. An impossible task? There are a number of issues that could keep Democrats and Republicans from finding common ground on the next stimulus proposal. Maybe the biggest hurdle is going to be enhanced unemployment benefits. Democrats have been pretty steadfast in their demand that extra funding be apportioned to the unemployment program, especially given the slow pace of the recovery, and now a second wave of COVID-19 infections. Meanwhile, Republicans believe that high unemployment benefits are discouraging the unemployed from getting back to work. In some instances, folks are making more staying unemployed than they would be if they were working. Finding common ground between these two positions won't be easy, but it may take shape as a back-to-work bonus. Another battle could be brewing over the HEROES Act's desire to expand who'll receive benefits and/or contribute to what a parent or household receives. Under the HEROES Act, dependents of all ages (limit three) would add $1,200, each, to what a parent or household nets. That's up from $500 each under the CARES Act. The HEROES Act would also allow undocumented workers with a taxpayer identification number to collect a stimulus payment. These stipulations are likely to be opposed by the Senate GOP. Even President Trump presents as a second stimulus deal obstacle. He recently stated that he'd be unwilling to sign a new round of stimulus into law if it didn't contain some form of payroll tax cut. Though a payroll tax cut would result in higher take-home paychecks for working Americans, it's considered a highly controversial solution, especially considering the harm it could cause to the Social Security program. And, as the icing on the cake, these differences, and the aforementioned $2 trillion funding gap, need to be ironed out within the next 13 calendar days. That's because the Senate goes on recess for a month after August 7. If it sounds like an impossible task, that's because it just might be -- but only time will tell. India will hand over 10 railway locomotives to Bangladesh on Monday, reflecting a renewed focus on the neighbourhood first policy to bolster economic ties and connectivity within the region amid the border standoff with China. The handover of the broad gauge diesel locomotives, part of grant assistance from the Indian side, is in line with a commitment by New Delhi during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas visit last October, people familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity. The locomotives will be handed over during a virtual event to be joined by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and railways minister Piyush Goyal and their Bangladeshi counterparts AK Abdul Momen and Mohammed Nurul Islam Sujon, as well as envoys of the two countries and senior officials. The handover will come close on the heels of the first cross-border container train reaching Bangladesh on Sunday with 50 containers of FMCG goods and fabrics. Last week, the two sides marked a notable achievement in maritime connectivity with the first shipment of container cargo from Kolkata to Agartala in the landlocked northeastern region via Bangladeshs Chattogram port. The connectivity initiatives with Bangladesh coincide with other moves by India to shore up relations with key neighbours amid the standoff with China. In reject weeks, New Delhi has kept a wary eye on stepped up activities by Beijing in regional capitals such as Kathmandu, Male and Colombo. The people cited above believe China was behind Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans recent outreach to his Bangladeshi counterpart. On Saturday, India announced a $400-million currency swap facility for Sri Lanka under the Saarc framework, and Colombos request for a bilateral swap facility for $1.1 billion is also being considered by New Delhi. The Indian mission in Male, in a statement on Sunday to mark the Maldives Independence Day, said India had provided $400 million through an extended currency swap arrangement to tide over a liquidity shortage and will soon announce another substantial financial assistance package to help post-Covid-19 economic recovery. The people said India-Bangladesh railway cooperation is a vital element of efforts to promote trade and connectivity. Both sides are working to enhance rail connectivity by developing new projects and restoring old links. Currently, the four operational rail links between the two sides, all of which originate in West Bengal, are Petrapole-Benapole, Gede-Darshana, Singhabad-Rohanpur, and RadhikapurBirol. The first container train that reached Bangladesh on Sunday left the Container Corporation of India Ltds (CONCOR) terminal at Majerhat near Kolkata on Friday and crossed over using the Benapole-Petrapole link. This container train will now be a regular service connecting CONCOR terminals in India to stations in Bangladesh such as Benapole, Jessore, Singia, Noapara and Bangabandhu Setu West, Indian officials said. The two sides signed an MoU for the service in April 2017 and a trial run was conducted in April 2018. There are also two passenger trains Bandhan Express from Kolkata to Khulna and Maitree Express from Kolkata to Dhaka though services are temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. Seventeen railway projects with a commitment of $2.44 billion were included in assistance extended by India to Bangladesh. India has offered lines of credit for these projects at a rate of interest of 1% a year, with repayment over 20 years with a moratorium for five years. Nine projects have been completed, including supply of wagons and equipment. The Kulaura-Shahbazpur line, being built at a cost of $78 million, is set to be completed by the end of this year, and the Khulna-Mongla line worth $389 million is set for completion by June 2021. A cross-border link of 12 km between Agartala and Akhaura is set to be completed by March 2021 and will enhance freight and passenger connectivity between the rest of India and the northeastern states. Experts believe the attention given to ties with Bangladesh is part of efforts to overcome the impact of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) on bilateral relations. Bangladeshs leadership was irked by reports that illegal migrants in states such as Assam would be deported to the neighbouring country. Maya Mirchandani, senior fellow at Observer Research Foundation and professor of media studies at Ashoka University, said: Weve neglected the neighbourhood for some time. Bangladesh has been upset since CAA was passed, and the perception it has created about ethnic Bengali Muslims in particular. She added: In the current context, with Chinese adventurism on Indias borders, it is imperative for Delhi to be less dismissive of neighbours falling into Chinas debt trap and be more pro-active about repairing ties that have been starved for attention. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes at the National War Memorial here on Sunday on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the country's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory after the nearly three-month-long battles in the icy heights of Kargil. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war. "I congratulate all Indian citizens on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The sacrifices made by soldiers, which helped us win the Kargil war, will always be a source of inspiration for the armed forces," Singh told reporters. Along with the defence minister, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General M M Naravane, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh also paid tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the National War Memorial. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back the Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks. The day is observed as "Kargil Vijay Diwas" to commemorate India's victory in the war. The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a bitter standoff at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last 10 weeks. The tension escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed by the Chinese troops in a violent clash in Galwan Valley on June 15. The Chinese side also suffered casualties, but is yet to give out the details. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35. GARDAI are appealing for witnesses to a vicious attack on a man by three men in Limerick city this Sunday morning. The man aged 24 was assaulted on John Street at approximately 3.30am. The man was walking on his own on John Street when he was suddenly and viciously attacked by three males, said Garda John Finnerty of Henry Street garda station. One of the perpetrators punched him into the face and knocked him to the ground. The three males then left the area, he continued. The victim managed to alert gardai and he was subsequently taken by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick. He suffered superficial injuries to his face, said Garda Finnerty who said there is no description of the three perpetrators. If you were in the John Street area of Limerick city in the early hours of Sunday morning at approximately. 3.30am and you saw some kind of activity involving a number of males then we would like to hear from you, said Garda Finnerty. Contact Henry Street garda station at 061 212400. A Rohingya migrant is feared to be the only survivor from a boat carrying at least two dozen asylum seekers that is believed to have run into difficulty off the Malaysian coast near Thailand, a coastguard official said Sunday. Mohamad Zawawi Abdullah, coastguard chief for the northern states of Kedah and Perlis, said the 27-year-old named Nor Hossain was detained by police after he swam to shore on the resort island of Langkawi. "Based on the information from the police, the illegal Rohingya migrant had jumped off the boat that had 24 other people and that he was the only one who managed to swim to the shore safely," Zawawi said. A search and rescue operation had been launched, but another official told AFP that no bodies or survivors have been found. It is not clear what happened to the boat. Muslim-majority Malaysia is a favoured destination for Rohingya, who face persecution in their mostly Buddhist homeland of Myanmar, but authorities have in recent months been trying to stop them entering over coronavirus fears. Many of the 700,000-plus Rohingya Muslims who fled a military crackdown in Myanmar three years ago have attempted to leave overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district on boats headed for Malaysia and neighbouring Indonesia. Zawawi said two coastguard aircraft and two boats have been deployed to search the suspected area. Malaysia has stepped up maritime patrols since the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic in a bid to stop Rohingya boats from landing. Although some have made it ashore many boats have been turned back, sparking anger from rights groups. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 16:59:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLIN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people were injured, including three seriously, on Sunday after a man drove into a group of people in Germany's capital here. The driver plowed the black SUV into the Hardenbergplatz in the morning at around 7:20 a.m. local time (0520 GMT) and was then arrested by police, according to local media FOCUS ONLINE. The police is still investigating the incident and a political or religious motive has been initially excluded. Enditem Pillars erected by Nepalese men for fencing a no-mans land at the India-Nepal border have not been removed despite assurances by Nepal authorities to their Indian counterparts, officials said on Sunday. Some Nepalese people erected concrete and wooden pillars on Wednesday on the no-mans land and in about 10 metres of the area into the Indian side near Tanakpur town in Uttarakhands Champawat district, the officials said. Following the development, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) officials deployed at the border held a meeting with Nepals Armed Police Force (APF) after asking the Nepalese locals to remove the pillars. During the meeting, APF officials had assured the SSB officials that the pillars would be removed soon. APF officials had assured us that the pillars would soon be removed but nothing has happened so far. In fact, the locals have now put fencing on the pillars erected by them, said an SSB officer on the condition of anonymity. The locals had erected 23 pillars in the area in Indias territory. After erecting the fencing, they have now planted some saplings there to further consolidate their claim on the disputed area. SSB officials suspect a bigger conspiracy behind the act of Nepalese locals. They said patrolling has been stepped up in the area. This is certainly done with the backing of their administration and police. Without that, they will never dare carry out such an act. We have also got inputs that the Nepalese locals got funds from their administration for the fencing. This was also corroborated by a Nepalese local present on Thursday who was involved in erecting the pillars, the SSB officer said. Another local administration official too corroborated the SSB officials claim. Nepalese authorities seem not to be serious about removing the encroachment. This was also evident from the fact that on Thursday during the heated argument with the Nepalese locals, they were putting fencing in front of APF personnel, the official said. Many of the Nepalese locals were also in an inebriated condition and abusing Indian officials during the meeting while raising anti-India slogans before the APF personnel. This shows that the APF and Nepal local administration are hands in glove with them, said the official. He also informed that the dispute over the no-mans land is prevailing because there is no clear demarcation of the India-Nepal border. The demarcation would be done after a joint survey of the border by the Survey of India (SoI) and Survey of Nepal (SoN). A team of SoI had even come here last year for the survey and stayed for about two months. But the survey was not done because SoN officials didnt show any interest and kept on dilly-dallying on the matter for some reason or the other. There seems to be a lack of sincerity on the part of SoN on completing the survey work of the border, he said. Meanwhile, there were some media reports that the ongoing border tension escalated after some Nepalese locals hurled stones at a patrolling team of SSB near the border. However, the SSB officers denied any such incident. RK Tripathi, SSB commandant, said, No such incident has happened at the border. The reports are absolutely rubbish. Talks are already on between the two sides on the removal of the encroachment which we hope will soon be removed as per the assurances of Nepalese authorities, he said. Meanwhile district magistrate(DM) of Champawat Surendra Narayan Pandey registered a strong protest on the issue before chief district officer (equivalent to DM) of Nepals Kanchanpur district which adjoins Champawat across the border. He also apprised the Indian Embassy in Nepal of the issue. Taking up the matter I wrote a letter to Kanchanpurs CDO and spoke to him over phone to register a strong protest on the act by Nepalese people on Saturday. I have asked him to remove the encroachments from the disputed area and follow the international border protocol, said Pandey. He informed that following his protest, the Kanchanpur CDO and superintendent of police on Sunday visited the disputed area on their side. While speaking to the CDO, I also requested him for a meeting at district administration level on which he said that he would reply on Monday after Sundays visit. I have also apprised our Embassy officials in Nepal about the issue on July 24 and the Uttarakhand state government to take up the matter with the Home Ministry, said Pandey. He said that he has also urged his Nepalese counterpart to initiate a survey process of the border and restore the missing border pillar number 811/3 due to which the demarcation of the border is not done yet. This issue has to be resolved at administration level because if it is left to the public then it may turn into an ugly episode in coming days, said Pandey. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Vietnams coronavirus patient No. 420, the countrys latest who comes from central Da Nang City, had visited an apartment in Ho Chi Minh City before showing signs of a fever, the Ministry of Health said late on Sunday night. Earlier the same day, the ministry had confirmed the patient, a 71-year-old woman, as a locally-transmitted case. Her travel history has been revealed at a time when local authorities are conducting extensive contact tracing to stem the virus. She visited her adult child at an apartment building in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City from June 21 to July 8. The woman returned to Da Nang on July 8. She lives with her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. The patient has another daughter in Da Nang but she has not met her since coming back to Da Nang from Ho Chi Minh City. She and her husband went shopping at a wholesale market in Da Nang a few days before she showed symptoms of a fever. On July 12, she ran a fever and suffered chest pain. At this time, she visited her younger sister on 2-9 Street in Hoa Cuong Nam Ward, Hai Chau District, Da Nang. Her husband bought medicine for her at the C.T. drugstore on Hoang Dieu Street, Da Nang on July 16. The woman came to Da Nang C Hospital for a medical examination after having been on medication for five days without feeling any better. She got back home following the check. Three relatives then visited her from neighboring Quang Nam Province. She was admitted to Da Nang C Hospital on July 22 and has tested positive for COVID-19 ever since. The patient is among three cases having been detected in the community in Da Nang in the past two days, with their sources of infection still unknown. Vietnam has documented four locally-transmitted infections since Saturday, two of them in a critical condition with life support in Da Nang, after more than three months of no community-based transmission. The other case is being treated in central Quang Ngai Province. The country has documented 420 coronavirus patients as of Sunday night, with 276 imported cases quarantined on arrival. A total of 365 patients have recovered from the disease while zero deaths have been recorded so far. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Four civil society groups who have been monitoring the OPL 245 scandal have raised 25 questions for Nigerias justice minister, Abubakar Malami, on the handling of the assets recovered in relation to the oil block. The groups include Corner House, Global Witness and Re:Common all European transparency organisations and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a Nigerian anti-corruption group. In the list of questions sent on Sunday, the groups demanded details of agreements the Nigerian government signed with consultants for the recovery of assets related to the OPL 245 saga. PREMIUM TIMES has reported on the OPL 245 Malabu scandal for which two oil giants, Shell and Eni, and their officials, as well as some former Nigerian public officials are being investigated or prosecuted in various countries. The oil giants paid about $1.1 billion dollars for the Nigerian oil block in 2011, money that ended up in private hands including that of Nigerias former petroleum minister,Dan Etete. The Nigerian government has now said the whole deal was fraudulent and seeks to recover the total sum from the beneficiaries. Read the full statement and the 25 questions by the four transparency groups below. Press statement 25 questions-page-001 Press statement 25 questions-page-002 TRENTON Cops used force on a 64-year-old grandfather with underlying medical conditions, and the subject died several weeks later in the intensive care unit, The Trentonian has learned. Manhandled and subjected to chemical agent pepper spray during a July 6 arrest, Joseph Ahr perished Friday and family attorney Robin Lord is calling for justice. Charge the officers responsible, because they now caused his death, Lord alleged in an interview Saturday night. They should be suspended without pay and immediately charged with a criminal offense. Lord said the incident occurred July 6 at the Ahr residence on the 700 block of Monmouth Street in Trentons East Ward. When Trenton cops arrived, They pulled him out of his house, put him on the ground, assaulted and maced him, Lord said in describing the use of force on the grandfather. He was living and breathing fine in his home before the police got there. Lord says the officers were in the wrong place and had no right to be there, adding she has not seen any warrants. Ahr had COPD, a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes breathing difficulties, and other underlying medical issues, according to Lord, who said Ahr remained hospitalized in the ICU on a ventilator from July 6 until his death July 24. Trenton Police spokesman Lt. Jason Kmiec confirmed the use of force and underlying conditions, saying: He was sprayed with pepper spray, and he had preexisting lung conditions and COVID. Last I heard he was in ICU. I didnt hear he died. City spokesman Michael Walker on Saturday confirmed the subjects death and expressed condolences to the Ahr family. In the interest of transparency, Walker said Saturday night, all documents and information related to Mr. Ahrs arrest on July 6 have been provided to New Jerseys Attorney General for review. Walker added that it is important to note that Mr. Ahrs attack on a police officer was halted using non-lethal force. The City of Trenton extends its condolences to his family and friends during their time of grief and mourning. According to the state Attorney Generals Office, a use of force incident involves physical force, mechanical force, enhanced mechanical force, deadly force, or any combination of these actions. Pepper spray is considered mechanical force, and mechanical force involves the use of some device or substance, other than a firearm, to overcome a subjects resistance to the exertion of the law enforcement officers authority, according to the AGs newly revised Use of Force Reporting Portal Guide. Use of force should never be considered routine, the AG guide says. In determining to use force, the law enforcement officer shall only use the degree of force objectively reasonable and necessary to compel compliance of an unwilling subject. Law enforcement officers should exhaust all other reasonable means before resorting to use of force. Police may be held criminally accountable if they use unjustifiable force on a subject, such as what occurred to Black man George Floyd in Minneapolis two months ago. Four Minneapolis cops have been fired and charged with heavy crimes on allegations they killed Floyd in custody. After Joseph Ahrs death Friday, the state Attorney Generals Office assumed the investigation of this incident in accordance with state law, according to Steven Barnes, a spokesperson with the AGs Office, who said the investigation is being conducted by the Integrity Bureau within the AGs Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. Enacted in January 2019, P.L. 2019, c.1 is a law which requires that the Attorney Generals Office conduct investigations of a persons death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officers official capacity or while the decedent is in custody, Barnes said Sunday evening via email. Such investigations are conducted pursuant to the 10-step process established by Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2019-4. The AGs Office is investigating the April 3 death of Stephen Dolceamore at the hands of TPD in addition to the Ahr incident. The Trentonian has filed Open Public Records Act requests seeking the use-of-force reports and police body-worn camera footage in the July 6 arrest of Ahr. Ahr had a 9-year-old granddaughter and was working and supporting his family for years before his forceful encounter with Trenton Police, according to Lord, who said the grandfather was actively employed by Amtrak. Staff writer Isaac Avilucea contributed to this report. A crowd of about 1,000 gathered in downtown Portland late Sunday for the citys 60th night of consecutive protests against racism and police brutality after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd sparked a widespread movement two months ago. What started as a relatively calm night devolved as some in the crowd launched fireworks toward the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. Federal officers responded with gas and crowd-control munitions. Just before 7:30 p.m. Sunday, before the protests had begun in earnest, Portland police responded to a reported shooting near Southwest Fourth Avenue and Salmon Street. The intersection marks the northwest corner of Lownsdale Square, where large crowds of demonstrators gathered later in the evening. Portland police said the person is expected to survive after suffering a gunshot wound. Two people were taken into custody, according to police. They were later released, and no one has been arrested, police said. Its unclear whether the shooting was related to the protests. Only a small group of people had gathered, video streamed from the scene showed. Portland police also tweeted a picture of rifle ammunition magazines and Molotov cocktails the agency said it had seized from Lownsdale Square after a bystander pointed out a bag. The agency said later it hadnt identified where the bag came from. It didnt appear to be related to the shooting, according to police. By the time a larger crowd gathered around 9 p.m., investigating police had left the area. Sundays demonstration drew a smaller crowd than recent nights, when protesters could be counted in the multiple thousands. Early in the evening, the crowd divided itself between the federal courthouse and the Multnomah County Justice Center, where a public address system was set up for speakers. Loretta Smith, a former Multnomah County Commissioner and candidate for Portland City Council, appeared at the protest and addressed the crowd around 9:30 p.m. Smith led a chant of Black moms matter before asking protesters for their votes. Later speakers tried to draw protesters away from a potential confrontation at the courthouse, where federal police have responded aggressively to attempts to breach the fence that now surrounds the building. Lets use our power to do something new, one speaker said. Just before 11 p.m., though, the speeches petered out and people began migrating toward the courthouse fence. Exterior lights at the building were turned off, and federal police had not yet emerged from inside. Shortly before midnight, some in the crowd began setting off fireworks toward the courthouse, ratcheting up tensions on what had been an otherwise calm night. Some people climbed over the fence, entering the courthouse portico, shortly thereafter, according to Portland police. People also lit a large fire in Lownsdale Square, police said. Shortly after midnight, the exterior lights at the federal courthouse turned out and police ordered protesters to disperse, declaring the gathering an unlawful assembly. Within minutes, federal officers emerged from the building, firing crowd-control weapons and deploying gas. Some moved away or left, but hundreds remained at 12:15 a.m. More warnings to move away from the courthouse followed. The Federal Protective Service said on a loudspeaker that officers had been hit with projectiles. After officers retreated back inside, some in the crowd could be seen throwing glass bottles toward the building. Federal officers deployed more gas and crowd-control munitions as the night wore on, and the crowd dwindled, though several hundred remained at 1 a.m. Another fire was started just inside the fence about that time, according to police. The blaze was out within about a minute, police said. Shortly after 1 a.m., a video stream from journalist Andrew Kimmel showed federal police lining up in the street in front of the courthouse. They then forced protesters away from the courthouse using batons and what appeared to be pepper balls and pepper spray. Federal officers could be seen detaining several people. Officers then pushed groups of protesters into downtown streets, splintering the crowd. Officers retreated shortly after 2 a.m., deploying gas as they headed back toward the federal courthouse. Its unclear how many people, if any, were ultimately arrested. -- K. Rambo, Jamie Hale and Mark Graves Jim Ryan of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Nebraskas count of new COVID-19 cases has taken a definite turn higher, with totals not seen since late May. While two hospital systems say they are not experiencing a surge in patients, health experts warn that hospitalizations will rise even more in the coming weeks as the new cases progress. Dr. Kelly Cawcutt, an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the associate medical director of infection control and epidemiology, said Nebraska Medical Center has seen an increase in patients after experiencing a low several weeks ago. She urged people to take steps now to prevent spread of the coronavirus. She said that includes taking masks and social distancing seriously. Said Cawcutt, We could really see things kind of go sideways and see substantial increases in cases if were not all cautious. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, Nebraska saw its highest three-day count of new cases 971 since May 27 through 29, when cases were coming down from the states initial peak. Douglas County this week saw its highest three-day run of new cases 476 since the end of May. John Crist returns with first comedy bit from Tenn. Waffle House Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christian comedian John Crist returned to social media this month after an eight-month hiatus and is once again sharing his comedic talents with the world. Crist took to Instagram story on Wednesday after taking a break from social media following accusations of sexual misconduct. In his new series of videos, the comedian joked about a Tennessee Waffle House which used shower curtains to protect their customers from the spread of COVID-19. I don't know where to start, he said before going into what his counselors said to him about resurfacing on social media. They were like, 'Hey John, you can have your Instagram back. We'll let you back out into the world. I'm sure you've done a lot of work on yourself John to prove that you're a different person. You're probably gonna notice you're not skeptical of the world, you're less angry, you're more accepting of things. You've done a lot of work in counseling and treatment. Your life is more harmonious, it's more in balance. And then I come to Waffle House, this fine establishment, he jokingly continued. Crist, who was waiting for his friends to join him at the restaurant, showed his followers around the room. We have, straight up, a shower curtain that is a shower curtain between your [booths] ... Are people just letting people get away with this stuff? Has no one been making fun of this in the last eight months? I'm sorry I've been gone, he quipped. After joking a bit more about the server and the other guest in the restaurant, Crist turned the joke on himself. "I gotta go back to rehab. I can't be out here, Crist said. The Georgia native concluded the comedy bit by revealing that he was told the shower curtain idea came from the Waffle House in Lebanon. Oh, great. We're taking our CDC guideline enforcement from the Waffle House in Lebanon, he sarcastically ended. In 2019, the comedian abruptly canceled his tour, had his Netflix special put on hold and a book postponed due to sexual misconduct allegations made by several women. The allegations included sexting multiple women, having sexual relationships with women who were married, and giving away tickets to his shows in return for sexual favors. Following the Netflix cancellation, Crist sought professional help. I was in a treatment facility for four months and I was away from my phone, Crist said in his first post on July 15 after returning from the eight-month hiatus. The Christian comedian, who's known for making fun of church culture, admitted that he was surprised to receive so much support from those in his community. "I had assumed that I lived in a community of people that would be the first to look down on me and judge me and point fingers at me, and I felt nothing but the opposite throughout this whole process. Let me just say how hopeful and encouraging that was to be working on my own mental health, and my recovery and healing, and to have a bunch of people rooting for me and supporting me meant the world, Crist testified. That being said, I want to say that I made a lot of poor choices in my personal life. I've made a lot of decisions that hurt myself, that hurt other people, and embarrassed myself and had consequences and I could look you in the eye and own that. Police and protesters gather around a demonstrator who got shot after several shots were fired during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Austin, Texas, on July 25, 2020 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. (ImHiram/Hiram Gilberto/www.imhiram.com via Reuters) 1 Dead After Shooting at Black Lives Matter Protest in Texas: Officials Update: The demonstrator who was killed may have pointed his weapon at the man who shot him, police said. Original story below. At least one person is dead after shots were fired Saturday evening at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Austin, Texas, officials said. The Austin Police Department confirmed there was a shooting on Twitter, writing: APD is working a shooting at Congress and 4th St. Media: please avoid calling the Real Time Crime Center at this time as the line needs to stay open. An update will be sent when scene is secured and safe to do so. Authorities later told news outlets that the shooting occurred near or at the protests. Austin senior Police Officer Katrina Ratcliff told CNN that officers found a man with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. No one else was injured. APD is working a shooting at Congress and 4th St. Media: please avoid calling the Real Time Crime Center at this time as the line needs to stay open. An update will be sent when scene is secured and safe to do so. Thank you. WC-5 Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) July 26, 2020 A suspect in the case was detained and is cooperating with authorities, Ratcliff added. The police department told KXAN that the victim may have been carrying a gun in his hands when he approached the suspects car before the suspect opened fire. A witness at the scene told KUT-TV that the vehicle operated by the suspect nearly came into contact with the Black Lives Matter demonstrators. As were walking down passing Fourth Street, a blue car just come swerving out into the middle of the street almost runs over a bunch of protesters and everybody around starts like smacking the car trying to get him to slow down, the witness said. He pulls down his window and he fires three shots into the guy. From point-blank. No words no nothing. And then rolls up his window and zooms off. APD is working a shooting at Congress and 4th St. Media: please avoid calling the Real Time Crime Center at this time as the line needs to stay open. An update will be sent when scene is secured and safe to do so. Thank you. WC-5 Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) July 26, 2020 The victim was identified as Garrett Foster by ABC News, which interviewed his mother, Sheila Foster. She told the news outlet that Foster had attended a number of Black Lives Matter protests in the past and was allegedly shot when he was pushing his girlfriend in a wheelchair. And this gentleman got out of his car and started firing shots, and my son was shot three times, she alleged. Footage of the incident was apparently captured on Facebook Live. Almost all people infected with coronavirus survive, but those who do succumb usually die two or more weeks after they are diagnosed. The most vulnerable to death and hospitalization are those over 65 or who have health issues such as diabetes, weakened immune systems or obesity. Oprah Winfrey's monthly magazine founded 20 years ago will cease printing after its December 2020 issue, according to reports. The staff of O: The Oprah Magazine, which was created by Winfrey and Hearst Communications, was informed of the decision on Friday, Business of Fashion reported. The report came the day after the president of Hearst Magazines, which publishes the magazine, resigned after being accused of sexual harassment. The most recent issue of O Magazine. The magazine will cease print publication in December Troy Young, 52, who joined the company in 2013 and became president in 2018, is at the forefront of complaints for making lewd, sexist remarks at work where he allegedly joked he required a 'bigger' sex toy, asked a pregnant staffer if the baby was his, and emailed pornography to a high-level Hearst editor, according to a New York Times report. 'Troy Young and I have agreed that it is in the best interest of all of us that he resign his position as president of Hearst Magazines, effective immediately,' wrote Steve Swartz, president and chief executive of Hearst Corporation, in an email to staff on Thursday. Young sent a note to staff, the day before his resignation, which said that he was 'sorry' for the comments and understood how they were perceived as offensive, adding that they do not represent him as a person. 'I am sorry and I am committed to the work I need to do here,' he wrote in the note, a copy of which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. O Magazine has been published since 2000 by Hearst Magazines Winfrey, 66, is yet to confirm the news of her magazine ceasing print publication. As of 2020, the average paid circulation for the magazine - which always features Winfrey on the cover - was 2.2 million copies. It has a print audience of 10 million, meaning that each copy of the magazine was read by around five people on average, Hearst claims. While most magazines saw a decline in sales around 2009, O's circulation gained about five per cent, according to the Associated Press. O also has a large black subscriber base compared to most publications. Black subscribers represent 35 per cent of O's readers. The magazine is second only to Essence Magazine in terms of the diversity of its readership, beating BuzzFeed, Instyle, Refinry29, and sister publication Elle, according to the magazine's promotional material. Winfrey, pictured in February, has not commented on the reported end of the print publication Winfrey's magazine, published by Hearst, in April celebrated its 20th birthday Within Hearst Magazines, staffers have claimed that they faced a culture of discrimination and tokenism. The bulk of the allegations centered on Jessica Pels, Cosmopolitans's youngest top editor, who formerly was the digital head of Marie Claire. Last month she was criticized on social media by former staffer Jazmin Jones, who worked with Pels as a video editor at Marie Claire. Jones, who is black, accused the company of racial discrimination where she was made to feel uncomfortable in threads that touched on race in the interoffice communicating app Slack. 'I was the only black employee at the magazine and, in addition to being a one-woman video department, I had to 'sensitivity read' articles on skin bleaching. I still have post-traumatic Slack stress from the daily micro aggressions,' Jones shared in her post on June 6. In one of those Slack messages Jones shows that an editor she identified as Pels made negative comments on the hair and make-up of a staff member of color during an on-camera appearance for a Marie Claire video. Prachi Gupta, who covered politics for Cosmopolitan during the 2016 presidential campaign before Pels became editor, said she felt black and brown women were made to 'feel less than equal' and she was underpaid at the company. 'Because there were no women of color in leadership positions, I was not able to seek advice or counsel when I was pushed into some of the uncomfortable positions,' she said. Ten other former and current Hearst Magazines staff members echoed Jones' and Gupta's statements. In a video conference staff meeting Pels gave a tearful apology. 'I have not done enough to correct imbalances,' she said according to audio recording of the meeting. She said in a statement to the Times that diversity was a 'career-long priority for me.' 'At this pivotal moment, my team and I have been making real changes and having extensive, honest and passionate discussions about the progress that needs to be made, and the work I can do as a leader to actively facilitate it,' she said. The first gusts of wind and drops of rain were already being felt in the Gateway City late in the afternoon Saturday. Since the worst of the storm is expected to arrive in the Laredo area on Sunday, officials all across Webb County in Laredo, El Cenizo and Rio Bravo have told residents to shelter at home as the storm passes through the area. Several residents across the county have also pointed out how they have prepared. Nobody is prepared in cases like this, so we can only recommend that they be sheltered in their houses and hope that it is not very strong as they claim it is, El Cenizo Mayor Elsa Degollado said. Rio Bravo, which suffered greatly from large amounts of storm damage in March and April, is getting ready as much as possible for the potential damage the storm could bring. It is advising residents to take precautions to avoid debris as the storm features strong winds. As we get ready for Hurricane Hanna, we advise all residents to please put all trash containers inside your fence, protect your pets and stay safe, Rio Bravo Mayor Gilbert Aguilar Jr. said. However, the mayor cautioned that the city will soon enact a plan of action to make sure it is fully prepared for what many predict will be a storm with immense rain totals that can cause flooding. I still do not know, Degollado said. I need to see what will happen and how it will touch us. Hopefully it will not be very strong for us by the time the worst of it gets here. Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar also took to social media in efforts to inform people of the impending storm. We are expecting severe weather (Saturday) and into (Sunday) with heavy rain and strong winds, Cuellar said. Please exercise extreme caution and have your safety plan ready. Stay safe. The message came just one day after officials from the City of Laredo urged people to stay at home, to not be in flood-prone areas and to turn around if encountering a flooded area as even a few inches of rain can cause vehicles and people to be dragged. Residents all over the county have also voiced their preparedness and what they will do as the storm approaches on Saturday evening. We are simply staying home. That is what everybody should be doing, Susana Lucia Lopez said. The same things that we must do because of COVID, it is the same thing that we must do as well to get through this storm, which I think we just need to be made aware if there is any major flooding in our areas that may require evacuating, but I doubt this storm will cause such damage. Jose Zamora also plans to stay home and bought several bags of sand and cement to stop any potential flooding into their home. READ MORE: Weather update: Heres what Laredo can expect this weekend from Tropical Storm Hanna Its 2020, so Im not surprised at what happens, but I did but some precautionary stuff just in case the storm gets out of control as I know any storm can be dangerous, and much more a hurricane or tropical storm, Zamora said. However, my biggest fear could be the fact that a tornado happens or something that is rare in the area, but also getting these types of storms so close to us are rare as well. Lopez said her fear is not the rain but rather the fact that strong wings of up to 70 miles per hour can be expected in strong gusts throughout the area, which could present a danger for many properties and pets outside of their home. Therefore, Lopez and Zamora said they will take their pets inside on Sunday if conditions outside begin to worsen. One native Laredoan who recently moved to Corpus Christi, which is the epicenter of where the storm will make landfall, said they are waiting for it to touch ground and are well prepared, even though as of late afternoon Saturday they had not yet experienced anything substantial in the area. Right now, there isnt much going on but some light rain and winds that come and go in surges, Crystal Reyes said. The news says that the worst is yet to come. We have flashlights ready, phones are fully charged, we have canned food, water, snacks, candles. Our truck has a full tank of gas in case we need to evacuate. Back in Laredo, some were sceptical about the strength of the storm seeing it as a normal occurence. Its just another storm, Gabriel Hernandez said. It will come and pass by as it is a weak storm to begin with, and we are just exaggerating its impact with the fact that it is 2020. China has responded by curbing Australian imports and threatening an array of retaliatory actions against any countries that move to punish it. On Friday, China responded to the closure of its Houston consulate by ordering the United States to shut its consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu. To some extent, Japans mild-mannered response to China echoes its broader approach to foreign policy, in which it tends to avoid direct conflict or public rebukes of other nations. It has also sometimes sought a mediating role, as when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met last December with Irans president, Hassan Rouhani, to try to ease tensions in the Middle East. Not so long ago, China and Japan the worlds second- and third-largest economies were engaged in a diplomatic thaw as a hedge against an unpredictable Trump administration. In 2018, Mr. Abe became the first Japanese leader to visit China in seven years, and the two leaders pledged deeper economic and political cooperation. The invitation to Mr. Xi to visit Japan followed soon afterward. Now, given Chinas muscle-flexing as the world is preoccupied with the pandemic, some have expressed disappointment that Japan has not rebuffed its neighbor more vigorously, such as by definitively canceling Mr. Xis visit. In recent weeks, China has engaged in deadly clashes on its border with India in the Himalayas, and it has sent ships for 100 straight days the longest period in years of such incursions to patrol waters around the Senkakus, islands administered by Japan but contested by China. Japan should just say we cannot have him if China continues with this sort of behavior, said Jeffrey Hornung, an analyst at the RAND Corporation, referring to Mr. Xi. But Mr. Hornung acknowledged that Tokyo would not want to draw Chinas full ire, either. If you look at what China is doing with India or Hong Kong, Japan doesnt want to be at the tip of Chinas spear right now, Mr. Hornung said. They know what they could do around the Senkakus in terms of swarming it with ships. (Newser) For the first time, Pyongyang has acknowledged that the new coronavirus has reached North Korea. The nation's first confirmed case prompted the lockdown of a border city and an emergency politburo meeting, Reuters reports. A defector to South Korea, who crossed back to Kaesong this month after three years, shows symptoms of the illness, according to state media accounts. Kim Jong Un declared an emergency and locked the city down. The 24-year-old man has been placed in quarantine, and the government is investigating and isolating people he was in contact with. Kaesong is roughly 100 miles south of the capitol, Pyongyang. South Korea said it's looking at surveillance video from the border to try to identify the man. story continues below "Everyone needs to face up to the reality of emergency," the state media reported Kim told a meeting on Saturday. Isolated and poor, with a badly equipped health care system, North Korea could have an especially tough time with an outbreak, per the Wall Street Journal. Its principal state-run newspaper declared that "national survival" is at risk from the pandemic. Russia is among the nations that have sent tests, but UN sanctions decrease the possibility of outside help, per the Journal, and it's not clear whether the government would accept help from other countries. Entry to foreigners was shut off, as has trade with China, hurting North Korea financially. Construction on Pyongyang General Hospital remains unfinished. An analyst in Seoul said that blaming its neighbor for the presence of the coronavirus could give North Korea cover for accepting help with the coronavirus from South Korea. (Read more coronavirus stories.) More than 86 organisations, their 200 representatives and prominent individuals wrote to Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday to express concern over the ongoing political crisis in the state. Rajasthan is in the middle of a political crisis after the rebellion by former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and a section of legislators backing him. Chief minister Ashok Gehlots camp is confident of its numbers and feels a floor test may be its best bet to end the crisis. It has said the governor is delaying convening a session due to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government. Mishra has denied the charge and said he will follow constitutional norms to convene the House. In order to give the people of the state political stability, the decision of the cabinet to call the state assembly session should be respected and the state assembly session should be convened urgently, they wrote. Also read: Rajasthan crisis puts governors powers in the spotlight The letter also dwelled into legal arguments provided by several constitutional experts, who had a consensus that according to the Article 174 of the Constitution and the three Supreme Court judgments1994 Bommai (Karnataka State), 2016 Rebiya (Arunachal State) and 2020 Shivraj Singh (Madhya Pradesh)only floor test in Vidhan Sabha is the permissible way of establishing the majority of any party. According to article 174 if the Assembly has to be convened the Governor shall act on the aid and advise of the Council of Ministers headed by the CM, the letter said. It added that the only exception to this process, where the cabinet has exclusive rights to call a session of the assembly at the timing of its choosing, is if the governor believes based on an objective evaluation that the party in power has lost its majority--the only way in which its majority can be tested is on the floor of the house--and therefore, the governor can use his discretion to call the assembly under such circumstances. Also read: Top court to take up Rajasthan speakers plea tomorrow Under all other circumstances, the Governor is bound by the advice of the cabinet where he can neither deny nor delay their suggestion of calling a session of the Assembly, the letter signed by Kavita Srivastava and Nikhil Dey on behalf of all the 200 signatories of the 86 organisations said. A longtime Hackensack firefighter died Saturday morning from cancer contracted while helping fellow firefighters at Ground Zero after the Sept. 11 attacks, said friends, family and fire officials. Early Saturday morning, Rich Kubler, 53, died from stage 4 liver cancer he contracted from his time responding to the 9/11 attacks, the Hackensack Fire Department announced. Serving on the Hackensack Fire Department for more than 20 years, Kubler retired early due to his illness last fall, said Rob Burgos, his longtime friend and fellow Hackensack firefighter. Although Kubler had retired, his death will be considered a line-of-duty death, the fire department said. Kubler is survived by his wife Susan, daughter Lauren, both parents and several siblings, said Rob Kubler, his older brother. Former Hackensack firefighter Rich Kubler, 53, died from cancer related to the 9/11 attacks. Kubler started with the Hackensack Fire Department in January 1998, said Burgos, who joined the department the same day. The two became fast friends, going through nine weeks of training before being assigned to fire companies in the city, said Burgos. The two would intermittently work at the same fire companies, always preceding or following each others shifts, he said. Burgos, who still serves as a Hackensack firefighter, recalls a friend who went to any lengths necessary to help those around him. Richie was the type of guy that if he had five bucks in his pocket, and you needed 10, he would give you his five and he would borrow five more so you would have 10, said Burgos. He was that type of guy. He was always willing to help. Always willing to offer himself for whatever you needed. Raised in Hasbrouck Heights, Kublers bravery and altruism were always clear growing up, Rob Kubler said. Along with his older brother, Rich Kubler would help care for their grandmother who had cancer, helping feed her and take her on walks, one grandson under either arm. One time, Kubler broke up a bar fight, disarming a man wielding a knife before using a submission hold to render him unconscious, his brother said. Kubler was thoughtful enough to roll up the assailants coat into a makeshift pillow and tuck it under his head, his brother remembered. He was a hero since practically 7 or 8 years old, said Kubler, 56. Former Hackensack firefighter Rich Kubler, 53, died from cancer related to the 9/11 attacks. Pictured: Kubler with his daughter Lauren. The urge to become a firefighter started in high school for Kubler, but grew from the innate desire to be of service, his older brother said. Along with serving on the Hackensack Fire Department, Kubler volunteered with the Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department, said Kubler. On Sept. 11, 2001, when Kubler heard of the 9/11 attacks, he didnt hesitate to rush to Ground Zero, ready to help any survivors and his fellow first responders, his brother said. He actually had a couple of our volunteer firemen tell him not go to 9/11 because they felt it was dangerous, said Rob Kubler. He and 11 or 12 other Hackensack firemen went anyway because they wanted to pull out survivors and hoped that there were New York firemen, policemen or victims that they could save. For years after volunteering to search for survivors amid the rubble, Kubler rushed into burning houses and worked at his familys electric company Kubler Electric without missing a step, his brother and Burgos both said. It wasnt until last October when he showed signs of slowing down, said Burgos. In October, on what would be his last shift at the fire department, Kubler went home early after falling ill, recalled Burgos. Around that same time, Kubler called his older brother and told him to meet him at a hospital, fearing he had bronchitis, said Rob Kubler. He actually didnt know anything from 9/11 all the way up until this past October, said Kubler. He was going 110%. Fighting fires. Helping people. After undergoing a slew of tests, Kubler was told the devastating news: he had stage 4 cancer and had just a few weeks left to live. It blew us away, said Rob Kubler. But Kubler pushed past his prognosis, and for the last few months of his life he lived the life he had long dreamed of, his brother and Burgos said. In keeping with his fathers passion - one he passed along to his son - Kubler found and bought a house in Maine where he would go boating, another one of his passions. Kubler died just after 4 a.m. Saturday, surrounded by his family, said Burgos. Burgos had always hoped to start his career as a firefighter alongside his friend and end it the same way. Though those plans are now scuttled, Burgos will always remember the friend he could always count on. Richie had your back, said Burgos. Richie was an incredible firefighter. Kubler is one of thousands of first responders who volunteered at Ground Zero that have been diagnosed with pulmonary and respiratory diseases, along with other illnesses. He is the latest of hundreds that have died from inhaling toxic fumes from sifting through the rubble of the Twin Towers. Last year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill that made New Jersey first responders who volunteered at Ground Zero eligible for an accidental disability pension. A church service is scheduled for Friday followed by a full line-of-duty death funeral procession Saturday, both in Maine, said Kubler and Burgos. Time and location have not yet been released. 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. Following months of speculation, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex announced in January that they were going to step back as senior members of the royal family. The duke said in a speech that their life in the limelight had led to challenges that made it impossible to continue the way things were. But a new biography on the couple says it would have never come to that had one thing changed. Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at an event in October 2018 | Karwai Tang/WireImage The biography on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dives into their decision to step back Titled Finding Freedom by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, the book explores the lead-up to and aftermath of their decision to leave royal life. In excerpts obtained by The Times, the authors write that Prince Harry and Meghan felt so few inside the palace were looking out for their interests. It specifically talks about their attempts to jumpstart projects they deemed important and how other members of the royal family were allegedly prioritized over them. Increasingly Harry had grown frustrated that he and Meghan often took a back seat to other family members, the book claims. While they both respected the hierarchy of the institution, it was difficult when they wanted to focus on a project and were told that a more senior ranking family member, be it Prince William or Prince Charles, had an initiative or tour being announced at the same time so they would just have to wait. It goes on to say that over time, the couple started to feel they were being held back, which was especially frustrating given that they were more popular than royals such as Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Making matters worse, a lot of their complaints leaked to the public, which not only subjected them to backlash but made the Sussexes feel like they had no one to trust. RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Felt Overshadowed by Prince William and Kate Middleton Before They Stepped Down, New Biography Says Prince Harry, however, continued to try to air his frustrations, but they still didnt go anywhere. By the end of 2019, Harry felt as though he and Meghan had long been sidelined by the institution and were not a fundamental part of its future, according to the authors. He feels that there were so many occasions when the institution and his family could have helped them, stood up for them, backed them up, and never did, a source told the writers. The 1 thing that would have stopped Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from stepping back The authors suggested that Prince Harry and Meghan never would have stepped down had they been treated differently behind palace doors and heard out. The Sussexes felt that they had been patronized by other family and staff members for too long, according to the authors. People had humored them when they brought up grievances, never thinking the couple would actually do anything drastic. As far as their stunning announcement to step back, the authors say, The explosive reaction was a direct result of their growing impatience. If other members of the family and those working with the households had taken their requests more seriously, it wouldnt have reached that point. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | Samir Hussein/WireImage RELATED: The 1 Thing Prince William Says Hell Miss About Prince Harry As of writing, none of the royals have directed commented on the book and it doesnt appear that they were directly involved with it. A representative for the Sussexes told The BBC: This book is based on the authors own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting. Their book is slated for an Aug. 11 release. Life for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle now After finishing up their royal duties, the couple moved to Canada for a few weeks in March before relocating to Meghans native Los Angeles. They have done some volunteer work and speaking engagements since leaving the United Kingdom, but for the most part, it appears that theyre spending lots of time at the $18 million mansion theyre renting due to the coronavirus quarantine. Read more about that here. RELATED: Prince Harry Is Tormented by His Fallout With His Family While Meghan Markle Is Struggling to Cope With L.A. Life, Report Says Sushant Singh Rajput's Dil Bechara has released on OTT on July 24 and there has been an outpouring of emotions from the side of fans and admirers after watching the movie. While many celebrities took to social media to react after watching the film, Kriti Sanon too posted about Sushant's Dil Bechara. She also referred to Sushant's usage of the word 'seri' in the film, which means 'okay'. Kriti also praised Sanjana's performance in the film and debutante Mukesh Chabbra's direction. Read: Sushant Singh Rajput Immortalised a Special Word 'Seri' in 'Dil Bechara'. Here's What it Means Sharing a montage video of Sushant from Dil Bechara, Kriti wrote, "Its not Seri! And it will never sink in.. This broke my heart..again. In Manny, i saw YOU come alive in so so many moments.. i knew exactly where you had put in a bit of yourself in the character..And as always, your most magical bits were your silences.. those bits where you said nothing and yet u said so much (sic)! @castingchhabra I know this film will always mean a lot more to you than what we had thought.. you made us feel too many emotions in your first! Wish you and @sanjanasanghi96 a beautiful journey ahead (sic)!" Kriti and Sushant had worked together in 2017 film Raabta. She was also spotted at Sushant's funeral in Mumbai in June. Conversation is perhaps my greatest weakness and talking about photography, in particular, pretty much always has me at hello. And so, yuh gyul was happy like pappy earlier this month to be given the chance for a one-on-one with the AGOs associate curator of photography, Julie Crooks about the Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs. This was conversation one. Acquired by the Art Gallery of Ontario just over a year ago, the Montgomery Collection consists of more than 3,500 historical images from 34 Caribbean countries and comprises nearly every photographic format available during the years 1840 to 1940, including prints, postcards, daguerreotypes, lantern slides, albums and stereographs. It took New York-based collector Patrick Montgomery a decade to amass whats thought to be one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of its kind, and Crooks just a year to raise the $300,000 she needed to purchase the lot. The money came from a group of 27 donors, the majority of whom are from Torontos Black and Caribbean communities, and full disclosure includes a contribution from me, made in remembrance of my mother, Francilla Charles. Crooks has been working on cataloguing and researching the collection since then and, a week before our conversation, some of us donors were gathered online for a get-to-know-you chat and an update on her efforts. This was conversation two. During this second conversation, Crooks briefed us on the itinerary for the Study Days for the Montgomery Collection, a two-day online symposium to which Caribbean scholars and artists had been invited for knowledge sharing and discussion. Seventy-five of us Zoomed in from Canada, the Caribbean, the U.S. and Britain for these Study Days, which took place on July 9 and 10. Stay with me now, this was conversation three. These three conversations in two weeks told me things I didnt know and things I already knew. These three conversations in two weeks is why Im writing this column for you now. And normally, this is the part of the column where I start quoting scholarly research to back up my ideas objectively, as I continue building my argument toward my main point. I do this because you deserve it as my readers. But like most Black people, Im tired. Experiencing and processing the emotional demands of the past few months has been exhausting. I dont want to have to argue this month the same thing that in some ways I try to argue every month, that when it comes to social justice and equity, photographs matter. Instead, I want to tell you about these conversations, and about how they were subjectively filled with overwhelming emotion at the existence of this collection of photographs and its presence here in Toronto, where our diaspora runs deep. I want to tell you that when speaking with Julie, being able to salute both our personal and professional relationships felt comforting and freeing, because too often we are discouraged from bringing our whole selves to work. We spoke as photography colleagues, yes, but we also spoke as Black Caribbean women whose friendship and shared Barbadian ancestry makes the Montgomery Collection our family history too. I want to tell you that when speaking with the donors, each one of us introduced ourselves to each other for the first time, and each one of us movingly expressed the magnitude of what it means to have these photographs available to share with our communities here in the city. Our conversation happened to fall on what would have been my mothers 75th birthday, and so there were both laughter and tears, because while we were all gratified and ecstatic that this was finally happening we were also somewhat bereft over how long this has taken. I want to tell you that when speaking with the photography scholars during the Study Days, the Zoom chat was filled with endless comments conveying sheer excitement and fervour at the images themselves, as well as at the ideas and analysis that unfolded from the various presenters over the two days. Melanie J. Newtons discussion on the morning of the second day might have been the peak feels moment though. Associate professor at the University of Toronto, Newton described the experience of taking the students from her Introduction to Caribbean Studies course to see some of the collection at the AGO in November 2019. None of her students had ever been to the AGO before and they went from being shy upon arrival in the lobby to animatedly discussing the photographs in the reading room. Recounting the scene, Newton summarized the impact of seeing these images on these young people of Caribbean birth/ancestry: They had been waiting to see themselves in this way. I want to end by telling you about the photograph above. Taken in 1890 by Felix Morin, a French photographer who settled in Trinidad, it is one of the photographs that has been shared publicly from the collection so far and its featured on the website listing for my conversation with Crooks. Titled Coolie Woman, Trinidad, the photograph depicts an Indo-Caribbean woman, opulently dressed and ornately bejeweled. She holds our gaze as her image asks us to question the offensive language in her caption, our assumptions about gender and race and who is authentically Caribbean, and as York University professor Andil Gosine points out around sexuality, the gaps and mistakes in the archives that may prevent us from seeing the messiness of colonization more clearly. This is the work that the Montgomery Collection is already doing and the work that is yet to be done. In a city where the Caribbean presence is felt in its people and its food and its slang and its music, this collection has something to offer us all. I hope you feel that way, too, when you see it. Watch the conversation between Michele Pearson Clarke and Julie Crooks at ago.ca/events . The Montgomery Collection will be featured at an exhibition at the AGO in 2021. The Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan has announced a new legal mechanism, a new type of service contract where contractors are offered tax allowances and payment deferments, to increase crude hydrocarbons extraction, following a resolution by the Cabinet of Ministers. The mechanism is part of a long-term strategy to develop Uzbekistans fuel and power sector and attract international specialist companies to undertake projects in the country. External contractors - selected on a competitive basis will be able to perform work to increase hydrocarbon production at their own expense and risk. Contractors can then either sell their share of oil/gas condensate, in raw material form, into the domestic market; or process it within Uzbekistan for sale either domestically or internationally These sales and processing options do not apply to natural gas which is sold on a contractual basis to the domestic market, although natural gas can be partially used for the contractors own needs. Following international best practice to minimise geological and financial risk, the new mechanism will be used in fields with hard-to-recover and small hydrocarbon reserves and apply where a 50 per cent share is currently held by the Uzbek state or Uzbek government entity. The list of fields where contracts will be applicable will be compiled by the Ministry of Energy based on proposals from subsoil users and confirmed by the Cabinet of Uzbekistan. Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, First Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan said: The introduction of these new service contracts will positively contribute to the development of Uzbekistans oil and gas industry and encourage increased hydrocarbons production on mutually beneficial terms. We have a long-term strategy to develop our fuel and power sectors. This measure will focus efforts on fields with opportunities for exploration and extraction. On July 9, 2019, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed Resolution PP-4388, which outlined measures to improve the oil and gas sector, including a future act to define the legal basis for crude hydrocarbon extraction based on a new form of service contracts involving international specialists and experts. This legal act was formally adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers in Resolution PKM-448, signed on July 21, 2020. The Resolution notes conditions for holding competitive tenders, minimum contractual requirements and the framework for concluding contracts. Contracts signed are valid for up to ten years, with five-year extensions available by mutual agreement of subsoil user and contractors. Tradearabia News Service Senior Program Officer at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Mr Mensah Aborampah has indicated that tension and violence associated voter registration will never decline depending on the trend analysis done by CDD-Ghana and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). Looking at the data from the trend analysis, Mr Mensah Aborampah recounted on UTVs 'Critical Issues' programme hosted by Afua Pokua, popularly known as Vim Lady that tension and violence have always been on the rise from 2008 to 2016. If you look at the trend analysis of the voter registration exercise, since CDD and Kofi Annan jointly monitored the exercise, the tension and violence associated with it have never declined; they are always on the rise. The trend analysis from 2008 to 2016, the violence associated with the registration has never dropped and I dont believe that the violence associated with the registration exercise can ever decline as the trend analysis does not show that it will go down." He added that the measures put in place for the registration exercise to be peaceful are not being forced, thus, the only surest way to have a peaceful electoral process is to work with the measures that have been put in place. Mr Mensah Aborampah, however, blamed every tension which has arisen out of voter registration on the two main political parties, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). He insisted that violence associated with voter registration exercise can never go down as long as there is no purposive attempt to work with the measures which have been put in place to end the tension which arises after the election. In every tension-related situation, there is likely to be violence and so it cannot decline as long as we have not made any purposive attempt to work with measures we have put in place to stop the tension, he emphasized. He again mentioned that data available to CDD-Ghana indicates that the number of vigilante groups that perpetuate violence at every registration exercise is on the rise as the number has moved from 12 vigilante groups in 2008 to 27 vigilante group in 2016 as reported in Act 999. In 2008, we monitored 12 vigilante groups and in 2012, the data that Dr Kwesi Aning brought was about 21 and right now we have about 27 vigilante groups in the country. If you look at Act 999 in 2016, the number of recognised vigilante group was 27 and there are those we have not been captured in our data. If we monitored 21 vigilante groups in 2012 and 27 vigilante groups in 2016 according to Act 999, then it means the number of vigilante groups is on the rise, he disclosed. I am summarising to show that tension associated with election is on the rise and so violence in election is rising and the vigilante groups used to commit the violence is also increasing, and so it will be difficult to say that violence in election has reduced, he insisted. 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 JUNIOR doctors in public hospitals have issued a two-week strike notice demanding a review of their salaries and for the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) against the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. This comes at a time when salary negotiations between senior doctors, who also issued a two-week strike notice a week ago, and the government were deadlocked after the latter insisted on paying them in local currency instead of the United States dollars they were demanding. In a letter to the Health Services Board (HSB), the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) said junior doctors had for the past month been working with the hope that the government would address their plight of lack of adequate PPE and poor remuneration. As the ZHDA, we feel that it is now time that the employer takes these life-threatening concerns seriously. We hereby engage the employer to address these chronic issues, including that the remuneration of health workers should be urgently looked into and the Covid-19 allowances reviewed to meaningful figures in a stable currency. Personal protective equipment must be readily available upon request and a framework to support infected health workers, including a self-isolation allowance, medicines and food must be put in place with immediate effect. Should the employer fail to address these issues within 14 days of receipt of this letter, the ZHDA and its members will be forced to suspend operations at public health institutions, wrote the ZHDA. According to the Health ministry updates, about 200 health workers have tested positive to Covid-19, forcing some hospital departments to shut down as the government continued to dither on its promise to avail adequate PPE. Doctors who were trying to hold the fort in hospitals continue being caught between a rock and a hard surface. Furthermore, the employer continues to peddle lies to members of the public that there are adequate health workers in the hospitals yet the hospitals are barely functioning. The health system in Zimbabwe is on its knees. The Covid-19 cases are on the rise amongst health workers and very little is being done to address the situation. Personal protective equipment in public hospitals is scarce, and some doctors were attending to patients without protection in efforts to save lives, the doctors said. The Covid-19 cases are on the rise amongst health workers and very little is being done to address the situation. Personal protective equipment in public hospitals is scarce, and some doctors were attending to patients without protection in efforts to save lives, the doctors said. The ZHDA added that the US$75 monthly Covid-19 allowance was more than a mockery to their suffering members as they were being daily exposed to the virus. Our infected colleagues are not being taken care of despite being isolated in their homes without any form of support or concern from the employer. Our salaries are not enough to have savings and cater for our own well-being should we contract Covid-19, and fellow health workers with Covid-19 are being restricted to their own houses, footing their own health bills. Their bravery and commitment is going unnoticed, the ZHDA said. Azerbaijani Opposition Figure Charged With Trying To Overthrow Government By RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service July 25, 2020 A top opposition figure in Azerbaijan has been arrested on charges of seeking to overthrow the government -- allegations that his party says are politically motivated. Fuad Qahramanli, an executive member of the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP), is under investigation in connection with events that occurred during a July 14 rally in Baku -- a demonstration in support of the country's armed forces amid an escalation of military tensions with neighboring Armenia. Late in the protest, a group of people briefly stormed into the parliament building in Baku before they were removed by police. In the wake of that incident, prosecutors launched a widening criminal investigation against some alleged participants. Critics claim that the case is part of an effort by the authorities to eliminate political dissent in Azerbaijan. Altogether, about 30 activists from Qahramanli's AXCP have been detained or arrested on administrative or criminal charges. On July 24, a Baku court remanded Qahramanli in pretrial detention. The formal charges against him essentially amount to staging an attempted coup by causing damaging property, violating public order, using force against a government official, and trying to take over the government by force. Other opposition figures in Azerbaijan say the charges could pave the way for the authorities to target more members of his AXCP -- including party leader Ali Karimli. Speaking to RFE/RL, Karimli said Qahramanli had not even participated in the July 14 rally. Karimli said that the government was engaging in "political repression." "Ever since President Ilham Aliyev declared the AXCP an enemy, the security forces have taken that as an order," Karimli said. Qahramanli has previously been imprisoned twice in cases that Human Rights Watch has described as politically motivated violations of his rights. His last previous arrest was in 2015, when he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released in March 2019 after receiving a presidential pardon. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijani- opposition-figure-charged-with-trying-to- overthrow-government/30746447.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The national capital has recorded a 44% t decline in the number of Covid-19 deaths in early July as compared to early June, the Delhi government said on Sunday. The city recorded 605 deaths due to the viral disease between July 1 and 12 as against 1,089 fatalities during the same period in June, according to an analysis carried out by the Health Department. The Delhi governments Covid-19 hospitals saw a 58 per cent reduction in death from 361 in early June to 154 in early July, it said. Central government Covid-19 hospitals saw a 55% reduction in number of deaths, while private Covid hospitals witnessed a 25 per cent decline. Hospital-wise analysis of data revealed that total deaths vis-a-vis total admissions in the central governments RML Hospital dropped from 81 per cent in June to 58 per cent in July, according to the Delhi health department. In Safdarjung Hospital -- another central government facility -- the number of deaths vis-a-vis total admissions dropped from 40 per cent in June to 31 per cent in July. In LNJP Hospital -- the Delhi governments largest Covid-19 hospital -- the rate dropped from 28 per cent in early June to 16 per cent in early July, it said. The city government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital turned out to be among the best Covid-19 facility in the national capital in terms of deaths -- 6 per cent in early June and 7 per cent in early July. The analysis also revealed that a large number of coronavirus-infected people admitted to hospitals in early June arrived in a critical condition and passed away within four days, many within 24 hours. Sixty-seven per cent of the deaths during June 1-12 took place within four days of admission, the analysis showed. During July 1-12, around 35 per cent of the deaths occurred within four days of admission. This turnaround was possible due to the single-minded focus of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on initiatives that would directly help prevent deaths, as well his daily monitoring of status of critical patients, a statement said. Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, CM Kejriwal has been personally monitoring the daily status of critical patients and deaths due to Covid-19 from the beginning. His emphasis on timely implementation of crucial initiatives to prevent deaths has helped turnaround the situation, and restore public confidence in the Delhi governments hospitals, Jain said. United Nations: A UN report on terrorism has warned that there are significant numbers of ISIS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka, noting that the al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent terror group, which reportedly has between 150 and 200 militants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, is planning attacks in the region. The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said that the al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan. The group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan. The current leader of AQIS is Osama Mahmood , who succeeded the late Asim Umar AQIS is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader, it said. According to the report, One member state reported that the ISIL Indian affiliate (Hind Wilayah), which was announced on May 10, 2019, has between 180 and 200 members. It said that there are significant numbers of ISIL operatives in Kerala and Karnataka states. In May last year, the Islamic State (also known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) terror group claimed to have established a new "province" in India, the first of its kind announcement that came after clashes between militants and security forces in Kashmir. The dreaded terror outfit, through its Amaq News Agency, had said that the Arabic name of the new branch is "Wilayah of Hind" (India Province). A senior Jammu and Kashmir police officer had rejected the claim. Prevously, ISIS attacks in Kashmir were linked to its so-called Khorasan Province branch, which was set up in 2015 to cover "Afghanistan, Pakistan and nearby lands". Suchayan Mandal By Roshni Chopra always used a shared cab to get to work. It was convenient and economical. But today, that convenience has become a big load of worry. Her tech company in Gurugram resumed operations after three months, expecting everybody to report to work immediately. But Chopra couldn't prepare for her re-joining without weighing her commute options. The one that seemed most viable was renting a car. "With several people sharing the same cab, you never know how safe the vehicle is. It's also impossible to maintain social distance. Renting was a cakewalk. It was a steep propositionRs 1,500 per daybut was also a price worth paying in exchange for safety and easy mobility," says Chopra .Her concern is echoed by many others whove begun to find a steady comfort in renting cars. Filling the void left by cabs and buses since the pandemic, rental companies such as Zoomcar, Revv and Myles have been throwing away deals and offers to lure first-time customers. Approximately Rs 1,500 will get you the convenience of a hatchback like Tata Tiago, Renault and Kwid for 24 hours in Delhi. For a sedan, it's approx Rs 2,200. Price varies based on the condition of the vehicle and how much in demand the model is. Earlier, renting a car meant you were going for a weekend trip, a long-haul road trip, or had a broken car. But today, in metro cities, self-drive car rentals have picked up steam and is being preferred by millennial professionals and college-goers who don't own a car but want to drive independently. The pandemic has only given this trend an impetus. "We are already seeing a 400 percent rise in the demand for car rentals and we expect this to settle down at 200-300 percent over the next few months. People are now looking for shorter-term mobility access as opposed to long-term investment. The fear of contracting the virus is the sole reason we've seen such a jump in its preference," says Greg Moran, CEO, and Co-Founder, Zoomcar. The industry is looking at various car subscription models to serve the needs of the rising customers, he adds. Advantages of leasing a car over buying "As car subscriptions continue to evolve into flexible plans with longer lease durations such as 12, 24, or 36 months, people feel more inclined towards it. Even in the post-pandemic world, the rental car industry will leverage its advantage of hassle-free leasing out unlike the case of car ownership that demands maintenance expenses. There is always a running expenditure with self-owned cars, besides the problem of inadequate parking space, volatile fuel prices and rising insurance premium," says Moran. While some of these issues arise in rented cars too, it's a short-term responsibility. What's in the market for you? Not just Zoomcar, Revv and Myles, carmakers like Volkswagen, MG Motors, and Maruti Suzuki have also come up with car leasing options in an attempt to fix the dent in their businesses. The price at which these cars are leased depends on their size. Subscription (minimum 24 months) for Volkswagen for a top variant Polo will cost around Rs 30,000 a month. This includes maintenance, servicing, road tax, and insurance. For Zoomcar, the subscription for six months for a Tata Nexon SUV mid-trim automatic will cost around Rs 28,000 per month. This service is offered in all metro cities, and in Goa. Identity and address proof are the two documents required. The good thing is that prices don't vary state-wise but on the availability of cars. So a 2010 Fortuner available in Delhi will be cheaper than a 2016 Fortuner in Mumbai. However, the older the car, the more maintenance it requires. Must keep in mind As per the government regulations, these cars have to be registered commercially. So, every time you cross a state border, youll need to pay the state toll. To drive from Noida to Gurugram, besides the fuel price, you will need to count an additional Rs 200 as MCD and Haryana state toll. "The government should allow P2P (Peer to Peer Lease) rental. Easing out this regulation will ensure one can lease a car without any commercial taxes, which would bring down the pricing drastically," says Akshay Singh, Vice President, Strategy and Enterprise, Droom, an online platform to buy and sell pre-owned vehicles. What can make leasing easier? Given the condition of Indian roads and rogue drivers, there are some drawbacks. If a car gets dented, youll have to shell out Rs 10,000 for the company despite their insurance cover damages. This is true for most car rental companies except for the ones that offer Wet Lease (offered by the car makers, not rental companies). Also, there isnt any consensus on how much you need to pay for dents. Volkswagen has come out with a Wet Lease plan that waives maintenance costs. "This covers all the incidental costs and provides customers trouble-free ownership," says Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India. Why are leased cars expensive in India? Governments diktat for a commercially licensed number plate makes these cars expensive as the road tax for commercial ones is a lot more than the white number plates. There is also the expense of insurance. To make hiring economical, you need a larger customer base with a solid demand and supply flow that keeping costs low. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 16:09:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People pay attention to a speech during a Teachers and Essential Workers Protest in New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States on July 25, 2020. The protesters demanded safe working conditions, extension of unemployment compensation, raise of living wage and universal healthcare amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Lan Wei/Xinhua) Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 16:25:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Three people on board a plane were killed Saturday when it crashed in West Jordan in the western U.S. state of Utah, local police said. A total of six people, including three children, were on board the plane, and the dead include a child, the West Jordan Police Department tweeted. The single-engine Piper PA-32 crashed under unknown circumstances into a residential backyard in West Jordan, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said earlier in a statement. An elderly female was injured inside the house which the plane struck and she is in critical condition, said the police. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident. Enditem Eleven members of the Sikh and Hindu minorities of Afghanistan, including a community leader who was recently abducted by terrorists, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday after the Indian embassy in Kabul facilitated their travel. In a statement issued on July 18 after the release of Nidan Singh Sachdeva, the Sikh leader who was kidnapped in Paktia province last month, the external affairs ministry said the government had decided to facilitate the return of Afghan Hindu and Sikh community members facing security threats in Afghanistan to India. Sachdeva was among the Afghan nationals who reached New Delhi on a Kam Air flight at 2 pm on Sunday. The flight also carried Indian citizens who were stranded in Afghanistan because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Adesh Gupta, a leader of the Delhi unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and others received the Afghan Sikhs and Hindus at the international airport. Also read: Afghan Sikh abducted from Gurudwara thanks India for bringing him back to motherland Travel of some members of the Hindu and Sikh [communities], interested in moving to India, was also facilitated, the Indian embassy in Kabul said in a tweet. We appreciate the efforts of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in extending necessary support for the safe return of these families, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. The Indian government had earlier expressed concern at the targeting and persecution of minority community members [in Afghanistan] by terrorists at the behest of their external supporters. Concerns among Afghanistans dwindling Sikh minority have increased after a terror attack on a Sikh place of worship in Kabul in March that left 25 people dead and others injured. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State, though Indian and Afghan security officials believe the assault was planned and executed by Pakistan-based Haqqani Network and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Also read | Be ready for 14-day seclusion: Indian embassy makes evacuation plan from Wuhan Several of the Afghan nationals who arrived in India on Sunday had lost their relatives in the attack on the Sikh place of worship. Also in the group was a teenage girl who was rescued from people who allegedly tried to forcibly convert and marry her off. According to reports in the Afghan media, there were some 220,000 Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Their numbers dwindled to 15,000 when the Taliban were in power in Kabul. An estimated 1,350 Sikhs and Hindus remain in Afghanistan now, according to the reports. The marathon presidential race that began for former Vice President Joe Biden more than 450 days ago now enters a crucial stretch -- the final 100 days until Election Day in a campaign that continues to be tested by the coronavirus. Bidens sprint toward Election Day comes as he establishes himself as the polling front-runner in matchups with President Donald Trump -- as a parallel race to be his running mate is quickly approaching its end. In the coming weeks, Biden is expected to name the woman who will join him on the ticket, as the months-long vetting process enters its final stages, with sources familiar with the process suggesting an announcement could come as soon as the first week of August. Bidens vice presidential search committee, charged with vetting a diverse group of female contenders, has begun an additional round of meetings with some of the candidates, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the vetting process as the former vice president is expected to pare down the list for his "personal discussions" with finalists. MORE: Susan Rice has spent years in the White House. Could she make a return as vice president? Earlier this week, Biden offered some of the most substantive details about the process, revealing that the committee, composed of four co-chairs -- former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd; Delaware Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester; Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; and Cynthia C. Hogan, former White House and Senate counsel to Biden -- has briefed him on at least four candidates. "When I get all the vetting done of all the candidates then I'm going to narrow the list. And then we'll see -- and then I'm going to have personal discussions with each of the candidates who are left," Biden said of his vice presidential search. Biden also confirmed that there are four African American women still in contention for the position -- an indication his list may be narrowing -- as Sen. Kamala Harris, Reps. Karen Bass and Val Demings, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former national security advisor Susan Rice were all speculated to be on the list for the number two spot. Story continues In a separate, local interview this week, Biden also confirmed that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is still under consideration. But since the death of George Floyd in May, which sparked nationwide unrest over racial inequality and pushed the debate over racial injustice into the center of the political sphere, Biden has faced mounting pressure to choose an African American woman as his running mate, particularly after his campaign was revived by the overwhelming support from African American voters in the South Carolina primary. Still, Biden has refused to publicly concede to the pressure, noting that he is not basing his decision on any one criteria. His choice, he said, will take into consideration a number of factors -- first and foremost, if the candidates can step into the role of president on day one and if they are "simpatico" with his own views. "Black women supported me my entire career. You all act like all of a sudden there's an epiphany in South Carolina," Biden said. "They're the ones, as that old saying goes, that brought me to the dance. I have been loyal, they've been loyal to me." Biden has previously said he intends to make his selection before the Democratic National Convention, which is slated for Aug. 17 through Aug. 20, leaving a three-week period for Biden to conclude his vetting and roll out his pick. Biden, VP pick to kick off general election at transformed convention Once Biden formally names his vice presidential pick, a decision that could potentially boost his electoral fortunes across the battleground map, the two will officially mark the start of the general election battle at the Democratic National Convention, the culminating event of a hard-fought primary season that historically has been a moment to project party unity. In his own reelection bid, however, Trump abruptly canceled the fanfare that was expected for his convention speech in Jacksonville, Florida, on Thursday, citing both safety concerns and the mood of the country. "I think were gonna do it well, and Ill still do a convention speech in a different form, but we won't do a big, crowded convention per se. It's just not the right time for that," Trump told reporters during a coronavirus briefing at the White House on Thursday. MORE: Pandemic surge damages Trump, boosting Biden's White House bid: POLL Despite more than 4 million cases of COVID and fatalities from the virus approaching 150,000 in the United States with Wisconsin setting records for new daily cases of the virus, Democrats are still moving forward as planned with their quadrennial gathering in Milwaukee. But circumstances brought on by the pandemic and Trumps surprise announcement added pressure and raises new questionsabout the safety of Democrats own gathering. Tom Perez, chair of the DNC, immediately sought to stamp those out, touting the DNC's official decision in June to transition to a significantly down-sized convention with a mix of virtual and Milwaukee-based events. PHOTO: Chair of the Democratic National Committee Tom Perez speaks prior to the Democratic presidential primary debate at St. Anselm College on Feb. 07, 2020 in Manchester, N.H. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images, File) "Unlike Trump, we followed the science, listened to doctors and public health experts, and worked through plans to protect lives. Thats how we made the decision to hold a responsible convention," he said. Perez also reiterated on Friday, the day after Trumps announcement, that the national convention is still set to be "anchored in Milwaukee," with Biden accepting the nomination in person as planned. "The Democratic Convention is going to have a lot less people at it and we've been following the science," he said on SiriusXM's "The Joe Madison Show" on Friday. "We have told our delegates to the convention that they can vote remotely, that they shouldn't come to Milwaukee. We are anchored in Milwaukee and...the vice president will accept the nomination from Milwaukee." Bidens speech is expected to be before a scaled-back room without delegates, the partys most faithful, packed into the hall or raucous fights on the convention floor. MORE: Biden holds early edge in ABC News Electoral College race ratings: ANALYSIS State delegations were told by organizers, who consulted with health experts, that they should no longer plan to travel to Wisconsin and should plan to conduct official business for the convention remotely. Earlier this month, Democrats plans were scaled back even further, when a senior advisor to the convention informed members of Congress not to travel to Milwaukee either as concerns over coronavirus persisted. But organizers behind the Democrats convention have yet to release details on who exactly will be in the audience for Bidens speech and what the crowd size will be. The party also has yet to announce details on the plans for satellite locations that are expected to be weaved into each nights programming. In May, DNC rule-makers passed a measure to allow for remote voting at the convention and it was ultimately approved by the full committee. Delegates will begin virtual voting two weeks before the August convention, on Aug. 3 and have until Aug. 15 to complete the ballot, which includes the partys platform, among things. All the votes will be tallied at once on Aug. 15, instead of on a rolling basis. While the voting will open for delegates in a little over a week, a vice presidential nominee will not be on the ballot, not tying Biden to a hard deadline for choosing one, according to a Democratic official. The next 100 days amid COVID-19 As Biden enters the next 100 days, he leads in both national and battleground state polling, with recent polls showing the former vice president with a double-digit lead in critical states like Pennsylvania, Florida, Wisconsin and Michigan -- four of the 17 states the campaign had marked as part of their path to 270 in November. According to ABC News initial ratings for the 2020 general election, Biden currently holds a small but not insurmountable lead over Trump on the electoral map, with 279 electoral votes leaning or solidly voting Democratic, compared to the 187 votes leaning or solidly Republican. Still, another 72 electoral votes are rated as toss-ups at this point in the race. The Biden campaign will face the challenge of maintaining its electoral lead as COVID-19 puts constraints on the traditional campaigning of candidates crisscrossing the country at a frantic pace, drawing large crowds and meeting with supporters in those critical states. Biden acknowledged that the uncertainty of COVID means the campaign will likely continue to rely on virtual campaigning, or the limited local events as his team has held since the beginning of June to reach and motivate voters to the polls in November. "I hope we're able to do in-person campaigning, but the way the president is dealing with this virus is making it hard to think we're going to be able to do that," Biden said in a local interview earlier this week. "Meanwhile, we're going to continue aggressively to campaign, to meet voters where they are in their homes," he said. This report was featured in the Monday, July 27, 2020, episode of Start Here, ABC News daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. 100 days out: Biden faces crucial stretch of 2020 campaign originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Apparently, it was this year's Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey that was the final straw for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. According to the authors of Finding Freedom: 'After the service, Meghan flew back to Canada to return to Archie. 'Meg just wanted to get home,' said a friend, noting that the Duchess was emotionally bruised and exhausted. 'At that point she couldn't imagine wanting to set a foot back into anything royal again.' ' Really? I was covering that event at the Abbey in March and that is not my recollection at all. I shall come back to the intriguing differences between the event as it is described in the book and what I saw with my own eyes on the day. According to new book Finding Freedom, it was this year's Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey (pictured) that was the final straw for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex But, to me, the episode illustrates perfectly the way in which Harry and Meghan seem hell-bent on taking offence in every situation. Here we have a book which echoes one of the great liberation narratives of modern times, Nelson Mandela's Long Walk To Freedom. Yet Finding Freedom is a struggle against protocol and seating plans. It is based on the perceived unfairness of a pecking order which has governed and preserved the monarchy for 1,000 years. Yes, the rules are arcane and imperfect. It can be frustrating for those destined to a life of slow relegation. History and literature thrive on tales of intrigues at Court from scheming courtiers in Shakespeare to the 'men in suits' in The Crown. However, in the case of Harry and Meghan, the 'men in suits' went out of their way to make Project Sussex work and many of them happened to be in skirts. Pre-marriage, when Harry wanted to break with convention and bring Meghan to stay for Christmas at Sandringham, or indeed the 2018 Commonwealth service, officials made it happen. Knowing that the couple would need top-class advice, the Queen persuaded one of her ablest and most respected former private secretaries, Samantha Cohen, to head up the Sussexes' new office. This book takes potshots at the Palace 'old guard', painting them as untrustworthy 'vipers'. Like any institution, the Palace has its share of infighting and jostling for position. It must, at times, have been frustrating for a talented, up-at-dawn self-starter like the Duchess to find serried ranks of plodders telling her why things could not be done the way she wanted. Finding Freedom is a struggle against protocol and seating plans. It is based on the perceived unfairness of a pecking order which has governed and preserved the monarchy for 1,000 years Prince Philip found it equally irksome when his wife became Queen in 1952. As a cousin put it: 'They were beastly to him.' Yet, he worked with the system to change it. No one was 'beastly' to Harry and Meghan. Yes, there were tensions when the couple picked fights with the system. For example, Harry's 2016 statement slamming the media in the middle of the Prince of Wales's tour of the Gulf caused dismay but not just at the Palace. The point of a royal tour is to promote the UK. Harry might have regarded his own situation as more important. Yet the real discourtesy was not to Prince Charles but to the Foreign Office which organises these diplomatic missions. Similarly, the couple spent months planning their Sussex Royal website without consulting the Palace and government officials who are responsible for patrolling use of the word 'royal', under laws going back to the 19th century. These staff were not being 'vipers'. They were doing their job. As for that 'bruising' Commonwealth Day service: you don't have to buy Finding Freedom to make up your mind. It's all on the internet. If Harry had a slightly wistful look about him at times, it was to be expected. He had been attending state occasions at the Abbey since childhood, most notably that heartbreaking farewell to his mother in 1997. Now, here he was bowing out of royal life. Of course, he looked pensive. The Duchess, however, was beaming. Yet according to the book, she was deeply wounded by the 'machinations' of officials who ensured that, unlike 'previous years', the couple had been excluded from the royal procession whereas the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had not. In fact, the Sussexes had been part of the procession just once in 2019. At Commonwealth Day, the organisers put the Cambridges in the procession but not the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan were not happy but nor, for that matter, were Palace officials or William and Kate, who could see how it might look The event is organised not by the Palace but by the Royal Commonwealth Society who like to change the running order every year. In 2020, the organisers put the Cambridges in the procession but not the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan were not happy but nor, for that matter, were Palace officials or William and Kate, who could see how it might look. In order to avert 'Harry and Meghan snubbed' headlines, the Cambridges agreed to miss the procession, too. Yet this book persists with the 'snub' narrative: 'If looks were anything to go by, the Cambridges were unhappy with the decision. 'While Harry and Meghan both greeted William and Kate with smiles, the Cambridges showed little response . . . For the minutes before the Queen's arrival, William and Kate sat with their backs to the couple, only turning around to chat with Prince Edward and Sophie.' All I can suggest is that you view this 'snub' with your own eyes. Kate was sitting in front of Meghan and at the other end of the row. With 2,000 Abbey guests, live BBC1 cameras and the media nearby, it was hardly the moment for the Duchess of Cambridge to turn round and start yelling small talk. The Sussexes might want to paint all of this as a battle between a progressive force for good versus mean, fuddy-duddy jobsworths. At times, they may have a point. But the overarching theme of this book, thus far, is not injustice. It is peevishness. The Bihar branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sounded a bugle of revolt against health departments principal secretary Uday Singh Kumawat and has written to chief minister Nitish Kumar for his removal. The approach of Kumawat is quite indifferent towards doctors, though all the principals and superintendents of medical colleges are rendering invaluable service in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic. The doctors are quite upset with the decisions taken by the officer, said the letter written by IMA honorary secretary Dr Sunil Kumar to the CM. The IMA has urged the CM to reinstate former principal secretary, department of health, Sanjay Kumar, who had swapped positions with Kumawat on May 21. The copy of the letter has also been sent to health minister Mangal Pandey and chief secretary Dipak Kumar. Maintaining that Sanjay Kumar was sensitive towards doctors, the IMA has also raised a question mark over the behaviour of two district magistrates of Bhojpur and Gopalganj towards the doctors. In the past also, they took unwarranted action against the doctors and the IMA had registered its protest against it, the letter read, seeking the transfer of both officials so that the doctors could discharge their duty with high morale. Also read: Dont hide, get tested - Shivraj Singh Chouhans appeal after contracting Covid-19 On the lines of a government order to earmark 25% beds in Covid-dedicated hospitals for police officers and administrative, the IMA has sought a similar arrangement for the government and private doctors. The IMA has always worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the government. In the wake of the pandemic, the IMA appeals to all the doctors to work for providing healthcare to all the needy, it added. In the wake of rising Covid-19 cases, the Bihar government had in a surprise move removed Sanjay Kumar from the post of principal secretary, department of health on May 21. Though the government cited no official reason behind the move, it was viewed as a result of slow testing and the growing spread of infection. During the Cabinet meeting on Friday, chief minister Nitish Kumar was said to be quite unhappy with the continued spike in Covid-19 positive cases, which has led to relentless attacks from the Opposition. The CM reportedly reprimanded health department principal secretary Uday Singh Kumawat after the health minister said that the officer did not even listen to him. The CM has been consistently asking for an increase in testing - the reason he was upset with Sanjay Kumar and why he is miffed with the new incumbent. I want RT-PCR tests to be increased to 20,000/day and facilities should be made available at the sub-divisional level so that the patients could be treated there, he added. Pakistani Christian family beaten for saving 13-y-o daughter from kidnapping by Muslim extremists Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A young Pakistani Christian girl was nearly abducted from her home earlier this month when a radical group of Muslim men attacked her entire family, according to a U.S.-based Christian persecution watchdog. International Christian Concern reported the near abduction of the 13-year-old daughter of Aslam Masih and Noreen Bibi in the Christian-majority neighborhood of Sadigabad in Pakistan's Punjab province on July 12. Masih and his family were violently attacked by a mob of 12 men who broke into their home and tried to kidnap his daughter, Noor, and force her into a marriage. In Pakistan, it's estimated that hundreds of women and girls are kidnapped, forced into marriage and forcibly converted to Islam each year. According to ICC, a man named Muhammad Irfan led the group of armed men. Bibi told the organization that Ifran would often express sexual interest in her young daughter. He [Irfan] often teased and disturbed my daughter in the streets, but we always ignored, Bibi recalled. Finally, Irfan forcibly entered into my house and intended to kidnap my daughter. However, we resisted. In response, he attacked and beat my entire family who got multiple injuries. According to Bibi, her husband was injured in the attack and hasn't received medical care to treat his wounds. [P]olice have not registered the case against Irfan and medical staff have not provided medical aid to the injured, Bibi was quoted as saying. Irfan's threats have also continued despite the familys resistance. Bibi also said that Irfans supporters have threatened to burn down their home and cause further harm if the family pursues legal action. Despite the immense number of crimes committed against Christians in Pakistan, those facing persecution rarely see justice in the legal system, according to ICC Advocacy Director Matias Perttula. In Pakistan, a Muslim-majority country, courts are consistently pressured by mobs of civil unrest to make decisions based on Islamic law instead of government code, he told The Christian Post. Even though extremists are a minority in terms of population, they still wield major political power in the country, Perttula said. If the judge rules in favor of a Christian woman, these people will incite mob violence on the Christian community and attack the Christians there. Theyll show up at the courthouse to intimidate the judge. Perttula cited an abduction case involving 14-year-old Huma Younus, who was taken from her home last October, to describe how kidnapping, rape and forced conversions are handled to provide perspective on Pakistani justice issues. Younus was kidnapped at gunpoint by a man she worked for and was subsequently raped, forcefully converted to Islam, forced into marriage, and impregnated by her kidnapper. According to state law, Younus was not of age to consent to marriage or sexual relations, thus making the forced marriage illegal. However, the Sindh High Court in Karachi earlier this year ruled in favor of the kidnapper and reasoned that since Younus had already experienced her first period, she was of legal age. I met with Humas parents. Legal documents were provided proving she was 14, Perttula said. The courts still sided with the kidnapper. Because of her period, she was fit. They completely ignored the consent law. Perttula also said that Younus case, and more recently Masihs daughter, are like one example of a sea of hundreds of these stories that happen. Estimates cited by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in its annual report suggest that as many as 1,000 women and girls are forcibly converted to Islam each year in Pakistan, many of whom are kidnapped, forced into marriage and raped. Injustice and intimidation tactics do not begin with court decisions though, and oftentimes never reach a court. The biggest danger Christians, Hindus, and all minorities face in Pakistan is an accusation of blasphemy, Perttula said. Pakistani life is largely influenced by honor culture. If a person is accused of blasphemy, even if the claim is proven false, honor is lost for the individual and family, which can cause hardship in both personal and professional ways. As Pakistans blasphemy laws are often abused by some Muslims to settle personal disputes with religious minorities, dozens of people are jailed for blasphemy in Pakistan. Some have even been sentenced to the death penalty. The lives of young women who are victims of rape, kidnapping and other traumas face harsh aftermath as well. Due to the honor culture, women are seen as unclean or damaged due to no fault of their own. It makes a womans prospect for marriage difficult. Most of the time they are welcomed back by their family but with an element of shame, which is heartbreaking, Perttula said. The mere accusation of this or blasphemy has tainted your life for life, essentially, and the community may not welcome you back. Earlier this month, ICC also reported on a video posted to YouTube showing an extremist Pakistani Muslim cleric declaring that Christians have no right to live in this Islamic country. I want to let you know that these people [Christians] are the worst infidels of the universe, the Muslim cleric was quoted as saying. Religious minorities, especially individuals facing blasphemy threats, also face difficult working conditions and unfair job opportunities, Perttula stressed. Many of these people work in sanitation services and are not provided with proper equipment or clothing to perform jobs involving sewage. The U.S. State Department has designated Pakistan as a country of particular concern for engaging in or tolerating egregious and systemic abuses of religious freedom. Pakistan has also been ranked as the fifth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. She rose to fame after appearing on Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor in 2016 and Bachelor in Paradise in 2018. And on Sunday, Keira Maguire sent fans into a frenzy as she returned to the franchise to find love for the third time. 'The queen is here,' one tweeted. 'It's queen Keira! Take down these lesser mortals,' another agreed. She's back! Keira Maguire (pictured) sent fans into a frenzy as she made a dramatic entrance on Bachelor In Paradise on Sunday 'Unleash Keira already please god I need the drama,' while another said: 'So ready for Keira to cause some more drama on this island.' 'I love that Keira rocks that villain role. She's not naive enough to think they won't do it, and she has fun with it,' one person tweeted. Another person wrote: 'The goddess Queen Keira has arrived.' 'The queen is here!' Fans flocked to Twitter, saying they couldn't wait for Keira's appearance on Bachelor in Paradise The 34-year-old blonde beauty arrived at Bachelor In Paradise's Fijian resort and was set up on a series of blind dates with the contestants. 'I'm loving the fact that I don't actually have to walk in and have these guys coupled up with girls. I get to take my pick of all the men. That's what I'm here for,' she said. 'So I don't want to waste any time. The fact that I pretty much have all of them as an option is looking really good to me right now.' After asking all the males questions, Keira choose to go on her first date with Conor Canning. Date time! The 34-year-old arrived at Bachelor In Paradise's Fijian resort and was set up on a series of blind dates with the contestants Keira rose to fame after appearing on the first season of Bachelor in Paradise in 2018 and Richie Strahan's season of The Bachelor in 2016. Her relationship with Jarrod Woodgate was the biggest success story to come out of Bachelor In Paradise. They quickly became inseparable and moved in together after filming for the show ended, only to dramatically split in August. Connection: After asking all the males questions, Keira choose to go on her first date with Conor Canning Jarrod blamed Keira's obsession with Instagram as the reason behind the breakup, telling Who magazine at the time: 'Her Instagram following is overwhelming and it was taking over our relationship.' He added: 'She's purely Instagram-focused and that takes up a lot of time.' The couple reunited in January this year, and quickly secured a joint deal to promote the food delivery service Deliveroo on Instagram. But after weeks of speculation, Keira confirmed she had split with boyfriend Jarrod in April. Vietnamese passengers wait in line at Toronto Pearson Airport before boarding a repatriation flight, July 24, 2020. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Vietnam on Saturday repatriated 580 of its citizens stranded in Singapore and Canada, current Covid-19 hotspots, quarantining all upon arrival. Vietnams fifth repatriation flight from Singapore, operated by Vietjet Air, landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, carrying home 240 passengers, mainly children, students, elderly and sick people, pregnant women, workers whose labor contracts had expired, and stranded tourists. Singapore is currently Southeast Asias third biggest Covid-19 hotspot after Indonesia and the Philippines, recording over 49,000 infections and 27 deaths. Over the past three months, Vietnam has brought home over 700 citizens from the island state. Also on Saturday, a Vietnam Airlines flight that departed from Toronto Pearson Airport also brought home 340 citizens. This was the fourth repatriation flight from Canada, the third biggest Covid-19 hotspot in North America after the U.S. and Mexico. They underwent medical checks before boarding, were quarantined on arrival, and their samples have been taken for testing. More than 16,000 Vietnamese nationals have been brought home from 50 countries and territories on 60 flights since the country started repatriating citizens stranded abroad on April 10, Foreign Ministry deputy spokesperson Doan Khac Viet said Friday. Dinh Viet Thang, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said 50 more flights would bring another 13,000 people home by the end of next month. The country has recorded 418 infections as of Sunday morning. Of them, 365 have recovered and 53 are active cases. The country took a cautious sigh of relief this week as news broke that the coronavirus vaccine being developed by Oxford academics triggers an immune response. As critical phase 3 trials get underway, communities across the UK and indeed around the world have been given a glimmer of hope that a long-term solution to this crisis could be within reach. We mustnt get ahead of ourselves, though. The Oxford/AstraZeneca study is just one of around 140 that are being conducted globally, as world-leading scientists seek to find what could be as close to a silver bullet end to this pandemic as we are going to get. Youd be forgiven for thinking that formulating a clinically safe and effective vaccine would be the final hurdle we face in what will inevitably still be an arduous struggle against Covid-19. Recent polling from the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) lays bare that 31 per cent of the British public would be hesitant to have a coronavirus vaccine if one becomes available. This doesnt merely present a risk for those individuals it risks undermining the effectiveness of potentially the most powerful tool in our armoury. Put simply, the more people who opt to have a safe vaccine, the closer well get to releasing our collective health and our economy from the ransom situation we have been in. Disturbingly, its now clear that ill-informed anti-vaccination conspiracy theories risk becoming an online pandemic of their own if firm action is not taken. Its positive to see that Boris Johnson called out the propagators of anti-vax conspiracies as nuts this week but he must now bring forward a clear strategy as to how hes going to combat this growing movement and fast. The CCDHs recent study into misinformation online showed that so-called anti-vax social media accounts now have 58 million followers and this number is growing rapidly. The 147 largest accounts have amassed 7.8 million new followers since 2019, representing a staggering increase of 19 per cent. Facebook is overwhelmingly the leading host of such potentially dangerous information, but the platform is by no means alone. Across YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and various other popular social media sites, this virus of misinformation now presents a real threat to our ability to control the real, and deadly, coronavirus. Last week, I raised this directly with the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, who assured me that he would be meeting with Nick Clegg, now a vice president of Facebook, to discuss this issue. Im pleased the UK government appears to be being relatively proactive about this, but ministers must not underestimate the virility of this trend. The anti-vax movement is nothing new in fact, its been around since the days of smallpox. But what we mustnt lose sight of in 2020 though is the exponential levels of oxygen the internet, and particularly social media platforms, give to such damaging falsehoods. As chair of the cross-party group of MPs looking into social media, Ive been keenly following the activities of various platforms since this pandemic began. It must be said that many sites have been doing some really positive work to try and promote reliable sources of information at a time when the need to tackle misinformation could scarcely be more crucial. Anti-vaxxers are threatening lives, warns Matt Hancock What the social media giants are systematically failing to do though is proactively take down the burgeoning levels of misinformation about coronavirus vaccines being spread on their platforms. Anti-vax information may not be being put on billboards around the country, but growing evidence suggests its starting to reach and influence as many people as if it were. Weve already seen this digital pandemic spilling out onto our streets. The frankly scary protests we saw in Hyde Park over the weekend could be just the start if we do not get on top of this. Time after time, the social media giants have proven that they will not take firm action without being forced to. The UK Government is continuing to drag its heels over the long-awaited Online Harms Bill that has the potential to protect social media users from the many dangers people now face online. In advance of this, ministers must take whatever firm and decisive action is necessary to halt the anti-vax virus from further spreading through internet cables and into households across our country. If they fail to do so, the vaccine we are all praying for with bated breath may not prove to be the solution our world so desperately needs it to be. Chris Elmore is the Labour Party MP for Ogmore and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on social media. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 19:38:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Shiran Illanperuma COLOMBO, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan exports made a v-shaped recovery from COVID-19 induced shocks in June thanks to proactive government policies to contain the pandemic while allowing the essential economy to continue functioning, a government official said here. In an interview with Xinhua, Chairman of the Export Development Board (EDB) Prabash Subasinghe said that Sri Lanka's merchandise exports in June rebounded to 906.2 million U.S. dollars, from a low of 277.4 million U.S. dollars in April, thanks to government action in containing the COVID-19 epidemic. "Even though there was an over 60-day lockdown, the government considered most businesses, including food, exports and ports, to be essential services, which was instrumental in avoiding the more severe supply chain disruptions seen in competitor countries in the region," Subasinghe said. Free trade zones and export processing facilities continued operations under strict health guidelines, allowing the productive economy to continue despite a curfew imposed by the government. Key sectors such as apparel, pivoted to the manufacturing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to adapt to changing demand amid the pandemic. Subasinghe noted that despite export revenue declining in year-on-year terms in June due to the pandemic, exports of goods such as tea, coconut products, spices, essential oils, and seafood were notable exceptions due to rising global demand for food items even amid COVID-19 induced shocks. Given the growing demand for food in the world, the Sri Lankan government hopes to increase value-added exports of traditional agricultural products, such as pepper, in order to uplift the livelihood of local farmers. Exports such as tea continue to demand high prices, with Subasinghe describing exporters as bullish to move up the value chain. Subasinghe said that he hopes to address long-standing concerns that Sri Lanka has failed to diversify its export basket beyond apparel assembly, which makes up nearly half of all export revenue, and traditional plantation crops such as tea, rubber, and coconut. "The EDB is in a joint project with the Board of Investment (BOI) to identify key sectors and attract foreign direct investment for export diversification. We are looking at establishing a specialized pharmaceutical zone and inviting the largest players to invest in exports," Subasinghe said. "Sri Lanka has shown her resilience during the pandemic and there is a lot more we can offer by diversifying our export base to new areas like electronics, and building on older areas like processing the rubber which we grow locally," he added. With a new global recession setting in and tighter consumption in Sri Lanka's traditional markets in North America and Europe, Subasinghe said that the country should look to regional markets, as critical to expanding the country's export base. Enditem A 17-year-old high school student has died in a drowning accident at a Georgia lake becoming the fourth person to die there in less than a month. The body of Cristofer Acosta-Farias was pulled from Lake Lanier in Gainesville on Friday afternoon, an hour after he failed to re-emerge after disappearing beneath the surface of the water while swimming from a dock to the shore. The Hall County Sheriffs Office deputies and Hall County Fire responded to the call near Balus Creek Park at 5pm and located Acosta-Farias body shortly afterwards using sonar. Acosta-Farias was found by officials in a part of the lake that is more than 27 feet deep. The body of Cristofer Acosta-Farias was pulled from Lake Lanier in Gainesville on Friday afternoon, an hour after he failed to resurface The Hall County Sheriffs Office deputies and Hall County Fire responded to the call near Balus Creek Park and located Acosta-Farias body using sonar Department of Natural Resources Spokesperson Mark McKinnon said its currently unclear what may have caused the teen to go under. A GoFundMe page has been set up by friends of Acosta-Farias to help his family raise money for his funeral, having raised already raised $6,000. The 17-year-old was a junior at West Hall High School and was an 11th grade baritone player in the school's band. In a lengthy and moving tribute post published on the bands Facebook page, the school remembered Acosta-Farias as a gem and an absolute light. He was sweet, vulnerable, kind, and strong. He had a tremendous work ethic and loved to have fun with his band family, the post, authored by Mrs. Wilson-Fields, reads. When I think of Cristof, a few things come to mind. I loved hearing him say LETS GO on the marching field. He had a booming, deep loud voice. When asked to COUNT LOUD on the marching field, his voice boomed over all of the low brass. Wilson-Fields added that Cristof was a strong young man who was not afraid to be vulnerable. He told me of some of his personal struggles. He acknowledged his mistakes, apologized for them, and learned from them. He knew the kind of person he wanted to become, and he was constantly working toward becoming a better person. But Cristof was already such a wonderful young man and he will be so, so missed, she continued, adding that he will never be forgotten. The 17-year-old was a junior at West Hall High School and was an 11th grade baritone player in the school's band In a lengthy and moving tribute post published on the bands Facebook page, the school remembered Acosta-Farias as a gem and an absolute light The West Hall High School Band is holding a candlelight vigil to honor Acosta-Farias at 8:30pm on Sunday at Balus Creek Park, next to Lake Lanier where he died. Acosta-Farias' drowning is at least the fourth to have occurred at Lake Lanier in July. Two of those occurred across the Fourth of July weekend, DNR officials said. Bruce Lee Hild never resurfaced after he jumped from a moving boat near Duckett Mill Campground on Friday, July 3. His body was recovered around 7pm later that day. Less than 24 hours later, a 45-year-old Texas man, Jesus Jimenes, drowned at the lake after going into the water to swim. And on Tuesday July 14, the body of a Stone Mountain man was recovered from the water after a days-long search. Much like Acosta-Farias, Bentley Nwagbara, 28, jumped into the waters of Lake Lanier near Harbor Landing on July 11 and never resurfaced. In an attempt to push for peace talks between Taliban fighters and the Afghan government, the United States sent its Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation (SRAR), Zalmay Khalilzad on a trip to Kabul on Saturday, July 25. The US diplomat is also scheduled to make a stopover in at least 4 other places -- Doha, Islamabad, Oslo, and Sofia, the US Department of State said in an official statement. Ambassador Khalilzad will press to facilitate extensive talks for a political settlement in Afghanistan as well on issues such as final prisoner exchanges and violence ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations. "The parties are closer than ever to the start of Intra-Afghan Negotiations, the key next step to ending Afghanistans 40-year long war. Although significant progress has been made on prisoner exchanges, the issue requires additional effort to fully resolve," the US Department of State said in a press release. Read: Abducted Sikh Leader In Afghanistan Released; India Appreciates Efforts By Afghan Govt Earlier on July 14, Khalilzad condemned an attack led by the government forces in Shahrak district of western Afghanistan's Ghor province bordering Iran that killed 45 people, which included civilians and key Taliban commander Mullah Khaksar. We condemn today's attack. The use of major explosives to detonate a vehicle in a provincial capital is unacceptable and will strengthen those who oppose peace and plays into the hands of spoilers. All sides must reduce violence. U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) July 14, 2020 Read: UK Voters Strongly Believe Russia Interfered In Brexit Referendum: Reports US military troops pulled out Earlier this month, several thousand US military troops were withdrawn out of five bases in Afghanistan as the Pentagon fulfilled its obligation to the peace agreement reached with the Taliban in Qatar. An estimated 8,600 troops were deployed as the remaining defence forces were pulled out from the military bases in Helmand, Uruzgan, Paktika, and Laghman provinces, in southern and eastern Afghanistan on July 14, military personnel told a state broadcaster on condition of anonymity. Read: White House Pushes Narrow Virus Aid; Pelosi Blasts GOP Delay Read: UN Says Thousands Of Anti-Pakistan Militants In Afghanistan Local wine-makers are celebrating a victory in Canada following the federal government's objection to trade restrictions that it said unfairly targeted Australian exporters. "Discriminatory measures have disadvantaged our wine exporters in Canada for a number of years now," said Trade Minister Simon Birmingham. Canada has agreed to lift trade restrictions on Australian wine. "Removing these trade barriers will mean our wine exporters can now compete on a level playing field with Canadian wine producers." Canada is Australia's fourth-largest export market, with wine sales worth $185 million last year. Sumi Sukanaya Dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The recent release of the findings from a seroprevalence study by government agencies in Delhi which showed that nearly 23.5 per cent population may have antibodies against COVID-19 virus has triggered a lot of debate on how close the city could be to herd immunity. But there is also confusion around the protection against the disease as a recent research from the UK showed that antibodies against SARS CoV 2 may not be long-lasting. Dr Ganguly deciphers for our readers what these studies mean? So far, what can be said definitively about immunological response towards the COVID-19 virus and what are the areas around which understanding is still to emerge? I would say three major immunological insights that we could gather are-one, infected persons do mount a robust immune response against the virus, rather at times its too aggravated a response which is driving the disease to untoward ends. Two, all infected individuals are mounting both antibodies and T cell mediated immunity both of which play roles to protect the individuals from reinfection at least for some time. Thirdly, it seems the antibodies -at least the ones we have means to check- are rather short-lived, around 2-3 months. But as in the past 7-8 months no confirmed reinfection case has been reported from anywhere in the world, scientists believe either the T cells or antibodies which are longer-staying but not yet detectable by available assays are providing the protection for at least 7-8 months. A highly talked about study from the UK recently suggested that antibodies against SARS CoV 2 may not be long lasting and this led to a whole lot of speculation about long term immunity towards the pathogen. Can you please elaborate on what does this mean and what could be its implications? As I said earlier, it means the antibodies we are looking for or which we have means to detect- are not very long-lasting. But absence of antibodies simply means absence of just antibodies, not absence of protection. Protection against a pathogen can be mediated by antibodies or T cells or both. Duration of immune protection can only be reliably noted from reports of reinfection, and till today there are none. Presence of antibodies is an easily detectable parameter to confirm infection in the recent past and thus very important for sero-surveillance efforts. Moreover, this perplexing realization of waning antibody levels in the absence of reinfections being reported brings forth the importance of T cell-mediated immunity against SARS-CoV2 which needs to be kept in mind while assessing all vaccine candidates. Just a few days ago, the Union government released the findings of a seroprevalence in Delhi which showed that around 23.5 % of the samples tested had antibodies against the virus. What does it mean in the context of the population's immunological response to the disease? This data means different things to different interest groups. To me the most striking revelation is sheer speed the infection is spreading with. Contracting almost 20% of the population in hardly 4 months. It also marks the magnitude of asymptomatic infections. But these data are done on representative samples and may not provide the real picture, which can be both higher or lower based on the type of errors and biases the sampling might have had. What are your views on herd immunity against SARS CoV 2? At what level of exposure to the virus, can the population be naturally protected against the disease? Herd immunity has been a phrase people scared of uttering in this pandemic, due to sheer numbers of fatal infections we are experiencing. But in my understanding the race between vaccination and herd immunity will be won by the latter. I say this just because the virus is extremely contagious, due to its transmission through droplets and aerosols, as the infected individuals are infective for a long time and more importantly a large number of infected individuals have no clue about their infection in the absence of symptoms. Now this herd immunity will only be achieved if the immune protection is really long lasting. We do not have that data. Neither do we have any assurance for this holy grail of long-lasting protection from any report on vaccine trials. Time is the only experimental device that can give you this answer. Is there anything about the virus and immunological response against it that has shocked or surprised you? To me the major revelation was rather less robust immunity in asymptomatic individuals with the infection. The viral load was found not to be much different from the symptomatic individuals. More severe disease has a rather more robust immune response. So, the disease seems not to be a direct function of the infectious agent here, as is usual with most infections. It is rather a function of how the immune system of a given individual is responding to the infection. Aggravated immune activities are leading to damage to the body's own constituents in some individuals and they are the ones rushing to untoward ends. Dhaka, July 26 : Corrupted Businessman of Begum Khaleda Zia-led political party of Bangladesh BNP, Engineer M.A. Rashid, owner of Karnaphuly Ship Builders is still getting support from the government agencies with huge bribe, sources of BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) confirmed to IANS. Planning Minister M.A. Mannan told IANS, "It's sad to say, my order to find out and make a blacklist and punish the corrupted shipping companies and the owners as Hon'ble PM had said, has been denied by government agencies." Earlier, Bangladesh government decided to procure 20 dredgers for the BIWTA to dredge the country's rivers to enhance their navigability. As part of the procurement of dredgers, Karnaphuli Ship Builders received a work order to construct 10 dredgers at a cost of 770 crore takas in 2017. A single company Karnaphuly Ship Builders based on Chattogram had dropped the tender to procure 10 dredgers in 2016. Soon after, at the parliamentary standing committee meeting, Bangladesh PM Hasina refused to give approval after seeing a single company had dropped the tender to procure 10 dredgers. Seven old dredgers, which were procured during Bangabandhu's regime before 1975, were still performing very well compared to the new dredgers procured in recent times. According to sources, these dredgers have also been used for emergency purposes, but the new dredgers have failed to meet the purpose during emergencies. Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has instructed to be active in curbing corruption in the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) 5 days back on July 21, Planning Minister Mannan told IANS. Earlier, some lawmakers of the parliamentary standing committee on the shipping ministry had raised questions as to how the same company always got work orders to construct dredgers. Rashid also owns 3 fishing vessels -- the real owners of 2 of which is Simon, son of former BNP government's Water Transport minister Late Colonel Akbar Hossain (retd). Bangladesh intelligence officers have received reports that Rashid through some influencers sent huge amount of fund to grab tenders. Mannan remembering about Engr Rashid's corruption said, "I know BIWTA has some excessive corruption. I remember Honb'le Prime Minister gave the order to take action against the corruption. I read the order myself and instructed the government agencies to blacklist those who are still present in the big tenders. There was a clear instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina followed by me that they should not be given any work in the future." But, I must say, as seriously as we say, the order gets lighter as it goes down and its totality decreases. "Unfortunately its pace is very slow. The prime minister expressed resentment and annoyance. She asked us to find out the reasons," said Mannan. I have some responsibilities since I was in charge of the Ministry of Planning. There are big questions of good governance, he added. The Planning Minister of B'desh said, legal process is always time consuming. Criminals get a chance in this. The government has to give instructions in the new process in accordance with the law. As the accused have to be given a chance to speak. At the same time, we cannot take a stand against the criminals taking advantage of the loopholes through lawyers. But the Chairman of the BIWTA Commodore Golam Sadeq told IANS, "Yes, I know Karnaphully Ship Yard is a regular company, which works with BIWTA. But I don't know any wrong dealings of them, or if the name of the company is in any black list". "I will find out about this allegation, as I came to know about the wrong-doings of the Company", BIWTA Chairman concluded. "But Hn'ble PM is the supreme authority to approve the tender," Commodore Sadeq added. Members of the Parliament wondered how the BIWTA and the shipping ministry of B'desh sent the proposal to the PM's approval in favour of a certain company, Karnaphuly Ship Builders when a huge amount was involved in the procurement. However, the BIWTA floated a re-tender on 13 September 2017 to procure 10 dredgers, 72 auxiliary vessels, and other equipment at a cost of 940 crore takas. A total of 4 companies, including an international company, submitted tenders, sources said, adding that the local companies were, Karnaphuli Ship Builders, Khulna Shipyard Own by Gov) and Ananda Builders Ltd and the UAE-based APT Marine Services Ltd also submitted a tender. (Natural News) The New York Times has found itself in hot water after it published an article alleging that a Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak happened within Liberty Universitys walls during the early days of the pandemic. According to the Evangelical Christian institution, the New York Times story, which reported that 12 students found themselves exhibiting symptoms normally associated with COVID-19 when the school reopened, and bore the headline Liberty University Brings Back Its Students, and Coronavirus Fears, Too, was factually incorrect. Liberty University officials have even gone so far as to call the piece, which was published on March 29, of being a fictional tale. No students actually caught COVID-19 University officials have stated that no student of theirs actually contracted COVID-19. The school has since filed a $10 million lawsuit against the paper, alleging that the story, which was written by New York Times feature writer Elizabeth Williamson, caused enormous harm to the universitys reputation resulting in the loss of enrollment revenue, as well as the incurring of substantial legal costs. There was never an on-campus student diagnosed with COVID-19. 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 suit filed by the university stated. In the lawsuit, the university alleged that the story run by the Times was full of fallacies and made-up details, and was only published to serve as click-bait. Simply put, defendants claim that Liberty Brings Back its Students, and Coronavirus, Too was made up. Their claim that Liberty Reopened, and Students Got Sick was made up. Their claim that after purportedly reopening, students started getting sick with nearly a dozen Liberty students sick with symptoms that suggest COVID-19 was made up, the suit stated. And their claim that the consequences of reopening had come home to roost in the form of a COVID-19 outbreak was made up. As reported in the original Times article, Williamson quoted snippets from their interview with a certain Thomas Eppes Jr., who was described in the story as the medical doctor who purportedly runs Liberty Universitys health services department. This was not actually the case, according to University president Jerry Falwell Jr. Eppes, Falwell said, was not in any way connected to the university, and that he was actually running a clinic some ten miles away from the university. I think they got their information from a doctor who has a practice 10 miles away from Liberty, who had seen a few Liberty kids who had a cold and upper respiratory problem. And none of it was anything like COVID symptoms, Falwell explained in an interview with Sean Hannity. (Related: Universities to force students to get flu shots, sign distancing contracts in order to attend classes this fall.) He told the reporters to go and talk to our on-campus doctor at our clinic on campus, and they wouldnt do it. They didnt talk to us, Falwell said. In addition to misrepresenting their already faulty primary source, the New York Times also omitted Eppes further explanation, in a bid to paint them as potentially coronavirus-positive patients. According to the university, Eppes said in the interview that the students were not tested for COVID-19 because they did not meet the symptomatic criteria for COVID-19 testing. However, the university said that the paper opted to paraphrase Eppes actual statement, just so that the news site could spread their false narrative in a cohesive way. Eppes, in his interview with the New York Times, noted that most of the sick students had upper respiratory infection, which amounted to a cold, instead of the lower respiratory infection indicative of COVID-19. Furthermore, Williamson was also told to contact another doctor, Joanna Thomas, who the lawsuit described as being the one who actually works at Libertys health department. Williamson never did. By avoiding the direct source, and only talking to Dr. Eppes, they sought the plausible deniability of claiming he and they misunderstood each other when he inevitably denied (as he did) the story, the university said in its lawsuit, adding that the New York Times only contacted Liberty during the date of the storys publication. The New York Times had run other articles attacking Liberty University In addition to Williamsons story, the university said the New York Times also ran other articles maligning the universitys reputation, such as a column titled, The Religious Rights Hostility to Science is Crippling Our Coronavirus Response, and an editorial titled This Land of Denial and Death. These stories, the university said, unfairly characterized Falwell Jr. as a science denier, and that his disbelief was what ultimately led to the creation of his own personal viral hot spot. In their suit, authorities from Liberty claimed that the New York Times specifically targeted both their institution and Falwell Jr., alleging that Williamson was sent to Lynchburg in order to engineer a specific fictional tale that would portray both Liberty and its President as a caricature meant to entertain the New York Times liberal audience. According to Liberty, the writer was able to do this by depicting Falwell and the conservative university as being backward, irresponsible and anti-science. The paper, according to the university, also made the effort to portray them as being closely tied to and mirroring President Trump. Falwell is currently one of President Trumps most vocal supporters. We are holding the New York Times accountable for their malicious and false reporting and their violation of the measures we took to protect our students, Falwell said. Falwell, in his interview with Hannity, added that the university had previously asked the paper to correct their stories. We tried to get them to correct all the false headlines. They wouldnt do it. They actually doubled down and lied some more. And so we had no choice. They left us with no choice but to defend our reputation because it scared parents, Falwell stated, describing the paper as being made up of a bigoted bunch of liars. The New York Times, through spokesperson Ari Isaacman Bevacqua, told The Hill that contrary to Libertys accusations, their stories in fact, accurately portrayed not just the reopening of Liberty University but also, the public health concerns that the reopening raised. We look forward to defending our work in court, the paper said. Sources include: CampusReform.org NYPost.com PRNewsWire.com FoxNews.com APNews.com TheHill.com Australia's east coast is being slammed by wild weather sparked by a second strong low-pressure system in as many weeks. The powerful low is moving down the eastern seaboard and drenched south-east Queensland on Sunday, bringing torrential rain which caused flash flooding on the Gold Coast. Roads were closed into Mudgeeraba with several cars cut off by rising flood waters, and a driver needed to be winched to safety in Carrara. Australia's east coast is being slammed by wild weather sparked by a second strong low-pressure system in as many weeks. Above, a normally empty stormwater channel in Newcastle, north of Sydney, on Sunday A motorist takes on rising flood water on the Gold Coast as huge rainfall lashed the region on Saturday The storm cell covering NSW stretches from Kempsey in the north to Bega on the south coast and west to Bathurst Monterey Keys copped a whopping 184mm of rain, along with 133mm at Pimpama, while Brisbane recorded its highest July rainfall total in more than 20 years. As the system moved south NSW copped torrential rain, with residents experiencing flash flooding in Mullumbimby, Coffs Harbour and Newcastle. A busload of nine children were rescued by SES volunteers on an inflatable boat at the University of Newcastle at Callaghan on Sunday night, with four other drivers in the city winched from their cars in rapidly rising waters. Heavy rain set into the Sydney basin on Sunday afternoon, with downpours and flash flooding warnings in place from the Blue Mountains to the far south coast. A severe weather warning for damaging winds, heavy rainfall and damaging surf has been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for the metropolitan, Illawarra, south coast, Hunter, central tablelands and southern tablelands forecast districts. 'A low pressure system currently just off the Hunter coast is bringing localised heavy rain and damaging wind gusts along the Hunter and Sydney coast, and likely to continue in those districts till early Monday morning,' the BOM website reads. A family watch on as a motorist is winched out from a flooded roadway in Carrara in Queensland on Sunday Construction cranes and earth movers arrive at Ocean View Drive in Wamberal on Sunday after heavy beach erosion last week 'The areas of damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall are expected to shift south, and wind-driven large sea waves will develop about the southern parts of the coast during the first half of Monday, as this low heads south and stalls off the Illawarra coast, then the damaging winds and the heavy surf will return to the central parts of the coast again during the later part of Monday as the southerly winds strengthens around the low.' A flood watch warning is also in place for the Upper Nepean and Georges Rivers in Sydney, as well as St Georges Basin and Shoalhaven, Moruya and Deua Rivers in the Illawarra and South Coast. Residents on the NSW Central Coast are preparing for another round of big swell after beaches suffered extreme erosion in last weeks big storm. More than 150 bags of rocks have been lined on the shore at Wamberal after 54 residents were told to leave their homes due to safety concerns as the beach was torn away by the powerful surf conditions. The south-east swell is set to peak at more than five metres on Tuesday, leaving residents hopeful they will prevent further damage to the coastline. The low pressure system situated off the NSW coast is producing a rapidly rising swell through Monday to peak at more than five metres on Tuesday More than 150 bags of rocks have been put along the beach at Wamberal (pictured) in an effort to stop further erosion in the upcoming swell There were 54 Wamberal residents told to leave their homes due to safety concerns as the beach was torn away by the powerful surf conditions 'I try not to be dominated by fear, I try to be optimistic and cross our fingers that what we have done is enough,' Wamberal resident Margaret Brice told SMH. Wamberal Beach is closed at the sites with significant erosion, where asbestos was found strewn on the beach from underneath one of the houses. A marine wind warning is in place for NSW with strong southerly wind gusts in excess of 90km/h predicted on the south coast on Monday morning before moving north into the Illawarra, Sydney and Central Coast. Northern parts of Victoria will feel the storm as it moves down the coast, with a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds in place. Heavy rainfall will develop throughout Monday and into Tuesday with strong winds over alpine areas including Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and Mt Buller. The low pressure system will start to move out to sea and fade away from Wednesday, bringing calmer conditions to the east coast heading into the latter part of the week. A man with a rainbow umbrella avoids the rain walking through Circular Quay in Sydney on Sunday For coronavirus, not floor test: Gehlot pitches Rajasthan assembly session from July 31 India oi-Deepika S Jaipur, July 26: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in a fresh proposal has requested Governor Kalraj Mishra to convene a special session of the state assembly session from July 31. The agenda for the session includes one on the coronavirus pandemic, without mentioning a floor test, reports said on Sunday. The Governor had earlier rejected Gehlot's proposal to call an assembly session. He had sought clarifications on six points from the state government after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan pressing for a Vidhan Sabha session. Governor has received Rajasthan cabinet's revised proposal on assembly session: Sources The governor asked Gehlot to submit again, with the clarifications, his recommendation for calling a session. A statement from the governor included queries on the free movement of MLAs and the reason why the session needed to be called urgently. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News After a late night sitting, the Cabinet met again at Gehlot's home on Saturday, approving the new draft. The Congress government, which is facing a political crisis after a rebellion by the now sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident MLAs, says it wants to hold the session so its majority can be proved. Meanwhile, Raj Bhawan has confirmed that the Rajasthan governor has received a revised proposal from the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot requesting that a session of the assembly be called on July 31. The body of Rep. John Lewis, the son of sharecroppers raised in the Alabama woods, crossed the infamous bridge in Selma on Sunday morning, where Lewis became a wounded but more determined warrior in the fight for racial equity decades ago. Lewis, often called the "conscience of Congress," died earlier this month at the age of 80, from pancreatic cancer. The procession over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, accompanied by a military honor guard, is one of several events marking the congressmans death, including two days lying in state in the U.S. Capitol, adding him to the list of just 32 American figures to ever do so. Image: Procession for late U.S. Congressman John Lewis in Selma (Christopher Aluka Berry / Reuters) In every way that America seems capable of today, Lewis is a most honored man. Political allies and absolute foes have described him in laudatory terms (even while, in some cases, attaching the wrong mans photo). Discussions have turned to renaming the bridge for Lewis instead of its current namesake, an Alabama senator and Ku Klux Klan leader. The Selma expanse is where Lewis once believed he would be killed at 25, as he led protesters who marched for the right to vote only to be met by police officers who brutally attacked the protesters. But, unlike like the days and weeks after the bloody attack in March 1965, or the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, there has been no bipartisan talk of honoring Lewis, a congressman who died in his 17th term, by passing actual laws. Image: Tear gas fumes fill the air as state troopers, ordered by Gov. George Wallace, break up a demonstration march in Selma, Alabama (AP file) March in Selma (William Lovelace / Hulton Archive via Getty Images) He was one of a shrinking crew of people who were essential to the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and after, said Graham Dodds, an American-born political scientist who teaches about American politics at Concordia University in Montreal. If you wanted to be cynical, you would say, had it not been for the death of George Floyd, Dodds continued, Congressman Lewis death would not have been so publicly marked. But, I also think that the tradition of saying nice things about the dead has something to do with whats happening here. What I dont see, what may also be telling, is his death changing any minds. I dont think the folks who opposed what he stood for are about to embrace voting rights for all now. Story continues Lewis sense that activism and action was essential began as a teenager who, from his home near Troy, Alabama, watched the young preacher from Georgia leading the Montgomery Bus Boycott just 50 miles away. Soon, Lewis was patterning his life after King, deciding he would be a preacher. Lewis first sermon, delivered days after his 16th birthday, landed him in the Negro section of the local newspaper. His subject: the biblical figure Hannahs promise to God that if she were blessed with one child despite her advanced age, she would raise him to be a man of moral courage. Portrait Of John Lewis (Robert Elfstrom/Villon Films / Getty Images file) Lewis wanted to go to college, a bold ambition in a state where no public university had admitted a black student. He eventually attended a tuition-free seminary for black students financed by the then-pro-slavery, pro-segregation Southern Baptist Convention and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. By that summer, Lewis was in Montgomery meeting King. I kept telling myself to be calm, that fate was moving now ... but I was still nervous. Lewis wrote in his 1999 memoir, Walking With the Wind. I had only just turned 18 ... and now I had an appointment with destiny. Back in Nashville, Lewis met James Lawson, a King associate, Black Korean War conscientious objector and former missionary in India. In a Nashville church basement, Lawson introduced Lewis and other students to the work of the essayist Henry David Thoreau, theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and ancient Chinese philosophers Mo Ti and Lao Tzu. Then, he learned Mahatma Gandhi's principles of nonviolence and the idea of redemptive suffering. This was about creating something for Gods children on Earth, Lewis wrote in his memoir. Under Lawsons tutelage, Lewis would go on to help integrate Nashville lunch counters and interstate bus travel as a Freedom Rider. At age 23, Lewis was the youngest person slated to speak at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He arrived with a draft speech promising that activists will march through the South, through the heart of Dixie, the way Sherman did, according to Esquire magazine. We shall pursue our own scorched-earth policy and burn Jim Crow to the ground nonviolently. Older activists convinced Lewis to tone it down. Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Sasha Obama, Marian Robinson, Amelia Boynton Robinson, Adelaide Sanford (Jacquelyn Martin / AP file) Two years later, in Selma, on that bridge, Alabama state troopers brutally beat Lewis and other protesters engaged in a struggle for the right to vote. They fractured Lewis skull. The brutality of the news footage broadcast during prime-time hours prompted increased pressure on Congress to pass the 1965 Voting Rights Act, to bar states from enforcing discriminatory laws that had long hindered prospective Black voters. He was a true veteran of the civil rights struggle, said Dodds, who studies American political rhetoric. Thats why, in my mind, its easy to say something nice about Congressman Lewis, far easier than it is to issue a public mea culpa or legislatively change course. Kerala, which attained global acclaim for its successful model of global pandemic management, is witnessing exponential growth in the number of positive cases in last couple of weeks. Community spread and formation of active disease spreading clusters have been reported from few areas in districts like Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. As the state is in the third phase of pandemic outbreak when the virus transmission is centered in active clusters, experts stress the need to increase the number of COVID-19 testing to prevent the outbreak from entering Phase 4 which is community transmission. Community transmission has started and this is the stage in which the testing has to be hiked to maximum. The more we test, the more we can identify and isolate people. More tests means higher chances to identify clusters which can be cordoned off effectively. Without increasing tests, asymptomatic patients cannot be identified. And if such patients are not identified and isolated it will definitely lead to community spread, said a health expert on condition of anonymity. However, Kerala has increased the number of testing recently from the earlier 3000 to 5000 tests per day to 20,000 to 25,000 since the second week of July. It is because of extensive testing in the coastal village of Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram, that it helped authorities to identify presence of super spreading of virus and formation of big cluster in the region. Like that, every cluster has to be identified through extensive testing and cordoned off, which is the only strategy that works in Phase III, he added. One-shot virus spread in Kerala Since Kerala has no clear urban-rural divide with high population density and high mobility of people across the state it will be a one-shot virus spread in all places, observe a section of public health experts. In other states with big cities which are quite disconnected with rural areas, the cities are badly affected while rural regions are slowly waking up now. When cities start to wane off, the numbers might go up in villages. But this situation wont happen in Kerala where virus spread will rise all together and subside all together in all districts, which has its advantages and disadvantages, point out public health experts. Delay in test results a major challenge Kerala is passing through a critical phase of disease spread and it is crucial to increase testing facilities which will help assess the real situation of disease outbreak in the state. The government can finalise on what additional steps it should take after analysing the real extent of disease spread which is possible only through increasing tests. The number of testing centres in the state is grossly inadequate when compared to rapidly increasing positive cases, said Dr. Abraham Varghese, president, IMA state president. Delay in getting test results is another issue which can be addressed by permitting more private hospitals and labs to set up testing facility. During a recent meeting, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan cited slowdown in data entry operation as the major reason for delay in releasing test results which is unacceptable reason during such a crisis. Private hospitals and labs are reluctant to install testing facility due to various procedural hurdles. If the procedures are eased, testing facility can be installed which will be useful to many who can afford such labs and hospitals, he added. Though RT-PCR test is the most sensitive and acceptable testing method, it is expensive and time consuming. Hence, the low cost and quick antigen testing which has 50 to 80 per cent specificity will be more appropriate as it is more useful for surveillance, according to IMA state president. Nearly 80 percent of patients are either asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. When tests are less they are directed at the seriously ill and asymptomatic people are missed. Hence, the number of positives as per records will be less and the chances for community transmission higher. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), has given approval to Neuberg Diagnostics Private Limited for COVID-19 testing in Kerala. Neuberg Diagnostics in Kochi has already started collecting COVID-19 samples. We intend to adhere to the regulated timeline of 24-48 hours for reports throughout Kerala. Reporting and sample acceptance will be strictly in accordance with the ICMR guidelines. We have also set up a special support fund for the weaker sections of society. Through this, we will offer free of cost testing to people with a BPL ration card and appropriate doctor prescriptions, said Aishwarya Vasudevan, group chief operating, Neuberg Diagnostics Private Limited. Amidst deaths of wild animals due to floods, photos of a tigress and her two cubs captured on a camera trap inside Assams Laokhowa Burhachapori wildlife sanctuary have brought cheer among forest and conservation activists. This is the first evidence of tiger breeding in the protected area, a buffer zone of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), where the entire rhino population of around 70 was wiped out by poachers in 1983-84 at the peak of the Assam Agitation against foreigners of Bangladeshi origin. Roar gets louder. First ever camera trap evidence of successful breeding of tigers in Laokhowa Burhachapori wildlife sanctuary, buffer of Kaziranga Tiger Reserve. Result of more than 15 years of hard work and effort. Kudos, KNPTRs official Twitter handle posted on Sunday. Located on the south bank of the Brahmaputra and spread over 114 sq km, Laokhowa Burhachapori lies within KNPTR and the Orang National Park and is part of the Kaziranga Orang Riverine Landscape (KORL), a major gateway for straying animals within protected areas of central Assam. Prior to 2007, Laokhowa Burhachapori was treated as redundant in terms of wildlife conservation when we lost all our rhinos during the Assam Agitation. The area was brought under KNPTR in 2007 and conservation efforts renewed, said P Sivakumar, director, KNPTR. The efforts bore fruit and within a few years the presence of four tigers was reported in the area, but there was no photographic evidence. In February 2013, a camera trap captured the photo of a tigress indicating wildlife was thriving again in the sanctuary. Before we started our conservation efforts, the area was under the grip of encroachers. There used to be around 240 cattle stations inside Laokhowa-Burhachapori. We removed the encroachments and now the area is protected. Its a good sign that tigers have started using the area as a habitat, said Sivakumar. He informed that more than 30 camera traps were placed inside the area last year and they have been able to capture photos of four tigers between February and April this year. Sivakumar mentioned that there are now around 145 plus tigers in KORL125 in Kaziranga and Laokhowa-Burhachapori and 19 in Orang. The data for Biswanath wildlife division, which is also part of KNPTR, is yet to be collected. The camera trap photo confirms breeding of tigers in Laokhowa Burhachapori for the first time. This is a significant development and will strengthen tiger conservation efforts, said M Firoz Ahmed, head of tiger research and conservation division at Aaranyak, a Guwahati-based wildlife NGO. Tigresses dont move from an area with their cubs till they are around two years old. Breeding by tigers in Laokhowa Burhachapori shows that there is a good prey base in the area and the ecosystem is healthy, he added. Nearly 85% area of KNPTR spread over 430 sq km is inundated by flood waters at present. This monsoon, 129 wild animals including 14 rhinos (10 drowning, 4 natural causes) have died in and around the park. Scientists from the University of Sheffield have found that genetic mutations in MRSA allow it to evolve and become more resistant to antibiotics such as penicillin. The research, published in PLOS Pathogens, found that genetic mutations in MRSA are allowing the bacteria to become highly resistant to antibiotics without reducing the bacteria's ability to cause disease. Most clinical MRSA exhibits a low level of antibiotic resistance, due to the cells acquiring a new gene encoding a protein (MecA) that makes its cell wall, some strains can evolve high-level resistance and pose a serious threat. Antibiotics, such as penicillin and methicillin, do not bind well to the new protein (MecA) meaning they cannot 'kill' the bacteria. The next phase of this research is to understand how this protein works with other factors within the bacteria to allow a higher level of antibiotic resistance. Findings from the research pave the way for more understanding of the cause and evolution of antibiotic resistance, and will help researchers develop new treatments and drugs for MRSA. Simon Foster, Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the University and Principal Investigator of the research, said: "Antibiotics have been a mainstay of human healthcare for over 70 years, but the emergence of antimicrobial resistance is now a global catastrophe. In order to combat antimicrobial resistant organisms, we have to understand them. Our work uncovers the complex mechanisms that underpin resistance, giving insight into how we might tackle this global challenge." The research is part of a collaborative project called the Physics of Antimicrobial Resistance which involves the Universities of Sheffield, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Cambridge, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Dr Viralkumar Panchal, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Sheffield and leader of the research, said: "The research provides a new outlook into the process of evolution of resistance and reveals important details of how MRSA is so resistant. We can now exploit these findings to develop new cures." Globally, the effectiveness of antimicrobial compounds is decreasing as infectious species become increasingly resistant. The University of Sheffield's Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions aims to create a world-leading focus on antimicrobial resistance from fundamental science to translation and brings together scientists and clinicians to tackle this problem. Under Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Andhra Pradesh is seeing an overhaul in governance patterns, with a novel focus on decentralisation. New posts at the district level are being created to organise public delivery of services with better efficiency. Government of Andhra Pradesh led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has created huge administrative structure, one of its kind, at grass root level of the state with required employees, a village / ward secretariat for every 2000 population, on average one Volunteer Cluster / Territorial Unit for, on an average of 50 to 100 households. Volunteers are positioned with a mandate of door delivering the services to the eligible citizen. To monitor, nurture such a huge administrative structure, a separate department, Gram Volunteer / Ward Volunteer & Village Secretariat & Ward Secretariat is created and started to equip with Officers and personnel with right attitude and aptitude to make the initiative a successful one. More over separate Joint Collector post is created at the District Level to supervise and monitor the departmental activities, under whose guidance all the bottlenecks that may come across are being addressed. It has resulted in decentralisation of functioning of the Government and improved efficiency in delivery of services to citizens like never before. Also read: PM Modi congratulates Chandrika Prasad Santokhi on becoming Surinames new President Also read: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan shares health update, pays tribute to Corona warriors To streamline the system, government has taken steps to develop and host dedicated portal, GSWS Portal with all the required dashboards and made them available to all administrative functionaries, thereby making it easy for the government to ensure service delivery, a hassle free. There is an efficient technical Team coupled with a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) led by dynamic team of Tech-savvy IAS officers, Ajay Jain, Principal Secretary to Government and Naveen Kumar, IAS, Commissioner & Director, at the Headquarter is working on real time basis to address the difficulties faced by the Staff of Village / Ward Secretariats in delivering their services. Citizen can access the services by placing requests at Village/ Ward Secretariats and will be processed and delivered within the period of SLA that is fixed for the Service. With such a robust setup, it is no surprise, if we look at statistics offered through the portal, major services that are absolutely required like Rice Card (related 5 Services, food security), Pension requests (social security) by the needy and eligible beneficiaries, Arogya Sri Card (offering Health security) 93% of service requests are addressed within the period of Service Level Agreement (SLA). Ajay Jain, IAS, Principal Secretary said, We are still not done yet, we feel whatever is achieved so far gives inspiration to achieve greater things to meet the vision of Honble Chief Minister, Sri. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy garu, where every service request is met with equally strong and passionate response and address them quickly. Still, we are in midst of creating so many things to further streamline and equip the system to work more efficiently. Also read: Rajasthan govt proposal to Governor contains no mention of floor test, claim sources For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Late one evening, a woman walked in off the street to Beaumont Hospital's emergency department and was fortunate to be treated by Dr Syed Waqqar Ali. She was homeless and she had no money, she told the doctor. She said she had been deserted by her family. "It was cold and wet and she wasn't known to staff as attending before, on many occasions. After treating her, he gave her a small amount of money for herself. He felt sorry for her, given her young age and the fact that she had no family at home. Family was important to him," according to a registrar at the hospital. Dr Ali was the eighth health worker to die of Covid-19 in Ireland, a gentle and wise presence in the emergency departments at several hospitals where he worked as a locum in emergency. Dr Ali moved to Ireland 20 years ago and lived in Tyrellstown, west Dublin, with his wife, Rubab, and his five children, Samar, Arslan, Salman, Jarrar and Zahra. Along with Beaumont Hospital, he had worked at Tallaght, Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, and had just begun a stint at the Mater Hospital when he fell ill. He spent three months at the hospital being treated in intensive care by colleagues and died at the age of 59. According to Dr Michael Quirke, who worked with him at Beaumont Hospital, his kindness towards the homeless person demonstrated his empathy. Usually, he said, such cases would be given food and assigned a social worker, but it was late, and nothing could be done with her until the morning. Expand Close Beaumont Hospital Emergency Department. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Beaumont Hospital Emergency Department. Photo: Tony Gavin "People like Dr Waqqar Ali are central to the running of emergency services. It is one of the busiest jobs in the hospital. It is intense work and very intense work for locums. Without them working like this, literally posts would be unfilled," he said. Dr Ali last worked at Beaumont in February and had just started at the Mater Hospital. "He had been due to begin a shift at the Mater Hospital in April when he felt unwell. He asked to be seen as a patient and was admitted immediately with Covid-19 illness," a statement said. A GoFundMe page set up to support his family reported in July: "He has eyes opening, can move his arms and understand talks from family members, according to his wife." Expand Close Dublins Mater Hospital, where Dr Ali was treated. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dublins Mater Hospital, where Dr Ali was treated. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin However, his recovery was short lived. His daughter Dr Samar Fatima Ali told RTE news that he had been an "outstanding doctor and the best dad we could have asked for". "There are no words for the battle he fought every day," she said. "It was very difficult to see our father in so much pain. My dream was to work with my father and to work together someday. There's still a Dr Ali and she will carry on his legacy." In the wake of Dr Ali's death, the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, said that frontline healthcare workers who died from Covid-19 while carrying out their duties will be eligible for a retrospective compensation package. The proposal was contained in a Private Member's Bill from Fianna Fail TD John Lahart. Donnelly told the Dail last week: "It's my intention that this scheme will apply to everyone who is a frontline, hands-on worker who put themselves a risk every day to keep the rest of us safe and sometimes tragically, as we've seen today, they pay the ultimate sacrifice. "It's the least we can do to stand up and support our quite extraordinary frontline workers." The Mater Hospital has opened an online book of condolences for Dr Ali. The hospital said he "provided selfless emergency care to Covid-19 patients at a number of hospitals as a locum during this pandemic". "The entire hospital community here at the Mater were saddened by Dr Syed Waqqar Ali's passing," said Alan Sharp, hospital chief executive. "Dr Ali cared for many patients during the Covid-19 pandemic and made the ultimate sacrifice." At his funeral in the Newcastle Muslim Cemetery in Dublin last week, his family spoke out to warn people to be vigilant against Covid-19. "The only way people will understand is if Covid hits them as hard as it hit us." The Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council said Dr Ali worked "at the front line in the battle against Covid-19 like many other healthcare workers". "Healthcare workers are at the front fighting against Covid-19 and are true heroes. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family on their terrible loss," a statement said. "He died a martyr helping humanity and as per Islamic belief shall rest in peace in heaven. To God we belong and to God we shall return." It emerged yesterday that the lowest number of Covid-19 patients are in hospital since the peak, the head of the Health Service Executive has said. Paul Reid said there are 10 confirmed positive cases in hospital, with five patients with Covid-19 in intensive care. The figures show a 96pc drop from a peak of 140 people in intensive care in April. Reid tweeted: "Our thoughts with everyone for a full recovery." The Department of Health confirmed that one person has died from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. The health system has been notified of another 24 confirmed Covid-19 cases. London: St Bernards are seen as the saviours of ill-fated Alpine climbers, bounding to their aid with a barrel of restorative brandy around their necks. However, on Scafell Pike in the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, those roles were reversed for a St Bernard in distress, as mountain rescue teams were called to save stranded Daisy, who collapsed while descending England's highest peak, and showed signs of pain in its rear legs. Sixteen volunteers from Wasdale mountain rescue team take turns to carry 55kg Daisy from England's highest peak, Scafell Pike. Credit:Wasdale Mountain Rescue via AP Taking advice from local vets, the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team responded to a Cumbria Police call-out to retrieve Daisy before nightfall and bad weather descended on Scafell Pike. The 16-strong team found their usual method of rescuing people was well-suited to the towering 121lb dog, and strapped the placid St Bernard on to a stretcher during the five-hour call-out. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has issued a directive to ban the Southeast Asian country's wildlife trade with immediate effect in order to reduce the risk of new pandemics, a government statement said. The directive bans imports of live wild animals and wildlife products, eliminates wildlife markets, and enforce prohibitions on illegal hunting and trading of wild animals, including online sales, according to the statement issued late on Thursday. Vietnam is an important destination in the Asian region for illegal wildlife products such as pangolin scales and elephant ivory. There have also been seizures of rhino horns, which is believed to have medicinal value. In February, 14 conservation organisations in Vietnam sent a joint letter urging the government to "identify and close markets and other locations where illegal wildlife is on sale". The Southeast Asian country is reported to have many wildlife markets and also a booming online trade in animals, with existing laws often poorly enforced. Neighbouring China has also pledged to ban the trade and consumption of wild animals in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Scientists suspect the virus passed to humans from animals and some of the earliest infections were found in people who had exposure to a wildlife market in Hubei's provincial capital Wuhan, where bats, snakes, civets and other animals were sold. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Ed Davies) Republican representative Ted Yoho has resigned from the board of a Christian organisation that works to end hunger following his verbal attack on Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in which he allegedly called her a f***ing b***h. The bipartisan group, called Bread for the World, said in a statement that its board met with Mr Yoho on Friday and asked for his resignation as an action that reaffirms our commitment to coming alongside women and people of colour, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world. We believe that Rep. Ted Yohos recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors, they added. Mr Yoho was accused of using abusive language against Ms Ocasio-Cortez during a confrontation with her last week on the steps of the Capitol. He maintained he did not use the words as quoted and said in a speech to the House floor on Wednesday: If they were construed that way I apologise for their misunderstanding. It is true that we disagree on policies and visions for America, but that does not mean we should be disrespectful. Having been married for 45 years with two daughters, Im very cognisant of the language I use, he added. The day after, Ms Ocasio-Cortez made a powerful speech condemning Mr Yohos remarks, which she said reflects a culture of lack of impunity, of accepting violence and violent language against women, and an entire structure of power against women. Mr Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters I am two years younger than Mr Yohos youngest daughter, she added. I am someones daughter, too. Her speech prompted over a dozen colleagues to join her in condemning the pervasive sexism experienced by women by men in the halls of Congress and US society as a whole. Recommended 7 times AOC completely nailed being a congresswoman Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking elected female official in US history, told reporters on Thursday: Theres no limit to the disrespect or the lack of acknowledgement of the strength of women. Nothing is more wholesome for our government, for our politics, for our country, than the increased participation of women. And women will be treated with respect. A farmer drives a no-till planter to seed corns in fields at Lishu County of Siping City, northeast China's Jilin Province, May 7, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan) CHANGCHUN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has stressed sticking to China's new development philosophy and further implementing the strategy of revitalizing northeast China. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during an inspection tour in northeast China's Jilin Province from Wednesday to Friday. He urged efforts to ensure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and eradicating poverty. Xi underscored the great importance of China's 14th five-year plan, which will start next year, as it is the first five-year period after the country embarks on a new journey to fully build itself into a modern socialist country. Xi noted that the internal conditions and external environment for the country's development are undergoing profound and complex changes. "We must maintain sustained, healthy economic and social development," Xi said, stressing the need to strengthen study and assessment, deepen research, and conduct sound policy-making. Xi called for careful planning of the development goals, ideas and measures for the 14th five-year plan. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about grain production, the protection and use of black soil at a demonstration zone for green food production in Lishu County of Siping City, northeast China's Jilin Province, July 22, 2020. Xi Jinping inspected Jilin Province on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) Visiting Lishu County Wednesday afternoon, Xi was briefed on agricultural development and mechanized and large-scale farming. "I care very much about grain production and food security," Xi said, demanding that Jilin should make efforts to ensure food security, accelerate the transformation of agricultural development, and provide more experience in developing modern agriculture. Walking into a cornfield, Xi stressed the integration of agriculture and technology, noting that farmers should be able to use the best technology to grow top-quality grains. He also demanded effective measures to protect and utilize the high-yielding black soil. Support should be given to new types of agricultural businesses such as family farms and farmers' cooperatives, Xi said during a visit to a farmers' cooperative, encouraging the development of specialized cooperatives suited to local conditions across the country. During a visit to the memorial hall for the Siping battle of the Chinese People's War of Liberation, Xi demanded efforts to earnestly study the history of the CPC and that of New China, uphold the great socialist cause founded by the Party and the people under the Party's leadership, and carry the cause forward from generation to generation. On Thursday afternoon, Xi inspected a residential community in the provincial capital Changchun to learn about primary-level governance and community services. He spoke of the importance of improving community governance in promoting the modernization of China's system and capacity for governance. Xi also toured a planning exhibition hall of Changchun New Area, stressing the importance of infrastructure planning and construction, as well as better-connected industry and supply chains for high-tech development zones, so that they can play leading roles in boosting regional economic development. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, learns about the reform and development of state-owned enterprises at the R&D headquarters of automaker FAW Group in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, July 23, 2020. Xi Jinping on Thursday inspected Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) While visiting the R&D headquarters of automaker FAW Group, Xi chatted with employees who have recently graduated from universities. He said the Party committees and governments at all levels should pay very close attention to the employment of college graduates. In the automaker's exhibition hall, Xi learned about the company's development and its latest automobile products. Xi highlighted strengthening the independent development of core technologies and components to promote the high-quality development of China's automobile manufacturing industry and build strong domestic automobile brands. Noting the fierce competition in the global manufacturing industry, Xi called for vigorous efforts to advance the development of emerging industries with strategic importance. On Friday morning, after hearing the provincial Party committee and the provincial government of Jilin report their work, Xi affirmed the accomplishments made by Jilin and encouraged the officials and people of the province to achieve more. To promote high-quality economic development, efforts must be made to strengthen the competitiveness of the economy, as well as its capabilities to innovate and fend off risks, Xi noted. Xi stressed efforts to develop the real economy, especially the manufacturing industry, to upgrade the whole industrial chain and to stimulate the vitality of various market entities. Xi encouraged Jilin to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and to develop itself as a major window for northward opening up and a hub for cooperation in Northeast Asia. Xi urged efforts to consolidate the position of agriculture as the foundation of the economy and deepen rural reforms, as well as to develop family farms and farmers' cooperatives and new forms of the collective economy. He also called for consolidating the achievements in poverty relief and preventing relapses into poverty and new poverty cases, as well as the effective implementation of major ecological projects. Xi stressed giving priority to employment for key groups, including college graduates, demobilized military personnel, rural migrant workers, and urban residents who have difficulty finding jobs. Efforts are needed to promote the integrated and balanced development of compulsory education in urban and rural areas and safeguard fairness in education, he said. Xi demanded efforts to improve the system and mechanisms for the prevention, control and treatment of major epidemics. He also underlined flood control and relief work. Efforts should be made to consolidate, develop and give full play to the Party's organizational advantages, Xi said, stressing fully strengthening primary-level Party organizations and exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party. A nearly two-week investigation came to an end Saturday when U.S. Marshals were able to locate two fugitives who escaped from Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Rashad E. Williams and Jabar Ali Taylor were arrested and are currently in prison. The Grand Rapids Fugitive Task Force apprehended both escapees this evening without incident at a hotel in Battle Creek, Michigan, 700 miles away from the scene of the escape. This complex investigation and arrest is yet another example of the tenacity and the never give up attitude displayed by Deputy U.S. Marshals and our state and local law enforcement partners all over this great country, said Nick E. Proffitt, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia. Hours of dedicated investigative work by our law enforcement team ensured the safety of the public by getting these very dangerous escapees back into custody quickly and safely. I hope the efforts of these law enforcement professionals will in some way allow our citizens in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and elsewhere, to rest more comfortably tonight. Related: Two wanted fugitives who escaped from a Virginia prison could be in Lancaster: District Attorney They were arrested around 5 p.m. in the 5700 block of Beckley Road in Battle Creek, Michigan. Along with the task force, the Michigan State Police, Battle Creek and Grand Rapids Police Departments, and the Michigan Department of Corrections assisted in the arrests. The FBI also provided significant assistance throughout the fugitive investigation, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. The duo escaped July 13. They assaulted a correctional officer and fled through a hole that was cut in a perimeter fence. There was a getaway car staged outside of the detention center. Taylor, 20, was serving a sentence for convictions of two counts of second-degree murder and aggravated malicious assault. Williams, 18, was previously convicted of malicious wounding and robbery. U.S. Marshals pursued numerous leads in several states, including Pennsylvania. Authorities said they had spent time in Lancaster County. This evenings apprehension of the escapees from the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center is a result of the extensive investigative efforts and fortitude demonstrated by state and federal law enforcement, said Captain Richard Boyd, commander of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Richmond Field Office. The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force members, which include Virginia State Police personnel, are to be commended for their exceptional and exhaustive work on this case. Both Williams and Taylor will be held at the Calhoun County Jail in Battle Creek, Michigan. READ MORE These people were charged with crimes yesterday in central Pennsylvania Searches resume for missing Amish teen Linda Stoltzfoos, believed kidnapped weeks ago Former Pa. police officer going to prison for trading leniency for sexual favors Warrant issued for 27-year-old central Pa. man considered potential threat to others; wanted for rape, other charges Announcement of Periodic Review: Moody's announces completion of a periodic review of ratings of Pingan Real Estate Capital Limited Global Credit Research - 24 Jul 2020 Hong Kong, July 24, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has completed a periodic review of the ratings of Pingan Real Estate Capital 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. Pingan Real Estate Capital Limited's (PARE Capital) Baa3 issuer rating incorporates its standalone credit quality and a three-notch uplift based on our expectation that Ping An Real Estate Company Ltd. (PARE, Baa2 stable) will provide financial support to PARE Capital in times of stress. PARE Capital's standalone credit quality considers its small business scale and its high debt leverage because of its role as an overseas financing platform for PARE. It also takes into account its limited control over and the low transparency of its investee real estate projects because of investments through joint ventures. These factors are balanced by benefits arising from its close association with PARE, including strong operating support and good access to market funding. Story continues Our expectation of support is based on PARE Capital being a wholly owned subsidiary of PARE and the company's strategic importance to PARE as the sole offshore investment and financing platform. Our support is also based on the high integration of PARE Capital with its parent, as reflected by PARE's management control over the company. PARE also has a track record of extending financial support to the company. 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. 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It was almost 11 p.m. Wednesday when the crackle and flash of fireworks erupted at the federal courthouse in downtown Portland. For some of the Black activists across the street at the countys Justice Center, the disruption was a signal to wrap up for the night. The volatile scene beginning to play out a block away was distracting the crowd. Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: A team of Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police brought Sanjay Jain, one of the key accused in the horse-trading case to topple the Ashok Gehlot government, to Haryanas Manesar on Friday night to identify the resort he had visited to meet rebel Congress MLAs. Sources said that Jain was taken to Best Western Country Inn, a five-star resort. Jain reportedly admitted that he had visited the resort but was yet to give the details about who he met there. The SOG has registered an FIR against Bhanwarlal Sharma, Gajendra Singh and Jain based on a complaint lodged by Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi who had submitted audio clips as evidence of them plotting to bring down the government. Jain was held a week ago after his name surfaced in a viral audio clip purportedly mentioning about horse-trading of legislators to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan. A few days ago, the SOG was sent to a hotel in Manesar to seek the dissident MLAs version in connection with an FIR lodged over the audio clips. The team was stopped outside the hotel for about an hour by Haryana policemen deployed there. They were let in later, but told that the MLA was not staying there. New Delhi, July 26 : Months after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) came into force, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally Akali Dal leaders welcomed the first batch of Afghan Sikhs who reached India on Sunday, fleeing religious persecution. BJP Delhi chief Adesh Gupta, national secretary R.P. Singh and Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa welcomed the Afghan Sikhs with saffron stoles, as all of them were visibly relieved to flee from a life of uncertainty. This first batch of Afghan Sikhs reached Delhi on a special flight. They will be accommodated in India under a long term visa arrangement. Many in the first batch lost their near and dear ones in terror attacks in Kabul. Many more persecuted Afghan Sikhs are expected to join in the next few days. This is significant, given that their arrival comes after the much debated Citizenship Amendment Act becomes operational that allows religious minorities other than Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, fleeing religious persecution, to get a fast track entry in seeking Indian citizenship. Akali Dal leader Sirsa, who too was present to welcome the first delegation of Afghan Sikhs, said that this batch includes Nidan Singh Sachdeva, who was earlier abducted by militia groups affiliated to Haqqani network, in Afghanistan. Adesh Gupta credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the CAA which, he claimed, helped the arrival of Afghan Sikhs. "Those who have been vocal and animatedly criticized the Citizenship Amendment Act, should know by now, how significant the amendment has been," he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) London, United Kingdom Sun, July 26, 2020 12:02 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406694e72e 2 Entertainment Wiley,Britain,rapper,anti-Semitism,music Free British rap artist Wiley is facing a police investigation after a string of anti-Semitic comments appeared on his social media accounts, prompting his management to drop him. The rapper's Twitter account, which has half a million followers, published a series of tweets on Friday asserting that Jews systematically exploited Black artists in the music industry, continuing a pattern of exploitation dating back to the slave trade. "Jewish people don't care what black went through they just use us to make money to feed their kids ... for generations as well," one tweet said. "Hold some corn Jewish community you deserve it...," another tweet read. British charity Campaign Against Antisemitism referred that tweet to police saying it was an act of incitement to racial hatred as, it said, "hold corn" was slang for "take bullets". Several video clips also appeared on the rapper's Instagram account on Friday and Saturday. "Crawl out from under all your little rocks and come and defend your Jewish privilege now," he said in one video. Police confirmed they had received complaints about Wiley. "We are aware of reports of alleged anti-Semitic comments posted on social media and will look into the matter," a spokeswoman for London's Metropolitan Police said. Twitter has deleted some anti-Semitic statements on Wiley's account, but others remain, drawing criticism from other users of the social media platform. "Even for Twitter this is shocking," said Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle. Wiley, 41, whose real name is Richard Cowie, released a number one single in Britain in 2012 and had several other top 10 hits. He received a UK government honor for his contribution to music in 2018. John Woolf, of A-List Management, said he would no longer represent the artist. "Following Wiley's anti semitic tweets today we at @A_ListMGMT have cut all ties with him. There is no place in society for antisemitism," Woolf said on Twitter. Following Wileys anti semitic tweets today we at @A_ListMGMT have cut all ties with him. There is no place in society for antisemitism. John Woolf (@Jrwoolfw) July 24, 2020 Targeting BJP, Cong to protest outside Raj Bhavans across country on Monday Targeting BJP of subjugating democracy, Congress to protest outside Raj Bhavans pan nation on Monday Accusing the BJP of subjugating democracy, the Congress on Saturday announced that it will be holding protests outside different Raj Bhavans across the country on July 27 against the saffron party's alleged attempts to topple its democratically elected governments. All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal alleged in a statement that the very basic constitutional and democratic frame of the nation is facing an unprecedented attack from the BJP. "Democratic institutions, constitutional values and institutions are being subverted and subjugated in a dangerously premeditated manner, with democratically elected opposition governments in one state after another being toppled by the BJP, using money, intimidation and blatant misuse of constitutional bodies and functionaries," he said. "Horse trading to topple democratically elected governments has become the normal. What is more deplorable is that, at a time when the entire country is reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic, floods and severe economic and financial difficulties, the BJP is going all out to unsettle elected governments - in the process derailing governance and preparedness to handle Covid and other pressing issues," he also alleged. In this context, the Congress party has decided to launch nationwide protests in front of different Raj Bhavans against these "anti-democratic and anti-constitutional actions" perpetrated by the BJP, he said. The Congress party has decided to organise a nationwide online campaign, 'Speak Up for Democracy' on Sunday, July 26 from 10 am onwards, whereby leaders will post videos and posts on different social media platforms highlighting this issue. "Following this, all PCCs will hold protests in front the Raj Bhavans in their respective states on Monday, July 27, 2020 at 11 am demanding 'Save Democracy- Save Constitution and exposing the anti-democratic and anti-constitutional actions of the BJP," he said in a statement. The protest gathering would be held strictly adhering to the social distancing protocols issued by the health and civic authorities, the party said. The BJP and its leaders are playing their "dirty game" to topple one of the "most efficient" state governments which has received praises from across the globe for successfully handling the Covid-19 pandemic, the Congress leader alleged. "It is a matter of utmost shame that, in their dirty political game, the BJP is misusing the high constitutional office of the Governor to destabilise the elected governments," said Venugopal, adding that the Governor in Rajasthan is refusing to call a session of the legislative assembly, despite the constitutionally binding and mandatory advise of the chief minister and his council of ministers. The Governors, instead of protecting the constitution, are acting in a "blatantly partisan manner" that facilitates political horse trading in the states, he alleged. The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan is facing rebellion from a section of party MLAs led by Sachin Pilot. Vedanta delisting to become costlier by Rs 4,000 crore at current market price Indian Railways to introduce clause in procurement process to promote local vendors A Farmer Wants A Wife contestant raised eyebrows among the line-up of women after revealing her plans to wait until marriage to have sex on Sunday's premiere. Declaring she was a 'proud Christian', environmental consultant Sarah, 23, informed the other girls she would be remaining celibate until tying the knot. Sarah had no concrete plans to discuss the matter with farmer Alex during their first meeting, which left other hopefuls upset. Scroll down for video Personal choice: Farmer Wants A Wife contestant Sarah, 23, [pictured] raised eyebrows among the line-up of women after revealing her plans to wait until marriage to have sex on Sunday night's season premiere Sarah's admission left contestant Tahlia none too pleased as she admitted she would be 'upset' if farmer Alex picked Sarah over her - and hours later, her concerns were justified when she was sent packing. The topic of Sarah's celibacy came when Brooke came back from her date with Alex and asked the girls what they were talking about. When told the nature of what they were discussing, Sarah admitted: 'I wouldn't have sex before marriage.' Brooke quizzed: 'So, are you going to tell Alex?' Sarah responded: 'If it comes up in conversation, then I'll happily bring it up.' Declaring she was a 'proud Christian', environmental consultant Sarah informed the other girls she would be remaining celibate until tying the knot and had no concrete plans to discuss the matter with farmer Alex [hunky] during their first meeting Upon hearing the conversation, Tahlia told producers: 'If Sarah got picked over me, and Alex didn't know [Sarah abstaining from sex], it would make me upset because everyone should be honest in order for the right decisions to be made.' Sarah unapologetically added: 'I do have very strong Christian beliefs, and I'm proud of that. 'It has been hard in relationships because a lot of people were turned off by the no sex before marriage thing. Oh dear: The admission left contestant Tahlia [pictured] none too pleased as she admitted she would be 'upset' if Alex picked Sarah over her - and hours later, her concerns were justified when she was sent packing 'So if farmer Alex is willing to wait then we'll see how it goes.' As well as Sarah, farmer Alex chose Henrietta, Brittany, and Jessica to continue their journey on the show. Farmer Wants A Wife continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Seven Advertisement She's marked her first holiday since UK coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased by treating herself to a break in Spain. And Gabby Allen kept the good times rolling as she enjoyed a boat ride with her friends in sunny Ibiza on Saturday afternoon. The Love Island star, 28, showcased her impressive gymnastic skills as she performed the splits while raising her hands in the air throughout her scenic outing. Sun-soaked: Gabby Allen kept the good times rolling as she enjoyed a boat ride with her friends in sunny Ibiza on Saturday afternoon Flaunting her incredibly toned figure, the professional dancer stunned in a tiny blue bikini top, teamed with a white patterned thong. The fitness instructor ensured focus remained on her scantily-clad appearance as she only accessorised with gold hooped earrings. Adding even more colour to her vibrant look, Gabby complemented her features with a slick of red lipstick, false lashes and dewy foundation. The Liverpudlian added hair extensions to her shoulder-length tresses as she styled her mane into a thick Dutch braid which grazed her lower back. Wow-factor! The Love Island star, 28, showcased her impressive gymnastic skills as she performed the splits while raising her hands in the air throughout her scenic outing Working it: Flaunting her incredibly toned figure, the professional dancer stunned in a tiny blue bikini top, teamed with a white patterned thong All in the details: The fitness instructor ensured focus remained on her scantily-clad appearance as she only accessorised with gold hooped earrings Watch her glow: Adding even more colour to her vibrant look, Gabby complemented her features with a slick of red lipstick, false lashes and dewy foundation Goldilocks: The Liverpudlian added hair extensions to her shoulder-length tresses as she styled her mane into a thick Dutch braid which grazed her lower back Gabby appeared happier than ever as she larked around the watercraft, before getting her pals to take sizzling snaps of her. Despite boasting a naturally sensational figure, Gabby previously detailed the pressures to go under the knife as she admitted she's considered a boob job and a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL). She said in an exclusive interview with MailOnline in November 2019: 'People hide behind their computers. Instagram has given a voice to people who aren't very nice. 'I've seen a comment on pictures of in a bikini and they've said, 'She's got a belly like an old man. She's got no waist, no hips.' That's what upsets me. All about Gabby: The social media star continued to take stunning selfies throughout her time on the boat Watch her work: Posing up a storm, Gabby was certainly in her element as a friend captured her modelling prowess Cheery: The former girlfriend of Rak-Su star Myles Stephenson appeared happier than ever as she larked around the watercraft, before getting her pals to take sizzling snaps of her Chilling out: She pulled funny facial expressions and sipped on some refreshing beverages Gal pals: The Love Island 2017 finalist poked out her derriere to showcase her curves alongside her gorgeous brunette friend 'People say stuff about things you can't change, unless you get surgery. If I were to get surgery, like BBL, than people would be p**sed off about that. You can't win. 'It's still an ongoing thing for me. I was thinking at the time, I'm flat chested compared to everyone in there, and I do have a complex about it. 'It's not about anybody else. It's about my own confidence. I'm still considering getting them done. The only reason is that I don't want to be flat out for a couple of weeks! 'But for my career and what I want to promote, if I want a bigger bum, I just need to go to the gym and squat. If I want to change my body that bad, I can do it through training.' Turning up the heat: The socialite held onto her white trilby hat as she continued to work her magic Pressures of fame: Despite boasting a naturally sensational figure, Gabby previously detailed the pressures to go under the knife as she admitted she's considered a boob job and a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) Going, going, gone: The petite beauty was every inch the daredevil as she dived into the sea Impressive: The FIIT trainer appeared delighted with herself as she celebrated her energetic dip The Scouse beauty confessed she has toyed with the idea of plastic surgery, but her family especially her brother keep her grounded and ensure she doesn't do anything rash. Discussing the prospect of surgery, Gabby said: 'I have considered it, I think we all have! But do I want to spend 10k on a BBL definitely not! My family are very strict. But my brother is always like don't do that, don't ruin your looks. I trust them.' The media personality is holidaying with her rumoured new beau Brandon Myers on the Spanish island. Last month, Gabby insisted Brandon was a 'really good friend' but nothing more, following romance rumours, but they appear to be getting increasingly closer. Showing off: The Brainstrust ambassador stunned her friends as she did the splits while balancing on the top deck Playful: The fitness blogger let her hair down as she took a break from her work duties Advice: The Scouse beauty recently confessed she has toyed with the idea of plastic surgery, but her family especially her brother keep her grounded and ensure she doesn't do anything rash Natural beauty: Discussing the prospect of surgery, Gabby said: 'I have considered it, I think we all have! But do I want to spend 10k on a BBL definitely not' Zoned out: The bikini-clad bombshell tapped into full relaxation mode during her trip A friend indeed: Gabby's male pal was on photo duty as she took part in an impromptu shoot Props: The online personality handed her hat over to the hunk in a bid to get some versatile shots The blonde told OK!: 'No. We've known each other for a long time. He's the loveliest person and a really good friend of mine, but that's all it is. 'Someone must have seen him comment on a picture on my social media, and automatically assumed he's my boyfriend.' Earlier this week, her ex Marcel Somerville revealed he is expecting his first child with girlfriend Rebecca Vieira. Bronzed: She topped up her tan as she rested on the silver rails Make sure you get my good angles! Gabby appeared to instruct her pals to take the best possible images of her Lights, camera, action: The yacht turned into Gabby's outdoor studio Switching things up: The star even got a cheeky belfie for her photo collection What's going on? The former ballet champ looked as if she was scrolling through her messages before gazing into the distance Marcel and Gabby appeared on the 2017 season of the ITV2 dating show Love Island, in which they placed fourth. Gabby was dating Rak-Su star Myles Stephenson until August 2019, when she accused him of cheating on her, and also dumped her Love Island beau Marcel in February 2018 when she discovered he'd been unfaithful. Her alleged fling with Dan Osborne recently hit the headlines again after the former TOWIE star confessed to cheating on his wife Jacqueline Jossa. Sexy display: Another racy pose saw the Shape Up with Gabby Allen: Fast Food + Dynamic Workouts - Transform Your Body in 4 Weeks author run her fingers through her hair Shining bright: Her bronzed glow caught the eye of onlookers Modelling skills: Gabby channelled her inner Kendall Jenner as she struck a series of smouldering poses Feeling merry: The occasional model enjoyed a boogie session, which her friends documented Superhuman: Gabby looked at peace as she rested in the challenging stretch position Fancy: The genetically-blessed star was holidaying on a yacht called the Sunseeker Look at me! The siren appeared to be engaging in a FaceTime chat with a loved one Soaking up the sun: Gabby opened her arms out wide alongside her nearest and dearest Gabby and Dan were linked together when they worked together in Marbella while filming a boot camp, with both parties profusely denying anything happened between them. The couple faced cheating claims once again after it was alleged Dan engaged in a threesome with his Celebrity Big Brother co-stars Natalie Nunn and Chloe Ayling last year, which he slammed. In his very candid interview with The Sun, Dan failed to clarify which of his many cheating rumours were true. In her element: The blonde beauty documented her boat ride on social media later in the day The fitness enthusiast, who shares daughters Ella, five, and Mia, two, with Jacqueline, and eldest son Teddy, six, with ex Megan Tomlin said: 'There have been times where if it were the other way round, I would have left. 'I would have gone, so I've said to her 'I wouldn't blame you if you left me'. I've said that to Jac. If it was the other way around I'd be gone.' During the interview, Dan also said the couple are focusing on the future, which includes renewing their wedding vows and trying for another baby. Love life: The media personality is holidaying with her rumoured new beau Brandon Myers (pictured) on the Spanish island Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week? The event in St Petersburg and the nearby town of Kronshtadt, featuring 46 ships and vessels and more than 4,000 troops, aimed to demonstrate the growing power of our navy, Mr Putin said. He said 40 ships and vessels of different classes will enter service this year, and that the Russian navy will be equipped with hypersonic weapons to boost its combat capabilities. Opening the parade, he said that six more vessels for the far-sea zone were laid down at Russias three leading shipyards in the past few days. The Kremlin has made military modernisation its top priority amid tensions with the West that followed Moscows 2014 annexation of Crimea. Similar parades marking Russias Navy Day on Sunday took place in the Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsk, Sevastopol in the annexed Crimea, the seaport towns of Severomorsk and Baltiysk, Kaspirsk in the south of Russia and the port city of Tartus in Syria. Advertisement Earlier this week Putin attended a ceremony of keel-laying of new warships in Crimea and pledged to continue an ambitious program of building new warships, saying that Russia needs a strong navy to defend its interests and help maintain a strategic balance and global stability. SEATTLE - Protests in several major cities across the country turned violent this weekend, as weeks of civil unrest and clashes between activists and authorities boiled over, sending thousands of people teeming into public squares demanding racial justice. From Los Angeles, to Richmond, to Omaha, police and protesters clashed in another tumultuous night that saw scores arrested after demonstrators took the streets and police in some cities dispersed crowds with tear gas and pepper spray. In Austin, a man was shot and killed in the midst of a downtown rally. In Richmond, a truck was set ablaze outside police headquarters. Outside of Denver, a Jeep sped through a phalanx of people marching down an Interstate, when a shot was fired injuring a protestor, police said. The focal point of the protests continued to be in the Pacific Northwest, where a week of clashes between activists and federal agents in Portland, Ore. pumped new energy into a movement that began in the wake of George Floyd's death in police custody in Minneapolis over Memorial Day weekend. In Portland, the authorities declared a riot after protesters breached a fence surrounding the city's federal courthouse building. The "violent conduct of people downtown" created a "grave rise of public alarm," the Portland police wrote on Twitter. Early Sunday morning, federal agents and local police demanded that protesters leave the area and used teargas to try to disperse them. But the activists stood their ground, blocking intersections. Several people were arrested. A Marriott hotel in downtown Portland was shut down Sunday morning, and guests were asked to leave after hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside Saturday night because it was believed that federal agents were staying there. The crowd waved signs with messages such as "No more brutality!" as they stood on the riverside parkway outside the hotel and chanted: "Kick them out, Marriott!" A manager at the hotel said after the demonstration that the building had sustained some "minor damage," including graffiti on exterior walls. In Seattle, police declared a riot on Saturday afternoon and used pepper spray and flash grenades in an attempt to disperse a crowd of roughly 2,000 people in the Capitol Hill neighborhood marching in the city's largest Black Lives Matter protest in more than a month. Nightly protests since Floyd's killing had dwindled in recent weeks in Seattle. But they were reinvigorated in the wake of federal action in the Portland protests and after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, tweeted that President Donald Trump had sent federal law enforcement agents to the city. "For a month, the President threatened to send federal forces to 'clean up' Seattle. The President has made good on his threats in Portland, and continues to exacerbate the situation on the ground, endanger communities, and jeopardize the work of local officials," Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, a Democrat, said Wednesday in a statement. "The President unilaterally deploying paramilitary-type forces into American cities should concern all Americans. His blatant disregard for the constitution - and for the safety and well-being of our residents - is textbook despotism." Portland's Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler, who was teargassed last week as he joined protesters, has described the agents an "occupying force." But on Sunday, Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, defended the presence of federal agents there, saying they're protecting a courthouse targeted by protesters. "It has not only been vandalized, but they're trying to burn it down," he said on ABC's "This Week." "We can't have this in American cities. You've got people there and fencing there, but they're throwing Molotov cocktails, and doing all kinds of rioting." Police in Richmond tweeted a photo of rocks and batteries they said had been thrown at them, triggering them to declare the protest outside of police headquarters an unlawful assembly. In Aurora, Colo., just outside of Denver, protesters were also marching in response to the death last summer of Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old who died after being put in a chokehold by police. On Saturday, police said in a tweet that "while the majority of protesters were peaceful, a group decided to hijack the message & cause major damage to the courthouse and courtyard." The protesters marched down Interstate 225, cutting off traffic. But a Jeep sped through the crowd, sending protesters running for safety. "A protestor decided to fire off a weapon, striking at least 1 other protestor" police said on Twitter. That person was in stable condition at the hospital. On Austin's Congress Avenue, normally a site for music venues and bars, police were monitoring a crowd of protesters Saturday night when Senior Officer Katrina Ratcliff said shots were fired, killing a man. The suspect was detained, she said, "and is cooperating with officers." "Someone dying while protesting is horrible," Mayor Steve Adler of Austin said in a statement. "Our city is shaken and, like so many in our community, I'm heartbroken and stunned." Protesters in Omaha marched to bring attention to the killing of James Scurlock, a black man killed by a white bar owner. Police came out in force Saturday night and detained more than 75 people who were marching downtown, obstructing traffic, according to local news reports. While there was no major damage was done, Police Capt. Mark Matuza told the Omaha World-Herald that the gathering "leaned toward the potential of getting violent." In Los Angeles, police fired projectiles at activists protesting near a federal courthouse. Seattle's riot declaration came after protesters set fire to a construction site for a juvenile detention facility and as the police department reported that one person had breached the fencing surrounding the East Precinct, the site of nightly clashes in June that led to a nearly month-long protest occupation, and officers saw smoke in the lobby. Police said protesters were throwing rocks, bottles and fireworks at the officers. As of 7:30 p.m. local time, the department had reported 25 arrests and three police injuries, including an officer hospitalized with a leg injury caused by an explosive. The department posted a photo of unused fireworks found at the scene to its Twitter feed. Protesters erected barricades and fended off police efforts to disperse them with homemade shields, umbrellas and leaf blowers, tactics borrowed from Portland, Ore., protests, where activists have clashed nightly with police for nearly two months. Early Saturday, a U.S. District judge issued a temporary restraining order against a Seattle City Council ordinance banning crowd control devices such as pepper spray, rubber bullets, flashbangs and blast balls. On Thursday, Police Chief Carmen Best warned that without such tools, the police department could not protect property. During demonstrations on July 19 and July 22, protesters smashed windows and looted businesses perceived to be supportive of the police department. The department said that at least 12 officers were injured by protesters during those clashes. Protesters gathered in the early afternoon on Saturday, holding signs declaring "We Stand With Portland Feds Out!" and "The Feds Don't Scare Us." Medics handed out earplugs to prevent hearing damage from flash bangs and vials of saline solution to dilute pepper spray and tear gas. Before the march, organizer Jaiden Grayson stood on a brick wall with a megaphone and instructed the crowd on tactics like "de-arresting," where groups of protesters block efforts by law enforcement to arrest individuals. "When you see something, I need you to do more than say something," Grayson told the crowd. "I need you to swarm." Christine Edgar said that when the yellow-clad Wall of Moms emerged at Portland's Black Lives Matter protests last week she decided that Seattle mothers needed to adopt the tactic as well. With three days' notice, she said, a Seattle "Wall of Moms" formed to march in the streets to protest the federal presence. "I wanted to make sure that black and brown voices were represented among the moms," Edgar, who said her son was at the protest, told The Washington Post before addressing the crowd with a megaphone. "When people hear 'mom,' they always think of white moms," she said, "and black, brown, and indigenous women have been on the forefront of liberation movements for centuries." By midafternoon the crowd, flanked by bicycles and vehicles as a security measure, had marched several blocks to the construction site for the King County Children and Family Justice Center, a juvenile detention facility and courthouse, where dozens of people toppled fences and set fire to five construction trailers. The blazes appeared to have destroyed the trailers and sent large plumes of smoke into the air before the fire department arrived. King County Executive Dow Constantine announced on Friday that the facility, commonly known as the "youth jail," would close by 2025 in line with the county's goal of zero youth detention. The facility has been the subject of protests for years by groups calling for an end to youth incarceration. Shortly after the fire, protesters smashed the windows of a Starbucks, which has become a target for its donations to the Seattle Police Foundation. The fire and subsequent clashes outside a police department precinct resulted in the police declaring the protest a "riot" and attempting to disperse the crowd with munitions such as pepper spray, blast balls and rubber bullets. The protesters came prepared, with many wearing protective gear. "After seeing what happened in Portland, I feel it is important to put my body on the line," Megan Barry, who identifies as white, said before the march began. Barry, a marketing professional from Gig Harbor, 22 miles southwest of Seattle, was attending her first protest since mid-June. On May 30, she said, she was hit with tear gas when police tried to disperse the first large demonstration in downtown Seattle after Floyd's death. On Saturday, she was arrested for "failure to disperse," when she claims she was moving backward from the police line after having been tagged with blue ultraviolet dye. She was released about midnight. "I have the luxury of going home and acting like nothing is going on," she said. "I want to hold myself accountable." - - - Davenport reported from Washington. The Washington Post's Marissa J. Lang in Portland, Ore., contributed to this report. Representative Image Agra Police have busted a major sex-trafficking racket that was operating from the farmhouse of a former BJP district president. There are allegations pointing to the BJP leaders involvement in the flesh trade, stating he was given a portion of the booking amount. While there is no clarity on the allegations that are being probed by the police, the BJP leader has pleaded innocent. According to an India Today report, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader in question has claimed that he had leased his farmhouse to some people identified as Sachin, Vishnu, and Vishal Goyal -- who were carrying out the sex-trafficking, and he had nothing to do with it. Bablu Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Agra has informed that the farmhouse was raided as part of a city-wide operation to bust sex-trafficking rackets. Commenting on what used to happen inside the raided premise, SSP Kumar said: Women were first brought to the farmhouse and then sent to various hotels to meet clients. Several high-profile persons may be involved in the flesh trade, who are now being probed to find out the part they played in the human trafficking operation. Police are interrogating three women and six men at present. Although the SSP has said prima facie the BJP leader knew what was happening, the politician has claimed the Agra police is trying to frame him. Iran Jails 20 Protesting Downing Of Ukrainian Plane, None Sentenced From Military Radio Farda July 25, 2020 Iran's Revolutionary Courts have in the past six months sentenced twenty individuals who participated in peaceful protests against the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane in January to prison terms totaling more than 23 years. However, none of the people responsible for the incident have yet been named or put on trial. In the most recent instance, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced women's rights and student activist Bahareh Hedayat to 4 years and 8 months in prison. Hedayat was previously the spokesperson of the Central Council of Tahkim Vahdat -- an Islamic student association -- and actively campaigned to gather one million signatures for a petition to change discriminatory laws against women. On January 8 a few hours after Iranian missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq and while the Iranian military was expecting an American counterattack, the Revolutionary Guard fired two missiles at a Ukrainian airliner taking off from Tehran. The attack killed all 176 onboard the plane. The bases in Iraq that were targeted before downing the plane hosted U.S. and other coalition troops. Iran said the attacks were in retaliation for the targeted killing of Qods Force Commander Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad Airport five days earlier, on January 3. After three days of popular protests in various cities and the authorities' consistent denial of any role in the tragic incident, the Revolutionary Guard finally accepted responsibility for the attack on the plane but attributed it to "human error". Iranian officials still maintain that one individual's misjudgement caused the tragedy. According to the official reports of the Judiciary, tens of people were arrested in various cities for participating in the peaceful protest rallies that only called for the real reason for the crash to be announced. In a tweet on Saturday Hedayat said she received a four-year sentence for "participating in the rallies outside Amir Kabir University and 8 months for "propaganda against the regime" as well as her tweets. Before her, Mostafa Hashemizadeh, a student of Tehran University, had been sentenced to six years in prison, 74 lashes and deprivation from certain social privileges for participating in the same protests. Some of the families of the victims of the crash who live in Iran have said that they have no hope of getting justice for their loved ones but some others who live abroad have formed an association to bring the culprits to justice through international courts. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-jails -20-protesting-downing-of-ukrainian-plane-none- sentenced-from-military/30746940.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A 19-year-old woman has been credited by state police with saving a 68-year-old man having a medical event in a pool on Saturday afternoon. Troopers responded at 12:17 p.m. to the Riverside Acres Campground in Clayton for a reported possible drowning, state police said. The troopers found that Grace C. Prince saved Roger G. Boston, 68, of Knoxson, Pennsylvania, from drowning in a pool, according to state police. Boston was swimming in the deep end of the pool when he suffered a medical event, police said. Boston went unconscious and sank to the bottom of the pool as his wife Linda called for help, police said. Prince swam to the bottom of the deep end and pulled Boston back to the surface, police said. He later regained consciousness and was taken to River Hospital for evaluation, according to police. Prince is the daughter of Bassmaster Cliff Prince, police said. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter. Amidst the increased use of online banking and e-wallets in the region, partly fuelled by the Covid-19 pandemic, cybersecurity experts are reminding banks and financial services in Southeast Asia to learn from the lessons of previous cyberattacks like the costly US$81 million heist in 2016. With the increased use of online banking and e-wallets, cybersecurity experts are reminding banks and financial services to enhance cybersecurity protection to prevent any sophisticated attempts against their systems. Photo courtesy of the company Global cybersecurity company Kaspersky, in an online conference with selected news correspondents from the region, spoke about how the financial sector could utilise comprehensive threat data to beef up their defences against sophisticated cybercrime groups such as Lazarus, the cybergang allegedly behind the multi-million dollar Bangladesh Bank Heist. The company has found malware samples relating to Lazarus activity appearing at financial institutions, casinos, software developers for investment companies, and crypto-currency businesses in several countries globally, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Yeo Siang Tiong, its general manager for Southeast Asia, said: The past offers us warnings which we must heed to be able to build a safer today. This applies to the financial sector and all other organisations especially when it comes to cybersecurity. More than four years after the world witnessed one of the most successful cyberheists to date it is essential for banks and related institutions in Southeast Asia to understand how they can leverage threat intelligence to foil sophisticated attempts against their systems. For instance, our cybersecurity researchers have been monitoring the Lazarus group closely for years. Through this intelligence, our solutions can detect the possible malware they might use when they try to get into a banking system. We can block them, analyse the malicious file, and alert the organisations IT team about which tactics and techniques to look out for based on the groups previous attack behaviour, saving possible multi-million losses financially and professionally. The $81 million cyberheist also resulted in lawsuits, loss of reputation, billions in fines, one indictment and arrest, and several top bank officials resignations and even dismissals. Besides threat intelligence, Kaspersky also noted the importance of the human factor when it comes to securing financial systems. It cited a report which showed that the cyberheist started with a series of spear phishing emails, with one unfortunately opened by an unsuspecting bank employee. The threat of phishing and spear phishing remains present with Kaspersky detecting 40.5 million globally in the first five months of 2020. To improve banks and financial organisations cyber defences, Kaspersky experts said they should integrate threat intelligence into their systems, conduct regular security training sessions for staff, use traffic monitoring software, instal the latest updates and patches for all of the software they use, forbid the installation of programmes from unknown sources, and perform regular security audit of an organisations IT infrastructure. VNS Sorry! This content is not available in your region Ryan Dorsey and Naya Rivera attend the UNICEF's Next Generation 2nd annual UNICEF Masquerade Ball on October 30, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Araya Diaz/WireImage) Ryan Dorsey, the ex-husband of tragic Naya Rivera, has paid tribute to the actress after she drowned during a boating trip with the pairs four-year-old son. The former Glee star was on a boat on Lake Piru, Southern California, earlier this month when she went missing. Her body was found on 13 July, five days after her disappearance. Read more: Police confirm Naya Riveras body found at lake where she went missing Dorsey and Rivera were married between 2014 and 2018, and together they had son Josey, who was found physically unharmed on the boat the 33-year-old had disappeared from. 37-year-old Dorsey took to social media to publicly address the tragic accident for the first time, revealing he and his son had swam with Rivera just the day before she went missing. Posting a picture of Rivera and Josey, he wrote on Instagram: This is so unfairtheres not enough words to express the hole left in everyones hearts. I cant believe this is life now. I dont know if Ill ever believe it. Actors Naya Rivera (L) and Ryan Dorsey (R) arrive at the Raising The Bar To End Parkinson's at Laurel Point on July 27, 2016 in Studio City, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images) You were just here We were just in the back swimming with Josey the day before. Life just isnt fair. "I dont know what to sayIm thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for. Dorsey, who has had acting roles in shows such as Ray Donovan and Vampire Diaries, added: I remember sometimes you used to get annoyed at me: Ryan can you stop snap chatting! Haha. Im glad I didnt listen to you because I have hundreds and probably thousands of snaps and videos that Josey will have forever and know his momma loved him more than life, and how much fun we had together as he was growing up. Life is all about good times and bad times but with Josey it makes the bad a little less so because a part of you will always be with us. Hell never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep. Story continues Read more: Glee star Naya Riveras death was an accident, medical examiner says He ended the message: To everyone that reached out and I haven't had a chance to or just didn't get back to you...thank you all for the overwhelming love and support you've sent our way. I'll just say in closing, be kind to yourself, be kind to others, forgive...forget...don't hold grudges....if you have nothing nice to say maybe try not to say anything. There's peace in silence. Time on Earth is precious and you just never know....you never know what could happen. Hold your loved ones close, and cherish the times you have with those you care about. The Ventura County Medical Examiners Office declared Riveras death an accidental drowning. Hyderabad, July 26 : Greater Hyderabad Mayor Bonthu Rammohan tested positive for Covid-19, said his office here on Sunday. He is asymptomatic and under home isolation. His family members have tested negative. After one member of his staff tested coronavirus positive recently, the Mayor went into self-quarantine and underwent the test on Saturday. Rammohan is holding review meetings with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials on various civic issues through video link. On July 23, the Mayor had attended a programme to lay foundation stone for a flyover along with Municipal Administration Minister K.T. Rama Rao, Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali (who recently recovered from Covid-19), Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi and others. He had twice undergone Covid-19 tests last month. On both occasions he tested negative. On June 7, he had undergone the test an employee of a hotel where he had tea tested positive. A few days later, he underwent the test again after his driver tested Covid-19 positive. The Mayor is the latest addition to the list of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders who have tested positive. Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Deputy Speaker Padma Rao Goud, five MLAs and former Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari have tested positive. Chinese President Xi Jinping Calls on PLA Air Force to Strengthen Drone Warfare Capacity Sputnik News 20:28 GMT 24.07.2020 Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling for future members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force to come into the armed forces with a "triumphant spirit" as the military accelerates its drone warfare research and training. "Now we already have advanced aircraft and air defense weapons, we must also have a triumphant spirit, which is the soul of a strong army," Xi explained to students at the PLA Air Force Aviation University in Changchun, Jilin Province, as reported by the South China Morning Post. He went on to assert that "the training of a pilot embodies the expectations of the [Chinese Communist] Party and the people, and the hope to build a strong military." "Drones are profoundly changing war scenarios. It is necessary to strengthen drone combat research, education and training, and accelerate the training of drone pilots and commanders," Xi added. Zhou Chenming, a military analyst based out of the Chinese capital of Beijing, explained to the South China Morning Post that "China is in need of large numbers of warplane pilots due to its rapid drive to beef up its air force capabilities in recent years." The Chinese president's remarks follow the uncommon appearance of an MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance drone of the US Navy in the South China Sea. Sputnik reported that the spy drone appeared to zero in on a particular object before departing on July 15. "China lacks strategic attacking capabilities, especially in areas far away from its shores," Hong Kong-based military commentator Song Zhongping told the South China Morning Post, noting that rapid aerial responses are increasingly important when it comes to modern warfare. Earlier this month, Axios reported that the US federal government and American investors are now backing a number of domestic companies in the drone hardware and software sector. The move, which signals a departure from reliance on Chinese-made drones, involves the Pentagon's recent awarding of contracts totaling some $13.4 million to five different companies. The US Department of Defense noted that the contracts were issued in support of the "domestic small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industrial base." Skydio, a leading US drone manufacturer, also reportedly raised $100 million during its latest funding round. Axios reported that the company has also expanded and made a number of new executive hires as a result of the fundraising. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan and China have concluded a secret deal to expand potential bio-warfare capabilities, including running research projects related to the deadly anthrax, an Australian media report has alleged, prompting Pakistan to dismiss it as a "politically motivated and fake story." In an article published on July 23, Australia's investigative newspaper The Klaxon said China's Wuhan Institute of Virology has signed a covert three-year deal with Pakistan military's Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO) to collaborate research in "emerging infectious diseases". The Wuhan Institute of Virology has drawn the international spotlight in recent months because the novel coronavirus is thought to have originated in Wuhan. There had been speculation the disease may have emerged from that laboratory, however most experts have since discounted the theory. In a statement on Sunday, the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) described the article as a "politically motivated and fake story" and said it was composed of "distortion of facts and fabrications that quote anonymous sources". "There is nothing secret about the Bio-Safety Level-3 (BSL-3) Laboratory of Pakistan referred to in the report. Pakistan has been sharing information about the facility with the States Parties to the Biological and Toxins Weapons Convention (BTWC) in its submission of Confidence Building Measures," the FO said. It said the facility is meant for diagnostic and protective system improvement by Research and Development on emerging health threats, surveillance and disease outbreak investigation. Pakistan strictly abides by its BTWC obligations and has been one of the most vocal supporters for a strong verification mechanism to ensure full compliance by the states and parties to the convention, the FO said. RELATED NEWS 13 Key Lessons from COVID Pandemic that India Must Embrace and Implement The BTWC is a 1975 multilateral disarmament treaty banning the production of chemical and biological weapons. Quoting anonymous intelligence sources, The Klaxon said the China-funded project has conducted "successful soil sampling tests" to isolate Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT), which has a "striking similarity" to Bacillus Anthracis - or anthrax, a classified bio-warfare agent. "Considering the striking similarity between BT and Bacillus Anthracis, a classified bio-warfare agent, (Pakistan's) improved know-how in handling the bacteria could enrich a potential offensive biological program," one source said. The Wuhan lab was providing "extensive training on manipulation of pathogens and bio-informatics -to Pakistani scientists - to help Pakistan develop its own virus collection database," the report said. "This could help Pakistan enhance its capability of genetic identification of viruses, access to dangerous microorganisms, and use of genomic tools for research and infectious diseases, an intelligence source said. The article quoted an anonymous defence source as saying that China wants Pakistan to engage India and it wants to conduct potentially dangerous experiments on foreign soil, without subjecting its own people to risk. Finance ministry sources said on Sunday that stern action would be taken against the exporters who fraudulently claimed integrated goods and services tax (IGST) refunds totalling Rs 2,020 crore. Sources in the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs (CBIC) said that after feeling the heat, some 'fake', 'risky' exporters were lobbying with some prominent trade associations to allege that genuine exporters were being harassed by being asked for over 1,500 documents each for verification purposes. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. 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Digital Editor Earlier this year, as it became clear that the coronavirus pandemic was not going to pass quickly, the Japanese government delayed plans for what would be the first state visit by a Chinese leader to Tokyo since 2008. Now, with Chinese military aggression rising in the region and Beijing cracking down on Hong Kong, Japan is considering canceling Xi Jinpings visit altogether but very gingerly. We are not in the phase of arranging a concrete schedule now was how Toshimitsu Motegi, the foreign minister, put it this month. While its top allies have taken a harder line on China especially the United States, which dramatically escalated tensions this past week by closing the Chinese Consulate in Houston Japan has pursued a delicate balancing act, mindful of the economic might of its largest trading partner and its own limited military options. So as Chinese ships have engaged in the longest series of incursions in or near Japanese waters in several years, Japan has offered a restrained response, vowing to be firm but calm. It did not join several Western nations in an initial statement criticizing the draconian security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong. It has abandoned plans to purchase an American missile defense system, which in part had been considered a shield against China. And the government has continued to tiptoe around the issue of the state visit by Xi, even as polls show that most Japanese believe it should be scrapped. Certainly Japan is in a dilemma, said Narushige Michishita, director of the Security and International Studies Program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. We understand the fact that Japan is basically competing with China while cooperating with it. We are playing those two games at the same time. For other world powers, this kind of middle ground on China, in the face of its growing authoritarianism and heightened bellicosity, has become less and less tenable. The United States has approved sanctions against Chinese companies and officials and pushed back on Chinas broad territorial claims in the regions seas. Australia led the call for a global inquiry into the origins of the pandemic, which began in China, and announced an investment of nearly $1 billion in cyberweapons and defenses to counter Beijing. Britain and Canada, along with Australia, have suspended extradition agreements with Hong Kong because of the national security law. China has responded by curbing Australian imports and threatening an array of retaliatory actions against any countries that move to punish it. On Friday, China responded to the closure of its Houston consulate by ordering the United States to shut its consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu. To some extent, Japans mild-mannered response to China echoes its broader approach to foreign policy, in which it tends to avoid direct conflict or public rebukes of other nations. It has also sometimes sought a mediating role, as when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met last December with Irans president, Hassan Rouhani, to try to ease tensions in the Middle East. Not so long ago, China and Japan the worlds second- and third-largest economies were engaged in a diplomatic thaw as a hedge against an unpredictable Trump administration. In 2018, Abe became the first Japanese leader to visit China in seven years, and the two leaders pledged deeper economic and political cooperation. The invitation to Xi to visit Japan followed soon afterward. Now, given Chinas muscle-flexing as the world is preoccupied with the pandemic, some have expressed disappointment that Japan has not rebuffed its neighbor more vigorously, such as by definitively canceling Xis visit. In recent weeks, China has engaged in deadly clashes on its border with India in the Himalayas, and it has sent ships for 100 straight days the longest period in years of such incursions to patrol waters around the Senkakus, islands administered by Japan but contested by China. Japan should just say We cannot have him if China continues with this sort of behavior, said Jeffrey Hornung, an analyst at the RAND Corp., referring to Xi. But Hornung acknowledged that Tokyo would not want to draw Chinas full ire, either. If you look at what China is doing with India or Hong Kong, Japan doesnt want to be at the tip of Chinas spear right now, Hornung said. They know what they could do around the Senkakus in terms of swarming it with ships. On Hong Kong, Japan did not join the United States, Australia, Canada and Britain in an initial statement criticizing the national security law. It subsequently led an effort to draft a statement by the foreign ministers of the Group of 7 countries expressing grave concern about the law, and Japans governing Liberal Democratic Party passed a resolution this month saying it could not just remain on the sidelines seeing the situation in Hong Kong. In response to the Chinese incursions in the East China Sea, Japan has mobilized Self-Defense Forces fighter jets to patrol the area. It continues, though, to use mild language in its protests to the Chinese government. Yoshihide Suga, chief cabinet secretary to Abe, told reporters that the Japanese government had strongly requested that Chinese ships stop approaching Japanese fishing boats and quickly leave Japanese territory. He added, We would like to continue responding firmly in a calm manner. Parts of the Japanese government have highlighted Chinas growing hostility. Earlier this month, the defense ministry warned that China was trying to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and it ranked China as a more serious long-term threat than North Korea. Yet Japans recent decision to abandon its plan to buy an American missile defense system, known as Aegis Ashore, led some to wonder if it would now be more exposed to potential attacks from both North Korea and China. The decision may have looked to some like a genuflection to Beijing. But soon afterward, the defense committee of the governing party discussed whether Japan could acquire weapons that would enable it to strike a missile launch site, if it detected signs of an imminent attack by a neighbor. Those discussions are in the early stages, and they would require extensive examination by constitutional experts to determine if such a capability would violate the pacifist clause in Japans Constitution. While the cancellation of Aegis Ashore might put Japan in a more vulnerable position, if Japan uses this opportunity to pivot to acquisition of other capabilities, then the result could be even more worrying for China, said Kristi Govella, an assistant professor in the department of Asian studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. One area where Japan has taken steps against China is the economy. Earlier this year, it passed a law restricting foreign investment in industries that the government designates as important to national security, a move that many viewed as targeting China. It has also offered financial incentives to companies especially those in crucial sectors to move operations out of China and into Japan or Southeast Asia. The Chinese economy is recovering while other countries are still deteriorating, said Takahide Kiuchi, an economist at Nomura Research Institute, a think tank. Now China is in a good position to purchase companies in other countries, so the government is cautious about critical industries related to the military and national security. Still, Japan does not want to push too hard. In addition to being Japans largest trading partner, China sent more tourists to Japan than any other nation before the pandemic shut borders. Last year, close to 115,000 Chinese students were studying at Japanese universities. The government, which has imposed entry bans on nearly 150 countries during the pandemic, is now discussing admitting travelers from several Asian countries, including China. A couple of years ago, it seemed like there was space for Japan to be seen as a mediator because relations between the U.S. and China had become so bad, Govella said. But with Chinas increasing aggression, it really is an actor that has different values and dubious intentions in the region, she said. As China pursues this more belligerent policy, Japanese analysts say they hope that Beijing might learn from Japans own history and not try to expand its power too far, particularly by repressive means. Chinas efforts to dominate the South China Sea, for example, are one step toward kicking out the Western elements from their sphere of influence, which they have been dreaming of for the past century and a half, said Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat who is now teaching at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. Their nationalistic ambition will not end, he said. I am very concerned, and nobody can stop it, as they couldnt stop us in Manchuria in the 1930s, Miyake said, referring to Japans invasion of that region of eastern China. At that time, the more pressure we had, the more adamant and arrogant and self-assertive we became, because we were too nationalistic and too undemocratic, and that was our destiny, Miyake said. China is following the same path. Motoko Rich and Makiko Inoue c.2020 The New York Times Company Expelling Jeremy Corbyn from Labour could spare the party legal action over a leaked anti-Semitism report that would bankrupt it. Some ex-party staff now poised to take part in multi-millionpound lawsuits against Labour say they will drop their claims if the former leader is thrown out of the party. But the extraordinary ultimatum will enrage backers of Mr Corbyn already furious that Labour under new leader Sir Keir Starmer last week apologised to anti-Semitism whistleblowers and agreed to pay them damages in a separate case. It comes amid anger on the Left at Sir Keir's 'failure' to cut the Tories' lead in the polls despite Boris Johnson's 'abject handling' of the coronavirus crisis. The Mail on Sunday revealed in April that Labour could face a legal bill of between 3million and 8million over the leak of an internal party report into the handling of antisemitism complaints during Mr Corbyn's leadership. More than 30 individuals whose identities were exposed by the leak or who faced 'unfounded' allegations in the report were considering legal action against the party. As reported by the paper last week, that now includes the party's former general secretary Lord McNicol. Corbyn loyalists have claimed the leaked document laid bare how 'Blairites' at the party's HQ had worked against him - while moderates say the report was designed to shift the blame for the 'disgraceful' handling of anti-Semitism complaints under the former leadership. But last night, sources close to some of the ex-party staffers confirmed they would drop the legal action if Mr Corbyn was ejected from the party. It came amid warnings that more legal payouts could seriously jeopardise the party's finances, as more cases are brought against it over anti-Semitism. Some ex-party staff now poised to take part in multi-millionpound lawsuits against Labour say they will drop their claims if the former leader (left) is thrown out of the party. Keir Starmer (right) has pledged zero-tolerance to anti-Semitism Former Labour prime minister Tony Blair praised Corbyn's successor Sir Keir for reconnecting the party with voters who abandoned it under the leftwing leader The Observer reported that officials are braced for a new round of claims to be submitted this week. And a crowdfunding appeal to raise money for Mr Corbyn if he is sued for libel has now passed 250,000. A well-placed source said some would still take action on 'entirely justifiable claims' due to the harm they had suffered. But others would back down and so limit the eventual payouts from Labour if the ex-leader was expelled. The source said: 'Labour says they have zero tolerance to anti-Semitism. Zero tolerance means no Corbyn and no Corbynistas. It's Keir's choice - zero tolerance or zero money.' Mr Corbyn infuriated the new leadership by criticising last week's decision to apologise and pay damages to party whistleblowers who took part in a BBC Panorama 'Is Labour antisemitic?' documentary last year but who were derided by a Labour spokesman at the time as 'disaffected former officials'. He is now facing possible legal action from Panorama's John Ware for potentially defaming him last week. Supporters of Mr Corbyn have raised 250,000 to pay for his legal defence but been accused of posting anti-Semitic messages online. The Go Fund Me page yesterday appeared to have removed all comments. Labour declined to comment on ex-party staff's request for Mr Corbyn to be expelled. But Corbyn supporter Jon Trickett said: 'It is a ridiculous demand.' Left-wingers say Sir Keir should stop celebrating his high personal ratings and cease picking fights inside the party, and instead focus on cutting the Tories' overall lead over Labour in the polls. Meanwhile former Labour prime minister Tony Blair praised Corbyn's successor Sir Keir for reconnecting the party with voters who abandoned it under the leftwing leader. Mr Blair told Sky's Ridge on Sunday: 'I talk to him from time to time, as Im sure he does with other former Labour leaders and I think hes done a great job. 'I mean hes really hes made the Labour party competitive again. There is still a long way to go on policy but hes made a really impressive start and hes got to a situation where for a lot of people who had really given up on the Labour party, voters as it were, I think they are now looking at it again much more sympathetically and they regard him as a serious figure.' But he warned Sir Keir that voters were wary of Labour as a party that rises taxes, adding: 'My experience with tax when youre in the Labour Party is be really careful because the public out there arent sitting there worried as to whether you are going to raise taxes or not, they are probably worried that you are going to raise taxes so youve just got to be mindful of that concern.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 15:21:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese central government has allocated 25.71 billion yuan (about 3.68 billion U.S. dollars) to boost vocational education this year, an increase of 8.4 percent from last year, the Ministry of Finance said. The funds are meant to help local governments establish and improve the financial support mechanism for vocational education, and implement reforms in the area, the ministry said. In the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), the central government has allocated 129.27 billion yuan to improve the quality of vocational education with annual growth rate averaging 9.8 percent, the ministry said. Enditem Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch high throughput Covid-19 testing facilities on July 27 via video conferencing , the PMO said in a statement on Sunday. PM Modi will inaugurate the facilities at the ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research based in Noida, the ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health located in Mumbai and in Kolkatas ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases. These facilities will increase testing capacity in the country and help in strengthening the health infrastructure by early detection and treatment of Covid-19 patients. In the long run, these facilities will help in curbing the spread of the pandemic, the statement said. The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Science and Technology, along with the three Chief Ministers of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray, West BengalMamata Banerjee and Uttar PradeshYogi Adityanath will attend the virtual launch. ALSO READ | India tests 4.2 L samples for Covid-19 in 24 hrs, testing capacity at all-time high The Prime Minister on Sunday reiterated the importance of wearing masks and social distancing and urged the country to fight the battle against coronavirus with full awareness and vigilance. The Prime Minister was addressing the nation through his radio programme called Mann ki Baat. He also referred to the countrys increased testing and the national recovery rate which has been steadily rising and is currently at 63.54%. A day earlier, India on Saturday tested a record number of 4, 20,000 samples in a single day, to detect the coronavirus infection among the population. This is the first time that the country has carried out tests on such a large number of samples in 24 hours since Friday morning, the Union health ministrys Covid-19 data revealed. With 4,20,898 samples tested in the last 24 hours, the Tests Per Million (TPM) has increased to 11,485 and the total testing capacity has climbed to 1,58,49,068. ALSO READ | Indias Covid-19 tally over 13.85 lakh, recovery rate nears 64% These three high-throughput testing facilities have been set up strategically at ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida; ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai; and ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, and will be able to test over 10,000 samples in a day, it statement read. The new facilities will also reduce turn-around-time and exposure of lab personnel to infectious clinical materials. The laboratories will also be equipped to test for diseases other than Covid-19 as well and after the pandemic has subsided, will be able to test for Hepatitis-B and C, HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia, Neisseria and Dengue. India reported a spike of 48,661 coronavirus cases and 705 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday. Kumar Vikram By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Over 100 persons have died in the floods in Assam so far while another 147 were killed in lightning strikes in Bihar last month. But with the monsoon season less than half way through, more loss of lives and property are expected if the trend in the past five years is anything to go by. Take for instance human lives lost. In 2015, a little less than 1,000 persons died of flood and rain-related incidents, but in 2019, nearly 2,500 persons had lost their lives, according to government data. The loss of cattle also increased. While in 2015, less than 30,000 cattle died, in 2019, it was nearly 72,000. (See graphic 1) To sum up the flood and its impact in the past five years, over 8,700 people were killed, over 2 lakh cattle died and more than 36 lakh houses were destroyed in floods. The cost of damage to property has also shot up in these five years. While in 2015, the damage suffered totaled Rs 33,257 crore, in 2018, the last year for which data is available, it went up to Rs 95,736 crore. The cost of damage is likely to be more in 2019 as over a dozen states, including Bihar, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra, witnessed large-scale devastation. Besides the rising damages, the cost to the exchequer towards relief work has also increased. In 2016-17, the Centre released Rs 11,441 cr under the National Disaster Relief Fund while its share under the State Disaster Relief Fund was Rs 8,375 crore. This increased to Rs 14,108 cr and Rs 10,429 cr respectively in 2019-20. (See graphic 2) The floods increasing loss of lives and property appears to make a mockery of all the expert committees, task forces and commissions the government has formed. In 1972, the Ganga Flood Control Commission was set up in Patna to address the flood problem and erosion in the Ganga basin states. In 1980, the Brahmaputra Board came into existence to address the flood erosion problem in the northeastern states and Sikkim. (See table) The government also launched a Flood Management Programme in the Eleventh Plan (2007-12) for providing financial assistance to state governments to undertake work related to river management, flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development, flood proofing, among others. The FMP was continued for three years under the Twelfth Plan from 2017-18 to 2019-20. It has subsequently been included as a component of the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme in the Ministry of Jal Shakti. But all these appear to have come to a naught as the governments approach is more reactive than proactive, according to experts. Instead of focusing on the real problem, it was only concerned about relief measures, they said. They pointed out that the area affected by floods has doubled since 1950. "The flood-affected area in 1950 was 25 million hectare, now it has doubled to nearly 50 million hectare. But, what is surprising is that nobody looks concerned about the real issues. Earlier, only villages used to be affected but now cities are also getting flooded. Chennai and Patna are just examples. I had written to the government in 2015, highlighting the poor drainage system in cities," said former IIT professor Dinesh Kumar Mishra. Himanshu Thakkar, the coordinator of the South Asia Network of Dams, Rivers and People, said effective management of dams could bring down the damage caused by floods. "We have over 5,000 dams. Every dam can help moderate floods in the downstream area but only if it is operated properly," Thakkar said. Thakkar raised questions on embankments, saying hardly any cost benefit analysis has been done on this. "We are just mechanically going forward. We are encroaching upon flood plains and river beds and we are doing sand mining. All these add to the floods," he said. The casket of Rep. John Lewis moves over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service for Lewis, Sunday, July 26, 2020, in Selma, Alabama. Crowds watched solemnly as the body of Rep. John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge one final time, 55 years after the civil rights icon marched for peace and was met with brutality in Selma, Alabama. Body bearers from the U.S. armed forces placed the late Georgia congressman and civil rights icon onto a horse-drawn caisson Sunday at the Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. From there, the public were allowed to line up to honor Lewis for about a half-mile to the foot of the bridge. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Al., thanked Lewis' family during a ceremony at the chapel for sharing the congressman with the public for so many years. "Our nation is better off because of John Robert Lewis," she remarked. "My life is better, Selma is better, this nation and this world is better because of John Robert Lewis." Crowds waited for Lewis' body at the foot of the bridge, where he was met by Alabama state troopers, who safely escorted him across and on to the state capitol. "His final march, that final crossing, so different than the first, speaks to the legacy that he leaves behind and the lives that he changed," Sewell said. "It's poetic justice that this time, Alabama state troopers will see John to his safety. " As the horse-drawn caisson approached the bridge, those in the masses on the sidewalk could be heard singing for Lewis. In an emotional moment, the voices stopped as Lewis' casket began to make its way across the bridge in silent reverence. Lewis, who died earlier this month at the age of 80, made his last journey across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with only his family to join him. Lewis' son, brothers and sister followed behind the caisson along Lewis' longtime chief of staff wearing shirts emblazoned with the words "Good Trouble," a nod to Lewis' view on activism. Read more from NBC News: The 16-term lawmaker, often called the conscience of Congress, was a giant of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Lewis was only 25 when he believed Alabama troopers would kill him on the peaceful march for voting rights across the bridge on March 7, 1965, known today as "Bloody Sunday." Lewis suffered a fractured skull and was one of dozens of nonviolent protesters who were hospitalized. News coverage of the brutal beatings prompted increased pressure on Congress to pass the 1965 Voting Rights Act, to bar states from enforcing discriminatory laws that had long hindered prospective Black voters. And though Lewis is possibly best known for his march in Selma, he had already emerged as a leading voice in the fight for equal rights and had been arrested a number of times for the cause by that time. File photo of BSP supremo Mayawati. The Congress has said it will launch protests in front of different Raj Bhavans against the BJP's "anti-democratic and anti-constitutional actions" as the party remains locked in a political crisis in Rajasthan after a revolt by a section of MLAs led by former deputy CM Sachin Pilot. The ruling Congress in the state has accused the BJP of attempting to topple its government. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Congress MLAs will meet the President and hold a sit-in outside the Prime Minister's home, if needed, to settle the crisis in the state. Gehlot's remarks came as Congress workers held demonstrations across the state, protesting against the "BJP conspiracy" to topple the state government and demanding a session of the state assembly. "We will go to Rashtrapati Bhawan to meet the President, if needed. Also, if required, we will stage a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence," said Gehlot a day after Congress MLAs protested at Jaipur's Raj Bhavan against Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra's stand on not calling an assembly session. The political situation in the state is unlikely to come to an end anytime soon, with Gehlot on Saturday saying the MLAs in his camp might have to stay at the Fairmont Hotel for at least 21 days more. The Congress also organised a nationwide online campaign called Speak Up for Democracy on July 26 from 10 am onward. State units have been asked to ensure the participation of party leaders, MPs, MLAs and other functionaries by way of posting videos and posts on different social media platforms highlighting the issue, said the party in a statement. At 11am on Monday, all state units will hold protests in front of the Raj Bhavans in their respective states. "The very basic constitutional and democratic frame of the nation is facing an unprecedented attack from the BJP. Democratic institutions, constitutional values and institutions are being subverted and subjugated in a dangerously premeditated manner, with democratically elected opposition governments in one state after another being toppled by the BJP, using money, intimidation and blatant misuse of constitutional bodies and functionaries," said All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary KC Venugopal in a statement. Accusing the BJP of "horse trading to topple democratically elected governments", Venugopal said this has become normal. The situation has been made more deplorable since the country is reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic, floods and severe economic and financial difficulties, he added. In a video message on Saturday night, he said the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh government was toppled by the BJP and now it was "conspiring to do the same in Rajasthan" "The chief minister of Rajasthan requested the governor to call an Assembly session. But ignoring the request shows that the Central government is misusing constitutional institutions and playing with democratic values and traditions," he alleged. At some point in late April, COVID-19 claimed the life of its 58,221st victim in the United States. We do not know the victims name or the exact time of death, but the death was significant: It meant that the coronavirus had claimed more American lives than the entire Vietnam War. That conflict, which lasted from 1955 to 1975, resulted in the deaths of 58,220 Americans. COVID-19 surpassed that number in less than four months. Much like the nightly death counts that took place during the Vietnam era, the grim figures of the current crisis can obscure the fact that those who have perished were human beings, mourned by those they leave behind. As a veteran and historian whose research examines burial rituals, I know that the way Americans memorialize the dead is steeped in traditions that are both social and cultural. COVID-19 is complicating these longstanding traditions. The virus is also making many people think about their own mortality in ways they have never done before. As Princeton scholar Eddie S. Glaude Jr. recently wrote in the Washington Post, with COVID-19 Americans can no longer banish death to the far reaches of our communities. Instead, Death is at our doorstep. A ledger for lives In the war of attrition in Vietnam, the U.S. servicemen and women who lost their lives often became enumerated alongside their peers relegated to a single numerical point of reference among the tens of thousands who died. Then as now, newspapers and televised coverage included daily casualty reports as the government released the official numbers from Vietnam. These reports became a standard part of newscasts and developed into the central focus of efforts to combat the war. The daily summaries helped normalize Vietnam deaths in the minds of Americans. The names of the American war dead were listed in numerical order by the date and time of death. Victory was assessed by the number of casualties inflicted upon the enemy. The daily ledger of all combatants who died on both sides of the conflict was used to suggest that America was winning the war. As a consequence, quantitative data replaced the faces and names of the lost, dehumanized the war dead and influenced an obsession with raw data over traditional means of assessing progress, such as gaining or losing territory. And much like today, the numbers became politicized as Americans trust for their leaders began to wane. Many, both then and now, sought alternative measures to account for the dead. Media portrayals of the Vietnam conflict furthered this dehumanization by depicting the motionless bodies of American dead. Rarely were the names of the those killed in action included alongside these images. Such media accounts helped to guide how the public processed death during Vietnam. Death during crisis The war against COVID-19 has continued these practices, immersing Americans in daily death totals against an enemy not fully understood. Daily counts of the dead, tests conducted and their results, compiled against the backdrop of overall percentages, is seen to determine success against the coronavirus. Then as now, images of lifeless bodies with no names attached are shown only now theyre being carted into refrigerated trucks. In addition to the parallels in the way the dead are converted into quantitative data, Vietnam and the pandemic also share similarities in how the deceased are being mourned. Vietnam veteran Bill Hunt wrote in 1990 that In the end, all wars are about dying. When the dying is about honor, it is somehow OK. But during the Vietnam War, public sensitivity to the number of dead and apathy toward the conflict actually decreased support for what the American public viewed as sunk costs and the loss of 58,220 lives. Due in large part to this lack of understanding among Americans about what their loved ones were dying for, the casualties of the Vietnam War placed emotional strain on those grieving a lost service member. Deaths from the conflict were often mourned privately and without public celebration. The same has been true of COVID-19 victims. Due to fear of contagion, families are unable to be present at hospitals during the final days and minutes of their loved ones lives. An overburdened funeral industry and shelter-in-place orders also mean family and friends cannot bury or memorialize their loved ones in traditional ways such as by holding a wake or funeral. In both the battle against COVID-19 and the Vietnam War, this isolation makes mourning, burial, memorialization and saying goodbye both problematic and private. As a result, reconciling the loss of their loved one is much more arduous and making it harder for those left behind to find closure and process their deaths. Public remembrance Eventually, the names of the service members who died in Vietnam adorned the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., acknowledging publicly for the first time the sacrifices of those who died. Having a permanent place of remembrance helped to ease the pain of those untimely deaths. We do not know if those who perish during the current pandemic will be memorialized in a similar fashion. And sadly, not everyone will receive an obituary in which details of their lives can be read. It may be that we have to find new ways to reconcile the deaths of those who lost their lives in the fight against COVID-19. But to move on, we must acknowledge the men and women who are dying, give them names and faces and publicly honor them not only for the dead but for the living who continue to mourn. Shad Thielman is a lecturer in history, California State University San Marcos Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With New York City now in Phase 4 of reopening, summer in full swing and tens of thousands of Staten Island youth having been confined to their home for the past four months, its no wonder that families across the borough are seeking safe, fun recreational activities. Some outdoor staples of the Staten Island youth cultural scene, like the Staten Island Zoo in West Brighton, are now able to reopen with strict safety guidelines in place, while indoor institutions, like the Staten Island Childrens Museum in Livingston, are still in limbo, due to state mandates in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) Ajay Maken Congress leader Ajay Maken accused the Centre on Sunday of conspiring to topple the Congress governments in various states, instead of fighting the financial crisis, COVID-19 and China. He also said to protect the Constitution and democracy, Congress workers will stage protests in front of Raj Bhavans across the country on Monday. Addressing a press conference, the former Union minister alleged that the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have launched an attack on democracy and the Constitution. "The country is battling against the coronavirus pandemic. The countrymen are facing a severe economic crisis. More than 14 crore jobs have been lost according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). "Small businesses are on the verge of closure. China has taken over our territory. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of fighting the coronavirus, the economic crisis and China, is conspiring to topple Congress governments," he said. "The reality is that the Modi government and the BJP have launched an attack on democracy and the Constitution," Maken added. He said it is clear from the BJP's "conspiracy" to topple the Rajasthan government that these "disruptive forces" want to make democracy a slave of the "Delhi Durbar" and a puppet in their hands. The majority verdict is being murdered in Rajasthan and the public mandate crushed, the Congress leader said. He said the most worrying aspect is that the Constitution and established constitutional traditions are being ruthlessly trampled by the BJP. Maken also said it appears that the hope for justice from the judiciary is diminishing and people occupying constitutional posts such as governors are seen as helpless and unable to protect the Constitution. He said the people of the country have to ask the BJP government at the Centre whether the mandate given by the people of Rajasthan will be respected or decided by money and the power of the rulers in Delhi. "Can the prime minister and the Centre trample the Constitution and established constitutional traditions for grabbing power?" Maken asked. He also wondered whether a governor can refuse to call an Assembly session, as proposed by an elected government, and if the judiciary can unconstitutionally interfere with the jurisdiction of the legislature. Maken said in a show of solidarity with the Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and for the protection of the Constitution and democracy, Congressmen will stage protests in a "Gandhian way" in front of Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday. Vice President Mike Pence is set to make a campaign stop Thursday in Greensburg. As part of a Cops for Trump event, Pence will make an appearance at the citys police station at noon. Doors will open at 10 a.m. and close at 11:30 a.m. Cops for Trump describes itself as a coalition of police officers who support President Donald Trumps re-election campaign. Tickets can be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis at events.donaldjtrump.com. A disclaimer on the ticket site states that anyone registering voluntarily assumes any risks associated with potential exposure to the coronavirus. Gov. Tom Wolf has enacted limits on the size of gatherings in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. At outdoor events, the maximum crowd size is 250 people. Twenty-five people can attend indoor events. It is unclear where the event will be held at the South Main Street station that also serves as city hall. In June, Trump signed an executive order after weeks of protests across the country demanding police and justice reform. Among other changes, the order would use financial incentives to encourage police to adopt co-responder programs, in which social workers respond alongside police to nonviolent calls involving mental health, addiction and homelessness. Another piece of the order establishes a database of officers with histories of complaints against them. Trump has expressed his support in recent weeks for police officers while making efforts to reduce crime and raise standards for cops, according to the Associated Press. He has said the executive order is an alternative for activists calls to defund police departments nationwide, which emerged from the protests. Trump is seeking to tie 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden to that effort, according to Bloomberg News. Biden hopes to create a national police oversight commission, if elected, and has urged departments nationwide to alter their training and hiring practices. Contamination from a chemical plant in north Alabama is tainting something else elections in the city of Decatur. Three City Council members seeking reelection tell The Decatur Daily that Mayor Tab Bowling and a lawyer are trying to influence August elections by recruiting and funding opponents to the incumbents. The lawyer, Barney Lovelace, represents the city in lawsuits over chemical contamination from 3M Co.s Decatur plant. The city is being sued alongside 3M because plaintiffs allege that chemical compounds commonly known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are discharged from the citys wastewater treatment plant and are leaching from its landfill. 3M and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management announced a deal Friday for further cleanup of PFAS, but the lawsuits continue. Lovelace and Council President Paige Bibbee are at odds after Lovelace said she should recuse herself from discussions of the lawsuits because she's friends with environmentalists and lawyers suing the city or 3M. On Wednesday, Bibbee played an 82-minute recorded conversation from May in which Lovelace threatens her, saying I will burn you down after she offers to make public an email that Lovelace sent regarding the council elections. The Daily obtained a copy last week of the Jan. 15 email that Lovelace sent to lawyers in his firm discussing finding City Council candidates. Lovelace wrote that the election is critical for the future of Decatur and that he told two Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce officials that he could not be publicly involved in this effort, but very deep behind the scenes I would help as needed. He asked that the email not be shared outside the firm for obvious reasons we represent the city in the PFAS litigation and other governmental entities. Qualifying for the Aug. 25 election ended Tuesday. District 1 incumbent Billy Jackson is the only unopposed council candidate. Bibbee faces three opponents in District 3. District 4 incumbent Charles Kirby has one opponent. Bibbee, Kirby and Jackson accused Bowling of inviting people to run for City Council. They said the mayor wants to find candidates who will be more favorable toward him. Bowling has admitted his frustration with the council and its unwillingness to go along with his ideas. Bowling is running for reelection and has six opponents. Kirby, who has a long history of being critical of Lovelace and even calling for termination of his work on behalf of the city, said he doesnt accept Lovelaces denial. Its clear that Tab and Barney are one and the same, Kirby said. Tab and Barney were working to find opposition for Paige and myself, which is very questionable ethically because Barney gets paid to represent the city. So far, Lovelaces firm has been paid almost $200,000 in legal fees in the PFAS cases. City Attorney Herman Marks said 3M agreed in mediation to pay the citys legal expenses. Lovelace denied to Bibbee in the recorded phone call and again to The Daily on Wednesday that the email said he was seeking an opponent to run against her. Bowling denied recruiting council candidates, but he did say he met with almost every person considering running. I probably met with 15 people, but they came to me, Bowling said. Bowling said its a coincidence that his campaign consultant is also running the campaigns of three council candidates, including challengers to Bibbee and Kirby. Jackson, Bibbee and Kirby refused to sign confidentiality agreements regarding the 3M lawsuits. Theyve also questioned how slow the cases are moving. China Threatens to End Recognition of BNO Passports of Hong Kong Residents Sputnik News 02:44 GMT 24.07.2020 Relations between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China are turning increasingly sour, as London has introduced new eased routes to citizenship for nearly three million residents of Hong Kong. The Chinese foreign ministry threatened to end its recognition of British National Overseas (BNO) passports held by residents of Hong Kong in response to the former colonial power's policy of opening up increased pathways to UK citizenship. A spokesman echoed China's position Thursday, saying the move by the UK was an act of interference in its internal affairs. "As the English side is the first to violate the promise, China will consider not recognising BNO passports as a valid travel document, and reserves the right to take further measures", Wang Wenbin told a news briefing. However, China already does not recognise BNO certificates as a valid travel document. Instead, residents of Hong Kong - which was handed back to China in 1997 - are required to apply for travel permits when traveling to the mainland. London has introduced a policy that would allow nearly three million Hong Kong residents to live in Britain as citizens in response to a new security law from Beijing that opposition groups claim violates the 1 country, 2 systems arrangement. The Chinese government has stressed that the new law is in compliance with the 1997 Basic Law, which allows for the introduction of legislation that outlaws foreign meddling. "The Chinese side urges the British side to recognise the reality that Hong Kong has returned to China, to look at the Hong Kong national security law objectively and immediately correct its mistakes", China's embassy in London said on Thursday. The move comes amid a souring relationship between Britain and China, which has seen Westminster go back on its agreement to permit Chinese tech giant Huawei to help build its 5G network. Foreign Minister Dominic Raab announced on Monday that the UK would be suspending its extradition arrangements with Hong Kong "immediately and indefinitely". Britain also agreed this month to send its aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth to join US warships in the Pacific to partake in military exercises, which was met with fury from the Chinese government. Hong Kong was torn away from China by the British at the end of the First Opium War in 1842 and later obtained a 99-year lease in 1898, which would grant the territories back upon its expiration. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey and Greece exchanged harsh words on Saturday over the conversion of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia into a mosque, a day after Islamic prayers were held at the ancient site for the first time in nine decades. President Tayyip Erdogan, who attended Friday's ceremony that sealed his ambition to restore Muslim worship at Hagia Sophia, did not name Greece but said critics of the move were simply against Muslims and Turkey. Greek criticism of the move has been especially scathing, underlining tense ties between Greece and Turkey. Hagia Sophia was previously a museum and most Greeks view it as central to their Orthodox Christian religion: church bells tolled in mourning across Greece on Friday. "We see that the targets of those countries who have made so much noise in recent days are not Hagia Sophia or the eastern Mediterranean," Erdogan said in a televised speech. RELATED NEWS Greek Church Bells Ring Funeral Toll Over Sex Change Law "(Their targets) are the presence itself of the Turkish nation and Muslims in this region," he said. In a statement earlier on Saturday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said "Greece showed once again its enmity towards Islam and Turkey with the excuse of reacting to Hagia Sophia Mosque being opened to prayers". He strongly condemned hostile statements by the Greek government and parliament members and Turkish flag-burning in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. The Greek Foreign Ministry responded with its own statement, saying "the international community of the 21st century is stunned to observe the religious and nationalist fanatic ramblings of today's Turkey." On Friday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called Turkey a "troublemaker", and the conversion of the site an "affront to civilisation of the 21st century". Greece and Turkey disagree on a range of issues from airspace to maritime zones in the eastern Mediterranean and ethnically split Cyprus. New York police have released footage of a suspect they are seeking in connection with a knife attack in the East Village, which left Kelsey Grammer's daughter needing hospital treatment. The brief clip shows a bald black man in a white t-shirt and black shorts. He appears to be at the door to The Black Ant, the restaurant in the East Village. New York Police Department released footage of the man the want to speak to about the attack The man is seen apparently trying to enter The Black Ant restaurant in the East Village Spencer Grammer, 36, was dining with a male companion at The Blank Ant when an intoxicated male wandered onto the premises and demanded a table around 11.30pm. The man reportedly began arguing with employees when he was rebuffed, and the incident soon turned physical. Spencer - who is best known for voicing the character Summer Smith in the popular animated series Rick and Morty - then jumped in to try and diffuse the situation. At that point, the drunk man pulled out a knife and slashed her arm. Spencer's dinner date, Jan Phillip Mueller, was also injured after trying to pull the knifeman away. 'Everyone jumped out of their seats. About 15 people maybe. Everyone was trying to pull them apart, It looked like there was a full on brawl,' one eyewitness told The New York Post. The pair were taken to Bellevue Hospital where they were treated for their injuries before being released. 'My friend and I did what anyone else would do in the same situation,' said Spencer, in a statement to Us Weekly. 'Several others, predominantly women, were also attempting to prevent the altercation from escalating. 'I sustained a laceration on my arm, and my friend was stabbed in the back, but thankfully he suffered no serious internal injuries. We expect to recover quickly. 'We want to thank the first responders and the staff at Bellevue Hospital, who provided us with excellent care. They fought an incredible battle this year. It was very moving for us to have the opportunity to thank them in person.' Kelsey Grammer's actress daughter, Spencer (left) was taken hospital on Friday night Their attacker is still at large after fleeing from the scene. The NYPD said in a statement: 'On Friday, July 24, 2020 at approximately 2328 hours, in front of 60 2nd Ave, a 36-year-old female victim and a 32-year-old male attempted to break up a dispute between the unidentified male and other patrons at the location. 'During the altercation, the 36-year-old female victim was slashed in her forearm and the 32-year-old male was slashed in the back by the male with an unidentified sharp instrument. 'The male fled the location in an unknown direction. The victims were transported to NYC Health & Hospitals/Bellevue and treated for non-life threatening lacerations.' A group of mask-clad diners are seen outside The Black Ant shortly after the fight One witness recorded the aftermath of the incident and shared it online Another witness claimed the man used a 'pocket knife' to attack Spencer and her dinner date. The witness says the pair both suffered 'deep' wounds. Several NYPD squad cars were filmed on the scene shortly after the attack. Spencer has not yet publicly commented on the incident, but has turned Instagram account to private. The violent incident comes as New York City struggles with a shocking surge in violent crime after Mayor Bill de Blasio cut the NYPD budget by $1 billion. Last week, shootings were up of 253 percent in comparison to last year. Among those hit by bullets was a one-year-old boy in a stroller who was killed. For the month of June, murders were up 30 per cent year-on-year, while robberies rose 118 per cent. Spencer Grammer - who is mom to an eight-year-old son named Emmett - is reportedly enrolled as a film student at Columbia University on Manhattan's Upper West Side Spencer - who is mom to an eight-year-old son named Emmett - is reportedly enrolled as a film student at Columbia University on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The actress is the oldest of Kelsey's Grammer's seven children. Kelsey - who is best known for starring in Cheers and it's hit spin-off Frasier - has been married four times. In addition to Spencer, 65-year-old Kelsey is father to Kandace Greer, 28; Mason, 18; Jude, 15; Faith, eight; Kelsey, six; and Auden, three. Controversial former Central African Republic head of state Francois Bozize on Saturday announced he is running in the December presidential election, a high-risk vote in a country ravaged by civil war since his ouster in 2013. Activists of Bozize's Kwa Na Kwa (KNK) party have been meeting in Bangui since Friday and the announcement was widely expected. "The party congress has just designated me candidate of the Kwa Na Kwa for the next presidential election... I solemnly accept the mission you have entrusted me," he said in a speech that was also transmitted live on Facebook. Appealing for unity in a bitterly divided and lawless country where two-thirds of the territory is controlled by militia groups, he asked all political parties to back him, saying he was a candidate "for national reconciliation". He deplored the current "sombre and traumatic scenario" in the country, speaking of an "absence of democracy... the rise of tribalism" and "the total absence of state authority". Bozize returned from exile in Uganda last December. The veteran politician took power following a 2003 coup, before being overthrown himself 10 years later by Michel Djotodia, head of the mainly Muslim Seleka rebellion in the predominantly Christian country. Since then, the poor, landlocked country has spiralled further into bloodshed, marked by vicious intercommunal violence. "The many sufferings of the Central African people, as well as the call of the activists have pushed you to come back to the fold," said the KNK's secretary general, Bertin Bea, addressing Bozize earlier. France intervened militarily in its former colony from 2013 to 2016 to push out the Seleka, winding down the operation after Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected president. Touadera governs today with the support of a large UN peacekeeping operation with more than 13,000 troops and police. The government signed a peace deal in February 2019 with 14 armed groups, who typically claim to defend the interests of specific communities or religions. Violence has since generally receded, but there are still bloody flare-ups, typically sparked by fighting over resources. The fighting has forced nearly a quarter of the country's 4.7 million people to flee their homes. - UN sanctions - Bozize is still under sanctions by the United Nations for his role in the 2013 crisis, during which he is accused of supporting the Christian anti-Balaka militias. At the end of January, he said that "nothing" would prevent him from running as a candidate in the presidential election and that he would ask the UN to consider dropping the sanctions against him. Bozize will very likely run against the incumbent Touadera, whose candidacy has not yet been officially announced, even if observers regard it as a certainty. There have been flare-ups of violence between militias, who often exploit ethnic tensions. UN experts warned in mid-July that the "prospect of elections has provided armed groups with another reason to maintain and increase their territorial control". Their report pointed to an influx of foreign fighters, principally from Sudan, which shares a border with the northeast of the CAR and regularly sees inter-militia fighting. Charlie May, the 3-2 favourite, set a national seasons mark in the second of three $40,000 Ohio Sires Stakes (OHSS) for two-year-old pacing colts on a balmy Saturday night (July 25) at Northfield Park. The youngster clocked a mile in 1:53 for driver Danny Noble and trainer Steve Carter. Owned by breeder Don R. Tiger, the son of McArdle has amassed $115,000 in his brief career while undefeated in three starts. Hardt At Work was second at 4-5 odds for trainer-driver Mike Micallef, with 12-1 Jackie Moon getting up for third with Chris Page driving. Charlie May, a chocolate brown colt, won OHSS Leg One in 1:54.2 for these same connections with a similar pacesetting effort. Laughagain Hanover received a perfect steer by driver Peter Wrenn in the first OHSS contest, timed in 1:55. The son of McArdle is trained by Laura Searway for owners Cimaglio, Richardson and Gilmartin and also captured Leg One of this series on July 11 at Scioto Downs, when he stopped the timer in a career-best 1:54.3. Laughagain Hanover left the gate at 9-5 odds, finishing a length in front of 3-5 Home Team with Dcrockinmoondancer third at 9-1 odds. Laughagain now has $40,248 in earnings and is three for three lifetime. Im Sorry Man, the 8-1 choice, overcame the leading 2-5 favorite Odds On Pick Six to capture the third OHSS in 1:53.2. Driven by Kayne Kauffman for breeder-owner Matt Rowe, the Mr Apples gelding was third in OHSS Leg One but broke his maiden in this preliminary, upping his career earnings to $42,800. Big Money Mike, at 9-1 in the wagering, was third for Ronnie Wrenn, Jr. (Ohio Sires Stakes) It has been a roller coaster ride for Kanye West and Kim Kardashian the past week. After the "Jesus Is King" hitmaker had so much to insulting things to say about his wife and his mother-in-law Kris Jenner, it has been said that the momager is genuinely concerned about the impact on their brand if Kanye would continue to run for presidency. The 64-year-old mom and the 39-year-old billionaire have not only been embroiled with the entire Kanye debacle; the past few months, most of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters have seen themselves in headlines. This included the youngest daughter, Kylie Jenner, who was stripped off of her billionaire status after it was claimed that the reality star lied about her wealth and taxes. According to reports, the Kardashian-Jenner clan was surprised when Kanye West announced he is running for office in the 2020 Presidential Election. With that said, sources have suggested that the entire family is concerned for Kanye for the presidential bid and bipolar disorder and erratic behavior. It could damage the Kardashian brand name. An insider close to the Kardashian told The Sun on Sunday, "Kris is fuming that he's gone ahead with the presidential bid on his own." "They had a huge row ahead of him fleeing his wife and family," the added, "The family is concerned that their business and brand endorsement could come tumbling down." On July 25, Kanye West had sent out a tweet apologizing to Kim Kardashian, and acknowledging his head hurt her. The 43-year-old rapper asked her for forgiveness and thanked her for "always being there" for him. Though it was unclear what he was apologizing for last week, he posted tweets, including allegations against his family, claiming that the KKW Beauty mogul tried to lock him up and that he wanted a divorce. In Kim Kardashian's defense, she also took social media, admitting she felt "powerless" and reminded the fans that her husband has bipolar disorder. Kanye West's apology came after his special visit from Justin Bieber. The 26-year-old was pictured in a relaxing chair while speaking to the Grammy-winning musician at Kanye's Wyoming ranch. Hailey Bieber was also there. It is believed that Bieber has turned into a marriage counselor to mend the six-year marriage of the couple, at the request of Kim's older sister, Kourtney Kardashian, as "she thinks Justin will be a positive influence on him." A source revealed, "Justin has been through his own very public breakdown, and he wants to help Kanye as much as he can." Friday was supposed to be the day Kanye West would release his new album "DONDA," but there was no sign of it in any streaming platforms. The next day, the "Famous" hitmaker was seen in the hospital. In a report by TMZ, Kanye West entered the ER door of the hospital in Cody, where he stayed for around 10 minutes before leaving. However, it was confirmed by The Daily Mail that the artist was visiting a friend at the hospital. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian was spotted for the first time in public after Kanye West's outburst. She and their kids, North, Chicago, Saint, and Psalm, have remained in Los Angeles, as they were recently seen filming scenes for "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." READ MORE: 'Arrogant' Ellen DeGeneres Will Not Renew Her Contract Out of PITY for Other Shows? The United States (US) and China are the worlds two superpowers and they can barely stand each other. Senior US officials have given four speeches explaining why their government feels it is no longer possible to do business-as-usual with China. The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, gave the last one, adding a call for other democracies to recognise the nature of the threat, and suggesting that perhaps an alliance of democracies was the need of the hour, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Earlier, the US national security adviser, attorney general and head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation gave expositions on elements of Beijings designs for hegemony. The statements portrayed present-day China as a powerful entity, controlled by a malevolent leader, Xi Jinping, and a communist party, whose ideology of control and repression was being offered as a template for governance. China, they argued, seeks to extend its technology-enhanced thought control beyond its own borders. Mr Pompeo pointed to Beijings overseas behaviour treating treaties as suggestions, violating every possible economic norm, disrespecting territorial norms as predatory and unprecedented. Friction between a rising power and a status quo power is basic international relations theory. The US argument is that China has become a major global player by working within an international order of which it is a primary beneficiary. Instead of seeking to embrace this order, Mr Xi has taken China down a darker path in which his own people have been the first victims and the rest of the world could be next. Mr Pompeo admits containment is no longer possible, but if like-minded nations push back concertedly, China can still be kept at bay. This will be music to New Delhis ears. Few governments have consistently had as unblinkered a view of China as New Delhi. Mr Pompeo now calls for others to practise this, but India has long insisted on reciprocity and transparency from China. In the past, India preferred not to raise its concerns in the international arena because its views of the Middle Kingdom were seen as petulance, including by Washington. But New Delhi should still wait to see if these speeches represent a new US consensus. Strikingly, the new Trump doctrine was laid out by everyone except the president. And the other candidate for the Oval Office, while agreeing China is a competitor, believes he can still do business with it. The US policy remains a work-in-progress. Whilst it may not be a huge deal, we thought it was good to see that the WH Ireland Group plc (LON:WHI) Non Executive Chairman, Philip Shelley, recently bought UK75k worth of stock, for UK0.40 per share. That purchase might not be huge but it did increase their holding by 25%. See our latest analysis for WH Ireland Group The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At WH Ireland Group In fact, the recent purchase by Non Executive Chairman Philip Shelley was not their only acquisition of WH Ireland Group shares this year. Earlier in the year, they paid UK0.50 per share in a UK205k purchase. That means that even when the share price was higher than UK0.41 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. WH Ireland Group insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. They paid about UK0.41 on average. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by 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! There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Insider Ownership of WH Ireland Group I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From our data, it seems that WH Ireland Group insiders own 6.8% of the company, worth about UK1.3m. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing! Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At WH Ireland Group Tell Us? It is good to see recent purchasing. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But on the other hand, the company made a loss during the last year, which makes us a little cautious. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that WH Ireland Group insiders are expecting a bright future. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. At Simply Wall St, we've found that WH Ireland Group has 4 warning signs (2 are a bit unpleasant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. 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. Karnataka forest minister Anand Singh tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday. Minister's son-in-law Sandeep Singh confirmed it and said he has been home-quarantined and the doctors are treating him at home. It is not known who have contracted the virus from him, he told. For latest updates on Coronavirus outbreak, click here A few days back, the car driver of the minister had tested positive for Covid-19. Old house of the minister located at Ranipet here was sealed down and he was quarantined at his bungalow off the ring road. A week ago, the minister held a meeting which was attended by doctors, hotel owners, the officials and journalists. Hence, they have been advised to undergo Covid-19 test, said a Government hospital doctor. Peer-to-Peer lender Linked Finance and other non-bank lenders will seek to be included in the state's 2bn credit guarantee scheme. Niall Dorrian, chief executive of Linked Finance, said that the scheme had been mis-characterised as a pillar bank solution. "The non-bank sector has to play a critical role in the deployment of these supports. The UK has approved 96 finance providers to help emergency lending, emergency funding," said Dorrian. "We cannot rely on three banks to do that and it would be foolhardy to do so," he added. He said that Linked Finance, which deployed 43m to SMEs last year, had already been in discussions regarding the scheme. "We are confident that the non-bank sector will have a role in delivering the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme, and expect the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland to seek expressions of interest in this regard soon," Dorrian told the Sunday Independent. Linked Finance said it had worked closely with its borrowers since the crisis hit to help them address difficulties, for example giving an automatic payment break for all borrowers in the hospitality sector. It has also introduced a new deferred start loan that allows SMEs to borrow up to 100,000 for 15 months but with no capital or interest payments in the first three months of the loan. Dorrian said that Linked Finance has ambitions to grow the business by expanding into Europe in the coming years. He said that SME lending would enjoy further innovations, including faster turnaround times on decisions. EDMONTON - Suncor Energy Inc. is facing seven environmental charges for an incident alleged to have occurred two years ago at its refinery in Stratchona county, Alberta. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/7/2020 (542 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Suncor logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 2, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh EDMONTON - Suncor Energy Inc. is facing seven environmental charges for an incident alleged to have occurred two years ago at its refinery in Stratchona county, Alberta. The Alberta government says in a news release the company faces five charges for contravening a term or condition of an approval relating to the July 2018 incident. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. It says the company is also charged with releasing a substance into the environment that may cause an adverse effect and failing to report the release in a timely manner. The government did not provide detailed allegations about which substance was released or which conditions the company contravened. Suncor Energy could not immediately be reached for comment. The company is scheduled to appear in court July 29. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:SU) House votes QUELLING INSURRECTIONS: The House has approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, to the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 6395). The amendment would require presidential certification to Congress of the inability of a state to suppress insurrections in order for the president to invoke Insurrection Act authority to deploy active-duty members of the military in response to civil unrest. Escobar said the certification requirement can ensure that Insurrection Act authority, when used, is consistent with our history of preserving peace and civil rights in America. An opponent, Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., said it would hinder and delay needed action to preserve domestic peace, and diminish the ability to effectively counter unrest. The vote, on July 20, was 215 yeas to 190 nays. Syria has been at war since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising and because of that over a third of the population has fled the country, including a growing number of people belonging to the Syrian government. That has created a bonanza for intelligence agencies, who can pay for secrets of the highly secretive Assad clan that has ruled Syria since the 1960s. Some of these secrets are headed for books while others will be locked away by foreign intel agencies. Some have become public and one of the more interesting collections are about the Syrian Branch 211, a division of the Military Intelligence Division that was responsible for uncovering Israeli electronic devices hidden in furniture, concrete, artificial rocks and many other unlikely locations. Syria has long been a prime target for Israeli espionage and remains so today. Knowing who to spy on is just as important as teaching your case officers how to spy. Sometimes deciding who to keeps tabs on, or steal information from, can mean the difference between a successful operation and a ruined reputation that makes others unwilling to work with you. Depending on the country and the circumstances, it is sometimes easy for a nation to decide who they should be spying on and stealing secrets from. Warfare between actual nations often makes the spy game less murky. When two nations go to war, they both spy on each other to get an edge on the battlefield, figure out what the other is thinking, and obtain information on each other's weapons, tactics, and logistics matters. Israel was, and to some degree still is, in this position prior to the Six Day War in 1967. Israel, surrounded by hostile states and facing what it thought was imminent attack, was able to win, in large part, because of their massive network of informants and spies in Arab countries. Information gained from those spies, recruited by the Mossad and Military Intelligence (AMAN), made the difference. Back in the 1960s Israel was technically at war with every neighboring country and several others in the region. That meant Israel's intelligence mission was simple and straightforward: know everything there is to know about how Arab militaries work. While the Egyptian and Syrian secret services spied on their own people, Israel's leaders knew more about Arab military capabilities than the Arabs themselves. One such spy, Eli Cohen, was so effective at infiltrating and gaining the trust of the Syrian government that he was given a tour of the Syrian fortifications on the Golan Heights. The helped make it possible for attacking Israeli forces to quickly destroy these elaborate and well-hidden fortifications during the 1967 war. Cohen gained so much trust and confidence in Syria that he was offered a senior job in the Syrian Ministry of Defense. The Assads and their Baath Party associates were particularly paranoid, which is one reason an Assad took control of Syria in 1970 and a son of that Assad is still running Syria. Eli Cohen was caught by Syrian intelligence in 1965 because the Syrians were obsessed with the belief that Israeli had agents in Syria. With the help of Russian electronic detection equipment, operated by Russian experts, the Syrian spy hunters found clues. Cohen used a very clever system for his wireless transmissions to Israel but the Syrians eventually figured out how it worked. Cohen was executed and the Syrians kept looking, and finding evidence of Israeli espionage. Not so much spies as electronic devices operating from Israel and often using hidden transmitters in Syria. This was even more disturbing as it indicated Israel still had the capability of planting well-hidden spying devices throughout Syria. Dealing with this is what Branch 211 was created for. The latest disclosures come from a Syrian who was apparently familiar with Branch 211 activities from the 1990s until quite recently. One thing about Branch 211 was that they rarely made public what Israeli devices they had found. While there would have been some good publicity for Branch 211, Syria noted that revelations would also reveal how vulnerable Syria was. Any evidence of Israeli espionage must be kept secret. The recent revelations go back to 1995, when a shepherd outside Damascus reported coming upon some cables buried in the ground. Branch 211 investigated and found that the Israelis had set up a surveillance camera near a ballistic missile launch facility. Branch 211 estimated the surveillance system had been operational for at least five years and regularly transmitted photos back to Israel while someone got to the site regularly enough to change the batteries. In 2001 a regular Branch 211 sweep of offices occupied by senior officials stumbled on an electronic listening device built into solid wood components of a desk. The device recorded audio for ten days and then transmitted that at 2 AM to an Israeli satellite. The listening device turned out to be German as was the expensive furniture. In 2004 army patrols near a military airport were told to randomly open telecommunication inspection boxes and report if they found anything unusual. This was a hassle but the troops obeyed. One patrol found a listening and recording device that had been operational for up to three years, recording communications between two major Syrian airbases. In 2008 Branch 211 discovered an Israeli eavesdropping system in the headquarters of a combat brigade. The system was installed when the brigade headquarters building was under construction and thus difficult to detect. One listening device was found in the ceiling of the brigade commanders office and had been there for several years. More intense inspections of other recently built structures found more such devices. The more recent ones were much more difficult to detect and Branch 211 was criticized for not detecting the installation of these devices during construction of these buildings. Often these devices had been placed in newly poured concrete. Some of these devices may have been found during the first five years of the current civil war, when government forces were losing and many of their headquarters and government buildings were blown apart. What worries Branch 211 is how many devices they have not detected. The Syrians know that the Israelis were constantly coming up with new clandestine listening device ideas. For example, in early 2014 some UN peacekeepers patrolling the Israel-Lebanese border discovered what appeared to be an Israeli (it had Hebrew text on it) electronic device. It was hidden, but not well enough. It was unclear if the device was on the Israeli or Lebanese side so the UN notified the Lebanese and Israelis to come help sort this out. Lebanese troops arrived first and went to get the device. But then the Israelis showed up and threatened to open fire if the Lebanese did not pull back. All sides conferred and it was agreed that a few Israeli troops would move forward to remove the device, a process the Lebanese could observe through binoculars. By the end of the day it had still not been determined (to everyones satisfaction) if the device was on the Israeli side of the border. The UN patrols a zone along the border to prevent clashes and the Israelis have long been known to hide monitoring devices on their side to keep an eye on who is doing what. Most of these devices, especially those close to the border, are hidden in order to prevent their discovery and destruction (or capture if on the Lebanese side). Most are not discovered, but enough are to make the Lebanese angry and Islamic terrorists operating along the border nervous. This is especially the case with Hezbollah, the Iranian supported Shia group that is the largest Islamic terrorist group in the region. Iran has also been an ally of the Assads since the 1980s, which means the Iranians have been active in Syria (with Branch 211) and Lebanon (with Hezbollah) seeking new Israeli espionage devices. Sometimes this zeal turns into unintentional comedy. In 2013 Hezbollah reported that they had captured an Israeli spy. The enemy agent was an eagle with a miniature tracking device attached. The device was electronic and it was attached in Israel. It was a commonly used device for tracking some types of animals, especially rare bird species, the better to understand how these animals live and how to keep them from going extinct. But in Middle Eastern nations there is a tendency to see such things as something more, especially if the markings on them are in English or Hebrew. Naturally that means American, British and Israeli spies are involved, not scientific research into animal behavior. This sort of thing has happened frequently in the last few years. Its not always birds. In 2010 the Egyptians accused Israel of training sharks to attack Arabs. Tagged vultures have been accused twice, first in 2011 in Saudi Arabia and then in 2012 in Egypt (where a stork was also accused). Its not just the Arabs, in Turkey a kestrel was captured and x-rayed to ensure it was not carrying Israeli espionage equipment. Such suspicions are not completely unfounded, although inanimate objects are preferred to unpredictable and highly mobile animals. In 2012 Iran reported that security troops outside a new underground nuclear enrichment plant went to investigate a suspicious looking rock and the rock exploded. Later investigation revealed that the rock was indeed fake rock containing an electronic device that was apparently monitoring activity around the nuclear facility (that enriched uranium sufficiently for use in a bomb) and transmitting it, via satellite, back to somewhere. The rock was also rigged to self-destruct if anyone got close. The usual suspects for such a ploy were the Americans (who have been using the fake rocks thing for decades) and the Israelis (who gave been caught using them quite a lot in Lebanon). As for the exploding rocks, details on stuff like that is rarely released and then usually after the item in question is retired. Israel will sometimes go to great lengths to destroy these devices when they are found. In late 2009 some Lebanese found an Israeli electronic sensor on their side of the border. The Israelis soon became aware of this, and destroyed the device from the air with a missile, or internal explosives. There are conflicting reports. But Hezbollah fighters showed up shortly thereafter, and searched the area. They found another such device, and blew it up. It's believed these devices were for tapping into telephone conversations. The Lebanese believes that some, or all, of these devices were equipped with explosives, to self-destruct (or be detonated remotely from Israel) if discovered or tampered with. Since Lebanon arrested dozens of Israeli agents in 2009, with the help of Iranian intelligence operatives, Israel has apparently increased their use of electronic sensors. These detect movement, sound or electronic transmissions. Many are buried, or otherwise disguised to make detection difficult. Hezbollah has become aware of these devices, and offers rewards for those who find them. Hunting for Israeli sensors has become a popular activity along the border. Russia was known to have adopted this "intelligent rock" technology after the 1960s, and is still using it. China probably has it as well and someone is using it in Iran. There has been some interest in planting bugs on animals but further research found that the animals movement were too unpredictable to be useful. Efforts to miniaturize sensors and transmitters for use on mechanical insects is still stalled by technology that is not quite ready to go yet. So Arab paranoia regarding monitoring devices hidden in animals (real or artificial) is not totally unfounded, but somewhat premature. In addition to voting in the mayoral primary election, Flagstaff voters are weighing in on two propositions on the August ballot. Dealing with the citys natural gas utility and how much the city is allowed to spend in a single year, the two propositions are somewhat tedious but important. Proposition 434 asks voters to re-approve UniSource Energy Services to provide the natural gas used by residents to heat their homes, water and cook. The franchise, which currently expires in October, gives UniSource the right to construct and maintain gas projects throughout the city and provide natural gas to residents for a period of 25 years. As part of that agreement, UniSource would also continue to pay a 2% franchise fee to the city. In March, city attorney Anja Wendel told Flagstaff City Council the 2% fee is fairly standard for such an agreement in Arizona. For example, the city also charges Arizona Public Service a 2% fee for allowing them to provide electrical services in Flagstaff. On average, that fee brings the city about $430,000 a year, Wendel told the council. But not everyone thinks that fee is enough. Last week, several local environmental activists encouraged voters on social media and in a letter to the editor in the Arizona Daily Sun to vote "no" on the proposition so the city could negotiate a fee increase. In their letter, the activists proposed a fee of 4% with the additional dollars going to fund the implementation of the citys Climate Change Action and Adaptation Plan. Opportunities to creatively fund climate action dont come around very often. The CAAP is an amazing plan, but we have to find creative ways to fund it, said Dara Marks Marino, who previously sat on the citys Sustainability Commission and was one of the several activists behind the vote no effort. Even if the city goes back to the table with UniSource and is unable to negotiate a higher fee, Marks Marino said she thinks it is important to try. Marks Marino said she also takes issue with the 25-year term of the current agreement. She said the proposition ignores the recent commitment by the city council to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. And the activists' proposal to vote no may have gained some steam. The Coconino County Democratic Party also advised voters to vote against renewing the UniSource franchise and referenced the activists' letter. But during an online event last week, both Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans and Vice Mayor Adam Shimoni cautioned voters about a no vote. Evans pointed out that while the franchise fee is levied against UniSource, it is paid for by the residents and users of those gas services. And Evans encouraged voters to look at that line item on their gas bill. All that means is if the franchise fee is increased, it would land on residents to pay for it, Evans said. Shimoni echoed the mayor's message. If we did raise that fee to 3% or 4%, that fee is going to go straight on to the population, the working class of Flagstaff who [] are already struggling, Shimoni said. (But) I totally get the will and the drive to establish more funding sources to fund our climate action and adaptation plan and sustainability here in Flagstaff. If voters did not approve the measure, UniSource would then be operating in Flagstaff outside of an agreement with the city, said city spokesperson Jessica Drum in an email. In that case, the state or a court may weigh in to ensure essential utilities are still able to reach homes. In March, Wendel also suggested the mayor could declare a state of emergency in that instance. Wendel added neither she nor UniSource has seen a city vote to discontinue natural gas services. Expenditure limit Proposition 435 asks voters to approve a $4 million increase to how much the city is allowed to spend each year. Approving the increase would not raise taxes; rather, it would enable the city to spend money it it is already bringing in. That includes money brought in through voter-approved taxes that are often used to pay for large city infrastructure projects. And that is one reason the limit may need to be increased, said city finance director Brandi Suda at a digital town hall last week. As the city collects taxes and uses that money for large public works projects, the city gets closer to reaching that expenditure limit. Future projects such as the Butler Avenue to Route 66 bridge project that voters approved in 2018 and expenses like the public safety pension fund threaten to put the city over that limit, Suda said. Voters have approved increasing the expenditure limit twice before, once in 1988 and again in 2006. If the city exceeds the amount of money it is allowed to spend by the limitation in a year, the state will then withhold shared sales tax from the city. Updated for correction at 4:19 p.m. on July 29. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 9 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Spurning free air tickets, accommodation and higher pay, millions of migrant workers who fled India's cities when coronavirus hit are too scared to return, with grim implications for the already crumbling economy. Migrant labourers form the backbone of Asia's third-biggest economy toiling in every sector from making consumer goods and stitching garments to driving cabs. But when India went into lockdown in late March, vast numbers lost their jobs, prompting a huge heart-rending exodus back to their home villages, sometimes on foot, their children in their arms. Some died on the way. Mumbai's swanky high-rises, for example, were built and largely staffed by people from poorer states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, who worked as security guards, cooks and cleaners. But as the city became a virus hotspot, around 80% of construction workers left the financial hub after work came to a standstill, according to the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry. Four months on, with lockdown measures eased, some workers have trickled back but more than 10,000 building sites are lying virtually abandoned due to severe labour shortages across the city. "We are trying our best to bring back migrant workers, even going to the extent of giving them air tickets, COVID-19 health insurance ... (and) weekly checkups by doctors," real estate developer Rajesh Prajapati said. "But it has not reaped any positive signs yet," he told AFP. Property giant Hiranandani Group which -- unusually -- continued to pay its workers during lockdown, has had more success, but has still only managed to convince around 30% of its 4,500 workers to stay on site. "We looked after them, took care of their food, safety and sanitisation and even had mobile creches for kids," the group's billionaire co-founder Niranjan Hiranandani told AFP. 'Double whammy' With a colossal slump in growth expected, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has steadily eased restrictions on many businesses even as coronavirus cases surge towards 1.5 million. But analysts say firms are still staring at a bleak future due to battered finances, stalled projects and crucially, a lack of workers. Real estate demand has plummeted by almost 90 percent in Mumbai alone, with falling sales and the lull in construction severely affecting access to credit. "We have a double whammy with the pandemic eroding demand while construction workers are not available," Pankaj Kapoor, CEO of Mumbai-based consultancy Liases Foras, told AFP. "Credit flow from the lender has (also) stopped because... credit disbursal is based on construction progress and sales," he said, projecting the turmoil to deepen. Business owners in other fields paint an equally grim picture. Aseem Kumar, general secretary of the Garment Exporters Association of Rajasthan, told AFP his sector was "in a mess". The organisation represents 300 manufacturers exporting clothing to Japan, the United States and Europe. Many have offered workers accommodation, insurance and a 20% raise, but to little avail. "Most of the orders have been deferred to next season as there are no labourers available," he said. 'Starve to death' A lack of transport means that even those who are willing to swallow their fear and return to work -- many are desperate to do so -- are unable to. Construction worker Shambu told AFP his family of four was on the brink of destitution after he fled Mumbai, reduced to living on 200 ($2.70) a week. Unlike his compatriots, the 27-year-old, who goes by one name only, was able to travel by rail to Odisha -- a possibility that is now firmly out of reach because most trains are not running. "Almost 50 percent of people I know are ready to return if trains are restarted," he said. "It is better to go to big cities and work than sit in villages and starve to death." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Inter-ministerial consultations have begun for unlock 3, which is likely to be notified from August 1. News18 has learnt that suggestions have been made to Ministry of Home Affairs to allow further relaxations in phase 3 of unlock. Officials in Ministry of information and broadcasting told News18 that opening up of cinema halls has been proposed. "Yes, a proposal has been sent. The final decision will be that of MHA," an official said. I&B ministry consulted cinema owners before proposing opening up of halls with 25% seating capacity. Nikilesh Surya, Executive director, Rohini Silverscreens, Chennai said that if the final decision also allows only 25% seating, it will be problem for theater owners. "Opening with 25% seating will not be of much help. Even at 50% operational costs would have been more. But at least a beginning would be made," he said. Cinema owners have argued that film watching can be made a safe experience by maintaining social distancing between seats, having longer intervals between shows to sanitise theater and discourage queues at refreshment counters. Concern, however, remains about the air-conditioning inside theater contributing to circulation of infected air if even one person is corona positive. The same concern has been expressed for Gymnasiums too. However, the MHA in unlock 3 could allow limited operation by gyms. Fixed batch timings, sanitisation of equipment and limited number of people present at one time have been proposed. Since medical opinion differs on wearing a mask and exercising, this too has been a concern in the past when gyms were not allowed to open in unlock 1 and 2. Officials said that metro services and schools could also take time to resume. But the final decision even for cinema and gyms will be taken by state governments. Even if MHA allows lifting of further restrictions in unlock 3 notification, states will be given the freedom to continue with restrictions in the interest of public health. Many states have brought back lockdown even though center is moving towards third phase of unlocking. Nusaned Investment, owned by Sabic and has a mandate to invest in industrial SMEs to increase local content in Saudi Arabia, has signed a deal with Suhul Alkhalej for Industrial Development and Investment Company (Suhul Alkhalej). The new venture will own and operate a factory to manufacture wood-plastic composite (WPC) profiles for decking and cladding, WPC sheets, WPC doors and unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) profiles for windows and doors, said a statement. The deal between Nusaned Investment, through Nusaned Fund managed by Albilad Capital, and Suhul Alkhalej factory will use eco-friendly compounds using Sabic raw materials, making the products more energy efficient than the traditional construction materials delivering Chemistry that Matters, said the statement. The new venture fulfills Nusaned Investments mandate of investing in industrial SMEs in the kingdom. It contributes to local content initiatives and business growth through export opportunities, all of which serve the economic diversification objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, said Faisal Al-Bahair, VP, Local Content & Business Development Unit and CEO of Nusaned Investment. The venture will be using polymers products as raw materials promoting sustainability and downstream initiatives. The manufactured products are also a good fit to Sabics Home of innovation portfolio, he added. This is the second transaction of Nusaned Investment. Earlier, Nusaned Investment and Schmid Group in June 2020 announced their successful JV transaction focusing on manufacturing and technology development in the field of Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFB) after receiving all required regulatory approvals and satisfying all closing conditions. The agreement to establish the Advance Energy Storage System Investment Company, the JV, was signed and announced in May 2019. - TradeArabia News Service The Book of Negroes is relevant now more than ever as the fight for Black rights takes centre stage The Book of Negroes is coming back to a TV screen near you. The six-part miniseries, based on author Lawrence Hill's best-selling and award-winning novel, first aired on CBC back in 2015 to great acclaim from critics and audiences alike. It tells the story of a West African-born woman named Aminata Diallo who is kidnapped as a child and forced into slavery in South Carolina. Diallo eventually helps the British in the American Revolutionary War, getting her name in a book kept by British naval officers. She eventually makes her way to Nova Scotia, and through her eyes, viewers relive the earliest chapter of the Black experience in Canada. Joe Alblas, Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Pictures But what does this lavishly shot and passionately portrayed piece of fiction have to offer audiences now, in 2020? With protesters in cities in Canada, the United States and around the world calling for an end to systemic racism sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 what makes this little-known chapter of our history relevant? Series director Clement Virgo and members of the cast sat down with CBC's Asha Tomlinson for a roundtable discussion to answer this question. Aunjanue Ellis's searing portrayal of Diallo won her best actress honours at the Canadian Screen Awards in 2016. Joe Alblas, Conquering Lion Pictures, Out of Africa Pictures For Ellis, there is a direct line between the history she helps depict on the series and what has unfolded in the wake of Floyd's killing. "I'm still in the throes of it. It will take me several months perhaps years for me to have some clear words about what that did to me, she said. "But I know what it did to my body, I know what it did to my soul. I'm interested now in what it's going to do to my mind.... I shamelessly say that The Book of Negroes is a seed for that ... because Lawrence Hill wrote that not knowing that he had George Floyd in those words that he was writing." WATCH | Aunjanue Ellis discusses her feelings about the killing of George Floyd: Story continues For Beverly Bain, a professor of women and gender studies at the University of Toronto, a big part of the power of The Book of Negroes is the fact that it has a Black female protagonist. Bain said it's a reminder of the role Black women have always played in anti-racism work. "That is the history of Black women," she said. "We continue to be the voice of the resistance to anti-Black racism. It reflects the fact that women have always been the leaders standing up for both Black women and Black men." Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press Canadian actor Shailyn Pierre-Dixon was just 11 when she played the role of Aminata as a child. Now 17, she said being cast in The Book of Negroes has helped her navigate being a young Black woman in the current push for social change. Pierre-Dixon said she learned little to nothing about the history of slavery in Canada in school. "It's only because before filming I'd read the book that I was able to really immerse myself in a little bit of education on this type of topic," she said. "I was never really noticing different types of micro-aggression being able to identify these instances before being a part of The Book of Negroes, which is why I think as a young person, it's really important for us to put this type of film out." WATCH | Shailyn Pierre-Dixon on the lack of Black history lessons in schools: The miniseries also stars a legend of stage, screen and television, Louis Gossett Jr. He plays Daddy Moses, a father figure to Aminata Diallo as she tries to build a life in Nova Scotia. To an earlier generation of activists, he was known, among other performances, for his role as Fiddler in Roots another iconic story, written by Alex Haley, about the history and legacy of slavery that aired as a miniseries in 1977. The Book of Negroes, he said, is this generation's Roots. "It's time for people to know all the stories about us, to get a picture of who we really are, as some of the stories about us have been taken out of our history books," Gossett said. "Everybody needs to know about everybody. Our children need to know who they are so they can represent themselves properly." WATCH | Louis Gossett Jr. on spreading knowledge of Black history: The U of T's Bain cautions that while it's important to know our true history, especially in times of turmoil, it's not enough. "Too often history is seen as the past. This is the continuation of the past," she said. "What we see in books and in the show is still reflected in today's practices, both at institutional and everyday levels." Learning about the history of slavery, Bain said, has to be accompanied by what she calls "a simultaneous call for a change to the structures that continue to bear down on Black bodies, such as the police." As for Lawrence Hill, who combined his research with his imagination to create The Book of Negroes, knowing history and how it can inform the future is important. Lisa Sakulensky Photography But perhaps the most important takeaway from the miniseries today is empathy. "Hopefully it peels back the layers and allows us to see a real person ... imaginary but sort of a real person," Hill told CBC's Asha Tomlinson. "And it might inspire people today to imagine that there are real people behind this Black Lives [Matter] movement, real people who are getting shot and killed and choked to death in this country and in the United States and other parts of the world. Real people who are suffering and whose humanity needs to be recognized today." China seizes children from Christian parents, threatens to send kids to re-education camps Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A member of Chinas Early Rain Covenant Church says the Chinese Communist Party continues to persecute members of the church by threatening to send their children to government re-education camps or forcibly remove adopted children from their parents. In a video released Wednesday alongside a new report by International Christian Concern, Liao Qiang, a member of ERCC in Chengdu, said that despite shuttering the church and jailing Pastor Wang Yi in December of 2018, the CCP continues to harass its members. Qiang said in the video accompanying ICC's new report on Religious Suppression in China that his family was forced to leave China and flee to Taiwan with his extended family because the Chinese Communist Party is limitless in its persecution. They not only threatened us, normal adult, normal church members, but they threatened our children," Qiang said. "Some of our members have adopted children, and CPC forcibly sent the adoptive children back to the original family. That is the main reason why we fled China. Because we can't guarantee our adopted child would not be taken away by them." Communist officials removed four adopted children from one ERCC family, returned them to their biological parents and eventually dispersed them among other homes, Qiang said. "This is a living tragedy," Qiang said. "Their constant oppression made me feel we must flee China, because our children are most important to us." An earlier report from ICC documented authorities' forced removal of children from the home of church members Pei Wenju and Jing Jianan. CCP officials told them their adoption papers were no longer valid because their children were trapped by an evil religion. In addition to seizing children from their Christian parents, the CCP also threatened to send Christian children to government re-education camps and ordered parents to refrain from enrolling their children in church schools, Qiang said. Qiang called on U.S. media to report on the oppression of religious minorities occurring across China. Transparency, he said, is one of the communist regime's greatest threats. "The biggest help is to report the persecution. Report it fairly. We aren't saying the U.S. government should put pressure on the Chinese government. This isn't what we hope for," Qiang said. "What CPC is most afraid of is being exposed. They are afraid of transparency. We don't want the government or the public to pressure CPC. Because under such circumstances, CPC will definitely intensify religious persecution. The worse China-U.S. relations get, the more CPC persecutes Christians." According to Qiang, China continues to persecute Christians to gain leverage in future diplomatic relations with the U.S. He added that the CCP "makes you think that they are willing to compromise, because they know Americans care about freedom of religion. If China makes a concession in religious freedom, then U.S. should compromise in trade. It's CPC who politicizes religious freedom, not Christians, he stressed. Gina Goh, ICC's regional manager for Southeast Asia and the author of the report, explained that Christians like Qiang are hesitant to ask the U.S. for intervention because doing so would likely invite further governmental persecution. "Even receiving interviews in Taiwan, [Qiang's] family was harassed by the government," she said, according to Baptist Press. "You can imagine if they stand out and say, 'We want the U.S. government to do something for us,' that would probably invite more persecution. But I don't think that contradicts with other people's efforts to try to do things on behalf of them. "I think that's all the more reason for us to actually speak on behalf of them, because they are not in a position to openly condemn or actually invite sanctions or punishment upon their government." The ICC report documents how the CCP routinely targets Christians through its legal framework, Sinicization, closure or demolition of churches or places of worship, arresting of Christians, and social pressure. Such persecution is part of Chinese President Xi Jinpings efforts to stamp out religion and enforce greater control over people's lives. "With the intensified crackdown against churches, both state-sanctioned and underground, there is no longer a safe place to be a Christian in China," Goh wrote in the report. She said that while "almost every province in China has seen Christian persecution on the rise" Henan and Anhui provinces in particular "have a high percentage of Christians," and have seen active "cross demolition campaigns." "Thousands of crosses have been removed since 2018, with some churches leveled to the ground," Goh wrote. "Deteriorating Sino-U.S. relations could further encourage crackdown against churches in 2020." Still, the report includes a note of optimism, noting that history has shown that Beijings attempt to control religion with a growing number of unlawful regulations will prove unsuccessful. Like Christianity in North Korea, persecution may force believers underground, but it can never eradicate the faith itself. On Thursday, Save the Persecuted Christians, a leading international human rights advocacy group, delivered an open letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr asking him to designate the CCP as a transnational criminal organization, which the FBI defines as posing a significant and growing threat to national and international security with dire implications for public safety, public health, democratic institutions, and economic stability across the globe. For far too long, the world blindly ignored the menacing criminality of the Chinese Communist Party, said Liz Yore, founder of YoreChildren and partner of Save the Persecuted Christians. The Trump Administration is rightly taking a tough stance against the unrelenting corruption and repression of the CCP. It is time that we speak the truth and call out the CCP in all its brutality. The CCP is a transnational criminal organization, and the Trump Administration needs to designate it as such, so that the full prosecutorial power of the federal government can outlaw these global gangsters. As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised, we wont stay still while Communist China tries to crush the worlds freedoms. Open Doors USA ranks China at No. 23 on its 2020 World Watch List of the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians. Sonu Sood has been labeled a 'messiah for migrants' since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent lockdown in India as he has left no stones unturned in assisting the distressed daily wage earners across the country. Not only the migrant laborers but also students stranded away from their hometowns have found a savior in Sonu Sood. His noble endeavors have been lauded by celebrated personalities across the country. The 46-year-old actor has been updating details of his work on his social media account and has revealed that he will be arranging for a flight from Bishkek in Kyrgystan to New Delhi on Monday, July 27. Sood has previously helped students stuck at Kyrgystan by arranging flights to Varanasi and Vizag on different days. Dear students of Kyrgyzstan, Your flight @flyspicejet from Bishkek - Delhi for 27 July 2 PM is the departure from Bishkek and 5PM is the arrival at Delhi..sending the link to you guys now so please send me your details asap .India is all set to welcome you all. Jai Hind sonu sood (@SonuSood) July 25, 2020 Read | Sonu Sood steps in to help man who sold his cow to purchase smartphone for kids' classes Sonu had started his mission to send migrants home during the lockdown by arranging numerous buses in March. Later, as trains and flights resumed, he sent multiple sets of people home through these modes of travel. He also donated 25,000 face shields to Maharashtra Police recently, apart from launching a platform for migrants to search jobs. Read | Jacqueline calls Bollywood 'most beautiful fraud', Sonu Sood has a message for outsiders Training school with Pune's 'Warrior Aajji' Earlier this week, the Dabangg actor also expressed his desire to open a training school especially for women where they could learn skills of self-defense from Pune's Smt. Shanta Balu Pawar, the 85-year-old lady whose video had gone viral on social media recently. Sonu, impressed by the woman's awe-inspiring skills with a bamboo stick, had tweeted asking for the old lady's contact details. Can I get her details please. Wanna open a small training school with her where she can train women of our country some self defence techniques . https://t.co/Z8IJp1XaEV sonu sood (@SonuSood) July 24, 2020 Read | Kapil Sharma praises Sonu Sood for bringing back Indian students stuck in Kyrgyzstan In the incredible video shared online, the woman clad in a purple saree could be seen juggling a bamboo stick as she performed awe-inspiring tricks to entertain people and earn some money. While the pandemic has posed several challenges for the daily wage workers, people like Warrior Aajji, as she is now called by netizens, have resort to tackle the financial constraints by putting their skills to work. The woman has been lauded by the internet users, as people called her iconic lady, brave and paid respect to her never giving up spirit online. Read | Sonu Sood wants to open women self-defense school headed by Pune's lathi-wielding woman Princess Beatrice and her new husband Edoardo Edo Mapelli Mozzi are continuing their low-key start to married life with a modest honeymoon driving around France, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The couple, who had a secret wedding with just 20 guests, were spotted by an eagle-eyed tourist as they drove a small car absolutely packed to the roof with stuff in the south of France. It was such a surprise to see them, the tourist said. Edo was behind the wheel and they looked just like any other couple enjoying the beautiful drive. LOW KEY: Princess Beatrice and her new husband Edoardo Edo Mapelli Mozzi, pictured together on their wedding wedding day on July 17, have been spotted by an eagle-eyed tourist driving together in the south of France on their honeymoon The couple tied the knot on July 17 with Beatrice, 31, wearing a 1953 Norman Hartnell dress borrowed from the Queen and the Queen Mary tiara the monarch wore on her own wedding day. Beatrices father, Prince Andrew, walked her down the aisle but he has not featured in any of the publicly released pictures amid the controversy over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. A source said Beatrice and Edo, 36, had planned to skip a traditional honeymoon, but decided at the last minute to take a trip across the Channel. The wedding was arranged in a couple of weeks, and with lockdown their choice of honeymoon destinations was severely curtailed. The couple (pictured) who had a secret wedding with just 20 guests, had reportedly planned to skip a traditional honeymoon, but decided at the last minute to take a trip across the Channel They werent going to bother but at the last minute they decided to pack up the car and head out. Theyre a very down-to-earth couple. It is understood that they are planning a trip to Lamu Island, off Kenya, where Edos family own a home and where he took Beatrice in the early days of their romance. The property developer fell for the Princess after meeting her at the wedding of her sister Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018. At the time he was living with his fiancee Dara Huang, 38, the mother of his four-year-old son Wolfie. Ms Huang was said to be distraught when Edo began dating Beatrice, but the three are now firm friends. Dara was devastated at the beginning but she has always maintained good relations for the sake of their son, said a friend. She and Beatrice get along well. Beatrice is very kind and sweet to Wolfie. It emerged yesterday that Ms Huang, who runs Design Haus Liberty, an architecture firm, has moved her UK base into the same West London building from which Edo runs his property business. Surprised Im Still Alive: 60 Years Under Communist China Auntie May arrived at Sydney International Airport in 2012, her life was packed neatly into a single suitcase. With clothes borrowed from a cousin and a poor grasp of English, she crossed the threshold and began a new life in Australia. Deep down, May knew her journey Down Under was not for a quiet retirement. Instead, she was preparing for a new lease on life, and a chance to help Chinese people understand the true nature of the Communist Party she suffered under for 60 years. Born Yuelan Tao in 1956, Mays life began just seven years after China fell under the tyrannical rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Her father was a small business owner and the family lived in Beijing. In 1966, her family was swept up in the regimes Cultural Revolutiona destructive ten-year-long political movement aimed at purging China of its 5,000-year cultural roots. Yuelan Tao, born in Beijing and a Falun Gong practitioner since 1995 (Brown Street Productions) May tells The Epoch Times: The purpose of the cultural revolution was to establish communism as the only religion controlling not just the state, but the individuals mind. 12 Years as a Slave Despite owning no land, Mays father was branded a landlord. As a result, her family were disenfranchised and expelled to the countryside for 12 years. Her two sisters were spared this fate as they had married into other families. Landlords, along with wealthy farmers, reactionaries, bad elements, and rightists (those with views not aligned with communism) were deemed the Five Black Classes. Members of these classes were labelled enemies of the revolution and were disenfranchised, humiliated, and sometimes tortured and killed. This poster, displayed in late 1966 in Beijing, shows how to deal with a so-called enemy of the people during the Cultural Revolution. (Jean Vincent/AFP/Getty Images) Mays family spent the next decade in a rural commune, earning points within the commune system to exchange for basic food and provisions. During those 12 years, I worked so hard that I never dared complain about being tired, May recalls. There was nothing in the family that I didnt take care of. We had nothing. We had no home, money or land, it all belonged to the state, she added. Public communes were experiments by the regime to organise families into large collective societal unitsworking together on farms and growing crops for the nation. According to historian Frank Dikotter: Mao [Zedong] thought that he could catapult his country past its competitors by herding villagers across the country into giant peoples communes. Chinese Red Guards, high school and university students, waving copies of Chairman Mao Zedongs Little Red Book, parade in Beijings streets at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution on June 1966. (Jean Vincent/AFP/Getty Images) In the communes, livestock, utensils, kitchenware, and ingredients were all shared. Meals were provided and shared amongst everyone. However, it was barely enough to survive. In some communes, the rationing of food became a weapon to force people to follow the Partys direction. For Mays family, earning points was initially difficult as they had arrived at the tail-end of the farming season when work was scarce. We had no points, so we were not given food for the next year. We had to ask the vegetable seller to lend us food. They recorded our familys details and would deduct points from us later. There were some kind-hearted people who helped us. They were afraid of speaking to us directly (because her father was labelled a landlord) so they would throw vegetables through our window. In those years, hunger was a constant companion. May says: At the time I developed a habit of drinking a lot of water. Because there was not enough food and I had to drink, so I was not as hungry. I would often go to harvested farmlands to find leftover corn and wheatears. After bringing it home, my mum would crush and boil it with vegetables. We lived an entire year eating like this, she says. Buddhist statues are set on fire during the Culture Revolution. (Public Domain) Dikotter wrote that as food became scarce, the Red Guards would resort to coercion and violence to force workers to keep labouring on agricultural projects. The communist leaders and the Red Guard were thugs. My familys life was destroyed this way, May says. Despite the atrocities she endured, something about May strikes me. She seems calm and measured, recalling her experience without breaking down. I ask her why. Many Chinese people took their own lives during the revolution. She says the sadness has long passed. The years have been kind to her, allowing her to heal. Finding Solace in Chinas Renaissance Public communes failed spectacularly, resulting in millions of deaths from starvation caused by a lack of food due to inefficient farming practices. As the Cultural Revolution wound down, Mays family were finally allowed to return to the city in 1978. May eventually married and worked in a textile factory. However, years of malnutrition had taken its toll. Her body was in poor condition; she had gallbladder issues, chronic fatigue, and suffered regular back pain. I was uncomfortable every day and night, she recalls. In the 1980s and 1990s, the communist regime started to promote in society a health and wellness practice known as qigong (chi-gong) in an attempt to cope with the rising health care needs of the burgeoning population. Akin to Tai Chi, qigong practices had once flourished around China with regions and families often handing down their traditions for centuries. During this period of her life, one practice caught Mays attention: Falun Gong. Falun Gong was a qigong practice steeped in the Buddhist tradition and growing in popularity around the country. During the early 1990s, Falun Gong garnered millions of followers. For May, it was like a renaissance for the Chinese people, she says. A character formation event involving 5,000 Falun Gong practitioners, forming the Chinese characters for truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, the core principles of Falun Gong, in Wuhan, China, in 1998. (Minghui.org) Within a month of doing Falun Gongs meditation exercises, strength returned to Mays body and her health improved. I could ride the bicycle for 50 minutes to my workplace, send my children to school, and do all the housework. I could even go to my parents home to help them with their housework without feeling pain in my body anymore. Eight Years in Prison Because I Wanted To Meditate In July 1999, the peace May had found in life was demolished as the CCP started to arrest millions of Falun Gong practitioners. Many were detained without trial in secretive black jails, prisons, and laogai (re-education through labour camps). Everyone knows that when Falun Gong [practitioners] enter a prison, they get treated the worst, May says solemnly. Prison authorities would reward the other inmates for monitoring, torturing, and brainwashing Falun Gong practitioners. In the first year and a half I was only allowed to sleep about three hours a day. They would not allow me to sleep until 2 a.m. and wake me up at 5 a.m, says May. Every three or five days, a prison officer would check the progress of Mays re-education, trying to intimidate and reason with you [at the same time], she explains. Falun Gong members re-enact Chinese torture methods used on their practitioners during a demonstration in Sydney. According to the Chinese regime, such torture is completely legal. (Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images) The first officer was like the bad cop, he would test her resolveyelling and threatening her. The second officer was like the good cop, he would come a few hours later and try to reason with May, saying things like: Look, your children and your family are waiting and want to reunite with you, she says. Imagine being tortured like this every day. That is why you often hear of practitioners going to mental asylums. It drives you insane, she says. I would honestly feel better if they tried to kill or shoot me. However, the prison officers were tasked with reforming Falun Gong adherents and forcing them to renounce the practice. Killing a practitioner was not the goal. They will try to break you with what you care about, and insult what you hold sacred, she says. May knew Falun Gong was good, and tells me the mental duress she was under was absolute torture. Over her eight-year loss of freedom, she was moved to various facilities, enduring horrendous conditions. In the Fengtai Districts facility in Beijing, May shared a jail cell with 60 other inmates. The cell contained two large wooden beds on which the inmates would rest at night, packed tightly like sardines. The quilt on the bed was filthy. Some inmates were ill and had skin conditions. If you got up to use the bathroom, she says, your spot on the bed would immediately be taken by another inmate. Police officers force-feed a Falun Gong practitioner at the Hongqiao District Detention Center in Tianjin, China, in this file photo. (Courtesy of Minghui.org) Another time, May attempted a hunger strike to protest her detention. Afraid she would die, prison authorities took her to hospital and force-fed herpumping food into her stomach through her nose. A Chance to Live a Life of Purpose After eight years in jail, May was released, and she made plans to leave China. In 2012, I escaped to Australia, but I knew I wasnt here for an early retirement. I had to use my freedom to help those still imprisoned, she tells me. She joined a public Falun Gong parade in Sydney for the first time, May says she was overjoyed with happiness. Tears streamed down her face as she soaked up the freedom of Australia. May soon joined the Tuidang or Quit the Party movement. Started in 2004, the Tuidang movement aims to tell people about the actions of the CCP and assist Chinese people with renouncing their ties to the regime. To date, Tuidang has registered 350 million withdrawals from the CCP and its affiliated organisations. May visits popular tourist hotspots like the Sydney Opera House and Mrs Marquaries Chair, telling those who listen about the horrors of life in China under the Communist Party. Yuelan Tao at a Tuidang site near the Sydney Opera House (Brown Street Productions) These sites often receive hundreds of Chinese tourists every day, and Tuidang volunteers speak to them one by one. Its not an easy process to get people to quit, decades of brainwashing have distorted our perception of the truth, May says. Many will refuse to believe it. That is the tragedy we are dealing with. Despite the challenges, May says she will not give up: Of course, we dont match the Peoples Liberation Army, nor do we have guns or tanks, but we have our hearts and mouths. We believe thats powerful enough to free the Chinese people from the biggest dictatorship in the world. OLD FRONTENAC, Minn. The tangled deciduous woods that surround the southeastern Minnesota village of Old Frontenac are busy with sound. Especially at dawn and dusk, they echo with birdsong. Wind whooshes through live trees and rattles dead ones. At night, coyotes trade lonesome calls with faraway trains. Of late, a new sound, melodic, often melancholy, has floated through the woods. Virginia Oliver, 73, of New Frontenac, heard it as she watered flowers in the Old Frontenac cemetery. I couldnt quite make out what it was, she said. I thought it must be a horn, but I didnt know right away where it was coming from. It was a concert for one for me. Sonda Featherstone, 63, of Florence Township, was riding her bike east on Goodhue County Road 2 when I heard a sound far off coming closer and closer. It was a trumpeter swan descending right at me. For a moment, she said, she thought it would land on her. I also heard another unusual sound, she said. I came around the bend and there was a man playing a French horn. I believe the trumpeter swan heard it too and possibly thought it was me on my bike. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency order directing airlines to inspect a critical engine part on Boeing 737 jets after four separate reports of engines shutdowns. / AP-Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Korea's transport ministry has issued an emergency order directing domestic air carriers to inspect their Boeing 737 jets following reports of engines shutting down midflight, officials said Sunday. The order, issued Saturday, came a day after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive for thousands of Boeing 737 aircraft in the United States. The order warned of possible corrosion of parked planes that could lead to engine shutdowns, because many planes have been idle due to a sharp drop in air travel demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The FAA's order followed four recent reports of single-engine shutdowns on aircraft caused by valves that were stuck open. The order affected about 2,000 U.S.-registered Boeing 737 planes. The orders are related to older models of the Boeing 737, not the Max that has been grounded since March 2019 following two crashes that resulted in the deaths of all those aboard the planes, according to officials. "The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport ordered nine domestic air carriers that operate a total of 148 Boeing 737 jets, except for Boeing 737 Max, to carry out the emergency inspection of their planes," a ministry official said. "Planes that are subject to the inspection are those that have been parked for at least seven straight days, or flew 10 times or less since resuming their operations." The ministry cited the result of analysis by the manufacturer that corrosion may occur at the engine bleed air valves of planes when they are parked for more than seven days which could lead to engine failure. "With planes being stored or used infrequently due to lower demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, these valves could be more susceptible to corrosion," a Boeing official said. The transport ministry directed air carriers to replace the valve if corrosion is found, before resuming service. "We will thoroughly supervise and oversee airlines to see whether they fully implement the necessary safety steps," the ministry official said. The new coronavirus outbreak has led to a sharp fall in air travel demand and lockdowns around the globe. It is still unclear when the demand will be restored due to the prolonged pandemic, according to aviation officials. Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, arrives before a Senate Small Business Committee hearing on coronavirus relief aid and "Implementation of title I of the CARES Act" in Washington, on June 10, 2020. (Al Drago/Pool via Reuters) New $1,200 Stimulus Checks Coming in August, Mnuchin Says Americans will see fresh a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks in August, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters. The new payments will be based on the same formula as an earlier bill, with people who make $75,000 or less set to receive the full amount. Americans earning over $100,000 wont qualify for a payment. Well get the majority of them out in August, and those will help people, Mnuchin said on July 25. Republicans were ready to roll out the next $1 trillion pandemic stimulus bill on July 27, with the backing of the White House. Mnuchin said President Donald Trumps top priority is to extend an expiring unemployment benefit but reduce the amount substantially so it doesnt serve as a disincentive for people to return to work. Mnuchin said he and Mark Meadows, the presidents chief of staff, spent several hours at the Capitol with Republican staff. Were prepared to move quickly, Mnuchin said, noting that the president would absolutely support the emerging Republican package. Democrats have yet to weigh in publicly on the proposal. Mnuchin has recently said that he called the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate before negotiations kick off on the broader aid deal. Republicans were on track to introduce their proposal earlier, but some GOP lawmakers disagreed on the size, scope, and details of the $1 trillion package. The bill was expected to include $105 billion for reopening schools and continued funding for testing for the CCP virus, commonly known as the coronavirus, as well as benefits for businesses, including loans, tax breaks, and protections against virus-related lawsuits. The White House summed up the presidents priorities for the bills as jobs and kids. The president has been very clear. He wants to make sure that the American people have what they need during this unprecedented time, Meadows said. To make sure not only the money is there but the programs. The $600 weekly unemployment benefit expired on July 25, adding urgency to the negotiations. The White House proposed cutting the unemployment aid to $100 per week. Republicans favored cutting it to $200, which would be phased out to no more than 70 percent of an employees previous pay. In addition to the expiration of jobless benefits, the federal moratorium on evictions also expires on July 31. Democrats are likely to exercise leverage to add their priorities to the bill before a final deal is sealed. Both sides are eager to agree on a package to prevent any fallout triggered by the expiration of major aid programs. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on July 24 that he hoped a package could be agreed on in the next few weeks. The Associated Press contributed to this report. THE Ming-Mori Minglanilla Reclamation Project covering 100 hectares easily accessible to Cebu City was issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on July 22, 2020, following a comprehensive two-year review. The joint venture among the local government of Minglanilla and private consortium partners Ming-Mori Development Corp. (MMDC), an affiliate of listed firm Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), envisions a world-class estate that will generate over 75,000 jobs in the municipality and its environs while meeting sound environmental guidelines. Following the issuance of the ECC considered one of the major prerequisites and milestones of a reclamation project, the development will now be subject to the approval process of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA). We hope to achieve the best balance among economic, social and sustainability goals and are pleased that our plans, which have been aligned to that ideal, passed the test of public hearings and DENRs stringent review process, said Jose Soberano III, chairman and chief executive officer of CLI, managing developer of the project. Greater heights Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Pena said the grant of the ECC has brought us closer to the materialization of the reclamation project which will propel the Municipality of Minglanilla to higher heights and cements its role as a major economic player in the Province of Cebu. The development project will not just modernize the landscape of Minglanilla but will also create immeasurable socio-economic opportunities to all people, not just for the Minglanillahanons, the mayor added. Following a memorandum of agreement between the Municipality of Minglanilla and MMDC in 2013, CLI was appointed in 2015 to tap a roster of consultants with a track record in similar projects to create detailed design and engineering plans, feasibility and environmental studies. In 2016, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Philippine Reclamation Authority and the Municipality of Minglanilla with Ming-Mori as its private consortium partner. Story continues Soberano disclosed that in addition to housing light industrial facilities, the future Ming-Mori Techno Business Park will be a self-contained township with residential and commercial areas. Its proximity to Cebu City makes it an ideal location for a master-planned community with live-work-play opportunities for its residents and visitors. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us that well-planned communities that offer growth prospects alongside safety and security for employees and residents are the way to go. This townships residents will have access to those benefits and more, he explained. The Ming-Mori Techno Business Park will be CLIs third estate project. Land development of the 22-hectare Davao Global township is ongoing while its planned township in Cagayan de Oro is undergoing approvals. CLI reports that more township projects are underway in the cities of Mandaue, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod City. In 2019, the company was awarded as the Best Developer in the Philippines by Asia Property Awards. (PR) Madrid, July 26 : Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and MMA great Conor McGregor took their social media banter to a new level after the latter shared a video of himself scoring a variety of goals. It all started with Ramos imitating McGregor's signature walking style after scoring a goal during a training session recently. His Instagram post read: "What do you think, @TheNotoriousMMA? #HalaMadrid." The Irishman took note of this post and replied: "Tasty into the top corner my bro! Hala Madrid." McGregor then uploaded few videos of himself on his Instagram account, scoring goals. His post read: "What do you think @SergioRamos?" Ramos replied by saying: "Top class, mate. Fancy a training at @RealMadrid? More than welcome to join us anytime." McGregor seemingly accepted the offer and wrote: "@SergioRamos My brother, thank you! Next time when I am in Madrid I will be honoured." Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor had last month announced that he is retiring from fighting. He had earlier tweeted twice about retirement from fighting, both times when he was involved in arguments with the UFC.A McGregor's last fight came in January against Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone which he won and he had since expressed interest to face a number of opponents. He was tied this summer to face the top lightweight contender Justin Gaethje. A trilogy fight with Nate Diaz was also something he expressed interest in repeatedly and McGregor had also tweeted on May 28 that he had accepted a proposal for a fight against MMA legend Anderson Silva. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Indoor shopping malls and hair salons around New Mexico were closed for all of May, and restaurants statewide were barred from providing inside, sit-down service. But gross receipts tax a tax levied on the sale of most goods and services did not plummet amid the sweeping, COVID-19-related economic shutdown. In fact, it barely budged. Statewide, newly released figures show that the May GRT distributions that flowed into cities, counties and other governmental coffers was just 1.2% less than May of 2019. The impact varied by individual community, with those heavily reliant on tourism or oil and gas hurt more than others, according to Lucinda Sydow, chief economist with the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, but the overall decline was less than many anticipated. I wouldve expected it to be a much larger decline, said Jim Peach, professor emeritus of economics at New Mexico State University. But that does not mean everything is stable. Economists say the state likely has not dodged the bullet so much as it has been outrunning it. In Albuquerque, total 2020 fiscal year-to-date GRT revenue through May remains ahead of 2019 levels, though officials note that partly reflects an entirely new revenue source: $501,000 in monthly internet sales tax disbursements that began this year. With the pandemic still raging, the public still encouraged to social distance and state mandates still restricting business activity, Albuquerque Chief Financial Officer Sanjay Bhakta said it is hard to know when the economy will return to normal. For fiscal year 2021, which began July 1 the city expects to bring in $55 million-$107 million less in GRT than forecast before COVID-19. The decline (so far) seems to be overall less than we projected thats the main thing, and its good news, Bhakta said. However, what is worrisome is that even if the decline is less than expected, it feels like its going to last longer. Its not that we will be all done by December. Experts say there are a few possible reasons the GRT the lifeblood of many local government budgets and also a significant source of state government revenue has not fallen off a cliff up to now. However, none of them is likely to provide long-term help. For example, in Albuquerque and elsewhere in the state, construction has been a small boon. Albuquerques total May GRT was $35.6 million. Thats 7% less than 2019, or 8.3% without the new internet sales tax revenue. The drop reflects major hits in some key industries, including accommodation and food services, which is down 34% compared with May 2019. But construction in Albuquerque actually increased 3% year over year and was up 18% in April. Were definitely seeing construction in several counties bolstering the GRT distribution. That was also a bright spot in terms of employment, Sydow said, citing June employment numbers. Of course, she added, construction is seasonal; its helping now, but it wont last forever. Local governments GRT revenue has also benefited from intense grocery shopping during the pandemic. While consumers are not taxed on food at the register, they are taxed on nonfood items and on all delivered groceries. Because the viral pandemic has prompted many to stay home whenever possible, Peach said the delivered grocery tax could also have helped GRT revenue the past few months. Even untaxed in-store grocery purchases had an impact. Cities and counties still get payments from the state that represent a portion of the revenue they would have received if the groceries had been taxed. Those payments have skyrocketed, totaling $10.7 million statewide in May, compared with $4.2 million in May 2019. When excluding those payments and considering only the total gross GRT distributed statewide, May 2020 actually fell about 2.8% from a year ago. Peach said New Mexicos high rate of public-sector employment is a potential factor. About 24% of all New Mexico employment was in government as of May, according to survey data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While some large public entities, including the city of Santa Fe, have recently furloughed staff to cut costs, other major public employers, including New Mexico and Albuquerque, have avoided it. Having so many people in government jobs offers some stability to the state economy, Peach said, though he cautioned that such stability is unlikely to extend long term. The state last month significantly cut funding for public institutions and major employers such as NMSU and the University of New Mexico, which Peach says could lead to worker layoffs or furloughs. Peach and others say another reason GRT has not plummeted is the recent federal boost to unemployment insurance benefits. As part of the CARES Act, a coronavirus-related relief package passed in March, the federal government has been contributing an extra $600 per week to workers collecting unemployment benefits a sum that pushed the benefit above regular working income for many New Mexicans. That has propped people up it has propped up consumption and spending and has allowed people to pay their rent, and its significant particularly in New Mexico because the wages here arent as high as in some other places, said city of Albuquerque economist Christine Boerner. But that benefit ended Saturday. Sydow said the federal Paycheck Protection Program likely also contributed to New Mexico GRT levels because it helped keep businesses open and workers paid. The concern is if the federal government doesnt have something to transition to once those loans run out and the $600 (unemployment boost) runs out, then we might see some of these hits we thought we would see (already), she said. After rebellions by Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan, the focus is now on Rahul Gandhi's "youth brigade" and those whom he had given key responsibilities when he was Congress president. There is apprehension prevailing in the rank and file of the Congress after the happenings in Rajasthan, where Pilot has declared open rebellion against the Ashok Gehlot government, sources said. Almost everyone in the party has just one question on their mind, "who next", they said. "Obviously we are forced to think that when leaders who have been given a lot of responsibilities in a short span of time and whose capabilities the party was confident of using going forward, are not satisfied, then definitely something is wrong," a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) told 'PTI-Bhasha' on the condition of anonymity. The CWC is the highest decision making body of the Congress. Pilot and Scindia are the latest additions to the list of leaders who have raised the flag of rebellion. In the Congress, they were earlier known as members of the "Rahul brigade", the sources said. Other leaders who were part of this brigade included former Congress Haryana unit president Ashok Tanwar, former Madhya Pradesh unit chief Arun Yadav, former Mumbai chiefs Milind Deora and Sanjay Nirupam, former Punjab Congress president Pratap Singh Bajwa, former Jharkhand unit president Ajoy Kumar and former Karnataka chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, they said. The sources said Madhusudhan Mistry, who has been the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, former Uttar Pradesh unit president Raj Babbar and AICC general secretary in-charge Rajasthan Avinash Pande, Mohan Prakash and Deepak Babaria, are also part of the group which was seen as having the backing of Rahul Gandhi. The Congress admitted that resentment had increased with the "Rahul brigade" getting more importance in the party, they said. The sources said most of them showed rebellious attitude on losing their posts and alleged that most of them did not live up to the responsibility given to them and continued to encourage factionalism in the party. Another senior Congress leader told PTI Bhasha, "Leaders who are going against the party after getting a lot in the Congress are cheating themselves. Everyone should understand that this is the time to not ask from the party, but to give back to it." However, former Haryana Congress chief Tanwar said that the argument that leaders whom Gandhi gave responsibilities did not live up to expectations, does not hold. "It is because of Pilot, a young leader, that in the Rajasthan assembly elections, the Congress managed to reach 100 seats from 21. The hardwork of the youth team in Haryana resulted in more than 30 seats. If the young leaders would have been given proper opportunity, the party's situation would have been different," he said. However, a political expert said that the "generational conflict" in the Congress was also a major reason that leaders of Gandhi's choice could not assert themselves in the party and some of them revolted. Director Centre for the Study of Developing Societies Sanjay Kumar said, "There has been a raging generational conflict within the Congress in the last few years. While older leaders are trying to retain their place, younger leaders, especially those considered close to Rahul, insist on change and find themselves neglected in the current system. This is the reason for rebellion in some places." However, 72-year-old Harish Rawat, Congress general secretary and former Uttarakhand chief minister, refused to believe that there is any generational conflict within the party. "The situation which is seen is due to the attack on democracy by the BJP. Sadly, due to their ambition, some people of ours got caught in their trap. It would have been better that if such leaders wanted any justice, they should have tried for it within the party itself," he said. Rahul Gandhi resigned as Congress president after the party's 2019 Lok Sabha poll debacle and Sonia Gandhi was installed as interim chief on August 10 by the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. A mother says her daughter was the target of racist bullying by middle school students, and the Montclair Public School district retaliated against her when she asked administrators to intervene, according to a tort claim. Natalie Hacketts daughter, who is African American, started attending the Buzz Aldrin Middle School in 2018 after moving from West Orange. Within a matter of weeks, the mothers tort claim says, several students slammed a door in the daughters face and started calling her the n-word, b-word, tar baby, shadow, sharpie, weave girl, a lesbian and more. Everything that has happened really has affected her, said Hackett, who is a principal in another district, of her 13-year-old daughter. So much so that she no longer wants me to post her performance videos or her pictures online. She used to ask me to post freely. Shes been going through a lot emotionally. Its really taken her toll on her. Montclair Public Schools Superintendent Jonathan Ponds told NJ Advance Media he was unable to comment on the students specific situation or the anticipated litigation. However, I assure you that Montclair Public Schools investigates all incidents or allegations of harassment, intimidation and bullying, Ponds said in an email. There are age-appropriate consequences for students found to have violated our policies. In addition, safety protocols are individually and carefully developed for students as appropriate. The safety and welfare of our students is of utmost importance. The daughter experienced bullying for about two years, the tort notice says. The tort notice says the district repeatedly failed to investigate, protect the daughter or appropriately discipline those involved in the bullying. The districts Harassment, Intimidation & Bullying (HIB) coordinator also allegedly said the mother was 75% of the problem, her daughter was 25% of the problem and that bullying is a rite of passage' for a new girl at a school, the tort notice said. Students would send messages to the daughter and other students calling her a w---- and edited photos to put her in sexually explicit positions, the tort notice says. A student also sent Hacketts daughter a video of a boy and girl in the middle of a sex act, the tort claim says. Students would also tug the daughters hair and examine her scalp to see if she was wearing a wig or weave. The daughter was invited to group chats, where she was told we only invited u so we can bully u. Students, the tort claim says, also suggested the daughter caused another child to take their own life because she snitched about the bullying she experienced. Hackett said she pulled her daughter out of school and requested home instruction after that incident. The district, Hackett said, told her it would provide a home instructor but one was never provided. The district then told Hackett her daughter would be held back if she didnt return, Hackett said, so she sent her back to school. The district from then on provided her daughter with limited daily adult supervision to sit with her, Hackett said. One student also began to say he wanted to fight the mother, the tort notice says. Tell [...] mom that I fight n-----, the tort claims says a student posted about Hackett and her daughter on social media. He also allegedly told the daughter while on the playground, Tell your mother suck my d---. Hackett, the tort says, spoke to another students mother about the cyberbullying, but then the student told other kids Hackett threatened to kill them. Hackett says the school board later voted to change its HIB policy to include adults and retroactively decided she had violated the new rules in connection to that incident. She denies ever threatening anyone and says HIB was changed days after she had mediation about a complaint she filed with a U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights. She refused to agree that she wouldnt sue during mediation, Hackett said, and the complaint is still pending. Hackett says she went to Montclair police multiple times to report the abuse she says her child faced even though she was reluctant to file charges against other children. The tort claim says the police told her the issue was a school matter. The Montclair Police chief did not respond to a request for comment. The school allowed a culture of harassment, intimidation, bullying and abuse to exist within its midst and failed to protect the student in any way, said the familys attorney, Jeffrey Youngman. As is always the case with HIB, when left unaddressed, or addressed inadequately, the child ends up being victimized, ostracized and isolated. Hackett says her daughter now deals with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. By PTI SINGAPORE: Singapore reported 481 new COVID-19 cases, all foreigners, on Sunday as the nationwide tally of the infections touched 50,369, the health ministry said. Of the new cases, 476 are migrant workers living in dormitories, while five community cases reported are also foreigners holding work passes, said the Ministry of Health (MOH). There are also four imported cases, who had been placed on stay-home notice upon their arrival in Singapore. On Thursday, the MOH said the average number of new daily cases in the community in a week has decreased from nine cases two weeks ago to seven in the past week. Meanwhile, two of the six imported cases reported on Saturday were permanent residents here who had returned from India on July 12 and from the UK on July 10. The remaining four imported patients are dependant's pass holders who arrived from India between July 11 and July 13, including a three-year-old boy, an Indian national who had no symptoms. Human trials for a COVID-19 vaccine could begin in Singapore as early as this week, involving 108 healthy volunteers of various ages, reported The Sunday Times. The volunteers will be injected with the vaccine developed by Duke-NUS Medical School and United States pharmaceutical company Arcturus Therapeutics. Called Lunar-Cov19, the vaccine is one of 25 vaccine candidates worldwide that either have been tested on humans, or have received approval to do so. Some 141 others are still at a pre-clinical phase. Professor Ooi Eng Eong, Deputy Director of Duke-NUS Medical School's emerging infectious diseases programme, told The Sunday Times that the aim of the trial is to determine the safety of the vaccine, and whether it could coax the desired immune response in the body against Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Blood samples will be taken from the volunteers several times after vaccination for analysis. As immune system elements such as antibodies and T-cells are found in blood, the data will help scientists determine if the vaccine is successful in stimulating the body to produce the "soldiers" critical for helping the body fight off an infection. Recently published results from human trials for other vaccine candidates have already shown encouraging signs on these fronts. The findings released were from the early phases of clinical trials for vaccines being developed by Oxford University and multinational drugmaker AstraZeneca; CanSino Biologics and China's military research unit; and German biotech company BioNTech and US drugmaker Pfizer. Prof Eong said that he was optimistic that the results from the Singapore trial would yield similar encouraging results. (Natural News) The acting chief of Customs and Border Protection blasted the mainstream media and their Democrat benefactors earlier this week for characterizing anarchists besieging federal property in Portland as peaceful demonstrators. In reality, acting Commissioner Mark Morgan told Breitbart Texas, theyre criminals. Because things have become so violent and out of control in the Rose City, Morgan said he has had to deploy specialized riot teams of Border Patrol agents to assist embattled Federal Protective Service agents and U.S. Marshals defending federal property. We have several United States Border Patrol agents that are from our elite tactical team BORTAC as a supporting element to the FPS and the United States Marshals who have statutory responsibility for protection of federal buildings, he said, noting that the deployment was part of a whole-of-government approach to riotous demonstrations that no longer have anything at all to do with George Floyd. They are coordinating and planning with willful intent to destroy federal property and seriously injure federal officers and agents, Morgan said. What they are doing, every single night, they are getting together, they are coordinating, they are organizing with a willful intent to destroy federal property and injure federal agents and officers. They come prepared every single night with deadly weapons, commercial-grade fireworks, lasers, frozen water bottles, rocks and hammers, he added. Just the other night, they established a plywood barrier that they inserted nails into and put it up against one of the doors so that if a federal agent came out, they would come in contact with the nails and seriously injure themselves, the CBP chief added. We recently discovered what is allegedly a pipe bomb in one of the satchels. Its criminal. Its 100 percent criminal every single night. In fact, Fox News reported Wednesday that Richard Cline, deputy director of operations for the Federal Protective Service, said that at least three of his agents have likely suffered permanent vision loss after being targeted with lasers by those peaceful protesters after they start fires outside a federal courthouse in the city. When officers responded to put out these fires, glass bottles were thrown and lasers which can cause permanent blindness were shined in their eyes, Cline said. We have three officers who currently have eye injuries and they may not recover sight in those eyes from those laser attacks. Added Fox News: Red, green and purple lasers were aimed by rioters at federal officers through the courthouse doors while one group used a strobe light on the building. A commercial-grade mortar firework was fired in the vicinity of the Hatfield Courthouse front doors. For his part, Morgan noted that the continuing violence and unrest is no longer about Floyd. This is about furthering an ideological belief that has nothing to do with what happened to George Floyd, he said. I defy anyone, any politician, to justify why somebodys going to bring a pipe bomb, a rock, a frozen water bottle, a laser, a hammer, or nails in a plywood board to merely protest. I defy anyone to justify that behavior they cant. Its criminal and they should be held accountable for whats going on, he added. (Related: Law enforcement officers in Portland doxed by Antifa.) At the same time, elected Democrats in these war zones are either looking the other way, blaming federal officials and officers for the violence, or a combination of both. Such as Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who actually said nothings going on Wednesday while standing in wafting tear gas clouds after federal agents were forced to respond to fires and other attacks. This is an egregious overreaction on the part of the federal officers. There was nothing that I saw that warranted this reaction, he claimed in one video posted online. .@tedwheeler says, I saw nothing that provoked this response when asked about his thoughts on federal law enforcement deploying tear gas. The building had been set on fire and rioters were throwing explosives. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/M21iOcDfLa Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 23, 2020 Federal officers are being blinded in his city and he refuses to see. Perfect. Sources include: Breitbart.com FoxNews.com NaturalNews.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 11:21:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WELLINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported no new case of COVID-19 overnight, said the Ministry of Health in a statement on Sunday, as the total number of confirmed cases remained at 1,206. The total number of active cases in New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facilities remained at 21. There was no one receiving hospital-level care for COVID-19, it is said. It has been 86 days since the last case of COVID-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source, said the ministry statement. Laboratories across New Zealand completed 1,754 tests, bringing the total number of tests completed to date to 455,677. The ministry reiterated the importance of tests, as part of the country's overall strategy to detect any community case of COVID-19 as quickly as possible. "We all have a part to play and we're encouraging anyone who is offered a swab to take up that offer," said the ministry. Enditem Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Choi Ji-won (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Sun, July 26, 2020 18:09 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a40669593c1 2 Entertainment Lee-Joon-ki,Moon-Chae-won,The-Flower-of-Evil,South-Korea,series Free Lee Joon-ki and Moon Chae-won are returning to the small screen in the upcoming tvN series The Flower of Evil. Lee, Moon, producer Kim Chul-kyu and supporting actors Jang Hee-jin and Seo Hyeon-woo attended a promotional event for the drama series on Wednesday. The event was livestreamed due to concerns over the new coronavirus. This is the second time Lee and Moon are teaming up in a TV drama, following tvNs Criminal Mind -- a remake of the popular American series of the same title -- in 2017. While the two actors had teamed up as partner crime profilers in the previous series, they will star as married parents in the latest drama. Baek Hee-sung (Lee) has used his love for wife Cha Ji-won (Moon) to hide a deep hidden truth about himself. Cha, a detective, starts to doubt that her husband may not be the kindhearted man she had known for the past 14 years, but actually a heinous serial killer. Jang takes up the role of the daughter of a convicted murderer and Seo plays a journalist chasing a scoop. Im returning after two years. Im excited yet burdened, Lee said at the press event. I thought that this piece wont be easy from reading the script for the first time. I put in much time thinking about how I should take up the role as an actor and complete this puzzle-like story. Im also enjoying the process like a game, and I hope the viewers can also indulge the diverse stories of love, trust and betrayal in The Flower of Evil." Read also: Five K-dramas with female characters that break gender stereotypes Moon, also returning to the small screen two years since the webtoon-based Tale of Fairy from the same network, said, Ive found a drama that Ive really wanted to do. I usually prefer traditional melodrama, but most of the recent dramas dont seem to take just one genre but involve elements of genre -- dramas such as horror or fantasy. I found the balance of genre and melodrama of The Flower of Evil natural, Moon added. While shocking events continue inside the story and suspenseful events take place, the lead characters, chasing breathlessly after the truth, will recover their love and relationship in the process, producer Kim said. The producers previous hits at the cable network include Emergency Couple (2014), On the Way to the Airport (2016) and Mother (2018). The upcoming 16-episode series airs Wednesday and Thursday at 10:50 p.m. starting next week. Topics : This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Around a dozen schools which were once demolished by Maoists between 2007-09 will now be constructed by the ones who surrendered and are living a normal life in the villages of Dantewada district of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh. These schools come under Bhairmagarh, Malangir and Katekalyan Area Committees of the Communist Party India (Maoist) which fall under Dantewada district. The construction of a demolished school in village Bhansi Massapa, around 20 kilometres from the district headquarters, started a week ago with the help of local villagers and Maoists who have surrendered. The villagers, who were earlier Maoists, demolished the school in our village on the instructions of senior Maoists in 2012 after Salwa Judum but now we want to educate our kids hence we will construct it again. Our children also want to go for higher education and get jobs, said Sarpanch of Bhansi Massapa village, Ajay Telam. Other schools that are to be constructed fall under Potali, Burgum, Nahri, Kutrem and Aalnaar village panchayats. These schools are in core Maoist areas of the district. The construction of one such school has started in Bhansi. As and when a sizeable number of Maoists surrender in these villages and in turn takes responsibility to help in the construction of the schools, the villages will be chosen and sanctions for school building will be taken, said Superintendent of Police ( SP) Dantewada, Abhishek Pallava. The SP further said that commencement of construction without taking security angle in mind may lead to mindless killing of villagers by Maoists. The activists working in Dantewada claimed it is a long demand of villagers to re-open the schools which were demolished by Maoists after Salwa Judum. The villagers are eager to re-construct schools which were demolished but it should not be done by deploying police force in the village. They are very aware of the education of their kids. Secondly, the administration is also dilly-dallying the construction work of schools. In Potali village, the construction project has been sanctioned for the last four months but nothing has been done till now, said Soni Sori, a tribal leader of Dantewada. Dantewada administration and police claimed that the school construction is going on in a process, keeping villagers security in mind. Most of these schools were demolished around 2007-2009 during and post Salwa Judum campaign. Since schools were the only government structure in the villages during those times, security forces used to stay in schools and many camps were also opened in there during those days. As induction of paramilitary forces was at a great pace in Bastar due to prevailing security situation, schools were chosen as camp site. Maoists thus started targeting schools so that security forces do not get a foothold in their area, said a senior revenue officer working in the area. The officer further said that the Maoists started instigating villagers against the police, forcing them to destroy schools. Maoists also wanted to get the schools shut so that they could instil their ideology in children by putting them in Maoists schools. Since most of the teachers in schools that time were not residents of Bastar, they too fled to district headquarters fearing being targeted by Maoists and thus empty schools were an easy target. These schools were demolished or vandalized by lower-rung Maoists cadres mostly from the same village where a school is located under instruction from senior Maoist cadres, said the officer. Now, for the construction of schools, the district administration is forming self-help groups (SHG) of these surrendered Maoists, which will help in the construction process. The SHG will work as they are the local youths from the village who have joined Maoism in the past and thus know all the Maoists visiting the area. They are the people who yield influence in the village and villagers listen to them. Once they start helping in the construction of the school, the fear factor will decrease and since most of the low-rung cadres who surrender are between 20-30 years of age, they are young and energetic. They are village decision swingers and thus channelize other youths too in the mainstream. When a sizeable section of lower-rung cadres surrender, rest are bound to fall in line. Direct mentoring of these youth by district administration is bound to produce results, said an intelligence officer posted in the region. The SHGs of surrendered Maoists is a novel innovation and I am hopeful it would be a huge success. Those who had destroyed are now constructing the same schools and this would help these youth come out of the guilt that they had incurred so many crimes in the past, said the SP Pallava. Pallava further said that it would also lead to true reintegration and rehabilitation of surrendered Maoists in the society. The realization of the importance of education among villagers is a welcome change and the police administration will render all help required to these youths. Soft policing too can go a long way to solving complex the Naxal problem which has simmered for decades in Bastar, said the SP. 26.07.2020 LISTEN It is kind of sad and funny when WE in Ghana suddenly appear to be surprised by some things that happen all around us but we have pretended not to hear, see or read. Today, the torturing to death of a 90-year-old woman, Dente Akua, in Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region is trending. Many are voicing great concerns that this happened in 2020 Ghana. But this is not a new thing and we shouldnt pretend that it is NEWS. Where are all those who today expressed surprise today when in November 2010, a 55-year-old Pastor Samuel Fletcher Sagoe led some people to burn a 72-year-old woman, Ama Hemmah, alive in Tema? She was alleged to be a witch. Read More: Old Woman Accused Of Witchcraft Lynched I wrote a piece to chronicle the dastardly actions in my article, Battling Ignorance and superstitions, and wrote inter alia: Of course, the constitution guarantees religious freedom and freedom of assembly. What it does not guarantee are rights to assemble and commit egregious crimes like setting fire to human beings. What our constitution does not guarantee are rights to disturb our neighbours sleep by chanting prayers to our gods in the middle of the nights. We need laws to regulate this whole business of bible peddling. We shouldnt wait until the parasitic priests become too emboldened before we call them to order. A firm example should be made of this dastardly priest. The full sanction of the law should be visited upon his callous if ignorant head. http://alaye.biz/battling-ignorance-and-superstitions/ It is the sad duty of the writer to chronicle the ills of his society. - Femi Akomolafe Femi Akomolafe July 25, 2020 By Express News Service CHENNAI: Six college students who burglarised the house of one of their relatives, were arrested by the city police on Sunday. The police said they have seized Rs 13 lakh cash, 16.5 sovereigns, two iPhones and four two-wheelers from the accused. Police said one of the accused, Kumaravel, is a relative of the victim T Selvam (32) of Padi. Selvam who runs a hydraulic repair services went to his hometown in Cuddalore in June, keeping Rs 19 lakh cash and 18 sovereigns in his house. Besides the 23-year-old Kumaravel, the other accused are B Dinesh Kumar (19), L Rahul David (20), F Aravind (20), R Nithiyanandam (21) and S Harishkumar (19). Police said that all six were pursuing different courses in private colleges. Preliminary investigation revealed that Kumaravel had learnt about Selvam leaving town and decided to rob his house with friends as Selvam was financially stable. "On July 13, he received the call from the landlord that the door was open. Selvam rushed to Chennai and found that the burglars had burned the door to remove the latch and gained entry to escape with valuables," said a police officer. Korattur police registered a case and arrested all the accused. All six were remanded in judicial custody. JOURNALIST: - Sir, please could you share the situation that VitaJean is facing in both the export and domestic markets today? Mr. PHAM VAN VIET: - In the export segment, which accounts for about 95% of VitaJean market share, we have been facing many difficulties in the last few months. The first was in accessing raw materials for production. When this problem was resolved, then the output of the product was bogged down soon after the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in Japan, South Korea, Europe and the USA, causing previous orders to be suspended and no hopes of receiving new orders. At the beginning of June, we started exporting to the US market, but it was only dispatching of previous orders. The garment industry was among those industries that were the most seriously affected, as consumers focused on savings rather than spending. In the first two quarters, we lost about 70% of our revenue. We are expecting the situation to improve from September, which is possible only if the pandemic does not return as a second wave across the US and Europe. However, if the present situation continues we may face closure or even total bankruptcy. VitaJean is currently exporting anti-bacterial cloth masks to Europe and the US, which is giving our workers employment. We are producing 500,000 to almost 1 million masks per day, and in addition, because of adequate supply of raw materials, we can now produce more medical clothing and related products that our partners need. However, the production of masks or medical clothing only creates jobs for most garment workers in the traditional way. With the number of workers working on modern lines that we have invested in recent years, we are still producing only previous orders, and the current workload is very small. In the domestic segment, which has a relatively modest market share, the recent pandemic has caused a loss of about 70% in revenue, due to a sharp decrease in purchasing power of consumers. We have promoted online sales with many discount programs and promotions to attract consumers. VSixty Four is currently competing with major brands such as Levis and Calvin Klein in the international denim segment. Since we produce fashion products, we must understand the new psychology in a sustainable manner. We are confident we understand Vietnamese habits, behavior and trends, though after being in exports for a long time, and now turning to domestic market is a big challenge for us. Besides branding and connecting with consumers, another big challenge is overcoming counterfeiting of our products. - Sir, will investing in 4.0 technology for production at VitaJean meet with the requirements of free trade agreements such as EVFTA? - EVFTA is an agreement that has been applied in many industries for several years, including in textiles and garments. The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) has had many discussions with businesses. When the agreement comes into effect in early August, there are still many textile and garment enterprises confused about the rules of origin of raw materials, technology investment or social responsibility that the EU requires. We have invested about USD 25 mn in automation in all our three factories. With this investment, when EVFTA officially takes effect, the tax rate of 16% or 18% will immediately fall to 12%. Since the European market has high demand for fashion garments, which is our strength, by meeting this demand from export of our goods, our profits too will increase. Benefits from technology investment are visible to all, but not all garment and textile enterprises can bring in new technology. Currently only about 2% of businesses are using modern technology, because most businesses still do outsourcing, and such low profits cannot be reinvested. Vietnam is currently the third largest garment exporting country in the world, but 50% of garment companies are still implementing the simplest of manufacturing methods such as cutting tailoring (CMT), the lowest added value in the textile chain. At present, only 5% can make goods in the form of proactive materials and design participation (ODM). Therefore, in about 20% of the enterprises that are exporting goods to the EU now, only about 5% can receive a tax reduction when EVFTA takes effect. But I also believe that this agreement will be a motivation for many businesses to transform their working plan. We must adopt technology and investment in it, and not wait for customers to motivate this move, otherwise we will not be able to meet the needs of our customers. - Sir, what support did VitaJean receive from the State during the Covid-19 pandemic phase, and what support policies do you expect for the textile industry? - When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, many businesses faced difficulties, and the Government informed of various programs to support those businesses that had been hit. These programs haven't reached us yet, but VitaJean received a lot of local support. At present VitaJean is still overcoming difficulties accumulated over the years. These we are tackling on our own without the support of the government. Concerning policies for the industry, we hope the Government will maintain consistent policies, and not waver in its support to help businesses get back into production. - Thank you very much. Thanh Dung (Interviewer) Ministers will this week discuss plans to give dozens more Afghan interpreters sanctuary in Britain after being accused of repeatedly failing to deliver on their promises. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel want to thrash out a new policy which will widen the qualifying criteria for visas. The talks come after pressure from the Daily Mails award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign which exposed how interpreters have been abandoned. Ministers have been accused of letting down those who served alongside British troops on the battlefield during the Afghan War. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (pictured) and Home Secretary Priti Patel want to thrash out a new policy which will widen the qualifying criteria for visas Former defence secretary Gavin Williamson had promised to let in 50 interpreters plus their families. But that led to just two translators coming to Britain two years later. Sources said Mr Wallace wants to resolve the issue. Mrs Patel also wishes to honour a policy brought in by the Home Office to let those interpreters who are already in the UK bring over their wives and children. Sources said it was an issue close to their hearts and both are committed to finding a resolution. Ex-colonel Simon Diggins, who has been campaigning on behalf of Afghan interpreters, noted how the Government had pledged to let in up to three million Hong Kong citizens because of Chinas new security laws but would not let in a few hundred translators. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 23:03:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - HONG KONG -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection reported 128 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the fifth straight day when the daily additional cases surpassed 100. The newly-reported cases, including 103 local infections and 25 imported cases, brought the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong to 2,633. - - - - HANOI -- Vietnam on Sunday reported three new cases of COVID-19 infection, all of which were found in the community, bringing its total confirmed cases to 420, according to its Ministry of Health. The three new cases are a 71-year-old woman and a 61-year-old man from central Vietnam's Da Nang, and a 17-year-old man from the central Quang Ngai province who has visited a Da Nang-based hospital to take care of his family member, according to the ministry. - - - - BANGKOK -- The Thai Immigration Bureau on Sunday issued an advisory saying that all foreigners with transit or tourist visas or visa on arrival, whose stay in Thailand was extended due to the COVID-19 outbreak, must leave Thailand by Sept. 26. The Thai cabinet recently approved the extension of stay until Sept. 26 for foreigners stranded in Thailand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - LISBON -- Portugal on Sunday reported 209 new COVID-19 infections, raising the tally to 50,164 cases, according to the Portuguese Director-General of Health. One person died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 1,717 in the country. - - - - MINSK -- Belarus reported 130 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking its tally to 67,132, according to the country's health ministry. There have been 333 new recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 60,425, the ministry added. - - - - JAKARTA -- Indonesia's tourism may be paralyzed if the tourism in the country's Bali resort island does not recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, an Indonesian minister said Sunday. "Bali's recovery is important for the national and regional tourism," Suharso Monoarfa, minister of national development planning and head of the National Development Planning Agency, said in a virtual dialogue. - - - - BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan on Sunday reported 689 new COVID-19 cases, taking its national tally to 32,813. Among the new cases, 28 are medical workers, bringing the total number of contracted medical workers to 2,661, Ainura Akmatova, head of the public health care department of the country's health ministry, told a daily news briefing. - - - - KUWAIT CITY -- Kuwait on Sunday reported 464 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, taking the tally of infections to 63,773 and the death toll to 433, the Health Ministry said in a statement. Currently, 8,967 patients are receiving treatment, the statement added. - - - - MANILA -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 80,448 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 2,110 new cases on Sunday. The death toll also increased to 1,932 after 39 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH said. - - - - BEIJING -- A total of 30 security guards have died in the line of duty across China since the COVID-19 epidemic, showed figures released on Friday at a promotion event of the security guard service sector. China's epidemic prevention and control measures have had wide-ranging contributions from the sector, with the participation of millions of security guards in implementing daily epidemic control measures, guarding isolation facilities, medical observation and treatment sites, and maintaining epidemic control and security checkpoints. Enditem As a tribute to soldiers who fought in the Kargil war, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday donated 20 lakh to the Army hospital here to buy equipment that will help doctors and paramedics combat Covid-19 effectively. The contribution from the president will be used to procure units of PAPR (powered air purifying respirator), which are state-of-the-art equipment to enable medical professionals breathe during surgeries and protect them from infection, an official communique said. This will serve the larger cause of patients care and protection to those warriors who are fighting an invisible enemy, it said. As a tribute to soldiers who fought valiantly and made supreme sacrifice in the Kargil war, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, today presented a cheque of 20 lakh to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi, to buy equipment that will help doctors and paramedics to combat the Covid-19 pandemic effectively, the statement said. Sunday was the 21st anniversary of Indias victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war. The day is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas. The presidents contribution to the Army hospital has been made possible due to an exercise to economise expenditure at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the communique said. The president had earlier issued directions to reduce expenses by initiating a slew of measures. As a sequel to this initiative, he had earlier deferred the proposal to buy a limousine which was to be used for ceremonial occasions, the statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. In his role as the supreme commander of the armed forces, the presidents gesture will boost the morale of the frontline Covid warriors of the Army hospital, it said. It will go a long way in providing a safe, conducive environment to them so that they can perform to the best of their ability. It is also hoped that the gesture will inspire other people and organisations to economise expenditure and utilise the savings to aid and support our Covid warriors, the statement said. The Army Hospital (Research and Referral) is the apex medical care centre for the armed forces of India. Officiating commandant Major General Sarat Chandra Dash was also a participant in OP VIJAY for which he was awarded the Yudh Seva Medal, it said. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced the successful culmination of Operation Vijay, declaring victory over Pakistan after the nearly three-month-long battles in the icy heights of Kargil. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war. In the prevailing situation, its doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are tirelessly working round the clock and providing the highest quality of medical care at great risk to their own lives, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. The blaze destroyed the 17th-century organ of the cathedral in Nantes, as well as priceless artefacts and paintings The blaze destroyed the 17th-century organ of the cathedral in Nantes, as well as priceless artefacts and paintings (AFP Photo/Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS) Rennes (France) (AFP) - A volunteer church assistant has confessed to setting the fire that severely damaged a Gothic cathedral in the western French city of Nantes, his lawyer said Sunday, though his motives remain a mystery. The 39-year-old, an asylum-seeker from Rwanda who has lived in France for several years, was arrested Saturday after laboratory analysis determined that arson was the likely cause of the blaze, the local prosecutor's office said. "My client is cooperating," lawyer Quentin Chabert said at a news conference in Nantes, without speculating what prompted the attempt to burn down the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. "Obviously it was a relief for him to show, as he would say, his repentance. As a believer, it's important for him to show this effort," he said. Nantes's public prosecutor Pierre Sennes told AFP on Sunday that the volunteer had been notified in November 2019 of an order to leave the country, after officials refused to grant him residency. But so far "he has not elaborated in detail on his motivations" for setting the blaze, Sennes said, adding that a psychiatric evaluation has been ordered. "What he did ... is dramatic for everyone," said Father Hubert Champenoishe, the rector of the cathedral, on Sunday. He said the volunteer, who had been "at the service of the cathedral" for four years, had "certainly been marked by the events which marked his country". "When someone cracks up, it is to everyone's astonishment." Prosecutors opened an arson inquiry into the early morning fire on July 18 after finding that it broke out in three different places in the church, which the volunteer had locked up the night before. He was taken in for questioning the next day but later released without charge, with the cathedral's rector saying "I trust him like I trust all the helpers". But Nantes prosecutor Pierre Sennes said in a statement Saturday that he had been arrested and charged with "destruction and damage by fire", and faces up to 10 years in prison and 150,000 euros ($175,000) in fines. Story continues "He admitted during his first appearance for questioning before the investigating judge that he set three fires in the cathedral: at the main organ, the smaller organ, and the electrical panel," Sennes told the Presse-Ocean newspaper on Sunday. - 'Stone by stone' - The blaze came 15 months after the devastating fire at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, which raised questions about the security risks for other historic churches across France. While firefighters were able to contain the Nantes blaze after just two hours and save the main structure, its famed organ, which dated from 1621 and had survived the French revolution and World War II bombardment, was destroyed. Also lost were priceless artefacts and paintings, including a work by the 19th-century artist Jean-Hippolyte Flandrin and stained glass windows that contained remnants of 16th-century glass. Work on the cathedral began in 1434 and continued over the following centuries until 1891. It had already been damaged by a more serious fire in 1972. The French government has said it will ensure the cathedral's restoration, though very few, if any, elements of the main organ are likely to be saved, said Philippe Charron, head of the regional DRAC state heritage agency. "It will take several weeks to secure the site... and several months of inspections that will be carried out stone by stone," he said. Reconstruction will take several years, he said. The issue of 'risky' exporters took an ugly turn after the government blamed some of these exporters of using prominent trade associations to lobby against the crackdown. Finance Ministry sources are now saying that despite the noise created against the crackdown, the government is planning to take stern action against these risky exporters, who have claimed IGST refunds worth Rs 2,020 crore and are now untraceable. The number of such untraceable risky exporters so far has gone up to 1,474. Sources said that IGST refund has been suspended in all those cases where there were adverse report about the exporter or its suppliers post verification. Sources from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) have said that finding themselves in a tight corner, fake and risky exporters are using major trade associations to term the crackdown against fake input tax credits (ITC) as a harassment. The indirect taxes board rebutted exporters' charges that they have been asked to produce over 1,500 documents each for verification. Terming this as completely untrue, the sources in the CBIC said that the department verifies each exporter in two stages with hardly three to four documents. ALSO READ: Indian exporters hit hard by new tax regulations, red tape requirements They further said that customs officials have been sensitised to expedite refunds to genuine exporters in these difficult COVID-19 days. Sources said that data analytics by CBIC's Directorate General of Analysis of Risk Management (DGARM), which is followed by field-level verification by CGST officers, has found 1,474 'risky' exporters, including seven Star Exporters, who tried to claim IGST refund of over Rs 2,020 crore. They were untraceable at their declared place of business, and therefore their refunds were rejected. Exporters are identified as risky on the basis of specific risk indicators based on data from Customs, GST, Income Tax, and Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The identified risky exporters are shared with the CGST department for physical and financial verification. Star exporters are those who receive several facilities, including reduced customs check. DGARM has detected some fake exporters who fraudulently availed ITC taking advantage of the highly efficient fully automated IGST refund system. The general modus operandi of risky exporters was to pay IGST at the highest rate of 28 per cent in order to quickly encash the undue ITC claims. ALSO READ: Big GST scam! 1,377 'untraceable' exporters claim IGST refunds worth Rs 1,875 crore According to sources, out of the 1,474 untraceable exporters, 1,125 exporters are from Delhi alone. Non-existing exporters have also been detected in large numbers in Surat (215), Thane (28), Faridabad (15) and Kolkata (11). These fraudulent exporters were mainly involved in export of ready-made garments, wallpaper, wall coverings, leather apparel, smoking pipes, mobile phones, cigarette holders, footwear, plastics, floor coverings, ball bearings or roller bearings. Out of the non-traceable seven Star Exporters, five operated from Delhi, and one each from Mumbai and Kolkata. Adverse reports have also been received regarding three other Star Exporters - two in Mumbai and one in Jaipur. These Star Exporters were involved in export of ready-made garments, kitchenware, utensils, sound system, amplifiers, microphones, sea food, shrimps, unstitched fabric, sarees, dupattas, etc. They unsuccessfully tried to claim IGST refund amounting to Rs 28.9 crore. Meanwhile, Finance Ministry sources further said that IGST refunds of more than Rs 1.37 lakh crore have been disbursed so far and only about Rs 2,026 crore is pending, which is being processed as per law. A grievance redressal mechanism with a 24x7 mobile helpline is available to genuine exporters to resolve refund related issues. ALSO READ: Govt dumps new GST return system; to continue with modified version of existing one Last week saw three developments with respect to Green Card (GC),the legal permanent residency in the US. And, none of them was good. It would not be too much of a stretch to say things have only gotten worse for GC aspirants who have been waiting to get their decades now to become a legal permanent resident in the US. So what happened? One. On July 23, Republican Senator Mike Lee said it would take 195 years for Indian nationals to get a GC and urged that this issue needed a legislative solution. The number of years to get the GC for Indians increased by 45 years from 150 years in 2018, according to an earlier research report. But, this should no longer come as a surprise, given the large number of Indians applying for the same. Every year, close to one lakh H-1B applications are being issued/renewed. According to a CATO.org, an immigration think tank, there are more than five lakh Indians waiting in the employment-based green card queue as of 2018. In short, a person might not be able to get their hands on it in their lifetime. 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 This queue was because of the 7 percent country cap for the GC. Two. Indian nationals have been demanding for years to remove the country cap, which has intensified now as presidential elections are nearing. Again, July 23 saw huge protests in Washington DC demanding that GC be issued on a first-come-first-serve basis and pass the bill Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act of 2019 (S386). S386 allows for the removal of the country cap of 7 percent so that GC can be granted on a first-come-first-serve basis. While Senator Lee has pointed out that the H-1B abuses will need to be documented so that only genuine cases get the benefit, Senator Dick Durbin has been blocking the bill since December 2019. Three. As if these were not enough, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a delay in printing Green Cards and Employment Authorisation Documents (EAD) since June 2020. The printing backlog includes about 50,000 GCs and 75,000 other EADs. If the agency furloughs its employees, which it might due to its dire financial situation after August 3, the backlog numbers would further increase. According to reports, the reduction in printing of the EAD and Green Cards reportedly comes after the agency ended a contract with a third-party vendor with the intention of in-sourcing the printing. But the agencys financial situation instead led to shutdowns and delays, the reports added. The agency is seeking $1.2 billion bail-out and might furlough its staff, reports said. So how will it impact the Indians? Impact is massive, just going by the sheer numbers. Indians are the largest beneficiaries of non-immigrant visas such as H-1B, which can be converted to GC. Each year, close to 85,000 H-1B visas are issued and Indians account for more than 60 percent of the visa issued. Also, without the EAD , Indians could risk losing their jobs. Without cards printed, Indians might not be able to travel back home for emergencies. The recent immigration decision by the Trump government be it ban on non-immigrant visas such as H-1B till December or banning F-1 student visa holders to enter the US if their colleges have started online classes at the back of COVID-19. There are lawsuits filed by 174 Indians residents and more recently by trade groups against the proclamation banning visas such as H-1B. It is unclear right now how these lawsuits would turn out. Executives pointed out that it is more likely to be an election gimmick and things would go back to normal by January. But there is a caveat. As the visa situation becomes more politicised every election in the US, companies and students would choose greener pastures. More offshoring to India will happen, which will benefit us. The US universities will lose their sheen as the American education is expensive and students might look at Canada, the UK or Australia for higher education. So, whichever way you look at it American has a lot more to lose than the other way round! Despite the problems in his city, Sayegh said he thinks vote-by-mail is the way of the future. He called on New Jersey and other states to do more to educate voters in advance of the November election on the proper way to fill out and submit a ballot, including that they should not allow other people to touch their ballots. The EU and the Council of Europe on Sunday voiced regret and alarm over the Polish right-wing government's move to withdraw from a landmark international treaty combating violence against women. The Council of Europe said it was "alarmed" that Poland's right-wing government was moving to withdraw from a landmark international treaty combating violence against women. Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said over the weekend that on Monday he would begin preparing the formal process to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The treaty is the world's first binding instrument to prevent and combat violence against women, from marital rape to female genital mutilation. Ziobro has in the past dismissed it as "an invention, a feminist creation aimed at justifying gay ideology". The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, told AFP in Brussels that it "regrets that such an important matter has been distorted by misleading arguments in some member states". The Commission added that it would "continue its efforts to finalise the EU's accession" of the convention, which was signed in 2017 but has not yet been ratified. - 'Highly regrettable' - A previous centrist Polish government signed the treaty in 2012 and it was ratified in 2015. The treaty was spearheaded by the Council of Europe, the continent's oldest human rights organisation, and its Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric condemned the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government's plan to withdraw. "Leaving the Istanbul Convention would be highly regrettable and a major step backwards in the protection of women against violence in Europe," she said in a statement on Sunday. "If there are any misconceptions or misunderstandings about the convention, we are ready to clarify them in a constructive dialogue." Around two thousand people marched in the Polish capital Warsaw on Friday to protest the government's withdrawal plan, some shouting "stop violence against women". There was also outrage from several members of the European Parliament, with Iratxe Garcia Perez, the Spanish leader of the Socialist group, calling the decision "disgraceful". "I stand with Polish citizens taking (to) the streets to demand respect for women's rights," he tweeted. The leader of the EU parliament's Renew Europe group, Romania's former prime minister Dacian Ciolos, tweeted: "Using the fight against the Istanbul Convention as an instrument to display its conservatism is a new pitiful and pathetic move by some within the PiS government". - Other countries rejecting treaty - Irish centre-right MEP Frances Fitzgerald said it was now essential for the whole of the EU to ratify the convention "so that no woman is left unprotected and vulnerable to violence". The Council of Europe stressed that the Istanbul Convention's "sole objective" was to combat violence against women and domestic violence. Although the treaty does not explicitly mention gay marriage, that has not stopped the backlash to it in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. In Slovakia, the parliament rejected the treaty insisting -- without proof -- that it was at odds with the country's constitutional definition of marriage as a heterosexual union. The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, which is separate from the European Union, has no binding powers but brings together 47 member states to make recommendations on rights and democracy. Warsaw has already clashed with the EU Commission over reforms to its judicial system, championed by recently re-elected President Andrzej Duda. Turkey is also mulling a possible withdrawal from the treaty, and on Sunday, women marched in several cities there to express support for the treaty. The demonstrations also reflect rising anger in Turkey at the growing number of women killed, including the murder of university student Pinar Gultekin this month. burs-zap-maj/pvh/jj Around two thousand people marched in Warsaw on Friday to protest the government's withdrawal plan There is growing anger among women in Turkey at the growing number of murders of women there Tributes have been paid to Gone With The Wind actress Dame Olivia de Havilland following her death aged 104. The actress, one of the last surviving figures of Hollywoods Golden Age, died at home in Paris, her representatives confirmed. A statement said: Last night, the world lost an international treasure, and I lost a dear friend and beloved client. She died peacefully in Paris. The estate of fellow Hollywood great Humphrey Bogart, the Oscars, Golden Globes and SAG-AFTRA actors union were among those who paid tribute. The Bogart estate, led by the late actors son, described Dame Olivia as a true Classic Hollywood icon in a statement. It said: We have lost a true Classic Hollywood icon. The legendary Olivia de Havilland has died in Paris at age 104. The two-time Oscar winner and Gone With The Wind star successfully fought the studio system in the 1940s. We have lost a true Classic Hollywood icon. The legendary Olivia de Havilland has died in Paris at age 104. The two-time Oscar winner and Gone With the Wind star successfully fought the studio system in the 1940s. Photo: Olivia and Bogie won the 1953 Picturegoer Awards in London. pic.twitter.com/9JAmjr5YWb BogartEstate (@HumphreyBogart) July 26, 2020 To Each His Own, The Heiress, Gone with the Wind and so many others. A two-time Best Actress Oscar winner, Olivia de Havilland was a mainstay of Hollywoods Golden Age and an immeasurable talent. Here's to a true legend of our industry. pic.twitter.com/VYMMNknh4v The Academy (@TheAcademy) July 26, 2020 Video of the Day The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hosts the Oscars, said in a statement: To Each His Own, The Heiress, Gone with the Wind and so many others. A two-time Best Actress Oscar winner, Olivia de Havilland was a mainstay of Hollywoods Golden Age and an immeasurable talent. Heres to a true legend of our industry. The Golden Globe Awards, where Dame Olivia was nominated on three occasions and won twice, shared a short tribute. It said: Olivia de Havilland, legendary Golden Age Hollywood star, has died at age 104. Rest in Peace. Olivia de Havilland, legendary Golden Age Hollywood star, has died at age 104. Rest in Peace. pic.twitter.com/DWcG7vLlXd Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) July 26, 2020 SAG-AFTRA, which hosts the Screen Actors Guild Awards, added: With deep reverence, we mourn the death of Oscar-winning, Hollywood legend & @sagaftra actress Olivia de Havilland. Her (guts) & grit to take on the studio system in 1945 helped her fellow actors for generations to come. Our condolences to family & friends. In an apparent reference to the announcement of Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Greens death on Saturday, actor William Shatner said: Not a good weekend: the great Olivia de Havilland has passed. Not a good weekend: the great Olivia de Havilland has passed William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) July 26, 2020 Just heard the sad news about Olivia de Havilland. One of the greats of the Golden Age. Her performance as Melanie in Gone With The Wind was sublime. My thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/FIZcbASPWB Dehenna Davison MP (@DehennaDavison) July 26, 2020 Dehenna Davison, the Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland, said: Just heard the sad news about Olivia de Havilland. One of the greats of the Golden Age. Her performance as Melanie in Gone With The Wind was sublime. My thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this difficult time. She won two best actress Oscars for her roles in 1946s To Each His Own and 1949s The Heiress. Expand Close Dame Olivia De Havilland (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dame Olivia De Havilland (PA) However, she is best remembered for her turn as Melanie Wilkes in the 1939 film Gone With The Wind and was the last remaining member of the principal cast before her death. Dame Olivia was born to British parents in Tokyo on July 1 1916 the first day of the Battle of the Somme but moved to California when she was young. She first appeared on the big screen in 1935 as Dolly Stevens in Alibi Ike. Soon she became known for her on-screen partnership with Hollywood heartthrob Errol Flynn on films including The Charge Of The Light Brigade (1936) and The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938), although they never began a romantic relationship. Expand Close Sir Dirk Bogarde cuts his birthday cake with Dame Olivia de Havilland (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sir Dirk Bogarde cuts his birthday cake with Dame Olivia de Havilland (PA) After leaving Hollywood in the 1950s, the actress moved to Paris with her second husband. She made a number of television appearances and often worked on several movie titles a year until her last TV movie role as Aunt Bessie Merryman in The Woman He Loved in 1988. Her younger sister, Joan Fontaine, with whom she had a famous rivalry, followed in her acting footsteps, winning an Oscar for her role in Alfred Hitchcocks 1941 thriller Suspicion. In 2017, she was made a dame for services to drama. She said in a statement to the PA news agency at the time: I am extremely proud that the Queen has appointed me a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. To receive this honour as my 101st birthday approaches is the most gratifying of birthday presents. Expand Close The Queen Mother meets Ryan ONeal and Olivia de Havilland (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Queen Mother meets Ryan ONeal and Olivia de Havilland (PA) Dame Olivia was also responsible for the so-called De Havilland Law, a landmark 1944 ruling that ended the tight grip studios had on contract actors. In 2019 she lost her lawsuit over a television series she claimed depicted her falsely and unfairly. FXs anthology series Feud: Bette And Joan, about the lives of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, features Catherine Zeta Jones in the role of Dame Olivia. She claimed producers were guilty of unauthorised and false use of her name and reputation. Gone With The Wind was recently at the centre of controversy after it was removed from the HBO Max streaming service over its depiction of the pre-Civil War South. It has since returned with a message saying it denies the horrors of slavery. Hyderabad, July 26 : No running around in the market to buy animals for sacrifice, no need to scout for the butcher for slaughter and no worries about keeping the place clean in these times of COVID-19. This Eid-ul-Adha will be different for the Muslims in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana as most of them will be offering the sacrifice while sitting at their homes. They are outsourcing the work to the cattle traders and other groups, who not only buy the sheep, goats or cattle for them but also slaughter the animals and deliver the meat at their doorsteps or distribute it among the poor and needy as per their wish. Scheduled to be celebrated on August 1, Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, will see a departure from the past in many ways. The COVID-19 has changed the way the festival of sacrifice is celebrated. As the virus spread continues in the state with Hyderabad remained the hotspot, majority of Muslims are availing of the services offered by traders, NGOs, socio-religious organisations and some Islamic seminaries. With safety uppermost in their minds, most people are avoiding going out to buy the animal or perform the sacrifice at home. They don't want to take the risk of going into a gathering or calling a butcher to slaughter the animal. Every year, hundreds of traders bring hordes of sheep or goats from various districts to Hyderabad and set up their temporary stalls. This time, a majority of traders have taken their business online by sending pictures and videos of the animals to the prospective buyers on their smartphones and offering online payment options. Majority of the people sacrificing animals every year hire the services of butchers who come to Hyderabad from different districts in the state. This time, the fear of COVID-19 has led many to drop their plans. Instead of sacrificing the animals on their own, they are outsourcing the entire job to the traders and organisations. These groups make the arrangements of 'ijtemai qurbani' or collective sacrifice every year but it was for those taking 'hissa' or share in a cattle. Seven persons can join in the sacrifice of a big animal while a sheep or goat can be sacrificed by an individual. Several groups and individuals every year organise collective sacrifice. This year, they are not just handling sacrifice of cattle but also making arrangements for slaughter of sheep or goats. Farooq Ahmed, a social worker in Toli Chowki area who arranges 'ijtemai qurbani' every year, told IANS that this time his group has tied up with various others, including professional butchers, to cater to those who take 'hissa' in cattle or those who want to sacrifice sheep or goats. Each 'hissa' this year costs Rs 3,400, up from Rs 3,000 last year, as the prices of cattle have gone up by 30 to 40 per cent. For those who want to offer sheep for sacrifice, he is charging Rs 400 per kg (live sheep). The price last year was Rs 360 per kg. "All one has to do is to contact us and make payments. If somebody wants a 22-kg sheep, we charge Rs 10,000, including Rs 1,000 for slaughter and cutting the meat. We do home delivery of the meat," said Farooq. "We want to help those who are looking for such a service in this crisis," said Farooq, who is associated with Jamaat-e-Islami. People were initially confused and clueless as some seminaries, including Hyderabad's Jamia Nizamia, had issued 'fatwa' that those who can't sacrifice the animal for some reason can donate the equivalent money to the poor. However, with top clerics making it clear that charity can't be a substitute to sacrifice, people are now exploring all options to perform the sacrifice. Eminent religious scholar and All India Muslim Personal Law Board Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani clarified last week that making sacrifice is obligatory as per Sharia and not doing it despite having the wherewithal is sinful. "While those who said that money can be donated in lieu of sacrifice have no ill-intention, they have not understood the significance of sacrifice," he said. Clerics point out that the three-day festival is an occasion to commemorate the great sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, who offered to sacrifice his son Prophet Ismail on Allah's command. The Almighty replaced Ismail with a lamb just as Prophet Ibrahim was about to slit his son's throat. "It's an occasion to remember the great sacrifice and pledge ourselves to be ready to make any sacrifice in the way of Allah," said senior citizen Ishtiaq Ahmed. He pointed out that with many individuals and organisations with service motto coming forward to offer their services, people are now gaining confidence. Such individuals and organisations have also joined hands with professional butchers, preferably those who have undergone COVID-19 tests. Making the sacrifice is obligatory for adult Muslims who possess wealth equivalent of 87.48 gm gold or 612.35 gm silver. The meat of the sacrificed animal is distributed equally in three parts. The person making the sacrifice keeps one part for his family, while the other two parts are distributed among the relatives and the poor. There are many affluent families who have also entrusted them the task of distributing the meat among the poor and needy in the city or in rural areas. This year the number of such families has gone up as distribution of meat even among relatives and friends is a challenge due to COVID-19 situation. The virus swept through the region like past plagues that have traveled the river with colonizers and corporations. It spread with the dugout canoes carrying families from town to town, the fishing dinghies with rattling engines, the ferries moving goods for hundreds of miles, packed with passengers sleeping in hammocks, side by side, for days at a time. The Amazon River is South Americas essential life source, a glittering superhighway that cuts through the continent. It is the central artery in a vast network of tributaries that sustains some 30 million people across eight countries, moving supplies, people and industry deep into forested regions often untouched by road. But once again, in a painful echo of history, it is also bringing disease. As the pandemic assails Brazil, overwhelming it with more than 2 million infections and more than 84,000 deaths second only to the United States the virus is taking an exceptionally high toll on the Amazon region and the people who have depended on its abundance for generations. In Brazil, the six cities with the highest coronavirus exposure are all on the Amazon River, according to an expansive new study from Brazilian researchers that measured antibodies in the population. The epidemic has spread so quickly and thoroughly along the river that in remote fishing and farming communities like Tefe, people have been as likely to get the virus as in New York City, home to one of the worlds worst outbreaks. It was all very fast, said Isabel Delgado, 34, whose father, Felicindo, died of the virus shortly after falling ill in the small city of Coari. He had been born on the river, raised his family by it and built his life crafting furniture from the timber on its banks. In the past four months, as the epidemic traveled from the biggest city in the Brazilian Amazon, Manaus, with its high-rises and factories, to tiny, seemingly isolated villages deep in the interior, the fragile health care system has buckled under the onslaught. Cities and towns along the river have some of the highest deaths per capita in the country often several times the national average. Story continues Tyler Hicks, a photographer for The New York Times, spent weeks on the river, documenting the spread of the virus. In Manaus, there were periods when every COVID ward was full and 100 people were dying a day, pushing the city to cut new burial grounds out of thick forest. Grave diggers lay rows of coffins in long trenches carved in the freshly turned earth. Down the river, hammocks have become stretchers, carrying the sick from communities with no doctors to boat ambulances that careen through the water. In remote reaches of the river basin, medevac planes land in tiny airstrips sliced into the lush landscape only to find that their patients died while waiting for help. The virus is exacting an especially high toll on Indigenous people, a parallel to the past. Since the 1500s, waves of explorers have traveled the river, seeking gold, land and converts and later, rubber, a resource that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution, changing the world. But with them, these outsiders brought violence and diseases like smallpox and measles, killing millions and wiping out entire communities. This is a place that has generated so much wealth for others, said Charles C. Mann, a journalist who has written extensively on the history of the Americas, and look at whats happening to it. Indigenous people have been roughly six times as likely to be infected with the coronavirus as white people, according to the Brazilian study, and are dying in far-flung river villages untouched by electricity. Even in the best of times, the Amazon was among the most neglected parts of the country, a place where the hand of the government can feel distant, even nonexistent. But the regions ability to confront the virus has been further weakened under President Jair Bolsonaro, whose public dismissals of the epidemic have verged at times on mockery, even though he has tested positive himself. The virus has surged on his governments disorganized and lackluster watch, tearing through the nation. From his first days in office, Bolsonaro has made it clear that protecting the welfare of Indigenous communities was not his priority, cutting their funding, whittling away at their protections and encouraging illegal encroachments into their territory. To the outsider, the thickly forested region along the Amazon River appears impenetrable, disconnected from the rest of the world. But that isolation is deceptive, said Tatiana Schor, a Brazilian geography professor who lives off one of the rivers tributaries. There is no such thing as isolated communities in the Amazon, she said, and the virus has shown that. The boats that nearly everyone relies on, sometimes crowded with more than 100 passengers for many days, are behind the spread of the virus, researchers say. And even as local governments have officially limited travel, people have continued to take to the water because almost everything food, medicine, even the trip to the capital to pick up emergency aid depends on the river. Scholars have long referred to life on the Amazon as an amphibious way of being. The crisis in the Brazilian Amazon began in Manaus, a city of 2.2 million that has risen out of the forest in a jarring eruption of concrete and glass, tapering at its edges to clusters of wooden homes perched on stilts, high above the water. Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, is now an industrial powerhouse, a major producer of motorcycles, with many foreign businesses. It is intimately connected to the rest of the world its international airport sees about 250,000 passengers a month and, through the river, to much of the Amazon region. Manaus first documented case, confirmed on March 13, came from England. The patient had mild symptoms and quarantined at home, in a wealthier part of town, according to city health officials. Soon, though, the virus seemed to be everywhere. We didnt have any more beds or even armchairs, Dr. Alvaro Queiroz, 26, said of the days when his public hospital in Manaus was completely full. People never stopped coming. Gertrude Ferreira Dos Santos lived on the citys eastern edge, in a neighborhood pressed against the water. She used to say that her favorite thing in the world was to travel the river by boat. With the breeze on her face, she said, she felt free. Then, in May, dos Santos, 54, fell ill. Days later, she called her children to her bed, making them promise to stick together. She seemed to know that she was about to die. Eduany, 22, her youngest daughter, stayed with her that night. In early morning, as Eduany got up to take a break, her sister Elen, 28, begged her to come back. Their mother had stopped breathing. The sisters, in desperation, attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. At 6 a.m., the sun rising above the city, dos Santos died in their arms. When men in white protective suits arrived later to carry away her body, the sisters began to wail. Dos Santos had been a single mother. Life had not always been easy. But she had maintained a sense of wonder, something her daughters admired. In everything she did, Elen said, she was joyful. Her mothers death certificate listed many underlying conditions, including long-standing breathing problems, according to the women. It also listed respiratory failure, a key indicator that a person has died of the coronavirus. But her daughters didnt believe she was a victim of the pandemic. She had certainly died of other causes, they said. God would not have given her such an ugly disease. Along the river, people said similar things over and over, reluctant to admit to possible contagion, even as the health of their siblings and parents declined. Many seemed to think their families would be shunned, that a diagnosis would somehow tarnish an otherwise dignified life. But as this stigma led people to play down symptoms of the virus out of fear, doctors said, the pandemic was spreading quickly. After Manaus, the virus traveled east and west, racing away from the regions health care center. In Manacapuru, more than an hour from the capital, Messias Nascimento Farias, 40, carried his ailing wife to their car and sped down one of the regions few country roads to meet the ambulance that could carry her to a hospital. His wife, Sandra Machado Dutra, 36, gasped in his truck. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, he prayed over and over until he handed her to health care workers. They were lucky. She survived. But for most people living along the river, hundreds of boat miles from Manaus, the fastest way to a major hospital is by plane. Even before the virus arrived, people in far-flung communities with a life-threatening emergency could make a frantic call for an airplane ambulance that would take them to a hospital in the capital. But the small planes turned out to be dangerous for people with COVID-19, sometimes causing blood oxygen levels to plummet as the aircraft rose. Very few of the airlift patients seemed to be surviving, doctors said. Instead, physicians and nurses found themselves flying their patients to painful deaths far from everything and everyone they had loved. One morning in May, a white plane touched down at the airport in Coari, about 230 miles from Manaus. On the tarmac on a stretcher was Delgado, 68, the furniture maker, barefoot and barely breathing. Dr. Daniel Sergio Siqueira and a nurse, Walci Frank, exhausted after weeks of constant work, loaded him into the small cabin. As the plane rose, his oxygen levels began to dive. Delgados daughter Isabel turned to the doctor in a panic. My father is very strong, she told him. He is going to make it. When the Delgados finally reached the hospital in Manaus, Isabel was stunned by the scenes around her. Despairing relatives held up loved ones who had crumpled under the burden of disease, hurrying them in for treatment. At the same time, patients who had managed to survive COVID-19 staggered out, into the jubilant arms of family and friends. I was just there, she said, praying that God would save my father. Delgado died a few days later. When Isabel found out, the doctor started crying with her. She had no doubt that the river her father loved had also brought him the virus. Soon, she and five other family members fell ill, too. When the coronavirus arrived in the Americas, there was widespread fear that it would take a devastating toll on Indigenous communities across the region. In many places along the Amazon River, those fears appear to be coming true. At least 570 Indigenous people in Brazil have died of the disease since March, according to an association that represents the countrys Indigenous people. The vast majority of those deaths were in places connected to the river. More than 18,000 Indigenous people have been infected. Community leaders have reported entire villages confined to their hammocks, struggling to rise even to feed their children. In many instances, the very health workers sent to help them have inadvertently spread the virus. In the riverside hamlet of Sao Jose da Fortaleza, Chief Iakonero Apurinas relatives sent word, one by one, that they couldnt eat, that they heard voices, that they were too sick to get up. Soon, it seemed to the chief that everyone in her community was sick. Apurina, 54, said her group of 35 Apurina families had survived generations of violence and forced labor. They had arrived in Sao Jose da Fortaleza decades ago, believing that they would finally be safe. It was the river, said the chief, that had sustained them, feeding, washing and cleansing them spiritually. Then the new disease came, and the chief was ferrying traditional teas from home to home. Soon came her own cough and exhaustion. A test in Coari confirmed that she had caught the virus. Apurina didnt blame the river. She blamed the people who traveled it. The river to us is purification, she said. Its the most beautiful thing there is. Miraculously, she said in mid-July, not a single person among the 35 families had died. In Tefe, a city of 60,000 people nearly 400 miles along the river from Manaus, the virus had arrived with gale force. At the small public hospital, where officials initially planned to accommodate 12 patients, nearly 50 crowded the makeshift COVID-19 unit. Dr. Laura Crivellari, 31, the hospitals only infectious disease expert, took them in, doing what she could with two respirators, no intensive care unit, many sick colleagues and no one to replace them. At one of the worst moments, she was the only physician on duty for two days, overseeing dozens of critically ill patients. The constant death pushed Crivellari to her breaking point. Some days she barely stopped to eat or drink. At home, she shared her anguish with her partner. She was thinking of giving up medicine, she said. I cant carry on like this, she told him. The pandemic has been brutal on medical workers around the world, and it has been particularly difficult for the doctors and nurses navigating the vast distances, frequent communication cuts and deep supply scarcity along the Amazon. Without proper training or equipment, many nurses and doctors along the river have died. Others have infected their families. Crivellari knew her city was vulnerable. Its a three-day boat ride from Manaus to Tefe, with ferries often carrying 150 people at a time. Our fear was that an infected person would contaminate the whole boat, she said, and thats what ended up happening. By early July, the daily deaths in Tefe were dropping, and Crivellari began to celebrate the patients she had been able to save. She no longer thinks of quitting medicine. Tefe, as a whole, took a cautious collective breath. The virus, at least for the moment, had moved to a new place on the river. Julie Turkewitz and Manuela Andreoni c.2020 The New York Times Company Tim McKeough If youve been working from home for months and have concluded that this situation is unlikely to end anytime soon, you may be giving your makeshift work space a serious second look. Youre not alone. "We've been getting a lot of people asking about ways they can improve their home-office scenarios both past clients and new inquiries," said Keren Richter, a founder of the Brooklyn-based interior design firm White Arrow. "It's definitely a topic right now." Continuing to work from your bed or the dining table is unlikely to be very productive, or feel very professional, in the long term. But what should you do if you dont have an extra room for a proper home office, or even an obvious space for desk? "Sometimes it's just about carving out a space within a space," Richter said. Or it might involve finding leftover space like the attic she recently converted into a home office at her house in Pound Ridge, N.Y. For advice on how to squeeze a work space into any home, we talked to architects and interior designers. Convert a small closet Storage space is precious, but when you really need a home office, emptying out a small closet to convert it into a work space might be worth the trade-off. Michael K. Chen, an architect, has designed a number of tiny New York apartments some smaller than 400 square feet that include dedicated work spaces in closet-like nooks (along with convertible furniture, like Murphy beds). "We've created niche offices inside closets or in cabinetry volumes that have doors that slide and close," Chen said. In one Gramercy Park studio, he designed a sliding door beside the living room sofa that could be pushed aside to reveal a hidden office with a built-in desk, cabinet and shelves. For such tight installations, using built-in furniture, rather than trying to squeeze a regular desk into the nook, helps maximize the space. A simple custom desktop is always worthwhile, because it frees the space underneath the work surface from legs and other obstructions, Chen said. "It allows you to maximize the usable space." Having power in the nook is essential, whether it comes from an existing outlet or is snaked in from a nearby source, so computers and chargers can be plugged in. Chen likes to hide computer peripherals like printers and scanners in cabinets below the desk, installing them on pullout shelves similar to those in kitchen pantries so the devices are easily accessible. Closet conversions dont have to be expensive. Ursula Carmona, a designer and founder of the blog Home Made By Carmona, converted a closet off the living room of her home near Greensboro, N.C., on a minimal budget. "We needed a home office and had no place to put one," Carmona said. "But we did have this closet that just seemed to be collecting junk." She opened up the bifold doors, removed the junk and added her own built-ins, making low-cost shelves with plywood and pine trim, and a desk with a stained piece of plywood sitting on top of a pair of reclaimed kitchen cabinets. A desktop computer tower is hidden on a pullout shelf in a cabinet, with a cutout near the back to provide ventilation and access for cables. Painted a deep blue-gray and illuminated by a brass pendant lamp, the unsightly old closet is now an appealing place to work. "I wanted to keep it attractive, because it does open up to my living space," Carmona said. "It's my favorite part of the space." Make a larger closet a destination As Carmona discovered, a closet-to-office transformation can result in one of the most appealing spaces in your home. When you convert a closet or a little nook off a hallway into a home office, it can become such a jewel box, said Nicole Fuller, a New York-based designer. Especially when you have a slightly larger space to work with. During the renovation of one Manhattan apartment with a pair of awkwardly shaped back-to-back closets, Fuller demolished the wall in between to create a showstopping home office lined with glossy red-lacquer shelves, desk and wall panels, and a ceiling of antiqued mirror. In another Manhattan apartment, she designed a home office in a walk-in closet using graphic hand-painted wallpaper from Porter Teleo. The takeaway? In a closet-turned-office, it can pay off to try a decorative treatment that might be outside your comfort zone. In small spaces, you can have a lot of fun, Fuller said. Whether its a color, finish or wallpaper that would be too much of a commitment to put in a larger room, it can create a dynamic space that is exciting and inspiring to be in. Squeeze a desk into a multipurpose room If you cant spare a storage closet, you may need to squeeze a desk into an existing room. Although sleep researchers typically recommend keeping computers out of the bedroom, Alexander Doherty, an interior designer in New York, isnt convinced. Im not a psychologist, he said, but everybody brings their laptop into their bedroom. Its the reality of the world in which we live. In the interests of practicality, Doherty said, any chance I have of putting a desk in a bedroom, I always do. In larger bedrooms, he has positioned desks against the wall at the end or side of the bed. In narrow bedrooms, he has placed them just inside the door, before the bed. The desks, even with stuff on them, are not necessarily ugly, he said. You could have a pile of pleasant books and a laptop. A bedroom is actually a natural place for a desk because it has a door for privacy and is often unused during the day. But Doherty has also installed desks in more open spaces, including living rooms and kitchens, where they usually sit at one end. In multipurpose environments, where there isnt a door to close, Chen suggested using a rolling storage cart to help conceal office supplies. Some of the people on my team have rolling carts by Joe Colombo or USM for exactly that reason, he said. Add a folding desk If the only place to install a desk is out in the open in a living room, for example, or foyer a unit that folds up can help hide your work and allow your mind to shift gears at the end of the day. When its not in use, you might not want to be staring at this big computer, Richter said, because it can feel uncomfortable to see your work space when youre trying to have off-hours. Even 19th-century cabinetmakers, who made secretaries with flip-down panels for writing and storage compartments inside, understood the appeal of hiding the clutter of work. In a contemporary twist on that concept, Richter has installed wall-mounted secretaries by Harto in some clients homes. They provide a place to work, but resemble compact cabinets when closed. It performs the function, and you can tuck your pens and books away, but its also quite beautiful, she said. So even when its not in use, it looks great in the room. c.2020 The New York Times Company Eleven Human Rights Institutions are calling for an international investigation into the massacre of the more than 50 Ghanaian and other West African migrants killed in The Gambia and Senegal 15 years ago. This follows growing evidence that the murders were carried out by Gambian security force members acting on the orders of then-president Yahya Jammeh and the inability of the families of the victims to obtain justice. A credible international investigation is needed if were ever going to get to the bottom of the 2005 massacre of West African migrants and create the conditions to bring those responsible to justice, said Emeline Escafit , legal adviser at TRIAL International. Until now, information has come out in dribs and drabs, year after year, from different sources. On July 22, 2005, Gambia security forces arrested the migrants, who were bound for Europe, after their boat landed in Gambia, on suspicion of involvement in a coup attempt. Over the next 10 days , almost all the migrants, including about 44 Ghanaians, 9 Nigerians , 2 Togolese , and nationals of Cote dIvoire and Senegal, were killed in Gambia or taken across the border into Senegal and shot and their bodies dumped in wells. I have been fighting for 15 years for truth and for justice for my companions who were killed, said Martin Kyere from Ghana, who jumped into the forest from a moving truck carrying other detained migrants who were killed shortly thereafter. When Kyere returned to Ghana he began rallying the victims families . African leaders say that migrants should be treated with dignity but for us, honoring their memory means justice, not lies and cover-ups. While several Gambian soldiers have confessed to the murders and said they acted on Jammehs orders, the chain of events leading to the killings is unclear. There is still no information on exactly where the migrants were buried in Senegal nor are all the victims identities known, including eight of the nine Nigerians . Gambia returned six bodies to Ghana in 2009, but the families question whether the bodies were those of murdered migrants. The groups said that because the crimes took place across two countries Gambia and Senegal involve victims from six countries, and a primary suspect, Jammeh, now resides in Equatorial Guinea, an international investigation would be best placed to uncover all the facts. They said that if neither Gambia nor another country like Ghana would conduct a transnational investigation, they should support an independent inquiry that could investigate in all the countries concerned. Previous efforts to investigate the massacre have repeatedly been stymied or flawed, the groups said. Following initial campaigning by Kyere and Ghanaian families and rights groups, Ghana attempted to investigate the killings in 2005 and 2006, but was blocked by the then-Jammeh government. In 2008, the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) formed a joint investigative team, which produced a report in April 2009. The U N wrote that the report concluded that the Gambian government was not directly or indirectly complicit in the deaths and disappearances, blaming it on rogue elements in Gambias security services acting on their own. The joint report has never been made public, however, despite repeated requests by the victims and by five UN human rights monitors . The Gambian and Ghanaian governments have said that they do not have copies. A May 2018 report by Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International, based on interviews with 30 former Jammeh-era officials -- including 11 directly involved in the incident -- cast serious doubt on the UN/ECOWAS conclusion, however. Human Rights Watch and TRIAL found that the migrants were detained by Jammehs closest associates in the army, the navy, and the police, and then summarily executed by the so-called Junglers, a unit of Gambian soldiers operating under Jammehs orders . The Gambian government also destroyed key evidence before the UN/ECOWAS team arrived. In July 2019, three former Junglers testified publicly before the Gambia Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) that they and 12 other Junglers had carried out the killings on Jammehs orders. One of the officers, Omar Jallow, recalled that the operations leader told the men that the order from Jammeh is that they are all to be executed . The groups said that even though the United Nations and ECOWAS had delayed the search for justice for 10 years by wrongly clearing Jammeh in 2009, the fall of Jammeh combined with the new revelations provide the opportunity to move forward. The United Nations and ECOWAS can make a real contribution now by releasing their report and working with Gambia, Ghana and Senegal to uncover exactly how this crime was committed so that the victims can have justice at long last, said Reed Brody , senior counsel at Human Rights Watch, and an author of the May 2018 report. With Jammeh out of power, getting to the truth is just a matter of political will. In a 2009 Memorandum of Understanding between Ghana and Gambia following the UN/ECOWAS report, the two countries pledged to pursue through all available means the arrests and prosecution of all those involved in the deaths and disappearances of the Ghanaians and other ECOWAS nationals. Now that several people have testified as to their role and that of others, political will is needed for arrests and prosecutions, the groups said. Families of the Ghanaian victims have called for Ghana to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the killings under its laws against enforced disappearances. The Ghanaian government on May 27, 2018 that it had tasked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney-Generals Department to study [the matter] and explore the full extent of its legal and diplomatic implications and also advise the government on the way forward. The Gambian government has with any investigation by Ghana. However, no concrete actions have been taken by the affected countries. In 2005, about 44 Ghanaians were cruelly murdered in a foreign country, said William Nyarko, executive director of ACILA, who coordinates the Jammeh2Justice campaign in Ghana. We now know who some of the direct perpetrators of these killings were and that the evidence points to Jammeh as having given the orders. The time has come for the government of Ghana to act. In December 2019, Ghanas president, Nana Akufo-Addo, responding to growing impatience from victims, members of the Ghanaian Parliament and West African civil society, told the media that he knew in 2005 when he first sought to investigate the case as foreign minister that Jammehs government was complicit in the killings. He added that following the confessions by the Junglers, the Gambian government should instigate the trials of the people who had been named. He said that he had spoken to President Adama Barrow of Gambia, who he said answered, Things are still insecure, please give me time. The Gambian government has stated that it is awaiting the recommendations of the Truth Commission, expected in 2021, before deciding on which Jammeh-era crimes to prosecute. The commission has announced that, in addition to the Junglers who testified in July 2019, it will hold hearings on the migrants case this year. The groups urged the commission to hear the testimony of three Ghanaians who survived the massacre as well as former Gambian officials involved in the incident and the subsequent cover-up, and the UN and ECOWAS experts who worked on the report. The groups making the call were the Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA) , African Network against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances , Amnesty International Ghana , Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative , Gambia Center for Victims of Human Rights Violations , Ghana Centre for Democratic Development , Human Rights Advocacy Centre , Human Rights Watch , Media Foundation for West Africa , POS Foundation , and TRIAL International To watch the documentary film The Massacre of Ghanaians in The Gambia: Justice in Limbo? please visit: Pakistan has deployed JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft at Skardu airbase which carried out these exercises. (Representational Image: AP) New Delhi: Amidst India and China military stand-off, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has carried out exercises at its forward airbase in Skardu near Ladakh in the occupied Gilgit-Baltistan region. Pakistan has deployed JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft at Skardu airbase which carried out these exercises. Pakistans state-owned broadcaster PTV said that PAF chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan on Saturday visited PAF Base, Qadri at Skardu and witnessed various operational activities at the base including rapid deployment of fighter aircraft and combat support elements. He was also briefed on the ongoing infrastructure development works at the airbase. Pakistans media quoted Mr Khan as saying that the aggressive military procurements by the enemy are not going unnoticed and necessary measures are in place to ensure the balance of military power in conventional domain as well. Skardu airbase in PoK is around 100 kilometers from Leh airbase. In the past, Pakistan has used the air base to support its Army operations on the border with India. JF-17 is now the backbone of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) defence as the US has stopped sale of new F16 aircraft to Pakistan. Chinese JF-17 is a single-engine fighter which can be used for ground attack and aircraft interception. However, unlike India's top line aircraft Su-30 which can carry 8 beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles, JF-17 can carry only four BVR missiles. Seoul, July 26 : South Korea sees "high chances" of an individual's alleged illegal border crossing into North Korea, a military official said here on Sunday after Pyongyang claimed that a defector with suspected COVID-19 symptoms recently crossed the demarcation line. "The military is looking into the detailed routes, seeing high chances of a certain individual's border crossing into the North," the official was quoted as saying by the Yonhap News Agency. "Regarding the North's media report, our military has specified some people and is verifying facts in close collaboration with related agencies." The Joint Chiefs of Staff is reviewing the military's overall readiness posture, including its monitoring equipment and recorded video clips, he said. The North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said earlier in the day that leader Kim Jong-un convened an emergency politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party and adopted the "maximum emergency system" against the coronavirus pandemic after the defector returned home. "An emergency event happened in Kaesong City where a runaway who went to the South three years ago, a person who is suspected to have been infected with the vicious virus, returned on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line," the report said. Authorities are known to be looking into a 24-year-old resident in Gimpo, west of Seoul, based on the KCNA report that the person had fled the North in 2017, reports Yonhap News Agency. The defector is known to be currently out of contact. He has been under police investigation over suspicions of raping a female defector last month. He reportedly fled to the South by swimming, and the possibility is high that he swam back to the North, instead of using land routes, such as through the heavily fortified military demarcation line separating the two Koreas. In January, North Korea declared the launch of a national emergency system against the new coronavirus, shutting down its borders and tightening quarantine measures. North Korea is yet to report a case of coronavirus but has intensified its preventive efforts across the country, calling its fight against the virus is a "political matter" that will determine the fate of the country. This photo from the 1980s shows university students launching an anti-government protest. The banner reads 'Bring the dictatorship down with the defiant spirit of the April protests.' / Korea Times file Author opens up possibility for a shift in their political orientation from juche to Xiism By Kang Hyun-kyung The specter of the late North Korean founder Kim Il-sung haunts South Korea, although 26 years have passed since his death in 1994 from heart attack. During a confirmation hearing Thursday, Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young was quizzed on his current views on North Korea and its official political ideology, juche, which is "known" to have been crafted by the late North Korean leader. Opposition party lawmakers tried to double-check if he was still a juche sympathizer, saying "If not, prove it." They noted the hearing was held to test if he is qualified to become the unification minister of South Korea, not North Korea. Lee denied the accusations, saying he had never been a juche sympathizer. In a show of support, some ruling party lawmakers yelled at the opposition party lawmakers, criticizing them for insulting the four-term lawmaker and attempting to discredit him by stoking a "red scare." The odd scene a confirmation hearing for a South Korean cabinet minister nominee gripped by North Korea's official political ideology unfolded because of Lee's radical past. He was the founder of the radical student group "Jeondaehyup," a kind of Korean acronym for the Council of University Student Representatives of South Korea, and served as its first chairman in 1987. Lee is a towering figure among "Generation 586" in politics. The three numbers stand for people who are in their 50s, went to university in the 1980s and were born in the 1960s. The first number has changed as they get older and whenever they enter a different age group. In their 20s, for example, they were called Generation 286. When they were in the 30s, people called them Generation 386. The Thursday hearing in the National Assembly was a snapshot of the rocky road ahead for South Korea following the presence of the new Generation 586 political elite after President Moon Jae-in took power. Lee Ho-lim's 2018 book, "Generation 586: Heroes or Monsters," foretells of a clash between Generation 586 politicians and conservative people who are worried about the nation's policy direction after the former took key posts in government. His book didn't get much attention when it was published in November 2018. However it was brought back into the spotlight because of its precise analysis of what has happened in South Korea after these student protestors-turned-politicians took the helm in major policy areas. "Generation 586: Heroes or Monsters" is prophetic. It predicts a surge of anti-Japan protests and movies featuring the 1980s "heroes" who took to the street for democracy. Lee said Generation 586 politicians' inclination toward North Korea is an impact of the late thinker and journalist Yi Yong-hui (1929-2010). "Yi's couple of books had a great impact on them when they were in their 20s. They took Yi's ideas seriously and tried to take action to make them happen in real politics," he said. Yi denied the legitimacy of the South Korean government. He claimed South Korea's founding fathers, including first President Syngman Rhee, were collaborators of the Japanese colonial rule and those who fought against Japan at that time were the founders of North Korea. "It remains uncertain whether he was a North Korea sympathizer or not. It would be fair to say he was an advocate of Maoism as he praised the Chinese leader and the Cultural Revolution," the book reads. Lee Ho-lim, author of 'Generation 586: Heroes or Monsters,' poses at former President Park Chung-hee's birthplace in the southeastern industrial city of Gumi in this 2017 file photo. Lee characterizes Generation 586 politicians as revolutionaries who deny Syngman Rhee as the founding father of South Korea. "Their ultimate goal is to rebuild South Korea to make it easier to achieve their longtime goal the reunification of the two Koreas," he said. He said checking whether the unification minister nominee and other Generation 586 politicians are still affected by the communist ideology or not seems to be pointless. Lee said the times have changed and they now have wider options. "In addition to North Korea's juche ideology, they can look at China's social democracy or what European leftists adopted (as a model for their vision). They wouldn't care which one is chosen, as long as it works for their vision to establish a new South Korea that stands against the South Korea created by the founding fathers," he said. "Like Lee, Generation 586 politicians were able to be as successful as they are today despite their radical past. They have no good reason to look back on what they did or repent it because it has not affected their careers. So I think it's silly to ask whether he has moved on in his political orientation or not," he said. "Generation 586: Heroes or Monsters" dissects South Korea's controversial generation who were once considered heroes of democracy, but later fell into disgrace as more than a few of politicians in the group reportedly have been involved in corruption cases and other violations of law. It traces the evolution of the radical student activists after the 1980s. Some of them realized the fallacies of juche ideology while witnessing the collapse of the Soviet Union and Eastern European communist regimes which was followed by the great famine in the mid-1990s that killed hundreds of thousands of North Koreans. But some still didn't give up and rather became encouraged by the rise of China as "a social democracy," according to the book. The book warns of their wildest dream to redirect South Korea. It is the center-right author's critical review of South Korea's modern history after the rise of student protestors-turned-politicians in politics after President Moon was elected president in May 2017 following the ousting of his predecessor Park Geun-hye from the presidency. Lee said Generation 586 politicians now are the children of the May 18 Uprising which took place in 1980, months after Chun Doo-hwan rose to power through a military coup. Back then, they were teenagers, some were middle schoolers and some were attending high school. Due to their age, Lee said it is unlikely that they were key players in the pro-democracy movement. He said it's ironic that they are even depicted as central figures behind the movement. "Generation 586: Heroes or Monsters" is an informative piece for those who want to know why there were surges in anti-Japan sentiment during the Moon administration's rule as well as the rebound of retro films zooming in on the 1980s democracy protests and movies dealing with inter-Korean relations. Lee said filmmakers and novelists have become politicized. "Generation 586: Heroes or Monsters" by Lee Ho-lim His book debunks the idea that Generation 586 politicians are "diehard" North Korea supporters, stating there are some issue areas that would pit then against the North. "Generation 586 politicians claim they were the key players of the May 18 protests and consider this as a source of their legitimacy. Meanwhile, North Korea considers it was part of their work. So clashes between the two sides are inevitable in the interpretation of the historical event," he said. "The two sides reject that Syngman Rhee was the founding father of South Korea. But in other areas, they have little in common." The book also raises China's influence on Generation 586. If Yi Yong-hui, who had a huge impact on the current South Korean political elite were still alive, the book asks how would he react to China ruled by Xi Jinping. Xi led the Chinese economy to achieve economic growth, but established a one-man rule and is set to take China back to the Mao Zedong era. "Yi might feel that his vision was realized in Xi-led China. Generation 586 who were greatly influenced by Yi's thoughts may be on the same page with him," the book reads. "Generation 586 in sync with China seems to be inevitable." Follow Kang Hyun-kyung on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hyunkyungkangkt KAMPALA The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund has on Sunday approved a $31.6 million COVID-19 Crisis Response Support Program (CRSP) to Uganda to support the governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are designed as budget support within the framework of the Bank Groups COVID-19 Crisis Response Facility. The objective of the operation is to support Ugandas efforts to contain the human cost of COVID-19, mitigate its social and economic impact, and support economic recovery. The proposed operation seeks to achieve three short-term and medium-term outcomes: enhanced capacity to test and treat COVID-19 patients to reduce risk of infection and morbidity; ease the impact of the lockdown and other COVID-19 related measures on the poorest; and, mitigate risk to medium-term macroeconomic stabilization and economic resilience. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Ugandan economy hard, both directly and indirectly, through global, regional and domestic transmission channels, with the hospitality, tourism, trading and manufacturing industries particularly badly affected. Ugandas Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development projects a decline in growth to 3.1% for 2019/20 from 6.5% in 2018/19. Uganda confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 21, 2020. This number had increased to 1,075 confirmed cases on July 22. Ugandas overburdened health system does not have adequate resources to face this health emergency. Uganda is currently facing an additional challenge of a deadly invasion of desert locusts, which is posing a threat to food security and exacerbating the countrys vulnerability during this pandemic. The Government of Uganda has responded to the crisis with a broad financial package aimed at tackling the COVID-19 health emergency and supporting economic activity. The Government allocated resources to the health sector, expand social safety net programs, and provide targeted support to the impacted economic sectors, the Banks Country Manager for Uganda, Kennedy Mbekeani, said following the Board approval. Bank support through the COVID-19 Crisis Response Support Program will provide financing to the budget for targeted spending, aimed at containing and mitigating the health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authorities are committed to full accountability on crisis-related spending including through ex-post audits of COVID-19 related spending. Related In the fight against COVID-19, researchers have developed a free mobile app that will allow scientists to investigate the use of wearable devices and smartphones for digital detection of the disease. The research team has created the 'Mass Science' app that allows COVID-Collab study participants to connect wearables, such as Fitbit devices, and share data including heart rate, activity and sleep. Participants can also use the app to provide information on geographic location, mood, and mental health in addition to COVID-19 symptoms and a diagnosis if they have tested positive for the disease. "With a lack of information on who is infected, especially those who are asymptomatic, we are investigating how wearable data can be used to detect COVID-19," said study lead author Amos Folarin from King's College, London. "Having a cheap, continuous digital test for infection could be a game-changer," Folarin added. According to the study, with the help of the app, the researchers will analyse the data including heart rate and activity when a participant reports feeling ill or tests positive for COVID-19. By looking for differences in the data during the time of reported illness compared with their normal healthy periods, they aim to develop a potential digital test for early warning signs of the Coronavirus. If a Fitbit user was previously ill or diagnosed with COVID-19, they can use the app to share their historical data covering this period of illness. Early research shows that resting heart rate data and other key health indicators from wearables have the potential to identify flu-like illness before symptoms emerge. If a signal can be validated by the study, with further development, this could form the basis of a continuous monitoring system that sends users alerts when they might be experiencing early symptoms, including elevated resting heart rate, of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. According to the team, this would be a valuable tool to help stem the spread of the virus. "When you indicate you are experiencing symptoms in the app, we'll be able to look at your data before, during and after this period and compare it to your healthy baseline data," the study authors wrote. Mark Wineman / Getty Images California Highway Patrol officers Saturday were investigating a fatal shooting that killed one man and caused his car to veer off a road in eastern Contra Costa County and plow into a corn field. The shooting occurred at Vasco Road and Marsh Creek Road at about 9:55 p.m. Thursday. CHP officers who responded to the scene found the driver and sole occupant of the dark-colored Nissan Altima dead from gunshot wounds. Since taking office in January of 2019, Fort Bend County Judge KP George has been a champion for causes like anti-human trafficking and anti-animal cruelty. Hes also established multiple community outreach programs that tackle issues like joblessness and social justice. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, George has been tasked with making decisions for the county regarding health and safety. Q: Tell us a little about your background. You were born in India. When did you come to the United States? What made you decide to pursue this profession? A: I was born in a small village in India that recently got access to running water and electricity. I remember getting my first pair of slippers in the sixth grade and not having more than one pair of clothes to last throughout the week. Even though we lived in an impoverished little farming village, the words of my father, a truck driver who only made a couple of dollars a day, still resonate with me - pushing me to get an education, so that we could break the cycle of poverty. He said a well-rounded education was the one thing no one could take from us. My father and mothers work ethic and passion for a better life allowed all eight of their children to escape poverty. 'VILE, HATEFUL COMMENTS': Judge KP George speaks out against racist attacks As a young man pursuing my education, numbers, statistics and mathematics stood out to me, so I pursued a career as a board certified financial planner to help individuals and businesses plan for a successful financial future. As you know, I was not born in America, but I got here as fast as I could. My naturalization certificate is something I hold very close to my heart. My wife, a Fort Bend ISD teacher, and I raised our children in Fort Bend, and serving this community as a volunteer and public servant continues to be one of my greatest joys in life. My family and I are privileged to be living the American Dream as imagined by our founders and by immigrants who have long flocked to these shores in search of freedom and opportunity. Every morning, I wake up grateful to be an American and think about how I can give back. I enjoy volunteering with my church, our schools and a variety of non-profit organizations. One of my passions is to support our young people and prepare them to take the reins of leadership. To that note, I have been very involved in our local school systems, served as a two-term board member for Fort Bend ISD and currently run a Youth Leadership Program countywide. There is no other place I would consider raising my family than in Fort Bend. I ran for County Judge because I wanted to do everything in my ability to shape a county government that was more engaging, efficient and effective for all residents of our rapidly growing and diverse community. From emergency management to human trafficking to infrastructure development and more, we must plan for the long term to achieve the best result for all of our residents. I am proud to report; we are making major progress on all of these initiatives countywide. MORE BY CLAIRE GOODMAN: Katy man rides 180 miles to raise funds for child with cancer Q: During disaster events, county judges become the main decision-makers for the county. Did you ever imagine when you took office that you would be leading the county through something like this? A: During Hurricane Harvey, I was a volunteer on the ground organizing rescues, pick up sites and sheltering for many residents. The county judge has a major role in ensuring the safety and well-being of all Fort Bend County citizens. By the Texas Constitution, I am the director of emergency management for Fort Bend County, and we have taken numerous steps to update, modernize and streamline our emergency operations to ensure the best results to protect our community. Since January 1, 2019 our office has made a number of changes in coordination with all members of the commissioners court with a focus on a more efficient, engaging, and effective county government for our citizens. MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox In the first month of being in office, we merged the Office of Emergency Management and the Fire Marshals Office after conducting a detailed analysis and report which, one, streamlined the chain of command over a variety of bureaucracies, two, saves the county over $1 million by eliminating duplicative roles, and, three, ensures a better-staffed emergency response operation not fully reliant on temporary grant funding. This data-driven model of decision making, which included comparing the emergency management operations of other counties will continue. The new, revitalized Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is better staffed, better funded and more prepared to serve and support the county for the long-term. This momentous decision was approved throughout the county with a unanimous 5-0 vote of the commissioners court. Republicans and Democrats alike came together to improve emergency management for our residents, with concrete results, including but not limited to: Executing the first functional Levee Improvement District Coordination exercise in preparation for Hurricane Season. Implementation of a renewed and revitalized mass notification system with geotargeting capabilities and a new campaign to increase signups. Sign up by texting FBCALERT to 888777. Deploying drones to monitor infrastructure before, during and after emergencies. Increasing use of social media to keep citizens updated on weather conditions and rain events, inclusive of infographics and drone footage for the best information for our residents. Applying for additional grants to mitigate many issues faced during Hurricane Harvey. As we continue to utilize a 21st-century decision-making process that incorporates data and best practices from across the country, we will continue to modernize and improve. During Hurricane Harvey, the most disruptive storm of our lives, the emergency operations were run through a 50-plus-year-old former jail, which experienced technical failure after failure. With the support of a detailed needs assessment report of the current facility, the planning for a new facility is underway to be better prepared for future hurricane seasons. Speaking of the 21st century, we have initiated discussions with institutions of higher education as we strive to be a Flagship Center for Emergency Management in our region, state and country. By partnering with these centers of innovation, we will lead to provide an important educational tool for hurricane and flood response. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has brought forth a variety of new challenges for all governments, international, national, statewide, regional, and of course, local. Like all emergencies, each are different and bring unique challenges. Fort Bend County is now well suited to adapt and overcome any challenge that comes our way including the invisible enemy of the novel coronavirus. Q: Youve had to make some difficult decisions over the past few months. What is your decision-making process like? A: Often starting at 7:30 a.m. with conference calls, we stay in touch with all of our experts and stakeholders from our health authorities to our school district officials to ensure we are coordinated and communicating at all times. My decision making is very straightforward. I rely on our subject matter experts, the data and community input with a singular focus in mind - will this help Fort Bend County residents? As your county judge, Ive had to make a lot of decisions over the last few months to tackle the COVID crisis head-on. I want everyone to know that these decisions arent taken lightly: theyre made in consultation with the relevant medical and scientific experts, and with input from community leaders and residents, and in all cases, my Christian faith guides my decision making. We are also blessed to have extremely high skilled professionals who work here and highly educated residents who understand the importance of making decisions, both personal and public, based on the science and data. No matter what decisions you make, someone is going to disagree with you. The mask mandate, for example, has been met with equal parts praise and condemnation. How do you push through the negativity? I often remind people that I was born neither a Republican nor Democrat. I simply came to this country for a better life. My decision-making isnt political - its focused on the issue at hand. We cannot let politics or ideologies take over our decision making process, but sadly our rhetoric seems to have been hijacked by the far extremes of the political spectrum. As Americans, we need to come together and have common sense discussions about the issues. We can choose to agree or disagree respectfully and civilly, but by being able to have a responsible, adult conversation - we are able to work together for the best interest of everyone in mind. I am proud to say that Fort Bend County led the State of Texas and the national government in getting ahead of the mask issue with overwhelming support from our residents and businesses. When someone criticizes my decisions that is their right as Americans. However, when people choose to hurl racist, anti-immigrant garbage at my family, colleagues, and methat crosses a line. What has always made this country great is that anyone can come here and make something of themselves. When I read some of these terrible comments online, I realize they are coming from a place of deeply misplaced fear: fear that immigrants are taking their jobs, and they are replacing real Americans or setting out to hurt our own communities somehow. One of the most important tools that our ancestors relied on, and that I also now turn to. is the power of prayer. In fact, my ancestors originally converted to Christianity upon the arrival of St. Thomas, a direct disciple of Jesus Christ, to the southern tip of India in A.D. 52, and to this day, my Christian faith helps me deal with all parts of my job especially when making difficult decisions. I want everyone to know that I am an American by choice with a deep and abiding passion for the values and opportunities that make this the greatest country on Earth. America is stronger for having hardworking immigrants contribute meaningfully to this great experiment in democracy and freedom. America is and has always been a land of immigrants striving to realize an incredible vision of liberty and prosperity. With that said, I raised my family here and know thousands of families in our community. There is no other place in the world I would rather call home. Each decision I make is focused on the safety and well-being of our residents. Q: You recently made headlines for speaking out against the racism and xenophobia youve faced in your position. What made you decide to come forward and openly discuss the hateful messages youve received? What responses have you had from the community since speaking out? A: My family and I are overwhelmed from the outpouring of love and kindness from community members spanning every political and demographic divide as we collectively work together to overcome the challenges ahead. Even as many publicly embrace my challenge to call out racism in all of its forms, we have sadly seen an increase of racial, fear driven messages of hate over the last few days. Every time my family and I get these comments, I refer back to my bookmarked verse from Second Timothy: For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. I know that of the almost one million residents of Fort Bend, one of the countrys most diverse and fastest growing communities, Im elected to represent everyone and must make decisions for the best interest of all including those that send hate filled messages. Q: Youre deeply involved in the community. Youre on anti-human trafficking task forces, anti-animal cruelty task forces, workforce leadership teams and you spearhead youth programs, to name a few. Are there any other new projects on the horizon that you can share with us? A: The issues our community face are as diverse and complex as we are. We are working on a number of issues ranging from partnerships with our institutions of higher education, long term planning of emergency evacuation routes, expanding veterans services, promoting civic engagement programs, and lots more even when we are currently focused on handling the COVID-19 pandemic. I encourage everyone to follow my administration on social media because we communicate on a daily basis to our residents about major updates and issues. Chinese Anchor Expresses Indignation After Her Hometown Is Flooded By Authorities Chinese authorities recently sought to alleviate flooding by diverting stormwater from the Yangtze River to eastern Chinas Anhui Province. The logic behind the water diversion is that even the biggest city of Anhui, the capital city Hefei, is less developed than Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai, the three metropolitan cities along the Yangtze. Chinese state media claimed that Anhui residents willingly sacrificed themselves to make a contribution to the nation, and praised their altruism. While Chinas internet trolls supported and magnified this positive energy propaganda, flood victims, including a local TV anchor, expressed their anger and despair in front of cameras. As the tension arises in Ghislaine Maxwell's case related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking scandal, Prince Andrew has been given a stern warning to be very concerned with what dirt the court might dig up about him. After the 50-year-old British socialite and former associate of Epstein was denied bail, a judge has ordered to unseal the 2015 court documents from Maxwell's previous case. The sealed records are said to reveal Maxwell's sex life and her relationship with the late pedophile. Judge Loretta Preska ordered to unseal the documents and see what can be useful in her current case. Now, Maxwell's lawyers have only seven days to launch an emergency appeal to keep those files in secret. The sealed files contain documents from the defamation lawsuit brought against Maxwell by one of Epstein's victims, Virginia Roberts. Roberts threw several allegations against Epstein, including the accusation of forcing her to have sex with Prince Andrew from 1999 to 2001. Roberts filed the defamation case after Maxwell accused her of lying from all her allegations. While the case has been settled before it reached trial in 2017, it is said that 900 out of 2,000 pages of evidence remain sealed or redacted. Once unsealed, the documents are expected to finally name two mysterious "John Does" involved in Epstein's sex trafficking ring. Prince Andrew Should Be Worried Any moment now, the revelations from the sealed documents could finally explode. One of the victims' lawyers suggested that the 60-year-old royal should be very concerned with the details in the papers. "Unsealing of the Maxwell documents is a positive step. Secrecy favors predators. Transparency helps victims," Lisa Bloom, the lawyer representing some victims, told the Daily Mirror. "Anyone who was associated with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell should be very concerned," she added. Instead of waiting for the secrets to explode, Bloom said that Queen Elizabeth II's favorite son should move ahead of time and work on cooperating with authorities, just like he promised before. "In particular, Prince Andrew should get ahead of this by cooperating with investigators as he promised to do months ago," Bloom added. Secret Tapes On top of these sealed documents, the Duke of York should also be concerned with claims that he could be in one of Epstein's secret footages, showing his association with the girls at the billionaire's forbidden mansions. Speaking to The Sun, Epstein's former employee has claimed seeing Prince Andrew with a topless woman while in one of Epstein's mansions. According to the 48-year-old former employee only identified as Tiffany Doe (not her real name), she recalled walking inside a room full of television screens. She stumbled upon Epstein and Maxwell watching a secretly recorded video of Prince Andrew with a topless woman. "I couldn't see all of Andrew, so I don't know if he was clothed or not. It looked like it was filmed in a bedroom. I don't think Andrew knew he was being filmed," Doe revealed. When Maxwell quipped "Oh, that's Randy Andy for you," that was when Doe recognized Prince Andrew on the video. READ MORE: Kate Middleton Pregnant? Why Baby No.4 Is Unlikely For Prince William And Kate Its no secret Princess Diana and Prince Charles were unhappy together. Even though they married in one of the most memorable and expensive royal weddings ever, they werent a perfect match. They often argued and despite entering the marriage with hopes of making it work, Diana later admitted she didnt have high expectations for the union. Keep reading to learn more about Charles and Dianas marriage. Prince Charles and Princess Diana married in 1981 Princess Diana and Prince Charles on their wedding day | Express Newspapers/Getty Images RELATED: Princess Diana and Prince Charles in Forgotten Photos From Their Marriage July 29, 1981, is the day Charles and Diana exchanged vows. In what quickly became referred to as the wedding of the century they spared no expense. The bride walked down the aisle at St. Pauls Cathedral wearing her now-iconic wedding gown accented with a 25-foot train. Millions of people around the world tuned in to watch the ceremony live on TV. Decades later, it remains one of the most-watched royal weddings ever. The public later learned both Charles and Diana wanted to call off the wedding. After the breakdown of her marriage, Diana opened up about her wedding in a series of secret tapes. Used by author Andrew Morton to write Dianas biography, she described her wedding day as the worst day of my life. Princess Dianas hopes for marriage slashed by day 2 Despite Charles being in love with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Diana entered their marriage full of hope. At least a little bit. But just a few days after officially becoming husband and wife, her hope for the union took a major hit. Prince Charles and Princess Diana at an Italian naval base | Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images RELATED: The Wedding Day Disaster Princess Diana Expertly Concealed Walking Down the Aisle Years later, Diana told Morton her tremendous hope was slashed by day two, according to Readers Digest. And per Tina Browns book, The Diana Chronicles, the mother of two once wrote, I feel so small, so lonely, so out of my depth. They didnt have an enjoyable honeymoon Possibly the terrible honeymoon had to do with Diana losing hope for her marriage so quickly. After her and Charles spectacular royal wedding, they embarked on an equally impressive honeymoon. The newlyweds set sail aboard the Royal Yacht Brittanica for a 14-day excursion through the Mediterranean. They wrapped up their trip with a stay at the royal familys Balmoral estate in Scotland. Diana expected to spend time talking with her new husband on their romantic cruise. Meanwhile, Charles brought along books and painting supplies thinking hed use the downtime to indulge in some of his hobbies. This led to arguments between the couple. Prince Charles and Princess Diana on their honeymoon at Balmoral | Serge Lemoine/Getty Images RELATED: Princess Diana Spent Royal Engagements Laughing and Smiling More to Reportedly Annoy Prince Charles To make matters worse, Diana discovered Charles had on cufflinks, a gift from Camilla, featuring intertwined Cs. Not only that but he also had a picture of Camilla in his date planner. By the time they arrived at Balmoral, Charles resorted to going off on his own while leaving members of his staff to sit with an upset Diana. Prince Charles and Princess Diana split after 15 years of marriage By the early 1990s, Charles and Diana were letting the facade of their marriage slip. In public, they used to at least pretend to be happy. But by 1991 and 1992 they looked miserable just sitting next to each other. Thanks to their marriage troubles playing out in the media, it came as not much of a surprise when they announced their separation in late 1992. In August 1996 they made their split official when they divorced. The following year, on August 31, 1997, Diana died in a car accident in Paris, France, at the age of 36. Charles went on to marry Camilla in April 2005. RELATED: Kate Middleton and Prince William vs. Prince Charles and Princess Diana: 14 Photos Comparing Their Royal Weddings Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 10:18:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Attendees from the South Korean side arrive by train in Kaesong, a border town of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for rail and road connection across border between South Korea and DPRK on Dec. 26, 2018. (Xinhua) The suspected case, a defector who returned to the DPRK city of Kaesong from South Korea on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line, was put under strict quarantine as a primary step, said the KCNA. PYONGYANG, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), declared a state of emergency in Kaesong after the border city reported a suspected case of COVID-19, said Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday. "There happened a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country," Kim said on Saturday as he presided over an emergency enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party. Undated photo handed out by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Dec. 31, 2019 shows Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), addressing the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). (KCNA/Handout via Xinhua) Kim noted that he took preemptive measures on Saturday to completely block Kaesong city and isolate each district and region immediately after the case was reported. Given the dangerous situation in Kaesong city, Kim said he has decided to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert. Photo taken on Sept. 8, 2018 shows an avenue decorated with national flags in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).(Xinhua/Jiang Yaping) According to the KCNA report, all those who had contacted the suspected case and those who had been to Kaesong city in the past five days will be given medical examination and put under quarantine. The suspected case, a defector who returned to the DPRK city of Kaesong from South Korea on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line, was put under strict quarantine as a primary step, said the KCNA. So far, the DPRK has not reported any confirmed case of COVID-19. The head of the states largest teachers union is right to fire a warning flare in Trenton: Right now, were not close to being ready to reopen schools in New Jersey. Some districts may be well prepared to offer in-person classes, but plenty of others are not. Its just not possible for some districts, New Jersey Education Association President Marie Blistan says, and allowances are going to have to be made. This is a coming, real dilemma that we havent fully faced. If we dont use the month of August to get ready and offer reassurances, we cant blame teachers and kids who dont want to participate. Done wrong, this could be dangerous. Gov. Phil Murphy announced last week that parents can choose to keep their children out of the classroom, and 42 percent already said they preferred that. Giving them this option was the right thing to do, but schools are in a difficult spot now -- unsure how many students will attend in person, let alone staffers. Teachers are still required to show up, but many may refuse. A third of the staffers in Camden dont want to come back in person. And will there be enough substitutes? Yes, the state is understandably worried about big learning loss if schools were to go all-virtual, particularly for the more than 230,000 students the administration now says dont have the needed devices or Internet at home. It was good to see Murphy take robust steps to begin closing this digital divide. But the Legislature is wrestling with how to safely reopen the schools, and the administration is not helping. No one from the Murphy administration showed up at a hearing on Wednesday to discuss it. We face a major challenge, and Murphy should be joining the discussion, rather than pretending he alone has all the answers. The to-do list is enormous. First, the state must revise its safety guidelines, which arent close to adequate right now. Certainly, it makes sense to give schools some flexibility: Some might need one-way traffic in narrow hallways for social distancing, while others need a fleet of extra buses. But at least six feet of personal space is an absolute must. So is wearing a mask for everyone, not just teachers, with scheduled breaks if necessary. Yet none of this is currently required by the state. And what if a staff member or student gets diagnosed with COVID does an entire class have to stay home? What if a family member has it? These are questions best left to the state Department of Health, not to individual districts. Schools could also use more guidance on what to do about poor ventilation. If the filters arent changed regularly enough in a buildings air conditioning system, for instance, it could just be circulating virus. We need a careful review of the written plans that districts must submit to the state in August and some in-person follow-up to ensure they are followed. And we need a way for districts to share best practices. If some use individual plexiglass partitions around desks, while others dont, it will make a lot of people very nervous. If staffers come back only begrudgingly, it wont create a good culture for kids. Well need to continuously assess districts; especially the ability of poor districts to deal with this. All of it is, of course, costly. Paterson stretched and found the funding to buy enough PPE equipment for 3 months. But what then? There is compelling reason to open the schools, for the kids and the economy. But it cant come at the expense of fresh flare-ups of the virus. With a little more than a month to go, the state is not nearly ready. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Tell us your coronavirus stories, whether its a news tip, a topic you want us to cover, or a personal story you want to share. KV Navya By Express News Service CHENNAI: Plasma therapy is the new buzzword in COVID care. The State government is promoting it aggressively across districts. But, its initiative does not seem to be getting the required support from recovered patients, who are potential donors. Volunteers say very few recovered patients are coming forward to donate plasma. In Chennai, for instance, of the over 85,000 recovered patients, only a mere 15 have come forward as donors. One can donate plasma 28 days after testing negative. Several private and government hospitals in Chennai and other parts of the State have been trying plasma therapy to increase the recovery rate. However, only a few people are coming forward to donate the plasma, says S Mohan, a volunteer. A senior official at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital said they had administered plasma treatment to 24 people, of which 22 recovered and two died. We are using this treatment on patients with mild symptoms as mentioned in the ICMR guidelines. Government hospitals are just starting to use plasma treatment and there is definitely a shortage mainly because of social stigma. Awareness is the only way out, he said. Thirty-year-old Hameedudeen, a faculty at the New College and a volunteer organising plasma donation in Tamil Nadu, said the insistence on conducting RT-PCR test on the donor could be the main reason keeping people away. Private hospitals are asking the donors to take RT-PCR test. For blood plasma donation, only the presence of Immunoglobulin-G levels has to be checked. For someone who has recovered recently and faced all the stigma around the disease, taking a test again could be undesirable. If they waive this off, more people will come forward, said Hameedudeen. Hameed further said plasma of O positive and AB positive blood groups are in most demand. Recently, we had to search for an O positive donor for two days to help a patient suffering from lung infection in Chennai. By the time we found a donor, the patient had passed away. Given the number of discharged patients, finding a donor should have taken only a few hours, he said. Plasma donation is as safe as blood donation and the awareness on it must be spread, said experts. To donate plasma, people can contact the government blood bank or volunteers. The pain points As some COVID deaths were being missed out from the official data, a nine-member panel was formed by the health department to review them 444 deaths The panel recently found to be related to the virus, but not included in the official data. They were added at a later stage Big clusters The mask has become a permanent fixture on our faces | R Satish Babu Koyambedu: where it all worsened The States largest cluster was reported from the citys main market area Koyambedu. Subsequently, the vegetable market was shifted to Thirumazhisai on the city outskirts and the fruit and flower markets were moved to Madhavaram A bank multiplying cases in Tiruchy? Two commercial establishments on NSB Road have accounted for more than 140 cases in Tiruchy district. A new hotspot also seems to be emerging at a nationalised bank here, where more than 20 employees have tested positive for the infection All that glitters is not gold 250+ people who have tested positive in Coimbatore have links with a common source gold-making units in Selvapuram & Rakkipalayam. A door-to-door survey has been launched as almost all samples from here are +ve. Madurai markets as bad as Koyambedu? 300 odd people at Paravai and Mattuthavani markets in Madurai tested positive on a daily basis since June 15. Traders complain that there was no monitoring mechanism to control the crowd in these markets. Total cases 2,06,737 Active cases 52,273 The number of active cases in the State is much less compared to the overall figure. This was brought under control by primarily focussing on containment efforts in Chennai. Police stations become hotspots At least five police stations across TN have shut down this month after cops there tested positive. As of July 6, over 3,000 personnel had tested positive. Till June 20, only 1,500 of them were +ve. Majority deaths in 60+ age group As many as 25,658 people (12.41%) in the State, aged above 60, have been infected by COVID-19 so far. This age bracket constitutes the majority in the number of deaths. Point by point 1. The government last week approved pool testing for COVID-19 diagnosis in areas with 2-5 per cent positivity rate across the State. Pool testing is a method of testing samples of up to five individuals as one. If the pool tests negative, all the samples in the pool are considered negative. If it is positive, every sample in the pool is tested again 2. The State, after much deliberations, decided not to use the rapid-antigen testing kits as suggested by the ICMR. Despite that, it has drastically increased testing from 12 lakh on July 1, to 22.8 lakh on July 25 3. Tamil Nadus tests per million is 24,262, which is more than twice the national average of 10,421. According to data, the incidence of the disease per million population in Chennai and five other districts was higher than the Tamil Nadu figure of 2,200 The bug report Chennai: A simple solution Though the State is still not out of the woods, it has scripted a success story of sorts in Chennai, where the numbers have largely been brought under control, thanks to the round-2 of intensified lockdown and fever camps of the Corporation Madurai: A growing concern The surge in Madurai happened much later, especially after the Koyambedu cluster spread its tentacles across the State. The intensified lockdown in Chennai hurt Madurai. But, over the last few days, the numbers seem to be coming under control, thanks to the containment efforts and fever camps Coimbatore: Ramping up tests The district has seen a shift from being a COVID-free zone with zero active cases on May 13, to a sudden spike in fresh cases, of late. Health officials say the spike can be attributed to clusters and travellers. With a 3.3 per cent positivity rate, the department has been testing 3,500 to 4,500 samples daily. Tiruchy: Lockdown helped The district had been averaging about 100 cases since July 4. However, in the past few days, the numbers hovered around the 200-mark. The intense lockdown from July 10 to 24 in three wards of Srirangam zone has helped reduce the cases, said Corporation Commissioner S Sivasubramanian. Chengalpattu: Hit pretty hard The proximity to Chennai did not help. Neither did the lack of medical infrastructure as good as in Chennai. The administration has been doing rigid contact tracing since May. Areas like Pallavaram, Chrompet are monitored because even when roads were closed, people could use interior streets. Kancheepuram: Spike after dip The focus is now on Kancheepuram, where the spike has been alarming. Volunteers will do door-to-door surveillance and pick up symptomatic patients at the earliest, claim officials. Hundreds of volunteers are there to survey and take patients to care centres. Tiruvallur: Virus being tamed Here again, the proximity to Chennai hit the district hard. However, the numbers, after hitting an all-time high of 526 earlier this month, has been brought under control. While officials attribute it to increased testing, concern is rampant among residents about rate of infection. Virudhunagar: Trouble with speed The district has been witnessing continuous spike in the number of COVID cases in the past week, reporting an average of 400 cases for the past five days. Though testing is ramped up to 2,500 per day, results arrive within 4-7 days, which makes further tracing complicated, say health officials. The coronavirus pandemic has been particularly hard on airlines that have not been able to operate at full potential for several months now. News of layoffs, salary cuts in the industry has been a regular feature. The situation is even worse for Air India which was in muddy waters even before the coronavirus outbreak took place. Air India's northern regional office has now formed a committee that will help the company reduce its staff. The committee will work to identify the "redundant" or "surplus" employees who would be asked to go on compulsory leave without pay (LWP) for up to five years. The official order for the formation of the committee was issued last Tuesday. Earlier in the month on July 14, Air India had issued an internal order asking its regional directors and department heads to categorise employees based on various factors. The factors were - efficiency, health and redundancy. Those who fit particular parameters are to be sent on LWP for up to five years. Air India had said to its employees that they can voluntarily opt for the LWP scheme if they wanted to. PS Negi, Regional Director (RD), Northern Region, Air India, announced on July 21 that a committee is going to be set up for the identification of "redundant/surplus manpower resources". According to the official order, the committee would be made up of the general manager (personnel), general manager (finance) and departmental heads. "GM (Personnel) will share the staff list with all departments and convene the discussions/deliberations, including the process of identification of surplus/redundant resources. The report is to be submitted to the RD office by 11th August, 2020, for a review and onward recommendation to the headquarters," the order said. Air India has a debt of around Rs 70,000 crore. For the past many years the government has been trying to sell the PSU but till now has not been able to do so. The national carrier's net loss in 2018-19 was pegged at around Rs 8,500 crore. The Rs 500-600 crore equity infusion by the government every year has not been enough to sustain the airline, said Civil Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri while trying to justify Air India's decision to send several employees on LWP. On July 17, Air India had said its financial situation is very challenging due to the coronavirus pandemic and the LWP scheme for its employees is a "win-win" situation for them as well as the management. The employees' unions of the airline have opposed the scheme. Also Read: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram district court for 'wrongful' firing of employee Also Read: Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls likely to open; metro trains, schools to remain shut Night and weekend curfew in Jammu and Kashmir 2022: Know guidelines, rules: What is allowed, what is not No resident of Srinagar in terrorist ranks after killing of top LeT commander: Kashmir IGP India pti-PTI Srinagar, July 26: No resident of Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir - is now in the militant ranks, Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said on Sunday, a day after a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander was killed by security forces here. "After #killing of #LeT #terrorist Ishfaq Rashid Khan yesterday, no resident of #Srinagar district in terrorist ranks now, he said on the Twitter handle of Kashmir zone police. Khan, a resident of Sozeith area of Srinagar, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Ranbirgarh area on the outskirts of the city in which another militant, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, from South Kashmir's Pulwama district was also killed. Kumar had recently also said that Srinagar city would never be militancy-free as militants from other districts of the Valley keep on coming here. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News Significant number of ISIS terrorists in Kerala, Karnataka: UN report "Srinagar is a city where militants come often. Sometimes they come for medical treatment, meetings or collecting funds. Srinagar can never be militant free as long as militancy is there," he had told reporters. Chandigarh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said an all-party delegation would soon call on the President and the Prime Minister to press for the early implementation of the Supreme Courts decision on the Sutlej-Yamauna Link (SYL) Canal issue. Congratulating the people on the favourable verdict, he said the state would soon get water from the SYL Canal. Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating development projects worth Rs 42 crore in Jhajjar districts Beri, he said the state government had made arrangements to ensure that the irrigation water reached right up to the tail-ends in southern Haryana and schemes worth Rs 2,500 crore have been approved in this regard. He said the present BJP government in the state had made concerted efforts in the last two years in the issue, which has been pending for about 36 years, as a result of which the apex court gave its decision in the interest of Haryana. The Chief Minister announced that a womens college would be opened at Beri. He also agreed to other demands of the locals, including those related to roads, irrigation water, education and infrastructure. Khattar said he was the first Chief Minister to have decided to visit all the 90 Assembly segments in the state in the first two years of formation of the government. This is the 80th segment where Im making announcements for development of the area. A sum of Rs 141 crore has already been spent on various development projects during the last two years in Beri. I would cover all the 90 Assembly segements by December, he added. Hailing the decision of demonetisation, the Chief Minister claimed that the common man had begun to realise that the black money had started coming out and it was the reason about 86 per cent people of the country were in its favour, according to a survey. A new path of development would be opened with the money coming to the government treasury, he added. The Chief Minister said though a lot of success had been achieved in making Haryana a corruption-free state but a lot remained to be done in this direction. Government jobs are being given in a transparent manner and investment worth about Rs 7 lakh crore is expected in the state, he added. He highlighted the various schemes and programmes being implemented in the state, including gas connection for the poor, increase in the Old Age Samman Allowance and other pensions and the Beti Bachao-Beti Badhao programme. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The British government announced late on Saturday that all travellers returning from Spain would have to undergo a two-week COVID-19 quarantine, dismaying holidaymakers and dealing another blow to the Spanish tourism industry. Here's how different groups and politicians reacted: TOURISTS * Luke Dawe, a British tourist speaking from a beach in Barcelona: "I don't see the point, really, because there's more measures here than in the UK at the moment anyway, so at the moment I think it doesn't really make sense." * British tourist Emily Harrison, flying back to London from Madrid: "It's really bad because it's just come all of a sudden, it's not given very much time to prepare, so everyone is now panicking." * John Snelling, 50, from Stratford-upon-Avon, on holiday in Menorca: "This is ridiculous. There are almost no cases here and there's a far higher chance of contracting it when I get back to Britain." * Londoner Rich Lambert, waiting for a flight at Barcelona airport: "It's a bit crazy considering the restrictions in place in Spain already are really good, with the masks, with disinfecting everything, with hand wash in the shops ... I would be more concerned about catching coronavirus in London than in Spain." * Spanish telecommunications worker and London resident Jorge Riveiro: "Since the number of cases here in Spain is rising I think it's probably a sensible measure and I was expecting it to be honest." Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya "Spain is safe, it is safe for Spaniards, it is safe for tourists." "As in every other country, we are seeing outbreaks, which are perfectly under control. Most new cases are asymptomatic. "Our dialogue efforts are focused for the moment around excluding the Balearic and Canary Islands from the quarantine measures." British Ambassador to Spain, Hugh Elliott "I know this is disruptive for travelers already in, or planning to come to Spain, but we had to take swift action to protect public health in the UK. We are now advising against all non-essential travel to Spain, and this is because of a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 in the last week. Please note that this travel advice does not apply to the Balearic or Canary Islands." UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab "We appreciate the disruption for travellers, anyone that's at risk of losing money needs to go and talk to their travel operator and look at their insurance. But we must take these measures to avoid the risk of reinfection into the UK, given the very serious spike in cases in Spain." Hotels and Tour Operators * Toni Mayor, head of Valencia's HOSBEC hotel association, which includes Benidorm, a resort that depends heavily on British tourists: "It's not going to be easy, this upsets everything... It's a shame because things were starting to look up and we had a lot of bookings coming in for August." "Hotels that were planning to reopen on Aug.1 won't open now." * Maria Frontera, head of Mallorcas FEHM hotel association: "We received the two announcements from the British government yesterday with shock and surprise." "It will mean a direct and negative impact on reservations. We request the Spanish government intervene and make clear that there are regions within Spain where the pandemic is progressing well." * TUI UK said in a statement: "We know how much our customers look forward to their holiday abroad and some will be able to accommodate the new quarantine restrictions. Therefore all those that wish to travel to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands will be able to travel as planned from Monday 27th July." Search Keywords: Short link: When a group of students, numbering about 40, decided to travel from their School Dong Hoi High to Quang Binh province to celebrate 30th anniversary of their graduation, little did they know that it will eventually turn out to be one journey too many for some of them. The Students of Dong Hoi High, while travelling to celebrate their graduation anniversary, their bus crashed, flipped close to a sharp bend and claimed the lives of thirteen students on board. According to media in the State, they said the driver lost control of the vehicle, immediately getting to a sharp turn on the highway. In wake of the development, the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that road accidents can be attributed to be the chief primary cause to deaths of individuals aged 15-29. According to them, the country so far, has recorded nothing less than 3,200 deaths from January to June 2020. A local online talk show dealing with topics of interest to nonprofit professionals called philanthrOK: Retrospect will focus its upcoming program on challenges facing women trying to balance home and work life in the nonprofit sector. The episode is titled Mission While You Mom and will be aired at 9 a.m. Aug. 5 via Zoom. It is free to view the show, but registration is required. To register for the session: writeonfundraising.com. Participants include Torii Freeman, director of human resources at YWCA Tulsa; Shiloh Kantz, director of operations and development at Oklahoma Policy Institute; Katie Gill Miller, chief operations officer at Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma; and host Lindsay Jordan, founder and CEO of Write On Fundraising. The panelists will explore the intersection of motherhood and mission-driven work and unpack the unique challenges this partnership brings. The talk show premiered in February and launches new episodes every other month. Upcoming shows will feature Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith, Oct. 14; and equity consultant Mana Tahaie, Dec. 2. James D. Watts Jr. 918-581-8478 james.watts@tulsaworld.com Twitter: watzworld Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Accra July 27, 2020. Scancom PLC (MTN Ghana) will host shareholders at its second Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 13th of August 2020. The meeting which will be held virtually will be streamed live from the Companys Head office at MTN House, Independence Avenue from 11am. The meeting will among others discuss the Audited Financial Statements together with the reports of the Directors and Auditors for the year ended 31st December 2019; declare a final dividend for the year ended 31st December 2019, re-elect retiring Directors of the Company, authorize the amendment of the Constitution of the Company in compliance with the new Companies Act 2019 (Act 992). Shareholders can participate in the virtual meeting via www.mtnghagm.com from 11:00am on 13th August 2020. Alternatively, Shareholders who do not have smartphones may participate in the AGM by (i) dialing +233244300025; (ii) entering the access code 8000; and (iii) entering the conference pin number 056789. A unique token number will be sent to Shareholders by email and/or SMS from the 22nd July 2020, to grant access to the AGM. Registration for the AGM will start at 8.00am. A Shareholder may appoint a proxy to attend virtually and vote on their behalf. Such a proxy need not be a Shareholder of the Company. A copy of the Proxy Form may be downloaded from www.mtnghagm.com completed, signed and sent via email only to [email protected] . In order for Shareholders to review the 2019 Audited Financial Statements before the AGM, a copy has been uploaded online and can be found in the Annual Report Brochure by visiting www.mtnghagm.com . Shareholders are encouraged to send in questions in advance of the AGM by emailing them to [email protected] . Answers to the questions will be provided at the AGM. The Board Chairman of Scancom PLC Mr. Ishmael Yamson, urged all shareholders to take advantage of the Virtual AGM and participate in their numbers. He also encouraged shareholders to read the financial statements and endeavor to make their contributions to further the growth of the business and increase shareholder value. Voting during the AGM will be done electronically by dialing USSD code *899*0#. However Shareholders who do not submit proxy prior to the meeting, may vote using their unique token number. The Virtual AGM has been legally and validly convened pursuant to Section 162 (1) of the Companies Act (Act 992) and by an order from the High Court of Ghana dated 19th June 2020. It is also in compliance with the current restrictions on public gatherings in force pursuant to the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) and consequent regulatory directives. Scancom Plc. (MTN GHANA) held its first AGM in May 2019 after it listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) on 5 September 2018 with the largest number of Ghanaian shareholding of any listed company on the GSE at 127,826. By raising GHS 1,146,589,464.75 from 128,152 applicants, the Offer made history as the largest primary share offer in the history of the Ghana Stock Exchange. It enabled many Ghanaians from all walks of life to own a share in one of Ghanas largest, most visible and well-respected companies. About MTN Ghana MTN Ghana is the market leader in the increasingly competitive mobile telecommunications industry in Ghana, offering subscribers a range of exciting options under Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go Services and Mobile Financial Services. The company has committed itself to delivering reliable and innovative services that provide value for subscribers in Ghanas telecommunications market. Since its entry into Ghana in 2006, MTN has continuously invested in expanding and modernizing its network in order to offer superior services to a broad expanse of the nation. Recent news about the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States feels increasingly grim. Anyone who is paying attention can see that our country could be doing much, much better at controlling the spread of the virus. But while states like Florida continue to set record after record for most new cases in a single day, Connecticut and its New England neighbors to the north have admirably contained the viruss spread. The question is, how? Are we better about wearing masks? Are we more likely to trust medical experts about social distancing? Are we just lucky? Maybe. But theres one factor that we shouldnt overlook: our ability to politely ignore one another. When asked to describe the Connecticut (or New England) personality, many people are quick to point out that we are not known for our warmth. People (arent) super friendly and no one looks at you in the face, writes one commenter in an online forum about what its like to live in New England. If you come from the South, people around (here) will seem obscenely rude, cautions another. On the one hand, I want to challenge the stereotype that New Englanders are unfriendly. I was born in Connecticut and have lived here most of my life, and not all Nutmeggers are shut-ins eager for an excuse to bar the doors and stream The Tiger King in blissful solitude. But our reputation for social frigidity isnt entirely undeserved. Sometimes polite avoidance is preferable to alternatives like road rage or an honest conversation. In fact, avoidance is our chosen method of conflict resolution. We know a dozen excuses for extricating ourselves from unwanted conversations. We are schooled in the science of leaving passive-aggressive sticky notes. We know how to glance through the blinds to make sure the neighbors arent watering their plants so that we can avoid them when we leave the house. We can even avoid knowing our neighbors names if we want to. We know that, in order to evade what Larry David terms a stop and chat, all we need to do when encountering an acquaintance at the store is smile, give a perfunctory greeting, and most importantly keep walking. We are pros at avoiding one another when necessary. And right now, its necessary. During this unprecedented public health crisis, our well-practiced avoidance tactics have become useful in unprecedented ways. Maybe the shift into social distancing isnt as hard for us as it has been for those more accustomed to spontaneous and lengthy conversations with friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. When visiting Georgia, for instance, I couldnt believe how long it took to check out at the grocery store. This wasnt because the line was especially long, but because the bagger evidently relished the opportunity to share her life and ask about mine in a way that felt more appropriate for a family reunion than a Publix. Of course, were not doing anything new when we politely avoid these kinds of unwanted intimacies. This behavior is a part of our state history. In 1633, Thomas Hooker politely excused himself from England to cross the ocean and settle in Boston. Three years later, he politely excused himself from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and traveled south to found Connecticut. And in 1776, Connecticut joined with 12 other colonies in politely excusing themselves from the British Empire. Now, in 2020, we have good reason to politely excuse ourselves from all kinds of obligations. In Connecticut, our efforts may be paying off: on July 7 and 10, Connecticut celebrated its first and second days of zero COVID-related deaths since the first death was reported on March 17. On July 21, we heard reports of another day with no Connecticut virus deaths. And for nearly the entire month of July, fewer than a hundred Connecticut patients have been hospitalized due to the virus at any given time. Not that we should start congratulating ourselves yet. COVID-19 infection rates are changing day-by-day, and my comments on Connecticuts relative success in limiting the spread of the virus might prove tragically ironic in the weeks or months to come. But for right now, when those from other regions accuse us of being as cold as a Litchfield morning in January, we can smile (politely, of course) and take silent pride in how that coldness may be helping to keep us safe. Chris Bolster teaches English at the University of Connecticut, where he is also a Ph.D. student. New Delhi/Kabul, July 26 : Pakistani terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, which runs its terror activities in Indian Kashmir, has become active in Afghanistan. In the last two days, at least 13 Pakistani Jaish terrorists were killed by Afghan security forces in the Khogyani district in Afghanistan. The banned Pakistani terror outfit, headed by Masood Azhar, usually targets civilians and soldiers in Indian Kashmir. In February 2019, a Jaish suicide bomber blew up an Indian paramilitary bus in Pulwama in south Kashmir, killing over 40 CRPF personnel. India retaliated by launching a surgical strike deep into Pakistan targeting Jaish terror camps in Balakot. Sources said Pakistan's spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which trains, arms and sponsors Islamist terror groups, has been reorganising and restructuring terror infrastructure against India and Afghanistan. In a joint operation, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have killed 13 and captured one Jaish terrorist in Mirza Khel in Khogyani district in Afghanistan. Along with them, 18 Afghan Taliban terrorists were also killed. The operation is still underway, sources added. On June 29, the Afghan Security Forces (ASF) had destroyed a camp of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) -- another Kashmir-centric terror outfit -- on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and killed two LeT terrorists. One of the two terrorists was Abu Bakr, an LeT commander from Khyber Agency in Pakistan. Talibani terrorists were also present in the camp, sources in Kabul said. Sources said Afghan intelligence had credible inputs that LeT and Taliban had established camps in Wargah and Tordarah on the border to launch attacks on Afghan forces. After the operation, several Lashkar and Taliban terrorists fled back to Pakistani side of the border in their vehicles, taking along a high number of casualties. In June, a UN Security Council report had said that not only do the Taliban and the Al Qaida continue to cooperate with each other, but Kashmir-specific Pakistani terror groups, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, are sending their trainers to Afghanistan to carry out target assassinations. The report had said that around 6,500 Pakistani terrorists, including 1,000 from Jaish and Lashkar, are present in Afghanistan. This was followed by a Pentagon report, which said the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region remains a sanctuary for al-Qaeda (AQ), al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K). THE WHITE HOUSE has made it unmistakably clear that it wants schools to open this year with full in-person instruction, and that nothing least of all the science should stand in the way. But the actual decisions on whether to allow children back into the classroom are thankfully being made not by a president hellbent on making a political point, but by school officials who are listening to public health experts and consulting with members of their communities. Many of them are coming to the reluctant conclusion that the failure to contain the novel coronavirus something that actually is the responsibility of President Trumps administration makes it unwise to return children to the classroom. Thousands of people took to the streets across the country Saturday night as demonstrations that had largely died down were suddenly reenergized by weeks of violent clashes between activists and federal agents in Portland, Oregon. One of the largest and most intense protests took place in Seattle, where thousands took to the streets in what was the biggest antipolice brutality protest in weeks. The demonstrations against police violence were declared a riot by police, and officers deployed flash-bangs and pepper spray to clear the area. At least 45 people were arrested, and 21 officers sustained injuries after being struck by bricks, rocks mortars/other explosives, according to Seattle police. Cops rushed into crowds, knocking people to the ground, including in at least one case those who stopped to help a woman injured by a flash grenade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities also declared a riot in Portland early Sunday in a now-familiar scene as thousands of protesters gathered for the 59th night of protests. Rallygoers breached the reinforced fence around the citys federal courthouse building. Multiple people were arrested, but the number isnt quite clear. Saturday nights demonstration followed what has become a typical pattern, notes the Oregonian, with the early evening peaceful, then a tense standoff at the fence around the federal courthouse, and finally provocation by protesters tampering with the fence and throwing fireworks, and federal agents responding with tear gas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Austin, Texas a man was shot and killed at a protest downtown. The victim was reportedly carrying a weapon when he approached a vehicle and the person in the car shot the man. It seems the driver drove through the crowd and there were people around the car when the shooting took place. The shooter was taken into custody. Someone dying while protesting is horrible, Mayor Steve Adler of Austin said in a statement. Our city is shaken and, like so many in our community, Im heartbroken and stunned. The victims mother said that her son was pushing his fiancees wheelchair shortly before the shooting. And this gentleman got out of his car and started firing shots, and my son was shot three times, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clip of the shooting at the protest in Austin Texas from Hiram Gilberto on FB pic.twitter.com/VFbzqfoSff Anthony Martino (@anthonyfartino) July 26, 2020 Advertisement Advertisement There was also some violence reported in Los Angeles as protesters faced off with officers in front of the federal courthouse downtown. There were a few arrests but the numbers are not clear, with police insisting that most of the demonstrators were peaceful although there were a few isolated incidents of vandalism that included broken windows. Its not the whole group thats doing it, Sgt. Anthony Costello said. Its isolated individuals. Protesters said the situation in Portland, where demonstrators have taken to the streets for almost two months, had motivated them to come out again. Portland is leading, a Los Angeles protester said. Theyre showing what it looks like to stay in the streets despite police oppression, despite the federal forces being sent in. This kind of energy is actually whats needed. Advertisement Advertisement There were also protests in Omaha, Nebraska, where protesters not only took to the streets in solidarity with Portland but also to bring attention to the killing of James Scurlock, a Black man who was killed by a white bar owner in May. Police arrested at least 75 people. Cops also deployed tear gas in Richmond, Virginia, where hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday night. There were also protests in New York City; Oakland, California; and Aurora, Colorado, among others. For more of Slates news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below. Hamilton was once one of the least revered of the American Founders: he was attacked as a 'monocrat' and elitist, disdained for his perfectly legitimate suspicions of the French Revolution, and accused of establishing the foundations of a commercial oligarchy through his support of a National Bank and a system of manufacturing throughout the United States. Today, in contrast, he is perhaps the most popular Founder, in no small part because of the immense success of Lin Manuel-Miranda's hit musical, HAMILTON. In the informative essay that follows, the scholar Tony Williams nicely captures Hamilton's thought and action at the "service of a natural rights republic." Washington's most prized assistant, Hamilton, like his mentor, favored an efficacious Union, with a strong national government that could truly govern. Both believed that a weak government would undermine the achievements of the American Revolution and lead to chaos, and then to demagoguery and tyranny. At the constitutional convention of 1787, and through his thoughtful and artful contributions to the Federalist papers, Hamilton helped build a republic that was both strong and free. And in helping Washington draft his Farewell Address of 1796, Hamilton gave eloquent expression to Washington's defense of union and liberty, and the moral and religious foundations of a free republic. It should also be added that Hamilton was unambiguously anti-slavery and was a member of the New York Manumission Society. In recent years, American civic culture has suffered deep cleavages. Civil conversations have been poisoned by battles over the meaning of Americas past, and which figures we should revereand condemn. Even Americas Founding Fathers have come under the microscope, but oneAlexander Hamiltonhas been spared such judgments by the massive popularity of Lin-Manuel Mirandas runaway hit musical, Hamilton. Miranda has made Hamilton by far the most popular Founder, at least for the time being. Hamiltons new stature is heartening, though its unlikely that it has led to a significantly deeper understanding of his contribution as a thinker and statesman in helping to establish the American constitutional order. Hamilton came to the American colonies as a young immigrant as the tensions with Great Britain were coming to a head in the mid-1770s. He studied ancient and Enlightenment thinkers at Kings College and developed a Lockean political philosophy that prized natural rights and republican self-government. In his 1775 Farmer Refuted pamphlet, he argued for universal natural rights. The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for, among old parchments, or musty records, he wrote. They are written, by the hand of divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power. The purpose of government was to protect the natural rights of the sovereign people, who could overthrow an unjust government that failed to fulfill its purpose. [Hamilton] was a man of action who sought fame and personal honor in a war for liberty. Hamilton was not content with writing about American republicanism. He was a man of action who sought fame and personal honor in a war for liberty. He served in the army of his adopted country, perhaps to seal with my blood the sentiments defended by my pen. He used sword and pen in the war as the hero of the Battle of Yorktown and General George Washingtons most trusted staff officer. Washington facilitated Hamiltons meteoric rise and fundamentally shaped the trajectory of his statesmanship. Washington gave opportunities to Hamilton and others in the officer corps based on merit and talent, rather than birthright. The general also fostered a continental outlook and forged an American character in the army. At the end of the war, he promoted a strong national Union and urged the national government to adopt greater powers adequate to an independent sovereign nation. These ideas profoundly shaped Hamiltons thinking. Americas frustrating wartime experience under the Continental Congress led Hamilton to become a nationalist and firm advocate of a stronger central government. The fundamental defect, as he saw it, is a want of power in Congress and too much power in the sovereign states. He supported constitutional revision of the Articles of Confederation, the new nations first constitution, even before all the states ratified it. In the summer of 1781, he began a series of essays entitled "The Continentalist." He wrote: There is something noble and magnificent in the perspective of a great federal republic, closely linked in the pursuit of a common interest, tranquil and prosperous at home, respectable abroad. After serving a brief time in Congress, Hamilton became an attorney in New York. His dedication to natural-law justice prompted his courageous defense of the rights of unpopular Tories who had had their property confiscated under New York law. He believed that the laws violated equal justice, the rights of minorities, and the Peace Treaty of 1783. In January 1784, he wrote "Letter from Phocion," stating that a natural-rights republic holds the rights of every individual sacred and punishes no man without regular trial. Most famously, he represented a widow in Rutgers v. Waddington, making a case for judicial review when state laws conflicted with national ones, individual rights, and natural law. During the 1780s, Hamilton joined the antislavery New York Manumission Society. He believed that slavery was a moral evil and a contradiction of any natural-rights regime. During the 1780s, Hamilton joined the antislavery New York Manumission Society. He believed that slavery was a moral evil and a contradiction of any natural-rights regime. During the war, he had backed friend John Laurens plan to emancipate slaves in South Carolina if the slaves would bear arms for the patriot cause. Ultimately, though, abolition was not Hamiltons main cause. He adopted a longer view, one devoted to building a well-governed republic that protected the inalienable rights of all. In 1786, Hamilton attended the abortive Annapolis Convention to create uniform commercial regulations for the nation. He discussed the problems of the Confederation with a handful of fellow nationalists, including James Madison, and wrote the resolution calling for a Philadelphia convention the following May to render the constitution of the federal government adequate to the exigencies of the Union. Hamiltons political philosophy has often been misunderstood. He supported a strong national government, but he was no monarchist, later claims of the Jeffersonians notwithstanding. He sought a stronger central government because he believed that a weak government was the greatest threat to individual liberty. A weak government was susceptible to chaos, which opened the path to demagoguery and tyranny. Weakness endangered national security and honor, inviting the great European empires to carve up North America according to their own interests. At the Constitutional Convention, Hamilton was continually frustrated by his role and the course of the deliberations. New York governor George Clinton and his allies in the state assembly sent Hamilton as part of a three-man delegation with two anti-federalists, who outvoted Hamilton at every turn and foiled his nationalist designs. Eventually, they went home and left the state delegation without a quorum or vote. On June 18, 1787, Hamilton delivered a six-hour speech that stretched republican principles as far as they would go, describing an elective executive, a senate for life, and a democratic house. While he sincerely believed in the ideas and principles of his proposed plan, many scholars have reasonably suspected that he introduced it to help moderate the Virginia Plan in the minds of the delegates. [Hamilton] supported a strong national government, but he was no monarchist, later claims of the Jeffersonians notwithstanding. Hamilton signed the Constitution but seemed to offer it only the most lukewarm approbation, saying that it was better than nothing. Such a comment belied the role that he played in the ratification debate. He was the most prolific author of the Federalist essays as Publius and the main proponent of the Constitution at the New York ratifying convention. His efforts reflected his belief that Americans faced a deliberative moment to decide the question of whether human beings were capable of establishing good government from reflection and choice. After playing a key role in ratification, Hamilton was instrumental in forging the new government in the Washington administration. As Treasury secretary, he worked with Congress to establish the public credit on a solid footing and create a national bank. More fundamentally, he laid the foundation for private enterprise to thrive in a capitalist economy and for the various players in the national economymanufacturers, merchants, plantation owners, yeoman farmers, shippers, and artisansto be integrated into a united whole and enjoy prosperity. Congressional debate over Hamiltons plans was spirited, to say the least. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and other critics argued that creating a national bank was not an enumerated power of Congress; doing so violated the Tenth Amendment and improperly exercised power under the Necessary and Proper Clause of Article I, section 8. Hamilton penned a lengthy defense of implied powers and argued that the powers of a bank were related to other powers of Congress under that clause, and thereby constitutional. Hamilton quickly became Washingtons key cabinet member and advisor. They agreed on almost all domestic and foreign policy; Secretary of State Jefferson and Representative Madison were increasingly shut out and became Hamiltons political rivals. They formed a political partydespite the universal antipathy to parties as factionsand opposed his centralizing policies at nearly every turn. Hamiltons diligent efforts to defend the national interest by pursuing peace through strength demonstrated that he was no warmonger. Washington and Hamilton agreed to send an army to western Pennsylvania to enforce the rule of law and avert another Shays Rebellion when farmers protested a tax on whiskey passed by Congress and signed by the president. On foreign policy, the pair agreed to a 1793 Proclamation of Neutrality and the 1795 Jay Treaty, with the overriding goal of averting war because the new nation was ill-prepared to fight with France or Great Britain. Hamiltons diligent efforts to defend the national interest by pursuing peace through strength demonstrated that he was no warmonger. Weary of the partisan rivalries that divided his administration, President Washington reluctantly accepted a second term. By 1796, however, he was unalterably committed to retire to Mount Vernon under his vine and fig-tree. Madison had written a 1792 draft of Washington's "Farewell Address," which was shelved until 1796. Hamilton rewrote the address as a practical guide to republican political principles. It has endured as one of the key documents of the American Founding. The "Farewell Address" was Washingtons guide to his fellow Americans about achieving political prosperity. He advised them to cherish the national Union as the main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. He warned them against the dangers of political party as inimical to the public good and unity. He thought the basis of republican government was a virtuous and knowledgeable citizenry. To that end, he promoted education and religion. Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports, he wrote. Finally, he thought that the United States should steer clear of permanent alliances; it should seek to defend American national interests while treating other nations with liberality and justice. Hamilton spent a lifetime defending his personal honor and the national honor. Hamilton spent a lifetime defending his personal honor and the national honor. He perished in a duel while fighting to protect an eighteenth-century ideal that seems anachronistic to Americans today. Hamilton has never garnered more interest or been as closely examined in the popular imagination as he is now. Yet, we collectively seem to miss the mark on how much he contributed to the shaping of the American republican institutions that support the ideals of liberty and self-government, free enterprise, and civic culture. A better understanding of Alexander Hamilton, and his political principles and statesmanship, could teach Americans important lessons today. Tony Williams is a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Bill of Rights Institute. He is the author of six books including Washington and Hamilton: The Alliance that Forged America with Stephen F. Knott and Hamilton: An American Biography. This essay may be republished for free with attribution. (These terms do not apply to outside articles linked on the site.) Oregons U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams on Saturday called it nonsensical, political theater for Portland city officials to bar local police from collaborating with federal officers and urged local citizens to demand the violent extremists who attempt to breach the fence outside the federal courthouse each night to leave. Until that happens, were going to do what we need to do to protect federal property,' Oregons top federal prosecutor said in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive. When the violence ends, then there wont be a need for the presence of nightly federal officers. ... It seems quite simple. Anyone who thinks were just going to give up the courthouse, Hatfield, Pioneer (Courthouse) or any other federal facility downtown, thats not going to happen. Were not leaving. Williams and Oregon U.S. Marshals Russel E. Burger answered questions in a phone interview Saturday, after an assistant federal prosecutor and spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security held a media briefing as demonstrators are expected to mark the 59th consecutive day of protests Saturday evening. The protests against police violence and systemic racism were spurred by the May 25 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes. But the size of the demonstrations in Portland have grown since early July and have shifted their focus to the 114 federal officers who President Donald Trump deployed to protect the downtown courthouse from vandalism. Since early July, federal officers have detained or arrested 60 people. Of those, 46 face pending federal charges, including 30 misdemeanors, eight felonies and eight violations or citations, on allegations ranging from attempted arson to assault on an officer and failing to comply with a lawful order. Burger and Williams stood by the federal officers use of tear gas and impact munitions to repel'' people from breaching whats now a heavy embassy-style fence, anchored by concrete barriers, erected around the perimeter of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse at Southwest Third Avenue between Salmon and Main streets. Burger said the fence is intended to de-escalate'' the tensions, though the fence has become a flashpoint, as one previously did outside the neighboring Multnomah County Justice Center and has since been removed. Burger said U.S. Marshals are directed to remain in a defensive posture'' inside the courthouse, unless people are trying to break in, knock down the protective fence or set fires to the courthouse. Then, the marshals are directed to use the minimal amount of force necessary to stop attacks on them. The marshals are armed with flash-bang grenades, rubber bullets, tear gas, pepper spray and pepper balls, he said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel said the fence was put up to create some distance and further separate the courthouse from people intending to either set it on fire, pull plywood down from its exterior or break the glass doors, as had occurred in recent weeks. Harry Fones, a spokesman for the federal Homeland Security Department, repeatedly referred to rioters and violent anarchists rioting in the street in a prepared statement he read. He didnt take questions. Deputy U.S. marshals would prefer to remain inside the courthouse, or not have to be present at all, but once people attempt to set the building on fire or breach the security fence outside with power tools, ropes or vehicles, then the officers will respond, Burger said. Once federal officers leave the courthouse, he said, theyve routinely faced a barrage of objects thrown at them, including fireworks, water bottles and ball bearings, and then must work to disperse the crowd. He said if that means pushing people back across the street, or if it means pushing them out four blocks away, if thats what it takes, thats what they got to do, Burger said. On Friday night, six federal officers were injured, including one who was hospitalized with burns from a mortar blast. Another suffered a concussion, according to Gabriel. Outside lawyers say the federal officers have overstepped their legal authority to defend the courthouse by declaring unlawful assemblies, firing tear gas or rubber bullets at nonviolent demonstrators or pressing crowds to move several blocks away from the courthouse. While acknowledging that other peaceful demonstrators are getting subjected to federal officers use of tear gas, and sometimes impact munitions, Burger said, We want to support peoples rights to express themselves...but at the same time when our people are under attack, they have to defend themselves. It would be great if the peaceful protesters would tell the violent ones to please stop so they arent the recipient of gas or munitions,' Burger said. Williams said he has talked to Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who himself was subject to tear gas when he attended a protest last week, but not the governor, and is talking with other leaders of the community, faith-based groups and business leaders. He called Portland City Councils vote last week ordering Portland police to end coordination with federal officers short-sighted,' considering police and federal officers have long worked together on joint task forces to combat crimes, such as sex or drug trafficking. It doesnt help anything, he said. Burger and Williams declined to comment on a deputy marshals shooting of 26-year-old Donavan La Bella in the head with an impact munition; the baton-battering of U.S. Navy vet Chris David, 53, who was attempting to talk to federal officers outside the courthouse; or allegations that two people have been picked up off the street, taken to unmarked vans without probable cause to detain them. Those cases, Williams said, are under review by either the U.S. Department of Justices or Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General. Burger did say his prayers and thoughts go out to La Bellas family and he was glad to hear that La Bella is recovering and has been released from the hospital. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel said, There will be accountability'' if any tactics did not comply with federal law or policy. He said the U.S. Attorneys office, though, doesnt control the tactics of the federal officers. He said the office is aware that theres historic civil unrest, due to longstanding racial injustice, economic disparities and a global pandemic. People are angry. Very large crowds are gathering, expressing deep and legitimate anger with police and the justice system, Gabriel said. We wholeheartedly support the communitys constitutionally protected rights to assemble together in large, even rowdy protests and engage in peaceful and civil disobedience. But he added, We have to condemn the ongoing violence against police officers and justice facilities. ... If the courthouse can stand and have integrity and not be subject to damage or attack, then the officers will go home. Its that simple. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday saluted the valour and grit of the Indian soldiers on the occasion of 21st anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. Shah took to Twitter and said that Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of Indias proud, valour and steadfast leadership. Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of Indias proud, valour and steadfast leadership. I bow to the soldiers who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and waved the tricolor there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India, who are dedicated to protecting the motherland, Shah tweeted (translated from Hindi) The country is celebrating the anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999. Since then, the day is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay. The day marks the victory of Indian soldiers in recapturing the mountain heights that were occupied by the Pakistani Army on July 26, 1999, known as the Kargil War. As part of its efforts to support young people in the kingdom, AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British University of Bahrain to provide scholarships for students in Bahrain. As part of the agreement, the university will be added to the Foundations partner universities, where they will provide scholarships to a number of majors offered to the eligible students. The scholarship will include benefits of the Rayaat programme such as covering all university fees, including book fees, receiving monthly financial incentives based on educational achievement, in addition to the opportunity to participate in workshops and skills development courses, as well as training opportunities in both government and private sectors. The grantee student will also be able to issue a Rayaat card that provides many benefits such as community service opportunities and volunteer work, participation in monthly educational and recreational activities. The British University of Bahrain is keen on creating an ideal learning environment for students by providing enhanced services with state-of-the-art facilities on campus and outstanding academic and administrative competencies. The British University of Bahrain opened in 2018, in partnership with University of Salford Manchester, as an extension of its campus in Bahrain. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the British University of Bahrain for their cooperation and outstanding efforts, which are in line with our efforts to empowering young people and developing their educational and practical skills in various fields. In line with this cooperation, we are also looking for closer partnerships with other universities from inside and outside the kingdom, to provide a greater range of scholarships and benefits for eligible students, in order to meet the requirements of the labour market which goes in line the economic vision 2030, commented the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, Shaikha Zain bint Khalid Al Khalifa. The Rayaat Scholarship programme was launched in 2011, in line with the foundations vision to provide students with scholarship opportunities at accredited universities in the kingdom, in addition to providing many benefits including financial incentives, workshops, and training opportunities in public and private sectors.-- Tradearabia News Service In a message to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of his fathers death Irans exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi has referred to the tears his father shed before leaving the country. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi left Iran for good on a cold day on January 16, 1979, while bitterly weeping before the cameras. As he boarded the plane to take him out of Iran, many officers of the Imperial Guard also wept, while the pro-Islamic Revolution forces led by an elderly fundamentalist Ayatollah were joyously preparing themselves to seize power. Referring to his father's tears, Prince Reza Pahlavi noted in his video message, "Those tears are dropping today from the eyes of the poor, from the eyes of peasants, from the eyes of teachers, from the eyes of street sweepers...", who have lost economic well-being. The Islamic Republics economic record has been dismal in the 41 years since the revolution. Iran has remained mainly an oil-dependent country with low economic growth, made worse by various sanctions triggered by its foreign policy and nuclear ambitions. In the video message circulated on Saturday, July 25, Prince Reza also repeated his father's saying half a century ago about how Iran struggled for fifty years and despite all difficulties ultimately managed to modernize and move ahead. Prince Reza has lamented in his message, "The path of progress built by my father and grandfather, horrendously collapsed, plunging many Iranians into poverty, the poverty that every Iranian should now pause and contemplate about." Iran was a backward state and society in early 20th century, when the Pahlavi Dynasty came to power and its first king Reza Shah began modernizing the country. In the roughly half-century of Pahlavi rule, Iran made great strides in all walks of life except political freedoms. When anti-monarchy protests began in 1978, Iran had a high per-capita income compared with many other developing countries, a growing educated class and strengthening equality and freedoms for women. The last king of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi died in 1980 after being overthrown by revolutionaries in 1979 and going into exile. He was suffering from cancer and was buried in Cairo, where former Egyptian president Anwar al-Sadat was his close friend. Except Sadat no other sitting head of state attended his funeral. Even his closest allies, the United States, France, Britain, Japan, Australia, sufficed to send ambassadors. Among the mourners was former U.S. president Richard Nixon. He described as "shameful" the absence of high-ranking foreign dignitaries and called the Shah, "a loyal friend and ally of the United States" for more than thirty years. The Islamic Republic insists that Iran had no independence during the monarchy and people suffered economically and politically. However, the mood among anti-regime protesters in recent years shows many people now have a positive view of the Pahlavi dynasty that modernized Iran in the 20th century and was largely secular. Savage and her staff collected a huge amount of information from parents, faculty and others in the community. They then put together a series of discussion drafts that incorporated both state guidelines and survey results. They met with constituent groups, sometimes in person, sometimes via Zoom, to invite their responses to the drafts. At each of these meetings, Savage noted, those in attendance were asked, "Tell us, what else do we need to think about?" The result was a plan that is far more nuanced and responsive to the needs and concerns of families and others with a stake in the decisions than would otherwise have been the case. One factor that became very apparent in these discussions is that "one size does not fit all" because different families have different needs. Single-parent families, for example, have different needs than two-parent families. Similarly, in a district in which there is a good deal of cultural diversity with many different languages that are spoken at home, children from families where English is not the primary language have different needs than children from households where English is the primary language. Advertisement Two adults and a nine-month-old baby girl were killed and three more passengers were injured when a small plane crashed into a backyard in a residential Utah neighborhood Saturday afternoon. Video from the scene showed the house ablaze after the Piper PA-32 plane crashed into a resident's backyard at 8691 S. 3789 West in West Jordan. The West Jordan Police Department said that six people, three adults and three children, were aboard the plane when it went down. The adult male pilot, an adult female and a nine-month-old baby were confirmed to have died. Authorities said a small airplane crashed into a residential backyard on Saturday afternoon in West Jordan, Utah The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a small Piper PA-32 that took off from a local airport Saturday afternoon The three surviving passengers were rushed to hospital. An adult woman was reported to be in a critical condition, while a two-year-old boy is in stable condition. A 12-year-old child has been released from the hospital after receiving treatment. The owner of the home, an unidentified elderly woman who was inside at the time of the crash, sustained injuries and is also currently in critical condition. Authorities said they are still reaching out to the victim's next of kin and their identities will likely be released on Sunday. Neighbors reportedly tried to rescue the injured homeowner from inside the residence but had to find another way in. Cell phone footage taken by a frightened neighbor shows an enormous cloud of dark smoke billowing into the air. An active inferno rages on as ambulance sirens, horrified witnesses and the crackle of the flames is heard. 'I think a plane just crashed into their house,' a woman says, 'These are our neighbors,' The woman's voice shakes in fear as she apologizes for the unsteady camera. 'Sorry, I'm literally scared. I have to go downstairs and get our stuff together in case our house catches on fire.' The full extent of fatalities and injuries has not been disclosed, but at one person inside the home at the time of the crash was injured An overhead view of the plane crash showed much of the house and the surrounding area destroyed while firefighters were at the scene The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the plane crash. Pictured: witnesses could see thick black smoke coming from the crash site New images from the scene of the deadly plane crash in West Jordan. Emilee Bond just sent me the - she lives a few houses down and was just allowed to go back home. I've left the scene and @KyleHarveyOnTV will remain on the story for @KUTV2News at 10. pic.twitter.com/JQBiYi29zK Jeremy Harris (@JeremyHarrisTV) July 26, 2020 Desert News and KSL reports that several medical helicopters carried injured civilians from the scene to local hospitals. A number of fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles were also at the scene. The horrifying crash caused the home to catch fire, and a total of three homes were damaged in the incident. It's unclear what caused the plane crash, and whether it involved technical or human error. The aircraft had taken off from the South Valley Regional Airport and went down just two miles away around 1:30pm. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating. The tail numbers of the aircraft will be publicly released once formally verified by investigators, said Allen Kenitzer, of the FAA Office of Communications. Reports said the several medical helicopters were at the scene and carried an unspecified number of injured civilians to local area hospitals The aircraft had taken off from the South Valley Regional Airport and went down just two miles away around 1:30pm. Pictured: Fire rescue crews stand at the scene earlier Saturday afternoon Authorities have not disclosed the cause of the plane crash, as well as if the incident was a technical or human error Pictured: Photos taken by a West Jordan resident show several ambulances and emergency vehicles driving to the crash site around 1:30pm on Saturday Jasson Soriano captured this video moments after the plane crashed. He was outside playing when he heard the crash and turned around to see the smoke and flames. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/AvLdSmYQuk Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) July 26, 2020 Jasson Soriano, a 13-year-old who lives around the corner from the crash site, said he was standing in his front yard when he saw the plane flying 'super low.' Soriano said a plume of smoke suddenly appeared and 'I saw the whole neighborhood come running out.' West Jordan Mayor Dirk Burton said the plane crash happened in an established neighborhood, where several houses are owned by the original homeowners. 'So they know each other extremely well and theyre very close knit. So they were on top of it very quickly to go help out the residents that were affected,' he told Desert News. DailyMail.com has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for details. Alabama is spending this weekend honoring one of its most beloved and revered sons. Born in Troy, beaten in Selma, reviled by racists in Montgomery and ultimately elected to the U.S. Congress and inducted into the pantheon of great American icons, the body of John Lewis is touring his home state one last time. Lewis lay in repose outside Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma Saturday evening, following a service at the historic church that played a crucial role in the world-changing events of Bloody Sunday. Earlier in the day a memorial service was held in his hometown. Watch Rep John Lewis cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the last time in Selma Posted by al.com on Sunday, July 26, 2020 On Sunday morning, the civil rights leaders body was taken for the final time across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of an event that helped define his place in history. This time, rather than have a violent reception, Lewis rode over a rose petal strewn highway over the bridge. Crowds lined the streets of Selma leading to the bridge over the Alabama River. Lewis coffin was transferred over to a hearse by a military honor guard, once over the other side of the bridge, for the ride to Montgomery. Lewis was infamously beaten by state troopers as he attempted to cross the span at the beginning of the landmark voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery that he led alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1965. Many across the country and around the world are now calling for the bridge to be renamed for Lewis, though some area advocates are pushing for it instead to be named for a civil rights activist or leader from Selma. Sometimes when you cross a bridge, you dont know what awaits you on the other side. And sometimes your destination is secure. pic.twitter.com/3SUczPB80K WilliamThornton (@billineastala) July 26, 2020 Walter Southall, 64, who was born and raised in Selma and still lives here, watched Lewis body go across the bridge. It was a beautiful moment. This was his request to his family - to ride across the bridge that he crossed back then - and it was fulfilled, Southall said. The most important thing John Lewis did is fight for equal rights and equal opportunity. He helped give me a right to vote and give you a right to vote. Equal rights go to everybody. Alexander Austin, 61, also from Selma, also watched. For him and King to come here and change things for us - because we were brutalized for voting here - its so powerful. It brought tears to my eyes. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Alabamas first Black congresswoman and a Selma native, was among the speakers at a service this morning at Brown Chapel before the bridge crossing. My heart is full knowing that John is crossing that bridge today. John has left this earth but his legacy lives on, Sewell said. John believed firmly that the best days of this nation are ahead of us. I hope that his passing moves us as a nation to rededicate ourselves to getting into good trouble, necessary trouble, Sewell said. Tyler Scott,14, who came with his family from August, Ga., was among those who came to Selma to witness Sundays event. He had met John Lewis in Selma in 2017 and marched across the bridge with him then. With Mr. Lewis dying its another strong hit to our community this year, Scott said. Reading about him in school and what he did here with Martin Luther King, it was a big moment and an accomplishment to get to meet him and march across the bridge with him in 2017. Joe Smitherman, who marched with Lewis on Bloody Sunday, was also in the crowd. He is not the former mayor of Selma who has the same name. We learned from John Lewis. Hes the one who taught us how to march and advocate for our rights, how to be non violent. I come to give my honor to John Lewis for the work he did when he was here to teach us non-violence and support the Voting Rights Act. The message I give to honor John Lewis is to go out and vote and speak your piece like he did and dont turn around, Smitherman said. Betty Boynton, who marched in 1965 along with Lewis and others, also stood awaiting the procession. Im 73-years old and thats a day I will never forget. It was the worst day youll ever see. I come to honor John Lewis because he went across the bridge as a leader, to get our voting rights and because Jimmie Lee Jackson was killed. There was two purposes, Boynton said. Jackson, who was unarmed, was beaten and shot to death the month before Bloody Sunday by state troopers while participating in a voting rights march in the Perry County town of Marion. Jacksons death led to the marches that would follow. Once on the other side of the bridge spanning the Alabama River, his body will again make that 54-mile journey from the Black Belt town that became a household name that bloody day to Montgomery, where his body will be received by mourners and will again lie in repose, this time inside the state capitol building. The evening will conclude with a vigil for Lewis hosted by Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed, expected to be attended by a number of prominent civil rights leaders. From there, his body will leave Alabama and continue on to the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, where his casket will be viewable by members of the public on Monday and Tuesday before being taken on to Atlanta on Wednesday, where he will lie in state in the Georgia Capitol Rotunda in advance of his Thursday funeral and burial in Georgia, the state he represented in Congress for more than three decades. Lewis is seen as one of Americas bravest and most consequential advocates for equality, racial integration, voting rights and fairness. In recent decades, he was seen as a living legend, one of the most public of the remaining leaders from the civil rights era. Lewis died July 17 of pancreatic cancer, concluding a life that began with poverty and hardship - his parents were sharecroppers - and ended at age 80 as one of the most respected figures in American public life. As a young activist, Lewis was a strong voice, offering biting critiques of the U.S. political system and institutionalized racism during his remarks as the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in August 1963. He was a Freedom Rider and chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. For 33 years, he served in Congress, leading the charge for greater access to the ballot, expanding civil rights and other progressive causes. Renowned for his grace, perseverance and dedication, Lewis has been an inspiration to generations of leaders, including President Barack Obama, who published his thoughts about Lewis following his death earlier this month. He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise, Obama wrote. And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice, but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example. AL.coms coverage of John Lewis Steps that once might have felt invasive, like daily temperature checks and health assessments, are often required before employees can walk through the front door. The temperature-taking machines that private investment company Peak6 installed at the entry of its Chicago headquarters and other offices automatically checks employees' temperatures as they approach. The company spent $65,000 on the machines, along with masks, shields, gloves and cleaning supplies for its almost 1,100 employees. Roughly 250 of those workers are in Chicago. If the light flashes green, an employee's temperature is fine and they can proceed into the office. If it's red, they're expected to exit. Employees that opted into Peak6's return-to-work pilot set to start Monday know what they are getting into, said Judi Hart, chief operating officer. Some employees changed their minds when they learned they had to wear masks, even while at their desks. "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. Nobody's done this before. The Ronald Reagan Foundation and Institute, which runs the 40th president's library near Los Angeles, demanded his name and likeness not be used by the Republican National Committee and Donald Trump to raise money for his re-election campaign. The RNC agreed to comply after an email began circulating promoting a commemorative coin set that includes Trump's image alongside Reagan's. The coin set was given to anyone who donates $45 or more to the campaign. Monies raised were to go to the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which supports the president's campaign and RNC. The foundation, which controls the rights to Reagan and his wife Nancy's image and name, claimed the right to deny such usage for political and commercial endorsements. The Ronald Reagan Foundation and Institute demanded his name and likeness not be used by the Republican National Committee and Donald Trump to raise money for his re-election campaign. Reagan is pictured in 1982 The foundation, which runs the 40th president's library near Los Angeles, controls the rights to Reagan and his wife Nancy's image and name. It claimed the right to deny such usage for political and commercial endorsements When the foundation's members learned of the email promotion, they took action 'within seconds,' Reagan Foundation chief marketing officer Melissa Giller said in an email Saturday, the Washington Post reported. 'It was simply handled with a phone call mid-last week to the RNC, and they agreed to stop,' Giller said. The fundraising effort had claimed that 'The President only authorized the production of 5,000 sets of these iconic coins, which is why we're ONLY offering them to our TOP supporters.' The July 19 fundraising email for the commemorative gold, two-coin set came with Donald Trump written in the sender field. The subject line read the words, 'Ronald Reagan and Yours Truly'. The reference was to a 1987 photo used to accompany the gold coins. In the image, a younger Trump is seen shaking hands with Reagan on a White House receiving line. Such a photo opportunity is not unusual for any number of visitors who've had a chance to meet a US president. But it provided incentive to anyone who collects presidential coins and who wanted to donate to Trump's campaign. 'Friend,' the email said to the reader, presuming the writer was Trump. 'I just saw our new Trump-Reagan Commemorative Coin Sets and WOW, these coins are beautiful - I took one look and immediately knew that I wanted YOU to have a set,' the email reads, the Post reported. The commemorative coin set (pictured) came along with a 1987 picture of Trump shaking Reagan's hand on a receiving line at the White House 'These aren't any ordinary coins. They symbolize an important time in our Nation. This year, in addition to being re-elected as YOUR President, it also marks the 40th anniversary of our Nation's 40th President, Ronald Reagan,' the email explained. 'Unfortunately, we already sold out of the first batch we had in stock. But I liked these coins so much that I asked my team to rush order another batch for my TOP SUPPORTERS ONLY.' 'I've authorized a very limited production of these iconic coins,' the email alerts the reader, 'which is why I'm ONLY offering them to our top supporters, like YOU. This offer is NOT available to the general public, so please, do NOT share this email with anyone.' The foundation's denial over use or Reagan's image was just the latest setback for the Trump campaign and RNC, which cancelled the Jacksonville, Florida, portion of their upcoming convention due to the state becoming a COVID-19 hotspot. The foundation's denial over use or Reagan's image was just the latest setback for the Trump campaign and RNC, which cancelled the Jacksonville, Florida, portion of their upcoming convention due to the state becoming a COVID-19 hotspot. Pictured was the Florida venue 'So I told my team it's time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida component of the GOP convention,' Trump said at the top of his Thursday press briefing. The convention would start on August 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina - which had always been the plan - before the president got in a fight with the state's Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper who couldn't guarantee he'd be allowed to fill a stadium. Trump didn't commit to fully holding the RNC back in Charlotte, saying he would hold 'tele-rallies' through the week. 'And I'll still do a convention speech in a different form, but we won't do a big, crowded convention per say. It's just not the right time for that,' the president said. Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was attacking anyone who opposes his policy, retorting to his charge that political leaders behind multi-crore chit fund scams are attacking him over demonetisation. Pradhan Mantriji, you are equating corruption with anyone who opposes your policy. Are you the only magician?(sic) Banerjee said in a tweet this evening, reacting to Modis remarks seen as sharp attack on the Trinamool Congress supremo. Listen to the voice of the people. Feel their pain. People will not forgive you for this. They are suffering, she said in another tweet. Earlier in the day, Modi said political leaders behind multi-crore chit fund scams are attacking him as they have been hit hard by demonetisation. I know what sort of people are raising their voice against me. Does the country not know whose money was invested in chit fund business? Lakhs and crores of poor people invested money in chit funds. But with the blessings of politicians, crores and crores of rupees have vanished, the Prime Minister told a Parivartan rally at Agra. Due to chit fund loss, hundreds of heads of families were forced to commit suicide. Look at history and they are questioning me, he said in barbs aimed apparently at Banerjee, who had been rallying political leaders against the demonetisation decision. However, the Prime Minister did not name any leader. Some Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders have been arraigned before courts in cases relating to chit fund scams in West Bengal. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L K Advani, M M Joshi and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat are among those being invited to the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5 which will be shown live by Doordarshan, trustees of the temple said on Sunday. IMAGE: Some among the idols depicting events in the life of Lord Ram, that are planned to be used as part of the construction of the Ram Temple, at a workshop in Ayodhya . Photograph: PTI Photo Besides them, there is also a view to invite spiritual leaders from all faiths, Anil Mishra, a member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, told PTI. He said that in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions of social distancing, there will be a limited gathering of up to 200 people at the event. The list is yet to be finalised, he said. Invitations are being extended to several people who have been part of this temple movement including BJP leaders L K Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti, Mishra said. Kameshwar Chaupal, another trustee of the temple, said top leaders of the RSS including its chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi are also being invited for the event along with VHP's working president Alok Kumar. According to the Trust members, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Ayodhya for the ceremony to begin the construction of the Ram temple. Chaupal also said soil is being collected from all major places of worship including Gurudwaras and Buddhist and Jain temples for 'bhoomi pujan'. Underlining that it will be the 'most important' event in the history of independent India, Trust's general secretary Champat Rai said it will be shown live by Doordarshan and other channels. He also appealed to devotees of Lord Ram to celebrate this occasion in their respective homes or by gathering at nearby temples, instead of coming to Ayodhya. Alok Kumar, the working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) which is coordinating the soil collection programme for the event, said that soil from various religious places including Jain temples, Balmiki temples and Gurudwara Sis Ganj in Delhi has been sent to Ayodhya. "As and when this pandemic will allow, VHP will launch a country-wide drive to raise funds for the construction of the temple and will reach out to ten crore families," he said. Describing it as a 'once in a century moment', Kumar hoped that the groundbreaking ceremony will be a grand event. After a protracted legal tussle, the Supreme Court had on November 9 last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a 'prominent' place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh. Iran to legally pursue US 'act of terrorism' against its Beirut-bound flight Iran Press TV Friday, 24 July 2020 10:31 AM Iran has condemned the harassment of its Beirut-bound passenger plane by two US fighter jets over the Syrian airspace, vowing to lodge a complaint over the "unlawful" act at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In a statement on Friday, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran said it will seriously pursue the US fighter jets' harassment of Mahan Air flight 1151 over the Syrian airspace on Thursday. The Iranian organization urged the ICAO to immediately address the move, which is "a clear violation of the international law and the aviation standards and regulations." Iranian Vice-President for Legal Affairs Laya Joneidi also said on Friday that the harassment of a passenger plane in a third country is a blatant violation of aviation security, a breach of the freedom of the air for civil flights, and contradicts the Article 3 and Article 44 of the Chicago Convention as well as the 1971 Montreal Convention. Joneidi said the US government is responsible for the fighter jets' dangerous maneuvering, and Iran can legally pursue the issue at the ICAO Council and the International Court of Justice. Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami described the US air piracy as an "act of terrorism", urging the international community to condemn the "poisonous" move. "Our passenger plane was moving at the international commercial flight route and corridor, and the American fighter jets' threatening move was unlawful and inhumane," he added. He also called on the governments of Lebanon and Syria to file a complaint against Washington at the International Civil Aviation Organization. "The ICAO is also expected to issue a statement against this inhumane move by the US," the Iranian minister said. On Thursday night, US warplanes operating illegally in Syria conducted some aggressive and "dangerous" maneuvering close to the Mahan Air flight in an act of air piracy. Mahan Air's Flight 1152 had taken off from Tehran and was en route to the Lebanese capital when the incident happened over Syria's hugely-strategic al-Tanf region. In response, the US Central Command said a single F-15 had made a "visual inspection" of the Iranian airliner "in accordance with international standards... to ensure the safety of coalition personnel" at the military base in al-Tanf. The command added that the US F-15 was on a "routine air mission" in Syria and conducted "a standard visual inspection of a Mahan Air passenger airliner at a safe distance of approximately 1,000 meters". "Once the F-15 pilot identified the aircraft as a Mahan Air passenger plane, the F-15 safely opened distance from the aircraft." Forgoing any permission from Damascus, the US has been operating in the Arab country since 2014 under the pretext of fighting the Daesh terrorist group. The US, however, continues its occupation even as Syria defeated the Takfiri terrorists in late 2017. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The 130 scent diffusers used to mask the 'musty' smell of St George's Chapel during Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle were approved by Buckingham Palace ahead of her wedding day. After the nuptials in May 2018, royal sources had claimed that the odour of the 15th century chapel did not find favour with the soon-to-be Duchess of Sussex, and said she had insisted on masking it with air fresheners before her wedding guests arrived. However, according to royal biographers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in their new book Finding Freedom, which has been serialised in The Times and Sunday Times, the Diptyque Baies diffusers were provided by the brand and were approved by the palace ahead of the royal wedding. Scroll down for video Meghan Markle's Diptyque scent diffusers used to mask the 'musty' smell of St George's Chapel were approved by Buckingham Palace ahead of her wedding day, the new royal biography claims The signature Diptyque scent smells of roses, infused with fruity undertones of berries and currant leaves The signature scent used to make the chapel more fragrant smells of roses, infused with fruity undertones of berries and currant leaves. It was previously understood that the request to use the atomisers to create a pleasant aroma for guests specifically came from Meghan's office at Kensington Palace. It was thought that although she and Harry organised the wedding themselves with an in-house team, anything to do with the chapel was a matter for the Queen, who had to give them permission to use it. That meant all of the arrangements needed to be passed by the Lord Chamberlain's Office at Buckingham Palace, which is in charge of ceremonial matters. The source said at the time: 'Apparently Meghan didn't like the smell of the chapel, which, as you would expect, is a little musty. It's not unpleasant at all, though. 'It just smells how you would expect an old building to smell. And that's something the Royal Family are particularly used to. 'Meghan wanted staff to go around with these atomisers, like spritzer guns, and spray the chapel with scent before anyone arrived. 'Royal Household staff stepped in and told her office politely, but firmly, that this was the Queen's Chapel and it simply wasn't appropriate. 'I don't believe they said no because they thought it could affect the chapel in any way. It was simply the principle of the thing. 'This is a place that has held royal weddings, funerals and even contains the Royal Vault. I don't believe a request of that nature had been made before.' The source stressed at the time that there had been 'no falling out' between the two households, but that there was a certain amount of surprise at the request. 'Frankly it was all a bit ridiculous and rather over the top,' they added. The request for the use of the discreet air diffusers had caused a stir at the time, according to royal sources in 2018. However, Finding Freedom authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand suggest that the scenting of the chapel was something Buckingham Palace agreed to ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's big day A second source, while also confirming that atomisers had been requested, said: 'The two households worked very well together. I don't believe they [the atomisers] caused concern.' The discreet diffusers were much like the candles used by Kate Middleton for her wedding to Prince William at Westminster Abbey in 2011. The new Duchess of Cambridge had requested her favourite scented candles and toiletries from luxury fragrance brand Jo Malone be delivered to scent the Abbey on the couple's big day. A selection of candles, handwashes and lotions were requested, specifically in citrus spring scents including Orange Blossom, Grapefruit and the ever-popular Lime, Basil & Mandarin. It was reported that new Duchess of Cambridge requested her favourite scented candles and toiletries from luxury fragrance brand Jo Malone be delivered to scent the Abbey These were for use inside the Abbey and for wedding guests using the royal bathroom and additional six VIP bathrooms. Controversial new book Finding Freedom provides an intimately detailed and personalised version of the events leading up to the Sussexes' dramatic departure from royal life. Co-authors Scobie and Durand have insisted 'all information in this book has at least two sources'. Harry and Meghan have denied giving interviews. The biography claims allege that Meghan and Harry were proving unpopular with royal staff, and could be difficult and 'dictatorial'. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 20:05:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. special envoy has departed Friday for a trip aimed at bringing the Afghan government and the Taliban to the negotiation table, the U.S. State Department said Saturday. U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad is scheduled to travel to Doha, Islamabad, Kabul, Oslo and Sofia, the State Department said in a statement. "In Doha and Kabul, Ambassador Khalilzad will press for resolution of the remaining issues ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations, specifically final prisoner exchanges and reduced violence," said the statement. During his five-stop trip, the diplomat will also seek Pakistani support to advance the intra-Afghan negotiations and inform the United States' North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies of the Afghan peace process. "The parties are closer than ever to the start of Intra-Afghan Negotiations, the key next step to ending Afghanistans 40-year long war," read the statement. Khalilzad's trip came at a time when the process of prisoner exchanges between the Afghan government and the Taliban has reached an impasse and the country has seen growing violence recently. Under the Taliban-U.S. agreement signed on Feb. 29, the Afghan government would release 5,000 Taliban prisoners and the Taliban would free 1,000 prisoners of the government. However, the slow pace of the release of prisoners has delayed the intra-Afghan dialogue, which was scheduled to start on March 10. Moreover, in early July, the Afghan government reportedly suspended the release of the last batch of Taliban inmates over their involvement in serious crimes, which had widened the two side's split. "The Afghan government once again stated its firm stance of not releasing nearly 600 Taliban prisoners who are reportedly guilty of serious crimes beyond membership in the Taliban," local Tolo News TV reported on July 7. Taliban's Doha office spokesman Suhail Shaheen tweeted on Thursday that the Taliban is "likely" ready to begin intra-Afghan negotiations immediately after the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha at the end of July in case the prisoner exchange is completed. Shaheen also accused the government of recapturing previously released Taliban prisoners, who, he said, had adhered to the government's instructions to stay at home and not return to the battlefields. However, the Afghan government refuted the accusation, saying a number of released prisoners have in fact returned to the battlefields. One of Khalilzad's main tasks is to press for a deal between the two sides on this tricky problem, which serves as a precondition for starting the peace talks. "Although significant progress has been made on prisoner exchanges, the issue requires additional effort to fully resolve," the State Department said in its statement. The soaring violence across the country and the intensified attacks from both sides have complicated the situation. Two Afghan national security force members and 45 Taliban militants were killed during separate clashes on Friday night. On Wednesday, government warplanes killed dozens of Taliban militants in Adraskan district of the western province of Herat. However, the Taliban and some locals have disputed the claim, saying the majority of the killed were civilians. Enditem A city dump truck was set on fire as protesters faced off with police in Virginias capital during a demonstration in support of protesters on the other side of the country in Portland, Oregon. Virginia State Police and Richmond police worked to clear the crowd of a several hundred demonstrators late Saturday. City police declared an unlawful assembly around 11pm, and what appeared to be tear gas was deployed to disperse the group. Protesters had been planning for days the demonstration that was called Richmond Stands with Portland, news outlets reported, in an apparent reaction to ongoing tensions between protesters and US agents at the federal courthouse in Oregons largest city. Weeks of nationwide unrest have struck several US cities since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Saturdays protest in Richmond started at a park and then demonstrators marched to police headquarters, according to news outlets. Police tweeted a photo of rocks, batteries and other items the department said were thrown at its officers during the protest. A video also showed an officer extinguishing a mattress on fire in the middle of a road. Glass windows were also shattered at a Chipotle restaurant and a Virginia Commonwealth University dorm, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON IMANI Africa says it doubts if the mid-year budget presented by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta in Parliament on July 24 can revive Ghana's struggling economy. While presenting the supplementary budget, Mr. Ofori-Atta disclosed that the countrys debt stock had increased by over GHS50 billion, while government announced a number of reliefs; notably rebates on utilities and a reduction in the Communication Service tax. President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe in a Citi News interview expressed concern that while the budget was heavy on expenditure, it does not seem to focus on how to grow the economy. Well, the budget was bold. It was craftily done to spend without necessarily thinking about the returns on the spending. We are essentially going to postpone our funeral with all the freebies that have been announced. It is as if, we were even no pandemic. I think generally, it was well done and it sounded like a welcome package rather than some serious economic revival because dont forget the revival efforts are supposed to be expected within two, three years time and I am not sure where the funds are going come from. ---citinewsroom The advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been given full play to in Chinas COVID-19 response as the country spares no effort to treat patients and save lives. The traditional medicine branch has been used in treating 92 percent of all confirmed COVID-19 cases across China. The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, comprehensively promoting the application of TCM in epidemic prevention and control, dispatched TCM experts to Wuhan, former epicenter in central Chinas Hubei province for investigation and treatment at the first opportunity. It also established TCM teams to run designated and makeshift hospitals in Wuhan, treat patients and carry out clinical research, and explore a treatment model that is characterized by TCM and the combined use of TCM and western medicine. Employees of the Taizhou Hospital of TCM, east Chinas Jiangsu province fill prescriptions, Feb. 28. (Photo by Gu Jun/Peoples Daily Online) Over 4,900 medical workers from more than 700 TCM institutions fought the epidemic on the front line in Hubei. They summarized experiences when treating patients and launched scientific research at clinics. Besides, they also enhanced efforts to select effective TCM products, timely promoted effective prescriptions, and advocated for early intervention of TCM in communities. They constantly optimized treatment and diagnosis plans, and jointly formulated the third to seventh editions of the protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 together with the National Health Commission (NHC) that covered the whole process of COVID-19 treatment including medical observation, mild form, regular form, severe form, critical form and recovery phase. The protocols effectively reduced the morbidity, worsening, and mortality of the disease, improved the cure rate and accelerated the recovery of patients. The effects of TCM on COVID-19 treatment were forcefully proved. Meanwhile, China has actively launched international cooperation on the application of TCM in COVID-19 response, contributing wisdom and power to the global efforts against the disease. It reinforced coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) and included the application of TCM in epidemic response into the inspection scope of the WHO Joint Mission, so as to promote the effects of TCM and the selection of effective TCM drugs. It also published an English-version TCM diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19, introduced the application of TCM in COVID-19 response at the Global Health Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, and held nearly 40 video conferences and livestream activities about TCM for exchanges. China exchanged views on TCM diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19, effective TCM prescriptions and clinical experiences with 82 countries and regions including Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Pakistan, and donated TCM products to more than 10 countries. Besides, it also dispatched TCM doctors to 27 countries and regions for epidemic relief, which indicated the sense of responsibility of a major country. TCM doctor Li Xiaxia with Tengzhou Hospital of TCM, east Chinas Shandong province weighs TCM herbs, May 7. (Photo by Song Haicun/ Peoples Daily Online) So far, TCM has been introduced to 183 countries and regions around the world, and China has signed TCM cooperation agreements with over 40 foreign governments, regional organizations and international organizations. China helped establish 30 TCM centers in Belt and Road countries and regions, and the "Belt and Road" Tour of TCM Acupuncture-Moxibustion has been held in 35 countries and regions along the Belt and Road. As of December the last year, the overseas TCM centers and domestic bases had carried out cooperation with nearly 90 countries, launching a total of 388 projects and training over 13,000 overseas professionals. Fifteen Confucius Institutes and Classrooms for TCM are operational around the world, and 240 Confucius Institutes in 78 countries offer TCM and Tai Chi courses. The number of registered students have reached 35,000, and 185,000 people have participated in relevant activities. Chinese TCM colleges also launched proactive international education cooperation, enrolling over 10,000 TCM students from overseas. Full-time TCM courses are offered in some countries, and around 1,500 part-time TCM training institutes have been established overseas, training 30,000 TCM personnel each year. As a traditional major country of medicine, China has always been committed to leading and promoting the global development of traditional medicines. In May 2019, the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision was approved at the 72nd World Health Assembly, which marked the first time that TCM was included in the ICD system. It indicated that TCM has historically entered the classification system of mainstream medicines. A doctor boils TCM at Taizhou Hospital of TCM, east Chinas Jiangsu province, Feb. 28. (Photo by Gu Jun/ Peoples Daily Online) Under the promotion of the Chinese side, the International Organization for Standardization established the Traditional Chinese Medicine Technical Committee (ISO/TC 249), and issued 53 international standards on TCM. The UNESCO included Acupuncture and moxibustion as part of Chinese traditional medicine on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and Chinas Tibetan medicinal bathing also entered the list in 2018. Ancient Chinese medical texts Yellow Emperors Inner Canon and Compendium of Materia Medica were also included in the Memory of the World Register by the UNESCO in 2011. At present, COVID-19 is still plaguing the world. China is willing to share its experiences in TCM treatment in epidemic response, supports TCM to go global, and will build TCM an international public product for global public health governance, so as to make its due contribution to enhancing the well-being of the people around the world and building a community of common health for mankind. (Sun Da is a member of the Leading Party Members Group and deputy director of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine) Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 11:43:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, July 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Saturday that his administration is closely monitoring Hurricane Hanna after it made landfall in the southern state of Texas. The storm, the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season, made landfall at 5:00 p.m. central time (2200 GMT) on Padre Island, Texas, as a Category 1 hurricane. More than an hour later, the hurricane made a second landfall nearby. The National Hurricane Center said it brought maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. As the hurricane is moving onshore, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, beach flooding, and dangerous rip currents at the local beaches, as well as very strong winds with damage to buildings and trees, and power outages will continue to be the main threats, according to the National Weather Service. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Saturday that he has issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties in the "Lone Star State." The hurricane came as the number of coronavirus infections continues to surge across Texas, which has reported more than 389,000 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasted earlier this year that a likely range of 13 to 19 named storms, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes, for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes. Trump also said on Saturday that the federal government is monitoring Hurricane Douglas, which is off the coast of Hawaii, a U.S. state in the Pacific Ocean. The White House additionally said Trump has declared that an emergency exists in Hawaii. The Pacific Disaster Center said Saturday that the hurricane is "tracking toward the Hawaiian Islands." The storm is "expected to pass near the Hawaiian Islands late Saturday through Sunday," the organization tweeted. "Heavy rainfall is expected for parts of Maui; with potential storm surge, tropical storm winds, and heavy rainfall for Oahu." Enditem We are one people, one house. Perhaps our knowing this at some level is behind our reacting with such visceral horror to the video of George Floyds killing. Congressman John Lewis use of this phrase, echoing the world house message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., says what is found in all the great world religions. In Leviticus of Hebrew scripture, for example, we read, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthews Gospel in Christian Scripture repeats this, and in Lukes Gospel Jesus is asked, Who is my neighbor? In reply, he offers the parable of the Good Samaritan, the one from the other culture with whom collective mutual mistrust exists, who responds with overflowing compassion to the man who was beaten and left for dead. Mohammed, too, was asked, Who is my neighbor? He is said to have replied, Your neighbor is 40 houses ahead of you and 40 houses at your back, 40 houses to your left ... We could conclude that, collectively, our best selves know that we are all neighbors, one people, one house. For Sisters of St. Joseph throughout the world, the dear neighbor has been central to our mission since our founding in 17th century France. We were and are instructed to move always toward love of neighbor without distinction, from whom we do not separate ourselves. In 2015, 50 years after the march across Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, Elms College presented Congressman Lewis with an honorary degree, specifically in recognition of his courageous and pivotal role in civil rights. It was my privilege, as then-president of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, to speak publicly of an incident from Bloody Sunday that involved the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, New York, a separate group from ours in Springfield, but connected through our historical roots and participation in our still-vibrant federation. Read more from this series >> The Rochester sisters, who staffed a hospital in Selma, had expressed a desire to march that day, but the then bishop said that, if they did, he would remove them from the Selma Diocese. They chose to stay at their posts at the only hospital that would treat Blacks. It made all the difference for John Lewis and others who were severely wounded and hospitalized that day. In early April 1968 I would personally learn something important about who my neighbors were. I was at my first mission assignment, teaching at Cathedral High School in Springfield and living as one of 72 Sisters in the Cathedral convent. National polling indicated that as many as two-thirds of the country looked negatively at civil rights activism, but the Sisters older than I thought differently. It was important for us to be present at the vigil honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., they said. The Springfield Union of April 8, 1968, four days after his assassination, reported that 1,500 people assembled in Winchester Square, now Mason Square. The act of being present and the example of those who led me there helped to shape my awareness from that day on. It is in this community of my Sisters and the groups with which we affiliate that I have moved from but Im not a racist to seeing the unconscious elements I have personally absorbed from our culture. Greater understanding of structural racism has come from many sources, including our Sisters of St. Joseph Justice and Peace Committee and the Elms College annual Black Issues Summit, which has addressed such matters as the loophole in the 13th Amendment, which, while ending slavery, paved the way for mass incarceration of Black men; the federal mortgage system, which from the 1930s, disadvantaged Blacks in the generational passing on of wealth; and the siting of polluting infrastructure in areas where people of color disproportionately feel the negative impact. I am pleased that my congregation has made a formal commitment against racism, as have the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. We work collaboratively locally to effect change through our membership in the Interfaith Council of Western Massachusetts, the Pioneer Valley Project and its Berkshire equivalent. When I was invited to write this essay, I was very hesitant, knowing that there are many people far better equipped to write of racism. My acceptance of the invitation was based on the belief that there may be others like me who are still learning. I surely carry the invisible knapsack of white privilege described by Peggy McIntosh in 1988: I have never worried that someone will follow me around a store as I shop. I dont worry about being harassed when I drive. I was taught to see the police as my helpers. I never had a priest put on gloves to serve me communion at Mass, as was done to the Southern family of one of our sisters. I will never know what it is to live in Black skin. This, I believe, does not excuse me from speaking, acting, praying and voting in ways that address the unholy disparities. Is it possible in our minds indelible image of the killing of George Floyd, that we recognize, not just that Mr. Floyd is our neighbor, but that each of the other actors in that scene is, too? In our utter horror at the manner of the killing is there possibly a flicker of knowing that the ignorance, prejudice, reluctance to speak up, even enmity we might impute to the bystanders have common human roots in us, too? If we desire it, I believe that our being one people in this one house will let us learn together how to move towards the demanding ideal to love each of our neighbors as ourselves. Sister Maxyne D. Schneider, a native of North Adams, is retired as president of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1960, earned a doctorate in chemistry from Boston College and served as professor and later dean at Elms College. She was the co-founder and director of House of Peace and Education in Gardner and was a grant writer for Weston Center for Women in Holyoke before becoming part of the congregations leadership team. Related Content: * A rapid antibody test kit for COVID-19 was reported Friday to be successfully developed in Singapore, which can produce results in 15 minutes. The test kit was jointly developed by MP Biomedicals Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., a diagnostic corporation and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore, according to a joint press release. * The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Friday, with the total rising by 284,196 in 24 hours. Deaths rose by 9,753, the biggest one-day increase since a record high of 9,797 deaths on April 30. The WHO reported 69,641 new cases in the United States, 67,860 in Brazil, 49,310 in India and 13,104 in South Africa. The largest increases in new deaths were 3,876 in Peru, 1,284 in Brazil, 1,074 in the United States, 790 in Mexico and 740 in India. * Chinese health authority said Saturday (July 25) that it received reports of 34 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland Friday, 29 of which were domestically transmitted. No deaths related to the disease were reported Friday, the commission said. As of Friday, the overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 83,784, including 261 patients who were still being treated, with 11 in severe condition. Altogether 78,889 people had been discharged after recovery, and 4,634 had died of the disease. * The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday reported 4,024,492 cases of the coronavirus, an increase of 72,219 cases from its previous count, and said that the number of deaths had risen by 1,113 to 143,868. * Brazil registered an additional 1,156 deaths attributable to the novel coronavirus over the last 24 hours and another 55,891 confirmed cases, the health ministry said on Friday. The South American nation has now registered 85,238 deaths and 2,343,366 total confirmed cases. * Russia on Saturday reported 5,871 new coronavirus cases and 146 more deaths from the respiratory disease. The nationwide tally of infections has risen to 806,720, Russia's coronavirus crisis response centre said. The death toll now stands at 13,192, and 597,140 people have recovered. * Mexico's Health Ministry on Friday reported 7,573 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 737 additional fatalities, bringing the total in the country to 378,285 cases and 42,645 total deaths. The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases. * Coronavirus lockdowns for parts of the Chilean capital Santiago will be gradually lifted from Tuesday, July 28, Health Minister Enrique Paris said on Friday. Nationwide, the number of cases and hospitalizations have continued to fall over successive days, health authorities said. On Friday, they confirmed 341,304 cases and 8,914 deaths. * Republic of Korea (ROK) reported 113 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the largest single-day increase in almost four months, and officials warned the upward trajectory could continue as people carrying the disease enter the country from abroad. More than three-quarters of the latest reported infections were imported, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. The ROK has reported a total of 14,092 cases and 298 deaths from the pandemic. Saturday's 113 infections was the highest since March 31. * The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Bulgaria passed 10,000 on Saturday, as the Balkan country reported 270 infections in the past 24 hours, official data showed. Eight people had died from the virus overnight, taking the official death toll to 337. Total infections stand at 10,123. Some 5,252 people have recovered, data from the official coronavirus information platform showed. * The Czech Republic reported 15,081 cases of coronavirus as of July 24 as authorities reinstated measures to curb the spread of the virus, which has spiked in the past week. Czechs will have to wear face masks when attending indoor events with more than 100 persons present from Saturday as the daily number of confirmed cases surpassed 150 in the last five days and Prague was trying to contain an outbreak from a club. * The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 781 to 204,964, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Saturday. The reported death toll rose by 7 to 9,118, the tally showed. * No new case of COVID-19 was reported in New Zealand, said the Ministry of Health in a statement on Saturday. It has been 85 days since the last case of COVID-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source, said the ministry statement. The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 remained at 1,206, which was the number New Zealand report to the World Health Organization, it is said. * Security was tight outside the US consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Saturday as staff inside prepared to leave, a day after China ordered it to close in response to a US order for China to shut its consulate in Houston. The tit-for-tat consulate closures have brought a sharp deterioration in relations between the world's two largest economies. * The United States and Russia next week will conduct their first formal, bilateral talks on space security since 2013, following a US allegation that Russia tested a space-based anti-satellite weapon this month, a US official said on Friday. * According to Russian arrangements, a formal meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be held in early September, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Friday. * Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to become a hurricane before making landfall along the Texas coast either on Saturday afternoon or early evening, the US National Hurricane Center said on Friday. The cyclone is getting better organized over the western Gulf of Mexico as hurricane and storm surge warnings were issued for portions of the central Texas coast, it said. * Israeli helicopters targeted three outposts in the Quneitra area of southwest Syria with anti-tank guided missiles, causing two injuries and some fires, the Syrian state news agency reported on Friday, quoting a military source. By Ayya Lmahamad A ceremony has been held at the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry on receiving medical masks brough by South Korea as part of the country's fight against COVID-19, the ministrys press service reported. During the ceremony, Deputy Foreign Minister Ramiz Hasanov noted that South Korea has shown solidarity with Azerbaijan and provided material and moral support from the very first day of Azerbaijan's fight against coronavirus. He said that the transfer of medical masks by the government of South Korea to Azerbaijan is a symbol of solidarity with the Azerbaijani people. In addition, he added that South Korea regularly holds video seminars on combating the virus for various departments of Azerbaijan. In turn, Ambassador Kim Dong Op stated that the transfer of medical masks is a symbol of friendship between the two countries, expressing deep respect for the efforts of all relevant state institutions fighting the coronavirus infection in Azerbaijan, and the ability of Azerbaijani people to fight the crisis. He expressed confidence that Azerbaijan would win in this fight. Moreover, he congratulated Azerbaijan on holding a special session of the UN General Assembly devoted to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic upon the initiative of the Azerbaijani president. Furthermore, Deputy Chairman of the State Agency on Mandatory Health Insurance Nigar Bayramova stressed that the international community needs solidarity and cooperation in fighting the global crisis, stating that the governments of Azerbaijan and South Korea remain committed to close cooperation at a time when the whole world is focused on the fight against coronavirus and preventive measures. Bayramova and Ambassador of South Korea to Azerbaijan Kim Tong Op signed the Act of Acceptance and Delivery of disinfectants delivered by the Korean government to Azerbaijan to help fight the pandemic. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Life will return to Macquarie University's campus from Monday, as staff return to the office and almost two-thirds of students return to face-to-face learning. As the spring semester begins, lectures will continue to be held online but many tutorials, seminars and small group activities will be held in person, and staff will be expected to head back to the office for part of the working week. Sam Silcock is a student representative at UTS. Credit:Jacky Ghossein "We expect around 60 per cent of students will elect to return to face-to-face learning activities on campus in Session 2," Vice Chancellor Bruce Dowton told students in a statement. The University of Technology Sydney will also begin bringing students back from Monday, albeit in smaller numbers than Macquarie. The Message: Sitting with the questions about why there is suffering (Newser) A Texas protester was shot dead Saturday night after a car drove into the crowd and the driver apparently opened fire on him, the Austin American-Statesman reports. Garrett Foster, 28, was approaching the stopped vehicle with other Black Lives Matter activists when he was killed. Foster was also armedwith an AK-47, per the New York Timeswhich witnesses said he had pointed at the ground. The driver sped away and may have been shot at by someone in the crowd. Police soon tracked down the vehicle and arrested the suspect, who is cooperating. "I mean if I used it against the cops, I'm dead," Foster said of his gun before the shooting. "And I think all of the people that hate us and want to say [expletive] to us are too big of a pussies [sic] to stop and do anything about it." story continues below Asked why he was armed, Foster said his roommate "got arrested, and they stopped letting us march anywhere, so I started carrying." The Times notes that Texas gun laws are liberal enough to allow gun-rights supporters to carry rifles at protests, and activists on the left and right are known to do it. Foster was pushing his fianceeWhitney Mitchell, a quadruple amputeein a wheelchair at the time the car bore down on the crowd. Foster, who has served in the military, was white, while Mitchell is Black. "He was doing it because he feels really strongly about justice and hes very heavily against police brutality, and he wanted to support his fiancee," says Foster's mother, Sheila Foster. A GoFundMe page to help the Fosters has already raised over $72,000. (Read more Black Lives Matter stories.) "Redback" / Yonhap Hanwha Defense Co., a South Korean defense manufacturer, said Sunday it will deliver the prototypes of its newly developed armored vehicle to Australia as part of its bid for Canberra's US$4.6 billion project to buy new infantry fighting vehicles. Three trial products of the new model, dubbed "Redback," will be sent, with two of them set to depart from the port of Pyeongtaek on the west coast Tuesday and to arrive in Melbourne in late August, according to the company. The remaining unit will be sent later this year, the company said. Redback is one of the two candidates on the shortlist for Australia's Land 400 Phase 3 project to introduce some 400 new tracked armored vehicles. Hanwha signed a $50 million risk mitigation activity (RMA) contract with Australia in October to provide three prototype vehicles for tests and evaluations. The other contender is Germany's Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Australia will review the new vehicles for 10 months starting November and select the successful bidder by the end of 2022 following additional negotiations and consultations, Hanwha said. The 40-ton Redback is capable of carrying 11 people three crew and eight foot soldiers with a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour. The company said it has reduced the overall weight of the vehicle compared to other armored cars and focused on belly protection against landmines and bomb attacks. "The weight of an armored vehicle usually increases when the defense capabilities are enhanced, but we have applied cutting-edge technologies to improve the protection capabilities without increasing the weight as much," An Byung-chul, the company's vice president in charge of business development in Europe and Australia, told reporters at one of its factories in Changwon, 400 km south of Seoul. "We will make best efforts to become the final bidder by demonstrating the superiority of our land systems capability and development experience," Hanwha Defense CEO Lee Sung-soo said. (Yonhap) Bay of Plenty You will be learning how to operate the machines and how to maintain them. This will include on site training.We are looking... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz kali9/iStockBy MARK OSBORNE, ABC News (LOUISVILLE, Ky.) -- Three members of an armed militia were shot at a protest calling for justice for Breonna Taylor in Louisville on Saturday afternoon. The three people, all members of the NFAC, suffered non-life threatening injuries, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department. "Today, shortly before 1:00 pm, three people were struck by gunfire as the result of a discharge of someones gun who was participating in the NFAC demonstration at Baxter Park," Louisville Metro's interim Chief of Police Robert Schroeder said in a statement. "Louisville Division of Fire and LMEMS arrived a short time later and transported all three victims to the University of Louisville Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All involved are members of the NFAC and there are no outstanding suspects." The police said the investigation into the shooting was ongoing. "This is a tragic situation that could have been much worse," Schroeder added. "I encourage anyone choosing to exercise their Second Amendment rights to do so responsibly." Louisville police released surveillance footage of the shooting that showed dozens of members of the NFAC milling around in the park when the apparently accidental discharge takes place and a few people drop to the ground injured. The NFAC, which is short for "Not F------- Around Coalition," was marching in full military fatigues and carrying semi-automatic weapons in order to call attention to the fatal police shooting of Taylor in March. The 26-year-old EMT was killed in her own home when police executed a "no-knock" warrant searching for a drug trafficker. Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, opened fire on police believing that someone was breaking into the house. Taylor was struck by gunfire at least eight times when police returned fire. For months, protesters have been calling for the three officers who were involved in the shooting to be arrested and charged. The protests gained in intensity following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. Officer Brett Hankison was fired last month for violating procedure when he shot Taylor. Louisville police had said they were ready for demonstrations in the city on Saturday and shut down roads as a precaution to allow the NFAC members and others to march. "LMPD remains committed to peaceful expression of views under the First Amendment. As we have done for several weeks, there will be no need for police intervention as long as there is no threat to public safety," the police said in a statement Friday. "We will not tolerate the barricading of streets by non-law enforcement, impeding traffic, or attempting to threaten or force people not involved in the protests from their intended destination." Counterprotesters, a far-right militia called the Thee Percenters, also appeared at Saturday's protest. ABC News' Joshua Hoyos contributed to this report. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Viewers of BBC2 wildlife series Bears about the House say they watched the latest episode of the series through tears after two bear cubs were stolen from the sanctuary that features in the programme. Conservationist Matt Hunt, CEO of Free the Bears and Giles Clark, an animal expert and conservationist from the UK, rescued five-month-old moon bear cubs David and Jane in Laos and re-homed them at their sanctuary shortly after they were born. Their mother had been killed by a poacher, who then tried to sell the cubs illegally online. David and Jane were malnourished when seized by authorities and had been brought back to health by the Bears about the House sanctuary. Scroll down for video Viewers of BBC2's Bears about the House were left devastated when two five-month-old bear cubs, David and Jane, (pictured) were stolen from their sanctuary after escaping a life of torture when authorities spotted them being sold online Giles Clark (pictured with Mary the Sun Bear), an animal expert and conservationist from the UK, rescued cubs David and Jane in Laos and helped re-homed them with Matt Hunt After the cubs regained their strength and were moved to a permanent enclosure, thieves broke into the sanctuary and stole the bears once again, leaving viewers 'heartbroken' once more for the animals. After hearing the news they've been taken, Matt is heard saying: 'At this point, we dont know for sure whats happened, but David and Jane have disappeared and we believe theyve been taken.' Viewers were left upset following the disappearance of the tiny animals, with one telling how devastated they were that David and Jane had fallen into the hands of 'monsters' once again. 'Am absolutely heartbroken that the little brother and sister could be back in the hands of monsters. Sometimes I just despair', wrote one viewer. 'Devastated what happened to David and Jane but well done to all the team @freethebears for all the hard work and effort to save these bears from a horrific life', added another. A third simply said: 'Gutted about David and Jane.' Viewers were left heartbroken after the disappearance of the animals, with one telling how devastated they are David and Jane are in the hands of 'monsters' once again. Another penned: 'Just caught up with #bearsaboutthehouse truly heartbreaking what humans are putting them through, but also heartwarming that there are people like @GilesClark78 devoting their lives to help them.' The show follows Matt and Giles as they rescue bears across South-east Asia; the animals would otherwise become part of the illegal wildlife trade and be likely sold as trophy pets, used for their meat in restaurants or processed for traditional Asian medicine. The most valued part of a bear is their gallbladder, an organ that stores bile; some believe the digestive fluid that helps break down fat has medicinal qualities. After arriving at the sanctuary following their initial rescue, the cubs quickly showed signs of improvement and soon had the energy to start playing with each other again Over 10,000 bears across Asia are kept in cages in bear farms so their bile, which some believe has medicinal qualities, can be extracted to meet demand. Moon Bear cub siblings David and Jane are pictured play-fighting in the sanctuary Over 10,000 bears across Asia are kept in cages in bear farms so their bile can be extracted to meet demand. When David and Jane first arrived at the sanctuary, after being seized by authorities, the pair were nervous around humans and Matt predicted their early life experience had been 'hellish'. Said Matt: They were taken from the wild a week ago. They can be very nervous around humans and whatever theyve been through so far has been pretty hellish.' The cubs quickly showed signs of improvement and soon had the energy to start playing with each other again, and were moved to an outdoors enclosure at the sanctuary. After regaining their strength, David and Jane were moved to a permanent outdoors enclosure in the sanctuary - where Matt and Giles now say they think they were watched ahead of being stolen Matt (pictured) received the terrible news that the pair had gone missing from the sanctuary However, soon Matt received the terrible news that the pair had gone missing from the sanctuary, and guessed the animals were 'being watched' ahead of the theft. He said: 'The enclosure was locked, so it could be that someone has climbed over and grabbed the cub and thrown it in a bag and managed to climb back over without anyone hearing. It means we were being watched and targeted to get those bears. 'Every time you get a bear you win a fight, but the battle isnt over. I guess we just didnt expect them to bring the battle to our doorstep.' As the University of California prepares to welcome a new president next month, protesters staged a farewell party for Janet Napolitano, the outgoing UC President. The event F the UC: No Cops, No Firings, No Layoffs; A Farewell Party for Janet Napolitano consisted of about 60 students and workers on Saturday. The event began at a UC building in Oakland. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft CNBC This earnings season investors have to balance spiking coronavirus levels against encouraging vaccine progress, rising unemployment and China trade tensions. That's on the macro level. On the micro level, some stocks look set to gain from current work-from-home trends, while for others, coronavirus-related disruptions spell disaster. In this unprecedented time, it makes sense to follow the stock picks of analysts with a proven track record of success. We used TipRanks analyst forecasting service to pinpoint Wall Street's best-performing analysts. These are the analysts with the highest success rate and average return measured on a one-year basis- and factoring in the number of ratings made by each analyst. Here are the best-performing analysts' six favorite stocks: Proofpoint RBC Capital analyst Matthew Hedberg advises keeping a close eye on cybersecurity stock Proofpoint. He has a buy rating on the stock and a $146 price target, a 19% upside potential. "While there is Covid uncertainty in the 2H/20, we believe Proofpoint should be a long-term beneficiary of trends for people- centric security with increased levels of distributed workers" the analyst explained on July 21. Based on checks, he believes Proofpoint should report solid second quarter results at the high-end of guidance on its July 30 earnings date. "We remain confident in trends of returning to +20% growth" Hedberg wrote. What's more, 2021 should be a better year "given the SYMC replacement cycle, product bundles, normalized CapEx, easy comps and a long-term benefit from distributed employees as companies are seeing new attacks targeting Covid disruption." In ProofPoint's favor is a strong and evolving product portfolio, a growing, diverse customer base for cross and up-sell opportunities, and a solid growth profile that should drive significant margin expansion through break-even and beyond. Hedberg's 79% success rate and 27% average return per rating earn him a stellar Top 10 ranking on TipRanks. Etsy Online marketplace Etsy is gearing up to report its second quarter earnings on Aug. 5. Heading into the print, Stifel Nicolaus analyst Scott Devitt has reiterated his support for the stock. That's with a buy rating and new $116 stock price forecast, up from $86 previously. Shares have more than doubled year-to-date, but Devitt's price target indicates further upside potential lies ahead. "Consolidated GMS [gross merchandise sales] growth exceeded 130% year-over-year in April, and we expect growth remained meaningfully above pre-Covid levels through 2Q as the company continues to benefit from the sale of face masks and the broader pandemic-related shift to eCommerce" the analyst explained on July 22. Indeed, third-party data and commentary from other eCommerce platforms indicate that trends supporting online shopping have remained largely in place, says Devitt, as coronavirus case numbers in the U.S. re-accelerate and health concerns drive consumes to e-commerce instead of traditional retail. The analyst also raised his second quarter and long-term estimates citing "the growing opportunity for Etsy to retain new and lapsed customers brought to the platform as a result of the pandemic." According to TipRanks, Devitt scores an impressive 70% success rate and 25% average return per recommendation. Johnson & Johnson Health-care giant Johnson & Johnson has just received the thumbs up from top Bank of America analyst Bob Hopkins. He reiterated his buy rating and $175 stock price forecast, with 17% upside potential, on July 20 after the company reported a beat-and-raise second quarter. Overall, earnings topped Street expectations driven mainly by a notably robust performance in the medical devices segment $4.29 billion compared to a $3.43 billion consensus estimate while the pharma segment fell in-line with expectations and consumer fell slightly below $3.3 billion compared to a $3.54 consensus estimate. "JNJ's Q2 call confirmed what most believed heading into Q2 that JNJ's [Covid-19] vaccine is on track and that JNJ's fundamentals remain very strong in an uncertain environment" cheered Hopkins. Currently the company is aiming to deliver over 1 billion doses of its coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2021. For the coming quarters management struck a cautiously optimistic tone, noting that many procedures are already approaching pre-coronavirus levels. The company now expects a third-quarter decline of 10% to 25%, up from its April estimate of negative 15% to 35%. As a result, Hopkins ramped up his 2020-2022 earnings per share estimates for Johnson & Johnson to $7.82, $9.09 and $9.73 from $7.72, $9.06 and $9.69. "We continue to like the risk reward in JNJ. While visibility remains low with litigation, Covid's impact on the economy could well bring names like JNJ back into favor and goodwill from a successful vaccine could limit drug pricing risk" the analyst concluded. Microsoft Five-star Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives has a buy rating and Street-high price target of $260 on Microsoft, suggesting further upside potential of over 25%. Ives made the bullish call on July 22 following Microsoft's June results with headline numbers that came in above Street expectations. Total revenues came in at $38 billion, up 13% year-over-year, compared to the Street at $36.5 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.46 easily beat the Street's $1.34 estimate with operating margins of 35.3% versus Street estimates at 35.6%. "Cloud continuing to rock & roll," exclaimed Ives, noting that "this current remote work from home (WFH) environment is further catalyzing more enterprises to make the strategic cloud shift with Microsoft the main beneficiary as evidenced by the solid results." According to the analyst, while Microsoft has roughly a third of its revenue exposed to PCs and supply chain, the vast majority of its revenue and 80% to 90% of its valuation is based on its flagship Azure, Office 365, and core enterprise driven franchise. And that's good news because Ives believes that this cloud shift and work-from-home dynamic is here to stay. With 33% of workloads in the cloud today poised to hit 55% by 2022, he calculates that the work-from-home shift could clearly accelerate the cloud trend by roughly a year. "In a nutshell, Nadella & Co. continue to lead a transformational cloud story narrowing the gap vs. Bezos and AWS into 2021" Ives said. The analyst is ranked at No. 211 out of 6,813 analysts covered by TipRanks thanks to his strong stock picking skills. AMD RBC Capital's Mitch Steves has just boosted his stock price forecast on semiconductor stock AMD to a Street-high of $71 up from $66 previously, and he highlighted the potential for AMD to move even higher. "We wouldn't be surprised to see the $70 market eclipsed over the next 3-4 months in a bull case scenario but see $71 as more of a base case" the analyst told investors on July 23. He cited the company's upcoming earnings report as a positive catalyst, writing "we think PCs and Servers could surprise to the upside relative to Street expectations." Notably, for 2021 he also remains Street-high at $10.7 billion compared to the Street at $10.2 billion adding that the 15 or so hold/sell recommendations on the stock are likely dragging down the average estimates considerably. For his part, Steves continues to like AMD into earnings, given the company's: 1) likely $400 million in server revenue in the second quarter; 2) clear demand for graphics processing units, or GPUs, as gamers continue to grow in a work from home environment; 3) positive results at Texas Instruments indicating personal electronics upside due to work from home initiatives; and 4) significant revenue growth and margin expansion potential over the next two to three years. This Top 100 analyst boasts a 75% success rate and 27% average return per recommendation. Dick's Sporting Goods Kolkata, July 27 : Austrian Rocks defeated Italian Style in the final to be named champions of the inaugural Online Shooting League (OSL) on Sunday. Austrian Rocks, comprising Olympic quota winner Martin Strempfl, Bernhard Pickl and Georg Zott, won the tie 10-4. The Austrians took the opening point but the Italian Style, which included two Olympic quota winners in Marco Suppini and Lorenzo Bacci along with Martina Ziviani, bagged the next two rounds to make it 2-1 in their favour. However, the Austrians bounced back to claim 5 points in a row to make it 6-2 after the 8th round. The Italians took two more points in the 9th and 10th rounds to make it 6-4. There was a draw with both teams recording an identical 30.6 in the 12th round. After that, the Austrians claimed the next 3 points to seal the match in the 15th round. Ten matches were held over the month in which teams from six countries participated. The inaugural edition has only rifle shooters taking part in the event from July 4-26 where they have been shooting on electronic targets from their homes. Every team consists of 3 rifle shooters. The format that is being used is "Race to 10" in which shooters of the two teams will take a shot each. The team with the higher total of 3 shots takes the point and whichever team reaches 10 points first wins that match. Picture it: Pittsburgh, 1967. You were more likely to die of a gunshot wound in your own country than on the battlefield in Vietnam because soldiers had access to field medics. In contrast, back home, you simply traveled to the hospital in the back of a police station wagon, or a hearse if they really wanted to get on the nose. Patients showing up DOA was a common occurrence at the hospital where John Moon, a quiet and hardworking young man, preferably played by Daniel Kaluuya, worked as an orderly. That is until he started noticing other young black men hanging around the hospital, delivering patients who were suspiciously alive. He started asking around and found out these men were something called "paramedics" from the Freedom House ambulance service. He was introduced to Dr. Peter Safar, a Viennese Jew who somehow ended up drafted into Hitler's army before escaping to America and becoming known as the father of CPR. Dr. Safar had been approached by leaders of the local black community and asked if there was really nothing to be done about this whole "death cab" situation, so he started plucking up supposedly "unemployable" young black men, sometimes literally off the street, to put through the world's first paramedic school. Moon sprinted through his training and soon found himself working alongside such characters as George McCary, a charismatic wisecracker who joined Freedom House so his grandma wouldn't kick him out for being unemployed. (John Boyega?) At least 8 people were killed and dozens were injured after a passenger bus flipped over a roadside and turned turtle in Quang Binh province on July 26 morning, according to local police. At least 8 have been killed and dozens injured in a tragic bus accident in Quang Binh province, central Vietnam, on July 26 The tragic accident happened at around 10.50am at a road section on Ho Chi Minh Highway, about 10km from Phong Nha Ke Bang tourist site. It currently remains unknown who were on board the bus and where they were going because no phone signals were available there. Some sources said the passengers were on a holiday to Phong Nha Ke Bang site, while others said they were on the way home after having paid tribute to fallen soldiers at a nearby cemetery. Local police initially said the accident left at least 8 people dead and dozens injured. The number of casualties may rise as some people were in critical condition. Provincial authorities rushed to the scene to direct relevant agencies to deal with the consequences of the accident. Hearing about the news, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, who is also head of the National Committee on Traffic Safety asked Quang Binh to mobilise all resources to save the injured and investigate the cause of the accident. A working team of the National Committee on Traffic Safety are set to arrive in Quang Binh in the afternoon to help the locality overcome the consequences of the tragic accident. VOV A 34-year-old man, operating illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has drowned in Akateng, in the West Akyem municipality of the Eastern Region. The deceased, identified as Kofi Bantful, and other illegal miners sneaked into the mine, but he was trapped and later died in a mining pit filled with water. Bantful was retrieved dead by his colleagues before the arrival of police at the scene upon receiving information about the incident. According to the police, no marks of violence were found when the body was examined, but there was foam from the mouth of the deceased. The acting Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command Sergeant Francis Gomado, told Starr News that the body has been deposited at St Dominic Hospital Morgue at Akwatia, pending investigation. Many mining districts in the Eastern Region continue to record drowning incidents among residents and illegal miners. Many illegal miners in the region have resumed work, destroying lands and polluting water bodies with impunity. Source: ghanaweb.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 Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 11:51:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close FUZHOU, July 26 (Xinhua) -- East China's Fujian Province reported one new imported COVID-19 case on Saturday, the provincial health commission said Sunday. The imported case was from the Philippines and reported by the city of Xiamen. Four new imported asymptomatic cases were reported, including one case from the United States and three cases from the Philippines. Meanwhile, Fuzhou, capital city of the province, reported one domestically-transmitted asymptomatic case which came from northeast China's Liaoning Province. Enditem Mumbai, July 26 : The Board of IndusInd Bank will on Tuesday, July 28, consider raising funds through equity shares on a preferential basis. In a regulatory filing on Saturday, the bank said that if required the board would also consider convening an extraordinary general meeting or a postal ballot process to seek approval of the shareholders in respect of the proposal of fundraising. The board, on Tuesday, would "consider fund raising by way of issue of equity shares on a preferential basis, in accordance with the provisions of the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018 and the Companies Act, 2013, as amended, subject to such regulatory/statutory approvals as may be required," it said. Several banks, both public and private are looking at raising funds of late. In its meeting on Tuesday, the IndusInd Bank's Board would also consider and approve its unaudited standalone and consolidated financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2020. The bank on Friday had informed the exchanges that US-based hedge fund Route One Investment Company has received Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) approval to raise its stake to 10 per cent from its current stake of 4.96 per cent. Hollywood actress Naomi Watts has named three cult beauty products by the Australian brand The Beauty Chef as her favourite item for 'instant glowing skin'. The 51-year-old said that she likes to use several products from the bio-fermented inner beauty range, and mixes them into her smoothies, water and breakfasts for instant results. 'Im usually starving by 11 am. I might make a green smoothie and add the Glow Powder from The Beauty Chef and have a big glass of water with a dash of their Hydration or Collagen Boost,' Naomi told Goop. She added that drinking plenty of water with the hydrating boosters is the easiest way to get her skin primed and looking its best before events. Hollywood actress Naomi Watts (pictured) has named a cult beauty product by the Australian brand The Beauty Chef as her favourite item for 'instant glowing skin' The 51-year-old (pictured) said she likes to use several products from the bio-fermented inner beauty range, and mixes them into her smoothies, water and breakfasts for instant results So what is so special about The Beauty Chef's Glow powder, as well as their Hydration and Collagen Boosters? Retailing for $65 and $42 respectively, the products claim to help your skin from the inside out. The Glow Supercharged powder ($65), for instance, is one of the brand's most popular products, as it includes powerful vitamins including A, C and zinc - which all help to boost your body's natural production of collagen and promotes healthy skin, hair and nails. The Hydration and Collagen Boosters (both $42) feature other skin-enhancing ingredients like goji berry and coconut water to hydrate, smooth fine lines and enhance your overall complexion. The Glow powder ($65; pictured) is one of the brand's most popular products, as it includes powerful vitamins including A, C and zinc - which help to boost your body's collagen Naomi (pictured) said that drinking plenty of water with the hydrating boosters is the easiest way to get her skin primed and looking its best before events Reviews on The Beauty Chef's website attest to its power to help the skin and insides, with hundreds of five-star reviews saying it is an 'essential morning ritual'. 'This is my holy grail product,' one woman posted of the Glow powder. 'I was skeptical when I first purchased it, but I can't live without it now. It soothes my digestive system, tastes amazing and I can really tell the difference! 'My skin is much clearer, brighter and soothed and I have become much more regular.' Other reviewers said it has helped them with skin redness, spots and sugar cravings throughout the day. Reviews on The Beauty Chef's website attest to its power to help the skin and insides, with hundreds of five-star reviews saying it is an 'essential morning ritual' (products pictured) What is in the Beauty Chef Glow powder to make it so special? The Glow powder (pictured) includes many wholefoods including macqui berries, queen garnet plum and pomegranate fruit peel * It features a range of certified organic wholefoods including bio-fermented macqui berries, queen garnet plum and pomegranate fruit peel extract to boost the skin. * It also includes a range of vitamins such as vitamin C to help to boost collagen production, and zinc to support healthy hair, skin and nails. The product also has vitamin A, which they describe as 'retinol for your insides'. * Glow contains a natural broad-spectrum probiotic, prebiotics and postbiotics to feed the beneficial bacteria in your gutbecause a healthy microbiome is the secret to radiant skin. * To use it, simply mix one teaspoon of the product into your water, smoothie, porridge or yoghurt. Source: The Beauty Chef Advertisement Other high profile fans of the brand include The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and Gwyneth Paltrow of Goop (both pictured) Naomi isn't the only high-profile fan either. Meghan Markle has also reportedly tried The Beauty Chef with impressive results, while Gwyneth Paltrow herself has also used it in the past. British facialist Sarah Chapman previously said that The Beauty Chef's Glow powder was Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle's 'go-to supplement'. The $65 additive contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and probiotics, as well as amino acids and essential fatty acids including chia, green tea and sunflower seeds. Sales of Glow powder have also grown 301 per cent over the last five years, and tripled in the past few months since The Beauty Chef launched a new and improved re-formulated product. The founder of The Beauty Chef, Carla Oates (pictured), dreamed up the range when her daughter started to struggle with chronic eczema The founder of The Beauty Chef, Carla Oates, dreamed up the range when her daughter started to struggle with chronic eczema. Carla, 46, had struggled with eczema as a child, before she started following a more holistic approach to her health - thinking both about what she put into her body as well as what she applied to her skin. 'I did some research into gut health and the benefits of eating lacto-fermented, probiotic foods for gut health and skin health such as eczema,' Carla, from Sydney, told Daily Mail Australia. She started to make lacto-fermented foods for her daughter at home: 'I noticed a big difference in her skin and well-being,' she said. 'I also noticed a big difference in my skin when I was eating them. Friends and family started asking what I was using - and then became addicted to my fermented vegetables.' The Beauty Chef business sprung from here and it has since gone on to have success around the world. For more information about The Beauty Chef, please click here. SELMA, Ala. JoAnn and James Pittman drove from Atlanta to Selma a 5-hour trip to pay their respects to a man they knew both as a civil rights hero and a kind human being who wrote letters of encouragement to their children. Once, when the family visited Rep. John Lewis in his congressional office, the congressman took the Pittmans' son down to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. "He got to press the voting button down on the floor," James Pittman said. "(Congressman Lewis) introduced him to Maxine Waters and Joseph Kennedy." JoAnn Pittman grew up in Montgomery during the Bus Boycott. Her parents attended meetings and rode in carpools; as a 6-year-old, the Rev. Martin Luther King warmly took her hand when she felt shy around him in a children's receiving line. "I know if my parents were here, they would want to be here, standing for justice for all people," she said. "We want to share it with other generations. Its important to be present." JoAnn Pittman and her husband, Jim, are first in line for the public viewing of the late Congressman John Lewis at Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Ala., on Saturday, July 25, 2020. The Pittmans spoke a few minutes before Lewis' body was conveyed up the steps of Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma. It was the chapel where Lewis; James Bevel; Amelia Boynton and hundreds of other activists started out on the civil rights march on March 7, 1965. It was also the chapel that became a makeshift hospital after a posse of white law enforcement officers beat the marchers at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Members of the mob tried to ride their horses up the same steps an honor guard carried Lewis' body on Saturday. "Tear gas, cattle prods, screaming and running," said Albert Southall, a Selma gallery owner and survivor of "Bloody Sunday" who later was one of the handful of people to walk the entire length of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. "That's the memory." The attacks led to the Selma-to-Montgomery marches later that month and directly inspired the Voting Rights Act. Story continues The future of that law was on the minds of mourners at a 90-minute service for Lewis in Brown Chapel on Saturday evening. Several speakers called for Congress to honor Lewis' memory and restore portions of the Voting Rights Act struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013, out of a case that emerged in Shelby County, Alabama. More: Troy, Alabama, honors native son Rep. John Lewis Martin Luther King III also paid tribute to Southall and hundreds of Selma activists who marched to Edmund Pettus Bridge and beyond in March 1965. "If it wasnt for them we wouldnt have great victories," he said. "We had great victories because of the men and women in this city who gave us the right to vote." U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., and a native of Selma, told mourners that being around Lewis was a "slice of home" to her, due to their shared connection with Selma. Sewell also called for renewal of the Voting Rights Act and said "we have a lot more bridges to cross without John" but "there are armies of people who know and love John Lewis." "John never gave up hope," she said. "His optimism is what he inspired in all of us. We're all infused with that optimism. Can't you hear him? Find a way to get in the way. Good trouble. Necessary trouble." Lewis' body will be taken from Selma to Montgomery on Sunday morning, following the 1965 route of marchers. Lewis will lie in state at the Alabama State Capitol on Sunday afternoon. Services are planned in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta next week. The 6 p.m. service the first in Brown Chapel AME Church since the COVID-19 outbreak forced social distancing in March was closed to the public due to privacy and health concerns, but a long line of mourners gathered for a public viewing of the body at 8 p.m., despite the threat of rain and thunderstorms. Frank Roller of Selma, one of the first people in line, said he was there simply to honor Lewis. "John Lewis is a legend, a Selma legend, a civil rights leader," he said. Roller's mother, Debra, who works for the Cahaba Center for Mental Health, said they "just had to be part" of the services honoring Lewis, rain or not. "He was very strong-willed to me," she said. "He was like one of those people who stood for something. He wanted to do what was right." The casket of civil rights icon and U.S. Congressman John Lewis is carried into Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church for his memorial service Saturday, July 25, 2020 in Selma, Ala. The Pittmans felt the same way. "Every time Ive been in his company, the word that comes to my mind is love," said JoAnn Pittman. And very humble, and genuine." Southall, the civil rights foot soldier, said it was like "a warrior leaving his troops," and that he wanted to pay Lewis tribute. "You don't realize how powerful he was until he's not," he said. "After death, you realize how powerful he was." This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Rep. John Lewis: Tributes and calls to protect voting rights legacy By PTI NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday accused the Rajasthan Governor of resorting to the "worst kind of obstruction of democracy" by raising "superficial and motivated" queries on Ashok Gehlot government's demand for convening a session of the state assembly. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said his party wants a floor test in the state assembly and is "begging" for it, but the governor is not convening the House and "delaying" the trust vote allegedly at the behest of the central government. He also cited Supreme Court judgements and several precedents including those of Rajasthan assembly with regard to the convening of the assembly session to assert that the Governor cannot act of his own and can only do so with the advice of the Cabinet. "Such superficial, clearly motivated, digressive and extraneous queries establish beyond doubt that they are coming from the highest authorities of the central government and being parroted without change as His Master's Voice from Raj Bhawan, Jaipur." "We all know who that Master is. But, it decimates the lustre and dignity of the Governor's constitutional position," Singhvi said at a virtual press conference. Governor Kalraj Mishra had on Friday sought clarifications on six points from the state government, after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan in Jaipur pressing for convening of the assembly. ALSO READ | Rajasthan Governor has received Gehlot Cabinet's revised proposal on assembly session: Sources The governor asked Chief Minister Asok Gehlot to submit again, with the clarifications, his recommendation for calling a session. A statement from the governor included queries on the free movement of MLAs and the reason why the session needed to be called urgently. The governor on Saturday night received a revised proposal from the state cabinet requesting that a session of the assembly be called on July 31, Raj Bhawan sources said on Sunday. Asked if the party would challenge the Rajasthan High Court judgement, Singhvi said the fight was not in the courtroom but in the state assembly where a floor test would determine who has the numbers. At the same time, the Congress spokesperson questioned the high court ruling, pointing out that the apex court has clearly stated in the past that judicial review is not permissible at any stage prior to the making of a decision by the Speaker "If somebody is begging (for the Assembly to be convened) . And still 4-5 days have passed and now it is going to be seven days if 31st is the date be here. Then, I think this is the worst kind of obstruction of democracy, which is happening under your nose," Singhvi noted. ALSO READ | Instead of fighting COVID-19 and China, Centre conspiring to topple Congress governments: Maken Taking on the prime minister, Singh asked, "Why are those, ensconsed in the highest executive post of the country, who invented jibes like 'Mauni Baba' for others, not introspecting on their eloquent silence in not reminding constitutional authorities like the Governor of their Rajdharma? Or is their eloquence reserved only for jumlas." Citing a 1992 SC judgement, Singhvi quoted a five-judge judge as saying: "Having regard to the constitutional scheme in the Tenth Schedule, judicial review should not cover any stage prior to the making of a decision by the Speakers/ Chairman; and no quia timet (ie interim interventions) are permissible". A NSW man has died and another is in a serious condition after their four-wheel-drive rolled on a Fraser Island beach. The accident came as police continued to investigate the cause of a crash that killed four people in the Gold Coast hinterland on Saturday. Two rescue helicopters were sent to Fraser Island after reports the vehicle rolled on 75 Mile Beach, north of Eli Creek, at low tide about 7am on Sunday. Police said initial investigations suggested the driver lost control of the vehicle, which was carrying three others all Australian residents. Stride Funding Inc., a Dallas, TX-based education funding startup, raised additional venture funding and secured additional investment capital for its Income Share Agreement (ISA) Fund. The new round of venture funding was led by New U Venture Partners, anchored by Western Governors University, while the ISA investment capital was committed by multi-billion dollar impact investors. The company also announced an exclusive strategic partnership with CampusDoor, an education finance technology provider. Founded in 2018 and led by Tess Michaels, CEO, Stride Funding issues ISAs to students across the higher education landscape. The company will use the new funds to accelerate development of the first widely distributed ISA, allowing students to share a percentage of their future income in exchange for education funding over a set number of years. FinSMEs 26/07/2020 WALL LAKE, Iowa -- On the heels of a June primary election loss that likely ended his lengthy career in the U.S. House, Rep. Steve King has stepped up his advocacy for keeping Confederate symbols in the public sphere. The outspoken Iowa 4th District congressman also has repeatedly denounced the Black Lives Matter movement, which was rekindled across the country in the aftermath of a video showing a Minneapolis police officer killing an unarmed George Floyd in May. King, a conservative Republican, has honed a national reputation for a series of incendiary comments on race and immigration during his nine terms representing a GOP-friendly district in western Iowa. Floyd's death has sparked widespread protests calling for a series of police reforms, as well as the removal of public symbols that pay tribute to the Confederacy. Protesters have vandalized or torn down a series of statues and memorials to Confederate soldiers and generals. Black Lives Matter and other groups also have spoken out against the "Stars and Bars," the flag some Confederate troops carried into battle during the Civil War, arguing it has long been a symbol or racism and bigotry. Until a few years ago, King kept a small Confederate flag on his desk in his office in Washington. In the weeks since his primary loss to state Sen. Randy Feenstra, as protests against Confederate symbols have grown, King has stepped up his defense of the flag. "If you believe the Confederate flag is and always was the symbol of slavery, show me," King wrote in a July 11 tweet. "Google "slavery" & click "images." I see Old Glory at the bottom of last page but not a glimpse of stars and bars." He linked to a page that showed up in his search, which showed dozens of black and white photos of black slaves from the 1800s. In another tweet that same day, King wrote, "If you don't believe the Confederate flag is & has long been a symbol of Southern Pride, Google "Southern Pride." Once you get past the BBQ grills, almost all the rest are stars & bars. Makes me want to put some ribs on my grill." That tweet linked to photos of numerous Stars and Bars flags. On Thursday, the Democratic-controlled House voted to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol. It's not clear if the Senate will take up the measure. Some removals have taken place nationwide. On July 1, the mayor of Richmond, Virginia, the onetime capital of the Confederacy, ordered the immediate removal of all Confederate statues on city property. For King, such steps are misguided, as he has tweeted since mid-June that Black Lives Matter, with the shorthand of BLM, is off the mark with actions. On June 10, King retweeted a post by Candace Owens, who wrote, "There are millions of black people in America who know #BlackLivesMatter is a terrorist group funded by white Democrats. Educated black Americans want absolutely nothing to do with them, and we will never ever take the knee." In a Twitter post last week, King post linked to a Reuters story that highlighted President Trump's position that Confederate flag are a "proud symbol of U.S. South" and denounced Black Lives Matter and Antifa, a political movement comprised of autonomous groups affiliated by their militant opposition to fascism. "The real Rebels are #antifa and #BLM. My bet is @RealDonaldTrump didn't have to google "southern pride" and click "images to confirm his confident and accurate statement," King said in the tweet. On June 19, King wrote a column on the subject of Juneteenth. He tweeted, "Today is Juneteenth, the day the last slaves were freed by Union troops at Galveston in 1865. Let us reserve forever this day to celebrate our civil rights accomplishments for all whom God created equal." Following that, King criticized that a statue of Vladimir Lenin had been unveiled in Germany at the same time Confederate monuments were being toppled by Americans, including one honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis in June. Several Twitter users have pushed back on King's posts defending Confederate symbols. One man wrote, "The confederacy committed TREASON against the United States of America. No symbols of that TREASON (flags, statues, memorabilia, etc) should be on public lands or in public venues. Those who support that TREASON should be shunned, ostracized, and kicked out of office." In a Journal interview in March 2017, King said he removed the Confederate flag from the desk in his Capitol Hill office in the aftermath of the fall 2016 shooting deaths of two Des Moines area police officers by a man with ties to the controversial banner. King pointed out he voluntarily removed the flag "not because anyone demanded or requested that it come down." Last year, King found himself again in hot water on a racially-charged issue after his quotes in a New York Times story questioned when terms like white supremacist and white national became offensive. In the aftermath of an national uproar over the comments, GOP House leaders stripped King of all his committee assignments. His loss of clout in Congress emerged as a key issue in the June primary campaign in which Feenstra and three other challengers sought to oust King. Feenstra beat King by nearly 10 points in the sprawling 4th District, which covers 39 counties in Northwest and North Central Iowa. Feenstra now squares off against Democratic nominee J.D. Scholten, of Sioux City, in the November general election. PHOTOS: Steve King 2019 Alton town hall Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 5 by Shafique Khokhar The Franciscan religious was one of the best-known figures in national civil society. Together with her sisters she founded the "House of Peace", intended for mentally and physically disabled people, which has always pushed to engage in sports and the arts. Catholics remember her as "a source of pride for all of us". Karachi (AsiaNews) - The Pakistani government has awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Civil Award) to Sister Ruth Lewis, a Franciscan from the congregation of Christ the King and one of the best-known figures in national civil society. The nun died on July 20 after contracting coronavirus while assisting some sick children. Born May 2, 1946, she has always lived and worked in Karachi. Together with Sister Gertrude Lemmens and Sister Margaret DCosta, she founded the Dar-Ul-Sukun house (the house of peace) intended to accommodate mentally and physically disabled people. The religious has always pushed "her children" to engage in the world of sport and the arts. Four guests of the house won several medals at the Paralympics that took place in the United States in 1998: the nun has always promoted an inclusive society, in which disabled people also contribute with commitment to the formation of the country. In addition to the house of peace, Sister Ruth was instrumental in numerous social work projects in Karachi. The letter with which the provincial government of Sindh recommends her for the award mentions several, all addressed to the weakest sections of society. Mariyam Kashif, a teacher and social activist, remembers her as "a pride for all Catholics and for the whole nation. The decision to reward her is admirable, she truly served humanity without any discrimination. Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes This week the Australian-British actress who played Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter movies - Miriam Margolyes - checks-in to our travel Q&A. She reveals that she's a nervous flyer, loves islands and more... How are you coping without travel? I keep in touch with people in different countries and watch travel programmes, and wish I could take part. Its a real deprivation not to be able to travel. Top weekend trip? Im very lucky because Ive got three places to visit which belong to me. My favourite is my house in Tuscany, La Casella, a 300-year-old farmhouse. Im hoping I can visit in September because its glorious at that time. Are you a good flyer? Im always nervous and think that Im going to die. For many years, I went everywhere by boat. I do fly now though. Best memory from your latest travel series? Sitting around the campfire at Seven Emu Station, seeing the Milky Way with total clarity. Best bit of Australia? I warm to there being no people. Goolwa in South Australia is glorious. And Im fond of Adelaide. Its an elegant, quiet city. Miriam says that she loves islands and would love to go to Sardinia (pictured) next Cant travel without? A book and my glasses. Where do you want to go next? Sardinia. I love islands. And Id also like to go back to Tasmania. New Delhi: In another development in actor Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case, the Mumbai Police has now summoned Dharma Productions' CEO Apoorva Mehta. Dharma Productions is owned by filmmaker Karan Johar, who has faced massive social media outrage after Sushant's death for promoting nepotism in the industry. Apoorva Mehta's statement will be recorded at the Bandra police station. Earlier on Sunday, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt was also summoned by the cops. He has been asked to record his statement at the Bandra police station on Monday afternoon. Apart from Karan, Mahesh Bhatt had also faced Twitter's wrath as Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakbrorty is said to be close to him. ALSO READ: Sushant Singh Rajput suicide: Mahesh Bhatt summoned by Mumbai Police, asked to record statement on Monday Meanwhile, it is also being reported that Karan can also be called by the Mumbai Police if needed. As of now, 37 people have been questioned by the Mumbai Police in the case. Sushant died by suicide on June 14 in Mumbai. He was said to be under stress and depression. Actress Kangana Ranaut was also summoned by the cops earlier. She said that she is ready to cooperate with the cops but would also like to adhere to the lockdown guidelines amid the coronavirus outbreak. Kangana is in Manali currently. Kangana's counsel has asked the Mumbai Police to send an official for questioning to her hometown or else, she can interact with them via video call. President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has questioned the long silence of President Akufo-Addo after one of his ministers Mavis Hawa Koomson fired warning shots at a registration centre in the Awutu Senya East constituency. According to him, the actions of Mavis Hawa Koomson was criminal and should have warranted sack right after she admitted committing such an act. Franklin Cudjoe said he feels embarrassed seeing that his friend - President Akufo-Addo, has turned a blind eye to the case. In an interview on CitiTV's Big Issue Saturday, he said, I was thinking that the president because he was invited to Mali to be part of the peace process which by the way was started by some of thesebehaviour, I would have thought that maybe we would give him the benefit of the doubt so that by the time he had returned over the weekend, some pretence that something is being done would be heard but I am mortified and I keep saying that the president is a very good friend of mine but I think on this one we are not friends it has become at least 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and a lot more and not a whisper of anything that seems close to suggesting that something ought to have been said. I sincerely am dumbfounded he has not said a word and has made meaningless the entire vigilante law, he reiterated. His comments fall on the back of calls from civil society organisations (CSOs) for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to sack Mavis Hawa Koomson for causing mayhem at the registration centre. President Akufo-Addos inactiveness on the case, the Imani Africa president said implies that the vigilantism bill has been rendered ineffective. He further stated that the police were equally intimidated to carry out their responsibilities as far as the subject is concerned,because of the minister's position. Franklin Cudjoe who looked unenthused about the entire process said This whole talk about the police are investigating, even the police themselves were intimidated on the first point. Look at how long it took them. They even had to address the issue as if they were dealing with somebody who is so wild and they need to hold the person in high esteem. For crying out loud, what the person did was criminal. The Police on Friday announced that they've retrieved the ministers gun as well having all documents covering the weapon when she honoured the Police invitation. The minister's statement has been taken and the case has been furthered to the CID Headquarters in Accra pending advice from the Attorney Generals Department. Source: ghanaweb.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 Twenty contestants were dramatically sent home during the highly anticipated premiere of Farmer Wants A Wife on Sunday night. But what appeared more shocking to select viewers at home was the show's perceived lack of diversity. Some fans even went so far as to suggest the show change its name to 'Farmer Wants A White Wife' on Twitter. 'Farmer Wants A White Wife!' Fans took a swipe at the show's 'zero diversity' during its highly anticipated premiere on Sunday night 'Zero diversity on Farmer Wants A Wife. Maybe should've called it Farmer Wants A White Wife,' one wrote, while another added: 'This show is so damn white.' 'Not a lot of diversity there for sure,' one also chimed in, as well as one who described Channel Seven's representation of regional New South Wales as 'white and straight'. However, views on casting weren't all negative, with some praising producers for choosing 'age-appropriate' women of all shapes and sizes. Online: 'Zero diversity on Farmer Wants A Wife. Maybe should've called it Farmer Wants A White Wife,' one wrote on Twitter, while another added: 'This show is so damn white' 'Seems like Farmer Wants A Wife has cast age-appropriate people and is trying to buck the Married At First Sight trend. I'm glad,' one wrote. Another said: 'I actually love that these women are not the size two cosmetically adjusted cast members we are used to on American TV.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Channel Seven, which airs the show, for comment. Some praise: However, views on casting weren't all negative, with some praising producers for choosing 'age-appropriate' women of all shapes and sizes Meanwhile, this isn't the first time a reality dating show has come under fire for a lack of diversity. Earlier this month, Bachelor in Paradise star Niranga Amarasinghe looked to have taken a swipe at the Channel Ten show's casting. The 28-year-old aircraft engineer wrote a telling message on his Instagram, as he shared a group photo of the remaining contestants at the time. Contestants: The reboot kicked off on Sunday with the introduction of a bevvy of beauties, most notably blondes and brunettes (pictured) 'People say one picture speaks a thousand words. This picture speaks an infinity,' wrote Niranga to his followers. In the promotional image, the male bachelors are seen standing behind the female bachelorettes they gave roses to. In the centre of the group shot, Niranga is seen smiling, directly behind Mary Virturino. They are the only people of colour on the show. Headlines: Meanwhile, earlier this month, Bachelor in Paradise star Niranga Amarasinghe (pictured) looked to have taken a swipe at the Channel Ten show's lack of diversity Telling: The 28-year-old wrote a telling message on his Instagram, as he shared a group photo of the remaining contestants at the time: 'People say one picture speaks a thousand words. This picture speaks an infinity' This fact wasn't lost on viewers of the popular franchise. 'They have a POC [person of colour] guy on #BachelorInParadiseAU and they don't give him any screen time. Please gimmie some diversity,' one fan begged on Twitter. 'You guys really need to stop casting token Asians and/or PoC for your bloody shows! Show some real DIVERSITY and by diversity I don't mean just blondes [or] brunettes,' quipped a second. Criticism: This fact wasn't lost on viewers of the popular franchise with many sharing their frustrations on Twitter Some Florida lawyers are offering free living wills for teachers who will need to return to classrooms in the coming school year. Tampa Bay lawyer Charles Gallagher from Gallagher & Associates told NBC News that he wanted to offer free living wills for teachers after seeing a sign in a protest saying, "Teacher supplies: books, crayons, and wills." In a report from The Hill, he said around 600 teachers and school staffs have asked about free or discounted living wills from his firm. The document gives medical professionals legal instructions for a person's choice of care when the time that they can't communicate directly comes. From Teachers to First Responders Gallagher heard a story of one teacher saying she's thinking of just quitting her job to protect herself. He found it "heartbreaking" that people feel like they have to quit the jobs they love because of safety concerns. He added that he read about three teachers in Arizona, who went to school to work on a project and contracted the virus and one of them dying from the disease. He was "taken aback by the story." But he wasn't the only one. Advocates have placed warnings on the risks of sending teachers and students going to school when the status of the virus in Florida had not turned for the better. Another law firm in Orlando is also offering living wills at a lower price. Jen Englert, its managing partner said they are giving the same discount as they did with first responders and medical professionals. The firm had been offering discounted living wills for some time, but did not provide it for teachers before. "It hadn't occurred to us to do teachers until they came to us," Englert said. He said the he thinks the pandemic has made people realize that they can't take their chances of having a loved one tell the doctors how they want to be cared for, especially if the coronavirus calls for people to be set apart from others in hospitals. "People don't want to think about their death, but the coronavirus highlights the importance of estate planning," he said. In their own way, the firm believed they are giving help the way they know how to. Around 800 people, mostly from Central Florida, have reached out to the law firm in a two-day period. Schools Reopening in Florida The question as to when schools have to reopen in Florida is still a topic filled with conflict. Just this Monday, the state's largest teachers' union sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran over the administration's push towards a full in-person school reopening next month. The emergency order said all public schools have to open at the start of the academic school year as reopening schools will not only help students' academic and social growth but also help Florida in "hitting its full economic stride." Concerns on the coming reopening had not been absent in Florida. Teachers, in particular, expressed concerns for their own health. One teacher told Business Insider: "I totally am preparing to get sick." Coronavirus cases in Florida are still surging, leaving teachers worried that they will have to come to work with higher risks of coming in contact with the virus. So far, the state has seen over 400,000 cases and the U.S. recorded four million cases on Thursday. Want to read more? Check these out! Florida Teachers Sue State Over School Reopening Texas Education Agency Issues School Reopening Guidelines Trump Urges Schools to Reopen to Help Boost the Economy Amid COVID-19 Surge 2 Moms Shot at Dollar Store, Suspect Drives Away in Vehicle: Officials Two women were shot and killed Friday afternoon at a North Carolina Family Dollar after a man fired shots at their vehicles, said officials. Kayla Kyle, 32, and Kimberly Hunt, 41, were identified by Lumberton police as the victims, according to WRAL-TV. Witnesses told officials that the suspect, who was wearing a hoodie, fired shots at several vehicles as they backed out of parking spaces. Elaine McNair, said Kyle had two children, who are aged 9 and 1. She said that Kyles 9-year-old, who was in the car, called the police after the shooting. We know someone has the information to assist the Lumberton Police Department with this investigation, and I am thankful the representative of the anonymous group came forth and is able to do this, Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said to the news outlet. The cowardly actions of this person to shoot and kill innocent women even with children in the car is unconscionable. Officials told the station that the suspect tried to steal the car. When she tried to drive away, he opened fire. Hunts family members told WRAL that the suspect stole her vehicle after shooting her. The car was found abandoned near the Family Dollar. They said she was a mother of four with several grandchildren. Wilkins noted on Facebook Live that officials believe that someone knows this suspect. To the driver and owner of the car that dropped him off; come forward now and become a potential witness rather than an accessory to the murders, he said. The sheriff added: To whoever may be housing the suspect in an effort to conceal his identity, come forward now rather than becoming an accessory after the fact. You are just as guilty as standing there with him when he murdered these ladies if you dont. This man has proven himself as an armed and dangerous coward, and he should be treated as such. Lets find him before he does this again. At this point, he has nothing to lose. Come forward now. Anyone with information about the shooting can contact the Lumberton Police Department at (910) 671-3845. The Leader of Risk Communication for the National COVID -19 response team, Dr Da Costa Aboagye has noted that over the last few weeks, about ten or more regions in Ghana have recorded zero or a low number of new cases. According to Dr Da Costa Upper East, Northern Region, North East, Oti region, Western North, Savannah, and Ahafo regions are examples of Regions with either Zero new cases or low numbers of new cases as of today. He cited that Upper East, for example, has not reported any new case for some time as reported by the Ghana Health Service daily updates. Dr Da Costa noted that the Ghana Health Service and Ministry of Health continue to strengthen measures to reduce community spread, contain the disease, and optimally manage confirmed cases in all regions across the country especially in those with predominantly high infections like Greater Accra, Ashanti Region, and Western Region. Touching on the active cases, he argued that, there is a slightly declining trend over the last few weeks, and citizens must continue to comply with the safety protocols so that Ghana's active case burden will continue to reduce. For example on 5 July 2020, the active cases were 5,129 but as of today, the active cases are 3,095. We must not be complacent of these figures but, make sure the daily new cases in the areas of community spread reduce significantly. For example, how do we reduce the spread in Greater Accra and Ashanti Region to very low numbers per day or zero cases? We also have to find out why the cases are spreading in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Region but some regions are recording zero or a low number of new cases, he told Peacefmonline.com. The Director of Health Promotion also revealed that the recovery rate continues to go up and currently stands at around 89% of the total cumulative cases Without losing our guard, he advised Ghanaians to continue to strictly adhere to safety measures such as the mandatory wearing of face mask, regular hand washing with soap under running water and frequent use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer as these serve as our lifeline against COVID-19 infections. According to the Ghana Health Service update, the active cases are now 3,095, with 27,801 recovery and 161 deaths. 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 Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of Dubais General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), met with representatives of tourism companies in Dubai to discuss the mechanism for granting tourist visas as part of promoting and revitalising tourism in the post-Covid-19 phase, said a report. The meeting was also attended by Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director-General of GDRFA Dubai, Colonel Dr. Omar Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for Entry and Residence Permits Sector, and other officials, news agency WAM reported. This meeting is in line with the decision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to reopen Dubai to international tourism. During the meeting, Al Marri said the facilities provided by the UAE and Dubai to vital sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed significantly to reinvigorating the countrys economy, which in turn supported the rapid revival of the tourism sector. He said the fundamental strengths of Dubais tourism sector enable it to maintain its sustainability. "Dubais Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and tourism companies are major partners of the GDRFA to realise Dubais vision to become the worlds leading tourism destination and commercial hub," Al Marri added. He said he expects tourism to emerge stronger from the crisis with the removal of air travel restrictions and the resumption of all vital sectors in the country. He emphasised that the UAE has proven its ability to overcome the crisis by creating a robust framework for managing the impact of the pandemic and implementing comprehensive precautionary measures. Following the resumption of air travel, international tourism flows have been increasing, he noted. Al Marri further said the GDRFA is geared to contribute to the revitalisation of tourism in Dubai. The department is working constantly with its partners to facilitate the procedures for issuing visas and receiving travellers while ensuring compliance with the UAE governments measures to protect everyones health and safety. He stressed the need to adhere to the UAE governments air travel protocols, the report said. It's broadly accepted that there's a close relationship between development and access to information. One of the first economists to make the link was Amartya Sen , who won the Nobel Prize in 1998 for his contributions to welfare economics. Increasingly over the past two decades, the internet has been a major factor affecting the right to development. The United Nations definition of this right is that: Every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development. Today, all African countries have access to the internet, though the digital divide remains huge within and between countries. In a recent research paper , one of us (Ilori), together with colleagues, examined the effect of network disruptions on human rights and democratic development in sub-Saharan Africa. The paper concluded that internet shutdowns have impeded the right to development and posed threats to democratic development. It further identified possible remedial steps. These include interventions by courts on internet shutdowns, active participation of the private sector and multi-stakeholder approaches. Combined, these can help ensure democratic governance on internet policy. A history of shutdowns in Africa Also referred to as network disruption, internet shutdown has been defined as the intentional disruption of internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable for a specific population within a location. The first case of internet shutdown in sub-Saharan Africa was in Guinea in 2007. In the intervening years light has been shone on the devastating impact of shutdowns in the region. Governments that have ordered internet shutdowns have cited several reasons. These have ranged from the need to ensure national security and public order, to preventing students from cheating during examinations. But, as our research showed, governments, more often than not, shut down the internet to hide gross violations of human rights. This happens especially during important political events. And it is often to prevent citizen organisation and to restrict the flow of access to information. A recent example is Ethiopia where partial internet access was restored in mid-July 2020 after a two-week shutdown . A 2019 research paper showed that out of the 22 countries that have disrupted access to the internet in Africa, 17 were authoritarian. These are defined as states in which power is concentrated in a few people and governments exercise political power arbitrarily. The remaining five were categorised as hybrid regimes governments that have some elements of democracy but also have strong authoritarian practices. The impact on rights Our research showed how internet shutdowns affect civil and political as well as socio-economic rights. These include the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, association, peaceful assembly, political participation, mental and physical health and education. We found that human rights law as enshrined in African constitutions and international human rights law were grossly violated. For example, between 2017 and 2018, the government of Cameroon disrupted internet access for more than 230 days in the anglophone region. This violated fundamental rights like freedom of expression, association and assembly as provided for in the Constitution of Cameroon . It also goes against the United Nations Human Rights Council's call on states to refrain from measures which prevent access to online information. An example of how internet shutdowns have affected socio-economic rights was Somalia in 2017. During one three-week internet shutdown , critical medical paperwork couldn't be delivered. Patients were unable to access health services as they were unable to complete online medical paperwork. There was also obstruction to humanitarian assistance. The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights special rapporteur on freedom of expression and access to information recently highlighted the importance of access to internet in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic . The economic cost of internet shutdowns has also been found to be severe. According to the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa, the cumulative loss to internet shutdown in the region was US$237 million between 2015 and 2017. What next Courts can play an important role in providing redress in relation to internet shutdowns. Two examples illustrate this. One is Zimbabwe , where in January 2019 the High Court ruled that the government went beyond its powers in ordering an internet shutdown during a nationwide protest. Also, in June 2020, the Court of Justice for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ruled against the Togolese government's internet shutdown in 2017. The court stated that the government had violated the rights of citizens who were protesting for constitutional reforms in the country. In addition, the private sector, particularly internet service providers, need to be recognised as important actors. Another important player is civil society. A partnership between the two could provide both with a stronger role against shutdowns. An example of this type of collaboration is the Global Network Initiative . This hosts private actors, civil society and academia in a series of effort to mainstream human rights into ICT policy. State and non-state actors need to commit to a standardised set of rules on key thematic areas of digital rights in Africa that involves all stakeholders, including private businesses and civil society. Magnus Killander receives funding from the National Research Foundation. Tomiwa Ilori does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. By Tomiwa Ilori, Doctoral Candidate and Researcher at the Expression, Information and Digital Rights Unit of the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria And Magnus Killander, Professor, Centre for Human Rights in the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria OSCODA, MI Michigan environmental regulators have settled a three-year dispute with the U.S. Air Force over the pace and adequacy of toxic fluorochemical cleanup at the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base, a move that comes as military engineers ready new contracts to perform stopgap measures that state and local officials feel are long overdue. This month, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) formally ended dispute resolution talks with the Air Force that were initiated by the state in 2017 during former Gov. Rick Snyders administration under an obscure federal environmental grant program called the Defense and State Memorandum of Agreement (DSMOA). Multiple state governments released a warning not to plant any unsolicited seeds after residents reportedly received unexpected mailings from China. In a report by Fox News, officials from Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released an advisory against planting seeds the state's residents received in unsolicited mailings. According to accounts, the packages had a return address that indicated they were sent from China. Officials have yet to determine the precise motives behind the mailings. Officials speculate the seeds may be from an invasive plant species that could introduce diseases to other plants or harm animals. It could also displace or kill native plants and insects or cause severe damage to crops. Mysterious Packages From China Virginia is not the only state to receive unsolicited packages. In Kansas, dozens of residents have also reported receiving unwanted deliveries. The Kansas Department of Agriculture said several of the state's residents received seed packets in the mail. Others received packages that had labels claiming it contained jewelry and other attractive content, as reported by KCTV 5 News. People living in the state of Utah also received mysterious packages from China over the past few weeks. Lori Culley, a resident in Tooele, said she received two packages with Chinese writing on them. Upon opening, she found seeds instead of earrings as the label indicated. Culley posted the incident on Facebook, which led her to discover that she was one of at least 40 other Tooele residents who received the mysterious package. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is expected to collaborate with Customs and Border Protection to investigate the incident. Possible E-Commerce Scam Jane Rupp, the president of the Better Business Bureau's Utah Chapter, said the incident is likely part of a scam known as "brushing." The scheme involves companies who will send random residents a product so they can post a fake review under the receiver's name, Fox 13 reports. The "Fake Listing Scam" is employed by disreputable sellers on e-commerce sites such as Amazon.com. The system involves criminals buying their own products and shipping it to a real address so they can make a "verified" review. Most products from these con artists build up legitimate sales. People who buy from fake listings would never receive their products. People who receive mysterious seeds are advised not to plant them. Residents who live in Kansas are encouraged to phone the state's Department of Agriculture at 785-564-6698. Residents can also send an email to KDA.PPWC@ks.gov or file a report on their website by clicking here. Utah residents can reach their state's Department of Agriculture and Food by calling 801-982-2200 or emailing agriculture@utah.gov. The office is open to walk-ins from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. People living in Virginia state may contact the Office of Plant Industry Services (OPIS) ar 804-786-3513. They may also send an email to ReportAPest@vdacs.virginia.gov. Want to read more? Check out the latest news from the U.S.: KC Mayor Lucas says staffer gave green light for Operation LeGend without his knowledge by: FOX 4 Newsroom Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mayor Quinton Lucas stated today on Twitter that one of his staffers gave the green light for Operation LeGend without the mayor's knowledge. Lucas tweeted several times shortly after noon on July 25, stating that the Department of Justice spoke to a member of his staff regarding the effort - prior to its inception. One of the mayor's workers thrown under the bus in order to rebuff a dead-tree media report that most locals didn't read anyhoo . . . Meanwhile, this move might ignore a great many residents throughout the metro who support federal intervention. Jalalabad : AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has announced that the party's Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann will contest Punjab assembly polls against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad constituency. If Badal changes his mind and plans to contest from any other seat, Bhagwant Mann will follow him, he said at a rally in Jalalabad, Badal's political home-turf, on the first day of his 11-day tour of poll-bound Punjab. "Tomorrow, I will also make public the details of Swiss bank accounts of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh and his family members. He has amassed huge wealth by looting Punjab when he was the chief minister from 2002 to 2007," the Delhi Chief Minister alleged. Mann, who was accompanying Kejriwal, said he was ready to take on Badal. "In AAP, it's a trend. Kejriwal started it. He trounced former Delhi chief minister Sheela Dixit twice. I feel honoured that this opportunity in Punjab has been given to me," the MP said, daring Amarinder to fight polls in Jalalabad instead of his traditional seat of Amritsar. Kejriwal alleged that Amarinder had amassed huge wealth during his tenure as chief minister and transferred this "loot" to foreign accounts of his son Raninder Singh and wife Parneet Kaur. "They have been summoned by law enforcement agencies including the Income-Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate," he said. Meanwhile, responding to Kejriwal's threat to release documents to prove he and his family had foreign bank accounts, Amarinder described it as yet another theatrical gimmick by the AAP national convener. Bhagwant Mann will fight election against Sukhbir Badal a Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 20, 2016 Attacking the SAD-BJP government, Kejriwal said, "After Amarinder, the Akalis have plundered Punjab in its 10 years of misrule. Akali mafia runs every business -- transport, liquor, cable, mining, hotel or land." "Bikram Majithia is running a drug racket in Punjab and I challenge him to get me arrested within the remaining two months of the SAD-BJP rule. If AAP forms government, I will put him behind bars," he said. On the issue of demonetisation, Kejriwal tweeted, "The BJP says it is a party for Hindus. In demonetisation, it did not even spare them. Hindus have also suffered." However, he did not make a mention of the three-day ultimatum, which ended today, to the Centre to roll back its decision to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (693) Jan 2022 (431) And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning English. Trees give so much to the world. They create oxygen and shade. They provide shelter to animals and insects. Trees are also a valuable resource. The wood they provide is used for buildings and other products we humans use and need. Trees are so important that some people have made it their goal to protect them. We (can) call these people tree huggers. Word experts say this term first appeared in the 1900s. It describes people who support the protection of forests and oppose logging the act of cutting down trees in an area for their wood. Today, the term tree hugger describes a person who is an environmentalist. They want to protect nature and the environment but not just the trees. Someone who wants to save a rare butterfly species or cut greenhouse gases could also be described as a tree hugger. Calling someone a tree hugger is not always seen as a compliment. In earlier times, in fact, it was used as an insult. Tree hugger described someone who was seen as extreme, someone who was overly concerned about protecting trees, animals and other parts of the natural world. Some tree huggers do go to extremes to protect trees. Take, for example, a woman name Julia Lorraine Hill. She is also known as Julia "Butterfly" Hill. She is an American environmental activist. For 738 days from December 10, 1997 and December 18, 1999, Hill lived in tree. But not just any tree. She lived in Luna, a Redwood tree in northern Californias Humboldt County. Luna is huge, measuring nearly 61 meters tall and about 12 meters across. The ancient redwood has stood in Humboldt County for more than 1,000 years. But that did not stop the Pacific Lumber Company from wanting to cut it down. So, Hill did what any extreme tree hugger would she moved in! Hill lived in the tree for just over two years. The Sanctuary Forest website explains that she only came down from the tree when the Pacific Lumber Company agreed to protect Luna with a special conservation agreement. As the website explains, Hills main goal was to bring international attention to the importance of protecting and restoring natural resources. So, we can safely call Hill a tree hugger. And Im sure that she would consider that the highest of compliments. And thats the end of this Words and Their Stories. Until next time Im Anna Matteo! Well, I saw a tree by the river side one day as I walked along Straight as an arrow and pointing to the sky and growing tall and strong Anna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. At the end of the program, Ken Medema sings The Tree Song. Editor's note: Trees create oxygen and not carbon dioxide. We regret the error. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story species n. biology : a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus compliment n. a remark that says something good about someone or something activist n. a person who uses or supports strong actions (such as public protests) to help make changes in politics or society lumber n. wooden boards or logs that have been sawed and cut for use restore v. to put or bring back to an earlier or original state conservation n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources Musa Suleimanov went missing in the village of Strohanivka, Simferopol district, Crimea, on July 24. Crimean political prisoner Ruslan Suleimanov's three-year-old son has been found dead not far from the house after the toddler went missing on July 24. "The boy, Musa, was found dead in a cesspit near the house," Crimean House, a Crimean Tatar cultural and human rights center in Kyiv, said on Facebook on July 26. Read alsoRFE/RL: Russia-controlled court sentences Crimean Tatar for participation in resistance group Musa Suleimanov went missing in the village of Strohanivka, Simferopol district, Crimea, on July 24. Up to 5,000 local residents took part in an operation to search for the missing boy during the night of July 25. According to the Krym.Realii news outlet, the so-called "Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in Crimea and Sevastopol" opened a criminal case into the disappearance of the child. The "Russian Prosecutor's Office of Crimea" opened a criminal case under clause "B" of Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of Russia (murder of a minor). Police officers, K9 personnel, workers of the so-called "Emergency Situations Ministry of Russia in Crimea" and volunteers of the Liza Alert non-profit search and rescue volunteer organization were also involved in the search operation. Hundreds of people gathered at two different block parties Saturday night in Philadelphia, prompting the police to be called in to break them up. This happened at a time when people are supposed to be social distancing due to the coronavirus, Action News 6 ABC is reporting. According to reports, the crowd started gathering around 10 p.m. at the 5800 block of Colgate Street in the citys Lawncrest section, where video shows many people in close proximity. Two emergency response teams were called in to disperse them, reports indicate. Authorities were called out to another block party around 11:30 p.m. on the 3300 block of Allegheny Avenue, where 300 to 400 people had gathered, prompting police to shut down the road as they broke up the crowd, reports indicate. No arrests have been reported. This comes as Philadelphia County saw an increase of 177 coronavirus cases on Saturday, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. 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. First version posted on 10:17 BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 25 Trend: Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a videoconference with the heads of delegations and consulates of Azerbaijan in the US and some European countries, Trend reports on July 25. The videoconference was held in connection with the fact that in the recent days radical Armenians have been committing highly aggressive and provocative actions against members of local Azerbaijani communities, as well as diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan in a number of foreign countries The meeting was attended by Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev and Chairman of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora Fuad Muradov. The videoconference participants exchanged views on the situation that has developed over the past week in a number of European capital cities, as well as in the US, in connection with the committing of vandalism acts by radical Armenian groups, hate crimes against peaceful Azerbaijani demonstrators, as well as diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan and employees of the diplomatic service. Bayramov informed the participants about the work carried out with the relevant structures of certain countries to suppress criminal actions with elements of terror by the Armenian radicals, to strengthen the security of the diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis living abroad. He stressed the importance of bringing to criminal responsibility the persons who committed the provocations. Hajiyev pointed out that the situation in connection with the events is under the direct control of the Azerbaijans president and first vice president. Muradov stressed that activists of the Azerbaijani Diaspora protest against military provocations of Armenia in foreign countries only within the framework of the law and peaceful actions. Then the heads of the diplomatic missions and consulates of Azerbaijan in the US and a number of European countries informed about the state of their compatriots who have got bodily injuries as a result of violence acts by radical Armenians in the countries where they are accredited, exchanged views on strengthening the security measures of diplomatic missions, Azerbaijani citizens and Azerbaijanis living abroad, necessity of bringing the guilty persons to justice, taking appropriate legal steps etc. The heads of diplomatic missions and consulates were instructed to constantly inform about the undertaken measures and their results. POSITIVE & NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF NGO Ishan Biswas There are a large number of NGOs are there in Tripura and in other states of India which are transparently visible to work for the society. Different kinds of NGO organizations are found in the whole world which are active and serving people throughout last many decades. No doubt, good NGO organizations were appreciated by the people for their good deeds. NGOs or non-governmental organizations are predominantly charitable entities set up to serve the state or the nation as a whole. While on the outset it may seem like NGOs are just what every nation needs, to lend it a helping hand recent events had highlighted the fact that even these agencies are not averse to agendas and power trips. As it had been ratified by various international bodies including the UN, NGOs have the permission to set up shop in any country and run their operations in line with the constitution of the host nation, while respecting the local rules and regulations. While there is no universal charter regulating these various NGOs, they are still subject to the laws of the host nation and as such, most of them are exempted from having to pay tax given their charitable objectives. POSITIVE EFFECTS OF NGOS : Financial aid : Granted that most of the NGO s have been set up to provide aid to various sections of the society and to that end they are quite effective in providing local governments with either much-needed funds or help to fund/develop local infrastructure projects. On the whole, NGOs are essential in more ways than one, be it a question of disbursing financial perks to certain poorer sections of the society or food grains and other essentials to those in need. Education : Several NGOs have contributed and even helped build several educational institutions across the world, mainly in Asia and Africa. Most of these schools and higher institutions of learning are funded by NGOs, various charities and as such, they offer the local residents educational opportunities at low or zero cost. Health : Several key NGOs are involved in sourcing expensive medications and giving them at discounted rates to those in need. These NGOs are also actively involved in running several health camps and help provide for a free medical checkup. NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF NGOS : Interference in local government : Of late, rather than focusing on their charitable operations, it has been noted that several of the NGOs are interfering in local elections to help get their preferred official elected. It is apparent that several of the NGOs who are funded by specific groups have been directed to interfere in local elections for a specific agenda. Little or no respect to local customs: Theres another reason why NGOs are viewed less favorably by the local residents because of their interference with some of the local customs and traditions. While it should be pointed out that all NGOs and their operatives are given specific directions by the government to not interfere with any of the local customs and traditions. Whats more, it has been suggested that some of the NGOs had been rather overzealous in spreading their message of peace that the line between charity and direct intervention soon starts to blur. No rules or regulations : NGOs are not governed by any international charger or agreement and as such, there is very little to regulate their activities. As a result, several NGO operatives have started using their base of operations for other purposes besides charity, namely child abuse. This lack of adequate training, background checks, is resulting in NGOs getting mired in several scandals, including child abuse over the last few years. No governmental control : Local governments cannot prosecute an NGO; instead they have issued a show cause notice and asked to leave the country. While this may seem a little hard to come to terms with, the fact remains that NGOs are not regulated, at least not regulated in the way other organizations have been and coupled with the fact that the host country can do little except to ban the NGO in question makes it clear that when it comes to NGOs, it is a mixed bag. These are some of the positive and negative effects of NGOs, no one is claiming that NGOs are bad but rather that they need to be regulated and at the earliest. It should also be pointed out that several NGOs involved in the middle east had collected funds for banned terrorist organizations and that by itself makes the case for why these NGOs deserve to be monitored round the clock. In the conclusion it is admittable that NGO organizations fortify society and generate awareness among the people of our society. Tension flared across the U.S. overnight as thousands of protesters rallied against racial injustice, with authorities first in Seattle, Washington, and then in Portland, Oregon, declaring a riot. Driving the news: Standoffs between federal agents and Portland protesters in recent days triggered huge turnouts, and later clashes with authorities, on Saturday in several U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, per the New York Times. Unrest in Portland continued well into Sunday morning. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Portland police announced just after 4 a.m. Sunday that a riot had been declared, tweeting: "The violent conduct of people downtown is creating grave risk of public alarm." Thousands of people marched earlier in the 58th straight day of protests in the city, which Craig Gabriel, an assistant U.S. attorney in Oregon, described as largely peaceful, though he noted some "federal agents had been injured by fireworks and lasers that protesters shone into their eyes," per the Times. Protesters "breached a fence surrounding the city's federal courthouse," where the agents have been based, AP notes. Police and federal officers used tear gas to try to clear the area, according to the news agency. In Seattle, the police department said in a statement officers had arrested 45 people following unrest during massive protests in the city's East Precinct. Police used pepper spray in an attempt to disperse demonstrators at the former Capitol Hill Organized Protest zone, per AP, which notes thousands of people turned out earlier to rally peacefully. Police said 21 officers "sustained injuries after being struck by bricks, rocks mortars/other explosives." Most officers were able to return to duty, but one was treated at a hospital for a knee injury, the statement said. In Los Angeles, hundreds of people rallied in a largely peaceful demonstration, but "several demonstrators shattered windows" of a U.S. government building and some "painted anti-fascist, anti-police messages on its walls and signage," the Los Angeles Daily News reports, citing police. In Richmond, Virginia, "police fired chemical agents at hundreds of protesters who had marched through the city and gathered around the Richmond Police Department," according to the New York Times. Richmond Police Department said in a series of tweets that an "unlawful assembly" had been declared at the department's headquarters and that protesters "set a city dump truck ablaze" outside the building. In Louisville, Kentucky, the NFAC, a Black militia that stands for "Not F--king Around Coalition," rallied to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by police in March. The Three Percenters, a far-right militia group, staged a counter-protest. Three people were hit by gunfire Saturday when someones gun discharged at the NFAC demonstration, police said. In Aurora, Colorado, on Saturday a car drove into a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters, a demonstrator then fired a weapon, wounding one activist and a courthouse office was set on fire later in the night, police said. In Austin, Texas, police detained a suspect after one man was fatally shot during a Black Lives Matter protest downtown. In Omaha, Nebraska, police arrested up to 100 protesters after they obstructed a road while protesting the death of James Scurlock, a Black demonstrator killed by a white bar owner in May, according to KMTV. Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. Advertisement President Trump blamed 'radical left anarchists' for the Black Lives Matter protests where 'explosive devices' were used against federal officers in Seattle, Portland and Atlanta - and once again blasted the 'Lamestream Media' for perceived bias. This comes as protests gathered steam across several US cities Saturday, two months on from the Memorial Day 'murder' of George Floyd and in a show of solidarity for Portland where demonstrators and federal agents have clashed ever since Trump sent federal troops in. On Sunday, Trump continued his campaign to discredit anti-racism and Black Lives Matter demonstrations by once again shifting blame for continued clashes on 'anarchists.' 'The Lamestream Media, including Fox News, which has really checked out, is refusing to show what is REALLY going on in Portland, Seattle, and other places,' the president wrote. 'They want the American public to believe that these are just some wonderful protesters, not radical left ANARCHISTS!' AUSTIN: A protester was shot dead during a march in Austin Saturday night as tensions mount across the US SEATTLE: The streets of Seattle turned violent Saturday when protesters set fire to a youth detention center and a police precinct, leading cops to declare protests had turned into 'riots' that afternoon PORTLAND: Portland geared up for its 59th night of unrest Saturday with swathes of demonstrators marching from the federal building to the Portland Marriott where they believe federal officers are staying, in the wake of a violent night Friday that ended with at least one person stabbed President Trump on Sunday claimed that the 'Lamestream Media' was trying to paint 'radical left anarchists' as 'wonderful protesters' as anti-racism demonstrations continued nationwide Trump's tendency to use 'anarchists' as blanket term for protesters has increased as his heavy-handed, militarized approach to quelling protests has amounted to increased tensions between civilians and authorities. 'In Portland we had to go in as they're anarchists,' Trump said about Portland protesters this week an interview with Sean Hannity Thursday night. The president has so far deployed federal agents to Portland, Seattle and Chicago. On Sunday morning he retweeted a series of posts, one which cited Antifa to be a 'racist terror-group', and another, authored by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, who fumed at demonstrators in Portland for assaulting 'FEDERAL officers on FEDERAL property, while the city 'did nothing'. One protester was shot and killed when gunshots were fired during a protest in downtown Austin, Texas, Saturday night. Shocking footage showed people marching along the street holding banners demanding an end to police brutality and racism when loud shots rang out. The streets of Seattle turned violent Saturday when protesters set fire to a youth detention center and a police precinct. Other protesters threw rocks, bottles, fireworks and other explosives at cops, with the unrest leading local authorities to declare protests had turned into 'riots that afternoon'. Portland geared up for its 59th night of unrest Saturday with swathes of demonstrators marching from the federal building to the Portland Marriott where they believed federal officers are staying, in the wake of a violent night Friday that ended with at least one person stabbed. Meanwhile, tensions mounted in Chicago, with protests taking place all across the Windy City Saturday including a Back the Blue rally in support of cops, while residents brace for the force of the feds. Cities that have so far avoided the wrath of the feds also ramped up protests Saturday night with police cruisers being damaged in New York and Los Angeles police issuing a citywide tactical alert to get more cops on standby for escalating unrest. CHICAGO: Tensions mounted in Chicago, with protests taking place all across the Windy City Saturday including a Back the Blue rally in support of cops, while residents braced for the force of the feds NEW YORK: New York Police Department officers clash with demonstrators during a 'Solidarity with Portland' protest Austin Austin police confirmed that an adult male was shot and killed near an intersection in the city's downtown around 9:52 p.m. during the protest Saturday night. Social media footage shows demonstrators marching through the streets shouting 'black lives' and waving banners reading 'BLM' before several shots are fired. Screams are heard and the video loses focus as protesters run for cover from the scene. Senior Police Officer Katerina Ratcliff said in a late night press conference that cops were on the scene monitoring the protest when shots rang out in the area. Initial reports indicate the victim was carrying a rifle and approached the suspect's vehicle, who then opened fire fatally shooting the man. Medics on the scene performed CPR on the man and he was taken to hospital in a critical condition, where he was pronounced dead soon after. Austin police said the suspect had been detained and that no other injuries were reported. AUSTIN: One protester was shot and killed and several other people were injured when gunshots were fired during a protest in downtown Austin, Texas, Saturday night AUSTIN: Shocking footage showed people marching along the street holding banners demanding an end to police brutality and racism when loud shots rung out Seattle In Seattle, violence flared long before nightfall when people went on a rampage, torching buildings in the city, while a Wall of Moms and Vets took to the streets vowing to protect demonstrators from law enforcement. Around 2,000 people descended on the city as protests that had tempered following the dismantling of the CHOP zone earlier this month inflamed once more, after Trump said he was sending in federal troops as part of his sweeping law and order takeover in cities across the nation. Seattle police declared the protest in Seattle a 'riot' just before 4:30 p.m. local time Saturday afternoon as people vandalized the East Police Precinct, set a small fire and an explosive was let off inside the building. Surveillance cameras were damaged in the onslaught, while some demonstrators tried to tear down a fence protecting the precinct. 'Individuals spray painting on East Precinct at 12th and Pine and attempting to disable cameras and damage fence perimeter around building,' Seattle Police Department tweeted. 'Due to the ongoing damage and public safety risks associated with this incident, SPD is declaring it a riot.' The construction site of the new King County Juvenile Detention Facility was also engulfed in flames after a group marched on the building demanding it be closed before setting fire to the area. Firefighters fought to tackle the raging flames billowing out of the construction area at 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street. Protesters in Seattle threw rocks, bottles, fireworks and other explosives at cops, with the unrest leading local authorities to declare protests had turned into 'riots that afternoon' SEATTLE: Cops declared a Seattle protest a riot as a youth detention center is engulfed in flames (pictured) and a Wall of Moms and Vets have taken to the streets to protect demonstrators from law enforcement SEATTLE: Construction buildings burn near the King County Juvenile Detention Center, Saturday SEATTLE: Fire crews battle to put out the blaze as the city descends into carnage Saturday afternoon I have shifted up to Seattle today to follow a large demonstration that's in solidarity with Portland. I'd estimate a crowd of 2,000 already. They just torched construction buildings at the site of a new youth detention center. Meanwhile, feds are here https://t.co/rPuSTAuKkt pic.twitter.com/jWvFqipRo4 Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) July 25, 2020 Law enforcement hit back at the crowds using flashbangs to get people to disperse, hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked a new law banning cops from using pepper spray and other crowd control tools. Protesters were tear-gassed and thrown to the ground as tensions escalated and a wall of cops pushed them back along the streets. At least 45 people have been arrested and 21 cops were injured, including one who was rushed to hospital after an explosive went off on his leg. There was still no sign of Trump's federal troops in the early hours of Sunday despite the repeated threats from the president that his agents would restore law and order in Democrat-led cities. A so-called 'Wall of Moms' joined the Seattle protests - in solidarity with the similar 'walls' that have sprung up in Portland over the last week. Mothers in Portland have come out in force every night since Saturday sporting their signature yellow t-shirts and bike helmets and forming human barricades to protect Black Lives Matter protesters from federal agents sent into the city. SEATTLE: Police pepper spray protesters Saturday near the Seattle Central Community College in Seattle SEATTLE: The construction site of the new King County Juvenile Detention Facility at 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street was also engulfed in flames after a group marched on the building demanding it be closed before setting fire to the area SEATTLE: A firefighter turns on a hydrant as construction buildings burn near the King County Juvenile Detention Center SEATTLE: Smoke billows from the detention center in the afternoon as tensions escalate in the city Seattle police declared the protest in Seattle a 'riot' just before 4:30 p.m. local time Saturday SEATTLE: Seattle Police officers stand near vandalized cars at the King County Juvenile Detention Center which is up in flames SEATTLE: Raging flames were billowing out of the new youth detention center Saturday afternoon, as crowds of around 2,000 descended on the city and some set fire to buildings SEATTLE: Protests that had tempered in Seattle following the dismantling of the CHOP zone earlier this month have inflamed once more They were joined Friday night by a new 'Wall of Vets' who said they decided to take action after shocking footage emerged showing federal agents tear gassing and beating Navy veteran Christopher David, 53, last weekend. The Seattle group of women sported yellow bands reading 'Mom' as they marched toward the area by the detention center Saturday afternoon, while veteran protesters held up signs reading #WallofVets. The group wrote on Twitter that they were attacked by Seattle cops and 'unmarked federal contractors' in broad daylight while protesting peacefully. 'We marched peacefully until SPD & unmarked Federal Contractors tear gassed a bunch of moms, allies and Youth today,' the Wall of Moms Seattle group wrote. 'In broad daylight. With no provocation from peaceful media, or marchers. All Moms (and allies) know we can do better than this.' Shocking footage on Twitter showed peaceful protesters marching through the streets as explosions rang out behind them. Several people broke out into a run before protesters appeared to realize it was cops following them with gas canisters. SEATTLE: Protesters marched on the East Police Precinct. Some vandalized the precinct and set a fire inside SEATTLE: Protests have grown again since Donald Trump said he was sending in federal troops as part of his sweeping law and order takeover in cities across the nation Much of the group had dispersed by early evening with a smaller crowd of protesters and law enforcement facing off against each other near the police precinct soon after 7 p.m. before tensions bubbled over again. Standoffs continued into the night in what used to be the CHOP zone - the 'autonomous zone' occupied by protesters around a police precinct. Protests demanding an end to police brutality and racism have taken place in Seattle for two months now, ever since the Memorial Day 'murder' of black man George Floyd at the hands of a white cop. Tensions in the city had simmered down following the removal of the CHOP zone in early July, but crowds have amassed once more to protest against the move from the Trump administration to send in federal troops. Residents and local officials including Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best have voiced concerns that the city will head the way of Portland where feds have been accused of bundling protesters off in unmarked vehicles and violent clashes have erupted across the city. Agents were sent in to Seattle Thursday evening on standby to help other federal law enforcement officials protect federal facilities in the city, according to two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the plans. They were drafted in after businesses were vandalized in the downtown area and in the nearby Capitol Hill neighborhood, they said. But Durkan blasted Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf Friday saying he misled her, having assured her the government had no plans to send federal agents to Seattle. 'I don't want to say I was lied to, but I think there was maybe semantics that weren't forthcoming,' Durkan said Friday. 'I cannot overstate it enough, what is happening is frightening to me,' Durkan said. 'It is frightening that you would use federal agents for political purposes.' A federal judge dealt another blow to the city earlier Saturday ruling that cops can use pepper spray and other crowd control tools on protesters in the city. Last month, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a bill - sponsored by far-left councilwoman Kshama Sawant - banning cops from deploying 'kinetic impact projectiles, chemical irritants, acoustic weapons, directed energy weapons, water cannons, disorientation devices, and ultrasonic cannons'. The law, which was set to go into effect on Sunday, sparked outrage among officers, who claimed they would be unable to protect both peaceful protesters and property if demonstrations turned violent. On Friday, Police Chief Carmen Best slammed the City Council for their new law, writing: 'As City Council's legislation goes into effect, it will create even more dangerous circumstances for our officers to intervene using what they have left riot shields and riot batons.' US District Judge James Robart granted a request from the federal government to block the new law Saturday afternoon, clearing the way for the deployment of crowd control tactics on the night's protests. Atlanta Atlanta also endured a night of unrest across Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday as protesters took aim at the city's ICE and DHS field office, smashing windows and attempting to set fire to the building. Reports suggest that nobody was inside the building at the time, however extensive damage was caused to the front of the facility. Agents were seen patrolling the grounds early Sunday, as FBI officers snapped pictures of the shattered windows and what appeared to be scorch marks left from fireworks on the office's walls. A considerable amount of graffiti was also spray-painted across the building. One of the messages read 'No more peace'. Another called for 'No cops, no ICE, no borders'. Footage shared to social media appeared to show protesters starting a fire near to the office, located at 180 Ted Turner Drive, and erecting barricades. Masked protesters were seen throwing fireworks through the office's broken windows as they chanted 'Black Lives Matter'. Social media posts made by at least one group, Acid Vitalist League, claimed the vandalism was 'in solidarity with the freedom fighters of the #PortlandProtests.' Atlanta also endured a night of unrest across Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday as protesters took aim at the city's ICE and DHS field office, smashing windows and attempting to set fire to the building Reports suggest that nobody was inside the building at the time, however extensive damage was caused to the front of the facility Masked protesters were seen throwing fireworks through the office's broken windows as they chanted 'Black Lives Matter' A heavily armed officer stands guard as the damage to the ICE building is surveyed by agents early Sunday morning Graffiti spray-painted along the street Saturday night reads 'Abolish police, abolish ICE, End Facism' Agents were seen patrolling the grounds early Sunday, as FBI officers snapped pictures of the shattered windows and what appeared to be scorch marks left from fireworks on the office's walls Portland Tensions continued to boil over in Portland Saturday night when a crowd of around 1,000 protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Marriott hotel on the waterfront where the federal agents are rumored to be staying. People chanted 'feds go home' outside the hotel on what marked the 59th night of protests to have rocked the city. The Portland Police Department declared a riot in the city early Sunday, shortly after a group of protesters toppled part of a fence outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. The police said that the riot was declared in response to the 'violent conduct' of people who were creating 'grave risk of public alarm.' At around 1am, the crowd attached a chain to the fence surrounding the courthouse and managed to pull a section of it down to the pavement. Federal officers exited the courthouse and deployed multiple rounds of teargas to disperse the crowd in response. In a statement, the Portland PD claimed that demonstrators had thrown bottles and shot 'mortar style fireworks' at officers as they attempted to clear the crowd. In total, 26 people were arrested, police said. The crowd was even bigger than the previous night, as around 5,000 people descended on the streets to protest and demand the feds leave the city. Members of the now dismantled CHOP zone in Seattle joined the crowds in Portland, and the yellow-clad 'Wall of Moms' showed up again, marking the seventh straight night that the group have come out to support Black Lives Matter protesters from Trump's troops. Someone brought along a llama - dubbed 'Caesar The No Drama Lama' - and several protesters were seen posing for selfies with it in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center as night fell. PORTLAND: Someone brought along a llama - dubbed 'Caesar The No Drama Lama' - and several protesters were seen posing for selfies with it in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center as night fell PORTLAND: The crowd was even bigger than Friday night, as more people have descended on the streets each night this week to protest and demand the feds leave the city PORTLAND: Protester images are displayed on the barricade front wall of the Multnomah County Justice Center PORTLAND: A llama was brought along to Saturday's protest where tensions continued to boil over between protesters and law enforcement PORTLAND: A crowd of around 1,000 protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Marriott hotel on the waterfront where the federal agents are rumored to be staying PORTLAND: People chanted 'feds go home' on what marked the 59th night of protests to have rocked the city PORTLAND: A makeshift tear gas deposit along the perimeter barricade of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in anticipation of more violent stand-offs with law enforcement This came after a new 'Wall of Vets' joined the Wall of Moms and Wall of Dads for the first time Friday night to 'protect' Black Lives Matter protesters from the federal agents in what marked the 58th night of unrest in the city. Police said one person was stabbed in downtown Portland early Saturday morning and a suspect was taken into custody, as scenes turned ugly overnight. About 4,000 protesters gathered at the federal courthouse and Justice Center chanting 'feds go home' and 'black lives matter'. Chaos later erupted when demonstrators set off fireworks and federal agents hurled tear gas into the crowds. The 'Wall of Vets' group appeared at the demonstration for the first time, alongside the yellow-clad 'Wall of Moms' who have gathered every night this week. The Vets said they decided to take action after shocking footage emerged showing federal agents tear gassing and beating Navy veteran Christopher David, 53, last weekend. Local officials, including Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, have been outspoken in their opposition to federal law enforcement's presence. Wheeler, who has publicly called for the agents to leave numerous times, was hit with tear gas on Wednesday night as he joined protesters outside the courthouse. 'This is not a de-escalation strategy. This is flat-out urban warfare,' Wheeler said. 'And it's being wrought on the people of this country by the president of the United States and it's got to stop.' Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell released a video statement Sunday, following the 59th consecutive night of unrest in the city. 'Across the country people are committing violence, supposedly in support of Portland,' he said. 'If you want to support Portland then stop the violence, work for peace. Portland police officers and police facilities have been threatened. Now more than ever Portland Police needs your support.' Chicago Protests ramped up in Chicago again Saturday as the Windy City braces for an influx of federal agents on the streets. During the day, several protests took place at Grant Park, where just days earlier the controversial statue of Christopher Columbus was taken down under the cover of darkness. Black Lives Matter protesters gathered, as did a 'Back the Blue' rally in support of law enforcement who chanted 'we love CPD'. As night fell, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters continued to march peacefully southbound through the city. CHICAGO: Protests ramped up in Chicago again Saturday as the Windy City braces for an influx of federal agents on the streets CHICAGO: As night fell, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters continued to march peacefully southbound through the city CHICAGO: Protesters take part in a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Chicago Saturday before night falls New York Violence erupted in the Big Apple Saturday night as protesters and NYPD cops clashed amid a march in solidarity with Portland Saturday. NYPD cops in riot gear faced off against a wall of protesters and at least one demonstrator was seen being tasered as things turned ugly after dark. The clashes came one day after Trump warned New York could be next on his list of cities where federal agents will be deployed as he said Friday he is 'sending people in to New York'. 'You look at what they're doing to cities - every city is run by a liberal Democrat, and they're going to hell,' Trump told Barstool Sports. 'We just sent people in to Chicago. We've sent people in to Portland. 'We're sending people to New York, to help out.' Trump's comments came 24 hours after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he had received reassurances from the president that federal agents were not being sent. NEW YORK: New York Police Department officers block a street during a 'Solidarity with Portland' protest NEW YORK: Cops are seen pinning a protesters to the ground as they detain them in the Big Apple NEW YORK: NYPD cops follow the crowds of protesters through the streets Saturday night NEW YORK: NYPD cops in riot gear face off against a wall of protesters demanding an end to racial injustice NEW YORK: One protester was seen grappling with cops who deployed their stun gun on him NEW YORK: A New York Police Department officer pulls out a stun gun on a demonstrator during the 'Solidarity with Portland' protest Los Angeles In downtown Los Angeles, protesters and cops faced off in front of the federal courthouse with both sides reportedly hurling missiles at each other. Cops used their batons to push back the crowds and several protesters were seen being detained on the ground. This came after LA police issued a citywide tactical alert in order to deploy extra cops to downtown LA Saturday night amid concerns that protests were escalating once more in the city. Sgt. Anthony Costello said extra cops and resources were on standby after a rising spate of vandalism at the federal building downtown. LOS ANGELES: Police and protesters clash in front the federal courthouse during a Black Lives Matter and Anti Fascist protest LOS ANGELES: In downtown Los Angeles, protesters and cops faced off in front of the federal courthouse with both sides LOS ANGELES: A man with no shoes is arrested by cops in downtown LA Saturday LOS ANGELES: Tensions flared after both sides reportedly hurled missiles at each other Louisville Meanwhile, three people were shot in Louisville Saturday as a black militia group carrying semiautomatic weapons and a far-right organization carrying heavy firearms came face-to-face during demonstrations. An argument erupted between Black Lives Matter supporters and members of the far-right Three Percenters militia on the corner of Fifth and Jefferson Streets in Louisville on Saturday shortly after 1pm local time, according to local reports. A shooting then took place a few blocks away in Baxter Park, where an estimated 200 armed members of the Atlanta-based 'Not F*****g Around Coaltion' gathered before marching toward the main protest site in downtown. The Louisville Metro Police Department later confirmed that the shooting was a result of a firearm that accidentally discharged. The three wounded victims were rushed to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. LOUISVILLE: Meanwhile, three people were shot in Louisville Saturday as a black militia group carrying semiautomatic weapons and a far-right organization carrying heavy firearms came face-to-face during demonstrations Paramedics push a stretcher as police officers investigate a shooting that happened during an armed rally held by an all-black militia group called NFAC in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday LOUISVILLE: An argument erupted between Black Lives Matter supporters and members of the far-right Three Percenters militia on the corner of Fifth and Jefferson Streets in Louisville on Saturday shortly after 1pm local time, according to local reports. Members of the Kentucky Three Percenters Militia line up as members and supporters of an all-black militia group called NFAC hold an armed rally in Louisville George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt each name in this pantheon of presidents faces possible purging from a San Francisco school, according to a recently released working paper drawn up by the school districts Names Advisory Committee. Washington and Jefferson have long been berated because they owned slaves. But the Great Emancipator and the creator of the New Deal? According to the committees assessment of history, Lincoln, who led the North in the Civil War and whose name is on a Sunset District high school, wasnt a true abolitionist because the Emancipation Proclamation only applied to states attempting to break away from the United States while some slave states remained in the union. The report also says that Commander-in-Chief Lincoln allowed more than 35 American Indians who took part in an 1862 uprising in the Minnesota and Dakota territories to be hanged. Some people who are attached to the historical mythology may want to ignore these facts, but that is being dismissive of the people they impacted, Names Advisory Committee facilitator Jeremiah Jeffries said. The committee was set up in 2018 by the Board of Education to oversee a formal process to consider the relevance and appropriateness of school names and make recommendations for further action. The committee isnt sure which president Roosevelt Middle School is named after, but both Theodore and Franklin are being flagged. Theodore Roosevelt is cited for his opposition to civil rights and suffrage for Blacks. Franklin Roosevelt is on shaky ground for his refusal to support an anti-lynching bill proposed by his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, and for his support of limiting immigration based on race. The list of more than a dozen schools points out namesakes perceived as being guilty of something. Even James Lowell, the poet and diplomat whose name is on the citys most prestigious academic public high school, is under review because his commitment to the antislavery cause wavered over the years, as did his opinion on African Americans. If they fit the criteria, they will be on the list, Jeffries said. And if they fit the criteria, people can pretty much count on those names coming down and being replaced by someone who meets San Francisco values. The committees criteria for removing a name includes the person being directly involved in the colonization or genocide of people, owning slaves, exploiting workers, oppressing or abusing women, children, gay or transgender people, engaging in human rights or environmental abuses or espousing racist beliefs. Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa, who christened the Pacific Ocean and whose name is on the Balboa High School, is under review for his role as a colonizer who reportedly killed 40 indigenous men by feeding them to dogs for acts of homosexuality and wearing womens clothes. Others on the list include: Junipero Serra: colonizer and slave owner Paul Revere: settler-colonial history Francis Scott Key: slave owner and wrote pro-slavery verse in national anthem Herbert Hoover: accepting of white supremacy James Madison: slave owner worked at colonizing Native Americans James Monroe: slave owner Daniel Webster: wrote stringent fugitive slave laws Commodore John Sloat: stole California from Mexico, colonizer John Muir: The naturalist, whose name is on a Hayes Valley elementary school, may be revered as the Father of the National Parks and cofounder of the Sierra Club, but, according to the committee worksheet, and more recently the Sierra Club itself, he was also a racist. The sheet also says Muir was responsible for theft of native lands. And its not just people. 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. Mission High School is on the list because its named for Spains California missions, and all California missions are sites of slavery and colonization. Alamo Elementary is being eyed as well. For while alamo means cottonwood tree in Spanish, it is best known as part of the Texas war of independence. Remember the Alamo, was a call for vengeance against Mexicans. We welcome everyones feedback about names we should consider for the schools we identify that will need new names, Jeffries said. Lope Yap Jr., vice president of the George Washington High School Alumni Association and a leader in the fight against the districts plan to cover up the schools murals that depict Washingtons life, said the proposed changes are politically motivated and impractical. What are they going to do? he asked. Change the name and then put an asterisk saying formerly called George Washington High School? We are getting into this whole self politics thing, Yap said. Its all part of trying to rewrite history and erasing the parts that are good or bad, and you cant erase history. District spokeswoman Laura Dudnick said there has been no substantive discussion of the working paper, and that while the committee will make recommendations to the Board of Education, the committee will not decide on any school names. Meanwhile, the process continues. The next steps for our committee will be to review public input and research to identify the schools that we will recommend as a committee be changed and then figure out a process to engage those school communities about what new names they would like the committee to consider, Jeffries said. Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the name of Balboa High School. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Phil Matier appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KGO-TV morning and evening news and can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call 415-777-8815, or email pmatier@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @philmatier By Sandra Cunningham and Nellie Pou While the killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer sparked outrage throughout the country and spurred a national discussion on police reform and the future of policing, New Jersey has been at the forefront of criminal justice reform for more than a decade and is poised to take the next step. This summer, the Legislature will take up a package of reforms to New Jerseys criminal sentencing laws that will finally repeal mandatory minimum sentences for certain non-violent crimes, including drug offenses, that have disproportionately affected communities of color, both Black and Hispanic. These six bills will build on New Jerseys strong record of criminal justice reform over the past decade, including landmark bail reform, expungement legislation, a ban the box law, juvenile justice protections and legislation requiring the appointment of an independent prosecutor to investigate all death cases involving law enforcement officers. The new legislation includes recommendations developed by the states Criminal Sentencing and Disposition Commission, which includes judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, community stakeholders, corrections officials, faith organizations and victims rights advocates. The reforms are designed to address the lack of proportionality in New Jerseys sentencing laws, including the elimination and reduction of mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes. If passed, these changes would have an immediate impact on the racial disparity in our state prisons. The numbers tell the story: When the commission issued its report last November, 2,532 Black inmates, 616 Hispanic inmates and only 448 white inmates were serving sentences for drug offenses with mandatory minimums. Based on New Jerseys population, Black people were 25 times more likely than white people to have been convicted of drug offenses with mandatory minimum sentences, and Hispanic people were five times more likely to be locked away a reflection of built-in biases that persist in our criminal justice system. If mandatory minimums had been eliminated at the time of the report, 68% of Black people imprisoned for drug offenses for mandatory minimums and 59% of Hispanic and white people would have been immediately eligible for parole for time already served, and the overall Black prison population alone would have been cut by 15%. The numbers are even starker for inmates serving time for drug offenses within a 1,000-foot school zone: 77% are Black. This reflects the reality that urban centers inhabited largely by people of color are so densely populated that almost every location is within 1,000 feet of school property. Our legislation would eliminate or reduce mandatory minimum sentences for these and other crimes and apply these reforms retroactively. Other commission recommendations we are seeking to implement would allow sentencing judges to consider a defendants youth at the time of the offense as a mitigating factor; create a new compassionate release program that builds on the current medical release program; provide the possibility of release for offenders who were sentenced to 30 years or more of imprisonment while juveniles, and improving the data collection capacity of the Department of Corrections. Our reforms rely on two basic principles: first, individuals convicted of crimes should spend no more time in prison than is necessary to achieve the purposes of sentencing; and second, to the extent individuals must spend time in prison, that time should be used as productively as possible to encourage rehabilitation and prepare for their return to society. New Jersey has been at the forefront of criminal justice reform for over a decade. In 2015, we enacted the ban-the-box law to restrict the ability of employers from inquiring into criminal records during initial employment interviews, giving individuals the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with potential employers about a past criminal history instead of simply being dismissed out of hand. This allows individuals who want to work to support themselves and their families with dignity and strengthens the states workforce. That same year, we enacted juvenile justice reforms that reduced the use of solitary confinement in the juvenile system, increased the minimum age at which judges can waive juveniles into the adult system and limited the offenses that could lead to waiver, and provided due process to youths confined in a juvenile facility who face transfer to an adult prison. We followed up earlier this year with a second bill to improve the juvenile system by reducing both reliance on incarceration and the length of time youth spend in out-of-home placements. In 2017, the landmark Criminal Justice Reform Act went into effect, fundamentally changing our pre-trial release system from a monetary-based bail system to a risk-based system designed to protect the public. A Pretrial Services Program Review Commission report concluded that the law has markedly reduced the devastating collateral consequences of pretrial detention, including the loss of housing, employment, and custody of children which were disproportionately borne by individuals of color - without increasing crime rates. Eighteen months ago, the Legislature passed an independent prosecutor bill that requires the state attorney general to supersede county prosecutors in any death investigation involving law enforcement officers and requires any ensuing trial to take place in a county other than where the incident took place. Incidents throughout the country and right here in New Jersey have highlighted the reality that too often violence by law enforcement, particularly against individuals of color, is not properly investigated or prosecuted. This law is critical to building trust where it is needed most between law enforcement and communities of color. Finally, last December, the legislature passed a bill expanding expungement eligibility and establishing a clean slate expungement for individuals who have remained offense free for a period of 10 years. We believe our criminal sentencing legislation appropriately builds upon New Jerseys legacy of criminal justice reform. There is no better time than now to move forward to institute these vitally needed reforms. State Senator Sandra Cunningham represents the 31st Legislative District, which includes Bayonne and most of Jersey City. State Senator Nellie Pou represents the 35th Legislative District, which includes parts of Bergen and Passaic counties, including the city of Paterson. Cunnngham and Pou are the prime sponsors of the new criminal sentencing legislation. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us some important lessons, reminding us that our health, economy and way of life are built on a fragile foundation that is far too often taken for granted. Food security is a case in point. The pandemic effectively shuttered the global hospitality and restaurant sector, resulting in a staggering drop in the demand for potatoes and other food crops. Canadian farmers were left stranded with almost half of their inventories, risking financial ruin that would take farmland out of production for years. Fortunately for Canadians, our farmers and front-line workers have been able to persevere through this short-term crisis. But it is a stark reminder that our food supply is not nearly as secure as one might think. The demographic challenge alone is daunting. Over the next 30 years, feeding the worlds growing population will require an increase in global food production of more than 60 per cent. A report published by Springer Nature estimates that 67 per cent more habitable land will need to be dedicated to agriculture if we dont change the way we currently do things. If we remember that half of the Earths habitable land mass is dedicated to agriculture, this increase would drive deforestation at massive scale and further precipitate irreparable loss of biodiversity. Can you imagine the impact on our climate if we dont change how we do things? The food system is already responsible for about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and, without meaningful change, we can expect those emissions to grow by an additional 87 per cent by 2050. Climate change knows no borders, and as extreme weather events become more common, farmers face a generational threat from major disruption to growing seasons, soil erosion (not least from massive floods that repeat at an alarming rate in Canada) and pest behaviours. We need to confront the reality that the future of the global food supply is now in jeopardy. The good news is that we have an improving understanding of what it will take to safeguard our food supply. It will require a combination of technological innovation, a heightened commitment to sustainable practices, and structural change to the agriculture economy. It will require a shared resolve to embrace transformation on a massive scale. And Canada can lead the way. At McCain we recognize we have a special responsibility to embrace sustainability. One out of every four french fries sold around the world comes from one of our plants, supplied by one of our 3,500 farmers. If we want others to take the sustainability challenge seriously, we have to lead by example. It starts with putting an end to endemic food waste. The numbers are staggering. One third of all global food produced goes to waste. This represents 28 per cent of all agricultural land globally yes, you read this right, almost every third field we drive by is dedicated to producing waste. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of GHG behind the U.S. and China. It is morally not acceptable to allow this systemic waste while so many go hungry. The solution to food waste is multi-faceted; it includes reducing waste on the farm and in storage, embracing new production methods, reducing food losses in retail, in food service and at home. It requires a broad-based collaboration among all actors of the food value chain. And in Canada, we can do much more. Technology is a key part of the solution. Agriculture has always been a beneficiary of technological change. Today, the combination of satellite and drone imagery, large quantities of data and machine learning technologies are helping farmers increase their yield while consuming far fewer resources, deploying fewer chemicals and reducing their GHG emissions. One such promising technology solution is vertical farming, like GoodLeaf in Canada, that allows larger yields in small areas, with no pesticide use and 95 per cent recycled water. Finally, it is essential that farming practices transform toward sustainable regenerative agriculture practices that protect soils, protect groundwater and restore biodiversity. Today, our reliance on chemicals to drive yield has left more than 30 per cent of all agricultural lands damaged. Rejuvenating this soil and finding ways to grow with less emissions will require a radical transformation in farming practices in Canada, and at a global scale. To do our part, our company has been promoting these agricultural techniques for years. To further accelerate, we are building three global Farms of the Future to showcase the innovations, technology and regenerative farming practices that will define sustainable agriculture in the future. One of these farms will be right here at home in New Brunswick, where the McCain family founded our company more than 60 years ago. Governments, families and businesses have shown a united resolve in facing the pandemic. We must all show the same resolve in protecting our food security and in transitioning to a truly sustainable food system. It will take meaningful support by Canadian food companies, retailers, food service players and governments to support the farmers who are at the forefront of the transition to a sustainable agriculture. All of our futures depend on it. Max Koeune is president and CEO of McCain Foods. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 01:53:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, July 25 (Xinhua) -- British newspaper The Independent has denounced the attack or arrest of journalists in the United States while covering the recent demonstrations. According to a report by British newspaper on its website, a mounting crackdown on reporters by authorities has been seen in recent weeks as the Trump administration has deployed federal agents to several cities where demonstrators are calling for racial justice. It cited the United Nations human rights office as saying that journalists covering protests in the United States should be permitted to do their jobs without fear of attack or arrest. "(The protests) must be able to continue without those participating in them and also the people reporting on them, the journalists, risking arbitrary arrest or detention, being subject to unnecessary disproportionate or discriminatory use of force or suffering other violations of their rights," UN human rights spokesperson Liz Throssell told a news conference in Geneva as quoted by the Independent. According to the newspaper, its chief U.S. correspondent Andrew Buncombe was arrested on July 1 in Seattle while reporting on demonstrations. He was charged with failure to disperse despite repeatedly identifying himself as a journalist and was held for at least eight hours before being released. In response, The Independent launched a campaign named Journalism Is Not a Crime to protect journalists. "What we see today is how often the human rights of many, reporters included, seem to be casually disregarded by American police forces that are granted extraordinary immunities from prosecution. A certain institutional ethos has developed that the police are above the law, and have so little to fear from press scrutiny that they can lock journalists up with impunity," The Independent said in an editorial while announcing the initiative. So far more than 70 journalists in the United States have been arrested during Black Lives Matter demonstrations, while dozens of others have been injured by rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas, according to the Independent. Enditem The Chairman, South east Governors' forum and Ebonyi state Governor, Chief David Umahi said the South east Governors' forum will liaise with the Federal Government to make funds available for the eastern railway corridor. Governor Umahi stated this while briefing the press at the end of the virtual meeting of the forum. He lamented that there is presently no funding for the corridor which cuts across South south, Southeast, North Central and northeast regions of the country. The Governor further stated that the governors will dialogue with the Federal Government in conjunction with governors of other regions affected. "It is an existing railway line and it is very important to our people. It is just to repair them and revamp the terminals", Umahi said. The governor also said the forum will engage the contractor handling the Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna gas pipeline to ensure that the Southeast is integrated into the project "Since the pipelines are going to come from the south south and southeast, we fill the states in the region should also benefit. So we are also engaging the federal government on this", the governor said. He announced that the governors commended President Mohammadu Buhari for funding the second Niger bridge and the Enugu International Airport renovation projects. Chief Umahi said the August 30 restart of the Airport is on course while work on the bridge is progressing and is expected to be completed by 2022. The governors, according to Mr Umahi, also agreed to unveil the name of the joint security outfit of the region during their next meeting. "After that, we will give go ahead to our Attorney-Generals to go ahead with the draft bills which will then be sent to the five state Houses of Assembly for deliberation and passage into law", he said. Currently, the buzz in the exhibition space is that theatres are likely to open in August. But, can cinemas really reopen that soon in India? Recently, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry also recommended to the Union Home Ministry that cinema halls all over the country be allowed to reopen in August. But, looking at the rising coronavirus cases in India, cinemas reopening any time soon seems to be a distant dream. Here is why. Internationally, theatre chains are either pushing back their reopening dates or shutting down after reopening because of surge in coronavirus cases. 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 For example, theatres in China that had restarted operations early this week after six months of coronavirus-led closure shut down again due to new cluster of coronavirus cases. In fact, as many as three attempts of reopening cinemas in China have failed in the COVID-19 times. AMC Theaters, Americas largest cinema chain with more than 600 locations, recently said that it was looking at reopening in August instead of July. AMC is moving the date of restarting also because of the change in release schedule of big Hollywood ventures. Once again, Christopher Nolan's Tenet will not release on its scheduled date. The film's release date first moved from July 17 to 31 then to August 12. Now, it looks like the makers are contemplating a staggered release. Reportedly, Tenet will release between August 26 to 28 in Europe and later in Asia. As for Mulan, its release date has been postponed indefinitely. Another struggle for exhibitors in India is viability after reopening. Cinema-owners are unhappy that they cannot operate at full capacity. According to them, running at 25 percent would be worse than keeping cinemas shut. Plus, in international markets where cinemas have reopened, the footfalls are very low. Let's take the example of Indian films that have released in UAE. Since its release in UAE, Baaghi 3's weekly collection has ranged between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 39,000. For Akshay Kumar-starrer Good Newwz and Ayushmann Khurrana's Dream Girl, the collections have been even lower. While Good Newwz has recorded collections between Rs 49,000 to Rs 23,000, Dream Girl has gathered Rs 32,000 to Rs 8,000. Although it is old content that is playing in international cinemas - also resulting in lower footfalls, the release of new content in India in the next three months looks difficult. Two big ventures including Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh-starrer 83 are scheduled for Diwali and Christmas release respectively. Hence, cinemas opening in August may not be the right time. Melissa George looked absolutely exquisite as she arrived to the fifth day of the Italy Sardegna Festival 2020 on Sunday. The Australian actress wowed as she attended the dazzling event at the Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula in a glamorous navy Schiaparelli gown. Taking to the red carpet, the former Home and Away star, 43, commanded attention in the number which showed off her slender figure to perfection. Eyes on her! Melissa George, 43, looked absolutely exquisite as she arrived to the fifth day of the Italy Sardegna Festival 2020 on Sunday Melissa's gorgeous gown cinched in her waist and hugged the rest of her frame before falling to the ground. The mother-of-two added a pop of colour to the look with bright red lipstick which complemented her porcelain skin. She oozed old school Hollywood glamour as her side-parted blonde locks fell in effortless tumbles down her side. Looking good: The Australian actress wowed as she attended the dazzling event at the Forte Village Resort in Santa Margherita di Pula in a glamorous navy gown by Schiaparelli Beauty: Taking to the red carpet, the former Home and Away star commanded attention in the number which showed off her slender figure to perfection Glamorous: Melissa's gorgeous gown cinched in her waist and hugged the rest of her frame before falling to the ground [Pictured with Guy Burnet] Melissa looked like she was in her element as she worked her angles on the red carpet. Later on in the day, Melissa, who rose to fame playing Angel Parrish on Home And Away, cut an equally glamorous figure as she attended a photocall at the Italian festival. Her locks were curled and pinned back on one side while her fringe framed her face on the other side. Seeing red: The mother-of-two added a pop of colour to the look with bright red lipstick which complemented her porcelain skin Mane attraction: She oozed old school Hollywood glamour as her side-parted blonde locks fell in effortless tumbles down her side [Pictured with Salvatore Ficarra and Valentino Picone] Busy lady: Later on in the day, Melissa, who rose to fame playing Angel Parrish on Home And Away, cut an equally glamorous figure as she attended a photocall at the Italian festival She kept things simple in a chic white shift dress which fell just above her angles. Melissa added a pair of white heels to her look and accessorised with chunky gold hoop earrings. The beauty toted her belongings in a light grey handbag as she posed away for photographers. The festival, which is in its third year, showcases works in cinema and television and will run until Sunday. In good condition: Her locks were now curled and pinned back on one side while her fringe framed her face on the other side Sensational: She kept things simple in a chic white shift dress which fell just above her angles Style star: Melissa added a pair of white heels to her look and accessorised with chunky gold hoop earrings Work it: The beauty toted her belongings in a light grey handbag as she posed away for photographers Melissa is enjoying a short getaway to the Italian city of Cagliari for the festival. She is based in Paris where she lives with her two sons, Raphael, six, and Solal, four. The Perth-born actress, who had been living in Paris for almost a decade, is unlikely to permanently return to Australia. Back in 2012, Melissa famously told The Sydney Morning Herald that she wouldn't return to her birth country because she was sick of local media being 'disrespectful' by mentioning her role on Home and Away. Star-studded: The festival, which is in its third year, showcases works in cinema and television and will run until Sunday Holiday: Melissa is enjoying a short getaway to the Italian city of Cagliari for the festival Star status: Melissa rose to fame playing Angel Parrish on Home And Away 'I don't need credibility from my country any more, I just need them all to be quiet. If they have nothing intelligent to say, please don't speak to me any more,' she said. 'I'd rather be having a croissant and a little espresso in Paris or walking my French bulldog in New York City.' However, she later changed her tune after temporarily returning Down Under to film the drama Bad Mothers for Channel Nine. Across the globe: The Perth-born actress, who had been living in Paris for almost a decade, is unlikely to permanently return to Australia Annoyed: Back in 2012, Melissa famously revealed that she wouldn't return to her birth country because she was sick of local media being 'disrespectful' by mentioning her role on Home and Away Americans Bible engagement dramatically declining amid COVID-19: survey Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The coronavirus pandemic has affected Americans Bible engagement, with the number of U.S. adults who read Scripture declining drastically amid the outbreak, a recent study found. According to the State of the Bible 2020 report released by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society, U.S. adults who say they read the Bible daily dropped from 14% to 9% between early 2019 and 2020. The study, which looked at 2,010 responses from January and 3,020 responses from June, found that the proportion of Americans who read the Bible daily also fell to fewer than one in 10 (9%), the lowest number on record during the 10 years of the State of the Bible research study. Additionally, those considered Scripture engaged by ABS dropped from 28% to 22.7% between January and June, according to additional data collected by the organization in June, after months of quarantine, church closures, and limited relational activity due to COVID-19. However, "churched respondents," or those who have attended a Christian church service within the past six months, were significantly more likely to be Scripture engaged. This study supports the idea that the church plays a significant role in benefiting peoples well-being and Scripture engagement, said John Farquhar Plake, ABS director of ministry intelligence. To increase Scripture engagement, we must increase relational connections with one another through the church. The pandemic and now this survey have shown that when relational church engagement goes up, so does Scripture engagement, but when it goes down, Scripture engagement drops with it. Two of every five Americans (38%) strongly or somewhat agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their ability to worship and serve God. Interestingly, Americans who lost loved ones to the virus were more likely to increase their Bible use. About half (49%) of Americans with a family member living in their household who died of coronavirus said they increased their use of the Bible; some 36% of those with a neighbor who died of the virus increased their Bible use, and 33% of those with a close personal friend who died increased their use. Additionally, when asked if they believed the COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened their faith, nearly half (47%) of practicing Christians strongly agreed, while an additional 38% agreed somewhat. Those who were hospitalized with COVID-19 were 29% more likely than average to desire more Bible use, and those infected with the virus were 24% more likely to desire increased Bible use. Based on the study, American Bible Society president and CEO, Robert Briggs, said its evident the American Church must focus on discipleship in the coming months. Despite nearly every individual in the U.S. having access to the Bible, engagement has decreased, he said. Thats been a consistent trend over the past few years, and the trend has accelerated since January 2020 throughout the pandemic. The Church must transition from survival mode back into discipleship mode, and, yes, thats going to take even more innovation. However, an earlier study from The American Enterprise Institute found that nearly two-thirds of American Christians are uncomfortable with returning to in-person worship services over coronavirus concerns. People are equivocating and uncertain about whether they feel comfortable attending, said Daniel Cox, who oversaw the study, to The Associated Press and Religion News Service. We're seeing among laypeople a significant amount of discomfort in going back to formal in-person religious practices. Numerous studies have documented how the faith of American Christians has been impacted by the virus, which has led to the deaths of over 143,000 people in the United States as of Thursday, according to statistics from the Johns Hopkins Universitys Coronavirus Resource Center. A study by the University of Chicago Divinity School and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that more than 60% of American believers of all faiths feel that the pandemic is a sign that God is telling humanity to change how it's living. Additionally, a recent LifeWay Research study documented increased interest in the subject of the End Times during the coronavirus pandemic. According to the study, nine out of 10 surveyed pastors viewed the End Times prophecies of the Bible as being showcased in current events. America's standing in the world is at a low ebb. Once described as the indispensable nation, the United States is now seen as withdrawn and inward-looking, a reluctant and unreliable partner at a dangerous moment for the world. The coronavirus pandemic has only made things worse. President Donald Trump shattered a 70-year consensus among U.S. presidents of both political parties that was grounded in the principle of robust American leadership in the world through alliances and multilateral institutions. For decades, this approach was seen at home and abroad as good for the world and good for the United States. In its place, Trump has substituted his America First doctrine and what his critics say is a zero-sum-game sensibility about international relationships. America First has been described variously as nationalistic, populistic, isolationist and unilateralist. The president has demeaned allies and emboldened adversaries such as China and Russia. At home, Trump's handling of the pandemic has created division and confusion rather than an effective national strategy. The rest of the world sees the United States not as a leader in dealing with the coronavirus but as the country with the highest number of coronavirus infections and covid-19 deaths, and with the disease far from under control. European nations have responded with the unprecedented step of blocking Americans from entering their countries. From abroad, the United States is seen as having lost confidence in itself as it grapples not only with the pandemic but also with long-standing political divisions and a racial reckoning over the treatment of black Americans. The perceived loss of confidence among Americans in turn has led others to question the United States' appetite or capacity for a collaborative leadership role at a time when the health and economic crises call out for committed global cooperation. Before the pandemic, the president took a number of steps that signaled a retreat from collective involvement abroad, pulling out of the Paris climate agreement, the Iran nuclear deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. He raised doubts about the U.S. commitment to NATO. After a long-running quarrel with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he has called for the withdrawal of more than a quarter of the 34,500 U.S. troops stationed in Germany. Since the pandemic struck, Trump has continued to pull back. When other nations' leaders gathered by video to rally behind and provide funding for the development of a coronavirus vaccine, the United States skipped the meeting. When many world leaders participated in a World Health Organization assembly on the pandemic, the president was absent. Trump's anger with China over the virus ultimately prompted him to withdraw the United States from the WHO. "People are stunned about the effect of incapable leadership, or of polarizing leadership, of not being able to unify and get the forces aligned so you can address the problem (of the coronavirus)," said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, a vice president of the German Marshall Fund and director of its Berlin office. "And that, of course, results in a nosedive in how you view (the United States). What you're seeing is a collapse of soft power of America." "I think the U.S. is seen from my perspective as being involved in its own internal reckoning - like the rest of the world doesn't really exist," said Robin Niblett, director and chief executive of Chatham House, a think tank in London. "It's America trying to battle with historical and contemporary demons that as much as anything are a result of its own internal contradictions and tensions and strengths and weaknesses. And it's not all bad. I'm just saying it is like really seeing somebody's psychological flaws exposed at a moment of stress." Trump gets credit, even if sometimes grudgingly, for asking uncomfortable questions and challenging old assumptions. He has forced other nations to take a tougher approach to China and to reappraise the costs of globalization. His badgering of NATO allies to spend more on defense, however irritating to the allies, produced results that had eluded previous presidents. "If you look at the world, it is an alliance of liberty coming around to face the existential threat of our time, which is the totalitarian dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party," said Stephen Bannon, who served as chief strategist in the White House early in the Trump administration and has long been a proponent of a nationalistic foreign policy. "The axis and the allies here are very well defined." But despite acknowledgments that Trump has at times raised legitimate questions, overall assessments of the effect of his approach to the world are harsh - with fears that the pandemic will do further damage over time. "It hurts our brand. It hurts the status of our institutions. It's going to weaken our economy and our economic power and soft power as a consequence," said Stephen Hadley, who was a national security adviser to President George W. Bush. "It's potentially a real setback." - - - This is not the first time the world has held America in low esteem. The U.S. invasion of Iraq cost the country dearly, in lives and in prestige. George W. Bush left office highly unpopular, especially in Europe. Earlier, America's image was tarnished by the red-baiting of then-Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., in the 1950s, the bloody civil rights clashes of the 1960s, the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in the 1970s and the Iran hostage crisis later that decade. Still, by the numbers, Trump had an immediate and negative impact. A Gallup survey of impressions of world leadership after the first year of Trump's presidency saw the rating of U.S. leadership plummet by 20 points - lower than Bush's worst rating. The following year, approval of U.S. leadership remained similarly low, and disapproval was higher than for the leadership in Germany, China and Russia. "In this climate, China's leadership has gained a larger advantage in the 'great power competition,' and the other player, Russia, is now on a more even level with the U.S.," the Gallup report said. The Pew Research Center issued a report in January on international attitudes toward the United States and found 64 percent of people across 32 countries saying they had no confidence in Trump as the U.S. leader, though impressions of the U.S. as a whole remained positive. Trump's ratings were slightly better than the previous year. Pew analysts said that was because of increased support from those on the right in other nations, including those who support right-wing populist parties in their countries. The same phenomenon showed up in an annual Gallup survey of satisfaction among Americans with the U.S. position in the world. The 2020 survey found that category of satisfaction at 53 percent, up from 32 percent in early 2017. The difference was attributable in large part to a big shift among Republicans. Coming out of the Obama years in 2017, 47 percent of Republicans said they were satisfied with the U.S. position in the world. After three years under Trump, that had risen to 85 percent. A report issued last month by the Bertelsmann Foundation, the German Marshall Fund of the United States and Institut Montaigne found that, in Germany, France and the United States, America was seen as the world's most influential country both before and during the pandemic, but the report noted that "China's influence has risen significantly." A recent poll asked Germans how their perceptions of other countries have changed as a result of the pandemic. More than 7 in 10 said their impressions of the United States have deteriorated. Only 5 percent said their impressions had improved. China, which Trump has criticized sharply for its handling of the pandemic, did not come off well, either, but in comparison, far less badly than the United States. When Pew asked Americans in May to rate the performance of various countries with respect to the coronavirus, the United States was rated lower than three other countries - South Korea, Germany and Britain. - - - On Sept. 2, 1987, Trump, at the time a New York real estate developer toying with a run for president, bought a full-page ad in three major newspapers to publish an open letter to the American people outlining his views on foreign and defense policy. It was a view of the world and America's place in it that he would carry largely unchanged into the White House almost 30 years later. He did not use the words "America First" but that was the essence of his message. For decades, he argued, "other nations have been taking advantage of the United States." He said the world "is laughing at America's politicians" for doing work beneficial to others at the expense of those at home. He said the United States was absorbing the costs of protecting other nations that could and should pay more. At the time, Japan and Saudi Arabia were among his principal targets. In office, it has become China and the nations of NATO, which together make up the United States' most important military alliance. But if the targets are different, the philosophy has changed little. America has been played for a sucker, and it's time to call a halt. The elements of his America First worldview include a focus on trade, with tariffs as a weapon; a more restrictive immigration policy; pressing others to pay more of the cost of mutual defense; and a reliance on bilateral rather than multilateral negotiations. His style is transactional and highly personal, and while he has been critical of the leaders of democratic countries such as Germany and France, and Britain earlier, he has been reluctant to criticize authoritarian leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping (the latter at least until recently). In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2019, Trump said: "If you want freedom, take pride in your country. If you want democracy, hold on to your sovereignty. And if you want peace, love your nation. Wise leaders always put the good of their own people and their own country first. The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots. The future belongs to sovereign and independent nations." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a speech to the Heritage Foundation's President's Club last October, said the administration was approaching the world realistically. "We've recognized that we can't be all things to everywhere, all the time," he said. "No nation has the capacity to deliver that. And that means not that you abandon the field but that you calibrate your resources to effectively address the relative risks. ... I am confident that the next administrations will come into office and they'll see these issues the same way because they're right." On their face, those words are not particularly discordant. But analysts who have served presidents of both parties come to a different conclusion. They say Trump's presidency has marked the greatest discontinuity in American foreign policy since World War II. "President Trump is acting as no administration acted since the 1920s," said Nicholas Burns, a career Foreign Service officer and former U.S. ambassador to NATO now teaching at Harvard's Kennedy School. "Those presidents were engaged in the world. President Trump isn't. He's almost at war with the world." Ivo Daalder, president of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and U.S. ambassador to NATO during the administration of President Barack Obama, said of Trump, "He doesn't believe in alliances, open markets, promotion of freedom and human rights - the three pillars of (American) foreign policy. On the essential concept of the United States as the global leader of the international order, Donald Trump has thrown that all out the window." "What Donald Trump is doing is badly damaging the belief by people outside the United States that we still understand that that system (of alliances) is in our best interests, as well as the interest of other countries," said Kori Schake, director of foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute, who served in the administration of George W. Bush. "We act like treaties and participation in international organizations is some kind of big favor we are doing everyone else." Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said Trump's benign treatment of authoritarian leaders such as Putin, Xi and North Korea's Kim Jong Un has produced no obvious positive results or benefits for the United States. "He would argue this is part of his grand strategy to get them to be better neighbors," Romney said. "The disproof of that is the lack of pudding." Romney pointed to Trump's decision to withdraw from the WHO to argue that going it alone is the wrong strategy. "It's a very symbolic decision to say the WHO is too influenced by China and we're going to get out of it so it can be completely dominated by China, instead of saying we're going to flex our muscle and make sure the WHO gets in line," he said. Across the political spectrum of national security analysts, including some who give the president credit in specific areas of foreign policy, there is agreement that the pandemic underscores the damage caused by the president. Tom Donilon, who was a national security adviser to Obama, said: "By almost every measure, America's standing and influence in the world has been damaged over the last 3 1/2 years. ... You see it during a crisis. This is the first global crisis probably since World War II where the United States has not been in the lead. It's kind of a stunning thing to see a transnational challenge like this without U.S. leadership." - - - In the years after the end of the Cold War, the United States was the world's lone superpower. But it never was quite the indispensable nation as those words began to be used in the late 1990s. Defenders say the description was employed by officials in President Bill Clinton's administration in part to encourage Americans to resist isolationist impulses and to remain involved in the world after the breakup of the Soviet Union. As the world changed, the role of the United States changed, too. Other nations rose to power. China's economic prowess gave it standing it had lacked, and then Xi turned his country in a sharply anti-democratic direction. Russia under Putin became a global nemesis. India's power expanded. The United States became bogged down in two wars in the Middle East that cost thousands of lives, stretched its military thin and sapped the appetite among the public for foreign adventures. Anecdotally, a shift in perceptions about America's desire for global leadership began before Trump was elected. One moment that many abroad cite is when Obama failed to follow through on his threat to retaliate militarily after Syria crossed his "red line" by using chemical weapons against its own people. Obama's decision sent a damaging signal to allies. Before Trump, opposition to globalism was growing. The most conspicuous example of how the politics were changing came when Hillary Clinton, who as secretary of state had advocated for the negotiation of a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, refused to endorse the agreement as a candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2016. Others cited the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 as another moment when others, particularly China, fed perceptions of U.S. decline. Efforts to extract the country's military from Iraq and Afghanistan added to the idea of the United States pulling back. Both Obama and Trump campaigned against endless wars in the Middle East, and analysts argue that both presidents thought the United States needed to right-size itself globally - though the two leaders approached that mission in radically different ways. Obama still sought engagement in the world through allied institutions. Trump has preferred that America go it alone. "I think this has been coming," Chatham House's Niblett said. "Trump is a rude awakening, maybe a necessarily rude awakening, to a shift that's been happening for at least the last 15 or 20 years, since the end of the Cold War." If Trump's style draws near-universal criticism, not every policy of his does, whether it is helping to arm Ukraine and moving an armored brigade into Poland as a counter to Russian aggression, or pushing back on China's moves in the South China Sea. In this interpretation, Trump's policies recall an old line about the composer Richard Wagner, of whom it was said that his music was better than it sounded. Bannon said that Trump has been far ahead of the American foreign policy elites on China and has "boxed in the globalists" and the campaign of former vice president Joe Biden with his hawkish approach. He pointed to statements by senior administration officials this summer that have laid out the case against the Chinese in aggressive terms. Bannon called it "nonsense" to suggest that Trump is not leading the world on what he described as the major issue of the day. He argued that the president has spoken with the same kind of force and clarity on China that marked President Ronald Reagan's posture and rhetoric toward the Soviet Union in the 1980s. "The world is coming together (on China)," he said. "Those are the facts." Others see Trump as a problem identifier without policies to solve the problems he identifies. They see his China policy as one-dimensional, focused principally on trade, and ask what is the relationship with China that he is seeking and how would he try to make it happen. "The Trump administration can't say what's the point we're aiming for," said Schake, the AEI policy director. "What's the China we want? That makes it harder to get everybody organized." Romney argued that Trump would have been "far better served to have collaborated with our allies around the world and have confronted China not just as the United States but as an entire world community." Kiron Skinner served as the State Department's director of policy planning from 2018 to 2019 and now is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. She described Trump's foreign policy strategy as based on four pillars: First, that nation states, rather than international institutions, are the principal players and that nation states "should put their nation state first." Second, that there should be greater reciprocity in international agreements. Third, that there should be increased burden-sharing by America's allies. Fourth, that America should extricate itself from endless wars. Skinner said the president operates on instincts and hunches that add up to a theory of the world. "It's counterintuitive because he's not a foreign policy expert. But he's really trying to do grand strategy," she said. She argued that Trump is recognizing a new reality internationally faster than some of the foreign policy elites. "They're not theorizing fast enough," she added. "They're reacting to what is being said by one person, namely Donald Trump, instead of saying, 'Is there something here?' I think there's a way that they're discounting that there could be an argument underneath the rhetoric." Daalder countered by saying that even if some of Trump's instincts were correct, he has not shown he has a strategy to get things done. "Constructive disruption might well have been useful," he said. "It clearly is the case that the system has been stultified, that some of the verities that the foreign policy elite in Washington have taken as acts of faith need to be questioned. But disruption for its own sake becomes destruction. The absence of a strategy and a clear goal of getting from point A to point B undermines the values of disruption and left us all worse off." Schake said the administration treats diplomacy as something performative, arguing that the administration "appears to be operating under the belief that strident reiteration of our maximal demands counts as diplomacy. ... They keep saying over and over what we expect of North Korea, what we expect of Iran, what we expect of the Europeans, and it doesn't appear to move anybody, and so it's a failing diplomatic strategy." - - - What the next four years hold obviously depends considerably on the outcome of the November election, but few who study or practice in the areas of foreign policy and national security see an easy path ahead, whatever the result. "Over the long term, I still have confidence in our institutions, our entrepreneurial traditions, our universities, our values, our young people and all the rest," said Hadley, the former national security adviser. "But our margin for error is small. The challenges are great and we're not doing what we need to do to avoid the doomsday scenario." "I think this is the most dangerous moment the United States has faced in decades," said the former Obama adviser Donilon. "We obviously are in the midst of multiple crises. Economic. Health. A serious societal upheaval. We have an election system that is vulnerable to outside interference. ... We have the lowest point in our relationships with Russia and China in decades. I think democracy is under the most pressure in the world since the '30s." Burns, a foreign policy adviser to the Biden campaign, said he thinks the former vice president, as president, would "quickly return the United States to a position of leadership" and that other governments would respond positively to that. "But I worry that it will take longer with the publics of these countries," he added. "The memory of Donald Trump will not fade easily." But for those for whom electing Biden solves everything, Daalder offered a cautionary note. "It's not enough to just change tone," he said. "People will say it's great that Joe Biden loves us, but what are we going to do? It will take an extraordinary effort to re-engage and rebuild a set of relationships and a set of tools that have been ignored for far too long." Few believe a new president can flip a switch and return the situation to that of a previous era. "There is no status quo ante," said the German Marshall Fund's Kleine-Brockhoff. Nor will the choices be easy for allies of the United States, particularly in Europe, even if Biden becomes the next president. "Europeans can dismiss a lot of what the Trump administration tells Europe because it's Trump telling us," Niblett said, "because we don't trust him personally, because as Europeans, we think he's making it up as he goes along. But if Biden were to come, there'd be no hiding. Europeans would have to make choices" - starting with their relationship with China. Whoever is the next president will face what some analysts see as the most daunting national security inheritance of any president in living memory - and the mere change of administrations might not be enough to reassure other nations, which now fear that a significant portion of the U.S. population embraces Trump's approach to the world and will continue to do so, even if he is no longer president. "Now that they've seen Trump, they fear a whipsawing back and forth between something they recognize in the historical tradition and something that's a throwback to neo-isolationism," said Michele Flournoy, who served as undersecretary of defense for policy in the Obama administration. "Until they see a second election that validates an engaged United States that is willing to lead in concert with allies and partners, they won't be assured." The prestige of the United States ebbs and flows with events, but the country remains the one to which others still look in times of crisis. Expectations of this country are always higher than for other powers that do not have its long track record of leadership. But the last time this country's standing was in decline, it was because of fears that the United States would exercise its vast powers excessively and unilaterally. That is not the issue today. Instead, it is a worry that the United States is no longer prepared or willing to use the powers it still has for the good of the world. Zelensky raised the issue of security in Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the phone call, the two leaders discussed the implementation of the agreements reached during the Normandy summit in Paris on December 9, the press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine reported. Read alsoUkrainian UN peacekeepers arriving in Donbas to monitor ceasefire Zelensky raised the issue of security in Donbas. "The parties welcomed the achievement of an agreement on a full and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbas, which begins at 00:01 Kyiv time on July 27, 2020; the President of the Russian Federation supported this agreement," it said. The two leaders also agreed on the need to urgently implement additional measures to support the ceasefire in Donbas. In addition, they discussed the details of interaction for demining, disengagement of forces and equipment and the opening of new checkpoints along the contact line, the activities of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, as well as access of the International Committee of the Red Cross to detainees. Zelensky, in particular, raised the issue of the release of Crimean Tatar Ruslan Suleimanov over the tragic death of his three-year-old son. Zelensky highlighted the need for further practical steps to ensure the release of detained Ukrainian citizens who are kept in Russia-occupied parts of Ukraine Donbas and Crimea, as well as in the Russian Federation. "The parties also discussed the law on the special procedure for local self-government in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which is under consideration in the Trilateral Contact Group's political subgroup, and the law on decentralization, which provides for amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine," it said. Attention was also focused on the need for the successful implementation of the agreements reached by the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, and Russia in Paris, in the context of the importance of holding the next Normandy Four summit in Berlin. As UNIAN reported earlier, participants in the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, OSCE) on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a complete and comprehensive ceasefire on the contact line from 00:01 on Monday, July 27. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Craig Lockwood and Zoe Jordan (The Jakarta Post) The Conversation Sun, July 26, 2020 13:06 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066950034 3 Lifestyle mask,coronavirus-prevention,pandemic,glasses Free After midnight tonight, wearing face masks will be mandatory for people in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire when they leave home. Its also recommended in New South Wales when physical distancing isnt possible. This means many Australians will be wearing a face mask for the first time. Yes, wearing a mask can be uncomfortable or frustrating, especially if youre not used to it. People who wear glasses, those anxious about being able to breathe properly, or who wear masks for extended periods of time face particular challenges. But health workers, who have long used face masks as part of their everyday work, have developed a number of useful workarounds wed like to share. How do I stop my glasses fogging up? For people with glasses, wearing a mask can lead to their lenses fogging, reducing their vision. As you breathe out, your warm breath shoots upwards out the top of the mask. When it hits the colder lens, it cools down, forming condensation, or fogging. Having to keep on taking off your glasses to wipe them clear, and putting them back on again, is an infection risk. So preventing or minimizing fogging is the key. Here are some tips: 1. Soap and water wash your glasses with soap and water (such as regular washing up liquid), then dry them with a microfibre cloth. This type of cloth typically comes free with each pair of glasses. You can also buy cheap microfibre cloths from most optometrists. Facial tissues may leave lint, which attracts moisture to the lenses. Soap reduces surface tension, preventing fog from sticking to the lenses. 2. Shaving foam apply a thin layer of shaving cream to the inside of your glasses, then gently wipe it off. The residual shaving cream will protect the lenses from misting up. 3. De-misting spray you can use a commercial de-misting spray that dries clear. But make sure this is compatible with your lens type or existing coatings on your lens. You can buy demisting spray online or from your optometrist. 4. Close the gap on surgical masks mould the nose bridge at the top of your surgical mask to your face to reduce the gap that allows warm moist air up to the glasses. 5. Twist ties and pipe cleaners if you make your own cloth mask, add a twist tie (for instance, from a loaf of bread) or pipe cleaner to the top seam of your homemade mask and mould that to your nose for the same effect. 6. Tape some health professionals apply a strip of tape thats specially designed for use on skin to the top edge of the mask to close the gap. You can buy a roll online or at the pharmacy. 7. Damp tissue slightly moistening a tissue, folding it and placing it under the top edge of the mask also does the trick. 8. Nylon stocking Victorias health department says you can also get a snug fit across the cheeks and bridge of the nose by wearing a layer of nylon stocking over a face mask. Sadly, there is no magic trick, such as putting the mask or glasses on first that will stop fogging. Improving the fit around the curve of the nose and cheeks is the best approach. I feel anxious about wearing a mask. What can I do? Putting on a mask may make you feel anxious or you may find it hard to breathe normally, especially if youre new to wearing a mask. Fortunately, the World Health Organization and others say there is no evidence a face mask will cause either a drop in blood oxygen or an increase in blood carbon dioxide levels for normal everyday activities. If you do feel anxious about wearing a mask, here are some tips: 9. Practice at home take a few minutes before leaving the house to get used to the feel of wearing a mask. Slow your breathing, breathe gently, with a slower, longer inhale and exhale while focusing on the fact that air is getting to your lungs, and safely out again. 10. Try another mask if you still feel breathing is difficult, try a different mask, use a commercially available design, or use different materials in your next home mask project. What can I do to stop my ears hurting? Once you have been wearing a face mask for several hours, you may notice discomfort around the ears as the ear loops can chafe the skin. Heres what you can do: 11. Wear a headband with buttons one solution is to wear a headband with two buttons sewn onto it. Sew the buttons so they sit behind the ears. Rather than looping the mask around your ears, loop it around the buttons instead. This takes the pressure off the skin, increases comfort and helps you keep the mask on longer. 12. or a paper clip unfold two paper clips and wrap them around a headband, again positioning them behind the ears. Leave enough paperclip exposed to hook your earloops over, then press down to clamp down the loops in place. 13. 3D printing freely available 3D printer templates allow you to print your own ear shields. Its worth getting this right It may take a few attempts to get used to wearing a mask. But with a bit of trial and error, your glasses should remain fog-free, your ears comfortable and any anxiety about wearing a mask should reduce. Wearing a mask in public is another thing we can do to help keep ourselves and the community safe, alongside social distancing and hand hygiene. --- Craig Lockwood, Associate Professor Implementation Science, University of Adelaide and Zoe Jordan, Executive Director, JBI, University of Adelaide This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks with reporters at the White House about the coronavirus relief package negotiations on Thursday. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) With a $600-a-week unemployment benefit expiring this week, senior White House aides continued to suggest Sunday that a jobless benefit that was too generous would discourage people from going back to work. The officials said a stopgap bill might be needed to keep federal benefits from expiring entirely while Congress sought agreement on a broader package. But congressional Democrats, noting that they passed a relief bill in May that had been sitting in the Republican-controlled Senate, chided the GOP for inaction. "They're in disarray, and that delay is causing suffering for America's families," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said on CBS' "Face the Nation." Democrats said any reluctance by workers to return to their jobs was overwhelmingly due to fear of catching the coronavirus, which continues to spread rapidly in many states. Nationwide, new daily infections have exceeded the 70,000 mark, and for much of the last week, the daily death toll exceeded 1,000. Negotiations between the two parties have barely begun, largely because internal dissent among Senate Republicans and disagreements with the White House have stymied Republican efforts to produce a proposal. Republican leaders pledged that on Monday they would unveil a broad stimulus package, estimated at $1 trillion, but it remains unclear if that plan will represent a consensus on the GOP side on all issues. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters on Capitol Hill Saturday that the GOP measure also would include a new round of $1,200 stimulus checks, to come in August. With negotiations with congressional Democrats still ahead and likely to be contentious, Mnuchin and Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, both acknowledged Sunday that a narrower package might be needed to more swiftly address the unemployment-benefits question and some other elements. There are certain things that have time frames that are a bigger priority, Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday, adding, We could look at doing an entire deal; we also could look at doing parts. Story continues In March, Congress approved the expanded federal unemployment benefits, recognizing that many state unemployment benefits are capped at a low level. The goal was to fully replace lost income for most unemployed workers. Economists have credited the expanded benefits with keeping families above water and sustaining consumer purchasing during a period of extraordinarily high unemployment. The benefit is set to expire at the end of this month. The bill passed by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives in May would extend the $600 weekly benefit through January. Cutting the benefit now would damage the economy, Democrats said. Mnuchin and Meadows, together with White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, said a lesser benefit, capped at replacement of 70% of lost wages, would give workers more of an incentive to return to their jobs. "Actually, a lot of people got more money staying at home than they would going back to work," Meadows said on ABC's "This Week," adding that "we're not going to extend that provision." Kudlow, appearing on CNNs State of the Union, said the 70% wage-replacement formula would be quite generous by any standard. But Pelosi predicted that the need for an individual calculation of benefits for each jobless recipient would quickly gum up states unemployment systems, already groaning under the weight of 20 million to 30 million jobless claims. In many states, including California, workers have waited weeks to start receiving benefits. The reason we had $600 was its simplicity, Pelosi said. So why dont we just keep it simple? Meadows said the federal government could help state offices cope with the technical and logistical aspects of a new benefits calculation. Its our goal to make sure that its not antiquated computers that keep people from getting their benefits, he said. Meadows and Mnuchin also reiterated a longstanding White House demand that even a narrow relief measure include a measure to block most lawsuits against businesses over the coronavirus. Democrats have rejected that. Although President Trump struck a more somber note on the pandemic last week, making the rare acknowledgement that things would likely get worse before getting better, his top aides sought to put the best face on recovery prospects. Kudlow, in his CNN appearance, insisted that the economy was improving by leaps and bounds. He also said that aside from hot spots including California, Texas, Florida and Arizona, which are among the countrys most populous states the coronavirus outbreak was controlled to the point that workers should feel safe returning to their jobs. I think safety matters, Kudlow told host Jake Tapper, adding: Its a more optimistic picture than the one you are painting. Pelosi, however, said the pandemics far-reaching economic effects had left many American families in dire straits. Were right on the brink, when people are hungry in our country children, millions of children, are food-insecure, she said. Many families who never thought they'd go to a food bank are going to food banks. And we need more money for food stamps and emergency nutrition programs. The White House and Senate Republicans, she said, were resisting that. Harpreet Bajwa By PUNJAB: Words have the strength to transform people, with the richness of heart that can oxygenate our inertia into action. What else can you see when you are let inside the Hall of Kindness? It has clothes, toys, furniture and home appliances all donated for the needy, gratis. Shed a bit of the weight of your being, you would find a lot more to admire in this part of Punjab, in Hoshiarpur 'the land of saints'. Hoshiarpurs Red Cross Society has come a long way in the last six years ever since it rediscovered the meaning of the sense of giving. Like, this 85-year-old UK-based NRI, Pyare Lal Saini, would tell you, if he could. He has so far donated around Rs 1.70 crore to the society. The Society runs around 15 projects; the latest is the Hall of Kindness. Naresh Kumar Gupta, Divisional Soil Conservation Officer (DSCO), has agreed to run the society voluntarily. "I had no experience in managing such work. I had my office work to do, but then I looked at it as a challenge. So, in 2014, my first assignment was to straighten out the societys fund management," recalls Gupta. To begin with, all payments - rent of shops and buildings, fees received from students of the vocational training centre and donations from public and membership fees - were directly deposited into the societys account to ensure every paisa is accounted for. The next year Gupta started the Red Cross Poor Patients Fund. "We were ready to bear half the cost for the poor patients who had kidney ailments and needed dialysis. We looked for private hospitals who would offer the rest of the cost. So far 62 patients have got free dialysis services," says Gupta. The Society then set up Red Cross Funds for Deformity Correction for poor patients. "Three years back, we started Red Cross Funds for Poor but Meritorious Students. So far the fees of 200 such students have been paid. Besides financial help, the toppers in medical and engineering streams and those from Class X and XII are given a merit certificate, a medallion and an autobiography of a successful person. These awards are started by citizens in the memory of their near and dear ones in collaboration with the Society," says Gupta. In 2017, the Society had its first air-conditioned Sanjhi Rasoi for the poor and needy. Gupta also saw the real spirit behind celebrations. "Anyone wanting to celebrate ones birthday, marriage anniversary or any other memorable day with us can donate Rs 5,000. This has worked wonders we have a rush of bookings," says Gupta. Daily wager Jamna Dass has words of gratitude. "Luckily, we found this Society. I have been getting free dialysis treatment for my 22-year-old daughter for the last two-and-a-half years," he says. T he UK has removed Spain from its list of safe countries to travel to after fears were raised that the European country was experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections. It means those returning from the country will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to the UK. The Transport Secretary is among those who will have to now quarantine for 14 days, as the Foreign Office warns against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. Here is what it means for holidaymakers: AP When will holidaymakers have to self-isolate? The measures came into effect from midnight, meaning that from Sunday all returning travellers will be have to isolate for 14 days. The quarantine applies to people returning to any of the four nations of the UK - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Why is it being brought in now? The Government said the move follows a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace of change in confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Spain. On Thursday, the Spanish health ministry reported 971 new daily infections, the biggest daily increase since Spains lockdown ended. Catalonia became the latest region to crack down on nightlife, trying to halt new infection clusters. The wealthy north-east region - home to Barcelona - ordered all nightclubs to close for 15 days and put a midnight curfew on bars in the greater Barcelona area and other towns around Lleida that have become contagion hot zones. What should people do if they are already in Spain? People currently on holiday in Spain have been encouraged to follow the local rules, return home as normal and check the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices (FCO) travel advice pages on gov.uk for further information. The FCO is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave at this time. What should holidaymakers do if they have a holiday booked to Spain? The FCO is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. Abta the UKs travel trade association has advised customers due to travel to the country imminently to contact their travel provider. Holiday operator Tui has said it will cancel all planned holidays to Spain in response to the announcement and customers will be contacted to discuss options. Meanwhile, airline easyJet said it planned to operate its full schedule in the coming days. A spokeswoman said: Customers who no longer wish to travel can transfer their flights without a change fee or receive a voucher for the value of the booking. Should any flights be cancelled for later in August customers will be notified and informed of their options which includes transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher or applying for a refund. Does the quarantine apply if the holidaymaker has been to a Spanish island? Quarantine measures will apply to those returning from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa) and the Balearic Islands, such as Mallorca and Ibiza, the Department for Transport confirmed. Coronavirus cases have tripled in Rajasthan since July 1: Governor India pti-PTI Jaipur, July 26: Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Sunday expressed concern over growing coronavirus infections in the state, and said the number of active cases has tripled since July 1. According to a Raj Bhawan statement, the governor directed that serious efforts should be made to control the spread of the disease. He noted that active COVID-19 cases have tripled in the state since July 1. The governor's remarks come in the backdrop of a tug of war with the state government over convening of an Assembly session. The Congress government, which is facing a political crisis after a rebellion by the now sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs, has been pushing for an Assembly session. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News The party on Sunday accused the governor of resorting to the "worst kind of obstruction of democracy" by raising "superficial and motivated" queries on the Ashok Gehlot government's demand for convening a session of the Assembly. The state government has sent a revised proposal to the governor to call a session of the Assembly on July 31 after he had sought six-point clarifications on its earlier proposal. Congress alleges Rajasthan Governor stalling assembly session at the behest of Centre Meanwhile, the governor met Chief Secretary Rajeeva Swarup and Director General of Police (DGP) Bhupendra Yadav, who informed him about the security arrangements made for safeguarding the Raj Bhawan in view of a protest planned by the Congress on Monday. The Congress has announced that it will stage protests in front of Raj Bhawans across the country against what it called "misuse of powers" of governors to topple governments headed by opposition parties. On Sunday, Rajasthan reported 611 new cases of COVID-19 pushing the state's infection tally to 35,909. The number of active cases stood at 9,935, according to the health department. On July 1, the state had an active caseload of 3,317. So far, 621 people have died of the disease in the state. The prosecution said Sunday it is providing a number of services to support foreign crime victims going through local criminal procedures. Foreign victims can learn criminal procedures from videos posted by the Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO) on its YouTube channel in five different languages Chinese, English, Thai, Vietnamese and Russian or seek telephone counseling service in 19 languages, according to the office. Starting this month, the SPO will distribute booklets explaining support programs provided by the prosecution for foreign victims written in 16 languages to institutions such as multicultural family support centers, it said. Foreign victims can be accompanied by their translators or family members when undergoing questioning or giving testimonies. South Korea extends the stay period of victims of sexual crimes, child abuse and other domestic violence until the related trial is complete. The prosecution said it also does not report details of victims without legitimate stay permits to the immigration office if relieving them of damage they suffered is needed first. "We will do our best to protect crime victims who could be in a social blind spot," an official said. (Yonhap) Paying tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Kargil war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said wars are not only fought on the borders but within the country on multiple fronts. He said every countryman has to decide his/her role in it. We too should determine our roles, bearing in mind the soldiers fighting on the borders under the harshest conditions, he said in his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat, which coincided with the 21st anniversary of the Kargil Diwas. Addressing the 67th edition of his monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat, the PM also slammed Pakistan for stabbing India in the back by planning the Kargil war, which he said was carried out to divert attention from the internal problems in the neighbouring country. He said the attack was carried out at a time when India was trying to have good relations with Pakistan. Quoting a Sanskrit adage the PM said, to the wicked, enmity with all and for no reason comes naturally. People with such a disposition keep thinking of harming even their well-wishers that is why when India extended a hand of friendship, Pakistan tried to respond by stabbing in the back. Underlining the need to keep up the morale of the soldiers and their families, the PM said sometimes comments are made on social media that tend to lower the morale of the soldiers and are detrimental to the country. Also read: In PMs Mann ki Baat address, tribute to Kargil bravehearts, Covid warriors Whatever we speak or do during the times of war has an effect on the morale of the soldiers and their families, we should never forget this and therefore our behaviour and conduct should boost the morale and honour our soldiers, the PM said. Also read: Tired of wearing masks, think of corona warriors - PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat On the 21st anniversary of the Kargil victory, the PM referred to what former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said from the ramparts of the Red Fort after the Kargil war. He reminded the countrymen about Mahatma Gandhis talisman that was if anyone ever has any dilemma about what to do and what not to do then he should think of the poorest and the helpless person in India and think whether his act will benefit that person or not. Taking a cue from this thought of a Gandhi ji, Atal ji had said the Kargil war has given us another mantra - that before taking any important decision we should think whether the action will honour that soldiers who sacrificed his life in those treacherous mountains, the PM said. He urged the youth to share stories of the valour of the soldiers which will serve as an inspiration to others. Likening the ongoing fight against the corona pandemic to a war, he said in the last few months the way the entire country faced the challenges together has dispelled several apprehensions. Today the recovery rate in our country is better than others, the fatality rate is also much lesser than most countries. It is tragic to lose even one person but India has been able to save the lives of lakhs of people, he said and added that people should not let their guard down but remain extra vigilant and exercise caution. He said while fighting the pandemic, there is also the need to intensify efforts in scaling up business, jobs, and studies to take them to new heights. During the corona times, our rural areas have shown the way to the entire nation. Good efforts of villages are continuously coming to fore, he said. The PM also urged the youth to take a pledge to free the nation from the ongoing pandemic this Independence day and resolve to make India self-reliant. He asked the youth to learn and teach something new and resolve to earnestly carry out their duties. Lewis was beaten on the bridge in 1965 during a voting rights march, in a pivotal event in the US civil rights movement. The late United States Representative John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, for the final time on Sunday as remembrances continue for the civil rights legend. A crowd began gathering near the bridge that became a landmark in the fight for racial justice when Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten there 55 years ago on Bloody Sunday, a key event in the fight for voting rights for Black Americans. A horse-drawn hearse retraced the route through Selma from Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the 1965 march began. As the wagon approached the bridge, members of the crowd shouted Thank you, John Lewis! and Good trouble the phrase Lewis used to describe his tangles with white authorities during the civil rights movement. John Lewis had his skull cracked during a March in Selma for equal voting rights in 1965 [Brynn Anderson/Reuters] Some crowd members sang the gospel song Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus. Later, some onlookers sang the civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome and similar tunes. The hearse paused atop the bridge over the Alabama River as the cicadas sang in the summer heat. On the south side of the bridge, where Lewis was beaten by Alabama state troopers in 1965, family members placed roses that the carriage rolled over, marking the spot where Lewis spilt his blood and suffered a severe head injury. As a military honour guard lifted Lewiss coffin from the wagon into an automobile hearse, state troopers saluted Lewis. A native of Pike County, Alabama, Lewis became involved in the civil rights movement as a young man. In 1965, he and other marchers, calling for equal rights for all voters regardless of race, were beaten in Selma as segregationist Alabama Governor George Wallace ordered a crackdown. The news coverage of the event help galvanise support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Amid current national anti-racism protests and a movement to abolish Confederate monuments and symbols, calls have grown to rename the bridge in honour of Lewis. It is currently named after Edmund Winston Pettus, a former Confederate brigadier general and leader of the Alabama Ku Klux Klan. Week of memorials Lewiss body will later be brought to the Alabama Capitol in the afternoon to lie in repose. A series of events began on Saturday in Lewiss hometown of Troy, Alabama, to pay tribute to the late congressman and his legacy. He will lie in state at the US Capitol next week before his private funeral on Thursday at Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr once led. Frank and Ellen Hill drove for more than four hours from Monroe, Louisiana, to watch the procession. John Lewis was the youngest of the so-called Big Six activists who helped organise the march on Washington where Reverend Martin Luther King Jr gave his infamous I Have a Dream speech [File: Yuri Gripas/Reuters] Frank Hill, 60, said he remembers, as an African American child, watching news footage of Lewis and other civil rights marchers being beaten by law enforcement officers. I had to come back and see John Lewis cross the bridge for the last time, said Hill. Its funny to see the state troopers here to honour and respect him rather than beat the crap out of him, Hill told The Associated Press. Lewis, 80, died on July 17, several months after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. London: A resurgence of coronavirus cases in several European countries is rattling confidence that the hard-hit continent can stave off a second wave. Spikes have been recorded in Spain, France and Germany as summer travel gathers pace and governments try to strike a balance between managing fresh outbreaks and allowing the economy to recover from the crushing impact of the first deadly wave in March and April. Tourists enjoy the beach in Cadiz, Spain, amid a spike in coronavirus cases. Credit:AP In France, officials declared all progress since the country's strict lockdown was eased had been lost amid a "clear increase" in the number of cases over recent days. "We have returned to levels comparable with those at the end of the lockdown period," the country's health department said in a statement. The arrival of Ramon S. Torrecilha as Westfield State University president in 2016 was met with cheery optimism at a university with a turbulent history of controversial leaders. Torrecilha could inspire students just by his own story: a rise from childhood poverty in Brazil to prominence in public higher education in the U.S., the first member of his family to graduate from college. He seemed like just the choice for an emerging campus that yearned to be more modern, inclusive and relevant. As Torrecilha heads into retirement this summer, his accomplishments are undeniable. Westfield State appears on lists of best-value colleges in New England. Ties with the surrounding community have never been closer, according to civic leaders who lauded Torrecilha upon his retirement announcement in January. A passionate, consummate professional. He didnt just live for the day. He understood the new realities, said Westfield State trustees chairman Kevin Queenin of Torrecilha, 61. Through Ramon, Westfield State is positioned for years to come for success, growth and financial stability. Yet Torrecilhas exit also ends a tempestuous relationship with faculty, whose 211-6 no-confidence vote (with two abstentions) in 2019 brought attention to the rift. Torrecilha perceives the relationship as the price of action, but others describe an aloofness they say exacerbated the typical philosophical differences between faculty and administration the likes of which exist at most colleges to an unnecessary, damaging degree. I was not only on the search committee, I was the one who picked him up at the airport, shares Kathi Bradford. He was the most concerned, passionate person Id ever interviewed. The now retired Bradford is a veteran of 39 years at Westfield State, having served in residential life, alumni relations, as adjunct faculty and as a grievance officer, vice president and president of the union. He represented everything our university stands for, but his style on the ground (after taking over) was very different, Bradford says. He essentially told the staff to communicate with the vice president. Westfield State is beginning an organized search for a new, permanent president for the 2021-2022 academic year. Roy Saigo, who has served in a variety of administrative capacities at colleges throughout the country for decades, arrived on campus recently to begin service as interim president for the coming year. Torrecilha is among three Western Massachusetts university presidents who are retiring in 2020. Anthony Caprio at Western New England and Carol Leary at Bay Path are departing to universal praise as visionaries. Torrecilhas exit story is different. While even his ardent critics do not deny his successes, they describe two types of leader in one. They acknowledge his skills in fundraising, political interaction and alumni and community involvement. At the same time, they express frustration with a leader they experienced as uncommunicative and dismissive of their input and concerns, to the point in some minds of professional disrespect. As one faculty member put it, Torrecilhas leadership was evident off campus, but lacking when he was actually on the grounds of the university. For his part, the president says he departs with a sense of accomplishment, even while acknowledging his successor will inherit some unfinished tasks. Race relations and whats happening here we have begun to address it, but its still unfinished, Torrecilha says. COVID-19 heightened where we are in race relations, and all these issues are coming together. Weve tried to be more inclusive, but we are not where we need to be yet. Torrecilha speaks at a rally against racism organized by the university's education department in November 2017. (Don Treeger / The Republican file) Torrecilha, whose retirement announcement came just six weeks before Westfield shut down its campus in response to the pandemic, sees major challenges for higher education in general. Theres a question of whether we can support public higher education, he says. More and more, the cost is being shifted to students. Queenins unqualified support recognizes what even Torrecilhas critics concede: the president knew how to work the levers of bureaucracy, a skill any modern university leader needs. He developed a strategic plan and (education and political leaders in) Boston gave him a lot of credit for that, says the trustee. For his part, Torrecilha does not deny the well-publicized schism between his office and faculty. Let me say the faculty commitment to our excellence has been unwavering. Where we diverged was process, Torrecilha explains. In some instances, we could have been more inclusive, but I felt an urgency when I came. I felt relations with the community, the state and internally were broken, and time was of the essence. In a 2016 ceremony at Springfield Technical Community College, Torrecilha and STCC president John Cook signed an agreement to create a nursing degree partnership. (The Republican file) Torrecilha sees many accomplishments on and off campus for which he says he is proud. The universitys designed pathway for student success was organized and bolstered during his tenure. Called a road map for our institution, the strategic model focuses on student experience, enrollment, culture and resources, and was approved by the state Department of Higher Education. That defines my time here to me, Torrecilha says. With the Westfield Promise effort, the university entered partnerships with public schools in Westfield, Springfield and Holyoke and may branch out to West Springfield and Agawam, he says. The program aims to provide a bridge to college for high schoolers. Were making college possible for more high school students, Torrecilha says. We are de-mysticizing the college experience for first-generation (college) students, students of color and others. Torrecilha also found success in maneuvering political waters to secure funding for renovations at the Westfield campus. He says the long political odds in that forum got my juices flowing. Two summers ago, Gov. Charlie Baker visited and ceremonially signed the legislation that will provide $21.5 million renovation of Parenzo Hall to come a state-of-the-art hub for student access and workforce development. As for friction on campus, Queenin says he doesnt think the blame should land on the presidents doorstep. Ramon was a visionary. He embraced change, and that wasnt always welcomed on campus, the trustee says. He was also tireless, the hardest worker on campus. He was astute in finance, and in spite of COVID-19 and the states financial challenges, the university is in good shape. He was student-centric and inclusive. He leaves the university in much better shape than when he arrived. Torrecilha and Westfield State University Trustee Kevin Queenin, left, pose for a photo during a social hour at the Urban Education Program 50-Year Golden Gala at Westfield State University in November 2018. (The Republican file) Bradford concurs in part. I cant say Ramon didnt accomplish things. He did, she says. Fundraising was an asset. The alumni loved him, and we needed that. Psychology professor Claudia Ciano-Boyce, the president of the Westfield chapter of the Massachusetts State College Association, says a successor with the same management style as Torrecilhas could cause lasting damage. Her unions statement does not mention Torrecilha by name, but the residual effects of a fractured relationship are unmistakable. As we embark on a search for the next president, we look forward to a collaborative, respectful relationship. We hope our president will manage power wisely and lead with dignity,' the statement reads. This leader begins by listening and respecting the expertise of faculty whose relationship to the students is the cornerstone of the university. Listening with the aim to treat all employees with dignity, the president will welcome real collaboration, particularly in shared governance. This leader will empower faculty, staff and students rather than create fear and apprehension. Our future leader must have skills to fulfill fiduciary duties but must also be a leader able to improve and strengthen the bonds between all campus stakeholders, the statement concludes. Torrecilhas successor as permanent president will also inherit a more hybrid learning strategy, regardless of when the pandemic ends. While not downplaying in-person instruction, Torrecilha sees positives to expanded online learning. The internet has made knowledge more available and accessible, he says. The creation of knowledge has changed, but you dont necessarily need to be in a classroom to be engaged in a learning experience. Public universities themselves are now in a new, exciting era, he believes. What has changed is our commitment to teaching a learning process, versus, for instance, the research universities. Public education was once seen as a students second or third choice, but no longer, he says. From a personal perspective, Torrecilha doesnt know where his next step will take him. For the first time in my life, I dont have a plan,' he says with anticipation and optimism not trepidation in his voice. I wish Ramon the best. He was passionate about the Westfield State experience and among his successes, he helped us with our student retention program, which is the mission of higher education, Bradford says. We were so happy with him as a candidate. Im not sure we got that person. If we had, it might have been different. The United States has dispatched its special envoy for Afghanistan on a five-nation tour aimed at advancing a fragile Afghan peace process. The U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, departed on a trip to Doha, Islamabad, Kabul, Oslo, and Sofia, the State Department said in a July 25 statement. In Doha and Kabul, Khalilzad will press for resolution of the remaining issues ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations, specifically final prisoner exchanges and reduced violence. The Qatari capital has been the location of repeated rounds of U.S. talks with the Taliban. The United States and Taliban struck an agreement in February intended to pave the way for intra-Afghan peace talks between the militants and the U.S.-backed government in Kabul. Key preconditions for intra-Afghan talks are prisoner exchanges and a reduction of violence. The Taliban is prepared to hold peace talks with the Afghan government next month straight after the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, the militants said on July 23, provided the prisoner swap has been completed. However, on July 26, the Taliban accused Afghan security forces of rearresting insurgents who had been released, warning that Kabul would "bear responsibility for the consequences." "They are incessantly raided, detained and put behind the bar by NDS (national directorate of security) of the Kabul (administration)," Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter. Javid Faisal, the spokesman for Afghanistan's National Security Council, said the claim was "incorrect." "It's their way of sabotaging the peace efforts and the peace talks that should start," Faisal said. Taliban militants control about half of Afghanistan's territory and they have continued to carry out deadly attacks since the U.S.-Taliban deal was signed. Although significant progress has been made on prisoner exchanges, the issue requires additional effort to fully resolve, the State Department said. Khalilzad will also travel to Pakistan to seek its support in advancing intra-Afghan negotiations. In Oslo and Sofia, the diplomat will update NATO allies on the Afghan peace process. Khalilzad's tour comes amid soaring violence that has threatened to derail U.S.-backed efforts to bring Kabul and the Taliban to the negotiating table and seek an end to Afghanistan's nearly 19-year-old war. The Afghan National Security Council said on July 25 that in the past week the Taliban has killed 46 civilians and wounded 93 others. 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24 Aug (9) 10 Aug - 17 Aug (5) New York, July 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "China Floor Adhesives Market By Resin Type, By Technology, By End-Use, By Application, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05916845/?utm_source=GNW The China floor adhesives market is anticipated to grow at a steady pace during the forecast period.The floor adhesives are the sticky substances used for adhering floor material to the underlayment, thereby enhancing the strength to transmit load between the bases. The major factor for the growth of floor adhesives market in the country is the rapid industrial expansion along with urbanization.Some other factors that contribute to the market growth include improved standards of living coupled with increasing disposable income of consumers and growing developments in flooring materials used in numerous end user sectors. However, some of the major challenges faced by the floor adhesives market includes enactment of norms pertaining to the security of workers and release of volatile organic compounds. The China floor adhesives market is segmented based on resin type, technology, end-use, application, region and company.Based on resin type, the market has been segmented into polyurethane adhesive, epoxy adhesive, vinyl adhesive, acrylic adhesive and others. Among them, acrylic adhesive segment dominated the market until 2019 and is forecast to maintain its dominance through 2025 as well.This is because the acrylic adhesive is the most used floor adhesive, attributable to its numerous properties such as flexibility, better adhesion and suitability for multiple terrains. Also, the polyurethane adhesive segment is projected to register high growth in the years to come owing to its excellent properties like long-lasting surface finish, superior chemical, solvent, and scratch resistance, resistance against UV light damage, general wear-and-tear and extreme temperature variations. Major players operating in the China floor adhesives market include Bostik Findley China Co. Ltd., Mapei China Ltd, Laticrete International ?China?Co. Ltd., Forbo Shanghai Co Ltd, Dow Chemical China Co Ltd, Sika China Ltd, BASF China Co Ltd, Henkel China Investment Co Ltd, Wacker Chemicals Nanjing Co Ltd and others. Years considered for this report: Historical Years: 2015-2018 Base Year: 2019 Estimated Year: 2020 Forecast Period: 20212025 Objective of the Study: To analyze and forecast the market size of China floor adhesives market. To classify and forecast China floor adhesives market based on resin type, technology, end-use, application, company and regional distribution. To identify drivers and challenges for China floor adhesives market. To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in China floor adhesives market. To conduct pricing analysis for China floor adhesives market. To identify and analyse the profile of leading players operating in China floor adhesives market. The analyst performed both primary as well as exhaustive secondary research for this study.Initially, the analyst sourced a list of manufacturers across the region. Subsequently, the analyst conducted primary research surveys with the identified companies.While interviewing, the respondents were also enquired about their competitors. Through this technique, the analyst could include the manufacturers which could not be identified due to the limitations of secondary research. The analyst examined the manufacturers, distribution channels and presence of all major players across the region. The analyst calculated the market size of China floor adhesives market using a bottom-up approach, wherein data for various end-user segments was recorded and forecast for the future years. The analyst sourced these values from the industry experts and company representatives and externally validated through analyzing historical data of these product types and applications for getting an appropriate, overall market size. Various secondary sources such as company websites, news articles, press releases, company annual reports, investor presentations and financial reports were also studied by the analyst. Key Target Audience: Floor adhesives manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and other stakeholders Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers Organizations, forums and alliances related to floor adhesives Market research and consulting firms The study is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as manufacturers, suppliers and partners, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities. Report Scope: In this report, China floor adhesives market has been segmented into following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below: Market, By Resin Type: o Polyurethane Adhesive o Epoxy Adhesive o Vinyl Adhesive o Acrylic Adhesive o Others Market, By Technology: o Water-Based Adhesive o Hot-Melt Adhesive o Solvent-Based Adhesive Market, By End-Use: o Residential o Industrial o Commercial Market, By Application: o Wood o Carpet o Laminate o Tile & Stone o Others Market, By Region: o South Central o South West o East o North & North-East o North-West Competitive Landscape Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in China floor adhesives market. Available Customizations: With the given market data, we offers customizations according to a companys specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report: Company Information Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05916845/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Radio Programme Mann Ki Baat's 66th episode: PM dedicated his today's Mann Ki Baat episode to Kargil Vijay Diwas, he spoke of the valour and sacrifices of the Indian soldiers. He also addressed the enormity of the coronavirus situation in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modis monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat went on air at 11 a.m today. Also, Today marks the 21st anniversary to Indias triumph in the Kargil War. Prime Minister paid his tributes to the soldiers during the programme. PM Modi shared this information at 10 a.m. today. PM Modi started addressing the nation by saying that the Jawans defended our borders in the most crucial of times and the forces inspire India. He asked people to remember the sacrifices of the soldiers and emphasized the fact that citizens must always boost the morale of the soldiers. PM further says that today, people over the world are saluting and paying tribute to the Kargil heroes. He said that the entire world watched how India retaliated and won. He added that India won because of the courage of the Jawans. Also, Narendra Modi told how Vajpayees message resonates even now. Vajpayee invoked Gandhis ideology during the Kargil War. PM said that today, the wars are not solely fought on the battlefield, the citizens must unilaterally back India in every way. After addressing Kargil Diwas victory, PM Modi also talks about how efficiently India fought with the Covid-19 pandemic. He also mentioned that the fear of Covid-19 isnt completely over yet and India needs to follow precautions on the same. He said that the recovery rate of India in terms of Covid-19 is better than many other countries. Also read: Remembering our brave-hearts on Kargil Diwas 2020, Nation salutes Kargil heroes Also read: With more than 48,000 new cases in 24 hours, Indias Covid-19 tally surges to 13.8 lakh PM Modi asks the citizens to wear masks and follow social distancing and he also talks about how villages of the country are contributing to nations war against Covid-19. And, the Prime Minister shared the stories of women Corona warriors. He said that there are many inspiring women corona warriors across India and people are fighting the pandemic together. As various State and Central Board results have been announced recently, PM spoke to the toppers on phone across India, motivated, and, congratulated them. He also talked about Indias relations with Suriname, a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. PM told about Surinames Indic-Vedic culture. He concluded by speaking about how the Indic culture is expanded and deep-rooted. Prima Minister Modi informed about todays subject of Mann Ki Baat through a tweet, today morning at 10 a.m. He wrote in his tweet that, on Kargil Diwas, India remembers the courage and determination of its armed forces, who steadfastly protected India in 1999. He went on to write that armys valour continues to inspire generations. He then wrote that he will speak more about this during todays Mann Ki Baat. On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations. Will speak more about this during todays #MannKiBaat, which begins shortly. #CourageInKargil Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2020 This is the 14th episode of Mann Ki Baat edition 2.0. Mann Ki Baat is a radio programme where Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi talks to the citizens of India about various things. He addresses the nation on All India Radio, DD News and DD National. Since this programme first aired on October 3, 2014, this is the 66th episode of Mann Ki Baat. Prime Minister also spoke about the coronavirus pandemic. Coronavirus cases in India have hit the 14 lakh mark. before todays episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister also asked people to send in their suggestions and ideas to combat Covid-19 pandemic. Also read: Modis Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi likely to speak on Unlock 3.0 For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Your browser does not support the video tag. Bakri Eid: Amid outbreak, sacrificial goats get expensive India pti-PTI Mumbai, July 26: A drastic drop in supply and the closure of Deonar abattoir due to the coronavirus outbreak has spiked prices of goats for slaughter during Bakri Eid in Mumbai, social activists said on Sunday. The price has increased from Rs 20,000 earlier to Rs 30,000 per goat now, with the sale based on weight, making it out of reach for several families who want to carry out the traditional sacrifice during the festival, they said. With animal markets closed due to the outbreak, sellers have set up makeshifts stalls in Muslim-dominated areas, and the extra effort on their part to operate the business is resulting in exorbitant prices being demanded, an activist said. While the state government has asked people to go online to buy sacrificial animals this year, activists said many buyers are not technology savvy enough to carry out such transactions. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News "I used to buy four goats for sacrifice earlier, but can afford only one this year as the sale is based on the goat''s weight," a buyer said. No mass prayers in Eidgah for Bakrid; Up to 50 allowed at a time in mosques: Karnataka govt A goat seller in Kurla said, "We have come from Rajasthan, and since there are no markets this year, we have taken godowns on rent to house the goats. Since rents are very high, to avoid losses, we are selling goats by weight rather than lump-sum." Mahim-based social activist Irfan Macchiwala said the government should allow camels for sacrifice as the ban on slaughter of cows and bullocks had restricted the market to just goats, which in turn was making it too costly for families. Lessons learned? Re: Sen. Cruz warns of blue wave in Texas, Front Page, Jan. 19, and When President Biden takes office, a quiet realignment, by David brooks, Other Views, Jan. 19: People had good reasons for voting against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, but if she had prevailed, we would be light-years ahead of where we are now with this virus. It is conceivable that given her knowledge of how government works, she would have done so well at handling the virus that she would even now be standing for re-election. We, the People learned the hard way that President Donald Trump is unqualified for his job, and the Electoral College is antiquated. Trump lost the popular vote in 2016 by 3 million votes when we knew nothing about him. Now that we know him, why shouldnt he lose by 5 million or 6 million votes this time? Bobby Riley On ExpressNews.com: Brooks: When President Biden takes office, a quiet realignment A scientific mindset Re: Attacks on Fauci, attacks on the truth, Editorial, Monday: Scientists and politicians have different mindsets. The difference shows up in how each handles mistakes. True scientists base their actions on the best available evidence. They welcome new evidence, even if it reveals they have made a mistake. Take, for example, scientists who once considered that the sun and stars rotated around the Earth. The scientific mindset prompts scientists to admit their mistakes and take action to correct them. Politicians tend to base their actions on whatever will enhance their chance of election or re-election. This political mindset causes mistakes to be ignored or denied. Some politicians blame others for their own mistakes or even generate alternative facts to claim there was no mistake (as do a few scientists). And some change their opposition to another person to support for that person, and vice versa, if they think it increases their own electability. Fortunately, there are some politicians who act for the benefit of their larger constituency rather than for personal gain the late Sen. John McCain comes to mind. They are more properly called statesmen (or women). Let us hope that people such as Dr. Anthony Fauci with the scientific mindset will prevail as we recover from earlier mistakes made by politicians and others regarding COVID-19. Paul A. Foerster On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Attacks on Fauci are attacks on truth Online not for all Im a student at Alamo Heights High School. Ive read several articles and opinion pieces on schools reopening, and while they are all well-supported, they all seem to be from the point of view of adults. Id just like to throw a students opinion in the mix. Everyone I know is aware of the risks in going back to school in person, and yet many students and parents have voted in favor of in-person learning. These reasons have nothing to do with politics. Parents need to be able to work so they can earn money to feed their families, and kids need to see other kids. I cant speak to the arrangements of other families, but my parents and I have decided its worth the risk. While teachers do have extremely valid reasons for being cautious about returning, the ones Ive spoken with agree its best for students to learn in person. Morgan Powers It could happen here My question goes out to all of you who believe in states rights, impartial federal law enforcement and an impartial attorney general. It seems that we dont have either of these in this country right now. How would you feel about the federal government sending armed unidentified law enforcement into the streets of San Antonio to pull citizens into unmarked cars without announcing why? This is the action under dictatorships. This is the perfect tactic to disrupt our election and our legal demonstrations to improve racial justice, and to destroy our Constitution and our democratic republic. Everyone should be calling every White House official even remotely connected to this fiasco. If we dont respond to this illegal activity, we are going to look around in November and wonder where it all went so wrong. This is an attack on democracy, and since no one in Washington, D.C., seems to be able to do anything, it is now up to the citizens of this country to act. Helen Chouinard Still proud American I am still a proud American regardless of the animosity I witness daily disparaging our great country. Is our country perfect? No. Nothing is perfect! However, as a retired military guy who has had the opportunity to see much of the world, I would not live anywhere else. If you think socialism or communism will provide a better way, there are many countries in the world who will welcome you with open arms. After I retired from the U.S. Air Force, I became a teacher. Besides reading, writing and arithmetic, I taught three key life concepts. They were simple: The golden rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you), mutual respect (treat others as equal regardless of race, color, creed or religion) and integrity (my Air Force definition was simply to do what you know is right even if no one is watching). Three simple tenets. I wish every person, parent, kid and politician would adhere to these three simple concepts. The world would be a much better place! John Gretz Bengaluru: Close on the heels of Rustom-II, India's indigenously developed long-endurance combat-capable drone successfully completing its maiden-flight, The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has decided to produce 10 such unmanned aircraft for induction into the Indian armed forces in the future. "We have decided to produce 10 pilot less or unmanned aircraft like Rustom-II, aimed at giving a boost to India's development programme for UAV," DRDO Director S Christopher told reporters. He said, "Young DRDO engineers would work hard to make it successful. It would, at least, take one year to do it. We will also seek to get an order from Indian armed forces." Christopher said development of nine prototypes of the advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) would be done after the successful flight of the first such drone. "The first flight will be followed by development of nine more prototypes of the advanced UAV for testing, after which the certification process will start," he said. Christopher clarified that TAPAS-BH-201 (Tactical Advanced Platform for Aerial Surveillance-Beyond Horizon-201) will be in a non-combat role. "Media reports are incorrect. Tapas is an UAV and not UCAV," he said. He exuded confidence in going forward with the indigenous UAV on the lines of LCA Tajas which had proved its ability and is ready to be deployed in the armed forces, both in Air Force and Navy. On the test flight of Rustom-2, rechristened as Tapas 201, Christopher said the UAV had met the initial expectations and the Rs 1,500 crore programme was on line. On updates on indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas which is now inducted into armed forces, he said DRDO desires to take the total orders to 123 after meeting the placement of an additional 83 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The 83 aircraft will see improvements made in avionics and weaponry capability and this include the next version of LCA Mk2. While the first 20 LCAs for IAF will go as per the initial operational configuration, all efforts are being made to incorporate other changes mandated for the final operational clearance for the second 20 aircraft. DRDO is in talks with private firm Snecma, which is ready to help Kaveri programme revive under the offset clause, company Director General (Aero), C P Ramnarayanan said, adding funds to the extent of Rs 2,105 crore has already been spent on this aero engine programme but with little success. The latest plan to revive it with Snecma's help will see another Rs 500 crore or more being spent. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A Nigerian fraudster who was the prime mover in a criminal enterprise in the UK is being flown back here after his deportation was ruled unlawful. The conman was jailed for four-and-a-half years and deported in 2018, but a judge has ordered the Home Office to fly him back to Britain. In an immigration tribunal judgment published last week, Mr Justice Lane ruled that the criminal, who was granted anonymity in the case, had a right to have his appeal heard here. The fraudster claimed he would be persecuted in his home country because he was bisexual, a Christian who converted from Islam and had paid for male prostitutes at a party while on holiday in Nigeria. The conman was jailed for four-and-a-half years and deported in 2018, but a judge has ordered the Home Office to fly him back to Britain The ruling comes as it can be revealed that six other would-be deportees, who were due to be removed on a plane to West Africa when it was halted by protesters in 2017, have also been allowed to remain in the UK. Last night, Conservative MP Peter Bone, who has repeatedly called for foreign criminals to be removed from the UK, said: Its very hard to understand how we finish up paying to take back someone who is a convicted criminal in this country and was already sent back to where he is a citizen. There is no logic to that at all. We have to send foreign criminals back to where theyve come from. They cant come here, accept our hospitality in the UK, break the law, get put in jail and then we cant deport them. I cant fathom why anyone thinks they have the right to remain here.This is the kind of thing my constituents dont understand and find mind-boggling. Last week the immigration tribunal judgment was published declaring the Nigerian conman must be flown back. In his ruling, Mr Justice Lane noted that the judge sentencing the man for fraud in December 2013 described him as the prime mover in a criminal enterprise of almost three years duration. The conman and others under his control used stolen identities to submit 154 fraudulent VAT claims laundering the cash through bank accounts at a substantial, and irrecoverable, cost to the United Kingdom taxpayer. But while in jail he submitted a claim for UK residency because of his wifes EU citizenship. He also claimed he was being pursued by male prostitutes in Nigeria after arranging for them to attend a sex party while he was on holiday there in May 2013. Home Office Minister Chris Philp revealed that six would-be deportees due to leave Stansted Airport in 2017 have been allowed to remain in the UK In his ruling to have the fraudster flown back to Britain, the judge said he did not consider it appropriate to give the fact of the applicants criminal offending much weight and that the Home Office had acted unlawfully by removing him for being out of time with his appeal. He concluded: We declare the removal of the applicant on 28 March 2018 to be unlawful. Meanwhile, Home Office Minister Chris Philp revealed that six would-be deportees due to leave Stansted Airport in 2017 have been allowed to remain in the UK. Last year The Mail on Sunday told how 25 offenders on the plane included individuals who where jailed for murder, child rape and grievous bodily harm. It is not clear whether the six revealed to still be in the UK include those criminals, although the Home Office refused to deny that this was the case. In a written response to a parliamentary question by the Green Partys Caroline Lucas, the Minister said two of the migrants were issued residence cards as family members of EU nationals. Another three were granted leave to remain on human rights grounds and the sixth was identified as a victim of trafficking. Their removal was initially blocked by a group of Left-wing activists dubbed the Stansted 15 who cut a hole in a fence at the Essex airport. The protesters, who were later convicted under a terrorism-related law, claim they stopped the plane because people on the flight were at risk of persecution. Last night, a Home Office spokesman said: We share the publics anger at the range of action taken to frustrate the removal of foreign national offenders. The Home Secretary is looking into reforming the system to ensure that those who come to this country and commit crimes can be removed faster. Kate Moss made an unexpected appearance in the Johnny Depp libel trial last Tuesday. Unlike Depp's other former partners, Winona Ryder and Vanessa Paradis, whom we had once expected to testify on his behalf, Moss was never mentioned as part of the case, but then, last Tuesday, her name arose. And Kate Moss may have been as surprised by that as everyone else. The former supermodel's name was invoked by Amber Heard on her second day giving testimony against ex-husband Depp in his London High Court libel case against the publishers of The Sun newspaper and its executive editor Dan Wootton. Depp is taking his action against their labelling of him as a "wife beater" and while Heard testified last week to him punching her "for years", while she never retaliated, the other side alleged conspiracies, changed stories and consistent violence on her part. Heard concluded her time in the stand last Friday, after yet another week of mind-bending detail, accusation and counter-accusation in the case. The court heard the actress's claims of years of abuse, verbal and physical, as well as testimony from her bodyguards of Depp's violence, and from his bodyguards that Heard was the aggressor. Further, Amber Heard's sister, Whitney Henriquez, testified not only to begging the actress not to marry him as "putting a ring on her finger was not going to stop him hitting her", but also to witnessing the alleged altercation out of which Kate Moss arose. The row, which allegedly occurred in March 2015, happened during a destructive spree by Depp around the couple's LA home, into which Whitney Henriquez intervened out of concern for her sister's safety. During the course of an argument, Heard testified, she suddenly believed Depp was about to knock Henriquez down the stairs and hit out at him in defence of her sister. In that moment, Heard said last Tuesday, she recalled "a rumour" that Depp had once pushed Kate Moss down a stairs while they were a couple. On cross-examination by Depp's lawyers, Heard was asked why, in her previously recorded recollection of this incident, the Kate Moss rumour had never arisen. She was accused, as she was on many occasions last week by Depp's team, of making up and changing things to suit her side of the story. Heard denies all of these accusations. It has to be said, however, that all either side of this case can do is insist that the other side is wrong, mistaken, misremembering or downright lying. It boils down to what two people, within what was an undeniably difficult and chaotic relationship, say about what went on. It's he said, she said and it will be a difficult case for a single judge to call. Heard, with the drug and drink abuse that Depp does not deny, any more than he denies a fair amount of property damage, can be perceived to remember rather more about events than he does, but that's not the point of this case. The point of this case is whether or not The Sun was correct in calling Depp a ''wife beater''. Read More Depp says he is not and never has been. He says he has a problem with addiction that he battles, at some times more successfully than others, and that he has anger, which he has been known to take out on inanimate objects. Amber Heard contends that he took it out on her. Depp says that his ex-wife made it worse, with taunting, lack of support and what he describes as a mercurial and violent character. He even contended in court that she had malice aforethought, wooing him at the start of their relationship, but always with the intention of destroying him. Or so Depp contends. Last week, we heard testimony from people outside of the couple themselves, which, in some cases, would swing judgment to one side or the other as corroborating evidence. In this case, however, one side was so absolutely opposite to the other that they almost cancelled one another out and left onlookers none the wiser. Bodyguards in Depp's employ agreed with his portrayal of Heard as the aggressor. Heard's sister testified to seeing marks on the actress, to seeing Depp punch her, to fearing for her sister's life. Heard's bodyguard, last Friday, backed up the impression of Depp as an out-of-control and violent ''monster''. To say that the testimony has been polarised is an understatement. Further, to say that the relationship seems to have been dysfunctional and the lifestyle dissolute is also an understatement. We've always bought into the image of Johnny Depp as this too-beautiful hellraiser, but that's not what we've seen here. Instead, it's like the facade of glamour has been stripped away, the lie of smiling red-carpet poses and a privileged life of wealth and comfort has been exposed and what's left is really seedy, really nasty and really miserable. Depp and Heard were not nice to each other in their marriage, regardless of whether anyone hit anyone. The fact of 100,000-worth of damage done to a rental house in Australia, where they lived while he filmed Pirates of the Caribbean and where he suffered a severed finger - either through his own violent rage or hers, depending on who is telling it - is not the stuff of the easy life. And yet, when testimony was given last week of what Heard described as a three-day ''hostage" situation during that same trip to Australia, we saw photographs of a fairly lovely set-up, with huge doors out of which she could have escaped. It's this kind of juxtaposition of luxury and alleged misery that has characterised the case, which concluded yesterday in a confusion of depressingly grim detail of unhappiness. The juxtaposition was there again, last week, when we saw footage of a Thanksgiving celebration, shot about the time Heard alleges she was assaulted by Depp, which shows them hanging out and drinking and laughing with Keith Richards and Depp's son Jack. They joked about Depp's ''monster'' alter ego. It was too dark to see if anyone was showing any injuries. It is also impossible to tell if this was a couple happy in their marriage or as miserable as this case has made out, thanks to the detailed and mutually damaging testimony from both sides. As the case ends, a single judge has to decide on whether Johnny Depp was physically abusive in his marriage to Amber Heard, to the extent that it justified him being called a "wife beater". If they find that this was justified, then that can be repeated, legally, for all time. If they find in Depp's favour, then it has to be decided what financial reparations need to be made to him, for lost earnings and reputation and earnings. Of course, either way, there's no coming back from what has been said in the past weeks and the damage that has been done, on both sides. We've seen the underbelly. We can never unsee it, no matter what a judge decides. As India celebrates the 21st Kargil Vijay Diwas on Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah remembered the sacrifices and the valour of the Indian Army during the 1999 Kargil War, to push Pakistan's infiltration into Indian territory. Taking to Twitter, both the leaders paid tribute to the fallen heroes of the Kargil War and laid down their lives in the service of the nation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also pay tributes to the fallen soldiers at National War Memorial in New Delhi at 9.00 am. 'The country is proud of the heroes' Taking to Twitter, Home Minister Amit Shah said that Kargil Vijay Diwas is a proof of India's valour and leadership. He extended his respects to the families of fallen soldiers and recalled the moment when the Kargil warriors drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and unfurled the Tricolor on it again. , , pic.twitter.com/mD9Ged8Pkz Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 26, 2020 Kargil Vijay Diwas | President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu pay respects to the heroes of the Kargil War Rajnath Singh to visit National War memorial Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh said that he is saluting the brave soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who fought the enemy under the most challenging conditions. "Kargil Vijay Diwas is indeed the celebration of Indias proud tradition of outstanding Military service, exemplary valour and sacrifice. The unwavering courage and patriotism of our Armed Forces has ensured that India is safe and secure," he said. He also expressed his gratitude to those who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. He said that he is grateful to those who despite becoming disabled in battle, continue to serve the country in their own ways and have set examples worthy of emulation by the Nation On the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay, I would like to salute the brave soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who fought the enemy under the most challenging conditions that the world had witnessed in the recent history. #CourageInKargil Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 26, 2020 Kargil Vijay Diwas | Puducherry L-G Kiran Bedi pays respects: 'Our homage and gratitude to the bravest' Kargil War It was on July 26, 1999, when the Indian Army recaptured all the Indian posts in Kargil which had been occupied by the Pakistani Army. The war that took place between May and July of 1999 in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil district, was orchestrated by the then Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf. The Pakistan Army infiltrated into Indian territory in remote locations using subterfuge and captured several mountain tops overlooking the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway, after which the Indian Army launched "Operation Vijay", based on the information from local shepherds about they alleged positions. Even as the Pakistani Army had positioned itself at higher altitudes due to its first-move infiltration, the Indian Army was quick to respond. Amid the war, Pakistan had asked the US to intervene, however, the then US President Bill Clinton refused to help until Pakistani forces withdrew from the Line of Control. The Indian Army attacked and defeated Pakistan, recapturing all positions by July 26, 1999. Since then, July 26 has been annually observed to commemorate the sacrifices of the soldiers in the Kargil War - the Kargil Vijay Diwas. Kargil Vijay Diwas: Take a look at Indian Army's tributes dedicated to martyrs of the 1999 Kargil War When the Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane opened in 1860, it was the first mental hospital in Wisconsin. In 1935, it was renamed Mendota State Hospital, and in 1974 it became Mendota Mental Health Institute. Ott is buried in the cemetery at Mendota, Nielsen said, and has one of the few markers there. Nielsen said whats fascinating to her about the Midwestern states is that once they declared statehood, in the first years, almost all of them created a state Capitol, a university, a prison and an asylum. Those were the priorities and Wisconsin was like that, too, she said. No graduation record Otts parents emigrated from Switzerland to Ohio when she was a teenager, and her first husband, Jonathan Miesse, was a physician in Chillicothe, Ohio. Nielsen said it was during her first marriage that she could have received her medical training. Nielsen said that Anna Miesses passport application showed her to be a graduate of the Female Medical College of Philadelphia, but despite her best historical mining efforts, she found no documentation of Anna Barbara Blaser Miesse (or Ott) in the records of any medical schools in Philadelphia, Ohio, New York, or elsewhere. On Sunday, 21 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Wyoming Department of Healths daily update. The department announced eight new probable cases. Nineteen new confirmed recoveries were announced, but two probable recoveries were removed from the states total. There are now 2,029 confirmed cases, 446 probable cases, 1,538 confirmed recoveries and 345 probable recoveries in Wyoming. Twenty-five Wyomingites have died after contracting COVID-19. In Natrona County, 165 confirmed cases and 30 probable cases have been recorded. Probable cases are defined by officials as close contacts of lab-confirmed cases with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. A patient is considered fully recovered when there is resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and there is improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) for 72 hours AND at least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Cases plateaued in Wyoming in late spring before beginning a spike in mid-June. That surge brought about an increase in the rate of reported coronavirus patients not yet seen here since the pandemic began. As a result, state health officials have decided against their plans to eliminate almost all coronavirus restrictions. Instead, State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist has extended the current restrictions through the end of the month. While Gov. Mark Gordon has said he is not considering a statewide face mask requirement, he has urged the states residents to wear them. The symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever and shortness of breath. Symptoms appear within two weeks. Health officials recommend self-isolating for two weeks if you have contact with a person who has the illness. Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Sunday said that producer-director Mahesh Bhatt, Karan Johars manager and even Johar, if need be, will be questioned in actor Sushant Singh Rajputs death by suicide. The minister said the police were investigating if business rivalry drove Rajput to take the extreme step. Rajput, 34, was found dead in his apartment in Bandra on June 14. Deshmukh had tweeted on June 15, the police were investigating clinical depression owing to professional rivalry. Deshmukh said that Bhatt is being called for questioning on Monday and Johars manager will be called thereafter. Police will call Johar too if required. Summons have been sent to actor Kangana Ranaut for her statement in the case, he said. Police has already questioned more than 30 people from the film industry, including director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, director-producer Aaditya Chopra, among others. Deshmukh had last week said there was no need for a CBI probe into the case and Mumbai Police were probing it efficiently. He had reacted after actor Rhea Chakraborty took to social media, demanding the probe be shifted to the central agency. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has sent a letter to President Moon Jae-in to express hope to beef up joint work between South Korea and his foundation in responding to the new coronavirus, the presidential office said Sunday. The chief of the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation said in the letter sent on Monday that he was impressed by South Korea's coronavirus response, citing its quarantine measures and the private sector's vaccine development efforts, according to Cheong Wa Dae. If South Korea's SK Bioscience Co. succeeds in developing a vaccine for the new virus, the company will be able to produce 200 million vaccines a year starting June next year, Gates was quoted as saying. SK Bioscience has won US$3.6 million in research funding from the foundation to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. Gates also said he will expand the foundation's investment in Right Fund, a nongovernmental agency that it set up in 2018 together with Seoul's health ministry and five Korean biopharmaceutical firms to help developing countries resolve public health problems. Gates congratulated first lady Kim Jung-sook on her appointment as the honorary president of the International Vaccine Institute's (IVI) Korea support committee. The IVI is an international agency dedicated to vaccine research and development. Moon and Gates held phone talks in April and have agreed to expand cooperation in efforts to develop vaccines and treatments against the new virus. (Yonhap) Egypt will reopen nature reserves in two of its governorates Red Sea and South Sinai on Sunday 26 July, with the entrance fees reduced by half, the environment ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The statement said that the 50 percent discount will be applied for all individual trips and for daily sea cruises. Minister of the Environment Yasmin Fouad said in the statement that the decision comes in light of the state's strategy to apply a package of incentives to restore tourism, which has suffered a blow due to the coronavirus pandemic. Egypt resumed regular international flights on 1 July after more than three months of closure over the coronavirus pandemic. The country is looking to revive its vital tourism industry, a major source of foreign currency that has been hard hit by the pandemic shutdown. The reopening of the nature reserves will take place under a number of precautions to ensure the safety of tourists and sector workers, Fouad said. The ministry has recently issued guidelines for safari trips and sea cruises in both governorates regarding activities, interpersonal interaction, and waste handling rules to curb the spread of the virus and preserve the ecosystem, the statement said. South Sinai protectorates: Ras Mohamed, Nabq, Abu Galum, Taba, and Saint Catherine. Red Sea protectorates: Northern Islands, Wadi El-Gemal, Elba, and Remote Islands. Search Keywords: Short link: The big shareholder groups in Bunzl plc (LON:BNZL) have power over the company. 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 UK7.4b, Bunzl 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 are noticeable on the share registry. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about Bunzl. See our latest analysis for Bunzl What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Bunzl? 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 Bunzl. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. 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 Bunzl's historic earnings and revenue, below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Institutional investors own over 50% of the company, so together than can probably strongly influence board decisions. Bunzl is not owned by hedge funds. The company's largest shareholder is Mawer Investment Management Limited, with ownership of 6.6%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 5.1% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 4.6% by the third-largest shareholder. 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. Story continues While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. Insider Ownership Of Bunzl The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our information suggests that Bunzl plc insiders own under 1% of the company. Being so large, we would not expect insiders to own a large proportion of the stock. Collectively, they own UK5.3m of stock. Arguably recent buying and selling is just as important to consider. You can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public holds a 13% stake in BNZL. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Next Steps: I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Bunzl that you should be aware of before investing here. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. A protester was shot in Colorado when a car drove into a crowd of people marching against the death of Elijah McClain in police custody. The Aurora Police Department said on Twitter that protesters were walking on Interstate 225 on Saturday when a vehicle drove through the crowd. Police said a demonstrator fired a weapon, striking at least one person who was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Authorities added that the vehicle was towed away from the scene and they are now investigating the incident. The protesters were reportedly marching in protest of the death of Elijah McClain, an unarmed black 23-year-old man who died three days after he was put in a chokehold and sedated by Aurora police. People run to get out of the way as a Jeep speeds through a crowd of people protesting the death of Elijah McClain on I-225 / Getty Images Mr McClain went into cardiac arrest, was later declared brain dead and taken off life support. Someone had reported Mr McClain for looking "sketchy" because he was wearing a ski mask. Police said protesters also broke windows to the courthouse on Saturday and a fire was started in an office, with demonstrators ordered to leave after an unlawful assembly was declared. People run for cover moments after a driver in a blue Jeep rammed through the crowd of protesters and shots were fired during a march on Interstate 225 in Aurora, Colorado / REUTERS Tensions have been heightened at recent protests against racial injustice since federal officials were sent to quell demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland into the early hours of Saturday. The Federal Protective Service had declared the gathering as an unlawful assembly and said officers had been injured. A man holds up a smoke flare on Saturday in Richmond, Virginia / Getty Images Meanwhile, police declared a riot in Seattle on Saturday. On the same day a rubbish lorry was set on fire as protesters faced off with police in Virginia during a demonstration in support of protesters in Portland. Police worked to clear the crowd of a several hundred protesters late on Saturday and declared an unlawful assembly at around 11pm local time. What appeared to be tear gas was deployed to disperse the group. Protesters had been planning the demonstration called Richmond Stands With Portland for days, news outlets reported, in an apparent reaction to ongoing tensions between protesters and US agents at the federal courthouse in Oregons largest city. Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality have spread around the world following the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man in Minnesota who died after a white officer held him to the ground with a knee to his neck. A total of 9,886,768 prospective voters have so far been registered after day 20 of the mass registration exercise being conducted by the Electional Commission (EC). Provisional data from the electoral management body shows that 2,201,405 were captured after phase one of the exercise while 2,219,519 were registered under phase two. The third phase of the exercise saw the registration of 3,825,216 voters. For challenges, 4,014 persons were questioned representing 0.18 percent of the registered persons under phase one. The most challenges in that phase were in the Greater Region, followed by the Ahafo Region. 4,144 representing 0.19 percent were challenged under phase two with the Greater Accra and Volta Regions placing first and second respectively with most contentions. For phase three, 6,007 challenges were recorded accounting for 0.16 of such cases. The voter registration exercise has been ongoing since June 30, 2020. It is expected to end in August 2020. The commission is seeking to register some 15 million eligible voters within the period. citinewsroom BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th July, 2020) The Colombian police have caught a former member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), said to have continued engaging in criminal activities even after the group's disarmament, President Ivan Duque said. "Very good news: [the Colombian police] reports a serious blow to criminal structures in Maicao, [ the department of] La Guajira, with the capture of Francisco Durango Usuga also known as 'Ariel' or 'Frita' ... who have sowed terror with his actions for 30 years, he is attributed, among other crimes, a conspiracy to commit aggravating crimes, manufacturing, trafficking and carrying weapons, and drug trafficking in a border region with Venezuela," the president tweeted. Duque has also claimed that the arrested was among the former FARC members, who, in 2019, announced the creation of a new armed group. FARC was created in 1964 as a left-wing armed force, operating against the Colombian government. In 2017, after the disarmament process, it became Common Alternative Revolutionary Force political party. Nevertheless, in August 2019, former FARC leader Ivan Marquez declared his return to armed struggle. Update: A Gwinnett County Superior Court judge dismissed the request for emergency injunction as part of a lawsuit against Landmark Hospital on July 16. The lawsuit has not been dismissed entirely. The original story is below. A Georgia Department of Community Health investigation of Landmark Hospital of Athens found the hospital is in compliance with state health guidelines for nursing services and infection prevention and control. The investigation, conducted from June 24-30, was prompted by a lawsuit filed by four anonymous nurses on June 17. The suit alleges that Landmark tested patients for COVID-19 improperly and falsified the test results. It asked for court intervention to stop the hospital from receiving new patients or transferring any patients to other hospitals. The investigation for the DCH was conducted with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to the investigation results, the surveyors found Landmark wasnt violating any health standards. Landmark filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on June 29. There is an emergency hearing scheduled for Thursday about the motion to dismiss the suit. Correction: A judge dismissed the request for an emergency injunction, not the entire lawsuit as a previous version of this article stated. The Red & Black regrets this error and it has been corrected. Remy Labesque has a compelling day job: He's senior industrial designer at Tesla in Los Angeles. But for three years, he's worked on a side project that's enviable to people outside Elon Musk's universe. Labesque has reengineered the classic chocolate chip because, he says, the 80-year-old teardrop shape is ill-suited to its function. "The chip isn't a designed shape," says Labesque. "It's a product of an industrial manufacturing process." The baking standby is optimized for mass production, not for baking in cookies whose broad surface area is better suited to maximize taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Labesque's redesign for artisanal Dandelion Chocolate is a square, faceted pyramid, kind of like a flattened diamond. Two edges are thick, and two exceedingly thin, for even more textural pleasure. The Dandelion chip project was born of necessity. For years, the San Francisco chocolatier's executive pastry chef Lisa Vega had been hand piping quarter-sized chocolate discs for her top-selling "Maybe The Very Best Chocolate Chip Cookie." It took individuals up to 4 hours to create the chips, which were inconsistently shaped and barely met demand. She pointed out the problem to Todd Masonis, who opened Dandelion with Cameron Ring after selling their tech start-up Plaxo to Comcast for around $170 million. In 2017, Labesque was enlisted to help. Masonis was already in the process of building a $10 million-plus Wonka-esque facility, which opened in 2019, to upgrade the company's chocolate production. The tempering line alone, which was eventually outfitted with Labesque's molds to create exquisitely smooth, uniform chips, cost about $500,000. Last year, Dandelion sold almost 30,000 chocolate chip cookies from its three San Francisco stores. (There are also five locations in Japan and one in Las Vegas.) Labesque first got involved in Dandelion projects when he lived in San Francisco and attended Dandelion's Chocolate 101 class in 2013. "I was struck by their attention to detail. It was remarkable that they were as obsessive as they were,while still shipping at scale," he says. Past Labesque-Dandelion collaborations include a cookie "holster" that fits on a to-go coffee cup. The designer gets paid in chocolate. Labesque's industrial design process includes hand-sketching concepts that are turned into computer drawings; the most promising are made into physical prototypes. (At Tesla, his focus is on solar roofs, vehicle accessories, and charging.) "I find that that's a really effective way of thinking through the form development process," he says. At Dandelion, the design brief was to make "the best chip for the experience of tasting chocolate," says chef Vega. Experts claim the way to do that is to let it melt on your tongue. Each time a prototype came off the line, Vega would start baking. "They stay whole, but once they're baked, the center of the chip gets soft," she observes, a benefit for experiencing the chocolate's texture. Labesque designed the thin, melt-in-your-mouth edges to be sturdy enough to hold their shape in baking and not to break when the chip is unmolded. Labesque, Vega, and Masonis eventually settled on a square shape. It gave Dandelion a distinctive look, and it allowed for flat, faceted surfaces. Dandelion currently sells its "facets" in three distinct, 70% single-origin, types: from Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Madagascar. Additional single-origin styles are planned for the future. The lengthy research and development and ingredient sourcing comes at a cost: a 17.6 oz. bag of the chips goes for $30. Michele Tanenbaum, a recipe developer in Brooklyn, N.Y., was impressed with the quality of Dandelion's facets. When heated, they shine like glass but keep a recognizable shape and enviable texture. "You don't experience that," she says. "Even with the better chips, they turn waxy." Still, Dandelion has a long way to go to catch up to Nestle, which remains the champion chip maker. In 2019, Toll House produced 115.5 billion chips, up from 90 billion in 2018. And a 12 oz. bag costs around $3. The suspect illegally crossed the demarcation line on July 19. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared an emergency and a lockdown in a border town after a person suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus returned from South Korea after illegally crossing the border, state media said on Sunday. If confirmed, it would be the first case officially acknowledged by North Korean authorities, Reuters said. Read alsoOver 900 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Ukraine in past 24 hours Kim convened an emergency politburo meeting in response to what he called a "critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country," the North's KCNA state news reported. A person who defected to South Korea three years ago returned across the fortified border that divides the two Koreas to the town of Kaesong this month with symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, KCNA reported. "An emergency event happened in Kaesong City where a runaway who went to the south three years ago, a person who is suspected to have been infected with the vicious virus returned on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line," KCNA said. KCNA did not say if the person had been tested, but said an "uncertain result was made from several medical check-ups of the secretion of that person's upper respiratory organ and blood," prompting officials to quarantine the person and investigate anyone he may have been in contact with. 2Q 2020 retail vacancies expected to decline in 2020 and remain flat in 2021 Although most retail businesses in Singapore have resumed operations since 19th June 2020, social distancing measures remain in place after a two-month circuit breaker. Many activity-based tenants such as F&B and health & wellness will not be able to operate at full capacity, which could lead to many businesses shuttering for good. As a result, vacancies in non-prime locations are expected to rise in the second half of 2020. 2Q 2020 retail vacancies 2Q 2020 retail vacancies suggested that it is unlikely that rents will rebound this year (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons) Prime retail rents fell across the board in the second quarter of 2020, with Other City Areas rents ($20.88 psf/mo) falling the most at -3.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter. Orchard ($34.73 psf/mo) and Suburban ($31.56 psf/mo) prime rents fell -1.5 per cent and -0.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter respectively. Ms Christine Li, Cushman & Wakefields Head of Research for Singapore and Southeast Asia said The entire retail market may see steeper falls in rent in H2 2020 due to higher expected vacancies, lower footfalls, social distancing measures and economic uncertainties due to Covid-19. Currently, many landlords are still maintaining close to pre-Covid asking rents, but as vacancies rise, landlords are expected to become more flexible. However, for popular prime spaces in sought-after suburban malls which are able to maintain high occupancy levels due to their strong tenant profile, rents will be less affected. For the whole of 2020, Cushman & Wakefield expects prime rents in Orchard and Other City Area to fall by about 10 per cent each and suburban prime rents to fall by five per cent. During the quarter, indoor family attraction Kidzania Singapore announced its closure, four years after operating on Sentosa Island. Popular German-themed Starker Bistro closed all seven of its outlets in Singapore during the quarter too. The market expects more vacant spaces in non-prime locations coming into the market in the second half of 2020 as activity-based tenants are usually located in non-prime spaces within the mall due to their larger size requirements. Furthermore, there could be an overall fall in new demand for retail spaces as some F&B tenants explore delivery options such as cloud kitchens or central kitchens due to current social distancing measures. Story continues URA data on 2Q 2020 retail vacancies suggests trend will rise Esprit reportedly closed 12 outlets island-wide. It has also been reported that Robinsons will close its Jem outlet in August this year. DFS closed its store at Changi Airports 4 terminals, making way for another operator Lotte to take over. Isetan will not renew its lease at Westgate. Nevertheless, some mall operators are able to re-invent space to secure some interesting replacement tenants. JEM was able to re-configure its layout to accommodate IKEAs first concept store, which will replace the space left by Robinsons. The concept store will open next year. Mark Lampard, Executive Director, Regional Tenant Representation, said There is some opportunity for retailers to pursue prime retail spaces during this time as vacancies rise; alternatively, they could also explore suburban prime options for more stability. What is very clear is that retailers have the opportunity to sharpen their e-commerce channels including virtual live sales, given that it is a major mode of transacting business now. Ms Tricia Song, Head of Research for Singapore at Colliers International, commenting on the 2Q 2020 retail vacancies suggested that it is unlikely that rents will rebound this year. She said that the retail industry is one of the hardest hit sectors by COVID-19 pandemic and that the data of 2Q 2020 retail vacancies suggested that rents will be laggard in the next few quarters. Retail sales (excluding motor vehicles) plummeted 45.2% YOY in May following a 32.8% YOY decline in April, reflecting the biggest drop in history since 1986 (data unavailable before 1985), as COVID-19 lockdowns shuttered malls. While retail sales are likely to see a short term rebound as malls reopened on 19 June (phase 2 easing), we believe recovery of the overall retail market is likely to be slow, with no inbound tourist spending in the near term, and structural challenges such as increasing competition from e-commerce, as well as high occupancy costs. As such, we expect average retail rents to decline 5% or more in 2020 and stay flat in 2021 despite limited new supply. That said, we are heartened that the government has put in place several support measures to prevent catastrophic consequences, including property tax rebates for landlords that are to be passed down to tenants, cash grants for qualifying small and medium enterprise (SME) tenants, rental waivers for retail tenants of government agencies, deferment of income tax payments, a Job Support Scheme, foreign worker levy waiver/rebate, as well as cash payouts. We believe these measures are necessary for the survival of many retail and F&B outlets. We find some reprieve in that annual average new supply will remain tight through 2020-2024 at 0.7% of stock (0.5 million sq ft net lettable area) versus past 10-year average of 1.4%. Planned supply is mainly in suburban and fringe areas, where there are well-defined population catchments. Latest URA data showed that in H1 2020, both Central Region rents and prices weakened by 5.7% and 4.6% respectively. In Q2 2020, Central Region retail rents and prices showed opposite trends. Retail rents deteriorated further in Q2 2020, dragged by Central Area. Meanwhile, declines in prices have slowed, helped by more subdued declines in Central Area. In Q2 2020, Central Region rents declined further by 3.5% QOQ, after rents fell 2.3% QOQ in Q1 2020. This brings H1 2020 rents to a decline of 5.7%. The Q2 rent decline was led by Central Area rents which contracted by 4.9% QOQ, worse than the 1.5% QOQ decline seen in Q1 2020. Fringe Area rents showed an opposite trend this quarter, with an increase of 0.1% QOQ, a stark improvement from last quarters 5.1% QOQ decline. The post 2Q 2020 retail vacancies suggests rents will face downward pressures appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources. Architecture historians call for preservation of old Istropolis. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled To read and see in this article -Visualisations of the new development and how this venue looks today -What architecture historian think about the Novy Istropolis project -Plans to build the National Cultural and Congress Centre in Bratislava Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement For some people, Istropolis in Bratislava, the former House of the Trade Unions originally designed to host the congresses of the Communist Party, is an unusable symbol of the previous totalitarian regime. For others it is quality architecture, even though neglected. Its owner, the developer Immocap, wants to raze it and build a new venue encompassing a culture and congress centre, shops, offices and flats. After 2.5-years of preparations, on July 17 the developer unveiled plans for one of the most anticipated developments in Bratislava. Related article Related article Another iconic building in Bratislava might disappear Read more Our intention is to turn the now dead and dysfunctional zone at Trnavske Myto into a vital district full of culture, greenery and public spaces, said Martin Sramko, CEO of the development company Immocap, when presenting their vision of the new cultural and social centre Novy Istropolis on July 16. Immocap is behind the reconstruction of the Trnavske Myto underpass and construction of the Central shopping centre with adjacent hotel and office tower. Istropolis Istropolis, the former House of Trade Unions, is a complex that encompasses a culture and congress centre, an office tower, a theatre, some other adjacent buildings and a science centre, the only one not owned by Immocap. The venue features the biggest congress hall in Slovakia with capacity for 1,280 people, originally designed to host the congresses of the Communist Party. The complex designed by architects Ferdinand Koncek, Ilja Skocek and Lubomir Titl is located in a lucrative location at the edge of the city centre. Trnavske Myto is now one of the most important traffic points in the city. After the razing of the Park Kultury and Oddychu (PKO) cultural, social and education venue on the Danube embankment several years ago, Istropolis is one of the few places in Bratislava where large concerts, conferences and cultural events can be held. In the last few years it has suffered from lack of investment and maintenance, falling into disrepair. Since opening in 1981, the complex has not undergone any overhaul and has not been adapted to a cultural and congress centre that meets current requirements. The plan to raze Istropolis has raised criticism by architecture historians, calling for keeping it and holding an open discussion on its future with experts and the general public. As Assam continues to get ravaged amid ongoing floods, a dredger from the United States will remove silt from the Brahmaputra river next year, to help mitigate floods and erosion. To be provided by Ellicott Dredges, the device's installation and operation will be supervised by the firm's representatives in India. The Assam government had previously floated a tender for the purpose, which the company won. Removal of silt in the Brahmaputra is expected to make a change in the situation. The dredger from the US is expected to arrive next year, said Keshav Mahanta, the state's Minister for Water Resources. However, the state government's decision on dredging comes at the heels of a report by the Central Water Commission, which is not in favour of the exercise. Earlier, an eight-member committee headed by a former professor of Gauhati University, Dulal Goswani, had also disagreed with the exercise. The Committee, called - Fluvial Morphology of River Brahmaputra, Sediment Management with Possibility of Dredging by Adopting Modern Technology - was of the opinion that dredging operations were an unfeasible option to mitigate the twin hazards of flood and erosion in Assam. The report had underscored the failure of the previous exercises in the state by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the Water Resources Department. Dredging of the Brahmaputra river was taken up in 1977 and 1978 at Dharapur near Guwahati. However, the dredged channels were again filled with silt in the subsequent flood waves which compelled the government to discard the operation. The committee recommended the removal of silt from the river bed at selected locations, which the government had accepted. Currently, similar operations are also undertaken regularly on a smaller scale in the river by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to prevent blockage of navigation. Due to the heavy deposition of silt, the river has frequently changed its course. Excessive silt deposition has given rise to braiding and meandering patterns in the alignment of the river system. Corrective dredging is aimed at digging out sediments from the river bed which will increase the water retention capacity of the river. Consequently, the pressure on the banks is expected to be reduced, thus minimising the chances of flood and erosion. The government had also firmed up plans to construct an 890 kilometres-long Express Highway along the entire length of the Brahmaputra - from Sadiya in the east to Dhubri in the west - with the silt dug out from the river. The goal was to check erosion but it is not known whether the government plans to go ahead with the project. An official said a decision had not yet been reached on the particular stretch of the river which is to undergo corrective dredging. An evaluation would be done after the floodwaters recede and then a decision would be made by the department. Given that the Brahmaputra is a very unpredictable river, it is likely that the spots would keep changing frequently, he said. The exercise assumes importance in the backdrop of the plans to link Brahmaputra with Chittagong port in Bangladesh and Haldia in West Bengal. Tripura has already received the first batch of transit cargo of 100 tones at the Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP) from Bangladesh sent from the Haldia port of West Bengal. Three years ago, union transport minister Nitin Gadkari had also announced Rs 250 crores to for dredging the river, to expedite the project to connect to Bangladesh. As part of the plan to come up with effective management strategies for the Brahmaputra river, the government had resolved to form an expert committee, to be sent to China. A study was to be conducted in association with the World Bank to frame policies for checking flood and erosion. But the plan has been shelved for the time being with the worsening of ties between India and China and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. (Rajeev Bhattacharyya is a senior journalist in Guwahati. Views expressed are personal) By Justyna Pawlak and Joanna Plucinska WARSAW, July 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Poland said the European Union's criticism of Poland's adherence to democracy is "overblown", as Warsaw faces cuts to EU budget funds over its judiciary reforms. Since coming to power in 2015, Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has faced criticism from the EU over its overhaul of its judiciary system, with Brussels accusing Poland of violating EU laws. As its relationship with the EU has faltered, PiS has focused on building strong ties with the United States, especially since President Donald Trump came to power in 2016. "If you're asking me...do I think that a lot of the attacks on Poland about democratic values is overblown, my answer is yes, I do," U.S. ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher told Reuters in an interview. The EU is struggling to respond to what many in western Europe see as creeping authoritarianism in the eastern wing of the bloc, especially Poland, Hungary and Romania. In an election on Sunday, Polish President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, won a second term in office, reinforcing the government's mandate to pursue reforms of the judiciary and media. Mosbacher said the EU has been reluctant to acknowledge how much progress Poland has made, particularly when it comes to economic growth, since becoming a democracy after the fall of communism. "It's still seen as the adolescent in the EU and it isn't anymore...I don't think France and Germany... comfortable with that yet," she said. A mechanism that would freeze out countries that fail to live up to democratic standards is up for discussion at an EU summit that began on Friday. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has threatened to veto a massive EU stimulus plan over his objections to the mechanism, with talks continuing on Saturday. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, has also signaled to Polish regional authorities that it may curb EU aid to areas that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, after many towns passed motions against the promotion of what they called LGBT "ideology". Story continues Mosbacher called out the ruling party for its handling of LGBT issues in Poland's presidential campaign, after Duda said during his campaign that LGBT "ideology" was worse than communism. "I think there were homophobic undertones," Mosbacher said of the campaign. "Do I like it? No. And I'm pretty vocal on that publicly." She added that an agreement in June 2019 between Duda and Trump to bring 1,000 U.S. troops to Poland would be finalized "within weeks, not months." Reuters reported last month that after a year of technical negotiations, the deal was crumbling amid disputes over funding and troop placement, which Mosbacher denied at the time. (Reporting by Joanna Plucinska and Justyna Pawlak, Editing by Ros Russell) Justice Gorsuch wrote a one-paragraph dissent attacking the Supreme Courts decision to reject a Nevada churchs emergency application. The application sought an injunction stopping the Governor of Nevada from shutting down meaningful church services, even as he allowed vast assemblies at casinos, movie theaters, and other secular sites. What should be more important than a pithy dissent, though, is the Supreme Courts and, more specifically, Chief Justice Roberts's -- appalling behavior. It is another reminder of how desperately important it is to return President Trump to the White House. Calvary Chapel contends that, in response to the Wuhan virus, Governor Sisolak issued Directive 21. This directive allows large groups to assemble in close quarters for unlimited periods at casinos, gyms, restaurants, bars, indoor amusements parks, bowling alleys, water parks, pools, arcades, and more subject only to a 50%-fire-code-capacity limit. But the directive limits gatherings at places of worship to 50 people max, no matter their facilities size or the precautions they take. The Church included this photograph in its brief: The Church further alleges that it serves a community of roughly 9,500 people in Dayton, Nevada. Directive 21, which prevents anything resembling normal religious services, has affected the Church for three months now. The Church believes that this situation has caused real spiritual harm because Some people who attend Calvary Chapel are unable to view online services, leaving them vulnerable and alone. The Church believes that online or drive-in services violate the Bibles command that Christians gather for corporate, prayer, worship, and scriptural teaching. The Church, therefore, views church gatherings as sacred assemblies that embody Christ on earth. Its belief in the sacredness of church attendance has not stopped Calvary Chapel from taking steps to keep its parishioners safe. These steps include, but are not limited to, allowing only 50% church capacity (90 people, instead of 180), imposing social distancing, holding fewer services, requiring face masks, and cutting service lengths in half. Despite all this, the Governor is adamant that the Church may not allow more than 50 people inside at a time, regardless of the churchs available space. The Governor offers two primary defenses to the charge that hes negatively singling out the Church. First, he alleges that churches have been the source of major virus outbreaks (a contention that does not take into account Calvarys significant steps to limit the viruss spread). Second, he says that the Church is getting treatment thats equal to or better than other venues. Directive 21 imposes limits to the lesser of 50% occupancy or 50 people on number activities and venues within Nevada. As for the casinos, they had to submit detailed reopening plans. The Supreme Court rejected the application out of hand. However, Justices Alito, Kavanaugh, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissented. Gorsuchs dissent was brief and to the point: Gorsuch dissent is one paragraph long and it's a dandy pic.twitter.com/eF3sWxOKyL Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) July 25, 2020 That dissent doesnt remove the intellectual stain of Gorsuchs adding the fantasy of gender identity to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, something that will haunt religious America for decades to come, but its still a good statement. Its so good that it is impossible to understand how Chief Justice Roberts could have sided with the leftists on the court. That the leftists would refuse to hear the matter was predictable. However, there is an important constitutional issue here that should concern a true judicial conservative. Religious worship is among the most essential inalienable rights, as indicated by its place in the First Amendment. Here,we have a situation in which the Nevada order is drawn with such a broad brush that its practical effect is unfair insofar as it allows hundreds of people to pack casinos but bars 90 people from a church that has in place every possible measure to protect parishioners. It clearly elevates mammon, which can be taxed, over God, which cannot. Its worth noting that the state has lost only 732 people to the virus, or 0.02% of its population. Most of the cases have been concentrated in Las Vegas, which is more than 400 miles away from Dayton. The recent increase in the number of reported cases seems tied to more testing rather than to an increase in the number of people presenting with serious symptoms. This is a constitutional no-brainer. Nor is it enough to say that the matter could quickly resolve in any event as the situation on the ground changes. Since the first dissenters arrived in America, religious worship free from discriminatory government orders has been a matter of extreme importance to Americans. Ministering to peoples souls shouldnt have to wait for the Governor to fiddle around until he gets it right. (And dont get me started on the fact that these executive orders have ceased to be emergency responses to an urgent situation and have now, six months later, morphed into long-term tyranny. The virus has been around long enough for state legislatures that is, the peoples elected representatives to have a say.) Justice Roberts was sold to Americans as a conservative. He isnt. Hes also not a leftist. Instead, he has a very peculiar habit of hewing conservative on the narrow legal issues that are relevant only to a few interested parties and going full-bore leftist on those issues that matter greatly to constitutional liberty in America. Theres something very wrong at the Supreme Court, and Justice Roberts seems to sit at the heart of the problem. The only way to address the problem is to get one more solid conservative on the Supreme Court. That wont happen if Biden is elected. Instead, the Supreme Court will abandon the Constitution entirely for the foreseeable future. Australia joins US in rejecting Beijing's South China Sea claims Iran Press TV Saturday, 25 July 2020 10:28 AM Australia has joined the US in rejecting China's territorial and maritime claims over a disputed group of islands in the South China Sea, ratcheting up already simmering tensions between Beijing and Canberra. In a formal declaration to the United Nations, Australia said there was "no legal basis" to several disputed Chinese claims in the South China Sea, including those related to the construction of artificial islands on small shoals and reefs. "Australia rejects China's claim to 'historic rights' or 'maritime rights and interests' as established in the 'long course of historical practice' in the South China Sea," the declaration read. "There is no legal basis for China to draw straight baselines connecting the outermost points of maritime features or 'island groups' in the South China Sea, including around the 'Four Sha' or 'continental' or 'outlying' archipelagos." A number of countries are involved in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, in the Pacific Ocean. While Australia is not among them, it is well inclined against China and has in the past joined provocative maneuvers by the United States in the region. The South China Sea serves as a gateway to global sea routes, through which about 3.4 trillion dollars of trade passes each year. Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei have overlapping claims with China to parts of the sea. China claims the strategic waterway is its sovereign territory and has since 2014 built artificial islands on reclaimed reefs and installed military bases on them. The United States, which sides with Beijing's rivals in the maritime dispute, routinely sends warships and warplanes to the area to assert what it calls its right to freedom of navigation, heightening tensions among the regional countries. The declaration comes as Australian Defense and Foreign Ministers Linda Reynolds and Marise Payne are scheduled to leave for Washington on Sunday to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper. The United States has over the past years been at loggerheads with Beijing over a range of issues, including trade, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the coronavirus pandemic. More recently, tensions increased between Australia and China when Canberra backed a call by US President Donald Trump for an investigation into the origins of the new coronavirus. Trump calls the coronavirus "the Wuhan Virus," a reference to the name of the Chinese city where it first emerged, and an attempt to stigmatize China. In the wake of Canberra's repetition of Trump's call, China has cut back on its imports from Australia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beijing Has 'No Legal Basis' for Claims in South China Sea, Australian Government Says Sputnik News 05:30 GMT 25.07.2020 Earlier, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States aims to form a new alliance with other countries to counter China with combined economic and military force. Australia's mission to the UN wrote in a filing that there is no legal basis to China's territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea. "There is no legal basis for China to draw straight baselines connecting the outermost points of maritime features or 'island groups' in the South China Sea," Australia's mission said. "Australia rejects China's claim to 'historic rights' or 'maritime rights and interests' as established in the 'long course of historical practice' in the South China Sea." The statement said that Australia does not accept China's claim of sovereignty over the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands. For decades, China has been disputing the status of a number of territories in the South China Sea that it lays claim to, primarily the Paracel and Spratly Islands, as well as the Scarborough Shoal. Beijing considers the Spratly archipelago to be its territory, despite the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling, which said there was no legal basis for China's maritime claims. In turn, the US has been deploying its naval forces to the islands. Despite protests from Beijing, Washington has maintained that its ships will sail everywhere permitted by international law. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. Mrs J.W. writes: I hope you can help me, or at least warn others. My son, now aged 36, has severe autism and epilepsy. When he was a baby, his grandparents bought him a 10 premium bond, and this has now won a 25 prize. I did open a National Savings & Investments Direct Saver account in joint names, and after I explained what it was for, NS&I assured me it was fine. What happens when money is invested with NS&I for a child who in adult life turns out to be unable to make decisions about it? Now though, NS&I says its own premium bond cheque cannot be paid into this account, nor will it simply transfer the prize to this account. The cheque has to go into a bank account, and my son has none and is not capable of opening one. Tony replies: When you explained the problem to NS&I, you were asked to provide a medical report on your son, which would have cost far more than the 25 premium bond prize. So, you told me, since you could neither bank the cheque nor encash the bond, NS&I was effectively 35 better off at the expense of your severely disabled son. This left me in a quandary too. I never expect banks and similar institutions to discuss a customer's problems unless the customer gives written authority for this. But because the whole point of your letter to me is that your son is not able to manage his own affairs, I could hardly ask for your son's signature to a letter of authority that would allow NS&I to speak to me. With this in mind, I asked officials to consider the problem in principle. What happens, I asked, when money is invested with NS&I for a child who in adult life turns out to be unable to make decisions about it? What can any family do if the amount of money involved is far smaller than the medical and legal bills involved in unlocking the cash? And to take an extreme example, what would NS&I do if someone in your son's situation won the top premium bond prize of 1million? Why has cost of transferring shares shot up? A.S writes: My wife and I had some shares with Saga, and when she passed away in January, I asked Saga to transfer her shares to me. I was told this would cost 8.50, but then I received a letter from Saga saying the price is now 89. I called Saga and was told they had reviewed their costs. Happily, this is a case of crossed wires and not a stunning tenfold increase in Sagas charges. Saga has told me it cannot find any mention of 8.50 in its contacts with you, and the fee of 89 only applies to anyone who does not have a Grant of Probate and wishes to use Sagas Small Estates service. You do have a Grant of Probate, so all you need is the transfer of your late wifes shares. If you had been transferring the shares to a new management firm, the fee would have been 15, but as you are keeping them with Saga, the transfer is free of charge. NS&I staff were actually more helpful than I had expected. They explained that if an investment is made for a child, it is controlled by a responsible person such as their parent until the child reaches 16. If the child is then unable to take control of the investment, NS&I will request a medical report and ask who has been legally appointed to look after the customer's affairs. But there is some wiggle room here. If the customer has been unable to understand such things since birth, and no major sums are involved, it is unlikely that anyone will hold a formal legal appointment to act on their behalf. And in this situation, NS&I may decide that the original responsible person can simply carry on as before. This discretion would not go as far as applying to a high value premium bond prize, though. Then, NS&I staff would certainly ask that the responsible adult approach the Office of the Public Guardian, the Government official with the power to appoint a 'Deputy' probably the same responsible adult to claim the prize on behalf of the bondholder and to manage it for their benefit. So, where does this leave you and your son? Your Direct Saver account is useful for some things, including receiving the automatic transfer of premium bond prizes, but there is no counter service for depositing cheques. I am delighted to say that after some thought NS&I staff have come up with a solution. They have decided that although your son is the bondholder, they have scrapped the cheque that was sent in his name. By the time you read this, you will have received a fresh prize cheque for 25, and this time it will be made out to you. Parcel firm will not answer my query B.M. writes: I sold an item on eBay which I sent via the carrier company Collectplus. I tracked the parcel, and Collectplus confirmed it was delivered and signed for. However, the buyer contacted me to say nothing had arrived. Collectplus asked its driver to describe the property where the goods had been delivered, and his description did not correspond with the buyer's address. I submitted a claim form to Collectplus, but heard nothing, so I emailed the chief executive Neil Ashworth, but he did not respond. Signed for: The parcel was delivered but not to the address that matched the buyer I jumped through the same hoops as you, asking Neil Ashworth and head of marketing Catherine Woolfe to look into your complaint. Eventually, I discovered that although their names, pictures and job descriptions were still on the Collectplus website, they had actually left the company many months earlier. I did find someone to help, though. He told me: 'The safe delivery of parcels is our number one priority, and we are sorry that Mr M's experience was not up to standard.' Collectplus has now refunded the delivery charges and has compensated you for the value of the missing goods. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. With the Dien Bien Phu Battlefield Relics Complex, Dien Bien is currently considered one of the most attractive destinations on Vietnam's tourism map. The diversity in the culture, customs and traditions of ethnic minority groups and the pristine natural landscape are among the special features that attract domestic and foreign tourists to Dien Bien. The Dien Bien Phu Battlefield Relics Complex reflects the victories of the Vietnamese army and people during the heroic resistance war against the French colonialists. Located in the centre of the relic area, the Dien Bien PhuVictory statue is the biggest bronze statue in Vietnam. This is a place that is visible from anywhere in Dien Bien Phu city. A1 Hill, the site of a fierce battle in Dien Bien Phu valley. One of the two 18-tonne tanks taken by the French from the centre of Muong Thanh to A1 hill, to attack the Vietnamese army. A few hundred metres from A1 hill is A1 Martyrs Cemetery, with 644 graves of martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, most of them unnamed. The Dien Bien Phu Campaign Command is located in the primeval forest in Muong Phang commune, Dien Bien district. Coming to Dien Bien, visitors are also immersed in the living space of the Thai people in community tourism villages such as Ban Mo, Ten, Co My and Che Can. The brocade weaving craft of the Thai people, one of many unique cultural attractions. At Che Can village in Muong Phang commune, Dien Bien district, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the fascinating culinary culture of the Thai people. Nhan Dan She is one of the BBC's most prized stars, fronting a string of documentaries on major social issues and winning Strictly Come Dancing. But now Stacey Dooley faces a showdown with Corporation bosses after signing a lucrative deal to advertise haircare products that one inside called a 'head-on conflict of interest'. The 33-year-old journalist, who also presents BBC Three reality show Glow Up: Britain's Next Make-Up Star, was last week unveiled as 'the face' of Clairol's Nice 'n Easy hair colourings. Stacey Dooley faces a showdown with Corporation bosses after signing a lucrative deal to advertise haircare products that one inside called a 'head-on conflict of interest But her decision to sign a deal with the US giant has been criticised by BBC staff who claim it jeopardises Corporation independence. Guidelines require all programme makers and presenters to declare 'any personal interests which may affect their work with the BBC'. It was unclear last night whether Dooley who won Strictly in 2018 and is now dating her professional dance partner Kevin Clifton had told BBC management about her Clairol contract before it was announced by the company. It was unclear last night whether Dooley who won Strictly in 2018 and is now dating her professional dance partner Kevin Clifton had told BBC management about her Clairol contract before it was announced by the company One veteran programme-maker, said he would be surprised if broadcasting chiefs had approved Dooley's deal, saying it could prove 'difficult for the BBC'. And a BBC journalist said: 'It should be forbidden for anyone in news and current affairs to do commercial work like this. If someone asked me to advertise anything, it would be a 'no'. A Corporation spokesman declined to be drawn on whether Dooley had consulted managers about her plans, but said of the commercial tie-up: 'We will be discussing any implications with her.' Dooley has already made a 20-second commercial, which launched on TV and online last week. In a statement announcing her appointment as a brand ambassador, the star said Clairol 'has championed women for decades' by allowing them to 'take control of their own colour and to be true to themselves'. The BBC does not have a blanket ban on staff doing commercials and has looser restrictions on freelancers who only make occasional programmes for them. But rules are tougher for staff in news and current affairs and contracted stars whose work is primarily with the BBC. Dooley's employment status is not known, but she has been awarded an MBE for presenting dozens of investigative BBC documentaries on subjects such as sex trafficking, domestic violence and suicide bombers. Last year she presented an edition of Panorama about Islamic State brides and next month she is due to present another edition of the BBC1's flagship current affairs programme about babies born in lockdown. Her work on Glow Up, a contest for amateur make-up artists, might also prove problematic, as it covers an industry in which Clairol and its parent company Coty Inc are leading players. Representatives for Ms Dooley did not respond to requests for comment. On Sunday, India marked the anniversary of Vijay Diwas, when it won a war in one of the most inhospitable terrains in the world, the heights of Kargil, 21 years ago. The valour displayed by soldiers was matchless. Every victory or defeat holds definite lessons. Did the establishment in New Delhi use the lessons of this war to its advantage? Lets take a look at the genesis of Kargil. After their setback in Siachen in the 1980s, the then director-general of military operations presented a plan to General Zia-ul Haq, the four-star general who was the president of Pakistan. As a part of this strategy, the army had to climb the peaks of Kargil in winter and cut off the Srinagar-Leh highway. But Zia did not want to do this as he was then engaged in Afghanistan at the behest of the United States (US) against the Soviets occupation. When General Pervez Musharraf became army chief a decade-and-a-half later, he saw possibilities in this plan. The gang of four, General Musharraf, General Aziz Khan, General Mahmood Ahmad and General Shahid Aziz, revived the old plan. Musharraf was so sure of going ahead with this that, without informing former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, he ordered the Northern Light Infantry to proceed. The operation was kept so well-guarded that even top officers of the airforce and the army were kept in the dark. When India launched its operations, much of the Pakistani establishment was shocked. Until this time, Pakistan maintained that people occupying Indian posts were not regular soldiers. Musharraf grew anxious and Sharif was frustrated. On July 4, 1999, Sharif decided to approach the US. The then president Bill Clintons response was harsh. Sharif spoke of withdrawal with some conditions but Clinton refused to agree to any such thing. As a result, Pakistans troops had to return. Musharraf achieved nothing from this operation. Even at that time, it was felt by those in authority that lessons must be learnt from such events. We have not been able to protect all of the borders adequately. We must also remember the 1962 war with China. From July 1999 to July 2020, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) both ruled for 10 years, but neither has been able to ensure that border security is foolproof. The recent encroachment by China has opened old wounds, including those as a result of the aggression in Kargil and the terrorist attack in Mumbai. We can only successfully fend off incursions by both China and Pakistan if the borders are secure. China did to India in Ladakh what Pakistan did in Kargil. Pakistans soldiers had already reached the peaks of Kargil when then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee was on the bus to Lahore with a message of friendship. Chinese President Xi Jinping was in India in October 2019. But it was only a few months later that Beijing appears to have given the green signal for aggression. However, Beijings devious intentions were visible. Earlier the armies had a face-off at Doklam, and, before that, at other points in Ladakh. We should also have been more cautious because, for many years, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has been building posts and infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Their battalions have been exercising in these terrains. They are far ahead of us in terms of preparedness. This time around, when PLA encroached, it was more difficult to send them back than it was with Pakistan in Kargil. Despite the assurance given by PM Narendra Modi, Opposition parties and many retired military and diplomatic service officials are unwilling to believe that China is in the process of vacating the area. But one thing is clear, Xi and his army did not expect such a strong response from India. On June 15, a number of our soldiers were killed in the Galwan Valley, but it is also evident that PLA suffered a large number of casualties. Since then, military and diplomatic talks have been ongoing. At the time of Kargil, Pakistan had to bear the brunt of its misadventure. It lost the sympathy of the US and other world powers. China too is now facing stiff opposition for its lack of transparency on Covid-19 and its aggression in Ladakh and the South China Sea. Like in India, Chinese companies are now facing a backlash in many countries. It is being felt in many capitals of the world that the best way to stop Chinas expansionist policies is to attack its business interests. This is what much of the world community is doing. In an unprecedented move, the US has even asked China to close its consulate in Houston. Whatever Xis game plan, we have to take care to avoid our historical mistakes. India cannot be lax about securing its borders. The costs are far too high as we have seen from the past. Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief, Hindustan The views expressed are personal File photo The PUNCH reports that the Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man, Amosu Funso, over the death of his girlfriend, Precious Udochi, in Ogombo, Ajah area of the state. Funso had gone to the Ogombo Police Division on July 18 to report that Udochi died after complaining of stomach pains and the police detained him. It was learnt from a police report that Funso and Udochi were both live-in-lovers in Abraham Adesanya Estate, in the Ogombo area before the incident occurred. The police report said Udochis corpse was found in the house and no mark of violence was observed on her body. A police source said, On June 17, his girlfriend who is living with him, one Udochi, returned from work at about 7.20pm and complained to him that she was having a stomach ache. She started going to the toilet and later asked him to buy her food. After eating, she slept off. At midnight, she started vomiting. On June 18, at about 8am, she was rushed to a private hospital in the Sangotedo area for treatment where the doctor confirmed her dead. She was brought back home. One of us, Inspector Lawrence Inaede, visited the scene of the crime for on-the-spot findings. On arrival at the scene, the corpse of the woman was found on the floor. There was no mark of violence on her body. We took photographs of the corpse and the complainant was re-arrested. The corpse was taken to the Mainland Hospital Mortuary for an autopsy. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation. He said, We have such a case. The suspect is in custody. Ogombo division has transferred the case to the SCID, Homicide Department, where further investigation is taking place. Pakistan: Christian family shot by radical mob for buying house in Muslim neighborhood Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian family in Pakistan was shot last week for buying a house in a Muslim neighborhood. On Sunday, police in the city of Peshawar in the Khybar Pakhtunkhawa province arrested the sons of a man accused of shooting two members of the Christian family after they purchased a home in late May in the Sawati Phatak colony, Asia News reports. The alleged perpetrator, Salman Khan, is still at large. After Khan found out that his new neighbors were Christian, the Catholic press agency reports Khan told the family they had to leave the neighborhood immediately because Christians are seen as the enemy of Islam. What followed was days of alleged harassment against Nadeem Joseph and his family. The family was said to have been threatened with consequences if they did not leave their new home. Khan is accused of giving the family a 24-hour ultimatum on Sunday. But Joseph refused to leave his home. He tried to call the police once he noticed that Khan and his sons had returned with weapons. That's when Joseph was shot in the stomach by his attackers who also shot his mother-in-law in the shoulder. Joseph and his mother-in-law were taken to a nearby hospital and their injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. Joseph recorded a video message from his hospital bed, according to International Christian Concern, a U.S.-based Christian persecution watchdog group. From there, Joseph said that at one point, he was told that his new neighborhood was "meant for Muslim residents only" and that "Christians and Jews are the opponents of Muslims." Christian activist Khalid Shahzad, who is in touch with the family, told Asia News that the shooting is an example of the religious intolerance found in Pakistan. "The main offender is still at large," Shahzad was quoted as saying in an article Monday. "Law enforcement agencies must do everything possible to capture him and bring him to justice." Open Doors USA ranks Pakistan as the fifth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution and notes that Christians are generally "regarded as second-class citizens." There are various forms of Christian persecution in Pakistan, including laws that criminalize blasphemy that are often abused by Muslims to take advantage of religious minorities. Christians in Pakistan have been killed by societal mob violence ever since the country's founding. Additionally, there have been several occasions in which Muslim radicals have attacked churches in Pakistan. In 2018, the U.S. State Department added Pakistan to its list of "countries of particular concern" that tolerate or engage in systemic and egregious violations of religious freedom. At the time, U.S. Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, told reporters that Pakistan is home to half of the world's blasphemy law cases. Christians and other religious minorities have languished in Pakistani prisons for years after Muslims falsely accused them of insulting Islam or its prophet, Muhammad. Christian couple Shagufta Kausar and her husband, Shafqat Emmanuel, have been on death row for over six years over false blasphemy charges of sending a text message insulting the Islamic prophet. Last week, their final hearing before the Lahore High Court was delayed. Christian mother Asia Bibi spent nearly a decade languishing in a Pakistani prison after Muslim field workers accused her of insulting their prophet. She was acquitted by Pakistan's Supreme Court in October 2018, which sparked national unrest and protests by radical Muslims. Justin Bieber has visited Kanye West at his ranch in Wyoming following a tumultuous week for the rapper. West sparked concern after sharing a blizzard of worrying tweets that contained a number of claims against his family, including accusations wife Kim Kardashian West had tried to lock me up. In response, Kardashian West said she was powerless and reminded fans her husband suffered bipolar disorder. DD & JB discussing the new spray foam wall prototypes on the YZY campus pic.twitter.com/NmR0ZGjm2I ye (@kanyewest) July 25, 2020 On Friday, West revealed pop star Bieber was the latest visitor to his Yeezy Campus in Wyoming and posted a picture of the Canadian deep in conversation with music executive Damon Dash. West captioned the post: DD & JB discussing the new spray foam wall prototypes on the YZY campus. Bieber, 26, was wearing a lime green hoodie for the visit and was pictured relaxing in a chair while speaking with Dash. He has been on a road trip with wife Hailey, 23, and shared snaps of the journey on Instagram. Friday had been scheduled as the release date for Wests latest album, Donda: With Child, but there was no sign of it on streaming platforms. The 43-year-old is yet to provide an official update on the album. He has endured a chaotic week since appearing in South Carolina on Sunday, in his first event since declaring himself a presidential candidate. One of the ideas he floated was giving struggling mothers one million dollars in order to discourage abortions. He also said he and his wife considered terminating their first pregnancy. West followed up the headline-grabbing appearance with several Twitter storms, in which he criticised his mother-in-law Kris Jenner and said he wanted to divorce Kardashian West, the mother of his four children. It was June 2019 and June Curtin watched the waves crash on the beach of Spanish Point in Co Clare. She had lost her husband to suicide six years before, and it hurt just as much as on the first day. John, who was much liked in the community, suffered badly from depression. Read More The night before he took his own life, he agreed with June that he should talk to his GP and get help. He never made it to the doctor. The following morning, June got a phone call from her brother-in-law, and her world changed. She was a young, grieving widow with two small children to care for and responsibilities bigger than anything she had faced before. Expand Close Bracing herself for the morning swim Adriana Downes (6) from Miltown Malbay shows off the gap in her teeth after the tooth fairy left her 20 the night before. Photo: Valerie O'Connor / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bracing herself for the morning swim Adriana Downes (6) from Miltown Malbay shows off the gap in her teeth after the tooth fairy left her 20 the night before. Photo: Valerie O'Connor June grew up helping to run the family business, the much-loved Armada Hotel that stands proud on the cliffs of the Wild Atlantic Way. The Armada is one of the county's most popular and busiest wedding destinations, with a wedding taking place at high season almost every day. As a child, June worked every summer doing anything that was needed to keep the place ticking over, just like her siblings. She washed and collected glasses, tidied up, cleaned bedrooms. Day-trippers and tourists spent lazy days in the sun, but June and her family were always too busy. She enjoyed the sight of the sea, but there never seemed to be time to do more than look at it. Time moved on. June married John and she opened a boutique in nearby Miltown Malbay, selling bespoke fashion pieces. After his death, she closed it; meeting the public was just too hard. Her children were growing up, with different demands. Six years passed. June mourned her husband every day, knowing she wasn't getting any better and that she had to do something about it. The memory of how her husband had not sought help for his depression never left her. She tried walking; she went to the gym. Finally, she decided it was time to get herself into the sea. The only problem was that June couldn't swim. "I knew that if I didn't put something on social media, that I wouldn't commit," she says. "So on the first day there was just me and the next day there were four and it just kept building after that." She called the meet-up Snamhai Sasta. It's not really about swimming, she says. Rather, it's about connection and creating a community. Growing numbers showed that was enough to draw people from all corners of Ireland. Expand Close Aung Marma from Bangladesh, who lives in Ennis, joins the group regularly / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aung Marma from Bangladesh, who lives in Ennis, joins the group regularly It's about camaraderie. You can hear it in people's voices On the bank holiday weekend last August, more than 300 joined her. "It's about camaraderie. You can hear it in people's voices, they're laughing and smiling. Nobody cares about any bodies, about lumps and bumps. Nobody even looks at each other and there is such a sense of freedom in that." First it was ladies who came, but then the lads started to join in. In Miltown Malbay there was a temporary hostel for asylum seekers and some of these young men from far and wide turned up. "What could be better than joining the Irish community for this fun thing?" asked Aung Marma from Bangladesh. I found Snamhai Sasta by accident one sunny morning. Spanish Point is by far my favourite beach in Ireland and only an hour by speedy car from my home in Limerick. Life had thrown me massive challenges, too. My eldest son was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and last summer saw a rapid decline in his health. Having spent most of last summer in a Dublin hospital, I had an overwhelming urge to get him to the sea. I borrowed money, bought a small caravan and brought Leon down to the sea. We often needed help to get him into the water, but it gave him freedom, calm and relief from his symptoms. In the other swimmers, I found people who were always there and always smiling. As my son lay sleeping in the caravan, I would go early to the sea and run into the waves with my new friends, laughing and forgetting my burdens. Mostly, I didn't want to talk about it; it was enough just to be smacked in the face by the sea's invigorating coldness. My plan was to take Leon to Russia for a stem cell transplant. It would mean a fundraising campaign and, for me, an ongoing life as his carer. The swimmers welcomed me and took care of me without really doing anything. I look back on pictures of last summer and know that we were happy, that I was laughing. And so much of that is because of June Curtin. Expand Close Brave Snamhai Sasta swimmers enjoy a dip at one of their regular meet-ups. Photo: Valerie O'Connor / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brave Snamhai Sasta swimmers enjoy a dip at one of their regular meet-ups. Photo: Valerie O'Connor My son's procedure was a huge success. He recently walked down the beach slip that only last year I had to reach by car. He can now walk into the water alone. Cold-water therapy has been lauded by pioneers like Wim Hof as a cure for everything from anxiety to autoimmune conditions. But what is it about Snamhai Sasta that makes it different? How has a mild-mannered woman from Spanish Point managed to draw people from as far as Mullingar, Dublin and Kilkenny to join her on a windy west Clare beach? This has given people a way to come together, where you're not expected to share anything: the love is just there June has always made mental health the focus of the gatherings. If you were intent on a serious swim, tongues might wag in wonder. She believes she drew people to her because they were interested in what had what happened in her own life. And because so many have been affected by suicide, stress and depression. "You don't know, when you meet someone, what's going on in their lives," she says. "So this has given people a way to come together, where you're not expected to share anything: the love is just there. We must surround ourselves with people in our darkest hours as well as our brightest hours. And you leave your troubles on the shoreline when you get into the sea." For months, the lockdown brought a halt to the big meet-ups. Although permissible if Spanish Point was within 2km range, June didn't want to be seen to be encouraging a group gathering. But on Monday, June 29, the rules changed and June put out an Instagram post inviting people to come and join her on the beach to celebrate the first birthday of Snamhai Sasta. Decked out in one of her many signature swimming hats on a wild and windy morning, she hosted a party on the beach that attracted both locals and folks from far afield. Broadcaster Sile Seoige was there to sing Lean on Me to a smiling and chilly post-swim gang, warming themselves with hot drinks and cake. "People missed the camaraderie and the meet-ups," June - who is now taking swimming lessons - told them. "I've come to realise that my children don't care if their mom can't swim, run or do Pilates. They don't want a mom who is constantly critical of herself and how she looks. They don't care about my rolls or wobbly arms, although they do like to make fun of them. They want me to be happy, they will love me for who I am at this time. "This is not something I've always known. I'll be 48 in a couple of weeks and it's taken the past seven years of ups and downs to realise this. That's why, every day on Spanish Point beach, I try to encourage people to be the best version of themselves and to always choose kindness." A DJ waited in the wings to play her favourite songs, but June hadn't quite finished her speech. "I experienced the true capabilities of the ocean to wash my external troubles away," she said. "It's the mental benefits for me, rather than the physical. I wanted other people to experience what I did. For me, from day one, it was sink or swim. And I decided I was going to swim." Join June and the swimmers every day at 9am on Spanish Point beach at the slip. See @snamhaisasta on Instagram Expand Close Writer Valerie OConnor at a Snamhai Sasta swim / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Writer Valerie OConnor at a Snamhai Sasta swim Photography by Valerie O'Connor The oil majors are set to unveil their second-quarter earnings in the coming days, and analysts expect the figures to be pretty rough. Despite their size, the integrated oil majors are slated to post huge losses. The problem is that there is almost nowhere to hide. Oil prices were obviously at historically low levels in the second quarter, including a brief trip deep into negative territory. Typically, during downturns, the majors are shielded by their downstream refining assets low crude prices lower input costs and cheap fuel tends to stoke demand. However, the pandemic obviously shut everything down, so demand contracted sharply. With hundreds of millions of people confined to their homes, it didnt matter if fuel was cheap. As a result, refining margins collapsed. So, too, did petrochemical demand. Chemical units were unlikely to bolster the battered finances of the oil giants. Meanwhile, the global market for LNG has also plummeted. Natural gas has been another segment in which the oil majors are betting their future growth. But Covid-19 has ravaged gas markets as well. Perhaps the numbers wont be as bad as expected. On Friday, Equinor posted a surprise profit, earning $350 million in adjusted earnings. That was down nearly 90 percent from a year earlier, but it beat expectations. There are a few caveats to these seemingly better-than-expected numbers. The Norwegian company said that it performed better not because of its oil and gas production, but in part because it profited from trading. While the strong trading result was positive, we believe this should not be extrapolated, DNB Markets said in a note to clients. Another glaring issue is that Equinor has not adjusted its long-term oil price assumptions. While BP and Shell announced massive impairments $17.5 billion and $15-$22 billion, respectively the Norwegian oil company avoided taking any write-downs by leaving its oil price assumptions unaltered. Equinor is counting on a Brent price of $80 per barrel in 2030. The company said it would update this assumption in the third quarter, so any potential write-downs will come later. Related: Tropical Storm Hanna Threatens Texas Oil Industry To its credit, Equinor cut its dividend earlier this year, the first large western oil company to do so. That eased the cash flow pressure. The upcoming earnings figures could result in more announcements like that. Analysts are anticipating a dividend cut from BP. The aforementioned writedown made huge news a few weeks ago. The British oil company has also announced in June that it would lay off 15 percent of its workforce, eliminating 10,000 jobs. Earlier this year, BP made headlines when it said that it plans on overhauling operations to become a much lower-carbon energy company over time. Maintaining a hefty dividend would require piling on much more debt, which would hamper the companys transition plans, analysts say. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil and Chevron have refused to cut their dividends. Chevron just bought Noble Energy in a high-profile deal that expands the companys footprint in U.S. shale and the Eastern Mediterranean. ExxonMobil, meanwhile, is sticking with its aggressive growth plans in the Permian and Guyana. The strategy will surely lead to more debt. The oil majors took on $80 billion in debt in the second quarter, according to Bloomberg. That will allow them to maintain their respective strategies for a little while longer. But more debt carries the risk of credit rating downgrades. Exxon, for instance, added $8.8 billion in debt in the second quarter and is on track to increase debt to $78 billion by the end of 2022, according to Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs. Exxon also has refused to write down assets, a stubbornness that has earned it quite a bit of criticism. Particularly in the context of uncertain long-term demand, Exxons refusal to acknowledge the risk seems to be untenable. But we will learn more in the coming days if the oil majors plan on making any change in direction. By Nick Cunningham for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Spurning free air tickets, accommodation and higher pay, millions of migrant workers who fled India's cities when coronavirus hit are too scared to return, with grim implications for the already crumbling economy. Migrant labourers form the backbone of Asia's third-biggest economy toiling in every sector from making consumer goods and stitching garments to driving cabs. But when India went into lockdown in late March, vast numbers lost their jobs, prompting a huge heart-rending exodus back to their home villages, sometimes on foot, their children in their arms. Some died on the way. Mumbai's swanky high-rises, for example, were built and largely staffed by people from poorer states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, who worked as security guards, cooks and cleaners. But as the city became a virus hotspot, around 80 percent of construction workers left the financial hub after work came to a standstill, according to the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry. Four months on, with lockdown measures eased, some workers have trickled back but more than 10,000 building sites are lying virtually abandoned due to severe labour shortages across the city. "We are trying our best to bring back migrant workers, even going to the extent of giving them air tickets, COVID-19 health insurance ... (and) weekly checkups by doctors," real estate developer Rajesh Prajapati said. "But it has not reaped any positive signs yet," he told AFP. Property giant Hiranandani Group which -- unusually -- continued to pay its workers during lockdown, has had more success, but has still only managed to convince around 30 percent of its 4,500 workers to stay on site. "We looked after them, took care of their food, safety and sanitisation and even had mobile creches for kids," the group's billionaire co-founder Niranjan Hiranandani told AFP. 'Double whammy' With a colossal slump in growth expected, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has steadily eased restrictions on many businesses even as coronavirus cases surge towards 1.5 million. But analysts say firms are still staring at a bleak future due to battered finances, stalled projects and crucially, a lack of workers. Real estate demand has plummeted by almost 90 percent in Mumbai alone, with falling sales and the lull in construction severely affecting access to credit. "We have a double whammy with the pandemic eroding demand while construction workers are not available," Pankaj Kapoor, CEO of Mumbai-based consultancy Liases Foras, told AFP. "Credit flow from the lender has (also) stopped because... credit disbursal is based on construction progress and sales," he said, projecting the turmoil to deepen. Business owners in other fields paint an equally grim picture. Aseem Kumar, general secretary of the Garment Exporters Association of Rajasthan, told AFP his sector was "in a mess". The organisation represents 300 manufacturers exporting clothing to Japan, the United States and Europe. Many have offered workers accommodation, insurance and a 20-percent raise, but to little avail. "Most of the orders have been deferred to next season as there are no labourers available," he said. 'Starve to death' A lack of transport means that even those who are willing to swallow their fear and return to work -- many are desperate to do so -- are unable to. Construction worker Shambu told AFP his family of four was on the brink of destitution after he fled Mumbai, reduced to living on 200 rupees ($2.70) a week. Unlike his compatriots, the 27-year-old, who goes by one name only, was able to travel by rail to Odisha -- a possibility that is now firmly out of reach because most trains are not running. "Almost 50 percent of people I know are ready to return if trains are restarted," he said. "It is better to go to big cities and work than sit in villages and starve to death." T our operator TUI has cancelled all flights to mainland Spain for the next two weeks after the Government removed the European country from its safe countries list. As of midnight on Saturday, holidaymakers must self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to the UK from Spain after it recorded 2,255 new coronavirus cases on Friday sparking fears of a second wave. Following the Government's changes TUI said it had cancelled all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including August 9. The firm said all those going to the Balearic and Canary Islands could still travel as planned from Monday, although flights before then are cancelled. A spokesman said: Due to travel advice change against all but essential travel to mainland Spain TUI UK have taken the decision to cancel all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including Sunday 9th August 2020. We know how much our customers look forward to their holiday abroad and some will be able to accommodate the new quarantine restrictions, therefore all those that wish to travel to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands will be able to travel as planned from Monday 27th July. Customers due to travel to all areas of Spain between 27th July and Sunday 9th August will be able to cancel or amend holidays and will be able to receive a full refund or the option to rebook their holiday with a booking incentive. It also said holidaymakers currently in the country should continue with their holiday. Government defends Spain quarantine move Meanwhile, Jet 2 has advised customers to arrive for their flights as normal and will continue to operate its scheduled programme with flights to and from mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. A statement read: We are still operating flights and holidays to four destinations in mainland Spain (Costa de Almeria, Alicante, Malaga and Murcia), which are open and are located away from areas which have been impacted by increased cases of Covid-19. Spains foreign minister has said all localised outbreaks of Covid-19 in the country are under control. Arancha Gonzalez Laya told reporters: Spain is a safe country for tourist and for Spaniards. Like in any other European country we are seeing outbreaks the outbreaks in Spain are perfectly controlled. The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA She said there were currently three major localised outbreaks, including one in Barcelona, adding: All of them are perfectly traced. Half of those that are Covid-positive in Spain are asymptomatic, which gives a very clear indication of the huge efforts that all the regions or Spain are undertaking to test its citizens for Covid-19. Once they are identified they are being subject to very strict social distancing measures, so Spain is safe. In light of the updated advice from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), we are in the process of reviewing options for customers due to travel to these four destinations. We are also continuing to operate flights and holidays to our destinations in the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands as scheduled. Loading.... Because the FCO travel advice to these destinations remains unchanged, our usual terms and conditions apply. As always, we advise customers to purchase appropriate travel insurance before travelling. Hello and welcome to Five Weeknight Dishes. Last week, I boldly suggested that you roast dinner on sheet pans to minimize cleanup. I got some angry emails! You were so mad at me! Its too hot out for that! Readers, I have to apologize. I lost sight of one of the founding principles of this newsletter, which is to always think of apartment dwellers, of those with small kitchens, of those who may not have air conditioning or outdoor space. The truth is, I am staying with family outside the city, and its just not as hot here. I feel Ive betrayed my fellow New Yorkers: I know the humidity of July in Brooklyn. I know what it is like to heat the oven on days like that. It is sweaty. It is bad. So here are recipes that do not require the oven at all. Also remember, if you have the space for it, that a slow cooker or pressure cooker is your friend on a stiflingly hot day. Im dearemily@nytimes.com, and now you know for sure that I read your emails! Write to me anytime. - Police officers in Garissa county had gone to arrest a man accused of murder - A confrontation ensued between the officers and locals who were allegedly aiding the suspect resist arrest - The scuffle led to police officers shooting two people dead and several others were left nursing injuries - The police officers have since been arrested as investigations into the matter gathers momentum Two police officers have been arrested in Garissa county following a shooting incident hat left two dead and one seriously injured at Soko ya Ng'ombe market. The arrest came after a series of running battles between the police and the locals over arrest of a man accused of murder. READ ALSO: Kenyan woman goes missing in US after dinner with lover Residents of Garissa in running battles with local police officers at Soko ya Ng'ombe. Photo: The Star Source: UGC READ ALSO: Mshawasha baada ya kuibuka kwa video ya mzazi feki akicharazwa na mwalimu mkuu On Saturday, July 25, businesses were brought to a standstill at Soko ya Ng'ombe market when locals ganged up against the police in stopping the arrest of the man. It all started when plainclothes police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested the suspect who had been on the run for a week. Confirming the incident, county police commander Alfred Ongnego said police had gone to arrest a murder suspect who resisted arrest with the help of wananchi. READ ALSO: North Korea: State of emergency declared after first suspected coronavirus case In the ensuing confusion, he got a chance to escape. The police chased him and wananchi followed. It became a battle between our officers and wananachi, leading to the unfortunate shooting of the two," Ongnego said. The angry residents marched to the Garissa Police Station and demanded the arrest of the officers. At the police station gates, they hurled stones at the police who fired teargas at the crowd. Several other people were injured. READ ALSO: Lilian Muli, baby daddy reunite to celebrate son's second birthday On Sunday, July 26, the National Police Service (NPS) issued a statement saying the two officers had been arrested and police boss Hillary Mutyambai had directed the director of Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) Mohammed Amin to immediately carry out investigations into the incident. "The IG has equally directed DCI to carry out forensic analysis on the firearms used by the officers. The investigations with input from the Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) shall be able to establish whether the officers were justified to use their firearms or not," said NPS in a Twitter post. The incident came barely months after angry residents of Rioma in Kisii county burnt a police station following shooting of a local trader by police officers. Also in Nandi county, there was chaos after a police officer shot and killed a shoe shinner in Lessos after he allegedly intervened in an argument between the officer and a boda boda operator. The locals also burnt down a house of the area police boss leading to a running battle between law enforcers and the residents. 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 Aged care staff are still working across multiple residential facilities, with some also working in hospitality or retail, as providers wait for the federal government's promised workforce support funding after seven elderly residents died in the pandemic's deadliest day. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth said there was still "a lot of travel between facilities" in Victoria's aged care sector, a week after the government announced support to help providers restrict each worker to one centre to reduce the risk of COVID-19 being transferred. Clinical waste removalists at the St Basil's Homes for the Aged in Fawkner. Credit:Penny Stephens "We want to try and minimise that, because an infected individual is likely to spread the virus," Dr Coatsworth said on Sunday. The sector has spent months lobbying for the funding, which operators say is needed to restrict its largely casual workforce to a single centre each, where they may only get one shift per week. Loading In some instances, victims are convinced to cease contacting their family and friends, rent a hotel room and fake their own kidnappings. The victim will take photographs or videos of themselves bound and blindfolded, which are then sent to the victim's relatives overseas. When relatives are unable to establish contact with the student in Australia, they send large ransom payments in exchange for their release. But the scammer continues to make threats and ransom demands until they are unable to obtain further payments. State Crime Command Director Superintendent Darren Bennett said these types of scams have developed considerably over the last decade by transnational organised crime syndicates. "While these phone calls appear to be random in nature, these scammers seem to be targeting vulnerable members of the Chinese-Australian community," he said. Last year, there were a handful of similar incidents but police were seeing the scam becoming increasingly common. "We're not exactly sure the reason for that and that's why we're making this plea today because they're becoming very, very common," Superintendent Bennett said. "And the phone calls are going out at an alarmingly regular rate and we have had a spate in the last few months where pretty much every weekend we've had a victim fall for one of these scams. He said that no one from a Chinese authority would contact a student on their mobile phone and demand monies to be paid or transferred. Scammers convince victims to fake their own kidnapping. Credit:NSW Police "If this occurs, it is a scam," he said. Superintendent Bennett said a victim was told in a recent case unless they staged a kidnap photo their family in China would be harmed. "It's a very egregious crime type, it's very cruel," he said. "And that's what we've got to get this message out of just don't pay any money." In some cases, families paid every cent they had to the scammers under the impression their loved one was in real danger. Superintendent Bennett was certain there were similar incidents in the community but people had not come forward. Anyone who receives a call demanding money under the threat of violence should hang up, contact the Chinese consulate in Sydney to verify the claims and report the matter to NSW Police. As COVID-19 restrictions ease and preparations are being made to allow those on student visas to return to the state, NSW Police are urging the community to be aware of the elaborate phone scams. NSW Police corporate sponsor for the safety and wellbeing of international students assistant commissioner Peter Thurtell, said victims of virtual kidnappings are often traumatised by what has occurred. "In these instances, it is often friends and family that encourage victims to come forward and report the crime to police, as victims feel embarrassed or ashamed by what has transpired. "The community should be reassured that NSW Police will pursue these criminals through every investigative avenue available," he said. This year, $3.2 million has been obtained through eight virtual kidnapping schemes targeting Chinese international students. Credit:NSW Police Macquarie University pro vice chancellor international, Nicole Brigg, said universities are aware of the scam calls and are available to provide assistance to any student with concerns. "Students can do two important things to protect themselves against these types of crimes firstly, be aware they exist and secondly, ask for help early if they think it might be happening to them or someone they know," Ms Brigg said. Islamabad: As the India-China face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh remains unresolved, Pakistan is carrying out military exercises at its air force base at Qadri in Skardu of occupied Gilgit-Baltistan region. Pakistan has also deployed J-17 fighter jets at Skardu air base which carried out these exercises. Official sources said that Pakistan has been carrying out these military exercises on the instruction of China, which has been locked in a bitter standoff with India at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Top official sources said Pakistan's Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan visited the base recently on July 24-25 as he held some important meetings and oversee the military exercises. The visit of Mujahid Anwar Khan at Skardu air base comes at a time when China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops remain in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with Indian soldiers along the LAC in Ladakh. Speculations are rife that Pakistan and China, the two allies, may attack from two fronts - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, respectively, and simultaneously to occupy vital parts of Indian territory. Pakistan Army has been continuously violating ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir for last several months. Official sources in New Delhi said that India is fully cognizant of Pakistan's military exercises at Skardu airbase. Meanwhile, Indian intelligence agencies along with the Air Force and Army are keeping a close watch on the movement of the Pakistani Air Force. Skardu is a forward operating base of the Pakistan Air Force and it uses it to support its Army operations on the border with India. Anne Salamanca arrived in Honolulu on July 6 and four days later, she allegedly violated Hawaii's 14-day quarantine A 20-year-old social media influencer was arrested earlier this month for allegedly violating Hawaii's mandatory 14-day quarantine policy by dancing in a store and dining at a restaurant just four days after she arrived in the state. Investigators with the Hawaii attorney general's office arrested Anne Salamanca after seeing videos of her dancing in the business when she was supposed to be obeying a traveler quarantine the state mandated to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. Salamanca arrived in Honolulu on July 6 and four days later, the Hawaii Tourism Authority learned she was out in public, in violation of the 14-day quarantine, the state said in a news release Friday. The tourism authority informed attorney general special agents, who were shown videos of her dancing and dining. The videos were reportedly recorded at a Sephora at Ala Moana Center and at a Korean restaurant on Ke'eaumoku Street in Honolulu. According to the state's news release, Salamanca is from Birmingham, Alabama. She's also a social media influencer in the Philippines who goes by Mika Salamanca and arrived from Manila, according to KITV. Salamanca later took to social media to apologize for her actions. Salamanca (left and right) is a social media influencer in the Philippines who goes by Mika Salamanca and arrived to Hawaii from Manila Salamanca later took to social media (pictured) to apologize for her actions. 'I admit that I made a mistake at the time when I arrived in Hawaii and we went out right away. I'm sorry,' she told her followers 'I admit that I made a mistake at the time when I arrived in Hawaii and we went out right away. I'm sorry,' she told her followers. She also claimed in the video that police had come to the house where she was staying and told her that if she had a negative COVID-19 test that she could go out. 'None of my investigators would convey that information, as it is incorrect,' Hawaii Attorney General Clare Connors said. 'The fact Ms. Salamanca has so many followers makes her actions that much more dangerous and concerning. 'The spread of misinformation can have very severe consequences during an emergency situation like we are in now,' Connors added. According to members of the Hawaii Quarantine Kapu Breakers Facebook group, Salamanca and her friends posted other videos of them hiking in Lanikai. The posts have since been deleted. Salamanca was arrested and released on $2,000 bail. The Associated Press couldn't immediately reach her Friday. It wasn't clear if she has an attorney. JERSEYVILLE A cemetery isnt just a place to bury loved ones, its a place to unearth a regions history, and a Jersey County couple are working to do just that. Jersey County native Beth McGlasson first started spending time in cemeteries as a child. Her mother was interested in cemeteries and often would bring McGlasson and her siblings along on her visits to them. It was not unusual for her to load my sisters and brothers and me up and we would just go and visit cemeteries, McGlasson recalled. We would walk through and read the stones or we would look up the stones of people we knew. McGlasson started working with the Jersey County Historical Society 10 years ago, volunteering to help the society with its cemetery records. While getting the records in order, McGlasson was amazed by just how many cemeteries there are in Jersey County more than 100, she said. Inspired by a Springfield womans work in the 1970s to record gravestones for a statewide project, McGlasson began a project to find all of the cemeteries in Jersey County. She and her husband, Dennis, spent five years searching for abandoned cemeteries. All but a handful of known cemeteries in the county have been found, Beth McGlasson said. We would battle the mosquitoes and we would fight the blackberry briers trying to find these abandoned cemeteries, she said. We have been able to locate the ones that anybody that weve ever talked to knows about. The McGlassons assigned GPS coordinates to the cemeteries as they found them, because directions on how to get to them often was out of date, Beth McGlasson said. After finding the cemeteries, the McGlassons took the next step and started fixing gravestones. They took lessons from the state on how to properly reset stones and began working this past fall on gravestones at East Newbern Cemetery in Dow. Beth McGlasson has family members buried there and the township also pays to mow the cemetery, which is crucial for a successful restoration project, she said. Its a waste of time to clean a cemetery unless someone is going to agree to come in and mow it at least once a month, she said. In a years time that cemetery is going to look exactly like it did the day that you cleaned it out. Its incredibly amazing how fast nature reclaims a cemetery. The couple, along with a handful of friends and family who pitched in, got to work restoring the cemetery. They spent this past winter pushing back brush that had decades worth of a head start encroaching on the back part of the cemetery. After dealing with the brush, they started cleaning stones and resetting toppled stones. Eventually, they will move on to repair broken stones, create a grid of the cemetery and probe for stones underground. When they finish, the cemetery will be recorded by both the countys historical society and the states cemetery board, Beth McGlasson said. McGlasson said her work provides a fascinating chronicle of both Jersey County and family histories. For example, she discovered that a great-uncles wife, who was believed to have died after having one child, actually died after having a second child, who also died. Its a fascinating look at history and we can learn so much about families and how they operated, McGlasson said. A bouquet of white roses lies at the top of the drain where the body was found (AFP Photo/RAYMOND ROIG) Peyriac-de-Mer (France) (AFP) - French prosecutors on Sunday said they had charged a US national with the murder of his French wife, who was found stabbed to death near their holiday home in the southwest. Officers arrested Billy Kruger on Friday as he was about to fly out of France from the airport in nearby Toulouse. Hours earlier, police had found his 52-year-old wife's remains in a rainwater drain near the couple's holiday home in the village of Peyriac-de-Mer. Prosecutor Marie-Agnes Jolie told AFP on Sunday that Kruger had earlier confessed to police to having stabbed his wife twice, and told the investigating magistrate that it was in self-defence. He was charged with aggravated murder, she said. The couple, who habitually spent a few weeks in Peyriac-de-Mer each year, were to have left on Friday for their home in Indonesia where Laure Kruger worked as a teacher. Laure's father raised the alarm after the couple did not turn up at his home to say goodbye. After the body was found, a manhunt ensued and Billy Kruger was arrested in the departure area of the Toulouse airport. On Sunday, a bouquet of white roses had been placed at the top of the drain where Laure's body was found. "We don't know yet what happened, but we never got any alarm signal from Laure regarding violent acts against her by her husband," Laure's brother Pierre Bardina wrote on Facebook. "You always think this can only happen to other people, but violence against women can happen all of a sudden." This latest murder brings the number of suspected femicides in France this year to at least 40, according to an AFP tally. In 2019, AFP counted at least 126 cases of women killed by their partners or ex-partners, or an average of one woman every three days. Break clauses should be inserted into rental contracts to protect students financially if they are required to return home in the coming academic year in the event of a second wave of Covid-19. According to a survey conducted by websites Money Magpie and Save The Student, 89 per cent of students and 91 per cent of parents would like such a break clause automatically included in all student tenancy agreements. It would mean being able to return home if their university were to close, without being liable for any remaining rent under the contract. Backing: Jono Cherry says it is reasonable to be able to opt out The tenancy agreement typically a year in length would lapse, enabling the landlord to re-let the property while the student would have to find new accommodation if they eventually return to the university. The call for break clauses follows what happened in the last academic year when the outbreak of the coronavirus caused universities to shut with students advised to return home to their parents. But tens of thousands, especially those in private accommodation, were still charged for their summer term rent. The Mail on Sunday was at the forefront of reporting on this issue, resulting in some big student accommodation providers agreeing to waive all or a slice of the term's rent. Jasmine Birtles is founder of Money Magpie. On Friday, she told The Mail on Sunday: 'Parents and students mustn't feel pressured into signing a 12-month rental contract when they're not sure the student will be there for the full year because of Covid-19 and a potential second spike. 'Every student who will be at university from the autumn must insist on a break clause in their accommodation rental contract with their landlord whether a large company or private.' Do you think student rental contracts should have break clauses? Email jeff.prestridge@mailonsunday.co.uk Mark Roberts, a nuclear engineer from Ipswich in Suffolk, says such a break clause makes great sense. He has just paid a bill of 920 relating to his daughter's summer term accommodation costs. But only after 19-year-old Isobel was threatened with a writ for non-payment by Brayford Estates that runs the Brayford Quay accommodation she vacated in March ahead of lockdown. Isobel is studying criminology at Lincoln University and did not return to the city for her third term. Mark, a private landlord himself, is upset that Brayford Estates was not prepared to negotiate on the outstanding rent. On break clauses, he says they are a 'good idea' provided they can only be exercised in the event of a second wave of Covid-19. Tens of thousands of students were still charged for their summer term rent despite having left Jono Cherry, from Bexley in Kent, is due to start a masters degree in public policy at Bristol University in September. He likes the idea of a break clause, describing it as 'reasonable' given the ongoing public health crisis. 'If you can't take up a service,' he says, 'it seems only reasonable that there is an opt-out.' Teddy Phillips, due back in Leeds in September to complete her degree in theology, has already been told by her landlord for the final year that she will be able to break her contract if there is another lockdown. This contrasts with her previous landlord who refused to give her a summer term refund even though she did not use the property and her rent covered utility bills. Phil Keddie, president of lettings agents professional association ARLA Propertymark, said: 'Unless the Government passes a specific law impacting on student loans and grants in light of a potential second wave, there is no need for accommodation contracts to be altered. 'As long as students can access the same levels of financial aid, they are equipped to pay their rent and any changes to the current system could see a great loss of income for student landlords, having a detrimental knock-on affect on the wider market.' Marijuana sales are reaching new highs despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Canadian pot industry saw rising sales after declaring cannabis an "essential item," although legal weed still faces hurdles from cheaper black-market sales and fewer-than-expected legal stores. Meanwhile, the U.S. cannabis industry is booming, with 33 states and the District of Columbia allowing medical cannabis, and 11 states and D.C. allowing recreational use. Even without federal legalization of marijuana, U.S. cannabis companies have seen impressive revenue growth in the first quarter. Most companies expanded their revenue by triple digits, with Illinois-based Green Thumb Industries (OTC:GTBIF) and Massachusetts's Curaleaf Holdings (OTC:CURLF) in particular making a mark. However, some -- includng Colorado-based Charlotte's Web Holdings (OTC: CWBH.F) are still struggling. Green Thumb in particular looks appealing. Allow me to explain why. Green Thumb's future looks bright Green Thumb's plus point is its strong presence in its home state of Illinois, which is emerging as a new cannabis market. After Illinois legalized recreational cannabis on Jan. 1, there seems to be no stopping sales growth in the state. Green Thumb showed tremendous growth in almost every month of 2020, with a record-breaking June that included $47.6 million in legal cannabis sales. Green Thumb currently has 48 stores in 12 U.S. states, and it holds licenses to open 96 more retail locations. This gives the company, with a strong balance sheet and rising revenue and profitability, a chance to expand in even more states that allow legal cannabis. Furthermore, the upcoming November elections could see more states legalizing marijuana. Green Thumb ended its first quarter with $71.5 million in cash and cash equivalents. It expanded revenue by 268% year over year, to $102.6 million, and it posted positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of $25.5 million. Imagine the revenue growth when Green Thumb spreads its roots in more states with new "cannabis 2.0" derivatives products (edibles, vapes, beverages, and concentrates). Charlotte's Web needs to pick up the pace The pace at which other multi-state operators (MSOs) are expanding in the U.S. cannabis industry isn't looking favorable for Charlotte's Web. There' no doubt the company has a vast number of stores; with the acquisition of Abacus Health Products last month, it now has a total of 21,000 unique retail locations. However, cannabidiol products still face resistance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and until then the market could be challenging. While first-quarter results were better than expected for other MSOs, Charlotte's Web's lower business-to-business sales affected its total revenue growth for the quarter. Revenue for Q1 fell to $21.5 million from $21.7 million in the corresponding quarter a year ago. Moreover, the company failed to achieve positive EBITDA because of a 76.5% increase in its operating expenses to $23.3 million. Its EBITDA loss was about 5.7 million in the first quarter. For the full year, management targets positive profitability and revenue growth of 10% to 20%. The choice is obvious Green Thumb's strong fundamentals, leadership team, focus on robust markets, growth strategies, and strong balance sheet have boosted its stock price this year. Green Thumb and Curaleaf's shares have gained 26.1% and 15.7%, respectively, year to date, while Charlotte's Web's stock is down 53%. The market, as tracked by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, is up slightly -- 0.34% -- for the same period. While Charlotte's Web still has room to grow, Green Thumb has clearly proved its potential. There appears to be no stopping the growth of this company. Its confidence to expand amid a pandemic, while most companies in other sectors are struggling to stay afloat, is applaudable -- making it a better marijuana choice for 2020. A coroner was never provided with crucial footage that was reportedly taken moments before a young Australian Instagram model was found hanging from the back of a billionaire's superyacht in Greece. Sinead McNamara, 20, was ruled to have committed suicide after her body was found on the Mayan Queen IV, in the Greek Islands, in August 2018. The ruling came despite coroner Ilias Bogiokas admitting questions still remained about the case. The Daily Telegraph reported Ms McNamara had complained of a fight with someone on the yacht the day before her death, authorities had not inspected the vessel before it left port and the coroner never received footage showing Ms McNamara moments before her death. A coroner was never provided with crucial footage that was reportedly taken moments before Australian model Sinead McNamara was found hanging from the back of a billionaire's superyacht in Greece Ms McNamara, from Port Macquarie on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, sold all her belongings and flew to Europe to work on-board the Mayan Queen IV in May Ms McNamara, 20, was ruled to have committed suicide after her body was found on the Mayan Queen IV, in the Greek Islands, in August 2018 'We don't know if someone brought her into this situation, if there was a moral instigator,' Mr Bogiokas said. Ms McNamara, from Port Macquarie on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, sold all her belongings and flew to Europe to work on-board the Mayan Queen IV in May. She had previously worked on similar superyachts and stayed on the $190 million luxury boat - owned by Mexican billionaire Alberto Bailleres - as it travelled around Europe. Ms McNamara called her mother the day before she was found dead to complain she had been in an argument with someone on board. A passing boat spotted the Australian model hanging from the back of the yacht and she was rushed to an Athens hospital, though she died while en route in the helicopter. The Mayan Queen IV was allowed then allowed to leave Kefalonia after Greek coast guards interviewed staff. The Mayan Queen IV is equipped with CCTV surveillance cameras, and footage of the incident was seized by Greek authorities. Footage reportedly showed Ms McNamara moments before her body was found - though the video was not made public. Without the footage and an inspection of the yacht, the coroner ruled Ms McNamara had died by hanging. Ms McNamara, from Port Macquarie on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, sold all her belongings and flew to Europe to work on-board the Mayan Queen IV in May 'Since no stimulant drugs such as cocaine or sedatives such as cannabis or heroin have been found after the toxicological analysis, it means that the girl was not under the influence of such substances,' he said. 'She had mental clarity and that she was most likely facing social problems and was (found herself) in a psychological impasse.' The Mayan Queen IV is owned by billionaire mining magnate Alberto Bailleres, Mexico's second richest man. The notoriously-private tycoon left the vessel three days before Ms McNamara's death. When news of the tragedy broke Mr Bailleres was in his family mansion in Mexico City, and declined to comment on the death aboard his boat. Mr Bailleres appeared in public at the National Palace as a guest of Enrique Pena Nieto two days later, but again declined to comment, La Journada reported. The city restaurants have barely managed to garner 10 per cent to 15 per cent of food delivery and takeaway business after it reopened shutters post ten-day lockdown on Friday. According to Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association (PRAHA) president Ganesh Shetty, the bill counters saw less transaction because of less customers and thin staff. Most of the restaurants were shut due to lack of manpower and guidelines imposed by the state government. Takeaway parcels were being given at important locations across the city like Fergusson College road, Wanowrie, NIBM road, Aundh, Kalyaninagar and other areas of the city. Shetty said, At least 8,500 restaurants are shut and the total lockdown losses are around Rs 250 crore with more than 2 lakh employees returning to their native places. There is a shortage of staff and the government has still not allowed restaurants to open, except food delivery. Small shops can operate on this takeaway model, but bigger establishments are into huge economic loss. The business is around 10-15 per cent and it is quite less, he said. Ikram Khan, restaurateur, who runs joint ventures with several prominent brands of hotels said, The restaurant industry was shut during lockdown and reached a point of no return. Currently, the business of takeaways and online-based deliveries is only 10 per cent. Sanika More ( 21), who picked up her favourite Masala Dosa and coffee parcel at Hotel Vaishali on FC road, said I felt happy to enjoy my favourite masala dosa and beverage after a long time. Pune has been a city for the youth, but unfortunately, the lockdown has affected the day-to-day life. Chintamani Mani, owner of Sadguru Snack Centre at Salunke Vihar, said on Saturday, Not many buyers are coming to pick up parcels as there is fear about the spread of Sars-Cov-2 virus which causes the Covid-19 (coronavirus) infection. I barely managed to do 10 per cent business today, he said. Medha Dutta Yadav By Express News Service An ode to the fascinating landscapes and extraordinary experiences of Africa, AMPMs Spring/Summer 2020 Safari Edit from its Amahle collection transports you to the land of natural luxuries and soul-soothing sunsets. Roughly translated into the finest in Zulu, the collection is a beautiful edit of timeless garments that celebrate the progressive art, pottery, wildlife and culture of Africa. As Priyanka Modi, Creative Director, AMPM, says, "Africa has such a vast and diverse cultural narrative that it is not easy to translate everything into your designs. So we picked specific elementsthe masks, certain type of artistry and unique motifs from their pottery and reimagined it according to AMPMs sensibilities. The second drop of Amahle, the Safari Edit, comprises floaty silhouettes and handcrafted accessories in sun-drenched hues and wildlife-inspired prints." Comprising breezy kaftans, spliced tonal dresses and belted tunic, the collection takes a leaf out of the unparalleled African Safari experience. The airy silhouettes and handcrafted leather accessories are designed in shades curated from the savannah and the wilderness-inspired prints beautifully exemplify AMPMs signature artistry.How did Africa become the muse? "It was one of the earliest places I explored as a child, and definitely the most magical. In 1986, our family went to Kenya for an extensive safari expedition. I was just nine at the time when we travelled to Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Seychelles among other places and the images were imprinted in my mind. Africa is an enchanting landit draws you in while at the same time shows you how fierce and powerful nature can be. The stories still give me goosebumps. It was this intense emotion that I wanted to express for a very long time. Our SS'20 collection gave me the perfect canvas to articulate my love for big expanses, wildlife and adventure." For this, Priyanka fished out the journals that her mother made them write every time they travelled. The three-decade-old diaries full of travel souvenirs, old coins, vintage photographs, and even a feather too, helped Priyanka relive the African safari experience once again and capture the emotion on to her fashion canvas. Available across stores in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, besides their online platform, the collection includes casual wear that is easy on the pocket to a special, higher priced Gold & Ivory Edit. While the fabrics are linen, chanderi, cotton and georgette, the colours were handpicked from certain indigenous traditions. Hues like tan, steel grey and olive depict uniforms that rangers wear for the safaris. Splashes of mustards and pinks are reminiscent of the vivid aesthetic that Kenyan women sport in their daily attire. Keeping true to its design aesthetics, the collection also features handcrafted leather accessories such as bags and belts that may be worn to dress up or dress down the silhouettes. "The idea behind this collection was to design beautiful pieces that are versatile in their use, stay relevant for a long time and travel well. Through this collection, we are offering our customers these lasting values that will help them build a timeless and well-rounded wardrobe," she says. With the launch of AMPM in 2002, Priyankas aim was to develop a language that was reflective of the modern, discerning Indian woman. Over the years, with each collection, varied art and craft forms from India and around the world, have made a discreet entry. What next? "We at AMPM have done some introspection in the last few months and are preparing to align ourselves to this unique situation and keep moving forward. Besides launching our autumn/winter collection in August, we are also in the process of reinventing our retail experience both online and offline, readying ourselves for the next generation of luxury shoppers," Priyanka signs off. The finance ministry has identified 1,474 risky exporters who have fraudulently claimed IGST refund worth 2,020 crore and promised stern action against them. Some of these exporters enjoy a star rating, according to a senior ministry official. The fraudulent claims were caught out during a verification exercise which found exporters untraceable, following which their refund claims have been blocked, the official added. Integrated Goods and Services Tax or IGST refund has been suspended in all such cases where an adverse report was generated post verification of the exporter or his suppliers. However, Customs officials have been sensitized to expedite refunds to genuine exporters keeping the Covid-19 challenges in mind, the officer quoted above said. Out of the 1,474 untraceable exporters, 1,125 exporters are from Delhi alone. Non-existing exporters have also been detected in large numbers at Surat (215), Thane (28), Faridabad (15) and Kolkata (11), the official said. They were engaged in exports of a wide range of products including ready-made garments, wallpaper, wall coverings, leather apparel, smoking pipes, mobile phones, cigarette holders, footwear, plastics, floor coverings, ball bearings and roller bearings. Seven of these dubious business firms had star exporter ratings, five of them operated from Delhi and one each from Mumbai and Kolkata. Three adverse reports have been received in respect of other three star exporters, two in Mumbai and one in Jaipur. They tried to claim IGST refund amounting to Rs.28.9 crores unsuccessfully. The ministry started a programme for exporters risk management in June 2019 following assessment of fraudulent claims taking advantage of the fully automated IGST refund system. Their general modus operandi is to pay IGST at the highest rate of 28% in order to quickly encash the undue ITC claims, the official said. However, the programme uses data analytics based on 360 degree profiling of exporters using multiple data sources (GST, Income Tax, Customs, DGFT, etc.) and is able to weed out fraudulent exporters from genuine ones with a high degree of success, he said. Some fake/risky exporters are lobbying with some prominent trade associations to allege that genuine exporters are being harassed by being asked for over 1,500 documents each for conducting verification, but this is completely untrue, he said, adding that the two stage verification doesnt require more than three to four documents. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 15:01:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China Development Bank (CDB) has boosted loan support to manufacturing companies in the first half of the year to facilitate transformation and upgrade of the sector. In the first six months, CDB gave 277.7 billion yuan of loans (about 39.7 billion U.S. dollars) to the manufacturing industry, up 45 percent year on year. Outstanding loans to the sector amounted to 864.8 billion yuan by the end of June, according to the CDB. The lender said it had set up a targeted loan program of 250 billion yuan to promote quality development in the manufacturing industry and an aid fund plan measuring 50 billion yuan to offer efficient and low-cost finance to companies involved in industrial and supply chains. Official data showed that business activities of China's manufacturing sector continued to pick up in June amid the country's efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector ticked up to 50.9 in June from 50.6 in May, according to data by the National Bureau of Statistics. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-24 01:10:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MAPUTO, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Mozambique's main opposition party Renamo said Thursday in Maputo that the party is pleased with the ongoing activities of disarming, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of its fighters, urging its dissidents to join the peace process. "We are satisfied to announce that more than 500 of our men have been demobilized, two military bases were closed, as a clear and unquestionable demonstration of our commitment to the effective peace agreement," said the Renamo's leader Ossufo Momade in a press conference. He appealed to his former men, dissidents of Renamo party now serving the self-proclaimed Military Junta led by Mariano Nhongo, to give up weapons and return to the effective peace process. "We would like to take this opportunity to appeal again to those former combatants who abandoned their bases in an undisciplined and manipulated manner to promote an unjustified war without reasons, to come back to their sense and join this process that is in its initial phase," said Ossufo Momade. The leader of the main opposition recognized the contributions and efforts made by the country's head-of-state, the party members and international community for the DDR process, while admitting that there are challenges, given the considerable number of former fighters to be demobilized. Enditem This file photo taken on Feb. 23, 2017, shows workers next to a cage with mice (R) inside the P4 laboratory in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province. AFP Is Macau Finished? Only Recovery Can Tell Published July 26, 2020 by Lee R Macau's new leader calls for external solutions to the greater economic impact of Covid on Macau. No one thought that it was going to be easy, but Macau's report on the post-Covid shutdown landscape nonetheless provides the necessary dose of reality to move forward in that region. New Leader's Warning Macau's Chief Executive who is in charged of the economic region and the hoped for recovery Ho Iat Seng delivered the sobering warning of a continued recession in China's gambling mecca for the entirety of H2 as a result of the virus' impact: Multiple data indicate that the Macau economy has (experienced) a substantial fall in the first half of this year. The general strength of the economy has declined. Losses Across the Board No industries have been spared, according to Macau's new manager. A diversity of challenges are set to put undue pressure on the economy to perform in H2, with Ho Iat Seng preaching a form of temperance indicated to the Economic Development Council plenary meeting he was presiding over. End of Gaming? The chief executive further suggested what many in the region probably never hoped to hear: a solution to Macaus over-reliance on the gaming sector: We must expedite the contemplation on a concrete direction and measures to improve the economic structure of Macau. Recovery Economic Model Ho Iat Seng quoted the principles of the One-Country, Two-Systems to prepare Macau for development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. Non-Gaming Partner Provinces This shifting of focus for Macau recovery into a metropolitan relationship with the other large metropolitan areas in the immediate region was a glaring notion that Ho Iat Seng could not float subtly: with Macau being the only province where gaming is permitted, and having relied heavily on gaming for the vast bulk of its revenues and commerce in the global island gambling mecca, Ho Iat Seng is suggesting an economic recovery solution in Macau that is not rooted in resuscitating the gaming landscape. Outlook After an April which was the worst month in the history of Macau casino, who turned in -97% in Gross Income, and a new leader as of last December suggesting a new commerce model cooperating with other principalities, the Covid shutdowns appear to have caused permanent damage to that once thriving, longstanding gaming market. The delegation included: Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc; Chairwoman of National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; former President Tran Duc Luong; former NA Chairman Nguyen Van An; President of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man; among other Politburo members and Secretaries of the Party Central Committee (PCC), former Politburo members and the PCCs Secretaries. The leaders laid a wreath and offered incense at a monument dedicated to all heroic fallen soldiers in Bac Son street. They expressed their gratitude to the people who sacrificed their lives in the fight for national independence and reunification as well as the peoples happiness. The delegations wreath bore the words Everlasting gratitude to heroic fallen soldiers. The leaders paying tribute to President Ho Chi Minh (Photo: VGP) On the same day, the Party, State and VFF leaders paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh for his great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and nation. The wreath bore the words Everlasting gratitude to our great President Ho Chi Minh. On the morning of the same day, delegations of Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Public Security, Hanoi City and other agencies, also offered incense and laid wreath to heroic fallen soldiers and President Ho Chi Minh. The delegation of Ministry of Defence (Photo: NDO) The delegation of Ministry of Public Security (Photo: NDO) The delegation of Hanoi municipal Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front (Photo: NDO) The students of the university have held a tree-planting ceremony on the Minecraft platform with the graduating batches as a part of their online senior week. Taking a page out of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and University of California, Berkeley students handbook, students at Ashoka University have built their entire campus on Minecraft. A group of twelve students from the university have come together to build the campus, block by block, on Minecraft. This team of 12 includes international students as well and are from all batches across 1st year to 4th year. A group of twelve students from the university have come together to build the campus, block by block, on Minecraft. (Aishwarya Das, Atishay Khanna, Abhirup Chatterjee) One of the students, Aishwarya Das, told Business Insider that their aim was to recreate the life they had on campus on the virtual server. The next semester for these kids is just around the corner and the new batch will get to see their campus and interact with other students on the virtual campus. (Reddit) These kids started building the online campus around mid-May this year and have spent about five to six hours each day to bring it all together. Around 700 people can join the server at any time and chat with each other. (Aishwarya Das, Atishay Khanna, Abhirup Chatterjee) The next semester for these kids is just around the corner and the new batch will get to see their campus and interact with other students on the virtual campus. The students used Google Maps to check the dimensions of their college campus in real life and then got to work. (Aishwarya Das, Atishay Khanna, Abhirup Chatterjee) Around 700 people can join the server at any time and chat with each other. Das explained that they have built the space to facilitate conversations like how gamers do on Discord. The students used Google Maps to check the dimensions of their college campus in real life and then got to work. The student who originally came up with the idea is Atishay who explained how they built the whole campus. Atishay says that they first built the campus block by block and then built the experiences from their memories of the campus. To coordinate with everyone working on the project and divide the work, these students used Discord. The server will be open to all Ashoka University students and alumni from July 31. (Aishwarya Das, Atishay Khanna, Abhirup Chatterjee) This group of 12 now are hoping to make it possible to hold classes on this platform and also hold live music fests online. They have gotten in touch with the students at Berkeley to understand more and figure out a way forward. The server will be open to all Ashoka University students and alumni from July 31. The Iredell County Commissioners intently listened as superintendents Drs. Jeff James and Stephen Mauney detailed their school district's plans for reopening next month. With 47% of the commission's annual budget going into schools, it's understandable why they dedicated nearly two hours to hear from the leaders of the Iredell-Statesville and Mooresville Graded District Schools. James was more direct on Tuesday as I-SS already voted on their plans for reopening, but MGSD didn't vote until Wednesday morning on its plans. The Iredell board opted for Plan B. Mauney outlined the district's Plan B and Plan C at the meeting but ultimately MGSD voted unanimously to adopt Plan C. That means remote learning four days a week for the first quarter of the school year for those schools. While so far Iredell-Statesville schools have paid for coronavirus-related expenses through CARES funding from the federal government, when James was asked by county commissioner Ken Robertson if IS-S could cover those expenses through the rest of the year with the $3.7 million given to them through CARES, James had a simple answer. Union minister Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah on Sunday saluted the unwavering courage, patriotism and valour of Indian soldiers on the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed every year to mark Indias triumph over Pakistan in 1999. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and home minister Amit Shah took to Twitter to pay their tributes to the brave soldiers of the Indian armed forces. Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of Indias self-respect, valour and steadfast leadership. I bow to the soldiers who with their indomitable courage drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and waved the tricolour there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India, who are dedicated to protecting the motherland, Shah tweeted in Hindi. Singh tweeted that Kargil Vijay Diwas is indeed the celebration of Indias proud tradition of outstanding Military service, exemplary valour and sacrifice. The unwavering courage and patriotism of our Armed Forces have ensured that India is safe and secure, the defence minister posted. I am also grateful to those who despite becoming disabled in battle, continue to serve the country in their own ways and have set examples worthy of emulation by the Nation, he said. On the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay, I would like to salute the brave soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who fought the enemy under the most challenging conditions that the world had witnessed in the recent history, he said. Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999, and the day is marked as Kargil Vijay Diwas to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay. India launched Operation Vijay to clear the posts in the high-altitude Kargil sector, which was occupied by the Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators on the Indian side of the Line of Control. The armies of the nuclear-armed nations fought the war between May and July in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the LoC. It took about three months for the Indian forces to recapture the posts. India lost 527 soldiers in the short but sharp conflict. Churches sue Calif. Gov. Newsom over COVID-19 order banning in-home Bible studies Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A multicampus church has filed a complaint in federal court against California Gov. Gavin Newsoms COVID-19 executive order that it believes effectively bans church members from holding Bible studies and other small group meetings in their homes. The new lawsuit was filed last Saturday on behalf of the Pasadena-based Harvest Rock Church, which has campuses throughout the state, and Harvest International Ministries, a nonprofit corporation with 162 member churches statewide and over 65,000 affiliates worldwide. Both organizations are led by Che Ahn, an author and international chancellor of Wagner University who has been seen on networks like Trinity Broadcasting Network and GodTV. The legal complaint says the governors order earlier this month that bans all indoor worship services in as many as 30 counties on the states COVID-19 county monitoring list also bans members from gathering at each others homes for Bible studies in those counties. As part of the exercise of its sincerely held religious beliefs, Harvest Rocks Church campuses also have numerous Life Groups, which meet in the homes of members of the Church to worship together, engage in Bible study, fellowship with one another, and minister to the needs of each other, the complaint explains. Harvest Rock has and exercises a sincere religious belief that Life Groups are an essential way for the church to fulfill its mission and to foster a healthy, vibrant, and growing Church community such that its members can gather together to grow in the Lord, mature in their faith, and understand the Scriptures better. The legal filing, filed by the conservative Christian legal nonprofit Liberty Counsel, calls for an injunction that would not only allow home fellowship and Bible study gatherings but also end the governors prohibition on indoor worship services entirely. Harvest International has 162 member churches in California, and each of these churches has and exercises the sincere religious beliefs that the church is to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ to its members and attendees at its facilities, the complaint reads, adding that the churches cant fulfill this ministry without gathering together in person. [It] cannot effectively engage in its constitutionally protected free exercise of religion on the internet. In March, churches were closed in California in an attempt to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Restrictions were eased in May to allow indoor services at limited capacity provided they followed the states health guidelines. But Newsoms new order at the beginning of the month retightens those guidelines in several counties amid a resurgence of the virus in the state. The first lockdown that many states enforced in late March was put in place solely so that hospitals were not overwhelmed with novel coronavirus patients at the same time. A question-and-answer page on the California governments COVID-19 website says that state public health directives prohibit professional, social and community gatherings. Gatherings are defined as meetings or other events that bring together persons from multiple households at the same time for a shared or group experience in a single room, space, or place such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, or other indoor or outdoor space, the webpage explains. They pose an especially high danger of transmission and spread of COVID-19. On May 25, the state made an effort to balance First Amendment interests with public health by allowing mass gatherings for faith-based services, cultural ceremonies and protests. The state allowed those types of gatherings to occur indoors as long as the gatherings did not exceed 100 people or 25% of space capacity. But restrictions are more firm in over 30 counties on the states COVID-19 monitoring list. Under the updated order from Newsom this month, worship facilities in counties on the monitoring list are prohibited from holding in-person services. Gov. Newsom encourages thousands of protesters to gather in the streets but bans in-person worship and home Bible studies and fellowship. This discriminatory treatment is unconstitutional, Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver said in a statement. Governor Gavin Newsom cannot disregard the First Amendment and ban all in-person worship in private homes and churches. Nor can the state micromanage the form of worship by banning singing or chanting. The churches contend that the states actions violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that protects the exercise of religious beliefs. They also say that the order violates the 14th Amendment, which bars states from denying citizens equal protection of the law. On Monday, a U.S. District Court in Los Angeles ordered an expedited brief, requiring Newsom to file a reply to the churches request for a preliminary injunction by Aug. 3. We are pleased that the court has set an expedited briefing schedule on the request for a preliminary injunction, Staver said. Harvest Rock Church is among the churches that have defied Newsom's order as it held a service Sunday at its Pasadena location. I want us to pray right now that we will win that court case, Ahn was quoted as saying by CBS Los Angeles. No one is above the Constitution. No one is above the law. ... As a pastor, I believe weve been essential for 2,000 years." The new lawsuit is one of many that have been filed against Newsoms orders restricting worship services. Last week, three other churches filed a lawsuit against Newsoms order represented by the American Center for Law and Justice, Tyler & Bursch, The National Center for Law and Policy and Advocates for Faith & Freedom. The lawsuit contends that state restrictions on singing during worship services violates the Constitution. Those plaintiffs are Calvary Chapel in Ukiah, Calvary Chapel Fort Bragg, and the River of Life Church in Oroville. Singing in church is a biblical mandate, Kevin Green, pastor of Calvary Chapel in Fort Bragg, told The Los Angeles Times. The U.S. Supreme Court in May rejected a California churchs request for an emergency injunction against Newsoms health guidelines that only allow indoor services at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is lower. The court's denial of emergency relief was not a denial on the merits of the case, according to a statement from Liberty Counsel. This domain is pending renewal or has expired. Please contact the domain provider with questions. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] For those actors who starred on the hit Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee, many of their careers skyrocketed to new heights once the show gained popularity. But for one actor, they were already a well-known figure in the industry long before they landed their role on the show mainly because they once danced backup for the Queen Bee herself, Beyonce. Glee cast| FOX Image Collection via Getty Images Heather Morris was a professional dancer before she got into acting Although she started as a recurring star on Glee, Heather Morris captured the hearts of fans the second she appeared on-screen. During the shows six-season run, Morris played Brittany S. Pierce, the often ditzy, but also entirely good-hearted cheerleader who was also a member of the schools glee club. After making her singing debut in the second episode of season 2, (Britney/Brittany), Morris later recieved many other singing and dancing solos on the show. RELATED: Was Naya Rivera Still Friends With Glee Co-Star Heather Morris in 2020? Though she clearly had acting, singing, and dancing abilities, moving her body to the music wasnt something Morris came into while starring on the show. The actress was introduced to dance as a toddler and began competing in various dance competitions at a young age. After graduating high school, Morris spent a year at Arizona State University before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a dance career. In 2006, Morris appeared on Season 2 of the dance competition series, So You Think You Can Dance, where she failed to make it through to the final 20. Heather Morris danced backup for Beyonce Instead of getting discouraged, Morris continued to pursue a career in dance and finally landed her big break in 2007. That year, Morris became one of Beyonces backup dancers for The Beyonce Experience world tour, which consisted of 96 shows over five legs, with concerts in Asia, Australia, North America, Europe, and Africa. After that gig ended, Morris continued dancing backup for the Queen Bey during a promotional tour for her 2008 single, Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It). The tour included performances of the song on the American Music Awards, Saturday Night Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Today, and MTVs Total Request Live finale. Morris even danced backup for Bey and Tina Turner during the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. Though she continued dancing, Morris eventually landed the role of Brittany on Glee after she was brought in to teach the cast the Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) choreography. And the rest, as they say, was history. Heather Morris still dances today Two years after Glee came to an end in 2015, Morris landed a spot on the 24th season of Dancing with the Stars. Her participation drew a ton of criticism from fans as they believed she had an unfair advantage due to her experience as a professional dancer. Morris competed on the show for six weeks before she and her partner were eliminated, despite receiving a perfect score for their performance. Since then, Morris has continued dancing. In fact, she recently paid tribute to her late friend and fellow Glee co-star, Naya Rivera, with a dance she posted on Instagram. Grieving looks very differently on everyonebut one things for certain: Ive felt its hard to feel joy or keep busy when mourning without thinking that youre not honoring that person or youre forgetting about them, Morris captioned a video of her dancing to Riveras song, Radio Silence. But @hubbell_woodshop [Morris husband, Taylor Hubbell] reminded me that honoring someone can mean youre enjoying your life FOR them RELATED: Heather Morris Joins the Lea Michele Glee Cast Drama While Fans Point to Her All Lives Matter Past She continued, I made it to 1M followers in these last few weeks and at first I was resentful because I gained them from a tragedy, but after giving it a breath.. I realized you all have just surrounded me with love and support. So Im celebrating 1Million today in a tribute to @nayarivera with her music and her voice that will forever be my favorite. There is nothing we can do about the surging coronavirus that has now infected record numbers in Chattanoogas Tri-State area, other than resolutely follow the instructions to wear our masks, wash our hands four or five times a day, maintain a six-foot distance, and pray. The trillions (with a t) that America must spend to help its people are unavoidable and we cannot support our first responders and front-line medical teams enough. But what we can do in a time when pandemonium preys on us from every direction is to stop the lawlessness that rages across our country. It has been said the George Floyd protests will be the biggest civic uprising in the history of our nation, with costs already spiraling over a billion (with a b) dollars but this is untrue. In candor, the lawful protests have cost the American people virtually nothing outside of police overtime but criminals hiding behind the guise of fire-fueled racism, their senseless definition of my Constitutional rights, and the methodical plotting of cancerous terrorists, have not only destroyed millions and millions of dollars in properties and the American dream, they have undermined the vast majority of we, the people. We can do something about thugs, criminals, terrorist organizations and political leaders who are incapable and quite possibly complacent about leading their cities. The Democratic Party, whose disciples are leading virtually every major city and state where rioting and criminal unrest is out of control, is a huge part of the problem when the great majority of the American people beg for solutions. There is no doubt in my mind that Presidential candidate Joe Biden is unfit to hold public office. I have prayed for his mental condition, a notion believed by all, save the liberal media, is worsening. That means his vice-presidential candidate whoever she may be is inherently dangerous, this evidenced by the caustic daily behavior of the Dems hierarchy. My problem with Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is that not on any given day of public record has either said a positive word about our country in over thee years. Acid, it is said, will destroy its container, and the hatred that abounds throughout their party is absolutely senseless I mean it; imagine where our nation would be if everybody in Washington had respect for one another and decency was paramount. Any fool can see how their behavior alone has crippled Washington. Oh, President Trump isnt any prince we all wish hed hurl his Twitter into the Potomac but he is riding the very crest of a wave that could easily get him elected in a landslide. Ball up your fists, put out the fires, stop the riots, jail anyone for any lawless act and if need be declare martial law in such dens of evil as Chicago, Portland, Minneapolis and, yes, New York City. How about St. Louis, Louisville, Albuquerque? We start at the top I believe there is probable cause to charge the Mayors of those cities with inciting a riot, for starters. Because Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has conducted himself so unprofessionally and so willfully has ordered his police officers to stand down, he has absolutely been derelict in his official capacity. * * * DEFINITION: Martial Law is a system of absolute military control over all military and civilian activities of a country, in a theoretical or actual war zone, during civil disorder, in occupied territory, after a coup detat, or during a state of emergency caused by a natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood. In the United States only the President as commander-in-chief has authority to impose martial law and it must be limited to the duration of the warfare or emergency. It cannot be imposed in a manner resulting in a long-term denial of constitutional rights. Martial law seeks to maintain public order in times of a crisis when the normal institutions of justice either cannot function or could be deemed too slow or to ill-equipped for the new situation. Usually martial law reduces some of the personal rights ordinarily granted to the citizen, limits the length of the trial processes, and prescribes more severe penalties than ordinary law. * * * How about Chicago, both the murder capital of the nation and the laughingstock of all civilized countries? This week, within the city limits, there have been 126 people shot, 23 dead. With one more week left in July, this months figure to date are 479 shot, 95 fatally. And the year to date? Since Jan. 1, 2020, the tally is 2,197 shot, 496 dead yet Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday said that two statues of Christopher Columbus were removed under a cloak of early-morning darkness. According to the mayors office, one statue was removed from the city's Grant Park around 3 a.m., and the other was removed from Arrigo Park in the Little Italy neighborhood around 5:30 a.m. The announcement said the statues were taken down in an effort to protect public safety and keep public safety resources "concentrated where they are most needed throughout the city, and particularly in our South and West Side communities." For the record, the legend is Columbus discovered America in 1492, and Chicago wasnt incorporated as a city until about 350 years later. How the statues removal will enhance public safety is unknown, but it is vividly clear Mayor Lightfoot is totally incompetent and is completely incapable, the same which can be said of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Further, there is compelling evidence that the Democratic leadership of Americas largest cities warrants swift and full measures of forceful oversight and if President Trump can root out such pretenders between now and November, a very grateful nation will reward his enough is enough stand quite handsomely. And most deservedly. royexum@aol.com Pakistani nationals remain at the leadership levels in terror groups such as al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and many of them are yet to be blacklisted, according to a UN report. The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said that in April and May, the Afghan special forces conducted a series of countrywide operations and arrested the head of the ISIL-K Aslam Farooqi (also known as Abdullah Orokzai) and his predecessor Zia ul-Haq (also known as Abu Omar Khorasani) and others. Farooqi, who hails from Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is the mastermind behind the deadly terror attack on a prominent gurudwara in Kabul in March that killed 25 Sikhs. He is not blacklisted by the UN Security Council's 1267 al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee. Similarly, Haq is also a Pakistani national and has not been blacklisted yet. Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Afghanistan's Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces and its current leader is Pakistan-born Osama Mahmood, who is also not listed under the UNSC sanctions. Mahmood succeeded Asim Umar. The report said that the group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan and is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader. The Sanctions Monitoring Team report said that the "large terrorist group present in Afghanistan Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is led by Amir Noor Wali Mehsud. Pakistan-born Mehsud was designated a global terrorist by the UNSC sanctions committee only this month, more than two years after he was named the TTP leader, following the death of former TTP head Maulana Fazlullah. Mehsud is supported by his deputy Qari Amjad and TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani, both not listed under the UNSC sanctions. This demonstrates that the Pakistani nationals operate at leadership levels in the terror organisations and point to the terror groups' Pakistani links. The report said that al-Qaida is covertly active in 12 Afghan provinces and its leader Aiman al-Zawahiri remains based in the country. The monitoring team estimates the total number of al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan at between 400 and 600. The leadership maintains a close contact with the Haqqani Network. In February 2020, al-Zawahiri met with Yahya Haqqani, the primary Haqqani Network contact with al-Qaida since mid-2009, to discuss the ongoing cooperation. Though Ontario has allowed visitors inside long-term care homes for the better part of a week, Mary Oko is still seeing her mother outdoors. Rules enforced during the visits mean theres little benefit to going inside the home, Oko said, and at least this way her mom gets some sunshine. Id rather have my mom outside where at least she can get some fresh air, she said. Her world is becoming smaller and smaller because for four months, shes always in that home. The provincial government has said that physical distancing is not necessary for indoor visits, but many homes are playing it safe and have taken it upon themselves to enforce the rule in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 anyway, experts said, including the Toronto facility where Okos mother has lived for eight years. Those rules have made it hard for Oko to relate to her mother, who has Alzheimers disease and is really only able to interact with people who are up close. Oko found ways to make that work pre-pandemic, she said, playing music and helping her mom clap her hands. Shes very sensitive to that. And then shes engaged and she starts laughing and smiling. But you know, when Im six feet away and Im playing music, I could be on another planet, she said. Oko, who is the head of the family council at the facility where her mom lives, said shes heard similar complaints from others. Before the COVID-19 pandemic forced long-term care homes to close their doors to all but the most essential of visitors, often on their way to see palliative patients, Oko served as one of her mothers caregivers. Whenever I was visiting with my mom, I would help feed her. I would help her to go to the toilet. I would help her get dressed if she needed to, or would put her to bed, she said. Now, though the pandemic still poses a threat, shed like to get back to that routine. This is not sustainable. We need to have a more workable solution because COVID is going to be with us for a while. I can see each visit, my mom is declining. And so at what point is that going to become where shes not even going to be engaging? she said. I cant do anything. I can only see her once a week for half an hour. Thats it. Its a problem Jane Meadus, a lawyer and institutional advocate with the Toronto-based Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, said shes hearing about from across the province. We really need to get people in to provide some of the care that they were doing before. Do some feeding, do other things, and were certainly not seeing that. So its great when someone can come in and talk to someone, but we need more. While the government has said essential caregivers can be allowed in to the homes and has said that often those caregivers are family members Meadus said such visits are not widespread. The homes are taking very restrictive control of these visits, which is extremely, extremely problematic, she said. She said the issue stems from the homes interpretation of the governments policy on physical contact. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Long-Term Care said in an email that any physical contact can be considered if it is low risk to the resident, does not involve directly facing the resident, and will help with the residents social and emotional well-being but only for indoor visits with people who have tested negative for COVID-19. But many facilities are not allowing even that narrow form of touch, Meadus said. People need contact and they need contact from loved ones, she said. In a written statement, the president and CEO of the Ontario Long-Term Care Association, an industry group, said members are working to balance emotional well-being and physical safety. No one had any idea it would be this long before we could open to visitors, and the separation has taken a significant toll on residents and their families, Donna Duncan said. Ontarios long-term care homes are doing everything they can to welcome back visitors while ensuring that critical protections are in place. But Oko, who hasnt touched her mother since before the pandemic began, said more could be done. Im willing just like all the other families to do whatever it takes to keep our loved ones safe, she said. Dress me up in full PPE, Im willing to do it. Im willing to do the COVID tests, Im willing to do anything, but we need to have access to our loved ones. We need to be able to hold and touch and hug them. Priyanka Chopra has won several accolades for her work in the movies and is an icon for a whole generation. She was appointed as Global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2016 and was a part of the organization for over a decade now. She participated in the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and often talked about UNICEF and other organizations on her social media. Here are some of the latest posts that Priyanka Chopra had made to show her support to the United Nations. Take a look. Read Also | Priyanka Chopra In Fuss-free Pantsuit: Here's How Fans Can Recreate Her Look Priyanka Chopra's social media posts for UNICEF On March 30, 2020, she took to her Instagram and raised awareness for making cleanliness and hygiene products available for people during COVID-19 pandemic. In the post, she asked her fans and followers to donate to the cause so that more and more people could get clean food and other hygiene products to be safe from illnesses. Take a look at the post here. On March 24 2020, Priyanka took to her Instagram and shared an IGTV video where she contacted with Dr. Tedros (General-Director at W.H.O.) and Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove (Technical Lead for Covid-19) from WHO to help get clear information about COVID0-19 and how to be safe from the virus. She shared a 15 minutes video in which she spoke to the doctors and gave her fans a clear view of the pandemic. Take a look at it here. Read Also | Priyanka Chopra's 'Teri Meri Kahaani' BTS Videos Show What Went Into Making Of The Film Priyanka Chopra teamed up with the footwear brand Crocs to give 50,000 pairs of Crocs Classic Clogs to deserving school children in Belize. In the video, the VP of Crcos expressed that she was motivated by the work that Priyanka Chopra has done and this is what led the brand to donate. Read Also | Watch: Priyanka Chopra's Journey As 'outsider' With No Connections To Becoming Global Icon On December 5, 2019, Priyanka Chopra as a goodwill ambassador spoke at the Snowflake conference in New York. In this video, she spoke to the press and talked about how Philanthropy has changed. In the captions, she wrote "Philanthropy today has gone beyond just funding projects. Be disruptive, show compassion and care, be catalytic in our actions and solutions. Giving back is no longer a choice, it has to be a way of life". Take a look at it here. On June 19, 2019, Priyanka Chopra took to her Instagram and shared a post to send her love and support to the kids on World Refugee Day. In the post, she is seen spending time with kids who have been affected due to several different reasons and is seen playing, teaching and spending time with them. In the captions, she wrote "The truth is quite simple...the future of this world lies in the hands of the children of today. But the harsh reality is that there is an entire generation of innocent children growing up right now without any prospects for their future". Sher then asked people to help her to give the kids the life they deserve. Take a look at the post here. Read Also | Priyanka Chopra Wishes Nick Jonas' Mom Denise; Says 'thank You For Your Constant Grace' 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. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) through its National General Secretary, Satish Chandra Misra, on Sunday issued a whip to its six MLAs elected to the Rajasthan Assembly, directing all of them to vote against the Congress in case of any 'no confidence motion or any other proceedings to be held during the upcoming session of the Rajasthan Assembly. If any of them violates the order, they will face disqualification under Para 2 (l)(b) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India, said the whip. All the six MLAs have been issued separate notices wherein they have been informed that since the BSP is a recognised national party, there cannot be any merger under para (4) of the Schedule at the state level at the instance of the six MLAs, unless there is a merger of the entire BSP everywhere at the national level which admittedly has not been done in the present case, and therefore they cannot claim any merger under any illegal and unconstitutional order of the Speaker which is against the Schedule as well as against several judgments of the Supreme Court, including the decision in the case of Jagjit Sing vs the state of Haryana in 2006. It has been further stated in the notice that the six BSP MLAs are bound to follow the "whip", failing which they would entail disqualification. The BSP has also decided to intervene in the pending petition of disqualification before the Rajasthan High Court or file a separate writ petition, said the press note issued by BSP. Although Veterans Day is a national holiday, often filled with parades and celebrations, it brings with it ambiguity. Howard Zinn, a World War II veteran, once wrote, I do not want the recognition of my service to be used as a glorification of war. Sometimes the cost of the service and sacrifice can temper any desire to celebrate. Just consider the fact that even on the original Armistice Day, almost 2,700 Allied and German soldiers died in combat. Ambiguity is also the result of the growing gulf between those who have served and those who havent. At any given time, only .04 percent of the U.S. population is serving on active duty. In The Economist, a columnist recently explained, The gulf between Americas armed forces and its civilians has never been greater. In 1990, 40 percent of young Americans had a military veteran for a parent; in 2016, only 16 percent did. Sometimes the ambiguity lies within the veteran community, and sometimes within individual veterans. Veterans experiences are not uniform. Some have seen combat; many have not. The story of each veterans service is unique. As WWII vet Frank Brookhauser once said, There was nothing right in one story. There is no such thing as one story if there are two people. Today, there are approximately 20.17 million veterans 7 percent of the U.S. population. Thats more than 20 million stories, along with the stories of their loved ones. Sometimes poetry is the most effective way to capture both the ambiguity and the story. Bridging divisions One poet who is aware of these divides is Yusef Komunyakaa, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 and earned a Bronze Star. He is now a professor at New York University. Either with his own poetry such as Facing It or by encouraging us to read other veterans poems, Komunyakaa explains that poetry has dual roles to delight and to instruct, a concept traced back to Aristotle and Horaces Ars Poetica. In A Letter to the Editor, Komunyakaa makes the case for such encounters with veterans poems, saying, We need our young men and women, soldiers and civilians, to read good literature, to come across a voice like Yehuda Amichais in What Did I Learn in the War. Amichai is considered by many to be Israels greatest poet. His poem describes the soldiers experience: To march in a row and be alone in the middle, To dig into pillows, featherbeds, the body of a beloved woman, And to yell Mama, when she cannot hear, And to yell God, when I dont believe in Him Komunyakaa and Amichai emphasize the need to encounter and learn from stories of those who served. Even though much about those stories is unremarkable or routine, some is not. Debs Myers, a WWII vet, describes his fellow soldiers in The GI: He learned how to sleep in the mud, tie a knot, kill a man. He learned the ache of loneliness, the ache of exhaustion, the kinship of misery. From the beginning he wanted to go home He learned that every man is alike and that each man is different, [but] if he was on the line it didnt make much difference. Myers soldiers longed for home. Veterans are home, and even if people read the stories about what is like to be over there, they may not always understand what it is like to be over here. Brian Turner, an Iraq combat vet, describes such thoughts in a Ashbah, a poem in Here, Bullet. He is home, but he cant help but think about: The ghosts of American soldiers Wander the streets of Balad by night, Unsure of their way home, exhausted. His poem helps us see that not just the ghosts are unsure of their way home. So, too, are those who survived and returned home, at least in the physical sense. By being mindful, we might understand that on Veterans Day it is not simply enough to offer a free meal or host a parade. Honoring those who served means making an effort to connect with those who have served. Eisenhower transformed Veterans Day from one that focused on WWI (it had been Armistice Day) to a celebration of those who served in all wars. Congress added the Moment of Silence Act in 2016, which asks for two minutes of silence in honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the nation. For the millions who have served those who have not come home, those who have and those who have but who are caught in that space between here and there celebration and silence are valued and appreciated. But are they sufficient to helping bridge the gap? Service is integral to who veterans are, but it is transformational in ways that are not always easy to describe or celebrate. Listening to veterans stories and reading poems that attempt to capture the ambiguity and complexities of veterans experiences may offer another path to honor that service and sacrifice. Associate Professor of English, Virginia Tech Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 15:16:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China added 76,000 pig farming enterprises in the first half of 2020, a rise of 109 percent from the same period last year on government stimulus to boost production, Securities Times reported. As of July 20, China had around 760,000 pig farming businesses in operation, the paper said, citing information from Tianyancha.com, an online query platform for company information. Since last year, China has implemented a slew of policies to encourage hog production and stabilize pork prices affected by African swine fever and other factors. To soften the impact of COVID-19, China has ramped up financial support including subsidies and loans to major pig-producing counties to restore production. Pork and hog prices have gradually retreated despite fluctuations. The price of live pigs in China rose 1.1 percent in the middle of July compared with early July, data by the National Bureau of Statistics showed. Enditem SK Bioscience CEO Ahn Jae-yong, right, poses with AstraZeneca Korea CEO Kim Sang-pyo, left, and Minister of Health and Welfare Park Neung-hoo at SK Bioscience's research laboratory in Pangyo, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. By Nam Hyun-woo SK Discovery Vice Chairman Chey Chang-won The biopharmaceutical business is emerging as SK Group's new growth engine, as SK Bioscience is grabbing market attention with a COVID-19 vaccine development cooperation agreement following SK Biopharmaceutical's successful initial public offering (IPO). Industry officials said SK Bioscience is also preparing for its debut on the bourse, which will likely result in a successful outcome for the group's continued investments in the biopharmaceutical business. Shares of SK Chemicals were trading at 320,000 won as of 9:20 a.m., Monday, up 14 percent from the previous session, on investors' hopes for its subsidiary SK Bioscience. SK Chemicals owns a 98.04 percent stake in SK Bioscience. Compared to a month earlier, when SK Chemicals closed at 111,000 won on June 26, the company's shares nearly tripled in value. The rally came after SK Biosciences agreed Tuesday to manufacture AstraZeneca's experimental COVID-19 vaccine, as part of the latter's plan to build a global supply base for the vaccine, which is in Phase 3 clinical trials after showing promising results against the coronavirus. SK Bioscience will become the second contract manufacturing organization for the vaccine, following Russia's R-Pharm. Upon signing the agreement, SK Bioscience is preparing for its debut on the KOSPI. According to the company, it has tapped NH Investment & Securities as the lead manager and Korea Investment as the co-lead manager to offer its shares on the Seoul bourse. "We have been pushing ahead with a plan to sell our shares on the Seoul bourse by 2021 to raise funds for the expansion of our business and additional growth," the company said. Though no further details for SK Bioscience's IPO have been disclosed, brokerages reportedly anticipated the company's value will reach 3 trillion won ($2.5 billion). SK Bioscience and its parent SK Chemicals are subsidiaries of SK Discovery, which is a holding firm controlled by Vice Chairman Chey Chang-won with a 40.2 percent stake. Though the companies are recognized as members of the SK conglomerate, they are independent from SK holdings, which controls SK Group's main units including SK Innovation, SK Telecom and SK E&S. Chey Chang-won is a cousin of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won Courtesy of SK Group With SK Bioscience hitting its stride with the AstraZeneca deal, the company is expected to follow in the footsteps of SK Biopharmaceuticals, which stirred the domestic stock market with its IPO. SK Biopharmaceuticals went public, July 2, with an initial price of 49,000 won per share, which quickly shot up to 216,500 won by July 7. This came after the company's partial-onset seizure treatment XCOPRI began sales in the U.S. in May, after winning U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval last November. The firm also licensed out its sleep disorder treatment Solriamfetol to Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which won European Medicines Agency approval for sale in January. With the company now trading at slightly over 185,000 won on foreign investors' unloading, analysts are anticipating the company will show stable growth, with its sales reaching 1.8 trillion won by 2030. Eugene Investment & Securities analyst Han Byung-hwa suggested 110,000 won as SK Biopharmaceuticals' target price, comparing the company to Belgium's UCB, which successfully morphed itself into a biopharmaceutical firm based on its abundant capital raised from film and chemical businesses in the past. "Unlike other bio and pharma companies, SK Biopharmaceuticals has its basis on the giant industrial capital of SK Group," Han said. "This means the chance is high that the company's new drugs in the pipeline will be commercialized after getting support from SK Group's abundant cash supply." As the two biopharmaceutical units are showing noticeable outcomes, SK Group's continued investment in the biopharmaceutical business is gaining fresh recognition. SK Group began betting on the biopharmaceutical business in 1988, when former SK Group Chairman Chey Jong-hyon announced a plan to nurture it within the group. At that time, Chey established a pharmaceutical division in SK Chemicals, and set up a biopharmaceutical research lab in the U.S. in 1993. Since then, current Chairman Chey Tae-won has been making continued investments in biopharmaceuticals, suggesting them as one of the group's growth engines by 2030. (Alliance News) - Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has doubled down on the UK's sudden decision to reimpose strict quarantine rules at short notice on travellers returning from Spain, calling the measures "absolutely necessary". But Spain said it was in conversation with the UK about exempting the Canary and Balearic islands, which includes Ibiza and Mallorca, from the requirement to self-isolate for two weeks. Foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya argued Spain had coronavirus outbreaks "perfectly controlled" after the European country recorded more than 900 fresh daily Covid-19 cases for two days running. Ministers announced on Saturday that holidaymakers who had not returned from Spain and its islands by midnight would be forced to quarantine for 14 days after Covid-19 second wave fears saw the popular holiday destination struck off the UK's safe list. The Foreign Office guidance advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain does not include the islands but ministers opted to apply blanket quarantine arrangements across the Spanish territories. Gonzalez Laya told reporters: "Spain is a safe country for tourists and Spaniards. "Like in any other European country we are seeing outbreaks a the outbreaks in Spain are perfectly controlled." She added: "At the moment our dialogue efforts are focused on excluding from the quarantine measures the Balearic and the Canary Islands. "We do hope that this dialogue we have started with the UK authorities, together with the governments of the Balearic and Canary Islands, will bear fruit shortly." It comes after Cabinet minister Raab said the government would not apologise for failing to give notice on its Spain decision, which was announced only hours before the changes came into force. The quick turnaround even caught out Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is currently in Spain for his summer break and will join thousands of others in being forced to self-isolate for a fortnight on his return to Britain. Paul Scully, minister for London, will also have to quarantine after declaring on social media that he was on holiday in Playa Dorada, Lanzarote. Raab told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: "The data we got was on the Friday, it showed a big jump right across mainland Spain. "That was then assessed yesterday afternoon and we took the decision as swiftly as we could and we can't make apologies for doing so." Raab added: "We've always said, as we come through the lockdown, we would need to take targeted measures. "If we can't do that, the risk is the virus gets back hold in the UK, the damage to the economy of a second lockdown and I think a blow to public confidence. "So, yes, these measures are decisive and swift and, as a result of that, inconvenient for those going through them a but they are absolutely necessary." The First Secretary of State conceded there was an "element of personal responsibility" involved when telling those arriving from Spain to self-isolate but stressed there were "penalties for non-compliance". Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth criticised the government's handling of the decision, labelling it "frankly shambolic", and called for financial support for those now forced to shut themselves away after their arrival home. One frustrated traveller due to come back to Britain from Spain confirmed he had booked a Covid-19 test in a bid to avoid missing out on work. But NHS test and trace boss Dido Harding said a negative result would not exempt those returning from the requirement to quarantine. Self-employed roofer Malcolm Bembridge told the PA news agency he had ordered a coronavirus test so it would be at his home when he arrives back to Birmingham from Almeria on Sunday. He said: "If I do the test and it comes back negative, then does that mean I can resume work or do I need to self-isolate?" But Harding, speaking to Times Radio, said: "Unfortunately, although we'd love it to be true that if you have a test today, we can be confident in saying you are not infectious and about to come down with disease, that's not the way the virus works. "A test today is only as good as saying you haven't got the disease today. "The incubation period can be quite a long time, which is why if you've been in a very high-risk environment a and right now the judgment of our scientists and clinicians is that Spain is a high-risk environment a we need you to isolate for 14 days because you might test negative today and test positive tomorrow or the next day, right up to the end of that 14-day period." By Patrick Daly, PA Political Correspondent source: PA Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. When I read about a webinar on the practice of mindful self-compassion, I wasnt sure exactly what it meant, but it sounded so soothing I felt certain I needed it. Between the coronavirus pandemic and the weather, I'm feeling like a deflated balloon. From the way Angela Breidenstine, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Tulane University, explained the concept, most of us could use a big dose, especially during this stressful time. The webinar was part of the weekly In Dialogue series created by the Louisiana Childrens Museum in partnership with the Tulane University School of Medicine, Institute for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health. The series was created to help families through the difficulties of the pandemic. This session, and many others, can be seen on YouTube or accessed through www.lcm.org. +5 Different strokes: Take a swim at NORDC pools, by reservation only Its a lot quieter at NORDC pools this summer, with the usual crowds of ebullient kids at play prohibited because of coronavirus restrictions, Breidenstine explained that mindfulness is the first step in emotional healing. It simply means being aware of the moment, noticing your emotions and acknowledging them. The compassion part is about bringing an empathetic approach to our own difficult thoughts and feelings, so when were hurting, were noticing it and turning to ourselves in a soothing attitude instead of criticism or judgment. So basically, its going a little easier on ourselves. But heres where it gets interesting: Apparently, that doesnt come naturally. People have a tendency to be self-critical. Most people speak to themselves in ways more harsh than they would speak to others, Breidenstine said. So you can have the empathy of a saint to your friends, but be a demon to yourself. Our culture tends to put a lot of emphasis on achievement and doing things well. People learn in families or other experiences to critique themselves. Its OK to do realistic self-appraisal, but sometimes people think they need to criticize themselves in order to achieve. But just as in dealing with others, thats a counterproductive strategy. You can motivate yourself with kindness and compassion and it works better. Criticism seems to undermine confidence, she said. The LCM-Tulane series covers a number of topics that work on multiple levels: self-help and family skills when mom (or dad) is happy, everyones happy. Some though, especially the early ones, are specifically about shepherding children through the pandemic. The topic list includes positive parenting strategies and communication with your partner, as well as self care such as exercise, yoga and relaxation. "During the best of times, mental health needs are important, but during disasters, all caregivers need to be aware of the needs of our youngest citizens and those who care for them," sais Julia Bland, museum CEO. "LCM and Tulane started shaping a set of mental health resources in mid-March to support the overwhelming challenges that parents, grandparents and teachers were feeling and continue to feel. In Dialogue was created to meet those needs and become part of our longstanding commitment to holistically address the needs of children and families." Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The mindful self-compassion curriculum was created by two psychologists, Breidenstine said, and the full course would last about nine weeks. Look at it as a journey, she said. Heres an example of the process: You are behind on a project at work. You get a reminder from your boss, and that makes you feel anxious. You criticize yourself: Im lazy. Why am I always behind? The cost is that when you think about the project, you feel demoralized and you want to avoid it. That might make it even more difficult to complete, she said. So it creates a negative cycle. On the other hand, you might say to yourself: Im feeling anxious about this, and thats a natural feeling to have. I want to do best. I have a lot of pressure on me, and a lot of people would feel stress in this situation. Recognize that this is tough, Breidenstine said. From there, the full course teaches how to take action. Ill work a little while and take a break and then do more, or I can ask for help if I need it. The payoff is more than just the immediate issue. Research shows that when people do the training, they report greater emotional well-being. Theyre happier and have less anxiety and depression and this is another interesting part and are better able to maintain healthy habits like exercise, Breidenstine said. So it's a positive cycle that spreads to all aspects of life. I'm definitely down for that. Upcoming series topic are still in the works, but Breidenstine said she hopes to include back-to-school issues and dealing with the related uncertainty. Watch for LCM website for more information. Commuters face a year longer riding with bus company Transdev than the Andrews government intended, due to complications finding a replacement operator during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2018 the government vowed not to extend the French multinational's contract to run one-third of Melbourne's bus services beyond 2021, following a woeful punctuality record. A Transdev bus in Lonsdale Street. Credit:Daniel Pockett Data obtained under freedom of information laws revealed that in the five years to 2018, Transdev had only once met its contractual target to run 85 per cent of bus services on time. On some bus routes, on-time running was as low as 57 per cent. Fox heard that everyone is looking for a laugh these days, so it has renewed its "Animation Domination" block of shows for a new season. The network was uniquely primed to handle the hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic's production shutdowns with already-completed reality and drama series on the slate for its upcoming fall 2020 schedule, and comedy fans can look forward to new episodes of "Bob's Burgers," "The Simpsons," "Bless the Harts" and "Family Guy" in the near-ish future as well they've all been renewed for the 2020-21 season. Animation is a labor-intensive, remote process with long production periods, so the good news is that Fox's "Animation Domination" shows were well on their way to completion before the pandemic shut down anything. Those four shows make up the network's Sunday night block, but a newcomer to Fox's animated comedy lineup was also renewed, this one for a second season: "Duncanville" tells the story of Duncan Harris, an average teenage boy who lives an elaborate imaginary life where he ascends beyond his awkward, embarrassing 15-year-old existence to a place where he lives out his idealized adulthood. Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation") voices Duncan and his mother, Annie, and executive produces the series. Jaipur/New Delhi: Democracy is in danger and the atmosphere in the country is worrisome, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Sunday, while requesting governor Kalraj Mishra to convene an assembly session. He [the governor] is himself concerned about the coronavirus, and discussions on it will be held in the assembly. We will also discuss the economic impact of corona in the session, Gehlot said, a day after his government sent a fresh proposal to Mishra and requested him to convene the House from July 31. The Congress has been demanding a special session in the wake of a power struggle between Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. The Gehlot camp feels that a floor test in the House is its best bet to end the political crisis but accuses Mishra of delaying the session due to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government. Mishra denies the charge and says he will follow constitutional norms to convene a session. The honourable governor is a veteran politician; he is friendly, mild-mannered. The position he holds is a constitutional one and carries a lot of dignity. I hope that he will grant us the permission soon and we will call the assembly, Gehlot said on Twitter. On Friday, legislators supporting Gehlot staged a five-hour demonstration at Raj Bhavan. Gehlot himself said if the demand for convening a session was not met, MLAs will not be responsible if the people gherao the governors house. And on Sunday, the Rajasthan Congress decided it will not hold a protest outside Mishras residence in Jaipur even as the high command planned a nationwide demonstration outside Raj Bhavans. We have submitted a revised cabinet note for holding an assembly session to the governor. We hope he will give his approval...soon, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, announcing that there will be no such protest in Jaipur. Raj Bhavan officials, who did not want to be named, said the governor was yet to take a final call on convening a session. There is a view in the party that this battle should be fought politically rather than legally..., said a Congress functionary who requested anonymity. Pilot and 18 Congress MLAs moved the Rajasthan HC on July 16, challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by speaker CP Joshi. Subsequently, the high court on July 24 ordered status quo on the matter, admitted the writ petition by the Pilot camp and deferred its final verdict on the matter. Before that, on July 22, the speaker filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, challenging a July 21 order of the high court directing speaker to defer disqualification proceedings. The top court will on Monday resume hearing Joshis plea related to whether or not courts can interfere with disqualification proceedings initiated by an assembly speaker against lawmakers even before a decision has been taken. Speakers lawyers will be making arguments before the Supreme Court on Monday though the possibility of withdrawing the petition has not been ruled out, said a second Congress functionary. The speakers lawyer in Jaipur, Prateek Kasliwal, said the decision regarding withdrawing the SLP will be taken by the legal team in Delhi. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who has represented the speaker in the HC, said his party wanted a floor test in the Rajasthan assembly and was begging for it, but the governor was not convening the House and delaying the trust vote allegedly at the behest of the Centre. The fresh proposal sent to the governor did not have any mention of floor test though. A third Congress functionary who did not want to be named explained the rationale. Since no party has demanded a floor test, there is no need to mention that the House has to be convened for holding it. As already stated by the chief minister, the House will discuss Covid-19 situation and also conduct some important legislative business, he said. Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken accused the Centre of conspiring to topple his partys governments in various states. Small businesses are on the verge of closure. China has taken over our territory. But the Prime Minister, instead of fighting the coronavirus, the economic crisis and China, is conspiring to topple Congress governments, he told reporters in Jaipur. The BJP, which blames differences in Congresss for the crisis, was quick to hit back. BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Congress was imploding in the face of internal feuds. ...To save the party, the Congress needs to look within, he tweeted. 1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up. 2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed. 3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms. 4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually. 5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings. Vote View Results https://www.aish.com/jw/id/The-Burnt-House-in-Jerusalems-Old-City.html The museum, near the Western Wall, shows a priestly house that was destroyed along with the Temple. We came upon it suddenly, in the very first year of our excavations, recalled Nahman Avigad. Dr. Avigad was a renowned archeologist and celebrated fixture at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem where he taught for decades. Born in 1905 in Austria, hed grown up hearing about his Jewish forefathers lives in the Land of Israel. He immigrated to the Land of Israel when he was 21 and studied archeology, eventually excavating a number of important Jewish sites including Masada. After the 1967 Six Day War, Israel regained control of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Jewish Quarter had been completely destroyed over the past nineteen years while the city was in Jordanian hands, and Jerusalemites were eager to rebuild. The Israeli government appointed Dr. Avigad to oversee archeological excavations as building work went on. Within his first year of work, Dr. Avigad made a startling discovery just a few hundred meters from the Western Wall. Prof. Nachman Avigad The Western Wall is part of the remaining structure of the Temple Mount that housed the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The Holy Temple stood on that spot, on Mount Moriah in the center of Jerusalem, for a thousand years (with a brief interruption: the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonian Empire in the year 586 BCE. Work was started on the Second Temple, built on the same spot. 48 years later and completed about the year 515 BCE.). In the year 70 CE, Roman forces destroyed the Temple, tearing down its buildings and burning all that remained in a massive fire that lasted for days. Less well known was the area around Mount Moriah and the Temple. The neighborhoods nearby were residential, and dozens of leading Jerusalem families called the area home. While northern and northwestern Jerusalem was much more crowded, this more southern area of the city was home to larger public buildings. When Roman forces set the Temple alight, the fire spread rapidly throughout this larger area, burning untold numbers of buildings as well. Just how enormous that long-ago fire was little understood until Dr. Avigad got to work nearby, in January 1970. At that time we had not yet excavated a single house that had witnessed the catastrophe of 70 CE, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, he later recalled. We were still emotionally unprepared for the impressions and associations raised by the prospect before us. Even the experienced archaeologists were caught off guard at the scale of the Jewish suffering they were about to uncover. As they dug, they soon uncovered the walls of a small room about a meter below ground. The walls were stone and the floor was beaten earth. Soon an entire house became visible, comprising a kitchen, four bedrooms and a bathroom which contained a mikvah, or a Jewish ritual bath. The entire house was covered by a thick layer of burned ash. A spear found at the site of the Burnt House Buried in the ashes were many everyday household objects such as bowls and stone weights. Other, more sinister, finds awaited as well: archaeologists found a metal spear, perhaps used to fight the Romans who were attacking Jerusalem. The arm of a young woman was also found inside the house. Its impossible to know just what horrors occurred in the moments before the house, along with the Temple and other houses nearby, burned to the ground in a massive conflagration. Given that Jerusalem was the scene of heavy fighting, its possible that this womans arm was severed in the heat of battle. Caught in the fire when the Romans attacked, a young woman who was in the kitchen of the Burnt House sank to the floor and was reaching for a step near the doorway when she died. This is only a photo that is shown at the site, since the actual bone was buried. A stone weight found in the house is inscribed Son of Katros. The Katros family are mentioned in the Talmud as one of 24 families of Cohens, or priestly families who served in the Temple (Pesachim 57a). Given that this burned house was large and spacious, befitting an upper-class family like the Katros family, that it contained a mikvah and that it was mere steps away from the Temple, it seems likely that this devastated mansion was the Katros family home. No mention is found of the Katros family after the destruction of Jerusalem. If any survived the battle and the fire, the story of their fate is lost to history. The Burnt House Katros family home is today open to the public as a museum, just steps from the Western Wall. Standing in its small rooms gives a fascinating glimpse into Jewish history. Here were the rooms where generations of a priestly Jewish family lived and died. As guardians of and workers in the Temple, their lives were dominated by the responsibility of keeping the Temple running and helping the entire nation of Israel celebrate the Jewish holidays and commune with God. A stone weight, 10cm in diameter, with visible Aramaic/Hebrew inscription: belonging to the son of Kathros. The national Jewish calamity of Roman forces destroying the Temple for the Katroses was personal too, as they fought and fled and watched their own family home consumed by flames. Several stone jars were found in the kitchen, seen in the upper side of the photo below. In time, Dr. Avigad and his team would go on to discover several burned houses in the area, all destroyed in that massive fire of nearly 2,000 years before. In fact, Burnt House Museum today is part of a larger complex of excavations known as the Wohl Archaeological Museum and is open to the public. The nearby Western House is a private house that also houses its own mikvahs. A staircase going up is cut off abruptly, reminding visitors that Roman forces utterly destroyed anything located above ground level in their assault on Jerusalem. Three other nearby ancient houses contain fire damage: visitors wandering through their rooms can marvel at the beautiful mosaic stone floors and lovely bowls and vases these occupants once used, and also see the ashes of the great fire that destroyed them and much of Jerusalem. The Katros family home remains the most complete of these houses, and also contains the most well-preserved family objects. All the houses that were burned along with the Temple are moving, Dr. Avigad noted, but not only was this (Katros family) Burnt House the first such discovery, its preservation of traces of destruction and fire and the quantity of objects found in it were never exceeded. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal A proposal to plant a 75-foot tree on the campus of St. Johns College near a popular Santa Fe trailhead has been postponed for a second time due to concerns about its location raised by area residents. This wouldnt be just any tree and, in fact, isnt a tree at all. It would be a monopine, the term for a telecommunications tower disguised as a tree. But college officials are pining for one, saying it would improve cellphone reception in a part of town where it is severely lacking. The college would also stand to gain through payments from Corrales-based Gravity Pad Partners, LLC, which has a contract with AT&T/First Net. Gravity Pad Partners applied to the city of Santa Fe for a height waiver that would allow it to erect the monopine on the 250-acre campus tucked away in the foothills on the citys Eastside. The proposal was postponed by the citys Historic District Review Board, often referred to as the H-Board, in June to allow time to gather information about alternative locations that could be considered. The H-Board postponed it again earlier this month to allow Gravity Pad Partners extra time to work with local residents on the proposed location. Mike Duran, chief financial officer at the college, said the college board agreed to locate the monopine on campus because cellphone reception in the area is so poor. Cell service up here is very, very intermittent and very spotty, Duran said, adding that some days he literally can get reception in one corner of his office, but not in another. The poor reception is not just an inconvenience for people in the area who want to order a pizza or chat with a friend or relative, its a safety concern that could cost someone their life, he said. What were most concerned about is if we lose electricity on campus and that happens or if theres a fire and we have to reach first responders, we have very little connectivity, he said. Documents filed with the city of Santa Fe also mention the college having concerns about getting through to 9-1-1 in the event of an active shooter situation on campus. Closing the gap The monopine would serve to close the gap in cellphone coverage in the area, according to a July 14 memo from Lisa Gavioli Roach, the citys Historic Preservation Division director. Gravity Pad Partners responded to the H-Board by saying the monopine at St. Johns College would close the gap by off-loading telecommunication traffic from other antennas. Currently, wireless users in the St. Johns College area are experiencing slower speeds, difficulty accessing the E911 Services, high capacity internet resources and general poor call quality, which is even more prevalent as the demand grows in the City of Santa Fe for wireless services, the company wrote. The proposed site will greatly improve access to Emergency 911 services, the reliability of voice and data capacity to residents and visitors in the St. Johns campus area, and the neighborhood near and around the College, including Santa Fe Preparatory school. Our population is turning to more and more reliance of wireless devices and AT&T/First Net is committed to meet that demand. The H-Board, has asked the college and Gravity Pad Partners to continue seeking a location thats the least obtrusive to the surrounding neighborhood. Gravity Pad Partners is seeking a waiver to exceed the maximum allowable height of a structure in the historic district, which is 16 feet. Sean Milks of Gravity Pad Partners declined an interview, saying hes been burned by newspaper articles before. Efforts to reach a representative with AT&T/First Net were unsuccessful. Not just the neighbors Just as there always is when a telecommunication tower is proposed in Santa Fe, many local residents oppose it. Nobody likes cell towers and we all need better service, conceded Bob Snow of the Los Miradores Unit Owners Association when he called a reporter back on a land line after a poor connection interrupted a call made to his cellphone. St. Johns has better alternatives. They just want to move it as far away on their property as they can. Snow said that its not just homeowners in the area who will view the monopine as unsightly. Its not just the neighborhoods, its the hikers, too, he said. Really, its the whole community that will be affected. I dont think Santa Fe wants a giant monopine. The popular Atalaya Trail and Dale Ball trail system are accessed from St. Johns Colleges north parking lot, near the preferred location for the monopine. City documents show that Gravity Pad Partners and the college scouted several on-campus locations for the monopine, but most were determined to be unfeasible. A spot about 100 yards east of the trailhead was identified as the preferred location. The proposed monopine would be next to and around other trees to assist with the stealth design, Gravity Pad Partners explained in documents filed with the city. While the site will not be invisible, it does blend in with the landscape. But Snow says it will still stick out like a sore thumb. To put it in perspective, a telephone pole is 40 feet (tall), so this will be about two telephone poles, he said. You put a 75-foot monopine around 15- to 20-foot pinons, youll be able to pick it out pretty easily. Searching for a solution There are already several monopines in the Santa Fe area. Perhaps the most obvious one is on the Southside close to Capital High School. Theres another behind a shuttered gas station/convenience store near the city limits on Old Las Vegas Highway, and a smaller one along N.M. 599. A well-disguised communications tower is located atop St. Johns United Methodist Church, which is not affiliated with the college, on Old Pecos Trail. In fact, that receptor is the closest one to the college, about 1.4 miles away. Some of the other proposed locations for the on-campus monopine in the southwest part of campus behind the dorms, by the water tank on the hill behind the college, and the lower east end of the campus were deemed unsuitable. The topography of the campus in the foothills wont allow it. Roachs memo says, None of the rooftop/structures on campus were tall enough to meet the coverage objective, as well as communicate with the next closest site. Whats really driving us not being able to use those other locations is that there has to be line-of-sight between it and the tower at St. Johns Church, said Duran. The Cellular Phone Task Force, a nonprofit group headed up by Santa Fean Arthur Firstenberg, has long been opposed to cellphone towers, saying electromagnetic fields are injurious to people, especially those suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Snow said some of the neighbors also brought that up as a concern. We dont know what transmissions come out of the cell towers, he said. But his groups main concern is preserving the scenery. He said St. Johns College can afford to make other arrangements, since it will derive monthly revenue from the lease. Duran said terms of the lease are still being negotiated, but the college would expect to earn in the neighborhood of $15,000 a year from lease payments. There are better solutions, Snow said. We dont feel like were being mean neighbors. Hopefully, we will be able to work together to find a better solution. Iran nation to never kneel before pressure of enemies: President Rouhani ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sat / 25 July 2020 / 15:34 Tehran (ISNA) - Stressing that creating a dichotomy between "life and bread" and "mourning and health" is wrong and both should be together in compliance with health protocols, Iran's President said that the mourning ceremony of Imam Hussein (AS) must be held throughout the country gloriously with precise observation of health protocols. Speaking on Saturday at the session of the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus, President Hassan Rouhani said, "This year, using masks and observing physical distancing by mourners, and not gathering in a place are a part of the gloriousness of Imam Hussein's (AS) mourning ceremony". He stressed that the mourning ceremony should be held in a way that it not only does not give a pretext to the enemies, but also makes Iran a model for other countries and Shiites who hold Imam Hussein's (AS) mourning ceremony. The President added, "The fact that the Iranian nation stands and resists against America's bullying is due to learning from the culture of Ashura, and this culture has made our people strong and resilient". Referring to the good experience of holding religious gatherings during the holy month of Ramadan and the way people followed the protocols during this month, Dr. Rouhani said, "Fortunately, holding religious ceremonies during the holy month of Ramadan was such that no one, not even the enemies, could say that Ramadan has helped coronavirus to spread". "In the month of Muharram, mourning ceremonies should be held so that health protocols are well observed," said Rouhani. The President said, "The mourning ceremony itself must be held as glorious as in previous years, with the difference that this year using masks, observing physical distancing and not gathering and crowding in one place will be part of the glory of mourning ceremonies". Dr. Rouhani emphasized, "No one can create a gap between religion and science, and we hope that this year, the Muharram atmosphere, with the efforts of all people involved, will be accompanied by observance of health instructions". In another part of his speech, Dr. Rouhani referred to the sanctions imposed by the enemies in recent years and the conditions that the outbreak of coronavirus in recent months created for the people and made their lives difficult. He said, "During this two years and a few months of sanctions and five months of fighting coronavirus, the great Iran nation have shown that they have enough strength to withstand the pressures". The President added, "This great nation has proved well that it will never kneel before the pressure of the enemies, and with the will, help and cooperation of each other, any problem has been made easy for the people". Referring to the need to create hope in society to solve problems, Dr. Rouhani said, "Despair must be eliminated, because if despair pervades society, there will be no success; We always hope for the future and success, and we know that in the end, victory and success will be given to our nation". The President mentioned proper planning as another requirement needed by the society to overcome the difficulties and problems and added, "Today, all sectors in the country have performed their duties well with proper planning, which we have been able to achieve in the fight against coronavirus". Dr. Rouhani stated, "If we had not produced N-95 masks, ventilators, gowns and medicines in the country and we were looking outwards, we would have faced many problems against coronavirus today". Stating that today the Iranian nation is present with all its might in the field of production and economic activity, Dr. Rouhani said, "The opening of various projects in various sectors, which is being done every Thursday, shows that the country is working hard". Referring to the need to maintain the vitality and morale of the society, Dr. Rouhani said, "If the society loses its morale and suffers from depression and anxiety, it will not be able to succeed in its activities". Dr. Rouhani praised the responsibility and the spirit of sacrifice, cooperation and mutual assistance among the people of Iran, especially on special days of the year such as Arafa and Muharram and Safar. The President added, "Fortunately, according to reports, in some provinces, with the implementation of protocols and the efforts of the people, we have been able to cross the peak of the disease, and in some provinces, which are entering the peak of the disease, we must apply more care". End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A woman looks at a list of offerings of rent and sales of apartments put up on the entrance of a real estate agent's office in Seoul. Korea Times file If your phone takes amazing photos, chances are its camera has been augmented by artificial intelligence embedded in the operating system. Now videos are getting the same treatment. In recent years, smartphone makers have been gradually transforming their cameras into devices that capture data for AI processing beyond what the lens and sensor pick up in a single shot. That effectively turns a smartphone into a professional camera on auto mode and lowers the bar of capturing compelling images and videos. In an era of TikTok and vlogging, there's a huge demand to easily produce professional-looking videos on the go. Like still images, videos shot on smartphones rely not just on the lens and sensor but also on enhancement algorithms. To some extent, those lines of codes are more critical than the hardware, argued Andreas Lifvendahl, founder and chief executive of Swedish company Imint, whose software now enhances video production in roughly 250 million devices -- most of which come from Chinese manufacturers. "[Smartphone makers] source different kinds of camera solutions -- motion sensors, gyroscopes, and so on. But the real differentiator, I would say, is more on the software side," Lifvendahl told TechCrunch over the phone. Smart video recording Imint started life in 2007 as a spin-off academic research team from Uppsala University in Sweden. It spent the first few years building software for aerial surveillance, just as many cutting-edge innovations that find their first clients in the defense market. In 2013, Lifvendahl saw the coming of widespread smartphone adaptation and a huge opportunity to bring the same technology used in defense drones into the handsets in people's pockets. "Smartphone companies were investing a lot in camera technology and that was a clever move," he recalled. "It was very hard to find features with a direct relationship to consumers in daily use, and the camera was one of those because people wanted to document their life." Story continues "But they were missing the point by focusing on megapixels and still images. Consumers wanted to express themselves in a nice fashion of using videos," the founder added. Source: Imint's video enhancement software, Vidhance The next February, the Swedish founder attended Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to gauge vendor interest. Many exhibitors were, unsurprisingly, Chinese phone makers scouring the conference for partners. They were immediately intrigued by Imint's solution, and Lifvendahl returned home to set about tweaking his software for smartphones. "I've never met this sort of open attitude to have a look so quickly, a clear signal that something is happening here with smartphones and cameras, and especially videos," Lifvendahl said. Vidhance, Imint's enhancement software suite mainly for Android, was soon released. These days, it can enhance precision, reduce motion, track moving objects, auto-correct horizon, reduce noise, and strengthen other aspects of a video in real-time -- all through deep learning. In search of growth capital, the founder took the startup public on the Stockholm Stock Exchange at the end of 2015. The next year, Imint landed its first major account with Huawei, the Chinese telecoms equipment giant that was playing aggressive catch-up on smartphones at the time. "It was a turning point for us because once we could work with Huawei, all the other guys thought, 'Okay, these guys know what they are doing,'" the founder recalled. "And from there, we just grew and grew." Working with Chinese clients The hyper-competitive nature of Chinese phone makers means they are easily sold on new technology that can help them stand out. The flipside is the intensity that comes with competition. The Chinese tech industry is both well-respected -- and notorious -- for its fast pace. Slow movers can be crushed in a matter of a few months. "In some aspects, it's very U.S.-like. It's very straight to the point and very opportunistic," Lifvendahl reflected on his experience with Chinese clients. "You can get an offer even in the first or second meeting, like, 'Okay, this is interesting, if you can show that this works in our next product launch, which is due in three months. Would you set up a contract now?'" "That's a good side," he continued. "The drawback for a Swedish company is the demand they have on suppliers. They want us to go on-site and offer support, and that's hard for a small Swedish company. So we need to be really efficient, making good tools and have good support systems." The fast pace also permeates into the phone makers' development cycle, which is not always good for innovation, suggested Lifvendahl. They are reacting to market trends, not thinking ahead of the curve -- what Apple excels in -- or conducting adequate market research. Despite all the scrambling inside, Lifvendahl said he was surprised that Chinese manufacturers could "get such high-quality phones out." "They can launch one flagship, maybe take a weekend break, and then next Monday they are rushing for the next project, which is going to be released in three months. So there's really no time to plan or prepare. You just dive into a project, so there would be a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up in four or five weeks. You are trying to tie hundreds of different pieces together with fifty different suppliers." High-end niche Imint is one of those companies that thrive by finding a tough-to-crack niche. Competition certainly exists, often coming from large Japanese and Chinese companies. But there's always a market for a smaller player who focuses on one thing and does it very well. The founder compares his company to a "little niche boutique in the corner, the hi-fi store with expensive speakers." His competitors, on the other hand, are the Walmarts with thick catalogs of imaging software. About three-quarters of Imint's revenues come from licensing its proprietary software that does these tricks. Some clients pay royalties on the number of devices shipped that use Vidhance, while others opt for a flat annual fee. The rest of the income comes from licensing its development tools or SDK, and maintenance fees. With a staff of around 40, Imint now supplies its software to 20 clients around the world, including the Chinese big-four of Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo as well as chip giants like Qualcomm and Mediatek. ByteDance also has a deal to bake Imint's software into Smartisan, which sold its core technology to the TikTok parent last year. Imint is beginning to look beyond handsets into other devices that can benefit from high-quality footage, from action cameras, consumer drones, through to body cameras for law enforcement. So far, the Swedish company has been immune from the U.S.-China trade tensions, but Lifvendahl worried as the two superpowers move towards technological self-reliance, outsiders like itself will have a harder time entering the two respective markets. "We are in a small, neutral country but also are a small company, so we're not a strategic threat to anyone. We come in and help solve a puzzle," assured the founder. By Arthur I. Cyr "Russia Secretly Offered Afghan Militants Bounties to Kill U.S. Troops, Intelligence Says." That was the headline in "The New York Times" on June 26, and other media quickly picked up and promoted the story. Trump administration critics in the media and politics made accusations of covering up and neglecting to act on the explosive, shocking information. Russia officials flatly deny the existence of any such program, which is no surprise. They hardly would be likely to admit issuing gangster-style contracts. Yet Moscow and Washington do cooperate in Afghanistan. American officials also soon began to discount the story. President Donald Trump flatly declared the Russian bounty story a hoax. Predictably, various quarters reacted to this with skepticism. Nonetheless, while Trump has a positive relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, no serious observer suggests he would put American troops at risk in order to help that nation. Trump has given sustained high priority to our military, in terms of both political rhetoric and federal budget allocations. He readily approved the planned, targeted killing of Iran General Qasem Soleimani last February. Moreover, senior administration officials directly involved with our military now publicly express skepticism about the story. On July 9, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Army General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with reporters and stated explicitly that intelligence reports about Russian payments to the Taliban in Afghanistan are uncorroborated. Afghanistan can be an especially emotional subject for Americans. An al Qaeda group based in Afghanistan carried out the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In reaction, the United Nations Security Council, including Russia, unanimously passed Resolution 1386 in December 2001. As a consequence, a multinational military force authorized by the United Nations occupied Afghanistan. The long involvement by the U.S. and allies in a fitful war approaching two decades in length is the direct result of these events. In February, after long and painful negotiations, an agreement finally was signed between the U.S. government and the fundamentalist Taliban movement of Afghanistan for the reduction of occupying forces. The accord includes detailed stipulations to help protect the population and discourage the return of terrorists. Reports of Russian bounties are a fact, but may be calculated plants. Russians may be spreading disinformation to sow confusion and discord. Russian groups interfere in the domestic affairs of the U.S. and other nations. The brutal and ultimately unsuccessful Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s left bitter scars. Also in February, incumbent President Ashraf Ghani formally became the presidential election winner, with just over 50 percent of the vote. In May, he and losing rival Abdullah Abdullah reached a power-sharing agreement, promising stability. Some Afghan political factions, which receive generous Americans support, may be behind the bounty stories. Peace threatens their gravy train. The wider context remains important. The long and frustrating nature of the Afghanistan war overshadows such positive developments as reasonably honest elections and the growing participation of women. Despite the lack of infrastructure, technology is spreading steadily. Cellphones and the internet are now features of isolated communities. Ultimately, the Afghan people should be responsible for their nation, especially after two decades of occupation. The U.N. was fully justified in forcibly overthrowing the Taliban regime. Now, they should withdraw, responsibly. Beyond the uncertainty of this story, the New York Times loses credibility for the manner of their reporting. Adding "Intelligence Says" to a purely speculative headline highlights the decline of a once great newspaper. Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War." Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal State health officials announced seven additional COVID-19 deaths Sunday, bringing the total number of New Mexicans who have died of the virus to 614. Four of the people who died were McKinley County residents, and the other three were from Bernalillo, Rio Arriba and Valencia counties. The number of new infections fell to 266 after hovering above 300 for five straight days. New Mexicos seven-day average of new cases is 297. Bernalillo County, the states population center, continues to lead in the number of new infections, with 91 reported Sunday. Dona Ana, Curry and Lea counties had the next-highest numbers of new cases, with 26, 22, and 18, respectively. Santa Fe and Sandoval counties each had 15 new cases, while McKinley County had 14 and Valencia County had 12. Two of those whose deaths were announced Sunday were in their 30s and had underlying medical conditions: a McKinley County man who was hospitalized and a Rio Arriba County man. The others who died were: A man in his 50s from McKinley County who was hospitalized. A woman in her 60s from McKinley County who had underlying conditions and was hospitalized. A woman in her 90s from McKinley County with underlying conditions. A woman in her 60s from Bernalillo County. She had underlying conditions and was hospitalized. A woman in her 80s from Valencia County who had underlying conditions and was hospitalized. The seven deaths announced Sunday bring New Mexicos seven-day average to 6.14, the highest it has been since June 16. As of today, there are 144 individuals hospitalized in New Mexico for COVID-19, the Governors Office said in a news release announcing the new numbers. Thats four fewer than were hospitalized on Saturday. Of the 19,042 COVID-19 cases detected in New Mexico, the state Health Department has designated 7,349 as having recovered, although the actual number is likely higher. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Export of chemical products from Turkey to China dropped by 18.8 percent in the 1st half of 2020, making up $133.4 million, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish Trade Ministry. In June 2020, Turkey exported the chemical products worth $23.6 million to China, which is 35.5 percent more compared to the same month of 2019. Turkey's export of chemical products to foreign markets decreased by 13.9 percent from January through June 2020 compared to the same period of last year and stood at slightly over $8.6 billion. Turkey's export of chemical products abroad amounted to 11.5 percent of the countrys total export for the reporting period. In June 2020, Turkey's export of chemical products to world markets exceeded $1.4 billion, which is 10.2 percent more compared to the same month of 2019, the ministry said. Turkey's export of chemical products in June this year made up 10.6 percent of the countrys total export. During the last 12 months (from June 2019 through June 2020), Turkey's export of chemical products to world markets made up $19.2 billion. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Senate resumes session amid pandemic, PRRD to deliver SONA in hybrid joint session The Senate will resume its session on Monday, July 27, to continue working on several priority measures for the Second Regular Session of the 18th Congress. The Upper Chamber will open its morning hybrid session after which they will listen to President Rodrigo Duterte's 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) as the country grapples with a crisis brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Upon the resumption of the session, Sotto said the Senate is expected to pass the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act which was passed on second reading before the sine die adjournment last month. The measure seeks to extend the powers granted to President Rodrigo Duterte under Republic Act No. 11469 to carry out national policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two measures, which originated from the Department of Finance - the Financial Institution Strategic Transfer (FIST) and Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery (GUIDE) - will be prioritized by the Senate, Sotto said. The Senate is also expected to pass the repackaged Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE), formerly the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA), to help businesses, especially micro, small and medium enterprises badly hit by the pandemic, rebuild, recover and retain jobs for their employees. Other priority measures the Senate President is pushing are the Medical Scholarship Act, Presidential Drug Enforcement Authority Act, Hybrid Election Act, Anti-False Content Act and the 14th Month Pay law. The Senate will also tackle the Expanded Solo Parents Act, the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act, the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience, amendments to Public Service Act and the Agrarian or Agriculture Credit Cooperative Condonation Act, among others. Tehran (AFP) - President Hassan Rouhani said Saturday that 35 million Iranians may contract the coronavirus, as the country still did not have herd immunity although a quarter of the population may have already been infected. It appears to be the first time a senior Iranian official has indicated the country is seeking to defeat COVID-19 via herd immunity. The virus has killed more than 588,000 people and infected nearly 14 million around the world since first being detected in China late last year. Iran has been battling a resurgence of COVID-19, with figures showing a rise in both new infections and deaths since a two-month low in May. On Saturday, the health ministry reported another 188 coronavirus deaths and 2,166 cases of infection in the past 24 hours. That took the overall toll to 13,979 dead out of 271,606 cases since Iran reported its first cases in mid-February. The rising toll has prompted authorities to reimpose restrictions in worst-hit provinces after being lifted country-wide in April, with Tehran extending them for an extra week on Friday. "Our estimate is that up to now, 25 million Iranians have been infected with this virus," Rouhani said during a televised meeting of the country's virus-fighting taskforce. "We have to consider the possibility that 30 to 35 million more may face infection," he added, citing the results of a study by the health ministry. "We have not yet achieved herd immunity and we have no choice but to be united and break the chain of transmission of the coronavirus." Rouhani's deputy head of communications, Alireza Moezi, said on Twitter hours later that the 25 million in fact refers to "those who have encountered the virus and achieved complete immunity". Rouhani also said that Iran may have to prepare itself for double the amount of hospitalisations it has had in the past five months, according to the study. The study shows that "out of every 1,000 infected, 500 show no symptoms" Rouhani added, warning that they present the main challenge by "spreading more virus and over a longer period" than those identified. Story continues The health ministry does not report the overall amount of hospitalisations over COVID-19. The Islamic republic has been struggling to contain the Middle East's worst COVID-19 outbreak since announcing its first cases in mid-February. Iran has refrained from imposing full lockdowns but closed schools, cancelled public gatherings and banned travel between provinces in March, before lifting the restrictions the next month to reopen its sanctions-hit economy. Photo taken on July 23, 2020 shows the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "America is a great nation, there are many great things about the United States, but there is something wrong about the politics of the United States, in which politicians resort to untruthful, harmful information and spread that information to their own population around the country, around the world," said Sudheendra Kulkarni, former chairman of Mumbai-based think-tank Observer Research Foundation. "The coronavirus pandemic should not be politicized, much less should it be politicized for the purpose of winning an election" as U.S. politicians have been trying to do, an Indian expert has said. "This is most unfortunate that this kind of politicization goes against the spirit of science," said Sudheendra Kulkarni, former chairman of Mumbai-based think-tank Observer Research Foundation, in a recent interview with Xinhua. Kulkarni said it is only objective scientific research that can bring out the truth, but politicization of a pandemic of this kind comes in the way of global cooperation that is absolutely necessary today. "The very global scale and scope of the pandemic has made global cooperation and global collaboration necessary," he said. "This is the time for the world to come together." People visit the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States, July 24, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Describing the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) as "most unfortunate and condemnable," the expert said only international and collaborative research can bring out the truth, and all countries should cooperate with the WHO in this regard. "All the information that comes out from anywhere in the world should be collected by the World Health Organization, and it should come to a scientific objective decision," he added. "My understanding is that China certainly has been transparent and sharing the information with the World Health Organization and with the international community," he said. He noted that it is a very good sign that the entire world is currently researching on an effective vaccine. "My very strong belief is that countries should collaborate, share information, share their research so that the world gets a vaccine at the very earliest time," he said. He said as soon as COVID-19 broke out, China had been active not only in trying to contain the spread but in researching over an effective vaccine. "China has done really commendably in containing the spread of the epidemic, even though it was the first victim of the epidemic," he said. The second batch of medical aids offered by the Chinese government is pictured at Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar, Senegal, April 20, 2020. (Photo by Eddy Peters/Xinhua) Lauding Chinese efforts to send medical teams and providing personal protection equipment and other materials to many countries around the world, the expert said this shows a very strong sense of human solidarity on the part of the Chinese people and the Chinese government. "I believe that every country should show the same spirit of solidarity to the extent that they are capable of," he said. "The spirit of solidarity is something that is common all over the world and this is the time when humanity should show together solidarity in this hour of crisis." "America is a great nation, there are many great things about the United States, but there is something wrong about the politics of the United States, in which politicians resort to untruthful, harmful information and spread that information to their own population around the country, around the world," Kulkarni said. Kulkarni stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic does not respect any national border, nor does it respect any cultural, religious, racial borders or identities, so the fight against COVID-19 should have no boundaries. "It is time to build a community with a shared future for mankind, similarly it is time to build common health for mankind to promote health as a common gift, and a common necessity for the whole of mankind," he said. President Donald Trump has been pressuring the governors from different states to reopen the school districts before the beginning of the fall semester. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that school districts on the Covid-19 watch list cannot physically reopen classrooms this fall semester. "Learning in the state of California is simply non-negotiable that schools must, and I underscore must, provide a meaningful instruction during this pandemic whether they are physically opened or not," Newsom said. This are the requirements for schools to reopen en California The country must be off the states monitoring list for 14 days in a row. Masks are required for teachers and students third grade and above, and second grade and below are strongly encouraged to wear masks or face shields. Staff must maintain at least six feet between each other and students. Symptom checks will take place at the start of the day and hand washing stations, sanitation, disinfection and quarantine protocols will be required. There will be regular testing of staff and state contact tracing for those who test positive. Distance learning must be available to all students equally. The governor also gave guidelines for closing schools. He said if five percent of a school tests positive it must close, and when 25 percent of schools in one district close within a two-week period, the whole district must shut down. If there is a confirmed case, a whole classroom will go home. Four young friends who were instantly killed in a horror crash in dangerous conditions on Saturday were university students visiting from Townsville. Three women and a man were travelling in a sedan which collided with a ute at a sweeping bend in Advancetown, in the Gold Coast hinterland, just after 1pm on Saturday. All four died at the scene, despite paramedics' desperate attempts to revive them. The victims have been named as Lochlan Parker, 20, and Katrina McKeogh, 21, who studied engineering together at James Cook University in Townsville. James Cook University graduate Courtney Smith, 20, from Emerald in the state's Central Highlands was also killed, along with Kirsten Van Gorp, 22, from Brisbane. They were on a sightseeing drive together when tragedy struck. Ms McKeogh's sister Andrea penned a heartbreaking Facebook tribute hours after the tragedy, along with a desperate plea to other motorists. Katrina McKeough (left) and Lochlan Parker (right) were among the four victims who died 'I'm completely and utterly at a loss for words. Today around 1pm, my sister Katrina McKeough and three of our close friends were involved in a horrific car crash in the Gold Coast and were killed almost instantly,' she wrote on Saturday night. I don't even know how to begin to process this. I loved my sister so much and I feel wretched knowing that the last time we spoke, we fought. Badly. 'We never made peace with the argument, and now we never will. All I can say is to keep your loved ones close and to cherish every moment. 'Don't let pride get in the way of love. I never imagined that this would happen, but it has and I would give anything to have seen her one last time to make it right.' She urged the friends and families of the other three victims to reach out. 'I loved them all more than I can say and they all had such bright futures ahead of them. Again, I'm in shock and I don't even know what to say,' Ms McKeough wrote. 'Take care everyone and please, please f*****g drive safely.' Courtney Smith (left) and Kirsten Van Gorp (right) were also killed in the horror crash One of the victims' families reached out to Ms McKeough's heartbroken sister. 'We feel your loss as we too have lost our beautiful Courtney and I dont know how we are going to walk through life without her. My love and condolences to everyone,' Anne Smith commented on the post. 'Andrea your sister would not want you to grieve on any argument you may have had she would want you to remember her love for you.' Andrea replied: 'I loved Courtney like my own sister and I'm so sorry for your loss as well. She was such a beautiful, kind and loyal girl and she was finally getting the happiness she deserved after years of missing it. Their lives were all just starting and for it to end the way it did is unspeakably tragic.' Originally from Nuhlunbuy in the Northern Territory, Ms McKeough moved to Townsville to study engineering. Mr Parker was also studying engineering after he grew up in Townsville. 'Roboclub simply wouldn't have existed as it does without Kat and Lochlan's contributions, and I personally owe both of them so much,' one shattered friend posted on Facebook. Ms Smith graduated from James Cook University last year before commencing study at Queensland University of Technology and had living living in Emerald in the Queensland's Central Highlands. Three young women and one man have died after a horrific crash (pictured) between a sedan and ute in the Gold Coast hinterland just after 1pm on Saturday Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia the sedan driver lost control and smashed into the oncoming ute. The male driver of the ute, aged in his early 20s, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries. The bend was just west of an intersection between Nerang-Murwillumbah Road and Beechmont Road and the area had received heavy rainfall in the previous hours. Queensland Ambulance Service acting senior operations supervisor, Bill Houghton, said it was one of the worst crashes he has ever seen, The Courier Mail reported. 'It was a horrific scene,' he said. 'It's probably one of the worst crashes I have been to.' Emergency services were out in force to pick up the pieces after the fatal accident He said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. 'There is a lot of work to be done in relation to the accident in terms of identifying these persons and advising next of kin, which has not been done at this stage,' he told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Acting Operations Supervisor, Jay Nevins said the stretch of road is notorious for traffic accidents. 'Nerrang-Murwillumbah road is known for road traffic collisions,' he explained. 'It was 'a tragic scene.' Police on scene said the horror crash on Saturday was one of the worst they had attended More than $30 million was recently allocated to upgrade Nerang-Murwillumbah Road. 'I think for many years now, it has been identified that the road is due for some significant safety upgrades, particularly in the wet, rainy weather,' Gold Coast City councillor Glenn Tozer told the ABC. 'It's just terribly sad that this tragedy has occurred before that funding could materialise into the construction of safety improvement.' It's been a horror 24 hours for the state's road toll after an international tourist died when the four-wheel-drive they were travelling in rolled over on 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island on Sunday. Three others travelling in the vehicle were also taken to hospital. A male cyclist, 42, hit by a ute on a early morning ride in Brisbane's south last week also lost his fight for life on Saturday. Queensland's road toll in 2020 now stands at 134, almost 20 more than this time last year. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) For the first time, Vice President Leni Robredo will not be physically present at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday to hear President Rodrigo Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address. In her radio show on Sunday, Robredo bared that she was invited to hear the President's address on Monday, but via Zoom teleconferencing only. "Hindi ako imbitado sa House of Representatives. Na-receive namin na invitation ay Zoom, so iyon ang pupuntahan ko," she said. [Translation: I was not invited to the House of Representatives. I only received a Zoom invitation, so that's what I'll attend to.] Albeit virtually, Robredo stressed that she has cleared her schedule to hear Duterte's speech as it is part of her obligation as a public official. "Ito namang SONA, talagang kinlear natin iyong shedule para dito, so dahil hindi naman ako physically na pumunta doon, sa Zoom mag-aattend ako kasi obligasyon natin ito," she said. [Translation: I really cleared my schedule for the SONA, so even if I'm not there physically, I will still attend via Zoom because it is my obligation." The Vice President added that she is expecting to hear a concrete COVID-19 recovery plan from the President, and a clear report of what was achieved by the administration the past year. Robredo said there are still numerous questions left unanswered about the administration's response to the crisis despite the President's weekly updates. "Gusto nating malaman sa SONA ano iyong plano. Matagal na nating tinatanong kasi parang hindi kumpleto iyong napapanood natin doon sa weekly meetings. Hopefully tomorrow, kumpletong mailalahad." [Translation: We want to hear in the SONA what's the real plan. We have long been asking questions because what we hear from the weekly meetings were insufficient. Hopefully everything will be bared tomorrow.] READ: What to expect in Dutertes non-traditional fifth SONA Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque previously told CNN Philippines that Duterte will discuss the COVID-19 crisis "in much detail" when he unveils a road map for recovery in his speech. Over 50 individuals were invited to enter the session hall, including 30 lawmakers and a few Cabinet members, after testing negative for coronavirus in their RT-PCR and rapid tests. Duterte's son, Deputy Speaker Paolo Duterte of Davao City, is among the invited lawmakers. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Sunday that Congress is ready for any last-minute decisions that Duterte might make for the SONA. "Let me assure you po na ang ating Pangulo will take all precautions and a decision will be made whether dito or sa Malacanang...but we're ready po and so far, ang desisyon po ay dito siya magso-SONA." [Translation: Let us assure you that the President will take all precautions and a decision will be made whether he will do it here or at the Malacanang...but we are ready so far, and the latest decision is the SONA will be held here.] CNN Philippines' Eimor Santos and Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report. TCN News New Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind (JUH) organized an inauguration programme for reopening 97 shops in Delhis Gokalpuri Tyre market on Friday. Support TwoCircles Maulana Mahmood Madani, the General Secretary of JUH addressed the event through video conferencing, in presence of East Delhis District Magistrate Shashi Kaushal, Additional District Magistrate R R Agarwal and regional SDMs. Northeast Delhis Gokalpuri Tyre market was among the worst affected by the devastating communal riots in February this year included in the destructive trail of houses and shops that were ransacked by the irate communal mobs. JUH, which has been involved in groundwork and rebuilding immediately after the pogrom, has helped reconstruct a total of 97 shops and a masjid inside the market. JUH renamed the market as Jamiat Tyre Market at the inaugural event, following which rebuilt shops were handed over to their owners. JUH members also planted saplings of different trees at the site. After inaugural, Maulana Madani spoke to the shop owners highlighting that JUH is committed to a humanistic approach and that service to mankind is its topmost duty. He added that, We are a religious organization, we do not do anything to drive political mileage. Maulana Niaz Ahmad Farooqui and Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi, secretaries of JUH gave an endnote and said that what they had done in relief and rebuilding measures should have been done by the government. In order to assist victims, JUH secretaries reiterated its demand that the government must increase ex-gratia amount and compensation other than hastening to pay compensation to the victims of Delhi communal riots. As many as 250 million children across Africa are currently unable to access primary and secondary schools as a result of COVID-19-related closures. Analysts have shared concerns that this may create a lost generation of learners, causing many children to leave school prematurely. Avaya , a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, is helping to stem this loss across the continent by enabling students to stay on track with their studies using Avaya Spaces. Avaya Spaces, the all-in-one video collaboration app for the digital workplace, changes the way works gets done. It helps bring together distributed groups of people instantly with immersive work spaces where they can message, meet, share content and manage tasks from a browser or mobile device, and provides an easy, secure and effective way to collaborate in the cloud. Earlier this year, Avaya Spaces was offered for free to educational institutions worldwide, giving them all the meeting and team collaboration features they needed to keep students learning and curriculums on track. With Avaya Spaces, African schools such as Icon International School in Ghana, Charter College in South Africa, and Waldorf Woodlands in Kenya, have kept students safely engaged in their education by using the app to create virtual classrooms that can be accessed securely from anywhere on any device. Analysts and researchers have noted the importance of easy-to-use collaboration tools for education institutions to maintain their connections with students, to support bright futures in the face of todays challenges. Investing in training and education is the best way to secure the future prosperity of the African region, said Adrian Ho, Practise Leader, Enterprise Advanced Digital Services, Omdia. The COVID-19 pandemic has made its struggles more challenging. Harnessing technologies like Avaya Spaces will help bridge the training and educational gaps of the future workforce in Africa, allowing the region to be globally competitive. The crisis has forced educators across Africa and around the world to adapt in order to avoid losing educational progress made throughout the first half of the academic year, said Nidal Abou-Ltaif, President, Avaya International. With our Avaya Spaces offer, we have helped teachers and students continue to focus on education, and were proud to have played a small part in seeing off worries of a lost generation of learners. Icon International School, a leading Ghanaian institution that caters to learners from multiple grade levels, is one such school that has turned to technology to ensure the continued delivery of education for its students. Initially getting by with various freemium consumer apps, the school eventually put in place a comprehensive remote learning program for students using Avaya Spaces. The cloud-based video and collaboration app enables Icon to seamlessly deliver a Montessori-style education across geographies. With Avaya Spaces, teachers are able to attend to the individual needs of every learner, said Elizabeth Owusu-Bennoah, Proprietress, Icon International School. We have found the task management features particularly effective, as they enable us to plan, type out assignments, and follow up on them all within the same app. Previously, there was a lot of copying and pasting between various different apps, but now everything is held within an easy-to-access online space. With Avaya Spaces, we are able to create a rich and academically stimulating environment that students can access from the safety and comfort of their own homes. In South Africa, Charter College International High School moved classrooms online with Avaya Spaces to enable continued learning amid a shutdown of schools across the country. Working with Avaya, Charter College deployed business licenses for its teachers and staff enough to support over 1,000 student users in virtual classrooms. We join a growing number of educational institutions worldwide who have had to temporarily cancel in-person classes, but weve worked extremely quickly to move lessons online and ensure that our students are still being provided with a top education, said Alison Dodge, Principal at Charter College International High School. Despite South African schools now being officially open, Charter College will continue using Avaya Spaces to keep students and teachers engaged and collaborating and can maintain a continuity of education if classes shut again. Our first priority is the safety of our students. During a global pandemic, our goal is to provide continuity of their classes while ensuring were following the most up-to-date health advice from government bodies. Avaya Spaces has already proven indispensable with its task management features, and it provides us with a viable remote learning option if we ever need to temporarily shut the school again, Dodge added. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) on Saturday clarified that the stamp duty payable on rent or lease agreement for a period below seven years is 0.78 per cent. The tax service gave the clarification following the controversy that has trailed the new stamp duty policy on rent and lease agreements in the country announced on Wednesday. The FIRS in its announcement directed landlords and property agents to charge stamp duty on all tenancy and lease agreements with tenants and property buyers and remit same to the Service. The stamp duty varies from less than 1 per cent to 6 per cent depending on the duration of the contract. In a clarification on approved rates, the FIRS, through its spokesperson, Abdullahi Ismaila, said stamp duty rate on tenancy rent or lease agreement for a period below seven years will attract only 0.78 per cent rate charge. Please note that Stamp Duties rate on Rent/Lease is graduated depending on the number of years in the Agreement as follows: 1-7 years is 0.78%; above 7 to 21 years is 3%; above 21 years is 6%, Mr Ismaila clarified in a tweet on Saturday. He also denied that the FIRS increased, or is planning to increase the prevailing tax rates in the country. Further clarification Also, the Director, Tax Policy in FIRS, Mathew Gbonjubola, during a webinar conference on Saturday gave further clarification to the issue. The 6% stamp duty is for tenancy above 21 years, while 7 to 21 years lease or tenancy attracts 3%, and less than 7-years tenancy is below 1% (0.78%), Mr. Gbonjubola explained. On his part, the Coordinating Director, Tax Operations Group of the FIRS, Femi Oluwaniyi, also said stamp duty on rent or lease only applies to new agreements and not to renewals. READ ALSO: If a new agreement is drawn up at renewal, that document should be stamped, just like initial agreement. If, however, the renewal terms are already in the initial agreement, such that no new document is prepared, but just payment of the rent for renewal, then no stamping is required, Mr Oluwaniyi said. Since the announcement of the stamp duty on rent, many Nigerians, particularly workers who pay annual rents for their accommodations, have been apprehensive, as many fear they are expected to pay 6 per cent of their rent each time they want to renew them. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), through its President, Ayuba Wabba, has already rejected the new stamp duty policy, describing it as additional burden on the already overburdened Nigerian workers. During the webinar, the panelists urged Nigerians to accept the reality that the country can no longer rely solely on revenue accruing from its natural resources to fund its annual budgets. They said it was obvious taxation was the new normal of national fiscal policy in the search for alternatives to finance government activities and programmes. Stamp Duty Act. Taiwo Oyedele of PriceWaterhouseCoopers provided more explanation via his Twitter handle. Given that most Nigerians enter into into rent agreements for their accommodations for less than 7 years period, Mr Oyedele said, the applicable stamp duty rate to most people would be 0.78 per cent. On the obligation to pay stamp duty on rent, Mr Oyedele said the responsibility rests with the tenant, adding that the FIRS was seeking to appoint the landlord as the agent to collect and remit the tax under the new policy announced last Wednesday. Some other Stamp Duties and their rates applicable in Nigeria include Appraisement or Valuation of Property, 1.5 per cent; Certificate of Occupancy, Partnership N1,000 flat rate; Gift of Land, 1.5 per cent; Legal Mortgage, 0.375 per cent; Legal Mortgage (Up stamping), 0.375 per cent; Deed of Conveyance or Transfer on Sale of Property, 1.5 per cent; Memorandum of Understanding (related to Land, Sales, Joint Venture, Surrender, Subdivision Agreements, 1.5 per cent; Power of Attorney (irrevocable/land related), 1.5 per cent; and sales agreement, 1.5 per cent. Two men face charges and two others are being sought by police after a truck was hijacked Friday in Mississauga with an eight-year-old girl inside, as well as a series of violent armed robberies in and around the GTA. The girl was found unharmed soon after. Police were called to a pharmacy near Credit Woodlands and McBride Avenue in Mississauga around 6:45 p.m. Friday after a report of a robbery by two suspects who fled in a white Nissan Altima. No weapons or injuries were reported. Police said Saturday that the same suspects and two others are also wanted for violent armed robberies at a Bank of Montreal in Mississauga on July 16; a Scotiabank in Barrie on July 17; and a Scotiabank in Kitchener, Rexall pharmacy in Toronto and Shoppers Drug Mart in Mississauga on July 22. The white Nissan Altima was used as a getaway vehicle in all the robberies, police said in a news release. The car was located by police in an underground garage near Burnhamthorpe Road and Confederation Parkway. That car and another vehicle were then stopped from leaving the garage, and the suspects attempted to flee on foot. During this interaction, one of the suspects, later identified as Ridwan Dalmar, fired one round from a firearm in his possession, police said. The suspect vehicle was then also driven at officers, who then returned fire to prevent them from being seriously injured or killed. The two suspect cars were disabled, and two occupants were arrested, including Ridwan Dalmar. Two others, the suspects in the Friday pharmacy robbery, escaped on foot. Police say one of them later entered the truck of a family that had just picked up dinner and told them to drive off. When the family tried to escape, the suspect took the wheel and drove off with an eight-year-old girl still in the car. She was found uninjured on a side street, and later the unoccupied truck was located. A loaded handgun with 31 rounds of ammunition was found in one of the suspect vehicles, police said. Stolen property from the pharmacy was also recovered. This is another example of the level of violence our officers battle daily in the interest of keeping the community safe. The same people using firearms in robberies were willing to endanger the life of an eight-year-old. They have no limits, and neither will our service in our commitment to bringing them to justice and protecting our community, said Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah. Ridwan Dalmar, 20, of Toronto faces six charges including discharge of firearm with intent and possession of a prohibited device or ammunition for a dangerous purpose. Zakariya Dalmar, 23, from Waterloo faces five charges, including possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm. Both men attended a bail hearing in Brampton on Saturday. Police also released descriptions of the two outstanding suspects: Male, Black, six feet tall, 200 pounds, was wearing black sweatpants, a black-hooded sweatshirt with a white emblem on the left chest area, blue medical gloves, white medical mask and black running shoes. He was later seen removing some of his clothing in a picture provided by police. This suspect was responsible for the carjacking, police said. Male, Black, six feet tall, 200 pounds, was wearing black pants, a zip-up jacket with a purple hood and shoulders and black lower part and black sleeves, blue medical mask and black gloves. Margaryta Ignatenko is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @MargarytaIgnat1 "I am grateful to all the partners who helped to bring this moment closer. Black boxes of PS-752 were read out and deciphered successfully," Xinhua news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhenii Yenin as saying in a tweet on Friday. Kiev, July 25 (IANS) The transcript from the blackboxes of a Ukrainian passenger plane that was downed near Tehran in January, has confirmed the fact of illegal interference with the jet, authorities said. "The transcript confirmed the fact of illegal interference with the plane. We are waiting for the Iranian side for the first round of negotiations next week," he said. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it was too soon to blame human error for the downing of the airliner and that many questions remained unanswered. The Boeing-737, en route from Tehran to Kiev, was shot down by two rockets shortly after taking off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport on January 8. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 167 passengers and nine crew members on board, who were citizens of Ukraine, Iran, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, and the UK. Later, Iran's armed forces confirmed that an "unintentional" launch of a military missile by the country was the cause of the incident. --IANS ksk/ Protesters took to streets across the United States overnight into early Sunday, sparking clashes with police and a fatal shooting in Texas, amid a wave of public anger over Donald Trump's planned "surge" of federal agents into main cities. The demonstrations against racism and police brutality -- ignited two months ago by the death in Minneapolis of unarmed African-American George Floyd -- come as the US president faces an increasingly tough battle for re-election, and is campaigning on a "law and order" platform. He has met stiff resistance from big city mayors, like Lori Lightfoot of Chicago, many of them Democrats who accuse Trump of magnifying the problem for political gain. "I have drawn a very hard line. We'll not allow federal troops in our city," Lightfoot said on CNN's "State of the Union." "We will not tolerate unnamed agents taking people off the street, violating their rights and holding them in custody." Protesters marched in Austin, Texas, as well as Louisville, Kentucky; New York; Omaha, Nebraska; California's Oakland and Los Angeles, and Richmond in Virginia. In Austin, a man was killed in a shooting that broke out Saturday night at a protest in the downtown area of the Texas state capital, police said. A witness, Michael Capochiano, told the Austin Statesman newspaper that the incident occurred when a man in a car turned onto a street where protesters were gathered and drove toward the crowd. The vehicle became surrounded by shouting protesters, and one approached the vehicle carrying a rifle, he said. The driver then stuck a gun out of the car window and fired several shots, hitting the man with the rifle, before speeding away, according to Capochiano. Police said the shooter was in custody, and cooperating with investigators. In Seattle, police arrested 45 people during a night of violent protests in which demonstrators set fire to trailers by a construction site for a youth detention facility. Protesters slashed car tires and smashed trailer windows, prompting police to declare a riot and clear the streets with pepper spray and flash-bang grenades. Police Chief Carmen Best implored people to "come in peace to the city," and castigated the demonstrators. "The rioters had no regard for the community's safety, for officers' safety or for the businesses and property that they destroyed," local media quoted her as saying. - Federal agent 'surge' - Further south in Portland, police and federal agents fired tear gas and forcefully dispersed protesters for a second night early Sunday. Police moved after a group of protesters tried to pull down a fence erected around a federal courthouse. Portland has taken center stage for the highly controversial crackdown by federal agents ordered by Trump -- one that is not supported by local officials, and which many say smacks of authoritarianism. Saturday's demonstration began peacefully, with crowds playing music and dancing, blowing soap bubbles and attaching red roses to the barricades. But it ended -- like many before it -- with tear gas fired after protesters attached ropes to barricades surrounding the city's courthouse in an attempt to pull them down. Portland police declared the area a riot, ordering protesters to leave, before they were joined by federal officers to clear the area. An AFP reporter saw at least two men being detained and escorted from the scene by federal officers. Portland police earlier confirmed a man was stabbed, with the suspect "held down by protesters" before he was detained by officers and charged with assault, according to a statement. The victim was transported to hospital with a serious injury. - 'Little green men' - "I don't like what's happening down here, what Trump is doing," said Mike Shikany, a 55-year-old aerospace engineer at the protest, adding he did not "want to get anywhere near the little green men," meaning the federal troops. Portland retiree Jean Mullen, 74, said that without pressure nothing would change. "It's time to become the country we always brag about being. And we can't brag anymore, about anything. We aren't first in anything and it's a terrible, terrible thing to see at the end of my life," she said. The inspector general of the US Justice Department on Thursday opened an official investigation into the federal crackdown, but an Oregon federal judge on Friday rejected a legal bid by the state to stop agents from detaining protesters. Trump last week announced a "surge" of federal agents to crime hotspots including Chicago, following an increase in violence in the nation's third-largest city. Federal authorities said agents deployed there would partner with local law enforcement, not serve as riot-control forces as seen in Portland. Tunisias Interior Minister Hichem Mechichi has been appointed to form the next government, the presidents office said, amid political tensions among major parties in the North African country. The 46-year-old lawyer succeeds Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned as prime minister earlier this month. But Mechichi was not one of the names proposed by the governing political parties to President Kais Saied. In a statement following Saturdays announcement, Mechichi said he would work to form a government that meets the expectations of all Tunisians. Tunisia has been praised as a rare success story for democratic transition after the Arab Spring regional uprisings sparked by its 2011 revolution. But its leaders have struggled to meet the expectations of the Tunisian people and the already fragile economy has been battered by the closure of the countrys borders because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disease has killed nearly 50 people and infected more than 1,400 in Tunisia. As well as being the interior minister in the outgoing government, Mechichi has been a counsellor to President Saied, handling legal matters. He has previously been chief of staff at the Ministry of Transport and also served in the Ministry of Social Affairs. He now has a month to form a government, which will then face a parliamentary vote of confidence and will need an absolute majority to succeed. Failing that, parliament will be dissolved and new elections will be held within three months. Elyes Fakhfakh resigned as Tunisias prime minister earlier this month [File: Fethi Belaid/AFP] Political divisions In the last elections held in October, the Ennahdha party came on top but fell far short of a majority and eventually agreed to join a coalition government. Fakhfakhs resignation on July 15, after less than five months in office, threatened fresh political deadlock in the nation as it struggles with the economic fallout of the pandemic. The resignation deepened the political dispute with Ennahdha over allegations against Fakhfakh of conflicts of interest. Relations between the 47-year-old outgoing leader and Ennahdha have been strained since the October legislative elections. Fakhfakh stepped down the same day the party filed a no-confidence motion against him. Ennahdha had initially nominated an independent for prime minister, but he failed to win the support of parliament, leading the president to name former Finance Minister Fakhfakh for the post. Faced with the prospect of fresh elections, Ennahdha eventually agreed to join the coalition government. Not all of Washingtons icons are dead. Some are still living and walking among us. That thought came to mind whenever I ran into Rep. John Lewis on Capitol Hill or in other newsmaker hot spots. In a place not known to be overflowing with moral authority, the Georgia Democrat, who died a week ago last Friday at age 80, stood out. He was the last surviving member of the Big Six the group that included Martin Luther King Jr. and organized the historic civil rights March on Washington in 1963. Lewis iconic presence instantly reminded me of his younger self, the 23-year-old Freedom Rider and student leader who warmed up the crowd in 1963 before King delivered his historic I Have a Dream speech. I would later learn that King and the movements other elders had talked Lewis into toning down his speech. They feared his fiery talk (his original version called for a march through the South, through the heart of Dixie, the way Sherman did) and critique of the initially weak civil rights bill that President John Kennedys administration had proposed (too little, too late, and Which side is the federal government on?). Day three of the extracts and already many of us are royally keen to find freedom from Finding Freedom: the new book that charts the desperate flight of a family of refugees from the ermine-clad clutches of the British monarchy. The suffering of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have fled from a luxurious mansion in Windsor to seek sanctuary in a luxurious mansion in Hollywood via a luxurious mansion in Vancouver, is not for the faint-hearted. Over hundreds of tear-stained pages, authors Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie chronicle the litany of cruelty and oppression that the Sussexes endured during their short-term membership of the Royal Family. If you have a peeled onion to hand, please feel free to wave it under your eyes as we turn to an incident back in the beginning, when Prince William fretted that his younger brother was rushing into things with his new girlfriend Brace yourselves for bombshell revelations, such as the afternoon the Queen was too busy to see the Sussexes and they had to wait for an appointment like everyone else. On another occasion, the Duchess of Cambridge failed to give the Duchess of Sussex a lift to the shops. Elsewhere, Meghan once tried and failed to catch her sister-in-laws eye during a service at Westminster Abbey, and there was the unforgettable day when Harry was upset to see a disobliging readers comment about himself on a newspaper website. If you have a peeled onion to hand, please feel free to wave it under your eyes as we turn to an incident back in the beginning, when Prince William fretted that his younger brother was rushing into things with his new girlfriend. Harry was furious when William advised him to get to know this girl first. Well, whats wrong with that? Everything, apparently. According to Finding Freedom: In those last two words, this girl, Harry heard the tone of snobbishness that was anathema to his approach to the world. Wait, what? It is hard to see anything pejorative in these loving brotherly concerns, or fail to conclude that, on the evidence so far, the Sussexes grievances dont add up to a hill of half-baked beans. Harry was furious when William advised him to get to know this girl first. Well, whats wrong with that? Everything, apparently To be frank, when it comes to misery memoirs, Finding Freedom isnt exactly about the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Its more like Kevin the teenager and Veruca Salt dictating their feeble moans to Scooby-Doo and Velma, who then publish their findings as The Secret Diary Of Mr And Mrs Adrian Mole. The peevish tone is monstrous and unrelenting, while their utter vacuity and self-absorption comes as no surprise. Yet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have always taken pains huge pains! to stress how serious they are about their self-appointed role as world saviours. Not for them the ancient royal prerogative of gorging on peeled grapes while reclining on padded velvet, oh dear me, no. From the get-go, they virtue- signalled a philanthropic and campaigning agenda that they hoped would enrich the planet. They wanted to make a difference, they wanted to change the world but most of all, they wanted to matter. Within royal cloisters or on the global stage, he was to be an homme serieux, she a woman of substance. Together they would be a force for good, writing on bananas and so forth, insisting the populace should acknowledge the racist past of the Commonwealth (what?) or lecturing us on our travel choices. To be or not to be? To private jet or not to jet? These were the questions. But now we discover that behind the scenes they werent always lending their voices to those who could not be heard, because they were forever joined in harmony in one long howl of childish petulance; an endless grumble about lack of status and respect from within and without the House of Windsor. Here they carp, they grouse, they seem aggrieved that their needs and wants always seem to come second, third and fourth to the Queens, the Cornwalls and the dastardly Cambridges. The couple feel belittled and overlooked, especially as they suspect they are the hot new stars in the cobwebbed royal orbit. To this end, they saw every request denied as an act of sabotage, their star power deliberately diluted as they were restricted to humdrum pageantry. What did the pair of them want or expect? Top billing, it seems. What is remarkable is that Harrys whole life and entire upbringing have been devoted and calibrated to him being a prince. Surely he understands how it works? Surely he could have explained the system to his vexed new bride? Primarily, that being royal is a form of active service, with ranks and a hierarchy so uncomplicated that schoolchildren throughout the realm understand the line of succession and its importance to the Windsors and to us. In Finding Freedom, Meghan is blithely compared to Kate as a fellow senior working member of the Royal Family and the wife of Williams brother. Yet Meghan failed to grasp the simple truth that, constitutionally, she was not quite her sister-in-laws equal. And that is nothing personal, nothing racist, nothing sinister, nothing bad. It is just the way it works when you are a not-so-merry wife of Windsor. What is remarkable is that Harrys whole life and entire upbringing have been devoted and calibrated to him being a prince. Surely he understands how it works? Surely he could have explained the system to his vexed new bride? Harry and Meghan are pictured above on their wedding day Within the pages of Finding Freedom, we learn that the Duchess of Sussex found royal life pitiless and friendless, not the fairy tale she had dreamed of since she was a little girl. Here, in the badlands of Buckingham Palace, her hard-won Hollywood status mattered for nothing and the overwhelming suggestion seems to be that she and Harry thought that it should count for more. Much more. One can understand their impulse to flee. Perhaps they asked themselves this: if we dont decide what were worth, who will? But everything they do seems to make matters worse, not better. Each time they attempt to wrest control of the narrative, they only expose themselves to more ridicule. Sometimes one wonders if they ever stop to smell the roses or read the room or even consider the deep ignominy of their own situation. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex like to portray themselves as a deeply woke couple who fashionably concern themselves with the sins of the past and the turpitudes of history, particularly the awfulness of what went before versus the enlightenment of today. Yet if they truly believed in any of that, they would be against hereditary royalty in every form. They would be ashamed to take their place in such an elitist conspiracy of privilege. Yet here they are, as portrayed by sympathetic journalists in this laughable book, cavilling at every lackey or brother or newspaper who failed to deliver due deference or give them the esteem and status they feel they deserved. They may have found freedom, but in airing these ten-a-penny gripes, they have lost even more respect. Srinagar, July 26 : Vijay Kumar, IGP (Kashmir) said on Sunday that after the killing of two militants on Saturday, there is no resident of Srinagar in the militant ranks now. "After killing of LeT militant Ishfaq Rashid Khan yesterday, no resident of Srinagar district in militant ranks now: IGP Kashmir @JmuKmrPolice", the senior police officer was quoted to have said by the Twitter handle of Kashmir police. Two militants of LeT were killed on Saturday in an encounter in Ranbirgarh (Lawaipora) area in outskirts of Srinagar city. One of the slain militants was Ishfaq Rashid Khan, a resident of Srinagar city. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 02:39:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SKOPJE, July 25 (Xinhua) -- State Election Commission (SEC) in North Macedonia announced here on Saturday that the coalition "We Can" between the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and the Besa Movement won the early parliamentary elections held on July 15. According to SEC, the coalition led by SDSM's leader Zoran Zaev and Besa Movement's leader Bilal Kasami has won 35.89 percent of votes with 46 seats in the parliament. The coalition led by leader of the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE Hristijan Mickoski has garnered 34.57 percent of votes with 44 seats. The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) won 11.48 percent of votes with 15 seats, whereas the Alliance for Albanians and Alternativa got 8.95 percent of votes with 12 seats. The Levica party and the Albanian Democratic Party (DPA) won respectively two seats and one seat. According to SEC President Oliver Derkoski, the SDSM-led coalition "We Can" won 327,329 votes, VMRO-DPMNE, 315,344 votes, DUI party, 104,699 votes, the Alliance for Albanians and Alternativa, 81,827 votes, Levica party won 37,426 votes and DPA 13,930 votes. According to Derkoski, the elections were well administered considering the special circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, calling the elections a "challenge" for everyone. No irregularities were reported during the three days of voting, as confirmed by the Interior Ministry, Derkoski added. Following the certification of the results, the president of the country is to hand over the mandate to the party that has the majority in the Assembly. So far, talks have not officially begun on forming a majority of at least 61 seats out of a total of 120 in the Assembly of North Macedonia. The winning party SDSM has announced that in the next government there will be room for all progressive and pro-European forces, aiming for a broad coalition and a stable government. The next government of North Macedonia is expected to set as a priority the access negotiations with the European Union (EU) that are expected to start this year. North Macedonia's parties reached an agreement for an April 12 snap parliamentary elections after the country's bid for accession negotiation with the EU was denied in October last year. The country has had a caretaker government since Zaev's resignation as prime minister in January. North Macedonia's lawmakers in February voted to dissolve the parliament, paving the way for early elections set for April 12, which, however, were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem About halfway through Yes, God, Yes, one of the group leaders on a Catholic youth retreat hands Natalia Dyer's Alice, a nervous teen desperately ashamed of having recently discovered the joys of masturbation, a s'more. "We pretended each marshmallow was a different mortal sin before burning it," she tells Alice cheerfully. "Yours was lust." Alice looks down and gently squeezes the treat, the decadently charred marshmallow threatening to overflow its graham cracker prison. Go ahead. Take a bite. Screenwriter Karen Maine (Obvious Child) makes her directorial debut with the sly, sincere film (out now on VOD), which was loosely inspired by some of her own teenage experiences. Set in the early 2000s, Alice's awakening begins with an explicit AIM conversation (her curiosity having already been piqued by Titanic's hand-on-the-window scene). Around the same time, a dirty rumor starts going around about her having performed an act that she's far too innocent to even understand, much less have done. Still, the timing lines up so well that when the chance to go on the youth retreat rolls around, both Alice herself and all her classmates and teachers believe that she could use a good spiritual cleanse. Over four days in the woods, however, she gets something much better. The subject matter brings to mind another great teen indie, 2004's brilliant Saved!, but Yes, God, Yes doesn't skewer "moral" sex ed with the same satirical bite as that much more heightened take on the subject (a highly satisfying needle drop in the closing moments, however, could be interpreted as a quiet nod to the earlier film). Maine takes careful aim at the same particular brand of hypocrisy with a subtle, naturalistic approach keeping things very horny but extremely unsexy and a sharp eye for ironies big and small. In that sense especially, the film benefits enormously from Maine's female perspective; it's the difference between a discreet s'more of shame and a mutilated apple pie. An inspired device comes in the repeated references to one of Alice's lessons in morality class, wherein Father Murphy (Timothy Simons) compares male sexuality to a microwave and female sexuality to an oven, endlessly deepening Alice's shame at ever having gotten fully preheated as well as reinforcing the "boys can't help themselves" myth that has somehow given spaghetti straps a villainous reputation in schools religious or not across the country. Story continues Despite the breathtaking unfairness perpetuated by so many characters under the pretext of faith, the film shows remarkable empathy not only for Dyer's heroine, but also everyone around her, all of whom insist on telling Alice who she is and what she's done and where she's going without giving her a chance to chime in herself a particular injustice that feels truer every time a new person commits it. The Stranger Things star brings great humanity to Alice, a serious person with an anxious desire to be a good girl, whatever that means. And just when it seems like she'll drown under the weight of other people's judgments and expectations and lies (or just drown in her kind of heartbreakingly oversized camp sweatshirt), it's a well-earned victory to see her find her own voice and grant herself permission to maybe rewind that Titanic scene as much as she wants, guilt-free. She's a teen, not a saint. A- Related stories: The idea of Dominic Cummings being held hostage with rifles pointed at his head might be one for some harassed civil servants to secretly savour. But the Prime Ministers uncompromising chief adviser underwent just this experience last week during a tour of the SAS headquarters, Stirling Lines. The Mail on Sunday can reveal that part of his visit on Wednesday involved a trip to the Killing House where elite soldiers hone their skills on tackling terrorists. The guided tour of the Hereford base also included an inspection of the regiments military hardware and a briefing on recent operations, including efforts to eliminate Islamic State terrorists in Iraq. A man put through one of the challenges faced by soldiers to gain their SAS badge High-profile visitors to Stirling Lines are offered an unusual welcome a turn in the Killing House, a two-storey building where the SAS practise close-quarter fighting. Previous guests include Princess Diana, whose hair caught fire thanks to a spark from a grenade thrown during an exercise in 1983. It is understood that Mr Cummings arrived at the base named in honour of the regiments founder, Colonel David Stirling by helicopter. He also visited the neighbouring Pontrilas Army Training Area where other top-secret units are based. The visit was part of his tour of Britains highly classified UK security installations that has raised eyebrows among politicians and military chiefs. When news of his plans emerged earlier this month, Tobias Ellwood, a Tory backbencher and chair of the Commons Select Defence Committe, said MPs should be given the same opportunity to question him about defence and security matters as they are afforded for Ministers and civil servants. Special advisers, who are appointed by politicians, are rarely required to give evidence to select committees. The Prime Ministers uncompromising chief adviser underwent just this experience last week during a tour of the SAS headquarters, Stirling Lines It is understood that senior SAS officers used Wednesdays event to stress the importance of maintaining the number of personnel in the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment. It has been reported that these units, which provide the majority of Special Forces troops, could shrink or be merged to save money. More than half the soldiers in the 250-man SAS were previously Paras while the even smaller Special Boat Service (SBS) couldnt continue without the support of the Royal Marines, said a defence source. So Cummings was told that these units must be preserved in their entirety. Mr Cummings, who has complained that military procurement has continued to squander billions of pounds, recently attended meetings at the headquarters of MI5 and MI6 and is also planning to visit the SBSs headquarters in Poole, Dorset, along with the Governments top secret laboratories at Porton Down in Wiltshire. Last night, the Ministry of Defence did not respond to a request for comment. An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibaba's UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a clash between the two countries' forces on their border. Following the ban, which China has criticized, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content or acted for any foreign government. In court filings dated July 20 and previously not reported, the former employee of Alibaba's UC Web, Pushpandra Singh Parmar, alleges the company used to censor content seen as unfavourable to China and its apps UC Browser and UC News showcased false news "to cause social and political turmoil". Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand of a district court in Gurugram, a satellite city of India's capital, New Delhi, has issued summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen individuals or company units, asking them to appear in court or through a lawyer on July 29, court documents showed. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons. UC India said in a statement it had been "unwavering in its commitment to the India market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation". Alibaba representatives did not respond to requests for comment from the Chinese company or on behalf of Jack Ma. Parmar, who worked as an associate director at the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017 and is seeking $268,000 in damages, referred Reuters queries to his lawyer, Atul Ahlawat, who declined to comment saying the matter was sub judice. The court case is the latest hurdle for Alibaba in India after the Indian government's app ban, following which UC Web has started laying off some staff in India. Before the apps were banned, the UC Browser had been downloaded at least 689 million times in India, while UC News had 79.8 million downloads, most during 2017 and 2018, data from analytics firm Sensor Tower showed. ALLEGATIONS IN COURT India has said it banned the 59 apps after it received "credible inputs" that such apps posed a threat to India's sovereignty. Its IT minister said the decision was taken to safeguard citizens' data and public order. In more than 200 pages of court filings, reviewed by Reuters, former employee Parmar included clippings of some posts showcased on the UC News app that he alleged were false. One post from 2017 was headlined in Hindi: "2,000-rupee notes to be banned from midnight today". Another headline of a 2018 post said: "Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan" and contained description of firing across the disputed border between the countries. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the claims in the court filing. India did not ban its 2,000-rupee currency note and no war occurred between India and Pakistan in 2018. The lawsuit also contains a "sensitive words list" with key words in Hindi and English like "India-China border" and "Sino-India war" that the court filing alleges were used by UC Web to censor content on its platforms in India. "In order to control any news related content to be published against China was automatically/manually rejected by an audit system evolved for this purpose," the filing said. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and China's foreign ministry in Beijing, as well as India's IT ministry in New Delhi, did not respond to requests for comment. Vice Premier calls for strengthened anti-epidemic support for Xinjiang Global Times Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/25 19:31:41 Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan called on the National Health Commission to strengthen support for anti-epidemic work in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to ensure patients from different ethnic groups all receive high-quality treatment. Sun visited Xinjiang from Thursday to Saturday, during which she inspected hospitals, disease prevention and control centers, quarantine centers, communities and testing sample collection stations, the Xinhua News Agency reported Saturday. Sun fully praised the region's previous anti-epidemic work with Urumqi screening two million people after a sporadic outbreak and all cases are undergoing treatment, according to the report. Sun noted that the epidemic in Xinjiang involves people from multiple ethnic groups; with a young median age and the ratio of silent virus carriers is high, calling for national health authorities to strengthen their support for the region. Chen Quanguo, CPC chief in Xinjiang, also attended related activities during Sun's visit. According to Xinjiang regional health authorities, as of Friday, there are 115 COVID-19 patients in the region with 113 in Urumqi; 114 silent virus carriers, all in Urumqi; and 7,170 people are under medical observation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK - The city's hottest primary election is the 12th Congressional District. In one corner, you have Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a pal of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's who has been in Congress since 1993 and was recently elected chair of the House Oversight Committee. In the other is Suraj Patel, a former Obama campaign staffer and attorney who has never held public office and helped run his family's business constructing and franchising hotels in the Midwest before moving to New York in 2010. Their contest has everything. The Upper East Side. The Lower East Side. A tenacious, white, wealthy 74 year-old Democratic incumbent. A 36-year-old Indian-American challenger who has taught at New York University's business school and aims to be the state's first South Asian representative in Congress. Just 648 in-person votes are separating them, with 65,000 mail-in ballots still being counted. And an entire district of 718,000 people across three boroughs have no idea who their next representative will be - a full month after Election Day. "It's been dysfunctional to the extreme," said Brian Van Nieuwenhoven, treasurer of the Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club in the district. At the center of this mess is a massive influx of mail-in ballots - 403,000 returned ballots in the city this cycle vs. 23,000 that were returned and determined valid during the 2016 primary - and a system wholly unprepared to process them. It's not just delayed results that are at issue: In the 12th district and in the primaries across the country, tens of thousands of mail-in ballots were invalidated for technicalities like a missing signature or a missing postmark on the envelope. This isn't the only primary race in New York still up in the air. The 15th Congressional District in the Bronx, where New York City Council member Ritchie Torres holds a healthy lead, still hasn't been called. Two other primaries in the Bronx and Westchester, won by Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones, were not decided for three weeks. None of this bodes well for November's federal election in which President Donald Trump has refused to say whether he will accept the results. Turnout is expected to skyrocket because of the presidential race. Another covid-19 spike in the fall could lead to more mail-in ballots from people who fear crowded polling places. Add in slowed mail delivery because of the pandemic, while Trump constantly threatens to dismantle the U.S. Postal Service. Meanwhile, Trump and his Republican allies have repeatedly attacked the integrity of mail-in voting, making unfounded claims that the method is susceptible to widespread fraud. Enter New York's 12th as an extreme, but not isolated, case study. On Tuesday, the race even caught the eye of White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who cited "the absolute catastrophe for New York City" in her news briefing while answering a question on election security. "It's a dark omen for November," said a Wall Street Journal op-ed about the race, warning against voter fraud. "Let's fix this dumpster fire before it burns down the country in November," the New York Daily News, a liberal tabloid, wrote in its op-ed on the race, warning about voter disenfranchisement through ballots that are invalidated because of missing postmarks. Meanwhile, the actual humans stuck in the purgatory of the undecided election in the 12th District have almost become secondary characters to the D.R.A.M.A. unfurling around them. Maloney and Patel's electoral fates hang in the balance of those mail-in ballots. This is the only district in New York in which the absentees made up well over 50 percent of the vote, largely because it is one of the wealthiest districts in the city and so many residents fled to their second or third homes in the Hamptons or the Adirondacks. Both NY-12 candidates estimate that around 20,000 out of 45,000 mail-in ballots have been counted in Manhattan so far. According to Patel's campaign, he was up by 1,000 when the smaller portions of the district (but the larger percentage of invalid votes) in western Queens and northwestern Brooklyn finished tallying. But with Maloney's base of the Upper East Side now being counted, he's down by 2,000. Maloney, who provided a statement but declined to be interviewed for this article, called for patience. Her team had been at the counting sites every day, she said, while thanking the BOE for their hard work. "While everyone wants the results to be certified, we can't sacrifice accuracy for speed when it comes to something as critical as peoples' vote," she wrote. But the invalidation rate is concerning to many who are watching the race. According to data from the Board of Elections first published by The Intercept, up to 1 in 5 mail-in ballots were declared invalid before even being opened, based on mistakes with their exterior envelopes. The majority of mistakes are due to missing or late postmarks, and missing signatures. Preliminary numbers from the Board of Elections show an invalidation rate of 19 percent in both Manhattan and Queens and 28 percent in Brooklyn, just in this district. That rate, if applied to all of Brooklyn, would equate to 34,000 ballots thrown out, in a borough with the city's largest population of black residents. By comparison, in Wisconsin and Georgia, two primaries considered to be chaotic, the mail-in ballot rejection rate was 1.8 and 3 percent, respectively. On July 17, Patel joined a federal lawsuit along with State Assembly candidate Emily Gallagher (who just won her race) and more than a dozen voters charging Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Board of Elections with creating "an election law snafu." Maloney is not part of the lawsuit, but she did sign a joint statement with Patel and the other two candidates in their race demanding that all votes be counted. "Never in my wildest dreams did I think that after tripling the electorate turnout, we would then be fighting weeks later to just get our ballots counted," said Patel. "It's just a terrible canary in the coal mine for anyone looking at the November election." This race is actually a rematch. Patel (who pronounces his first name like "surge") challenged Maloney in 2018, and he got 40 percent of the vote by campaigning with then-candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and running as a progressive. It's exactly the same percentage he got of the in-person vote this time, though with the pandemic and two democratic socialist candidates in the race, Patel decided to run more as an Obama-hope-and-change candidate to the left side of the middle. Election Day was on June 23. The Board of Elections, by law, waited a week for all the mail-in ballots to arrive, and then waited until July 8 to start the count because of the sheer volume of ballots to sort through and the July Fourth weekend. A week after that, still no absentee ballots had been counted in the 12th District. "I've waited three years for this result, so another three weeks isn't that bad," said Patel at the time. But around the month mark, his chipper attitude started to wane. "Literally nothing is happening, and that's in Brooklyn. Manhattan is even more of a disaster," he said. It's sometimes hard to remember that these candidates had platforms and positions and that people like and dislike them, before their election turned into "Waiting for Godot." Maloney is Upper East Side, through and through. It's where she lived and where she stayed during the shutdown, holding Zoom town halls. She is known as a hard-charging feminist and a prolific author of legislation who has championed funding for rape kits and the permanent authorization of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. She recently vowed that, as head of the Oversight Committee, she will shoot down "the Trump Administration's craven attempt to add a citizen question to the Census." At a time of protests and pandemics, Patel's main attacks on her were about her long record of "tough on crime" stances and that she is an anti-vaxxer, based on her repeated public queries about the link between vaccines and autism. Maloney has responded that both she and her children are vaccinated. Patel, who lives with his ER doctor brother, got covid-19 in March and has positioned himself as the pro-science candidate, even writing a universal coronavirus testing plan. After his recovery, he could be seen at Black Lives Matter protests outside the mayor's residence of Gracie Mansion in the district. He claims that once the shutdown happened, his campaign helped people set up unemployment claims, apply for small business loans, get toilet paper. Maloney's main knocks on him are calling into question his big campaign donations from the Midwest and that he is a creep with women. There's even an ad her campaign approved on a website called nocreepsforcongress.com. He said Maloney was vicious and that her campaign had misinterpreted a joke. All the action in their contest is focused on the count, and it is something out of a dystopian thriller about office tedium. At the Manhattan canvassing spot, numbered folding tables are scattered throughout a cavernous space. Two BOE employees sit on one side of a plexiglass sneeze guard. On the other side are the watchers. Each campaign gets one watcher at each table. The BOE employees open the envelopes and show the ballots through the sneeze guard so the watchers can contest a ballot's validity and compile chicken-scratch tallies. The pace is equivalent to watching a sloth eat bark. Back in his office, Patel is worrying over "the postmark issue." It was all he could think about: The 13,000 invalid ballots across three boroughs in his race. Based on photocopies of envelopes his campaign received from the Board of Elections, he estimated half of those were not counted because of a missing postmark. These are ballots that fell into a kind of black hole of election law. Ballots that arrived to the BOE before or on June 23, Election Day, with or without a postmark are valid. Ballots that arrived by the cutoff of June 30 with a postmark of June 23 or earlier are valid. Ballots that arrived before June 30 but have no postmark or a postmark of the 24th, which many had, likely due to what the BOE called "USPS error," Patel said - those are invalid, automatically. "It's a question of timeliness. We are constrained," said Valerie Vazquez-Diaz, the BOE's spokeswoman. That third category of ballots are the one Patel is fighting to have counted. The lawsuit he filed calls on Gov. Cuomo to fix the issue with an executive order. In his Tuesday news conference, Cuomo punted the issue to the state legislature. What Patel argues is that the law isn't taking into account how much the pandemic changed the election. In the midst of the state's shutdown in April, Cuomo signed an executive order mandating that the BOE send an absentee ballot application to every New Yorker, who in the past could only obtain an absentee ballot for very narrow reasons, such as illness or disability. The BOE, with limited staff allowed in its offices, sprung to action, setting up an online portal and a phone line for absentee ballot requests and preparing a mailing for the city's 3million registered primary voters. That didn't go out until mid-May. Every ballot request needed to be approved by a bipartisan set of staffers, then entered into the voter rolls. Then a court dispute about the presidential primary delayed the finalization of the ballot, which the BOE didn't begin sending out until three weeks before the election. That's where the U.S. Postal Service comes in. Mail-in ballots are in the hands of a federal agency on the brink of bankruptcy that had to sideline 17,000 workers on quarantine because of exposure to the virus. Louis DeJoy, a Trump donor recently appointed as postmaster general, has announced cost-cutting changes that will likely further slow mail delivery. At every turn, the governor's executive orders and the BOE's deadlines were out of touch with the Postal Service's abilities. The final date for voters to send in absentee applications was June 16, an impossible seven-day turnaround for the application to get to the BOE and a ballot to get to the voter in time to cast it. But in New York, there was another issue. The governor's executive order called for the ballots to have business-class postage-paid return envelopes. In a normal year, voters provide their own stamp, which is considered first-class mail and always postmarked. The USPS said it is also their policy to postmark all ballots. It is not standard, however, as voter advocacy groups have said, to postmark the type of business-class mail used in New York's primary election. If you drop it off in a mailbox it is simply sent to its destination. It seems as though the postage class created confusion among some USPS employees. The only way for a voter to guarantee a postmark would have been to stand in line at a post office and watch a teller do it, rather than drop it in a box, which defeats the public-health benefit of mail-in ballots. Upon review of what happened in New York, USPS spokeswoman Martha Johnson said, "We are aware that some ballots may not have been postmarked and have taken actions to resolve the issue going forward." On Wednesday night, Cuomo and New York Attorney General Letitia James responded to the lawsuit Patel joined by saying that allowing un-postmarked ballots was "not in the public interest because it would upend the rules . . . after the election has already taken place." Patel quickly looked into a new legal strategy and has secured an expedited hearing that may happen as early as Thursday. "This is not the fault of vote by mail," he said. "I've always been an advocate of vote by mail. It increased participation to astronomical rates for a congressional primary. But man is New York unprepared to have the procedures in place to count these ballots in a timely fashion." Of course, he still wants to know the outcome. "It might be that we open up those ballots and they all go to Maloney. It's not my job to decide who gets to vote," he said. "At least we'd know what the actual intention of New York-12 was." - - - The Washington Post's Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was extended last month by the government for another two months. Eligible recipients can receive up to $12,000 in CERB payments, which covers 24 weeks. However, theres another big change that was recently announced and that could be a sign that the CERB may be coming to an end. On July 13, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an extension to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) that will see the program continue until at least December. It was previously extended back in May to go until August 29. The program provides eligible businesses with funding for up to 75% of their employee wages. Why does this matter? Whats notable about the CEWS extension is that it goes far beyond the CERB extension which goes until October 3. Both the CERB and CEWS extensions come, as theres growing pressure from the Conservatives and from businesses to make changes to CERB. There are concerns theres no incentive for people to go back to work while theyre collecting CERB. Its inevitable that a change is coming, and by extending the CEWS longer than the CERB, its clear the government isnt ready to make the same commitment to CERB. The two-month extension could be a way for the government to buy time to figure out what to do next. Finance Minister Bill Morneau recently said that we need to reduce disincentives to growth and that we need to make sure the subsidy is appropriate for the challenges facing enterprises in actually rehiring and getting people back to work. As companies learn more about CEWS and make use of it, that could help get people back to work and decrease the number of CERB recipients. The hope is that people transition away from CERB and that at least if employers are benefitting from CEWS, that means people are working. Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has proposed a different incentive to get people working, called the Back-to-Work Bonus, which would allow people who make between $1,000 and $5,000 a month to receive $0.50 for every dollar that they earn thats above $1,000. Story continues If youre collecting CERB, you should be preparing for the inevitability that itll end soon. One way to keep the money coming in without relying on CERB is by investing. Make the most of your TFSA A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a way for Canadians to earn money without having to pay taxes. For instance, if you were to invest $10,000 and buy shares of Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD)(NYSE:TD), you could earn roughly $500 in dividend income every year. TD currently pays shareholders a quarterly dividend of $0.79, which yields over 5% annually. And not only that but TDs increased its dividend payments by 32% in just three years. In 2017, it was paying investors $0.60 every quarter. The banks raised its dividend payments over the past three years by an average of 9.6%. If TD were to continue increasing at that pace for the foreseeable future, it would take about eight years for its dividend payments to double. Then that annual dividend payment of $500 would become $1,000, and youd be earning 10% in dividends on your original investment rather than 5%. Dividend increases are by no means a guarantee, but this is an example of how long-term investors can benefit from investing in stocks that routinely hike their dividend payments. And its not just dividends, you can also make money from the stock rising in value. Heres how TDs stock has performed against the TSX over the past five years: Its typically outperformed the index, and if not for the disaster year that 2020 has been turning out to be, the stock would likely be well up over 30% over the past five years. There are many safe ways to generate money from investing, and buying shares of TD is just one example. If youve got savings, now could be a great time to invest in some cheap blue-chip stocks like TD and put your TFSA to some good use. The post Is CERB Coming to an End? 1 Big Change That Could Impact the Future of the CRAs $2,000/Month Payments appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 Isle of Man Ship Registry to pioneer app to help thousands of its seafarers by Duncan Foulkes July 24,2020 | Source: IOM Today The Isle of Man Ship Registry is set to launch a pioneering piece of technology aimed at helping the welfare of thousands of its seafarers. Director Cameron Mitchell said the app is in the final stages of development and is set go live later this month. It will be available for free to around 11,000 seafarers working on more than 400 vessels under the Isle of Man flag. Mr Mitchell, who served as a marine engineer at sea for 17 years with shipping lines including Maersk and Farstad, said the introduction of the app is being accelerated to tackle the challenges facing seafarers caught in the coronavirus pandemic. Business News reported last month that the international shipping industry has warned of a threat to global trade from a mounting crisis on board merchant vessels. The current seafarer safety crisis came under the spotlight with a webinar session sponsored by the Isle of Man Ship Registry. People in the industry say an estimated 200,000 seafarers are stuck on vessels and their contracts have expired, while an equal number are at home ashore unable to sign-on for their new positions at sea. Mr Mitchell told Business News: Safety is a fundamental pillar of our ethos as a high-quality flag state. Even before Covid we recognised that something had to be done that delivered tangible results to help seafarers in the wilderness of the sea. We recognised that while there is support for seafarers in port, through the many brilliant chaplaincies and seafarer charities, the weak link is support while at sea. I raised it at the Red Ensign Group and with the seafarer charity ISWAN and it was clear to us that the problem of seafarer mental health was becoming more acute, with seafarers spending more time alone in their cabin than ever before. The app has many functions but a key one is to provide social activities to get seafarers interacting more on-board to combat that isolation. Mr Mitchell said the island team has produced the app with maritime training organisation Tapiit, which will live stream its support and training sessions via the app. The app provides structured welfare support for the seafarer from nutritional advice to live interactive support sessions for mental health and fitness, he said. The feedback we are receiving from ship owners, both clients and non-clients, is really positive. Ship owners want to find new better ways to help and protect seafarers and want to embrace digital innovation. We hope this app will be a step forward for the industry and make a positive difference to many thousands of seafarers sailing under the Isle of Man flag. Mr Mitchell said he was introduced to Tapiit through Merseyside cluster organisation Mersey Maritime and said it is doing a brilliant job producing an app that gives such a breadth of support and functionality. Richard Turner, chief executive of Tapiit, which has offices in the Isle of Man and Liverpool, claimed the functionality of the app will be ground-breaking and range of services and support greater than any app currently available to seafarers. He said: The Tapiit team is very excited to develop this crew welfare app with Cameron and his team at the Isle of Man Ship Registry. From my time working at Shell and setting up Tapiit, mental health, in particular, has always been the key problem area we have sought to tackle, so we are very much on the same wavelength as the Isle of Man. Cameron has been very specific about what the island wants and when it goes live it will be the most comprehensive crew welfare app in the world. We also have a number of large organisations partnering the app, who will be announced soon, and as a result will be able to offer support, through the app, to crew worldwide both on-board ship and in port. The app is designed to make seafarers lives easier and happier so it is not a one-off download, it can be so useful and supportive it can become part and parcel of what seafarers do each day. Tindle Newspapers Ltd. Theme(s): Others. Iran's army manufacturing most military equipment domestically ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sat / 25 July 2020 / 16:24 Tehran (ISNA) - Coordinating Deputy of Islamic Republic of Iran Army, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced that most of military equipment is manufactured domestically. Pointing to the army's self-sufficiency in supplying most of military parts and equipment it needed, Admiral Sayyari said, "Using equipment manufactured domestically is one of the components of deterrent power. In this regard, a very high percentage of Iran's Army military equipment is domestically manufactured". During his visit to Shahid Zarharan center of Iran's Army Ground Force on Saturday, he referred to the high capability and potential of experts in this unit in the field of confronting the novel coronavirus and told reporters, "Production volume of disinfectants and face masks are constantly monitored in this unit". "Various types of disinfectants and face masks are produced in this industrial unit. In addition to meeting requirements of Army's Ground Force, this industrial unit is able to meet demands of other Armed Forces of the country optimally," Admiral Sayyari added. Turning to Iran's Army cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the field of dealing with coronavirus, he said, "Since the beginning of outbreak of coronavirus in the country, we wrote a letter to the health minister, saying that Iran's Army is ready to cooperate and collaborate with the ministry in line with containing the disease". "To date, more than 12,000 personnel of Army's forces are cooperating with the Health Ministry in the fight against coronavirus," Admiral Sayyari stressed. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Florida Rep. Ted Yoho has been forced to resign from the board of a Christian nonprofit organization after he allegedly called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a 'f****** b****' and 'disgusting' when she was out of ear shot. Bread for the World, an organization aimed at tackling world hunger and poverty, announced the GOP congressman's resignation on Saturday in a statement that condemned his actions. 'We believe that Rep. Ted Yohos recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors,' the organization wrote. Bread for the World, a nonprofit Christian organization, announced that Rep. Ted Yoho (left) resigned from its board over the alleged sexist slur he called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (right) Bread for the World added that although it shared a joint commitment for 'expanding opportunity for men, women, and children around the world' with Yoho, they wanted to reaffirm their stance on equality. 'Despite these areas of agreement, Bread sought his resignation as an action that reaffirms our commitment to coming alongside women and people of color, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world.' the organizations wrote. Bread for the World first asked Yoho, 65, to resign from the board on Friday after public outrage over his alleged comments drew ire for being sexist. Use of the slur was first reported on Monday by a reporter with The Hill, who claimed they overheard the exchange between Yoho and Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol. Yoho denied referring to Ocasio-Cortez, 30, with a sexist slur and argued that he actually said 'bulls***.' Rep. Yoho (pictured) denied calling Ocasio-Cortez a sexist slur and instead argued that he said 'bulls***' Bread for the World released a statement on Wednesday that revealed they were 'deeply concerned' about Yoho's alleged remarks and his 'non-apology' Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (center) said in a House floot speech that 'My parents did not raise me to accept abuse from men' He apologized in a controversial floor speech that was criticized for being half-hearted to Ocasio-Cortez. 'I cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family and my country. In a statement released Wednesday, the Bread for the World admitted that it was 'deeply concerned' about his 'verbal attack.' 'Bread for the World is deeply concerned about Rep. Ted Yohos verbal attack on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and what we and others perceive to be his non-apology,' the organization wrote. 'Bread for the World is concerned that his behavior in the past few days does not reflect the values of respect and compassion that Jesus calls on us to exhibit every day.' The reported incident began when Ocasio-Cortez was ascending the stairs to cast her vote on the same day the House stood in a moment of silence to honor the late Rep. John Lewis. 'You are out of your freaking mind,' Yoho told Ocasio-Cortez in the brief interaction. The Florida Republican also called AOC, as she was dubbed early on in her political career, 'disgusting' for recent comments where she said the spike in New York City crime in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic are due to increased levels of poverty and unemployment. Ocasio-Cortez detailed to Yahoo News Tuesday that the representative put his finger in her face. Yoho insisted to the Daily Caller that he did not use the vernacular outlined by The Hill. Instead, he said he used the word 'bulls**t,' and said Ocasio-Cortez is trying to use the brief exchange for her personal benefit. 'He did not call Rep. Ocasio-Cortez what has been reported in The Hill or any name for that matter,' Yoho's office told the right-leaning media outlet. 'It sounds better for the Hill newspaper and gets more media attention to say he called her a name - which he did not do.' The progressive 30-year-old congresswoman said Yoho put his finger in her face as he called her 'disgusting' and 'out of your freaking mind' for linking a surge in crime in New York City on rising unemployment levels in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic She also shot back on Twitter Tuesday, claiming, 'B*****s get stuff done,' and asserting she usually gets along with her GOP colleagues 'It is unfortunate that Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is using this exchange to gain personal attention,' his office added. 'Instead,' it insisted, 'he made a brief comment to himself as he walked away summarizing what he believes her polices to be: bulls**t.' 'He kept muttering insults at me as I was walking away, but I didn't try to make it out,' she explained. 'I thought he had said something but didn't assume that's what he said.' House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called the behavior 'despicable' and demanded Tuesday that Yoho make a personal amends as well as a speech on the House floor apologizing to Ocasio-Cortez. 'Mr. Yoho owes not only the congresswoman an apology, but also an apology on the floor of the House of Representatives,' Hoyer told reporters. Yoho grinned through remarks on the House floor when he was called on to apologize. Yoho said in his remarks: 'I stand before you this morning to address the strife I injected into the already contentious Congress.' Yoho said in prepared remarks after House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called on him to apologize for his conduct from the House floor. Representative Ted Yoho refused during a House floor speech Wednesday to apologize for his 'passion' when confronting Ocasio-Cortez, which he dismissed as a 'misunderstanding' 'I rise to apologize for the abrupt manner of the conversation I had with my colleague from New York,' the Florida Republican continued after House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called on him Tuesday to apologize for his conduct from the House floor. 'It is true we disagree on policies and visions for America, but that does not mean we should be disrespectful,' he continued, dismissing the aggressive ordeal as a 'misunderstanding.' Ocasio-Cortez responded to Yoho and said 'This is not an apology,' Later, Ocasio-Cortez chastised Yoho in a scathing and emotional speech. 'My parents did not raise me to accept abuse from men,' Ocasio-Cortez asserted during her remarks, where she repeated the vulgar phrase used by the Florida rep during the exchange. Yoho, a former veterinarian who is retiring from Congress this year, has three children, a son who is 30 and two daughters who are 32 and 33-years-old. 'Mr. Yoho mentioned that he has a wife and two daughters. I'm two years younger than Yoho's youngest daughter,' Ocasio-Cortez said during her floor remarks. 'I am someone's daughter too.' 'My father, thankfully, is not alive to see how Mr. Yoho treated his daughter,' she said, appearing to get choked up. 'My mother got to see Mr. Yoho's disrespect on the floor of the House toward me on television.' 'And I'm here because I have to show my parents that I'm their daughter,' she said, adding they raised her not to take abuse. CHINO, Calif. - On a morning in mid-May, Anna "C.J." Rugg, a 38-year-old transgender man who had tested positive for the coronavirus at the California Institution for Women, set his room in the medical isolation unit on fire. "I made my room an inferno," he told The Washington Post by JPay, the inmate emailing system, and "laid down on the floor and waited for the smoke to get me." Rugg had serious health issues and struggled with acceptance since coming out in prison as transgender, but it was the extra stresses of covid-19 measures that pushed him over the edge. "This lockdown is too much," he wrote to Arlene Veronesi, a close friend and former cellmate. "I lost it. Don't hate me." Even before the coronavirus pandemic, incarcerated individuals in California's 35 state prisons faced poor mental health care. The situation is especially dire for the rapidly increasing number of female prisoners, who make up 4 percent of the state's incarcerated population but 11 percent of suicides, according to 2016 figures. Seven women committed suicide between 2013 and 2016 at the California Institution for Women, a 1398-bed prison currently housing close to 1500 women; in 2018, a woman experiencing a psychotic episode waited hours for care, ripping out and swallowing her own eye before receiving treatment. Multiple state audits of the prison have found slow response rates to mental health incidents as a major factor in suicides. A class-action lawsuit filed in 1990, on behalf of all of California's incarcerated individuals receiving mental health services, is ongoing. The pandemic has exacerbated the lack of mental health care at CIW. Inmates have refused tests, temperature checks and other measures meant to contain the virus's spread to avoid being put in isolation, and four women have attempted suicide while in quarantine or isolation for the coronavirus. "Rather than treat(ing) their mental health," the pandemic has shifted the entire correctional health care system's priority to "basically just trying to keep people alive," said Michael Bien, lead counsel in the class-action lawsuit. When CIW's first positive coronavirus test came back on April 6, correctional officials quarantined women to their own cells if they might have been exposed. Prison officials put whole housing units into lockdown and moved positive patients into separate medical isolation units. But a number of inmates say that CIW staff never told them what was happening. On the same day as the first positive test at CIW, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) issued guidance requiring all staff to wear face masks. It was "our first time seeing any staff in a mask," Rianne Theriaultodom, an incarcerated woman who was in the medical isolation unit with Rugg, told The Post via JPay. This left the women "confused and terrified" about the disease's progression in their facility. Thirty-six hours later, during which women screamed and banged on their doors, demanding answers, they were officially informed that they were in quarantine because of the virus. "Everyone in my unit seemed to have lost all control over their emotions," Theriaultodom said. Even more shocking than the women's deterioration was "that no one from mental health came by our doors to see how we were holding up." It was worse, however, in the medical isolation unit. According to April Harris, an incarcerated woman who spent a month in medical isolation, women were refusing to take coronavirus tests to avoid being sent there. "People aren't scared of covid-19, they are scared of the treatment of isolation," she wrote to The Post in a Jpay email. In early April, shortly after the first women were moved into medical isolation, a woman attempted suicide. Before the pandemic, women at CIW were allowed out of their cells for 23 hours a day. They worked and participated in professional training or personal development programs. That ended in mid-March, along with family visits. Women say they now often spend 23 hours locked in their cells, with little information on how long the latest lockdown measures will last or when they'll be able to exercise outside, call their families or even be allowed to shower. Amend, an organization affiliated with the University of California San Francisco's School of Medicine that advocates for a more health-oriented approach in prisons, has warned that "keeping people socially isolated in a closed cell ... causes immense, and often irreparable, psychological harm." Additionally, mental illness is associated with higher risks for infectious diseases such as covid-19, given the prevalence of underlying conditions associated with both. As of July 14, according to court documents filed by Bien and other class action lawyers, patients from the correctional mental health delivery system made up over a third of California's prisoners hospitalized for covid-19, and 44 percent of the 34 deaths. Prisoners with mental illnesses make up a third of the incarcerated population. Ignoring mental health makes containing the virus more difficult, said Brie Williams, Amend's director and a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, as it is common for incarcerated individuals to hide their symptoms to avoid isolation. By the time Rugg set his mattress on fire, he had made four formal requests to be seen by mental health staff, starting from the first day of lockdown on April 6, as well as verbally during the twice-daily temperature checks. He says only one mental health staffer came to see him but only to tell him to put in his paperwork. "I can't sleep and my doctor won't come," he wrote to Veronesi in a letter, and "I feel overwhelmed by everything" in another. In the medical isolation unit in mid-May, Rugg refused food, medicine and the temperature checks required for everyone who tested positive for the coronavirus for three days, without any staff taking action. "I tried to cut my wrists ... but the blade kept breaking," he said. That's when he resorted to fire. "Those (who) express they are in distress or seek assistance are seen within 24 hours by a mental health professional to determine if the patient requires a higher level of care," Dana Simas, a CDCR spokesperson, said in an emailed statement, though she did not specify what would constitute "distress." Bien, the lawyer, added that "the whole mental health care delivery system depends on the ability to identify people who medically need it and refer them to a higher level of care." Other women confirmed the difficulty of accessing care. Corene de la Cruz, an incarcerated woman who has not contracted the coronavirus, said she made multiple requests for counseling but neither mental health staff nor "chaplains were available on the premises to speak to." Once, after quarantine had already been lifted, a male mental health worker she had never seen or spoken to offered her a counseling session in the day room, in front of other inmates. According to CDCR policy, counseling is supposed to be private. More frequently, since mid-May - shortly after Rugg's suicide attempt - mental health staff walk through the women's general housing units once or twice a week passing out connect-the-dots puzzles and Hello Kitty images to color, de la Cruz said. Sometimes there are handouts on how to cope with anxiety, she added, but she said she did not find any of this helpful. Neither did April Harris, who spent a month in isolation with covid-19, just across the hall from Rugg. She was the first to see the fire. Harris screamed for help. "I thought she was going to die, and I was going to watch her burn," she wrote in a journal entry she shared with The Post. Her actions might have saved Rugg's life. After his suicide attempt, Rugg was moved to an inpatient psychiatric facility, where he says he is receiving care and awaiting transfer to a state psychiatric hospital. However, he's not sure when he'll be moved, as transfers to outside facilities have been paused because of the virus. After witnessing the suicide attempt and being temporarily evacuated from the burning building, several residents requested counseling. A week passed before any mental health staff visited the unit. When they arrived, it was not to offer counseling but to slide sheets of yoga poses, crossword puzzles and coloring pages under their doors. Simas, the spokesperson for the correctional department, did not respond to a specific question about the coloring book pages but recently filed court documents stating the correctional department is working to replace the loss of programming during the covid-19 restrictions with "therapeutic treatment packets" and "workbooks." "It was an emergency for a while, but now it's 100 days out," Bien says of the pandemic's effect on mental health care. "The question is: What's the plan? This is going to last at least a year, maybe two. ... How are you going to improve mental health care?" On July 15, Bien and class action lawyers presented a comprehensive solution to the court, requesting "the State reduce the mental health population commensurate with the reduction of the overall prison population." As a measure to contain the spread of covid-19, the state has already released 3,500 incarcerated individuals, and Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this month that California would release up to 8,000 more, with a partial focus on eight state prisons with outbreaks, including CIW. By July 24, 280 incarcerated women at CIW had tested positive for the coronavirus, and one had died, while 7,481 incarcerated individuals in all of California's prisons had tested positive, and 42 had died. Mental health patients, however, were not specifically included in either cohort for release. The only solution in providing better mental health care, Bien told The Post a few days ahead of the filing, is to "reduce the patient population." - - - If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they text to 741741. - - - This story is a partnership between The Washington Post and The Fuller Project, a global nonprofit newsroom reporting on issues that impact women. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Highlights The Global Surgical Retractors Market held a market value of USD 1,103 Million in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% over the forecast period. Increasing number of surgical procedures leading to increase demand of surgical retractors. Surgical retractors are one of the important surgical instruments which is used to separate the edges of the wound or surgical incision. Due to increasing prevalence of obesity across the globe many of the companies are in the race to introduce better treatment for obesity. Companies are using a trend of strategic alliance and acquisition to gain the market and minimize the competition in the market. Additionally, the growing research and development expenditure by the government as well as private sector is likely to contribute to the market growth. As per the data by the Office for National Statistics, in 2016, the gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) was Euro 33.1 billion (USD 35.2 billion) in the UK. However, the cost of surgery and surgical products may hamper the market growth during the assessment period. Regional Analysis On regional basis, the Americas is anticipated to dominate the global surgical retractors market owing to the growing R&D budgets by both government as well as commercial pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies and increasing adoption of advanced technologies in the region. Europe is expected to hold the second largest position in the global surgical retractors market owing to the presence of strong academic & research base and availability of funding for research in the European countries. Asia Pacific has served an opportunity for developing surgical retractors market in this region due to increasing demand for the better treatment and devices and increasing prevalence of disease like diabetes and obesity. The Middle East & Africa has the least share of the global surgical retractors market. Moreover, the major market share of the region is expected to be held by the Middle East region owing to the increasing government initiatives for the healthcare sector. Intended Audience Surgical Retractors Manufacturers and Distributors Contract Research Organizations Academic and Research Institutes Government Associations Segmentation The Global Surgical Retractors Market has been segmented into product type, design, product usage, application, and end user. By product type, the market has been segmented into hand retractors, self-retaining retractors, table-mounted retractors, wire retractors, and accessories. Based on design, the market has been segmented into fixed or flat frame retractors, angled or curved frame retractors, and blade or elevated-tipped retractors. Based on product usage, the market has been segmented into tissue handling and dissection and fluid swabbing. Based on application, the market has been segmented into obstetric & gynecological, urological, abdominal, cardiothoracic, orthopaedic, head, neck, and spinal, aesthetic surgical, and others. The market, by end user, has been segmented into hospitals and surgical centres, ambulatory care centres, and others. Key Players Terumo Corporation Henry Schein, INC. Johnson & Johnson Medtronic Becton Dickinson and Company Stryker Corporation Globus Medical, INC., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Teleflex Incorporated, Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corporation, The Cooper Companies, INC., RTI Surgical, INC., Arthrex, Inc., Invuity, Inc., Medline Industries, Inc. Browse Complete Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/surgical-retractors-market-7019 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. On July 16, Iowas coronavirus deaths hit 777 a toll that when predicted in late March seemed impossibly grim and was questioned by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Now the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, a research center at the University of Washington, predicts between 1,100 and 1,800 Iowans will die from COVID-19 by Nov. 1, with the lower number possible only if Iowans wear masks in public places. If everyone started wearing masks, that would turn this curve around, said Abraham Flaxman, an associate professor of Health Metrics Sciences with the institute. More than numbers As part of its state-by-state projections, which drew attention from the White House Coronavirus Task Force, the institute predicted March 31 that 777 Iowans would die from COVID-19 by Aug. 4. Iowa actually hit that number earlier July 16 and as of Friday, 820 Iowans have died because of the virus. To put that into perspective, its more than double the number of people who died in car crashes in Iowa for all of 2019 and nearly three times the number of Iowans who died from influenza in the 2017-2018 flu season one of the worst in recent history, according to the Des Moines Register. Someone who knows Iowas COVID-19 deaths are more than just numbers is Marlene Chramosta, who lost her husband, Steven, to the disease April 22. Steven Chramosta, 61, was one of at least 26 residents at Heritage Specialty Care, in Cedar Rapids, to die from COVID-19 as part of an outbreak at the center that affected at least 114 residents and staff. He had a temperature on the 30th of March, Marlene Chramosta said. He went to the hospital March 31. They put him immediately on a ventilator. Chramosta never heard her husbands voice again. I have no one to talk with, she said about her loss. Even before he was diagnosed with COVID, I could at leave go over and talk with him through the window (at Heritage). Its just not real that hes not here. Early predictions Early projections on COVID-19 infection and deaths factored in whether states had mandated social distancing. Iowas March estimates were higher than they otherwise might have been, Flaxman said at the time, because the institute determined the state had not implemented any of four measures of social distancing, including ordering the closures of schools and non-essential services, ordering Iowans to shelter at home and severely limiting travel. Reynolds said April 1 the institutes prediction did not properly account for steps her administration had put in place, such as recommending schools close for at least a month and ordering many businesses closed. When The Gazette asked the governors spokesman, Pat Garrett, last week what he thought about the institutes March 31 predictions proving accurate, he said projections will always fluctuate and will continue to do so. He didnt answer a follow-up question about whether the governors office believed the new projections would turn out to be true. Changes in modeling As the virus that causes COVID-19 has continued to plague the United States with spikes in many states, including Iowa, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation tweaked its modeling, Flaxman said. Weve really had to change our models to get a better idea of what might happen after these mandates were lifted, he said, referring to stay-at-home orders, travel bans and business closures. That led us to a 2.0 advance of our model: Mandates that come on and off. The 3.0 version is not just mandates coming on and off, but things just getting bad again and mandates being reinstated. The institutes prediction, as of Thursday, for Iowa ranged from about 1,100 deaths by Nov. 1 if universal masks are adopted and 1,800 deaths if mandates are eased. The projection shows Iowa hospitals having enough beds and intensive care unit space for COVID-19 patients. What seems to be at stake now, with school scheduled to resume in just a few weeks, is whether districts can safely allow in-person learning. Officials in many districts have been monitoring COVID-19 data to determine whether its safe to bring kids back to the classrooms. Masks a factor Joe Cavanaugh, head of the University of Iowas Department of Biostatistics and lead on the universitys own COVID-19 modeling site, said the widespread use of face masks and personal protective equipment would slow hospitalizations and deaths. According to the UIs COVID-19 models, virus deaths in the state will reach over 1,000 by the end of August without additional measures being put in place. The spread of the virus was starting to slow under lockdown orders in mid-March, he added, but a rise in new cases followed orders from the governor to reopen businesses and other facilities. More cases are followed by more hospitalizations and eventually by more deaths, he wrote in an email. In a proclamation Friday, Reynolds extended for another 30 days existing restrictions on businesses, which include social distancing requirements for bars and restaurants, but did not impose any new limits or mask mandates. Outbreak at Oakland Manor, 24 new cases in Pott. County Coronavirus cases at Risen Son Christian Village, a long-term care facility in Pottawattamie County, have risen, in addition to a new outbreak at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home reported by the state on Saturday. As of Saturday, there are 32 positive cases and 14 recovered at Risen Son, according to the coronavirus.gov, and six deaths from the facility as of Friday, according to the Pottawattamie County Public Health. At Oakland Manor, nine new cases were reported as of Saturday and no recoveries yet, according to the state. In Pottawattamie County, there were 1,024 cases listed as of Saturday at 1 p.m., up from the 1,000 reported Friday afternoon, according to the state. In a 24-hour period ending Saturday morning, the state of Iowa reported 667 new cases of the COVID-19 disease were confirmed, raising the states total to 41,627. The states 14-day trend line shows another slight downward turn in both testing and cases. According to the states data, there have been 5,681 new cases in the last 14 days statewide, down from 6,649 a week ago. Susan Payne, digital editor for The Daily Nonpareil contributed to this report from Council Bluffs, Kyle Ocker reported from Ottumwa for The Ottumwa Courier via the Associated Press. LOreal is the biggest beauty company in the world. It sells around 7 billion soothing, smoothing, fragrant, appearance-enhancing, age-defying products every year. Something for nearly every person on the planet. Which is a lot of beauty. But, at the same time, all those beautifying potions and perfumes have to be contained inside something. Which means 7 billion pots and packages to be disposed of. And still, says Alexandra Palt, that is only 0.05 per cent of the worlds total plastic use. So she is doing something about it. Thus making LOreal and the world that bit more beautiful than before. Palt argues that beauty is a basic human right. And you may say: she would say that, wouldnt she, given that she is that great rarity, a human rights lawyer turned executive vice president at LOreal. But she is persuasive. She acknowledges one serious weakness: hot sweet dumplings for dessert. Theyre a throwback to the Vienna of her birth, and not so ubiquitous in Paris, where she has trained her forensic guns on making LOreal 100 per cent sustainable and an industry leader in corporate responsibility. No more plastic, sil vous plait. Palt brings a literary, intellectual and cosmopolitan sensibility to bear on the beauty business. She is at home in several languages and is currently reading Hilary Mantels Wolf Hall in English. Thats quite difficult for me, because there are a lot of old words. She could have studied literature, history or philosophy at the University of Vienna, but she chose law in the end because I really cannot take injustice. Law seemed like a way to do something about injustice and human suffering. Now Im almost 50 and Im just as emotional and involved as when I was 20. State-owned NMDC's steel plant at Nagarnar, Chhattisgarh, is facing delays in commissioning due to disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a top company official has said. The steel plant, which had missed its completion schedule earlier as well, is now expected to take one more year to start production. The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) was first expected to commence steel production at its Nagarnar plant in July 2019, but failed to do so and then the commissioning deadline was shifted to 2020. NMDC's outgoing chairman and managing director N Baijendra Kumar told PTI, "Due to Covid-19 outbreak, workers have gone back (to villages) and as there are travel restrictions, experts are unable to travel to India to carry out certain trials at the site." Kumar will superannuate on July 31, and Sumit Deb will succeed him. NMDC, under the Ministry of Steel, is setting up its first steel plant having capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Nagarnar in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh at a cost of about Rs 20,000 crore. It is an ambitious project of the country's largest iron ore miner as it would mark NMDC's foray into the growing domestic steel sector. On the project's timelines, Kumar said it was to be completed in July 2020, but "now it will take another one year". The CMD said that apart from labour issues, there are other factors like machinery used in the plant has to be imported. Kumar said that after the Covid-19 outbreak, experts from European countries like Denmark and Austria could not come to conduct certain trials required before commissioning the plant. After the coronavirus lockdown in March, the construction work of the plant was completely stopped. The work resumed only in April after the government announced fresh guidelines for enforcing the second phase of lockdown. As per the guidelines, the construction activity was allowed from April 20 with strict safety measures. A company official said there are about 10,000-12,000 workers involved in the construction of the plant, but as almost half of them are unavailable, the progress of the work is extremely slow and will take months to complete. Earlier, the plant faced commissioning delays due to local agitation over talks of privatisation and BHEL not being able to complete raw material handling. The plant was in the list of public sector enterprises lined up by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) for strategic divestment. However, the proposal for strategic divestment of the steel plant was later differed by an Inter-Ministerial Group for Divestment until the unit becomes operational. Also Read: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram district court for 'wrongful' firing of employee Also Read: Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls likely to open; metro trains, schools to remain shut Prince Charles was left crushed when Harry confirmed Meghan Markle was his girlfriend as it overshadowed an official tour of the Middle East. The besotted prince rushed out a statement in November 2016 attacking the racial undertones of articles about Suits actress Meghan, giving his father and his staff just 20 minutes notice, a biography of the couple claims. The extraordinary press release detailing claims of abuse and harassment made headlines around the world and eclipsed critical visits his father and the Duchess of Cornwall were making on behalf of the Government, the biography, Finding Freedom, says. The Mail understands the move was considered by those on the trip as unforgivably rude and an appalling breach of protocol, particularly given the importance of the visit for Britain in terms of diplomatic relations, as well as economic, cultural and charity ties. Prince Charles was left crushed when Harry confirmed Meghan Markle was his girlfriend as it overshadowed an official tour of the Middle East The biographys authors, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, wrote: When Harry decided to make an official statement, the only stumbling block was Prince Charles. On a diplomatic tour in the Middle East, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall had just arrived in Bahrain to meet the countrys King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa. It was a critical moment that had been in the works for months. A statement from Kensington Palace condemning the Press and, in the same breath, confirming Harrys new girlfriend would all but eliminate coverage of Prince Charless tour of the Gulf. The biography of the Sussexes goes on to say: The Palace decided to go ahead with the statement nonetheless, much of which was drafted by Harry himself. Sure enough, as soon as Harry put out his declaration, the statement dominated the news cycle. The move left Charles disappointed according to the book, which also claims the heir to the throne understood the situation with Meghan had reached a tipping point The team at Clarence House, which had spent months putting together Prince Charless tour in the hopes that it would be covered significantly, was crushed. The move left Charles disappointed according to the book, which also claims the heir to the throne understood the situation with Meghan had reached a tipping point. It adds: Harry had felt the need to prioritise the woman he loved over duty to the greater Royal Family. Harrys statement much of which he wrote with then-press secretary Jason Knauf, read: His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments. The body of Congressman John Lewis was to lie in state at the US Capitol on Monday for Americans to pay a final tribute to the civil rights icon. Former vice president Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, and Vice President Mike Pence were among those expected to pay their respects. Lewis, a 17-term Democratic member of the US House of Representatives from the southern state of Georgia, died of pancreatic cancer on July 17 at the age of 80. Lewis' flag-draped casket is to lie in state on Monday afternoon in the rotunda of the US Capitol, a rarely bestowed honor. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, his body will then be moved outside to the Capitol's steps to allow members of the public to pay tribute in a socially distanced manner all day on Tuesday. Congressman Elijah Cummings, who died last year, was the first black congressman to lie in state in the Capitol although in Statuary Hall, not in the rotunda. Other politicians who have lain in state recently in the Capitol include former president George H.W. Bush and Arizona senator John McCain. On Sunday, a lone caisson drawn by two black horses carried Lewis' body across the Alabama bridge where in 1965 a policeman fractured his skull during a protest that helped forge his reputation as a fearless civil rights leader. The procession across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the city of Selma came on the second of six days of solemn commemorations for Lewis. It also came in a year when "Black Lives Matter" protests against police brutality have brought thousands onto US streets, underscoring the still-raw depths of the country's racial history. The procession was saluted by a line of Alabama state troopers -- a starkly different reception from what Lewis received on the March 7, 1965 march in Selma, when a trooper beat the then-25-year-old to the ground with a nightstick, fracturing his skull and nearly killing him. The march, on a day later dubbed "Bloody Sunday," was considered a turning point in the civil rights movement. Lewis grew up in the Alabama city of Troy. His parents were sharecroppers, and he once worked in a cotton field. While attending segregated schools, Lewis was inspired by the peaceful protests of civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. On Thursday, solemn commemorations for Lewis will end in Atlanta, Georgia, where he will be remembered in a private service in the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King once preached. Lewis' burial will follow. A mural of civil rights leader John Lewis at Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington In a solemn tribute, a horse-drawn wagon carried the body of civil rights leader and longtime congressman John Lewis across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on July 26, 2020; he was badly beaten on the bridge during a 1965 rights march Libya has been ravaged by years of war, but at this hospital, the workers are saying coronavirus has proven even worse. "God knows, I live in my office, I don't sleep until 7 a.m. and sometimes I can't close my eyes before 10 or 11 a.m., or I don't sleep at all." Fatima Amtir is the head nurse here at Sabha Medical Centre. She hasn't seen her family in over a month. Along with 16 other colleagues, she spends her days and nights on the frontline. "Of course, I miss my children, my mother, and my father. I haven't seen them for 38 days. Yesterday, my mother was not feeling well so she came to the hospital to take a nasal swab test. My mother has cancer, she came to the hospital and I couldn't hug her, I don't even know if I will ever see her again." Although it is not an officially designated COVID-19 facility, Fatima's hospital still receives patients suffering from the virus and conducts widespread testing. Its the biggest hospital in southern Libya and many of the staff know violence conflict firsthand, as the country's suffered through conflict since the toppling of Gaddafi in nine years ago. But for Fatima -- this pandemic has brought challenges not even faced "I witnessed all the events that have happened here since 2011, and I never missed a working day in the hospital. But this time, during this pandemic, I can't even leave or hug my parents. I don't know if I'll be able to see them again." In an effort to combat the spread the International Committee of the Red Cross has been providing personal protective equipment and medical supplies to facilities throughout the city. The ICRC also gave out food parcels and hygiene kits to families quarantine at home. But the sudden and rapid increase in infections is overwhelming the already stricken public healthcare system and causing widespread fear among residents. The hospital has also been gravely understaffed --19 of its healthcare workers tested positive for the virus and had to be isolated themselves. A drug dealer has been jailed after he was found with 300,000 in the boot of his car when police pulled him over during the coronavirus lockdown. Ricky Lewis told cops he had driven from West Sussex to Kent to cut his friends' hair and did not realise hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash were in the vehicle. The 35-year-old was stopped after officers spotted him repeatedly stopping in Deal, Kent, while driving the hired Renault Clio on May 9. At the time, Britain was still in full lockdown and the government was advising only essential travel. Suspected drug dealer Ricky Lewis, 35, was found with 300,000 in the boot of his car when police pulled him over during the coronavirus lockdown in Deal, Kent When the car was searched, police found 314,885 divided between two bags and Lewis, who was driving the vehicle, was arrested. Officers suspected the bags of cash may have been involved in drug dealing, police said. Lewis offered no explanation for how he came by the money. When Lewis' home in Crawley was searched, officers found a Taser, Kent Police said. He refused to answer any questions about the cash when he was interviewed and was charged with possession of criminal property and unlawful possession of a weapon. Lewis was stopped after officers spotted him repeatedly stopping in Deal, Kent, while driving the hired Renault Clio on May 9. Lewis admitted both charges at Canterbury Crown Court on June 8 and was jailed for two years and two months on Friday, July 24. Detective Inspector Emma Lawry, Kent Police's senior investigating officer, said: 'Lewis was found in a hire car with a huge amount of money, the origin of which he has repeatedly refused to explain. 'I would like to commend the alertness of our local officers on the night, which has resulted in a considerable amount of criminal property being removed from circulation. 'Kent Police will not tolerate offenders coming into our county from others area of the country and we will do everything we can to disrupt their operations and seize property.' LONDON - Prince William infuriated Prince Harry when he told his younger brother he should move slowly in his relationship with the former Meghan Markle, fearing that he was being blindsided by lust, a new book on the Windsors says. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/7/2020 (542 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William, left, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, second left, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, right, arrive to attend the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England. Prince William infuriated Prince Harry when he told his younger brother he should move slowly in his relationship with the former Meghan Markle, fearing that he was being blindsided by lust, a new book on the Windsors says. The second installment of a serialized version of the book Finding Freedom, which appeared in the Sunday Times, Sunday, July 26, 2020 claimed that Harry was angered by what he perceived to be as Williams snobby tone in a discussion about the American actress. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, file) LONDON - Prince William infuriated Prince Harry when he told his younger brother he should move slowly in his relationship with the former Meghan Markle, fearing that he was being "blindsided by lust, a new book on the Windsors says. The second installment of a serialized version of the book "Finding Freedom," which appeared in the Sunday Times, claimed that Harry was angered by what he perceived as Williams snobby tone in a discussion about the American actress when they were dating. Royal reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wrote that Harry disliked Williams advice to "take as much time as you need to get to know this girl." The authors quote a source close to William as saying he didnt want Harry to be "blindsided by lust." The authors wrote that Harry "no longer felt as though he needed looking after," and took it badly. "In those last two words, this girl, Harry heard the tone of snobbishness that was anathema to his approach to the world, the excerpt said, noting that Harry has spent 10 years in the military and outside the royal bubble. "Also, to remove Meghan from the equation, Harry was tired of the dynamic that had become established between him and his older brother, the authors added. In announcing the book's publication, Harper Collins U.K. said the book by Scobie, royal editor of Harpers Bazaar and Durand, Elle magazine's royal correspondent, would aim to capture "the real Harry and Meghan." The publisher said the authors have been given "unique access" and the co-operation of those closest to the couple. Ahead of the books release, Harry and Meghan issued a statement denying taking part in the publication. "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom, it said. "This book is based on the authors own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting." The book described how the rest of the family and the Royal Household also didnt know what to make of Meghan. One senior courtier is said to have told a colleague: "Theres just something about her I dont trust." Another called her "Harrys showgirl. The excerpt is even harsher when it comes to the Duchess of Cambridge, suggesting she hardly rolled out the red carpet for Meghan, despite the similarity of challenges both would face. "Though it was not necessarily her responsibility, Kate did little to bridge the divide. She was fiercely loyal to her husband and his family, the authors wrote. "Once Harry and Meghan were married, the gap between the brothers only widened. "William and Kates feelings seemed obvious to the Sussexes that summer and beyond. Among all the friends and family Harry and Meghan hosted at their house in Oxfordshire between May 2018 and March 2019, the Cambridges failed to visit,'' the excerpt said. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The book excerpts have focused on the months of palace intrigue surrounding the decision to step back from senior royal duties. The couple surprised the Royal Household in January by making public their plans to be more independent. The couple wished to be part-time royals, but the idea fell apart during talks with the family. In January the queen outlined how the couple would step away from royal duties in March, at least for a while, but always remain part of the royal family. Harry is sixth in the line for the throne, behind his father, Prince Charles, his brother William, and Williams three young children, George, Charlotte and Louis. The couple have re-located to North America with their 14-month old son, Archie. ______ Follow all AP coverage of the royal family at https://apnews.com/Prince Harry. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 09:42:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PYONGYANG, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), declared a state of emergency in Kaesong after the border city reported a suspected case of COVID-19, said Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday. "There happened a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country," Kim said on Saturday as he presided over an emergency enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party. Kim noted that he took preemptive measures on Saturday to completely block Kaesong city and isolate each district and region immediately after the case was reported. Given the dangerous situation in Kaesong city, Kim said he has decided to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert. According to the KCNA report, all those who had contacted the suspected case and those who had been to Kaesong city in the past five days will be given medical examination and put under quarantine. The suspected case, a defector who returned to the DPRK city of Kaesong from South Korea on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line, was put under strict quarantine as a primary step, said the KCNA. So far, the DPRK has not reported any confirmed case of COVID-19. Enditem During the Angelus Pope Francis stressed that the building of the Kingdom requires not only Gods grace, but also the active willingness of humanity. Life is "mediocre" when it is satisfied with "attractive but ephemeral things, whose bright lights prove illusory as they give way to darkness. Creativity is the path to give life. The pontiff called for a round of applause for grandparents, urging young people to visit the elderly. He also praised the ceasefire in the Donbass. Vatican City (AsiaNews) In the two parables of the "treasure hidden in the field" and the "precious pearl", Jesus proposes to involve us in the building of the Kingdom of Heaven, presenting one of its essential characteristics: those who fully pledge themselves to the Kingdom are those who are willing to stake everything, said Pope Francis as he reflected upon today's gospel (Matthew 13:44-52, 17th Sunday of the Year, A) at the start of Angelus, his weekly appointment with pilgrims in St Peter's Square. Indeed, both the man and the merchant in these two parables sell everything they have, thus renouncing their material security. From this it can be understood that the building of the Kingdom requires not only Gods grace, but also the active willingness of humanity. We are called upon to assume the attitude of these two Gospel figures, so that we too may become healthily restless seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is a matter of abandoning the heavy burden of our worldly certainties that prevent us from searching and building up the Kingdom: the covetousness for possession, the thirst for profit and power, and thinking only of ourselves. In our times, some peoples lives can end up mediocre and dull because they probably do not go in search of real treasure: they are satisfied with attractive but ephemeral things, whose bright lights prove illusory as they give way to darkness. The Kingdom of Heaven is the opposite of the superfluous things that the world offers, the opposite of a dull life: it is a treasure that renews life every day and leads it to extend towards wider horizons. Indeed, those who have found this treasure have a creative and inquisitive heart, which does not repeat but rather invents, tracing and setting out on new paths which lead us to love God, to love others, and to truly love ourselves. The sign of those who walk along the path of the Kingdom is creativity . . . always seeking many ways to give life. Jesus, who is the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value, cannot but inspire joy, all the joy of the world: the joy of discovering a meaning in life, the joy of committing oneself to the adventure of holiness. After the Marian prayer, Pope Francis urged the faithful to give a round of applause for grandparents, in the liturgical memory of Saints Joachim and Anne, Jesuss grandparents. He also called on young people to be "creative" in showing their love for the elderly, to visit them, keep in touch with them via social media, break the walls of their solitude. "They are your roots, he said. The pontiff then expressed his satisfaction for the new ceasefire agreement in the Donbass, the region in the Donets River basin that declared itself autonomous from Ukraine in 2014, and that has been a permanent theatre of war ever since. He went on to express hope that the agreement would be upheld, but Ukraine has accused the Russian-backed Donbass forces of violating all agreements so far. She's just finished her mandatory two-week stay inside a COVID-19 quarantine hotel in Sydney. And Hollywood star Jane Seymour, 69, certainly looked pleased to be leaving behind the trappings of self-isolation on Sunday. The former Bond Girl beamed at onlookers from behind a protective face mask as she emerged in public for the first time in 14 days. Freedom at last! Jane Seymour, 69, beamed behind a protective face mask as she triumphantly left her quarantine hotel in Sydney for the first time in two weeks on Sunday Jane, who travelled to Australia from Los Angeles ahead of filming the upcoming movie Ruby's Choice, endured Sydney's rainy weather as she made her way from the hotel lobby to a car parked outside. Trailing behind her was a mask-clad bellboy pushing a cart loaded with Jame's luggage. The fiery-haired actress was hard to miss thanks to her vibrant outfit, which included a floral dress and red leather jacket. Don't rain on her parade! Jane, who travelled to Australia from Los Angeles ahead of filming the upcoming movie Ruby's Choice, endured Sydney's rainy weather as she made her way from the hotel lobby to a car parked outside Precious cargo: Trailing behind her was a mask-clad bellboy pushing a cart loaded with Jame's luggage She completed her look with a black round-brimmed hat and black leather boots. Speaking about life in quarantine to the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, Jane revealed she hadn't been given any special treatment and said she was 'fine' with it. 'I can handle it. Seeing what's happened in California I'm so impressed by the way Australia is dealing with it. I have total respect for whatever inconvenience it may be. It's obviously worth it,' she added. Working Down Under: The veteran actress jetted in from her home in Los Angeles to Australia ahead filming the upcoming movie, Ruby's Choice. But she admitted arriving in Sydney amid the current pandemic 'was scary at first'. 'They take you off the aeroplane and you honestly feel like a criminal. It's very frightening. They put you on a bus like a prisoner and they have police and armed guards,' she recounted. After arriving at her hotel for quarantine, Jane confessed she was hoping she'd be given a room with harbour views, but said that wasn't the case. Jetting in: In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, the actress revealed she's been quarantining in a Sydney hotel room after flying in from the US recently 'I got all excited thinking I might see something of Sydney but they put me in a back room with a wall and a bit of sky and everyone else gets to look at Darling Harbour. But not me,' she added. The only time she got to leave her hotel room was after she injured her leg while exercising, and needed to be rushed to hospital. Jane said the nurses were 'very nice and they are the only human beings I've seen since I've been here'. Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. Photographs and posters which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. UVF sources have rubbished claims there is a split in the organisation connected to a historic event in east Belfast. Troubles-related memorabilia including deactivated weapons and mementos from the Maze Prison were put on show in the Raven Club yesterday. There was also a tribute to sectarian serial killer and double agent Robin 'The Jackal' Jackson, who was involved in terrorist outrages such as the Miami Showband massacre. The display - billed as a history of the modern-day UVF and Red Hand Commando - was at the centre of an earlier row over reports that senior figures in the gang were not invited. Expand Close Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast It followed on from criticism by loyalist historian William McCaughey who accused the gang of "torturing the Protestant people". This came on the back of the murder of UVF member Ian Ogle by members of the East Belfast UVF. Friends of the slain dad-of-two arranged yesterday's Raven Club event which gave a remarkable insight into the inner-workings of the terror gang. Expand Close Photographs and posters which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Photographs and posters which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. In a statement, the organisers said: "For a conflict about which so much has been written there remains a fact that some key elements remain misunderstood or overlooked. "Ulster loyalism is an example of this. We are committed to working with others to change this. Expand Close Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guns and memorabilia of the UVF and Red Hand Commandos which were part of the exhibition of Loyalist artefacts during the history of the Northern Ireland conflict held in the Raven Social Club in East Belfast. "It's a reality that for those within the loyalist community who played an active part in the conflict, their families and their supporters, there are many stories to be told, from the formation of the UVF in 1912 through to its central role in the conflict, which ended with the Combined Loyalist Military Command ceasefire in 1994." The organisers added "There is an emerging group of people willing to explain the loyalist narrative. This exhibition is one such opportunity to do that." Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh BJP state president K Laxminarayanas son K Phaneendra has appealed to the police to conduct a detailed probe into the sudden death of his wife N Suharika back in May. Nallapareddy Suharika collapsed and died while reportedly partying with friends on May 29. Her mother N Malli Sagarika said in a statement to the police that she does not have any suspicion over her daughters death. On Friday, Kanna Phaneendra, a resident of Hill Ridge Villas in Gachibowli, met Cyberabad police commissioner V C Sajjanar and gave a representation requesting an in-depth probe into his wifes death. Expressing doubts over the information provided to the police by his sister-in-laws husband G Praveen and other friends, Phaneendra said the doctors at AIG Hospital, where his wife was taken for treatment, were informed that she had consumed MDMA, a narcotic and psychotropic drug. He said Suharika did not have the habit of consuming alcohol, and there was foul play behind the death of his wife, which he wanted the police to investigate. Commissioner Sajjanar said, Phaneendra expressed his doubts over the death of his wife. An inquiry will be done into the allegations and a thorough investigation will be carried out. A talented young Derry pastry chef who has worked in some of London's top restaurants has set up a pop-up bakery in her home city after finding herself back here for lockdown. Former Foyle College pupil Katie Smith landed her dream job at innovative Belgravia eaterie 'Wild by Tart' last year at just 20-years-old. But after seven months in her new position, the restaurant had to shut for lockdown and Katie had to to leave her glamorous London life behind and move back in with her parents on the Limavady Road. Katie always had ambitions to work in the food industry and went to study at the prestigious Ballymaloe private cookery school in Cork straight after leaving school at 18. "My parents were really supportive of my decision, but my twin sister Abbie took a different route and went to Edinburgh University to study French and Spanish so in a way I can see the life I might have had," she explained. Having a trained pastry chef in the house definitely has its advantages. "I'm the resident chef in the house and I'm doing most of the lunches and dinners, but thankfully not the breakfasts," laughed Katie. Coming from a high pressure job to being temporarily out of work was a big change of pace for Katie and she decided to launch a cookery e-book to fill her time. "I loved my job and I was learning so much from the people I was working with and then all of a sudden Boris told people not to go to restaurants and the bookings just dried up," she recalled. "I remember on the Wednesday we had to close and on the Thursday I came home. "I didn't expect to be home as long as this to be honest, and I like to keep busy so I decided to do something different. "I was doing recipe testing so I decided to make a recipe ebook with my sister and donate 20% of the profits to a social enterprise charity 'Luminary Bakery' for disadvantaged women in London." After the success of the ebook Katie decided to launch a pop up bakery from her parents' kitchen offering brownies, cookies and pastries for pick up or delivery. "As much as I love being at home I'm looking forward to when things go back to normal and I can progress my career," she added. Katie's recipe ebook is available at www.brilliantbake.co.uk To order from her pop up bakery email katie240200@gmail.com or visit her Brilliant Bake page on Facebook. Ricky Gervais has revealed the third series of After Life will be the last of the hit Netflix sitcom. The comedian, 59, delighted fans on Friday when he revealed he had penned a draft for the first episode of the new series. Two series of the dark comedy have been released so far, both to widespread acclaim from critics and viewers. Wrapping up: Ricky Gervais has revealed the third series of After Life will be the last of the hit sitcom But Ricky told The Mirror: 'I've already made my mind up there won't be a four. 'And you do put those things out there to make you remember as it's tempting but... there's an old saying that "to lead the orchestra, you've got to turn your back on the audience". 'That's true. The audience think they want another one, but they're not sure. So you've got to be careful.' Back at work: The comedian delighted fans on Friday as he revealed he has started work on the third series of the hit Netflix show On Friday, Ricky shared a snap of himself holding up his new script, captioning the photo: 'Cheers.' A fan quickly commented on the snap and asked: 'Is that the whole 3rd series complete or just the 1st episode?' To which Ricky replied: 'Just ep 1. The rest are getting there though.' After Life follows Tony - played by Ricky - whose life is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer. The series, which is entirely written and directed by Ricky, has received positive reviews since it debuted in March 2019. Plot: After Life follows Tony - played by Ricky - whose life is turned upside down after his wife dies from breast cancer Ricky has often ended his shows after two series but he previously hinted he had ideas for a third series of After Life. He told Digital Spy: 'I don't know about season three. But what I've said is, for the first time ever, I would do a season three, because the world [in the show] is so rich. 'I love the characters. I love all the actors in it. I love my character. I love the town. I love the themes. I love the dog. So I would do a third one. But it's got to be a real it's got to be a real demanded-for encore. I'm not going to just do it.' The update comes after Stephen Merchant took a savage swipe at his The Office co-creator Ricky with a not-so-subtle sly joke about After Life on Twitter. Progress: Ricky told a fan that he was 'getting there' with writing the rest of the third series The writer retweeted a question posed by ITV movie critic James King, adding his answer, which was clearly aimed at the dark comedy series. Asked the question: 'What's your least favourite bit of movie shorthand?' Stephen answered: 'Watching old home movies of dead child/wife = inability to move on.' Stephen's followers were quick to call out his thinly-veiled dig at After Life, responding with a mix of shock, delight and confusion over the implications of his tweet. 'Blimey Steve. Banter with Rick or a sly dig?' asked one follower, while another also asked: 'Is that a not so sly dig at your mate @RickyGervais??' Ouch! It comes after Stephen Merchant, 45, took a savage swipe at his former co-worker Ricky with a not-so-subtle sly joke about After Life on Twitter Ricky and Stephen are thought to have gone their separate ways in 2013, over creative differences. At the end of last year, Stephen attributed the success of The Office to the duo's 'arrogance' and unique chemistry while speaking openly about the conception of the BBC comedy. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, he recalled: 'There was an arrogance about us. For me I think it was just, I didn't know better, I had the arrogance of youth. 'I think with Ricky he had quite happily got into a groove in life. He felt he didn't have anything to lose.' Savage! Asked the question: 'What's your least favourite bit of movie shorthand?' Stephen answered by throwing shade at Ricky Gervais The writer, director and comedian, recalled being 'dynamic and proactive', and admitted the older and more experienced Ricky was 'willing to walk out of a room if he didn't get his way'. Stephen continued: 'I would go after him, 'What are you doing?', and he would go, 'It's all a plan, don't worry''. Reflecting on their 13-year age gap, he added: 'I think maybe because he was in his 30s they trusted him a bit more. He seemed like an adult.' The pair first met in 1997 when they worked together at a London radio station. After quitting his job, Stephen later got in touch with Ricky when he had the opportunity to create a film, which lead to the creation of The Office. Banter or a bust up? Ricky and Stephen are thought to have gone their separate ways in 2013, over creative differences (Pictured in 2010) The mockumentary sitcom, which starred Ricky as David Brent, depicts the everyday lives of a group of office workers at a paper company, and first aired on BBC Two in 2001. Set in Slough paper company Wernham Hogg, the show ran for two series, followed by a two-part special in 2003 which recently topped a Radio Times poll to find the best Christmas sitcom. Stephen also made an appearance in front of the camera as the character Nathan Oggy aka The Oggmonster. After its success, the pair followed up with another sitcom, Extras, before relishing in major Hollywood success, and partnering up again in various projects. Stephen, whom Ricky has described as resembling 'an upright lizard being given an electric shock', made only one appearance in the show as Oggy the Ogg Monster, before going on to star as agent Darren Lamb in Extras, which he also co-wrote with Ricky. As part of measures to cushion the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, Ghana has extended the free supply of electricity to its citizens who can barely afford to earn a living even before the pandemic till the end of the year. At the beginning of the pandemic Ghanaian government had announced that it will give out free water to citizens for three months to help cushion the effect of the shut down at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Ghanss Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed this during the mid-year budget review, presented on the authority of the President to the nation through Parliament, in Accra. He added that the government has also made arrangements to to make available free water supply to all citizens for the next three months. He explained that the free electricity would be enjoyed by lifeline consumers that consume less than 50kWh per month, water would be given to all citizens for free for the next three months. Following their complains for lack of portable water, he added that water bills for all Ghanaians for April, May and June would taken up by the government. He said, It takes a caring government of the people, and with that, I mean, a government of all the people, to offer cost-free water to all across the country, representing all domestic and commercial customers in Ghana for three months. It takes a caring government to be for the people and for business, large and small, to choose to subsidise electricity consumption by 50 per cent to households and businesses at a cost in three months. India is not still over from the threat of the coronavirus pandemic though its recovery rate is better than many other countries, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. "The way we have fought coronavirus is really appreciable. Our fatality rate is much less than most other countries. We were able to save the lives of lakhs of people, but we have to remember that the coronavirus is still as dangerous as it was in the beginning, said Modi in his monthly radio programme called 'Mann Ki Baat'. Modi said restrictions on public life have been eased but people must ... Irans deputy health minister has denied any intention to move toward a policy of herd immunity in regard with COVID-19, arguing that countries such as Britain and Sweden and did so failed. Irans President Hassan Rouhani on July had referred to a report that said 25 million Iranians have already contract the coronavirus and another 35 million could catch it in the coming months. This led to suspicions that the government was betting on a policy of herd immunity. But deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi speaking in a television program on July 25 rejected allegations that authorities have a policy of allowing the virus to roam freely. However, he acknowledged that the pandemics current high level indicates the coming months will be worse than the first six months of the crisis. Other health officials have also reacted to rumors of a policy encouraging herd immunity warning of a untannable strain on the health system if million more contract the virus. The governments reaction to the coronavirus crisis has been haphazard since the epidemic began in mid-February in Iran. Reluctance to impose early restrictions and then quickly abandoning them led to another surge in infections in June. Harirchi also warned about the worsening situation in the capital, announcing that Tehran has now become the source of more infections in the country. He added that 600 new COVID patients are hospitalized each day in the city. The health ministry spokesperson also announced Sunday, July 26 that the situation in Tehran is critical as the infection rate in the city has doubled in the past one month. Supermodel Irina Shayk turned the sidewalks of New York into her personal catwalk on Saturday. The Russian beauty, 34, wore a cropped white tee shirt with the sleeves rolled up, which showcased her taut and toned midsection beautifully. Shayk paired the shirt, which was decorated with a heart and cupid illustration at the breast, with grey frayed denim. Stunning as usual: Supermodel Irina Shayk was seen making the sidewalks of New York her personal catwalk on Saturday The former companion of Bradley Cooper carried her cellphone and a small black purse, which was adorned with a silver dragonfly ornament. On her feet, she wore black Doc Martens. Irina had her dark drown hair pulled back sleekly, and she sported large black sunshades. For jewelry, the mother-of-one chose some hefty silver rings and a chain necklace. A dip in the hip: The Russian beauty, 34, wore a cropped white tee shirt with the sleeves rolled up, which showcased her taut and toned midsection beautifully Earlier this month, Irina appeared in a racy photo shoot with none other than Elizabeth Hurley's lookalike son Damian. The pair writhed around in black leather for a steamy new mascara campaign, with Damian, 18, more than holding his own as a newbie model. He made his first foray into the modeling world when he shot his debut campaign for Pat McGrath last summer. Lady in red: Shayk is no stranger to wowing on the city street; seen here in the Big Apple in May of this year Earlier this month: Irina appeared in a racy photo shoot with none other than Elizabeth Hurley's lookalike son Damian The sensual video, shot prior to the coronavirus lockdown, saw Damian straddled by the leather-clad bombshell as they promoted McGrath's new Dark Star Mascara. Irina shared the full video, writing: Major new #DarkStarMascara directed by the iconic #StevenMeisel for the legendary @patmcgrathreal! New must have.. alongside the most amazing beauty @damianhurley #PatMcGrathLabs.' At first, only Irina is in view, but soon the racy clip shows the model wrapping her body around Damian as the leather clad pair intertwine while an intense heartbeat plays. Drama: The sensual video, shot prior to the coronavirus lockdown, saw Damian straddled by the leather-clad bombshell as they promoted Pat McGrath's new Dark Star Mascara The man was in a black sedan around 1:30 a.m. in the 300 block of North Columbus Drive when he heard multiple gunshots then realized he was hit, police said. It is trash season on Bali, the time of year when monsoon storms wash up tons of plastic debris onto the islands beaches. It is also the time for two teenage sisters, Melati and Isabel Wijsen, to organise their annual island cleanup. Standing on the back of a flatbed truck, megaphones in hand, they kick off a day of trash collecting at 115 sites around the island. Thousands of people come out to help. Not only the beaches, we clean up the rivers, we clean up the streets, Melati Wijsen calls out on that February day to an early-morning crowd of hundreds of volunteers, many wearing shirts with the logos of local restaurants and hotels. This movement is for everyone in Bali. Melati was 12 and Isabel was 10 when they began a drive to ban plastic bags, at one point threatening a hunger strike to get the Bali governors attention. Now, seven years later, they have become local heroes and won international acclaim for their campaign, which resulted in Bali banning plastic bags and other such items that are intended for single use. The sisters, now 19 and 17, are part of a young generation of global activists, including 17-year-old Swedish climate-change advocate, Greta Thunberg, calling for urgent action to protect the planet. Recommended The landfill mountains grow ever higher in Jakarta during coronavirus Us kids may be only 25 per cent of the worlds population, but we are 100 per cent of the future, Isabel likes to say. Since starting their campaign, the sisters have travelled around the world to speak at major events. At 15 and 13, they gave a TED Talk in London on Balis trash crisis. Time magazine listed them among the Most Influential Teens and CNN applauded them as Young Wonders. Melati describes herself as a change maker and has been more visible in recent months, while Isabel has focused on finishing high school and taking care of her health after discovering that she has an autoimmune disorder. In January, Melati appeared at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where she spoke passionately about the need to pressure companies and governments to ban single-use plastic. Former US vice president Al Gore, who was on the panel with her, drew applause when he said, Melati, Im so impressed with you. Long haul: Melati and Isabel in 2015 (Bye Bye Plastic Bags) Now, the sisters are wrestling with a problem they could not have foreseen: how to be activists during a time of pandemic and social isolation. Shelter-at-home rules have increased the use of plastic both in packaging for delivered items and in protective gear for health care workers, dealing a major setback to the anti-plastic movement, Melati says. But she also welcomes the unintended benefits of widespread lockdowns in reducing pollution and allowing wildlife to return to some urban areas. Climate change, Melati says, should prompt officials to take similar, urgent action. While plastic refuse is a problem everywhere, it is particularly acute in Bali, where it is common for people to toss garbage aside. Some dispose of plastic by burning it with other trash This is a virus that impacts us directly right now, but climate change will do the exact same thing, she says. One of the biggest things we have seen from the coronavirus is that government can act quickly. My question is: why is that not the case when it comes to climate change? While they may be young in years, the sisters are poised and practised speakers who have given countless talks and interviews. They are also activists for the social media age, often posting videos and messages about their activities. The daughters of a Dutch mother, Elvira Wijsen, a consultant on sustainable business practices, and an Indonesian father, Eko Riyanto, the director of a furniture export business, they grew up on Bali surrounded by spectacular natural beauty and influenced by the Balinese tradition of living in harmony with nature. Scavengers collect recyclable materials from debris brought in by strong waves on a beach in Kuta, Bali (EPA) The family home is set on the edge of rice fields a short walk from the beach. But despite the idyllic setting, they have encountered plastic trash wherever they go in the rice fields, at the beach and in the sea for as long as they can remember. While plastic refuse is a problem everywhere, it is particularly acute in Bali, where it is common for people to toss garbage aside. Some dispose of plastic by burning it with other trash. But even more plastic is washed out to sea by the islands numerous small rivers, where it drifts in the water, from the surface to the seabed, posing a hazard to aquatic creatures. It is especially bad during the rainy season or trash season generally from November to March. The sisters attended the private Green School, which says that its mission is teaching children to be leaders and change makers. Surrounded by jungle, the schools elaborate bamboo structures have no walls, and its programme promotes independent thinking and innovation. In 2013, the sisters, inspired by a lesson about the lives of Nelson Mandela and Mohandas K Gandhi, did some research and found that Indonesia was the worlds second-largest source of marine plastic pollution, after China. They also discovered that dozens of jurisdictions around the world had banned single-use plastic. Melati speaking at Davos in January 2020 (World Economic Forum) They decided to start their own campaign. They started a group, Bye Bye Plastic Bags, and posted a petition online calling for a ban on single-use plastic. To their amazement, they quickly collected 6,000 signatures but it would take them six more years to accomplish their goal. During the campaign, they came to see Bali not as an island paradise but a paradise lost, Melati says. In 2016, frustrated by resistance from Balis then-governor, I Made Mangku Pastika, they borrowed a page from Gandhi and vowed to go on a hunger strike The sisters found that the island produced enough plastic waste to fill a 14-story building every day but had no islandwide system for collecting garbage. In December 2017, so much debris washed ashore during trash season that the government declared a garbage emergency along some of the most popular tourist beaches. Yet the growth of the tourism industry and the construction of hotels has continued apace. Even President Donald Trump has plans for a Trump-branded hotel and golf resort here. The land is being overpopulated with buildings, new hotels, building on top of the rice fields, Melati says. We lose sight of the traditional way of living here on Bali without respecting enough the culture that we have. Rubbish collectors clear plastic on Kuta beach, Bali (AFP via Getty) To fulfil their goal of banning single-use plastic, the sisters mobilised young people, organised a petition drive and beach cleanups, persuaded shop owners to go plastic-free and lobbied elected officials. They also started Mountain Mamas, a community of women who make reusable shopping bags from recycled material as an alternative to single-use plastic. Over time, they built up a network of more than three dozen Bye Bye Plastic Bags chapters around the world. In 2016, frustrated by resistance from Balis then-governor, I Made Mangku Pastika, they borrowed a page from Gandhi and vowed to go on a hunger strike albeit a modified strike from sunrise to sunset, given their young ages. Within 24 hours, Pastika agreed to meet them. With cameras present, he signed an order banning plastic bags, plastic straws and Styrofoam on the island by 2018. But it was one thing issuing an order and quite another enforcing it. That took continued pressure until the ban finally took effect a year ago under a new governor, I Wayan Koster. Isabel takes a selfie her with fellow plastic activists (Bye Bye Plastic Bags) Melati says she had hoped that 2020 would be a year of action on the environment, building on growing support among young people for measures to reduce plastic waste and slow climate change. But instead, the coronavirus pandemic has meant learning to organise from home, without the social interaction of meetings and rallies. One focus for Melati has been promoting Youthtopia, an international network aimed at helping young people become change makers. She recently posted a video on how to be an activist from home. There has been this pause that gives us the space to think about how we move forward, she said. What do we decide to do? Are we going to go back to normal because the coronavirus didnt do its job and make us think? Or are we going to say we understand that there is another way? The New York Times Well, when you put it that way Eyebrows were raised when it was revealed that the Virginia Employment Commission, already under fire for slow responses to state unemployment claims, had hired a lobbying and communications company for $124,000 on a 2-month contract. It started on May 18 and ends Aug. 2. Doesnt the agency have better ways to spend that money especially now? VEC has a one-person communications department, said spokeswoman Joyce Fogg. The number of requests for information is [currently] overwhelming. That one person has our sympathies. As a media organization operating on the other side of the equation, we can imagine how crushing the workload might be answering an unprecedented number of questions during the COVID-19 pandemic. As it turns out, the inability of the communications department to keep up with demands is symptomatic of the agencys problems elsewhere as well. Workload surged when businesses shut down or instituted layoffs or furloughs due to the pandemic, and Virginians began filing unemployment claims. As of earlier this month, the VEC had received 32,292 initial claims. Compare with this time last year, when the agency had only about 2,000 claims. Meanwhile, due to years of low unemployment in Virginia, the VECs staff had been steadily shrinking. Staffing in the unemployment insurance division had been cut by more than 40% since 2011. In trying to keep up with demands, the agencys employees have averaged more than 13,000 hours of overtime since the pandemic not just in total, but each and every month. The VEC has had to hire more help in that division as well, in an emergency response to the sudden rise in claims. While recognizing that any delay in receiving benefits can pose a hardship for out-of-work Virginians and while concerned about that result, Virginia Employment Commissioner Ellen Marie Hess nonetheless praised her staff. While there is room for improvement, the professional staff at VEC has worked admirably under exceedingly difficult circumstances, she wrote in a response to criticism from lawmakers. Nine Democratic state senators (including Sen. Creigh Deeds) and 34 Democratic House members had sent a letter to the VEC complaining about difficulties in filing unemployment claims and slow responses to claims after filing. Thats because the lawmakers themselves had been overwhelmed by complaints from constituents. Their intervention was in addition to concerns already expressed by some Republican state legislators and even a federal lawmaker, Rep. A. Donald McEachin, a Democrat. Now, back to the hire of that communications firm. Its interesting to note that, in addition to helping with press releases, social media efforts and briefings to reporters, the company also has been emailing lawmakers with updates on the VECs work. Those updates failed to answer lawmakers concerns or deflect their criticism. Constituent input proved more powerful. And thats the way it should be. Hong Kongs new national security law, drawn up and passed by Beijing last month, sparked talk of citizens taking flight from the city. There was an immediate buzz over a possible exodus of Hongkongers eager to avoid what some saw as Beijings tightening grip on their city, and emigration consultants reported a spike in enquiries. Britain has made it easier for nearly 3 million Hongkongers who hold British National (Overseas) Passports and their close family members to settle there, while Australia has pledged to provide 10,000 Hongkongers on student and temporary visas a pathway to permanent residence. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Despite the talk of mass departures, analysts say it remains too early to tell how many will eventually pick up and go. Some, however, have already begun making plans. Five Hongkongers determined to leave share their reasons and their fears with the Posts Danny Mok. Peter (an alias), a teacher who plans to emigrate, said he was shocked that his 14-year-old daughter found it necessary to delete her Instagram account after the new national security law went into effect. Photo: Xiaomei Chen Case 1: Pushed to go, teacher says: Its a different world now Primary schoolteacher Peter,* 44, was astonished when his 14-year-old daughter deleted her Instagram account on July 1, hours after Hong Kongs new national security law took effect. Then he overheard his eight year-old daughter checking with her older sister if she could sing along to a YouTube karaoke version of Glory to Hong Kong, the anti-government protesters anthem, and other songs. Peter lamented: Theyre already self-censoring. He and his 46-year-old wife first began thinking about emigrating about two years ago, to give their girls better opportunities in life. But it cost too much, and they could not afford to leave Hong Kong. Then, the British government announced its offer to BN (O) passport holders. Suddenly, there is this opportunity, and I want to grab it, Peter said. He and his wife have BN (O) passports and hope to leave as soon as next year. A university graduate with 17 years experience, Peter was not optimistic about getting a teaching position when they emigrate, but was prepared to take any available blue-collar job. Story continues He said he had begun feeling the push to leave at his workplace too. The work environment at his government school had become more frustrating, with teachers made to scrutinise library books for content that might breach the national security law. At a recent staff meeting to discuss the new law, he recalled, the principal told everyone in a high-handed manner that as civil servants, they had to be loyal, and those who did not like any assignment could resign. We used to talk about how to empower our students and encourage critical thinking, but all that seems to be gone, Peter said. Kyle Wong, a manager at his fathers air-conditioning company, struggled with his decision, but ultimately decided leaving was best for his three-year-old son and year-old daughter. Photo: Edmond So Case 2: Painful to leave, but were doing this for the kids Kyle Wong, his wife and two children will be on their way to Britain next month. The 35-year-old filed his application to the British authorities well before all the buzz over Hongkongers leaving because of the national security law, and received clearance to go late last month. A university graduate and project manager in his fathers air-conditioning and renovation company, he expects to start from scratch in Britain, where he has no connections. The couples biggest struggle was the decision to leave family, friends and everything familiar in Hong Kong. Wong knew that if he stayed, he would probably make more money too. I definitely struggled, but there seemed to be no other choice for the sake of the next generation, he said, referring to his three-year-old son and year-old daughter. He began thinking of leaving sometime last September, as Hong Kong was embroiled in anti-government protests that began in June. He said he stood with the protesters, but grew tired of what felt like an increasingly suppressive atmosphere. I wont say Ive given up on Hong Kong, but I began to feel powerless against such a big regime, he said. The arrival of the national security law confirmed for him that it was time to go. We used to have many voices, but theyre now being narrowed to just one voice, he said. Ryu (an alias) said he gave up the fight as he watched mass arrests of protesters taking place last November. He hopes to emigrate before April 2021. Photo: Handout Case 3: A protester says: I gave up the fight Information technology specialist Ryu*, 35, was a peaceful participant in last years anti-government protests until he was an eyewitness to events in Yuen Long on July 21. That night, a mob of men dressed in white went on a rampage and attacked black-clad protesters and others viciously at the railway station in northwestern Hong Kong. They were despicable, he said. After that, he admitted, he took a more violent approach at protests. By November, however, with mass arrests of protesters taking place, he felt their efforts had failed and began thinking of leaving the city of his birth. I gave up the fight, he said. This was no longer the city I loved. When the national security law arrived, he decided the one country, two systems principle on which Hong Kong had been run since 1997 was dead, and it was time for him and his 32-year-old girlfriend, an events manager, to leave. Both hold BN (O) passports and hope to leave Hong Kong by next April. With his masters degree, Ryu hoped to land an IT-related job. Im sacrificing my freedom and right to live here. My family is torn apart by the national security law, he said. Dental surgeon Jonathan Ku is ready to leave Hong Kong, despite the fact he is likely to have to restart his career at a lower level abroad. Photo: Edmond So Case 4: If you smell something wrong, leave This time last year, Jonathan Ku was exploring ways to expand his dental practice. He recently shelved that plan and prepared to pick up new qualifications to boost his chances of finding work in a new country. The 33-year-old father of two said: Much has happened in just one year, and now it appears to be a whole different world. He and his wife, a 36-year-old homemaker, hope to move within the next two or three years. He has a BN (O) passport, and she holds a British passport. Their daughter, four, and son, two, are the couples main reason for making plans to go. I dont want them to be educated in an environment where there is such a strong control over how individuals think, Ku said. He feels the authorities have been encroaching more and more on the freedoms Hongkongers enjoyed. You can see what the Chinese and Hong Kong governments are trying to do ultimately, and its better not to wait until they achieve it, he said. If you smell something wrong, you should leave. Settling in a new country will be a challenge, and after 10 years as a dental surgeon, Ku is resigned to the fact he may have to start over at a lower level and earn less. For now, his top choices are Australia or New Zealand, for job opportunities and his childrens education, with Britain as the fallback. Im a bit stressed by the national security law, which has pushed me to speed up our emigration plan, he said. Belle (an alias) feels as though as she is on divergent paths with her boyfriend, who has no desire to leave the city. Photo: Xiaomei Chen Case 5: Ill break up with boyfriend and go Drama educator Belle* is so determined to leave Hong Kong that she is ready to break up with her boyfriend, who prefers to stay. Born and raised in the city, the 28-year-old made up her mind last year to leave, saying she was unhappy with the quality of life and air pollution. Her boyfriend of three years, a 29-year-old drama student, wants to pursue his artistic dreams in the city. Our life paths are not the same. Its difficult to carry on, she said. Before the national security law arrived, she was already looking for working holiday schemes that would allow her to explore her options for emigration. In May, she applied to work in Sweden and Australia, saying she was ready to leave as soon she obtained a visa. She was not considering moving to Britain, however, as she does not have a BN (O) passport. Belle said her widowed, mainland-born mother always preferred for her to stay in Hong Kong, but after the national security law was introduced, supported her plans to leave. The law is written vaguely, and the more ambiguous it is, the more you have to fear, as whatever you do or say might cross the line and touch someones nerve, she said. She is aware that going away on a working holiday visa might not lead to citizenship in a new country, but said it would allow her to explore new opportunities. Im a person who doesnt need many material goods, but I need freedom and fresh air and enough living space, which I cant have in Hong Kong, she said. *Names have been changed at the request of those involved Rebel City: Hong Kongs Year of Water and Fire is a new book of essays that chronicles the political confrontation that has gripped the city since June 2019. Edited by the South China Morning Post's Zuraidah Ibrahim and Jeffie Lam, the book draws on work from the Post's newsrooms across Hong Kong, Beijing, Washington and Singapore, with unmatched insights into all sides of the conflict. Buy directly from SCMP today for HKD$198. Rebel City: Hong Kong's Year of Water and Fire is also available at major bookshops worldwide and online through Amazon, Kobo, Google Books, and eBooks.com. More from South China Morning Post: This article National security law: five Hong Kong residents on why they are seeking a new life abroad first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK) just released its latest quarterly results and things are looking bullish. The results were impressive, with revenues of US$421m exceeding analyst forecasts by 28%, and statutory losses of US$1.74 were likewise much smaller than the analysts had forecast. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. We've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether the analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results. Check out our latest analysis for Alaska Air Group Taking into account the latest results, the current consensus, from the eleven analysts covering Alaska Air Group, is for revenues of US$3.90b in 2020, which would reflect a disturbing 41% reduction in Alaska Air Group's sales over the past 12 months. Earnings are expected to tip over into lossmaking territory, with the analysts forecasting statutory losses of -US$7.06 per share in 2020. Before this earnings announcement, the analysts had been modelling revenues of US$4.22b and losses of US$6.69 per share in 2020. So it's pretty clear consensus is more negative on Alaska Air Group after the new consensus numbers; while the analysts trimmed their revenue estimates, they also administered a per-share loss expectations. The average price target was broadly unchanged at US$45.07, perhaps implicitly signalling that the weaker earnings outlook is not expected to have a long-term impact on the valuation. The consensus price target is just an average of individual analyst targets, so - it could be handy to see how wide the range of underlying estimates is. There are some variant perceptions on Alaska Air Group, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$63.00 and the most bearish at US$31.00 per share. This is a fairly broad spread of estimates, suggesting that analysts are forecasting a wide range of possible outcomes for the business. Story continues Another way we can view these estimates is in the context of the bigger picture, such as how the forecasts stack up against past performance, and whether forecasts are more or less bullish relative to other companies in the industry. We would highlight that sales are expected to reverse, with the forecast 41% revenue decline a notable change from historical growth of 9.6% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 24% next year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Alaska Air Group is expected to lag the wider industry. The Bottom Line The most important thing to take away is that the analysts increased their loss per share estimates for next year. On the negative side, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and forecasts imply revenues will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$45.07, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets. Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. We have estimates - from multiple Alaska Air Group analysts - going out to 2023, and you can see them free on our platform here. You still need to take note of risks, for example - Alaska Air Group has 5 warning signs we think you should be aware of. 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. Thousands joined in Portland's 57th night of protests outside the federal courthouse on Friday, starting with peaceful demonstrations that eventually led to clashes between protesters and officers who are deployed to quell the protests. Fireworks were launched around 11 p.m., leading federal agents to deploy tear gas, Portland police said. One person was stabbed as the crowds dispersed several hours later, Portland police said in a statement. According to CBS Portland affiliate KOIN, about 1,000 people had gathered in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center by 9:15 p.m as speeches were given on the steps in front of the building. Within an hour, the crowd swelled to 2,000 as groups demonstrating throughout the city, including teachers, lawyers and the Wall of Moms, converged at the Justice Center. Portland police said that at 10:58 p.m., the crowd began shaking the fence that had been erected to protect the federal courthouse while others shot fireworks over the fence. After federal law enforcement issued a warning, they used various "munitions" to disperse the crowd. Protesters wave placards and shout slogans as they take part in a rally against police brutality in Portland, Oregon late July 24, 2020. / Credit: KATHRYN ELSESSER/AFP via Getty Images After tear gas was deployed by federal law enforcement, a protester was seen throwing a Molotov cocktail toward the federal courthouse. More rounds of tear gas were then fired, KOIN reported. Many in the crowd had come prepared with gas masks, shields, leaf blowers, power tools, fireworks and lasers, police said. Hundreds of people still tried to dismantle the fence or climb it, and some threw fireworks and set small fires, police said. This lasted for over three hours, according to police. At about 2:30 a.m. there was a report of a stabbing. Portland police began investigating before eventually locating the victim, who was then transported by ambulance to the hospital. The victim's condition is unknown. Protesters are surrounded by tear gas near the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as protesters take part in a rally against police brutality in Portland, Oregon late on July 24, 2020. / Credit: KATHRYN ELSESSER/AFP via Getty Images Federal law enforcement officers have been deployed to Portland to protect the courthouse, where protests first broke out over the death of George Floyd, but have since become about the federal officers deployed to the city. Story continues While Oregon and Portland city officials have repeatedly asked federal officers to leave the city, President Trump praised the officers earlier this week, saying they were doing a "fantastic job." The Trump administration is planning to deploy officers to other cities, including Chicago and Kansas City, Missouri. Tropical Storm Hanna barrels toward southern Texas Washington battles over coronavirus unemployment benefits Millions face homelessness as eviction moratorium ends [My goal is] sharing a Christian life and experience with anyone who wants to leave their family with a witness of their life. Author Nancy Towle Guiles shares her autobiography in Attached ($17.99, paperback, 9781630505769; $27.99, hardcover, 9781630505776; $8.99, e-book, 9781630505783). Towle Guiles lived her early life in a third world country before coming to the United States and beginning her career as an educator. She and her two sons moved many times due to her husbands job, and she eventually shifted her focus to ministry. Extensive world travels have inspired prayer journeys to Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India, Turkey, Israel and Ireland. [My goal is] sharing a Christian life and experience with anyone who wants to leave their family with a witness of their life. I encourage them to do so while they are still living, as so much is lost when we die, said Towle Guiles. Nancy Towle Guiles holds a Bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education, a Masters in Special Education, and Masters in Theology. She was ordained into Christian ministry on April 27, 1996 and ran a home church for two years before realizing her true calling as a prayer minister. ### Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Attached is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com. Christian actor thanked God after learning he'd be working with Tom Hanks on 'Greyhound' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Grayson Russell, an outspoken Christian whos been an actor in Hollywood since childhood, said he was overcome with gratitude after learning he would be acting alongside Tom Hanks in the film "Greyhound. Hanks is the star and writer of the World War II action film that was inspired by real-life events. Joining Hanks on-screen is Russell, 22, who's already had a long career in Hollywood. "I was 19 when we filmed it ["Greyhound] and I just turned 22 a couple of months ago, so it's been a long time coming," the Alabama native told CBN in a recent interview. Russell revealed that he was overcome with gratitude when he learned that hed be working alongside the Academy Award-winning actor. "I had just come home from college for Valentine's Day weekend, and I got the call that Friday, saying, 'We need you on Tuesday to be in Baton Rouge to begin boot camp for the Navy Marines for Greyhound and by the way, you'll be working with Tom Hanks for two months,'" Russell recalled. I just remember, I [was] just on all my knees, like, 'Oh my God, thank you so much,' he said. On the wall behind Russell during his interview was a framed art piece with the word "MasterPiece." The scripture Ephesians 2:10 was also written under the phrase which says: For we are Gods masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Throughout his career, Russell has starred in several films such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Space Warriors, among others. He also starred in the movie Talladega Nights, a comedy that's not suitable for children and which Russell admitted that he felt uncomfortable being a part of. "A lot of people don't realize that I got saved while filming 'Talladega Nights,' and as a 7 year old, brand new, just got saved [kid], I wasn't comfortable with it, he explained. Neither was my family, Russell continued. We're going, 'OK, we know we're supposed to be here because this is too crazy of a situation to not be of God. How do we handle it?' Even as a child actor, Russell said he felt the need to express his discomfort to the movies director about some of his lines in the film. I very vividly remember going to Adam McKay, and I remember going up to him and saying, 'Mr. Adam, do we really have to say all this? And he sat me up and looked me in the eyes and said, 'You never have to do anything that you're not comfortable with.'" According to Greyhound director Aaron Schneider, the protagonist of the film, Ernie Krause (Hanks), is also a man guided by his Christian faith amid the horrors of war. As soon as you bring a man of faith into a story as a hero, you're almost immediately confronting everything that a man of faith holds dear, Schneider told The Christian Post in an exclusive interview. When thrust into war, a man of faith is going to inevitably confront the basic tenets of his own faith: The sanctity of life and thou shalt not kill; faith in his mission and himself; and holding to unbroken faith for yet another day. That's what storytelling is about; you take a hero's principles and everything he or she holds dear, and you throw the biggest possible thematic opposites at them, he added. Adapted from the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester, Greyhound follows Krause, captain of a U.S. warship leading a convoy of 37 merchant and troop ships across the North Atlantic in February 1942. Russell plays a signalman who assists Krause in the five-day voyage where the captain must lead his convoy through a treacherous area of the ocean riddled with Nazi U-boats. "Greyhound" is rated PG-13 and is streaming on AppleTV+. Sheep farmers are having to throw fleeces on compost heaps after the price of wool plummeted in the pandemic. It is the latest blow to an industry already beset by fears that it could soon be undermined by inferior US imports. With US-UK trade talks set to resume tomorrow, images have circulated on social media showing desperate sheep farmers forced to dump hundreds of near-worthless fleeces in fields. The UK produces nearly 22,000 tons of wool every year from about 45,000 farmers who tend more than 32 million sheep one for every two people. Pictured are sheep in Derbyshire Around 10,000 tons of wool are sitting unsold in depots across the UK following the shutdown in the global market caused by coronavirus, which hit after decades of falling prices. John Royle, of the National Farmers Union, said: Back in the day, people used to say that shearing almost paid the farm rent but those days are gone. For some hill breeds youre getting less than 10p per fleece when its costing nearly 1 to shear it. Its costing a lot more to shear the sheep than you get back from the wool, which seems a real shame when you have got potentially such a great product. The Mail on Sunday has launched the Save Our Family Farms campaign to keep American goods that are produced to inferior animal welfare and consumer protection standards off our supermarket shelves in the event of a US-UK trade deal. The UK produces nearly 22,000 tons of wool every year from about 45,000 farmers who tend more than 32 million sheep one for every two people. Shearing is principally done for the welfare of the animal and must be carried out annually, costing up to 2 per sheep. One of the farmers affected is David Jones, from Shropshire, who opted not to sell his fleeces this year after receiving 700 for five tons of wool in 2019 despite 2,500 shearing costs. He told The Mail on Sunday: It just wasnt feasible really. Theres more value to turn them into organic fertiliser rather than pay extra labour to pack, handle and transport the wool. Sussex shepherd Stuart Fletcher brought the issue to public attention with a post on social media showing his fleeces piled up. It was shared 24,000 times. He said: I just happened to put it on our Facebook page because I thought people should know about it and it went crazy. Everybody is saying we want this stuff, we think its a brilliant product, where can we get it? Mr Fletcher is backing a petition that calls on the Government to make British wool products mandatory in the new 2 billion home-insulation scheme announced earlier this month. The petition, available at https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/british-wool-for-british-insulation, has attracted more than 12,000 signatures in just four days. I planned my 2020 European summer holiday meticulously in the bleakness of mid-January. As soon as Eurostar released its direct London-Marseilles August tickets, I pounced on them. Our plan was to speed to the South of France then continue down to Italy at a more leisurely pace. Having spent the summer of 2019 staycationing, I was determined to holiday in guaranteed sunshine this year. Often a last-minute merchant, I was feeling pretty smug to have all my bookings in place six months in advance. Well, we all know what happened next. I held out for my European grand tour longer than my husband, but the writing was already on the wall by the time Eurostar pulled that route for summer 2020. Patricia Nicol shared a selection of fascinating books featuring staycations, including Amanda Craig's The Golden Rule (pictured right) and Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse (pictured left) Now, instead of Southern Tuscany we are heading to Scotland. Instead of Arezzo, well always have Aberdeen. After a long overdue catch-up with my parents, well stay in a Highlands hotel. My holiday wardrobe will be less sundresses and sandals, more cardigans and waterproofs. But we are lucky to be going away at all. There are brilliant novels set in British holiday destinations. Amanda Craigs latest, The Golden Rule, is shaping up to be one of this summers most-talked-about books. It explores the haves and have-nots economics of Cornwall. Hannah, a returning native, meets Jinni, a holiday-home owner on the Paddington to Penzance train, and they make a pact to kill each others husbands. Easier said than done. Sarah Perrys The Essex Serpent begins in Victorian London, then moves to Essex. Intellectually restless widow Cora Seaborne, who has an interest in fossils, takes a house there after rumours of a mythical sea-beast in the Blackwater estuary. Virginia Woolfs modernist classic To The Lighthouse explores the Isle of Skye during two summer visits to the Ramsays holiday home there; one in 1910, then one in 1920, after World War I and the death of Mrs Ramsay and two of her children. If youre holidaying at home, or elsewhere in Britain, make sure to pack rainy day reading material. Kate Mara took the necessary precautions to grab coffee in Los Angeles' Los Feliz neighborhood on Saturday. The 37-year-old House Of Cards star wore a maroon CDC-recommended face mask, which California Governor Gavin Newsom made mandatory for all public outings on June 18. For her afternoon outing, the Bedford-born actress, who shares a 14-month-old daughter with her husband Jamie Bell, sported an oversized black t-shirt and matching skinny jeans. Coffee run: Kate Mara blended safety and style, while grabbing coffee in Los Angeles' Los Feliz neighborhood on Saturday As she toted an iced coffee in one hand and an additional beverage in her other, the mother-of-one pulled her glossy brown hair into a sleek ponytail. She styled her laid-back ensemble with a chic pair of loafers and a black crossbody purse, which emphasized her trim waist. Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Mara has been frequently seen soaking in quality time with her immediate family. Caffeine fix: The 37-year-old House Of Cards star covered her nose and mouth with a maroon CDC-recommended face mask, which California Governor Gavin Newsom made mandatory for all public outings on June 18 The Brokeback Mountain star and her British-born husband have not yet publicly revealed their daughter's name and have only shared an adorable snap of her tiny little feet on social media. The couple met on the set of 2015's Fantastic Four, and eventually they got married in 2017, following Bell's divorce from Rachel Evan Wood. The former couple share a six-year-old son together. Celebrity couple: The House Of Cards star shares her daughter with British-actor Jamie Bell; they are pictured in Hollywood in April 2019, about a month before the arrival of their baby Kate's sister Rooney, 35, has been spotted out and about in recent weeks, at times covering up her obvious baby bump. Her pregnancy, which was first reported in May, has not been confirmed by herself or Phoenix. A source told Page Six that she could have been as far as six months along at the time, although it's tough to tell because she often wears baggy clothes and does her best to hide her pending bundle of joy. A UN report says more than 6,000 Pakistani insurgents are hiding in Afghanistan, most belonging to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban group responsible for attacking Pakistani military and civilian targets. The report released this week said the group, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), has linked up with the Afghan-based affiliate of the Islamic State group. Some of TTP's members have even joined the IS affiliate, which has its headquarters in eastern Afghanistan. The Afghan government did not respond Sunday to requests by The Associated Press for comment. The report said IS in Afghanistan, known as IS in Khorasan province, has been hit hard by Afghan security forces as well as US and NATO forces, and even on occasion by the Afghan Taliban. The report was prepared by the UN analytical and sanctions monitoring team, which tracks terrorist groups around the world. The report estimated the membership of IS in Afghanistan at 2,200, and while its leadership has been depleted, IS still counts among its leaders a Syrian national Abu Said Mohammad al-Khorasani. The report also said the monitoring team had received information that two senior Islamic State commanders, Abu Qutaibah and Abu Hajar al-Iraqi, had recently arrived in Afghanistan from the Middle East. Although in territorial retreat, (the Islamic State) remains capable of carrying out high-profile attacks in various parts of the country, including Kabul. It also aims to attract Taliban fighters who oppose the agreement with the United States, the report said, referring to a US peace deal signed with the Taliban in February. That deal was struck to allow the US to end its 19-year involvement in Afghanistan, and calls on the Taliban to guarantee its territory will not be used by terrorist groups. The deal is also expected to guarantee the Taliban's all-out participation in the fight against IS. The second and perhaps most critical part of the agreement calls for talks between the Taliban and Kabul's political leadership. Late Saturday, the US State Department issued a statement saying its peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad was again shuttling through the region seeking to jump start those negotiations, which have been repeatedly postponed as both sides squabble over a prisoner release program. The US-backed deal calls for the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners and the Taliban to free 1,000 government and military personnel as a so-called good will gesture ahead of talks. Until now the government is refusing to release nearly 600 Taliban prisoners it calls high-profile criminals and has offered to free alternatives. The Taliban have refused. The parties are closer than ever to the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, the key next step to ending Afghanistans 40-year long war," said the US State Department statement. Although significant progress has been made on prisoner exchanges, the issue requires additional effort to fully resolve. The Taliban's political spokesman earlier this week said it was ready to hold talks with Kabul's political leaders after the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha at the end of the month, providing the prisoner release is completed. A big worry for Pakistan is the presence in Afghanistan of militants, particularly linked to the TTP or Jamaat-ul-Ahrar or Lashkar-e-Islam, as well as those with the Baluchistan Liberation Army, which has taken responsibility for high-profile attacks this month in the southern Sindh province as well as in southwestern Baluchistan Province. Several Pakistan military personnel have been killed this month in southwestern Baluchistan province in battle with insurgents. The TTP took responsibility for one of the most horrific attacks in Pakistan in 2014, when a Pakistani army school was attacked and 140 were killed. Most were students, and some were as young as 5. The total number of Pakistani foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan, posing a threat to both countries, is estimated at between 6,000 and 6,500, most of them with TTP," the report said. There are many features that the team behind the Mitron app is working on right now. But the primary focus right now is building better video creation and editing tools, a feature that is already in the beta mode and will be released to the users soon. Ever since the Indian government banned TikTok in India, there has been a rise in the popularity of the apps Indian alternatives such as Chingari, Roposo and Trell app. Of these and others, Mitron is the one app that is treading slightly ahead of the curve. The Mitron app has already been downloaded over 21 million times so far, a feat that it achieved within five days of crossing the 10 million mark. In addition to this, users are creating nearly one million new videos on the platform every day. Number of video views on the platform has gone up. The number of videos viewed on the platform is increasing steadily and it has crossed 40 million video views per hour since it was launched earlier this year. Apart from this, the app has announced the closure of its seed round that was led by venture capitalist firms 3one4 Capital and LetsVenture wherein the company raised 2 crore. Needless to say that the Mitron app is gaining popularity among both, the people and the investors, who see immense potential for growth in it. This growth is bolstered by the apps strong portfolio of features. It is also bolstered by the governments decision to ban China-based apps in the country. To give you an idea as to how much TikTok ban has aided Mitron apps growth: the apps daily traffic jumped up by more than 11 times following the ban. I think growth has never been an issue for us. We launched on 11th April and since then we have seen unprecedented growth...But the ban of TikTok and other Chinese applications has given us 4-5 times more growth than what we were seeing before, Mitron co-founder Shivank Agarwal told HT Tech. Agarwal told us that prior to the TikTok ban the Mitron app witnessed one million daily active users. However, after the ban this has increased to five million daily active users. Talking about competition and future plans, the Mitron app founder said that as an app they don't want to restrict themselves to light comedy videos that are the highlight of TikTok and other similar apps. We want to build an application that is more of YouTube for mobile. It should be available in a mobile format. When I say mobile format, it means video in a portrait form, it should be very short in length and it should be very light weighted so as to make it more reliable and more usable for people in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, he said. There are many features that the team is working on right now. But the primary focus right now is building better video creation and editing tools, a feature that is already in the beta mode and will be released to the users soon. Our video creation and editing tools should be the best available in the market. Were focussing a lot of engineering efforts on that, he said. In addition to that, the team is also working on building a better recommendation and categorisation engine. It makes even more sense in a country like ours where different people have different likes and interests in terms of the videos...A good recommendation and categorisation functionality would help us serve our users in a better way, he added. In addition to this, the Mitron app, which is the brainchild of IIT Roorkee alumnus Agarwal and Anish Khandelwal, who is an alumnus of Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, will also get a search functionality in future that will enable them to connect with people of their likes and interest areas and look for videos and audio files catering to their interests in a better way. In the longer run, the team wants to focus on including more categories of videos including the how-to videos and skill development videos. Despite the best efforts of the government it hasnt been able to widely spread those videos or get those programs available to the users. Given our wider adoption in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, why not partner with the government...So that is one of the things on our radar in the longer run. Our Divisions Copyright 2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Flying in 2020 is a persona non grata experience. From the airport to the plane (to the quarantine hotel), if you dont feel like a leper by the time you arrive, security hasnt done its job. However, there is one ~extra~ safety measure in place that is apparently only evident in business class on some flights, an Australian passenger who flew to Europe with Qatar Airways at the start of July told DMARGE. That measure? Cabin crew wearing hazmat suits. Earlier this month DMARGE spoke exclusively with Jaynee Wehbe, global sales director at TRIANGL, who recently was granted an exemption to travel to Ibiza on business, to find out what its like to fly flat to Europe right now. Jaynee told us seeing the PPE suits felt bizarre: It made me feel more confused than anything! I mean why is it necessary to cover your entire body? And if they think its necessary then why arent we doing it too?. It was really hard to communicate with them too as the plane is loud enough and then you couldnt see their mouth move or even their eyes! The hazmat suit was only in business class: the other attendants wore a robe, mask and goggles only (only!), Jaynee added. Which is also confusing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) on Jul 21, 2020 at 9:15am PDT Another twist in the tale, according to Jaynee, is that the airport, when Jaynee flew, appeared less equipped to kill germs than the aircraft departing it: Sydney international airport itself surprised me, Jaynee told DMARGE. From memory I didnt see any hand sanitizer stations, check in staff werent wearing gloves/masks nor was there any sanitizer even though they were dealing with our passports and documents. Our temperature wasnt taken upon arrival to the airport or even before boarding the flight which I found weird as were getting our temperature taken at restaurants now! Finally, Jaynee told us the face shield concept could do with some work: Another thing I found weird was that they were handing out face shields for the flight and you werent allowed to walk onto the plane without wearing one. But as soon as you walked past the flight attendant when youre on the plane, you could take it off and have it off for the whole trip. I just found the whole process inconsistent. Measures in place just to say that measures are in place. Qatar Airways is one of several airlines to introduce PPE suits for its cabin crew. Qatar Airways introduced the feature on the 18th of May to help the airline continue repatriating citizens around the world. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) on Jun 7, 2020 at 9:36am PDT According to an official statement, Qatar Airways cabin crew had already been wearing lower level PPE, such as masks and gloves, during flights for a number of weeks before this extra precaution was instigated. At Qatar Airways, we have introduced these additional safety measures onboard our flights to ensure the continued health and well-being of our passengers and cabin crew, and to limit the spread of coronavirus, said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker. DMARGE understands Qatar Airways has not officially announced whether the hazmat suits were intended to be across the board, or only for The Pointy End. This also comes in a context where Qatar Airways are facing allegations of bumping economy ticket holders off flights and prioritising Pointy End passengers, after Sydney Airport reduced the number of arrivals any given aircraft can bring. 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The timing couldnt have been worse, as Californias pandemic lockdown had just banned virtually all visits in long-term care homes. Since then, Weismann has mostly seen her mother, who has dementia and minimal use of her arms and legs, only through a window. Recently she was able to set up their first, carefully orchestrated outdoor visit albeit from a distance, as her mother, wearing a mask and pink slippers, sat in a wheelchair behind a table, accompanied by a chaperone. It did not go well. In her mind, shes locked up without me because shed done something wrong. I can see shes deteriorated, her dementia and aphasia have worsened considerably and I can do absolutely nothing to help her, said Weismann, a former television actress who now runs a Santa Monica talent agency with her husband. Ive taken care of her for almost all of my life, and now I cannot be there to support her daily needs in this short-staffed, low-engagement and high-neglect nightmare of a reality were all living. The lack of oversight is just as dangerous as COVID itself. As the pandemic drags on, and most of Californias long-term care facilities remain virtually shuttered to visitors, families and nursing home watchdogs are saying that video calls and window visits arent enough anymore. And theyre mobilizing in California and nationwide to get state officials to allow in at least one essential caregiver to watch over their loved ones, many of whom suffer from dementia. Weismann has set up a Facebook group, Essential Family Caregivers, to help people organize to push government officials to expand visitation with appropriate precautions. Another Facebook group with more than 6,000 members, Caregivers for Compromise, was set up by a Florida woman who took a job as a dishwasher at a memory care center to be able to see her husband, who has early-onset Alzheimers disease; the group now has a California offshoot. That group has drafted a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, pleading with him to reopen long-term care homes to essential caregivers designated by the resident. Our loved ones are dying of isolation and loneliness, and it has to stop, according to the letter, which has not been sent yet to the governor. While we appreciate your efforts to save them from the virus, there comes a point when the effects of isolation are more deadly than the risk of contracting COVID-19. The watchdog group California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform has asked the California Department of Public Health many times to allow a designated visitor and to enforce the agencys guidance permitting outdoor visits for family members, said the groups director, Pat McGinnis. The agency is deferring decisions to local health departments, McGinnis said. We have intervened in numerous cases, and, if the relatives push enough, they can seem to get to see the residents, McGinnis said. However, like the national picture (there is) no uniform, consistent policy, which is very difficult for residents and their families. Family members say they provide important monitoring and care inside the homes, including feeding and bathing residents. The states public health agency does allow inside visits but under such stringent conditions including a decline in cases in the larger community that few homes can offer them. Even in counties with fewer COVID cases, where visits might be permissible, some facilities wont allow them, citing liability concerns, advocates say. To date, California has not allowed family members inside long-term care facilities during the pandemic except at the very end of life, but other states are starting to do so. Minnesota now allows nursing homes and assisted living facilities to admit essential caregivers for up to three hours daily, as long as they wear protective gear including eye protection and a face mask, although the homes are not required to do so. Indiana has a similar policy but requires caregivers to test negative for COVID-19 before entering the building. Dr. Mike Wasserman, a nursing home medical director and president of the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine, said he supports the idea of designated essential caregivers. That needs to happen as soon as possible. At some point keeping older adults isolated will cause considerable harm, Wasserman said. I think it is critical that families and the ombudsmen need to be able to go in the facilities and lay eyes on the residents. Long-term care ombudsmen, primarily supported by federal money, investigate complaints and monitor the safety and well-being of residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Now Playing: Jessica Boykin, 32, had stuck plenty of people with needles by the time she graduated from the nursing school at Los Medanos College in 2018, but nothing prepared her for the coronavirus pandemic. Now she's an ER nurse on the front lines, where equipment and staff are short. Many nursing students who are just inches away from graduation are hoping to join her, and begging the state to bend its licensing rules so they can work. Video: SFGATE Californias current visitation guidelines for long-term facilities are written in such a way that most nursing homes wont be able to let anyone in for the next two years, Wasserman said. Were going to have to find a better way. 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. An industry group for nursing homes remains cautious. The idea is a good one in concept but may be hard to implement due to the need for increased staff to train residents to don and doff (protective gear), provide testing to visitors, monitor visits and enforce safety rules, said Deborah Pacyna, spokesperson for the California Association of Health Facilities. K.J. Page, administrator for the Chaparral House skilled nursing facility in Berkeley, said she would welcome being able to allow family members back into the home with precautions, especially since virtual and window visits have proven distressing for some residents with dementia. Since the pandemic started, the home has had one patient and one food service worker test positive for COVID-19 but currently has no cases, Page said. It would actually help us to have families be part of the care, instead of calling us every 20 minutes to see how their loved one is doing, Page said. Some family members are so anxious that she has designated managers to call them regularly with updates. Leza Coleman, executive director of the California Long-Term Care Ombudsman Association, said she is concerned that family visiting restrictions are moving from being a short-term fix to a long-term strategy. Shes already hearing about significant negative impacts for many residents. In addition to loneliness and anxiety, she said, many residents are experiencing weight loss and cognitive decline. Residents who used to walk to the dining room for meals every day are now confined to their rooms, she said, causing her to worry that they wont be able to walk at all by the time congregate meals resume. Carole Herman, who runs the Sacramento-based Foundation Aiding the Elderly, said shes been overwhelmed with calls from families asking for help filing complaints about malnutrition, bedsores, sepsis, a broken nose and a blocked catheter, among others. Its craziness out there, so many people are being harmed, and not just from the virus, she said. Whats happening is side effects of the virus. Barbara Feder Ostrov and Jocelyn Wiener write for CalMatters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom focused on California policy and politics. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. The Katy City Council is facing a pretty full agenda when it meets in special session on Monday. The meeting will be held via teleconference in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The special meeting is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Monday, July 27. To attend the video conference, go to www.zoom.com, click join a meeting and input meeting ID: 832 6743 5316. To attend the meeting via telephone call 1-888-475-4499 and enter the meeting ID: 832 6743 5316. Related: City of Katy earns Superior water rating for 32nd straight year Among the items on the agenda is approving a three-part resolution for the Riceland Terrace Subdivision, including a contract worth more than $3.77 million to Fuse Industries for improvements to Patna Drive. The overall project cost is more than $4.28 million. Also on the agenda is the pending approval of Owl Commerce Park, a subdivision of more than 25.5 acres in the Waller County portion of the city. Start of school: Katy ISD to start year with virtual instruction only The council is also expected to approve proclamations in observance of The Arc of Katys 30th anniversary and the designation of July 31 as Relay for Life Day. To view the entire agenda or for more information on the city of Katy go to www.cityofkaty.com. Katy ISD board The Katy Independent School District board of trustees is scheduled to meet in regular session at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 27. The meeting will be held in remote session due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting will be broadcast on the districts free livestream service at https://tinyurl.com/y2fsaz25. Board documents will also be available on the districts website at www.katyisd.org. Among the items facing the board are looking at reports for attendance boundary modification for the 2021-22 school year and the budget for 2020-21. The board is also expected to address virtual learning and Texas Education Agency requirements for Katy Virtual Academy. Designs associated with the construction of Raines High School, the districts next high school to open, will also be up for consideration. Among other issues on the agenda is the calling for a regular election of the school board on Nov. 3. Courtney Doyle, Bill Lacy and Ashley Vann all have expiring terms on the school board this year. The election was originally scheduled for May but was postponed until November due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. For more information, go to www.katyisd.org. Blood Drive The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a blood drive 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, at 814 East Avenue G. The free event in conjuction with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Service includes free beach towels and COVID-19 antibody testing for donators. To sign up to donate, go to https://tinyurl.com/yyeu3kln. For more information, contact chamber President Matthew Ferraro via email at Matthew@katychamber.com or call (832) 437-8178. Networking Meeting The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a member networking meeting from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, July 30, via Zoom. Go to https://tinyurl.com/y45u33jg to connect to the meeting. This is a free event. For more information, go to www.katychamber.com or call 281-391-5289. Bessies Creek Watershed The Fulshear-Katy Chamber of Commerce will host the Fort Bend County Watershed Study examining Bessies Creek Watershed. The free event will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, July 30, on Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89448619244. The meeting ID is 894 4861 9244. The presentation is also scheduled to be live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fulshearkaty. Mark Volgler, the chief engineer with the Fort Bend County Drainage District, will lead the discussion. For more information go to https://tinyurl.com/y65p7m96 or call 832-600-3221. rkent@hcnonline.com School districts around north Iowa are slowly, but surely, finalizing return-to-learn plans for the fall. With the school year start just around the corner, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on July 17 that all school districts will have to plan for 50 percent of the learning instruction to be done on-site and in-person. Heres how some of the area districts are accommodating that and what we know so far about each districts plans. Mason City At the July 20 school board meeting, the Mason City school board discussed what the return-to-learn plan will look like in the fall. The district had drafted up a 40-page plan available on the school website, but are now planning on focusing solely on hybrid learning after the Governors proclamation. When school starts on Aug. 24, Superintendent Dave Versteeg says administration is considering a four-day school week where two days are in-person and two days are online. Students will have the option to choose to stay at home and do classwork there. Versteeg says in an effort to be safer for the students, each school in the district has separate plans for how things like lunches, passing time and student interaction will be done. In the same sense, the district is implementing some procedures across all schools in the district. New visitor procedures will be put in place that limit who can come in the buildings and why. Versteeg says administration is also teaching new cleaning procedures to faculty and staff. Versteeg is also pushing to have students and faculty still maintain social distancing boundaries and encouraging them to wear masks. The administration wants to make sure the community knows that this plan will change daily all the way up until the start of school. This plan literally changed every day since its conception, because of new guidance, new rules and different interpretation of current rules and guidance, Versteeg said at the board meeting. I have no doubt that it will continue to change as we move towards the beginning of school. In an effort to communicate with the community, the district plans to have a website up and running this soon that will actively provide insight and updates to what the plan is moving forward. The next school board meeting will be on Aug. 3, where the board will give the all-clear to move ahead with the plans. Clear Lake The Clear Lake school district has also drafted a 25 page return-to-learn plan and is still in the process of finalizing it. At the July 14 school board meeting, Superintendent Doug Gee said that the plan is fluid and is changing daily. The district is also planning on starting school on Aug. 24. Each student will receive a device at the beginning of the school year that they will be able to take home. Regardless of how instruction is delivered, attendance and grading will be mandatory. The hybrid plan that Clear Lake is considering would be dividing elementary, middle school and high school classes into groups that would rotate attending classes in person every other day. Students would be required to attend class virtually on days where theyre not in person. When students attend class online, teachers will be instructing from their classrooms instead of their homes. Like Mason Citys Versteeg, Gee wanted to reiterate that the plans will be changed many times before school starts, due to changing announcements and orders from the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department of Education. The reason Im putting it off as long as I can is because I just feel like this is changing so rapidly, Gee said. The plan is to make a decision regarding the return-to-learn plans at a board work session on July 29. Newman Catholic In a fall update letter sent out to the Newman Catholic community on July 24, the district addressed return-to-learn plans. The school district says they will be operating on a green, yellow, orange and red system. Currently, the district will be returning in the green category -- face to face learning. One main point of focus is requiring masks for everyone that enters the building. In the letter, Newman Catholic hopes that parents can teach their children about masks and why they are necessary. The district is still figuring out learning strategies, especially for elementary age students. Regardless of how its delivered, the district made clear what educational aspects will be included. Teachers will have daily communication and interaction with students, and all courses, including religion, will be offered. The district is still searching for ways to deliver mass to students and give service opportunities as well. Newman Catholic will be adding additional janitorial staff to help improve thoroughness in following cleaning procedures. A return-to-learn web page is up and operating on the district's website. There, parents can find more updates about the progress and plans for this coming fall. Aug. 24 is the first day of school for Newman Catholic. Northwood-Kensett The Northwood-Kensett school district put out an update on its return-to-learn plan for the fall on July 10. The plan for the district is to return with all students physically present in the classroom. The district says it has a wide variety of safety measures that it will follow, including teaching students proper hand-washing technique and adjustments to daily routines to reduce large group gathering. The district also recommends that face coverings, such as masks and shields, are used when social distancing isnt possible. Masks will be required when riding the bus. The first day of school is Aug. 24. If health risk increases Northwood-Kensett is prepared to instruct students online or in a hybrid model. Osage At the July 20 school board meeting, Superintendent Barb Schwamman proposed the Osage school districts return-to-learn plan to the board. The board approved a hybrid plan and gave the go-ahead for the district to continue with its plans. The district will follow a four-day in-person, one-day at-home school week. In-person classes will be held on Monday and Tuesday. Online classes will be held on Wednesday. For Thursday and Friday, students will be back in school for the remainder of the school week. According to the districts post on its Facebook page, students will also have the option to take part in daily required online learning if the student doesnt want to or is unable to return to school. Teachers will plan to deliver lesson plans for both in-person and at-home learning. Osage will be requiring masks for students, staff and faculty when social distancing is unable to happen. The district is receiving guidance from local public health for updates and changes. Although a decision was made, please realize this is a fluid and flexible situation and is subject to change at any given point, Schwamman said in the Facebook post. The full plan will be released no later than Aug. 3. The first day of school for Osage is set for Aug. 24. St. Ansgar The St. Ansgar school district released the basis of a return-to-learn plan to the community through a post on its Facebook page on July 22. The end goal is to have all students and faculty back in the classroom. To start the school year, students in grades 6-12 will return to in-person schooling. For the first two weeks, Elementary students will be divided into two groups and will attend school alternating every other day. According to the post, smaller elementary groups will allow for better social distancing. This will allow instructors to teach new procedures in a better setting. Once those two weeks are over, and procedures are taught, all elementary students will attend together every day. The school district is making wearing masks mandatory and will provide one for students and staff. It is encouraging students to wear one at all times while still maintaining social distancing. The school board will meet again on Aug. 10. The start date for St. Ansgar is set for Aug. 24. Forest City The Forest City school district sent out a visual pamphlet on July 14 detailing what the district is planning on doing for its return-to-learn plans. The plans are broken up into two: one for the elementary and one for the middle school and high school. For the elementary plan, students will attend school on-site for five days a week. Students will stay in their homerooms for the day and teachers will rotate in the classrooms. For middle and high school students, there will be a four-day learning week from Monday until Thursday. The schedule for those four days will include four 90 minute periods. The four odd periods will be on Mondays and Wednesday. The four even periods will happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Class will be mandatory for all students, but the students can choose to attend online through Google Meet or recordings of class. Students will be issued a technology device at the beginning of the year. The district says additional information regarding transportation and food service, among other things, will be released soon. The districts official start date is Aug. 17. West Hancock At the West Hancock school board meeting on July 20, the board gave approval for the districts return-to-learn plan. The plan states that all students will return to school in-person in a more traditional setting on Aug. 24. In a post on its Facebook page, face-to-face instruction will take place with many precautions. The first one is that masks are highly encouraged. Throw-away masks will be provided to students who need them. The school district will be limiting visitors to only those deemed necessary for the school day. According to the post, parents will not be allowed in the building to pick up or drop off their students. If entry is required, so too will be a screening. If a student or faculty member is infected with COVID-19, West Hancock will follow state guidelines, but are hoping to stay as clean and healthy as possible to minimize absences. In some cases, students will voluntarily choose to learn at-home. In those instances, teachers will livestream their classroom so that the students can still learn effectively. More details from building administrators regarding specific plans for building operations will be provided as the start of school approaches. Gunnar Davis covers education and sports. Reach him via email at Gunnar.Davis@GlobeGazette.com or by phone 641-421-0598. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Fireworks go off near federal police guarding the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland as federal officers confront rioters in Portland, Oregon, on July 24, 2020. (Kathryn Elsesser/AFP via Getty Images) Six Federal Officers Injured Overnight During Confrontation With Rioters in Portland: DHS Six Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement officers were injured in Portland on Friday night, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said. The situation of the injured officers is unclear. Wolf called on the city of Portland to work with the federal government to bring the escalating violence against federal properties and officers under control. To be clear, criminals assaulted FEDERAL officers on FEDERAL propertyand the city of Portland did nothing, he wrote in a Twitter post. Its time Portland join other responsible cities around the country to hold criminals accountable and protect federal property and officers. Day 56. Last night six DHS law enforcement officers were injured in Portland. To be clear, criminals assaulted FEDERAL officers on FEDERAL propertyand the city of Portland did nothing. pic.twitter.com/lzPPBl060y Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (@DHS_Wolf) July 25, 2020 He posted two photos on social media, with one showing something that appears to be three fireworks taped together, the other showing the aftermath of the overnight confrontation between rioters and the federal officers. Rioting started in Oregons largest city in late May and has continued virtually nonstop each night since then. On Friday night, about 3,000 or some protesters showed up outside the fenced-in Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, federal property. Federal officers gassed the rioters after some tried to force themselves into the fenced-in area outside the courthouse with a powered circular saw. However, the rioters refused to disperse and threw back tear gas with their own devices. Rioters launch fireworks directly into the front of the courthouse. #PortlandRiots pic.twitter.com/d3WotxuOVp Bowen Xiao (@BowenXiao_) July 25, 2020 Various videos show the rioters also trying to topple the fence by force, throwing fireworks at the courthouse, and shining green lasers directly into the eyes of the federal agents. Knives were also thrown at the federal agents, according to the Justice Department (DOJ) Spokesperson Kerri Kupec. Its been remarkable to see the widespread obscuring of reality in the coverage of whats happening in #Portland. Night after night, our federal law enforcement officers are attacked as they defend a federal courthouse. Heres just one of the knives thrown at them. pic.twitter.com/nDrbVlZSwT Kerri Kupec DOJ (@KerriKupecDOJ) July 24, 2020 The White House mentioned on Friday that commercial-grade mortar firework[s] were launched by rioters against federal agents. Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, condemned the rioting as she revealed that three federal officers were likely permanently blinded by rioters using lasers. These are not the actions of so-called peaceful protesters, and the Trump administration will not stand by and allow anarchy in our streets, she said. Law and order will prevail. Bowen Xiao and Zachary Stieber contributed to the report. - Emirates will be the first airline to resume flights into and out of Kenya on Tuesday, July 28, while British Airways will follow suit on August 1, 2020 - Qatar Airways said it would operate 14 flights weekly subject to approval after resuming on August 3, 2020 - Air France will resume its operations on August 6, 2020, and will only be operating a single flight to Paris every Friday Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has revealed that five major international airlines are set to resume operations in Kenya from Tuesday, July 28. The five, Qatar Airways, Emirates, British Airways, KLM and Air France will resume flights into and out of Nairobi on the mentioned date weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta eased travel restrictions. READ ALSO: Oburu Oginga hints Raila will be in 2022 presidential race, win with Uhuru's support CS Najib Balala said five international airlines would resume operations. Photo: Najib Balala. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kanye West apologises to wife Kim Kardashian for embarrassing her online Making the announcement on Twitter, Balala said Emirates will be the first airline to resume operations and will start by offering a repatriation flight on Tuesday from Nairobi to Dubai. The second airline to resume will be British Airways which will be operating for flights weekly; on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday right from August 1, 2020. READ ALSO: Lilian Muli, baby daddy reunite to celebrate son's second birthday Qatar Airways and KLM will both resume their flights on August 3, 2020. KLM will be offering four weekly flights on the same days as British Airways. Air France will resume its operations on August 6, 2020, and will only be travelling to Paris every Friday. READ ALSO: Afisa aliyegongesha gari akiwa mlevi chakari ajitia kitanzi On its part, Qatar Airways said it would offer 14 weekly flights and further advised travellers to check the information published by the government of their destination country before travelling. As earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said visitors arriving in the country will not be required to quarantine unless they exhibit COVID-19 symptoms. Macharia said tourism was one of the most hit industries by the pandemic and the decisions were made in order to encourage tourists to come to Kenya. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. I did not sacrifice Ayeiya, family wants 21 million as compensation - Wakimani of Churchill Show. On TUKO TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Reuters) - Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak will on Tuesday face the first verdict in a series of criminal trials against him over billions of dollars allegedly stolen from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), a state fund he co-founded in 2009. WHAT IS 1MDB? 1MDB was a sovereign fund set up in 2009 with the help of Malaysian financier Jho Low to promote economic development. Najib chaired its advisory board until 2016. HOW DID BILLIONS GO MISSING? 1MDB raised billions of dollars in bonds for use in investment projects and joint ventures between 2009 and 2013. The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) said $4.5 billion was diverted to offshore bank accounts and shell companies, many linked to Low. Malaysian authorities say at least $4.3 billion more is unaccounted for. The funds siphoned off were used to buy luxury assets and real estate for Low and his associates, including a private jet, a superyacht, hotels, and artwork by Picasso and Monet, U.S. lawsuits said. Some of the money was allegedly used to finance Hollywood films including 2013's "The Wolf of Wall Street", produced by Red Granite, a film company co-founded by Najib's stepson, Riza Aziz. Malaysian prosecutors withdrew money laundering charges against Riza in May after reaching a $107.3 million settlement. HOW WAS NAJIB INVOLVED? Authorities say Najib illegally received more than $1 billion traceable to 1MDB. Najib, voted out in a 2018 election amid public anger over the scandal, has plead not guilty to 42 criminal charges over losses at 1MDB and other state entities. Defence lawyers say he was misled by Low and that the funds in his accounts were donations from the Saudi royal family. Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, has also been charged with money laundering and bribery. She has pleaded not guilty. HOW ARE AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATING 1MDB? At least six countries, including Singapore and Switzerland, have launched money laundering, financial mismanagement and criminal investigations into 1MDB dealings. Story continues The DoJ struck a deal in November to recoup $1 billion from the sale of seized assets linked to Low, a record haul for a U.S. anti-corruption probe. Malaysia had also accused Goldman Sachs of misleading investors over three bond sales totalling $6.5 billion that the U.S. bank helped raise for 1MDB. Goldman had pleaded not guilty and consistently denied wrongdoing. This week, Goldman agreed to settle the dispute for $3.9 billion with Malaysia, which will drop all criminal charges against the bank. WHERE IS LOW NOW? Low, charged in Malaysia and the United States over his central role in the case, denies wrongdoing. His whereabouts are not known though authorities believe he may be hiding in China. (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff Editing by Robert Birsel) A number of popular and most awaited Netflix shows are set to come on the OTT platform this coming week. Several shows which have been long-awaited will finally be available for streaming and thus fans are eager to watch the popular series. A number of teen drama series along with comedies will make their way to Netflix. Some of the most intriguing dramas too will be seen getting a release this week on. Take a look at Netflix's line-up for this week. Shows that are set to arrive this week on Netflix Also Read | What To Watch On Netflix This March? Here's A List Of Series That Are Scheduled To Release Good Girls: Season 3 Good Girls is a series based on the life of single mothers. Things take a turn and the mothers resort to a life of crime. Beth, Ruby and Annie are all set to come back for the third season. In the new season, the ladies may have to face the consequences of the last season's hijinks. The series comes on air approximately by July 26. Also Read | What To Watch On Netflix India This Week? Complete List Inside Inside the Worlds Toughest Prisons: Season 4 The show focuses on the toughest prisons around the world and the routine lives the inmates are forced to follow. Journalist Raphael Rowe personally takes on these prisons by living like an inmate. The journalist then investigates dangerous prisons in Paraguay, Germany, Mauritius and Lesotho. The new season will most likely be available from July 29. Also Read | New Movies On Netflix That Are Coming On The OTT Platform In August 2020; See List Get Even Get Even is a story about 4 teen enemies. The four girls form a group in order to get revenge from their bullies. They plan on doing so by setting them up against a crime the bullies did not commit. Thus the question lies, will the girls manage to "get even" with their bullies? The series will be available to watch from July 31. Also Read | Confused What To Watch On Netflix Next? Check Out This List Of Upcoming Comedies' The Umbrella Academy: Season 2 The Umbrella Academy is created by an industrialist billionaire, Sir Reginald Hargreeves. He does so by adopting seven children who have special abilities. The billionaire prepares them to save the world from any form of attacks which may pose as a threat. This dark comedy-drama fiction series was a hit in 2019 and returns to Netflix for a much-awaited season 2 approximately by July 31. Victims of troubled funds managed by Optimus Asset Management stage a rally in front of NH Investment & Securities headquarters, a major promoter of the company's funds, in Seoul, July 20. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung NH Investment & Securities is being pressed to provide full compensation for victims of the recent "Optimus fiasco" by taking responsibility for "mis-selling" the troubled fund. NH promoted the fund managed by Optimus Asset Management, and attracted 470 billion won to it. But with Optimus suspending the financial product's redemption, investors are urging the promoter to make full compensation. Amid the rising dispute, the securities firm held a board meeting Thursday to decide how to deal with the controversy. But it failed to reach a consensus over how much the company should pay in compensation, and postponed a decision. "We judged that the issue needs to be discussed more thoroughly from a longer management perspective," an official from the company said. NH also said the board will soon hold another meeting to discuss the matter, but did not share a specific timeline for this. Earlier, expectations were that NH would offer 50 percent of each individual's investment in compensation to victims of the mis-sellings. Yet, as even that would amount to a loss of almost half of the company's annual net profit, it seems likely that NH will fight tooth and nail to avoid having to pay any compensation at all. Despite this predictions, there is a chance NH may have to follow the path of the promotes involved in the troubled funds managed by Lime Asset Management due to the decision last month by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) in which the regulator decided that some "sellers" of the Lime fund Woori Bank and Hana Bank must offer full compensation to victims of the mis-sellings. It remains unknown whether they will accept the decision by the FSS, as they requested the regulator to delay the deadline for the response. The lenders are in a position to remain more careful and make a detailed internal legal review before accepting the decision by the regulator. Despite the FSS' decision on the Lime fund sellers, it is too early to predict whether the regulator will make a similar decision on the Optimus fiasco, as FSS Governor Yoon Suk-heun recently said that the Lime case cannot be applied to all other similar troubled equity funds. When Arthur went away to college, his parents took care of his orchids, but eventually the plants were sold. A single cattleya was spared a wild collected species from Venezuela and it survived on windowsills for several more years. Ultimately, Arthur named the variety after his father, and C lueddemanniana Arthur Chadwick AM/AOS remains one of the best lavenders. Arthur graduated from Penn State in agricultural economics, but, before accepting a major job offer and much to the dismay of his parents, he went into the cut flower cattleya business with a friend. Arthur was more interested in the nuances of each plant than the actual day-to-day production of blooms. Not surprisingly, Arthur sold out to his partner but not before selecting the best Cattleya Bow Bells for himself. In 1960, he entered the white hybrid in a big orchid show where it won top honors. He was recently married so he named the variety after his new wife, Anne, and both the orchid and his bride were pictured on the front page of their local paper, The Orlando Sentinel. She, of course, was hooked on orchids from that day on. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 18:50:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAMASCUS, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Eight civilians were killed Sunday by a car bomb explosion in a rebel-held area in the northeastern province of Hasakah, state news agency SANA reported. Women and children were among those killed when the car bomb went off near a marketplace in the city of Ras al-Ayn, which is controlled by the Turkish forces and Turkey-backed rebels in the countryside of Hasakah, said SANA. It added that that many people were wounded in critical conditions. In June, two children and three civilians were wounded by a car bomb explosion in Ras al-Ayn. SANA said areas under the Turkish control in northern and northeastern Syria live in a state of lawlessness amid rebels' infighting. Turkey took control over Ras al-Ayn and other areas in northern Syria following a military campaign against the Kurdish forces in Syria in October of 2019. Enditem On July 21, Chicago-based paranormal activity expert Steven Huff announced that he had spoken to the spirit of the late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The disputable claim broke the Internet. Huff claimed that he called the late actors spirit after receiving several requests from his fans. He said it was the first time he has spoken to an Indian celebrity. Just at a time when Sushant's fans were still reeling from the shock of Sushants death, the alleged interaction of his spirit with Huff has fuelled the conversation over the actors apparent suicide. In the video, Steven Huff is seen questioning the 'spirit' of Sushant. A voice can be heard responding to his questions including if he (Sushant) is getting light there and if he needs something; the voice is heard saying, I am getting the light and need love. In the second video, Huff is seen asking the 'spirit' about what happened the night before he died and if someone had indeed killed him. The spirits voice is again heard revealing that Sushant had a big argument with men and they brought nails. Huffs videos have attained over seven million views in just a few days, but the Indian paranormal fraternity has condemned the video as a fake communication with the deceased actor. Paranormal activity researcher Shishir Thakur thinks that, technically, these are fake sessions. Normally, a paranormal investigator first investigates the haunting which is a house or an object. Its not about powers to summon an entity or ghost. A ghost would not leave the periphery of the house or object if it is emotionally attached to it. So summoning is not acceptable, Shishir explains. Hunting the haunted Paranormal activities are stimulating but beyond the mundane. While it is difficult to determine whether ghosts and spirits exist, paranormal researchers claim they do hold the key to a walkway to the spirits, thanks to the expansion of technology and several modern tools. Even so, Devraj Sanyal, a paranormal activity researcher and founder of Detectives of Supernatural Activities in Kolkata, doubts Huffs methods. Thats possible only when someone close to the deceased person calls him/her, says Devraj. A layman who has never interacted with the dead person cant just call his spirit. Moreover, it needs to be done within the same vicinity for any chance to call the spirit. Steve Huff did this investigation in a different country while the actor died in India. The researcher condemns Huffs claim, calling it a mere publicity stunt. This is distinctly not possible. There was no one with him who was close to Sushant. Why would a spirit come and talk to a stranger? Shishir Thakur also claims that communicating with ghosts and spirits is as hard as communicating with a stranger. Picking holes in Steven Huff's claims, Shishir adds, You do one session, and the ghost answers everything as if you are the last hope? In this case, either the paranormal investigator is dumb or thinks that the world is dumb enough to believe him. Spirits do communicate Claims about the paranormal or supernatural are not new of course. In the past, several Indian bigwigs have claimed to have reached out to their deceased family members. Yash Birla had revealed in the past that he found peace only after he spoke to the spirit of his dead mother Sunanda Birla, who had died in a plane crash. Another corporate titan also once revealed that the spirit of his nephew came to speak to his mother, which helped her reconcile. Paranormal activity researcher and author Vikram Dewan believes this happens for real. But it is not as simple as switching on a TV like Huff makes it look, he states. Another paranormal activity investigator, Subhajit Saha, explains that the desires of the soul with an unfulfilled wish, do not go away, adding that we can also mark the spirits and communicate with them through a proper investigation. If the deceased person died an unnatural death then there is a possibility for the spirit to remain there in the place. There are several tools which can help in finding spirits, says the researcher and shows the possibility that since Yash Birlas mother and Anand Mahindras nephew had died accidental deaths, It was possible to access the spirits if a close one calls them, but in Sushants case, it is not possible. Anyone can make such fake videos, Subhajit states. Not normal but paranormal All this is hard for many not to look at with some amount of scepticism. And Subhajit agrees that anything an active eye does not witness is considered paranormal. For instance, the use of electromagnetic field meter which mostly used to monitor high frequency radiation in a 300-year-old fort that never had electricity will create fluctuations. For someone who doesnt understand the process, this activity would seem paranormal, explains Subhajit. Paranormal activities do happen, but that needs an intelligent source of energy to determine and communicate. Moreover, if you get the answer you want to hear, you even believe it. While investigators do not shy away from mentioning that spirits do communicate and they can be called by the loved ones with a process, Vikram Dewan points out the flaws in the process. Sometimes, the invoker may use a guide spirit or deity to incite and invite the spirit, but if the spirit is not cooperative or disinterested, it may lead to devastating consequences. So, while paranormal is for real and spirits do connect with the physical world, there is always the question of authenticity and motives of those involved in the process, he cautions. Brazils traditional fishing communities under attack during COVID-19 pandemic by Eduardo Campos Lima July 26,2020 | Source: Crux In the past few months, there has been an escalation in the number of incursions of territories traditionally occupied by artisanal fishing communities in Brazil, according to the Bishops Conferences Fishermen Pastoral Council (CPP). Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the South American country has seen a surge of land conflicts in natural reservations and rural areas. Indigenous peoples, peasants, and quilombolas (the descendants of African slaves who fled captivity in colonial and imperial times and settled in the countryside) have been victimized by ranchers who want to expand their farming areas, as well as illegal miners and loggers. Catholic activists have denounced the government for reducing the number of monitoring operations to prevent illegal activities. The pandemic is currently growing in Brazils countryside. Along with the virus, land conflicts have increased too. The partial suspension of the work in many governmental agencies [due to the pandemic] made the invaders situation easier. Weve been receiving several reports on such occurrences involving artisanal fishermen, Ormezita Barbosa, CPPs executive secretary, told Crux. Artisanal fishing is conducted by individuals and families, often members of traditional communities using methods handed down generation to generation. Several areas where it is practiced are protected under Brazilian law. Both coastal and riverside communities have been threatened by outsiders or impeded to work properly. In Bahia State, where vast seaside territories have huge touristic and fishing potentials, the area of the artisanal fishermen community of Conceicao de Salinas, near the state capital Salvador, has been partially taken over by a real estate venture. It occupies 60 percent of our traditional land, including forest areas. The local authorities have been complicit in its development. At this point, theyre building houses at full throttle, community leader Elionice Sacramento told Crux. Conceicao de Salinas, one of the major fishing zones in the region, is a quilombola community. Its traditional territory hasnt been fully recognized by the federal government yet land grants in such cases involve anthropological studies and several legal requirements that usually take many years to complete. Although the communitys right over the area isnt definitive, the certification already obtained should guarantee that nobody would feel entitled to invade it. But what really happens is the legal precariousness makes the community vulnerable to occupations and threats. COVID-19 has brought additional problems. Since the pandemic began, weve also been forbidden to sell our catch in the nearby cities street markets. Weve had to sell our production for only 30 percent of its value. Were working more and eating less, Sacramento said. In Graciosa, an artisanal fishing community 70 miles south of Conceicao de Salinas, local businessmen have taken advantage of the pandemic to intensify their efforts to produce shrimp in the area. Graciosa is also a quilombola community still waiting for the conclusion of the land grant process. Those entrepreneurs are trying to persuade young members of our community to implement shrimp ponds on mangroves. They know that theyll be able to easily take the ponds from them later. Theyre using the young men only to legitimatize their presence in our land, claimed community leader Nildo Bonfim. According to Bonfim, all waste that is generated during the process is thrown into nearby rivers, causing chemical contamination that can harm fishing in the area. They want to dismantle our fishing community and take hold of our territory. The region is being destroyed by shrimp farming, he said. Tourism entrepreneurs are also active in the area and have sometimes even announced their plans for the development of the communitys lands. With the lack of control during the pandemic, Bonfim who is the most vocal opponent of the businessmens plans has been feeling more and more intimidated. The other day, those people showed up here accompanied by a policeman. They wanted to scare me. As an activist, Im very vulnerable now. If this pandemic takes much longer, I dont know what will happen, he said. The CPP advised Graciosas leaders on their legal rights and introduced them to activists from other regions in an effort to strengthen their common demands. The council is also active in the north of Minas Gerais State, where the banks of the huge River Sao Francisco have been the object of several conflicts in the past decades. Such lands are owned by the government. Many fisher communities have lived there for centuries, but local farmers have displaced them and are judicially claiming ownership, Sister Neusa do Nascimento, a member of the CPP, told Crux. The fisher communities dont have money to pay lawyers, so the CPP and other popular movements have been helping them to organize some kind of political resistance. Recently, sport fishermens clubs have also occupied the banks of the river. Tourists from many regions of the country have gone there to fish during the pandemic. They fish till late at night. Many of them complain about our presence, so we have to avoid them. Were also scared of being infected by those people. So, I have been waiting all day long to catch something in the river, said Clarindo Pereira dos Santos, a member of the Canabrava fisher community. He claimed that no government agents have visited the region in order to restrain the activities of the sport fishermen. The members of the Canabrava community have been catching much smaller volumes of fish since the pandemic began. At times, sport fishermen threatened them Dos Santos said that in June someone shot a gun when he approached the river at night. The other day I was cursed and humiliated by a few sport fishermen. Many of them are racist. They said the River Sao Francisco will be totally theirs. I didnt respond I dont know who they are, he said. Dos Santoss community, which is quilombola, was violently expelled from its traditional land in 2018 by local farmers. He and his colleagues and relatives now live in a small portion of land provisionally conceded to them by another farmer. We always had a small farming area. Since then, weve been trying to plant in a river island, but a nearby dam sometimes raise the water level and we lose everything that we had planted, he said. Do Nascimento explained that in May, President Jair Bolsonaro approved the continuance of a plan to install a hydroelectric plant on River Sao Francisco that would cause several environmental transformations in the river, with great impact on its fish stocks. His administration took advantage of the pandemic to proceed with that project. Theres no popular mobilization against it at this point, she said. The religious sister said that the CPP has reduced the number of visits to the River Sao Francisco communities during the pandemic in order to avoid contagion but has distributed food and hygiene kits to them. Dos Santos says that the CPP has a very significant role in the local communities survival. They help us all the ways possible. If it wasnt for them, many of us would have already disappeared, he said. The repeated mentions from Pope Francis to the relevance of traditional communities are also something special for Dos Santos. The pope always includes us in his prayers. His attitude backs us up in all parishes and dioceses, he said. 2020 Crux Catholic Media Inc. Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) Ahead of President Rodrigo Dutertes fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, some workers groups are calling on the administration to give priority to frontliners battling the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking to CNN Philippines on Sunday, the Filipino Nurses United urged the government to prioritize the health sector when it comes to crafting the budget given the pandemic problem is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. (Kami ay) nananawagan na sana po gawin po ng pamahalaan na ito na priority ang health kasi po noong mga nakaraan pong taon ng administrasyon niya ay lagi na lang pong kulelat sa budget ang health services, kaya po ang ating mga programa ay kinakapos pagdating sa implementation, Filipino Nurses United President Maristela Abenojar told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Weekend, citing slow rollout of mass testing policies as well as depleting supply of protective equipment for frontliners. [Translation: Were calling on the government to make health a priority because in the past years of the administration, the budget for health services has always been the last priority, thats why our programs are not effectively implemented.] The group also reiterated its call for officials to implement mass hiring of nurses, in order to fill in the gaps in hospitals with limited manpower. Bago pa po pumasok ang pandemya sa COVID-19, ay dati nang may shortage ng nurses sa ating bansa. Noong pumasok po itong COVID-19 ay lalo pong naghirap ang ating mga kasamahang nurses dahil marami sa kanila ay unti-unti na rin hong nagkakasakit, she added. [Translation: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, there had already been a shortage of nurses in the country. When COVID-19 came, our fellow nurses suffered further because many of them are also getting sick.] The Health Department last week said it is already looking into the complaints of understaffing in some hospitals, as more frontliners have contracted COVID-19. Government data as of July 18 showed that over 3,000 healthworkers in the country have tested positive for the viral disease. READ: DOH studies additional benefits for COVID-hit healthcare workers with mild symptoms Seafarers also frontliners Meanwhile, a seafarers group also appealed to Duterte to give more priority to the sector, arguing that seamen should also be considered as frontliners in the worlds battle against the coronavirus. Frontliners din kami, kagaya ng ating nurses at mga doktor; kasi kami ang nagdadala ng kalakal sa buong mundo. Kung wala kami, mawawalan tayo ang buong mundo ang maghihirap, United Filipino Seafarers President Nelson Ramirez said in the same interview. [Translation: Were also frontliners, like our nurses and doctors, because we are the ones who bring goods around the world. If not for us, the whole world will be struggling.] Ramirez noted that around 120,000 Filipino seafarers have been affected by the pandemic with at least 60,000 still waiting to board their respective ships. He also urged officials to include seafarers in the consultations for the drafting of the bill which would create a department for overseas workers. To date, COVID-19 cases in the country have surpassed 78,000. Globally, the disease has infected over 16 million individuals in 188 different nations including China, where the outbreak originated. ComebackTown is published by David Sher for a more prosperous greater Birmingham and Alabama Click here to sign up for newsletter. (Opt out at any time) Im regularly asked, Are you optimistic or pessimistic about Birmingham? I always respond, optimistic. The reason Im optimistic is because we have a unique advantage. Im writing this piece because of a chance conversation I had with Ty West, the Editor in Chief at the Birmingham Business Journal. Ty is an amazing young professional relentless in his efforts to advance our business and general community. Hes clearly a young business leader who is making a difference. He told me he has concluded from talking with journalistic friends in other cities that Birmingham has a disproportionate number of highly motivated young professionals with a desire to propel Birmingham forward. I thought it might be instructive to publish the names and a short bio of a few of these young superstars. Ive selected eleven young guest authors of ComebackTown and included a link to their articles so you can get to know them better. Then I added four young leaders who I know personally who are making a significant difference for our Birmingham region. These young people had optionsthey could build their careers anywherebut they chose Birmingham. Dr. Mark W. C. Martin moved back to Birmingham to launch Build up, the nations first early-college workforce development program to address poverty and urban blight. Mark received his B.A from t he University of Alabama, an MBA from the University of Georgia, and a Doctor of Education Leadership from Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Will it take a horrific disaster to fix Birmingham Schools? Miller Girvin, born and raised in Birmingham, is the CEO of the Alabama Capital Network (ACN), a group of businesses and individuals supporting the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in our state. Miller graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in History. Birminghams huge opportunity Alexis Barton is a Senior Communications Consultant at BBVA, has a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Humanities and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Alabama. Alexis has done an incredible amount of volunteer work for the Junior League of Birmingham. Whats this black woman doing in the Junior League of Birmingham? Birmingham rape survivor speaks up Jay Dunn is a Georgetown MBA graduate, who returned to Birmingham after seven years in Washington, DC. He worked for Senator Shelby as a financial services policy advisor both in his personal office and on the Senate Banking Committee before attending Georgetown. An extraordinary coincidence that may signal a Birmingham revolution Britney Summerville, an Auburn grad, is the Vice President of Community Engagement at Shipt and the founder of Birmingham Bound, an initiative that has been wildly successful recruiting small companies to Birmingham. She has 20 years of experience in technology startups and is passionate about driving growth and entrepreneurship specifically in the technology space. Business Womans brilliant idea for Birmingham Matt Hottle was educated at the University of Delaware, University of Pennsylvaniathe Wharton School, and Harvard Business School and is a partner and co-founder of Redhawk Venture Group, a trio of companies that support startups and manage venture capital funds. His latest endeavor Redhawk Advisory manages the Alabama Futures Fund, Alabamas first seed-stage venture capital fund. Birminghams impending turnover is a great opportunity A new generation of dreamers ready to build a dynamic Birmingham Samantha Dubrinsky has a B.A.from Birmingham Southern College, a Masters in Public Administration and an MBA from Troy University. Shes the Executive Director of the Levite Jewish Community Center (LJCC). She and her team at the LJCC have done amazing work distributing food to folks in need during the pandemic. Alabama Jews thank Christian neighbors Birminghams award winning food scene vilified: Bad for America Young professional: I choose Birmingham cause I can make a difference Ronnie OBrien Rice, Ph.D., Esq., earned a M.A. in Organizational Leadership and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Human Resource Development from Regent University and a Law Degree from Miles College. Hes the Firm Administrator at Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys. I didnt grow up in Mountain Brook, but Tripp Watson earned a B.A. in Economics, Politics from Washington and Lee University and an MBA and Law Degree from Samford University. Tripp is an Entrepreneur Attorney at The Watson Firm and has been heavily involved in regionalism. We need to have a tough conversation Political process in Birmingham actually working V.J. Graffeo has a B.A. from the University of Alabama in Political Science, an M.B.A. from UAB Collat School of Business (Finance), and a Law Degree from the University of Alabama. V.J. is the founder of the Graffeo Law firm and serves as an Adjunct Professor at the UAB Collat School of Business. Birmingham: The next it city by thinking small V.J. Graffeo dreams of Birmingham being an it city Josh Carpenter is the Director of Innovation & Economic Opportunity for the City of Birmingham. Prior to that, Josh was the Director of External Affairs at UAB. Josh graduated Magna Cum Laude from UAB with a Bachelor of Science in Business/Commerce, a Masters in Social Policy and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Field of Study Politics from the University of Oxford. He is a Rhodes Scholar. Brian Hamilton is the Chief Executive Officer of Trillion Corporation. Brian graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Morehouse College, a Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineer from Georgia Tech, and a law degree from Birmingham School of Law. Brian is active all over Birmingham with his work for regional collaboration and Legacy Prep. J.W. Carpenter earned a B.A. in Political Science and a Law Degree from Georgetown University. Hes the Executive Director at the Birmingham Education Foundation; a non-profit whose goal is to increasing the number of students in the Birmingham City Schools that are on the path to college, career, and life readiness. Anthony Hood, PhD earned an MBA in Management from UAB and a Ph.D. at the University of Alabama School of Business in Strategic Management & Entrepreneurship. Hes also had additional training at Stanford and Harvard Business School. Hes currently Director of Civic Innovation, Office of the President at UAB. Danny Cohn, with a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Ohio University, recently moved to Birmingham after nearly 20 years as a strategic leader in marketing and public relations. Danny is the CEO of the Birmingham Jewish Federation, the Jewish Communitys central fundraising, community relations and community development agency. Everyone thought this Jewish man crazy for moving to Birmingham Please feel free to comment with the names of other young professionals you think should be recognized. EDDIE Irvine has spoken for the first time about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, declaring: "If the charges are true, it ain't good." The former Formula 1 driver admitted he partied with the paedophile financier and his alleged fixer in New York and Miami. Speaking exclusively to Sunday Life, he also told how he saw the pair surrounded by models and beautiful girls, including Virginia Giuffre, who claims the pair forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew. Co Down-born Eddie said he bumped into them so often he was not surprised that his personal details were in Epstein's infamous little black book of contacts, alongside the likes of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump and disgraced actor Bill Cosby. The racer-turned-millionaire entrepreneur added he was stunned when Maxwell (58) was arrested and charged with sex trafficking earlier this month because he had always thought of her as "sweet and super-nice". He described Epstein, however, as a "strange guy" and "socially awkward". Speaking from his mansion in Milan, Eddie said: "I wouldn't be surprised if I'm in Epstein's black book. Expand Close Eddie Irvine PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eddie Irvine "I'm in his book because I knew Ghislaine reasonably well. I spoke to her from time to time and I spoke to him from time to time, but my friend knew her a lot better than me. "Ghislaine kind of had the hots for one of my friends - he was just someone in my circle - so she would come around to try and meet up with him. "I would bump into them in Miami, but Ghislaine was always super-sweet and a super-nice lady." Expand Close Ghislaine Maxwell (Chris Ison/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ghislaine Maxwell (Chris Ison/PA) Miami is one of the areas where Epstein and Maxwell, who were once lovers, are said to have preyed on vulnerable under-age girls. The allegations featured in a major four-part Netflix documentary called Filthy Rich. Epstein (right) died in a prison cell in Manhattan last year aged 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, leaving a fortune of nearly $600million. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Expand Close Jeffrey Epstein (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeffrey Epstein (New York State Sex Offender Registry via AP) Maxwell is alleged to have recruited teenagers into a sex trafficking ring said to have been used by some of the world's most powerful men. Virginia Giuffre (35) claims she was groomed by Maxwell while working as a masseuse at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. She alleges she was subsequently forced to sleep with Prince Andrew three times, when she was aged 17 and 18, before fleeing Epstein's clutches aged 19. The Duke of York has strongly denied her claims. Giuffre is one of up to 100 girls allegedly used as sex slaves by Epstein and his alleged fixer Maxwell. Eddie insisted that even though he saw the pair constantly surrounded by models at dinners and parties, he never saw any vulnerable young girls in their company or any signs of sex trafficking. Expand Close From left, Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein walking in Central Park, New York / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp From left, Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein walking in Central Park, New York "When I was around, it was just a normal dinner, just parties. There'd just be a party where some people would turn up and some people wouldn't. But about that other stuff, I have no idea," he said. The dad-of-one, who has daughter Zoe (23) with ex-girlfriend Maria Drummond (52), added: "I had no idea about that, the providing of under-age girls. "The only girl I ever saw was the blonde one that was the masseuse (Virginia.) "I remember seeing her around a few times, but I would have said she was like 20 by that stage. I remember seeing her, but I never saw young girls. "There were always a few models around, but they were always older girls." Eddie's entry in Epstein's contacts book lists two mobile numbers - landlines in Ireland and America - a home address and an email address. It is on the same page as an entry for Mick Jagger, one of 310 Britons in the book. Expand Close The Duke of York on Newsnight (Mark Harrison/BBC) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke of York on Newsnight (Mark Harrison/BBC) Billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, former world champion driver Jacques Villeneuve and race-fixing accused Flavio Briatore are among the other F1 contacts kept by Epstein. There is no suggestion that anyone whose name is in the book was involved in or had any knowledge of any wrongdoing. Other names in the list of contacts, dubbed the "holy grail" and seized by the FBI in 2009, include Tony Blair, Richard Branson and Prince Andrew, who has 16 numbers against his name. Epstein is said to have abused girls on a private jet nicknamed 'the Lolita express' and on his 'paedophile island', Little St James in the Caribbean. It is also alleged he abused hundreds more at his 60million townhouse in New York, found to be filled with pornography. Expand Close 'Met three times': Prince Andrew with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts, centre, and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 'Met three times': Prince Andrew with 17-year-old Virginia Roberts, centre, and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001 Epstein is said to have been social inept and to have suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder. His oddness was obvious to Eddie. "He was always a strange guy," he said. "A lot of the finance guys tend to be a bit antisocial and socially awkward - that's why I think he had Ghislaine around. "While I was quite friendly with Ghislaine, I was never on Epstein's island, I was never on his plane and I was never at his house, but I'd bump into him and her in New York." Maxwell (58), the daughter of the disgraced newspaper baron Robert Maxwell, who died in mysterious circumstances in 1991, is facing trial on six charges of trafficking girls as young as 14 and perjury. If found guilty she could be handed up to 35 years in jail - at her age, an effective life sentence. Eddie, worth an estimated 94million and nicknamed 'Fast Eddie' and 'Irv the Swerve' during his driving career, told Sunday Life: "She was sweet and very bubbly, just the ultimate socialite. "She talked to everybody and she knew everybody. I don't have a bad word to say about her, apart from these accusations. If the charges are true, it ain't good." Explosive documents detailing Maxwell's sex life and Epstein's flight logs will be unsealed within days after a court ruling last Thursday. The 80 sets of papers, which Maxwell had sought to keep secret, include testimony from 2016 in which she complained involved "intrusive" questions regarding her sex life. The documents, which run to hundreds of pages, were ordered to be released by a judge in New York who said the public's right to know outweighed Maxwell's desire for privacy. They will also expose who travelled on Epstein's private jet. The unsealed documents include communications between Maxwell and Epstein in 2015, after Virginia Roberts Giuffre accused them of trafficking her. Starved for good news? We are, too. So here is a plate of news that will offer some nourishment. It may be a glimmer of hope, a faint light in a dark world, but it is encouraging nonetheless: An experimental vaccine has shown promising results in COVID-19 study participants, according to data published in the medical journal the Lancet. The vaccine employs a harmless virus to deliver what scientists call biological instructions to combat the novel coronavirus. On ExpressNews.com: Upgrades to home air conditioning systems may help fight the coronavirus We dont want to get ahead of ourselves or the continuing trials. Scientists urge caution, but in a nation without a coherent plan to attack the virus, Americans are greeting the reports with optimism. So far, everything weve seen has been encouraging, Naor Bar-Zeev, deputy director of the International Vaccine Access Center at Johns Hopkins University, told NPR. The vaccine, under development by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, has shown an increase in antibodies and a T-cell response, which targets the virus. The result bodes well for the development of long-term protective immunity, Angela Rasmussen of Columbia University told Science Magazine. Major drug companies recently updated Congress on their progress in developing a vaccine; these included Merck, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna, which is entering a phase 3 trial. Phase 3 is a complicated process involving thousands of participants, who are then compared to an unvaccinated group. This is a major step forward, Richard Kennedy, a member of the Vaccine Research Group for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Minnesota Public Radio. On ExpressNews.com: USDA testimony shows San Antonios CRE8AD8 came up a third short on its contract to deliver food boxes for the needy Acting on that optimism, the federal government has reached a deal with Pfizer to acquire 100 million doses of its vaccine candidate if the Food and Drug Administration approves it. Efficacy studies will begin later this month. The vaccine would be free. We are assembling a portfolio of vaccines to increase the odds that the American people will have at least one safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said. Likwise, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has expressed measured optimism about this timeline for vaccine development. In America, politics have undermined what should have been a purely scientific issue. The result has been ugly, a nation divided by misinformation. President Donald Trump has changed his tune recently, but he went months disdaining the use of masks a tactic that created an ugly fault line, Democrats on one side, Republicans on the other. The U.S. has repeatedly been breaking records for single-day COVID-19 cases with Texas, Arizona, California and Florida particularly hard hit. Some governors, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have reversed their previous stances on masks. Are these measures too late? Trump, downplaying the crisis by referring to the embers of the virus, reversed himself during a recent interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News. He acknowledged some states are in flames. In this perilous landscape, the vaccine may seem like our last best hope. But its just one of many hopes. Treatment options are also being explored. Rapid and inexpensive testing continues to be developed. But scientists are not celebrating not yet about a vaccine, and neither should you. The fear is the potentially good news will encourage the reckless to be even more irresponsible. And Congress has other concerns, including safety and price gouging. Corners cant be cut, and the public must be served with affordable treatment and vaccine options. This is an exceedingly hard time. But it too shall pass. Published on 2020/07/26 | Source /Courtesy of Everland A baby giant panda has been born in Korea for the first time. Advertisement The only giant panda couple in the country, Aibao and Lebao, gave birth to a female cub on Monday at amusement park Everland's zoo. The highly endangered animals, which are notoriously reluctant to mate, were sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in March 2016 as a symbol of friendship between Korea and China. The cub measured 16.5 cm and weighed 197 g when it was born around 9:50 p.m. Monday, an hour and a half after labor began. Pandas can only conceive during a period of ovulation that lasts less than three days once a year between March and April. Pandas are normally solitary creatures and pair up only during the breeding season, which brings down their chances of successful natural mating process. They also undergo so-called "delayed implantation", meaning it takes about three months for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterine wall. This makes it hard to detect pregnancy. Only two baby pandas have been born outside China this year, in Taiwan and the Netherlands. For the successful gestation of a baby panda, Everland launched a taskforce to analyze data on changes in their pandas' hormone levels. They then picked the best day for their mating and succeeded in encouraging a natural mating process in late March. The taskforce were able to confirm the pregnancy early on by watching how much the mother ate and whether her behavior changed. The pregnancy lasted four months. Everland is not going to display the baby panda to the public for the time being. Giant panda Lebao eats at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday. /Newsis The pandas were not a gift but are on a 15-year loan. Everland is paying US$1 million to China every year as a contribution to the panda conservation fund and will be charged an one-off payment of $500,000 for the research on the cub. Though it was born in Korea, the panda cub will have to be sent to China in four or five years. Giant pandas are designated as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Native to south central China, they now live in captivity in 20 countries around the world. They were originally carnivores like other bears but, for reasons that are not fully understood, weaned themselves off meat and now only eat bamboo shoots, which make them so lethargic and reluctant to mate. Construction buildings burn near the King County Juvenile Detention Center during rioting in Seattle, Wash., on July 25, 2020. (Ted S. Warren/AP Photo) 47 Arrested During Seattle Rioting; 59 Police Officers Injured Construction site set ablaze, police officers attacked Update: Police released bodycam footage of the riots and photographs of some of the injuries police officers suffered. Original story below. Rioters in Seattle set fire to a construction site of a King County juvenile detention facility and courthouse, later hurling explosives and other projectiles at police, leading to injuries to more than some 59 officers. The demonstration, organized by a group pushing to abolish the Seattle Police Department, prompted concerns of violence, with a number of business owners boarding up their stores in hopes of protecting them. Almost four dozen people were arrested. After gathering in the Capitol Hill neighborhood around 2:15 p.m.where the so-called autonomous zone had been locatedthe crowd traveled about 10 blocks south to 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street and torched the construction site. A group of about a dozen people was responsible for the fire, according to the Seattle Police Department. Firefighters responded and put the flames out. The group then headed north, smashing windows at businesses as they traveled along 12th Avenue. People break windows at the King County Juvenile Detention Center in Seattle, on July 25, 2020. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images) Police pepper spray violent demonstrators during rioting in Seattle, on July 25, 2020. (Ted S. Warren/AP Photo) Police push demonstrators back atop a Black Lives Matter street mural in the area formerly known as the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) during rioting in Seattle, on July 25, 2020. (David Ryder/Getty Images) Protesters hold umbrellas as they confront police following the Youth Day of Action and Solidarity with Portland demonstration, which devolved into a riot, in Seattle on July 25, 2020. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images) Police detain a demonstrator during rioting in Seattle, on July 25, 2020. (David Ryder/Getty Images) In Capitol Hill, rioters spray-painted the Seattle Police Departments East Precinct and attempted to disable cameras and damage fencing that was erected around the building to try to protect it. Officers also noticed smoke in the building lobby, indicating someone set fire to the precinct, and found possible explosive damage to walls inside. Arson and bomb detectives were investigating. Due to the ongoing damage and public safety risks, police declared a riot around 5 p.m. and began using crowd control measures, such as blast balls and OC spraybut not tear gasto try to disperse the crowd. Rioters refused to disperse and continued smashing windows and damaging buildings in the area. They also hurled rocks, mortars, explosives, and other projectiles, according to the police and video footage from the scene. Forty-seven people were arrested for assaulting officers, obstruction, and failure to disperse, according to the Seattle Police Department. As of 10pm: Police have made 45 arrests in connection with todays riot in the East Precinct. 21 officers sustained injuries after being struck by bricks, rocks mortars/other explosives. Most officers were able to return to duty. One was treated at a hospital for a knee injury. Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 26, 2020 Fifty-nine officers were injured during the mayhem, including one who was rushed to the hospital with a leg injury caused by an explosive. Injuries ranged from abrasions and bruising to burns and a torn meniscus. Federal officers didnt appear to be on the scene. A limited number were recently deployed to Seattle to help protect federal buildings. The Seattle demonstration was organized in support of the people in Portland who have rioted on a nightly basis since late May. Several hundred people protested the government in the Bulgarian capital on July 25 despite a cabinet reshuffle meant to appease them. Protesters shouted "Resign!" and "Mafia" as some threw tomatoes and rolls of toilet paper at the Council of Ministers building in central Sofia. The protests, now in their 17th straight day, continued despite Prime Minister Boyko Borisov replacing four ministers this week in a reshuffle meant to end calls for his resignation. Protesters say that only the resignation of the entire government would satisfy them. Borisov dismissed the finance, economy, and interior ministers to curb speculation that the three were serving the interests of powerful businessman and media mogul Delyan Peevski, who is an opposition deputy with the Movement for Rights and Freedom (DPS). The tourism minister was also replaced. The replacement of the four ministers came after Borisovs center-right coalition government survived a no-confidence vote on July 21. It was initiated by the opposition Socialists who accuse his government led by the GERB party of failing to fight endemic corruption. Thousands of mostly young people have demonstrated in Sofia and other towns against the government's perceived favoritism of powerful behind-the-scenes oligarchs. The protests were sparked by a raid on July 9 by the Prosecutor-General's Office on the presidential headquarters. The demonstrators condemned the raids as an attack by the government and prosecutor-general against President Rumen Radev. Radev has backed the protesters, urging them to drive the "mafia" out of government. The searches at the presidential headquarters came after Radev said the National Protection Service (NSO) -- which is responsible for guarding the president, prime minister, and other high-ranking officials -- should stop protecting Ahmed Dogan, the honorary chairman of the DPS party. Dogan is one of the most powerful people in Bulgaria. Many people consider his DPS, a largely ethnic minority Turkish party, to have control over the nations judiciary, including the prosecutors office. Protesters were also angered when NSO members prevented people from going to a public beach located near Dogans summer residence on the Black Sea. Borisov has vowed to carry out in full his third four-year mandate, which expires in March. Bulgaria, the poorest European Union state, is the most corrupt of the bloc's 27 members, according to Transparency International. The Republic of Liberia which was formerly a colony of the American Colonisation Society (ACS) declared its independence on this day in 1847. The West African nation is the first democratic republic in African history as the United States accepted its sovereignty on July 26, 1847. According to anecdotes, a constitution modelled after the US Constitution was approved after which in 1848 Josep Jenkins Roberts was elected as Liberias first president. Today July 26th, we celebrate together the Liberian Independence Day. In the time of #Covid19, let's be cautious and apply health protocols, wear a face mask in public areas, keep physical distancing ,frequently wash your hands and call 4455 for help. #HappyIndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/GUB1I01IDT IOM Liberia (@IomLiberia) July 26, 2020 The American Colonisation Society was founded in 1816 by Robert Finley in a bid to return freed African American slaves to Africa. It was in 1820 that the first former American slaves arrived at the British colony of Sierra Leone from the US and next year the ACS founded the colony of Liberia south of Sierra Leone as a homeland for former slaves outside the British jurisdiction. READ: Marine Conservationists Send Back Rescued Turtle Into The Sea Near Canary Islands While between 1822 and the American Civil War, nearly 15,000 African Americans settled in Liberia, it was in 1847 that the Liberian Declaration of Independence, which is a document by the Liberian Constitutional Convention, was adopted to announce that the Commonwealth of Liberia was an independent state known as the Republic of Liberia. According to anecdotes, the declaration of independence came after the ACS came under attack from US abolitionist, who charged that the removal of freed places from the US strengthens the institution of slavery. Jul 26, Liberia: Independence Day. Liberia's National Day marks the proclamation of independence from the United States on July 26th 1847. https://t.co/nRfsffkiIH pic.twitter.com/ZTzwXEkx9T National Days (@national_days) July 26, 2020 READ: Lucknow General Post Office Gives Women Option To Send Facemasks, Sanitisers With Rakhis US recognised Liberias independence in 1862 While most Americans of African descent were not enthusiastic to abandon their native lands in the US for the harsh West African cost, after independence, Liberia aided Britain in its efforts to end the illegal West African slave trade. In 1846, the ACS surrendered all control of the colony which encouraged the independence of Liberia. The Liberian constitution flag was then modelled after the US Constitution and flag because nearly all of Liberias founders were either free people of colour and former slaves who had emigrated as colonists from the US. Though the nation adopted the declaration of independence in 1847, it was in 1862 that the US officially recognised Liberias independence. With the backing of the US, Liberia also kept its independence through the turmoil of the 20th century. A costly ciil war that began in 1989 lasted until 1997 after which Charles Taylor was elected Liberian president in free elections. READ: Video Of Blue Bin Floating Amid Hailstorm Goes Viral; Netizens Give Musical Edit To It READ: Good News: From Friends Splitting Lottery Prize To Creative COVID Rap, 5 Cheerful Stories Khadakpada police in Kalyan, Maharashtra arrested four persons including a godman who murdered a 50-year-old man and his 76-year-old mother by beating them to death. The four had assaulted the duo to free them from evil spirits on the recommendation of the self-proclaimed godman. According to Khadakpada police, the deceased were identified as Pandharinath Tare and his mother Chandubai Tare. The accused are identified as Pandhrinaths 17-year-old son, his nephew Vinayak Tare, 22; niece Kavita Tare, 27 and godman Surendra Patil, 32. All hail from Atali village of Kalyan which comes under Khadakpada police station jurisdiction. Pandhrinath knew godman Surendra Patil through his friend. He decided to visit the godman after observing changes in his nieces behaviour. Also read: Do it if you can - Uddhav Thackeray dares opposition to topple his govt Khadakpada police station senior police inspector, Ashok Pawar said, Deceased Pandharinath and his wife used to take their niece Kavita to Surendras house once a week. He used to say chant mantras to make her normal. But when all his mantras didnt work on Friday evening Surendra came to visit the deceaseds house to find the reason behind her behaviour. The godman said that she could recover only if he kills the evil spirit who possessed the two deceased. He said he would chant some Mantras while others would beat them up. The officer further added, The three youngsters brought sticks and Surendra with his mantra started beating up them simultaneously, throwing turmeric on them. They started beating up the duo around 4.30 pm which carried on till 8.45 pm when the duo went unconscious. All of them thought that the duo was free from the evil spirit. But after two hours when they didnt wake up, Pandharinaths wife called her another nephew Devendra Bhoir, 34, for help, who then took them to a nearby hospital where they were declared dead. Bhoir learned about the incident and informed the police. Khadakpada police arrested the accused under sections 302, 34 of the Indian Penal Code along with The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013. Police officials are awaiting the postmortem report. Vietnams budget carrier Vietjet has been honored as the most impactful Vietnamese brand worldwide after winning the Vietnam Brand, Global Impact award. The award was given away in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday following votes cast by a judge panel of international experts and leaders in the communications and public relations category of the PR Newswire Awards 2020, the carrier said in a press release the same day. Vietjet was recognized for its achievement as a trailblazer in expanding its flight network and brand name proven by creative, meaningful, and inspiring activities across the globe. With the mission of constantly expanding our flight network across Asia and boosting trade activities globally, Vietjet has been an inspiring ambassador to bring Vietnam to all international friends as well as contributing to global tourism and economic development, Vietjet Groups vice-president Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh said at the awards ceremony. These are achieved thanks to our expanding network with over 200 routes, more than 100 million passengers transported to date, many large-scale business deals signed with international partners as well as tens of thousands of jobs created in Asia, Europe, and America. We are proud that Vietjet, a Vietnamese brand in aviation, has been favored by millions of customers and partners and has truly become the inspiration for young generations around the world. Vietjet is also one of a few enterprises and the only carrier in Vietnam that brings its brand beyond the countrys border in order to add more values and inspire others in the international market. The airline has established Thai Vietjet in Thailand, leveraging the Vietnamese brand name of Vietjet. Thai Vietjet has extended both domestic and international flight networks, with the base in Suvarnabhumi Airport, the largest and busiest airport of Thailand. The subsidiary has transported more than eight million passengers in Thailand and other countries to famous destinations across the Land of Smiles. It has been welcomed and trusted by the country and people of Thailand. The PR Newswire Awards 2020 were hosted by PR Newswire, a Cision Ltd. company, a leading global provider of news and earned media software and services, with the world's largest media distribution network, covering over 300,000 media outlets in more than 170 countries and over 40 languages. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Alibaba founder and celebrated Chinese entrepreneur Jack Ma is yet to respond to summons asking him and his company to appear before a Gurugram court by July 29 in a case of alleged wrongful termination from employment, filed by former executive of UC Web mobile company, Pushpandra Singh Parmar, according to a news agency. My client Pushpandra Singh Parmar has filed a civil suit against Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, for wrongful termination. He was working as an Associate Director with Alibabas UC Web Mobile Company, Parmars lawyer Atul Ahlawat was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Parmar, in his petition, is seeking a compensation of Rs 2 crores from the company alleging he was thrown out unceremoniously for objecting to alleged censorship of content and peddling of fake news on the Chinese mobile web platform, Reuters reported. UC Web mobile application was among the 59 applications banned by the Indian government recently over national security considerations. The decision was announced weeks after boundary clashes with China killed 20 Indian soldiers in eastern Ladakh. China has protested against the ban. Parmar claims that he was dismissed for raising similar concerns, according to a report by Reuters. Parmar alleges the company used to censor content seen as unfavourable to China. He also accused UC Browser and UC News of showcasing false news to cause social and political turmoil. The civil case was filed in the Gurugram court on July 20 following which, Jack Ma and Alibaba were summoned to appear in court either personally or through a lawyer. However, Parmars lawyer Ahlawat said there has been no response from the defendants so far. Gurugram District Court has issued summons to the defendants, including Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group. Summons are returnable for 29th July. Till date, we have not received any response from the defendants, Atul Ahlawat was quoted as saying by ANI. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons cited by Reuters. Parmar says he worked as an associate director at the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017 and he has attached clippings of some posts he claims were highlighted on the UC News app, which were false. Two of them were on very sensitive issues including demonetization and India-Pak tensions. While the first one from 2017 claimed that Indian currency of Rs 2,000 denomination will go out of circulation from midnight, the other one posted in 2018 claimed a war had broken out between India and Pakistan, according to the Reuters news report. Neither of the events actually took place. The petition also alleges that UC Web censored content considered unfavourable to China on its platform by filtering search strings such as India-China border and Sino-India war. The Holiday Guru is always on call to answer your questions. This week many concerned travellers wrote in regarding refund issues involving the likes of British Airways and Tui. The Guru rolled up his sleeves. Q. We were due to fly to Canada with British Airways on July 1, but the trip was cancelled. We would like a refund, but are finding it impossible to get one as this can be done only by telephone and we cannot get through. Can you help? Veronica Edmonds, Hove, East Sussex. Veronica Edmonds from Hove has found it 'impossible' to get through to BA on the phone for a refund A. BA says: There shouldnt be any issues in getting through, possibly only a short wait. But to test the service, we called on 0800 727800 and selected the refund option, only to be told to wait. The line then rang once and a voice said no one was available. Disappointing. However, after our intervention, you have now received a refund. Q. How can flights to the U.S. be advertised when there are travel restrictions? Nigel Pownall, via email. A. Britons may not enter the U.S. if they have been in the UK, Ireland or the Schengen Area (and other countries) in the previous 14 days. However, U.S. citizens, permanent residents and some visa holders (UN staff and other diplomats) are exempt. So flights are going ahead. Q. In February, I booked a holiday to Dubai for September. If it goes ahead, I will need to have a negative Covid-19 certificate and the appropriate insurance. But as these were not part of the original terms and conditions, am I entitled to a refund? G. Colson, via email. A. If you booked a package holiday flight and accommodation together and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice remains against all but essential travel (as it is now), your tour operator will cancel and is legally required to provide a refund within 14 days. However, if the FCO gives the green light to travel and Dubai still has these entry requirements, you would be expected to meet them, even though they were not in the terms and conditions. Q. My partner and I have booked a holiday to Madeira on September 1. Is it likely to happen? Neil Chant, via email. A. As Madeira is exempt from the FCO advice against non-essential travel to Portugal, the holiday should go ahead. However, you must self-isolate for 14 days on your return. You must also provide proof of a negative coronavirus test taken less than 72 hours before arrival, or take a test on arrival and wait 12 hours at your accommodation for the result. Q. We have a Portsmouth to Caen Brittany Ferries crossing booked for September, costing 529. Recently my husband sustained a knee injury and is now awaiting surgery. We are in our 70s, concerned about Covid-19 and would like to cancel, but our tickets are non-refundable. Is there anything we can do? Sue Brindle, via email. Brittany Ferries will change a booking for a fee, but you can't get your money back on non-refundable tickets A. Yes, you can change your booking for a 20 fee, plus any extra cost if prices go up, for travel until November 2021. A refund is impossible, unfortunately. Q. I Paid a deposit for a Shearings holiday in June. The firm has since collapsed into administration. How can I get a refund? Mrs Rosemary Pikett, via email. A. Those who booked non-flight packages with Shearings can make a claim at submitaclaim.co.uk/shearings or on 01702 840295. See abta.com for further advice. Q. We are owed 5,173 from Tui and cant get through to speak to anyone. What can we do? Mr and Mrs Block, Matlock. Tui says: 'If a customers holiday is cancelled, we will proactively contact them with their credit note voucher plus a 10 per cent booking incentive A. We have had several such enquiries this week. Tui says you should go to tui.co.uk/destinations/info/coronavirus and follow the refund link, which leads to an online form. Fill this in using the Refund Credit number you should have already. Refunds take up to four weeks due to a backlog though legally they should be made within 14 days of application. A Tui spokeswoman says: If a customers holiday is cancelled, we will proactively contact them with their credit note voucher plus a 10 per cent booking incentive. You do not have to accept the voucher, and can claim a cash refund, as described above. WERE HERE TO HELP The Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions. Email them to: holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk and include your contact details. New Delhi: The first batch of Afghan Sikhs who were keen to be in India's promised facilitation mission arrived in Delhi on Sunday. This is the first batch that includes 11 members in total. The batch left from Kabul on Sunday. The Indian mission in Kabul shared the information saying,"Travel of some members of the Hindu and Sikh Community, interested in moving to India facilitated." The batch includes a Delhi-based Afghan Sikh, Nidan Singh, who was abducted by terrorists and the rest of the ten are families of the Afghan Sikhs who were killed in the Kabul Gurudwara terror attack earlier this year. More than 25 Afghan Sikhs and One Indian Sikh were killed on the March 25th Gurudwara terror attack in Kabul. India on July 23 had said that the Indian mission in Kabul is providing the Afghan Hindus and Sikhs visas to come to India, adding that their request for Indian citizenship is also being "examined and acted upon" based on "rules and policies". The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Shrivastava said that the Centre has been receiving requests from these communities that "they want to move to India and settle down here" and despite the COVID-19 pandemic, "we are facilitating the requests". India's move came days after Delhi-based Afghan Sikh Nidan Singh was abducted in the eastern Afghan province of Paktika that borders Pakistan. He was later released. India views the "recent spurt of attacks on Hindus and Sikh community" in Afghanistan by "terrorists at the behest of external supporters", indicating Pakistan's involvement. The wife of kidnapped Afghan Sikh had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting for assistance for the release of her husband and also grant citizenship. Mahrwanti wrote to PM Modi on June 25 saying, "I request you to kindly repatriate him to New Delhi immediately after his release and grant us Indian citizenship at the earliest." Singh was kidnapped from Gurdwara Tala Sahib, Chamkani in Afghanistan. He was there to maintain the Gurdwara where according to history Guru Nanak Dev, founder of Sikhism had visited. He was the lone person managing and performing community service in the Gurdwara. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated his Mann Ki Baat address to Kargil Vijay Diwas and shared inspirational stories from across the country in battling the spread of the coronavirus disease. Starting his address by recalling the Kargil conflict, PM Modi said that Indias victory is very important and praiseworthy because our soldiers beat the odds and emerged victorious. He said that the enemy was perched on high grounds and still, Indian soldiers were able to beat Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan undertook this misadventure with sinister plans to capture Indias land and to divert attention from its internal conflicts, said the Prime Minister. Twenty one years ago on this day, our army won the Kargil War. India was then trying to have cordial relations with Pakistan but is said that it is in the nature of the wicked to have enmity with everyone for no reason, said PM Modi. Also read: Kargil Vijay Diwas: Defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah pay tributes to brave soldiers He then paid tribute to Kargil martyrs and urged the countrymen to read and share the stories of their bravery. He also talked about Mahatma Gandhis talisman and asked people to do and say things keeping in mind welfare of soldiers on borders. The Prime Minister then turned his attention to efforts being carried out across the country to check the spread of Covid-19. He shared some inspirational stories from Jammu and Kashmir. During Covid-19, Balbir Kaur, sarpanch of Trewa in Jammu, built a 30-bed quarantine bed in her panchayat. Jaituna Begum of Chountliwar in Ganderbal resolved helped created employment opportunities, said PM Modi. The Prime Minister then highlighted Indias track record in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, Covid-19 recovery rate in our country is better than others. Our fatality rate is much less than most other countries. We able to save the lives of lakhs of people,but threat of Coronavirus is not over yet. It is spreading fast many areas, we need to remain vigilant, said PM Modi. In his last Mann Ki Baat address on June 28, the Prime Minister had urged people to work together to make India self-reliant and technologically advanced. We are in the time of unlock. But, we have to be even more careful. India is unlocking, be it in sectors like coal, space, agriculture and more and it is now the time to work together to make India self-reliant and technologically advanced, the Prime Minister had said. Also read| Kargil Vijay Diwas: Day to mark Indias victory in 1999 conflict against Pakistan During this unlock period, one will have to focus deeply on two points- defeating corona and strengthening the economy and bolstering it, he had further said. He had also spoken about the border standoff with China and praised the Indian Army soldiers who were killed in the Galway Valley clash with Chinese troops on June 15. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has requested Governor Kalraj Mishra to start a session of the state assembly to discuss bills, including one on the coronavirus pandemic, without mentioning a floor test, reports said on Sunday. Gehlot asked him to start a session of the state assembly from July 31, according to news agency ANI. Rajasthan is facing a political crisis due to a rebellion by Sachin Pilot and a section of Congress legislators supporting the former deputy chief minister. The Gehlot camp, which is confident of its numbers and feels a floor test may be its best bet to end the political crisis, has said the governor is delaying convening a session due to pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government. Mishra has denied the charge, saying he will follow constitutional norms to convene the House. The governor had turned down the earlier proposal sent by the Congress government and said that it did not mention a date or a reason. Congress functionaries aware of the developments said on Saturday that the Rajasthan government has addressed Mishras queries on the urgent need for holding a special session of the assembly. Legislators supporting chief minister Gehlot had on Friday staged a five-hour demonstration at Raj Bhavan to push for their demand for a special sitting. Gehlot had told MLAs at a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Saturday that he was ready to knock at the doors of the Presidents House and protest outside the Prime Ministers residence in the national capital to defeat the BJPs conspiracy to topple his government, according to the Congress functionaries who did not want to be named. The BJP has denied the Congress allegations and said that an internal feud has triggered the current crisis. On his part, Pilot had said he has no plans of joining the BJP. Gehlot has the support of 101 members, excluding Speaker CP Joshi. Pilot has the backing of 18 Congress MLAs and three Independents, taking his tally to 22. The BJP and its ally Rashtriya Loktrantrik Party have 75 seats. Bhanwarlal Meghwal, one Congress MLA said to be close to Pilot, is indisposed. If Pilots tally is added to that of the opposition alliance, it takes their number up to 97. A three-member swing from the Gehlot camp to the Pilot camp or to the BJP could lead to the government falling in the event of a floor test. Whirlwind: It Will Be Worse for Democrats If They Win Commentary In their bloodlustbecause thats what it isto defeat President Donald Trump, the Democrats are taking a potential Journey into the Whirlwind, as Evgenia Ginzberg wrote in her narrative by that name of Stalins Great Terror. Ginzberg, a loyal Communist Party member for decades, was falsely accused of being a counter-revolutionary Trotskyist and shuttled between labor camps and prison for years, two of which she spent in solitary confinement. Her long-suppressed account, finally published in 1967, of the depredations of the Gulag is now a classic. It cant happen here, you say. Maybe not. But the avowedly Marxist Black Lives Matter and Antifa already have vastly more adherents across our country than the Bolsheviks ever did at the outset. And the Bolsheviks didnt have the support and apparent sympathy of nearly every big city mayor and blue-state governor who reject the help of the federal government in squelching the increasingly violent actions of these groups and their fellow travelers. The mainstream media, whose hatred for Trump outweighs any feelings about Stalin or Mao, has also been largely complicit in the whitewash of these activities, deliberately ignoring the truth by making false claims that demonstrations are basically nonviolent and downplaying all acts of extremism as accidental one-offs. But what weve been watching for the last months is a flip-flop between a re-upped version of the Paris Commune, which ultimately failed, and the more successful Russian and Chinese revolutions in their nascent forms. All this in the run-up to what is arguably the most consequential election in our history since the Civil War between a president who remains a loud-mouthed outsider and the quintessential political hack. I doubt Joe Biden knows many details of the Bolshevik Revolution or of the Great Leap Forward or the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. Even more, I would wager he has never heard of Ginzburg, let alone read her book. He can barely put a sentence together. But that makes him the perfect fall guy for what is transpiring, our Alexander Kerensky, without having the slightest clue who Kerensky was and not really sharing the Russians democratic values in the first place. (Kerensky was not, to our knowledge, a plagiarist, in law school or elsewhere.) Some say that after Biden is elected, COVID-19 will miraculously die down and the country will suddenly go quiet and peaceful, demonstrations diminishing. It well mightbut only for what amounts to a few minutes. One thing that will not be happening is conditions in the country getting better. Bidens economic plans, heavily under the influence of AOC and others from his left he seems terrified of confronting, will only make things worse. In a short while, the radical groups will be back in the streets again, demanding changes that can never be satisfied short of revolutionand even then, if history is any guide, will continue on Robespierre-style into oblivion. Critical race theoryagain with 99 percent not knowing what it iswill reign, dividing us even more. Many will unfairly be accused of racism and punished severely, in a way eerily similar to what happened to Ginzberg for being called a Trotskyist. The limousine liberals of Brentwood, California, or Malibu who backed Biden so adamantly, whether as a last resort or not, will be starting to sweat. The revolution will be coming for them. How could they not have known? Didnt they see Dr. Zhivago? Some of them may even have helped make it. (Well, maybe not in todays Hollywood.) If you think things are bad now, just wait. Ironicallyand infuriatingly to some of them at that point who are brave enough to admit itthe one person standing in the way of all this madness was the man they most despised, Trump. Whatever you think of him, he was the bad medicine that could have prevented all this. But liberals allowed their emotions (and in many cases ambitions) to cloud their judgment to such a degree that they destroyed themselvesand us, at least for a while. As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Roger L. Simon is an award-winning author, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, and co-founder of PJ Media. His latest books are I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic If It Hasnt Already (nonfiction) and The GOAT (fiction). Follow him on Twitter and Parley @rogerlsimon. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A man with a transplanted lung has revealed how he was determined to survive Covid-19 to honour the life of his donor after catching the virus. Gerry Redican was getting used to living with his lung transplant two years on from the operation when his worst fears were realised with a positive test result for coronavirus in March, less than three weeks after the first case was recorded in Ireland. The Roscommon man, who worked as a head chef in the Bon Secours Hospital in Tralee before his transplant in 2018, was also living with diabetes and a heart condition. When reports of the respiratory pandemic started to filter through in February, the 62-year-old was on high alert, only leaving the house for essential errands as he was on immuno-suppressant drugs to ensure his body didn't reject his transplanted lung. But after 79 days, he has recovered from the virus which has taken the lives of nearly 600,000 people around the globe. "I suppose the lung transplant was the ultimate preparation," he says from his home in Tralee. "Life is life. It's a discovery to realise you have such a zest or a fight for life in a way. You draw on that strength, on that experience. The sad part is that your donor and your donor's family made that decision to give you a lung at the hardest time of their life." He is grateful to the staff who took care of him in Cork University Hospital during his six-week stint in an isolation room while he was being treated for Covid-19. "I had a few scary nights. The medics told me someone was smiling down on me. I had a bacterial infection in one lung, a viral infection in the other and my kidneys were failing. I was 79 days from start to finish." He was diagnosed after displaying symptoms of a tickly cough and smelling burning food, and transferred to Cork University Hospital because of his condition. "I had only been out twice that week on errands. I would have been concerned as all respiratory patients [were]." A few years ago he was diagnosed with life-limiting Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, a disease which scars the lungs. He was told he would need a transplant to survive. While his single lung transplant had left him vulnerable to Covid-19, it also gave him a steely determination while fighting the coronavirus. "I always hold the view that there is no point panicking. I trusted in the science that they were doing the best they possibly could... "I was very lucky, I was in an isolated room and I didn't have to be intubated because I managed to keep breathing. "I was on oxygen to help me breathe and my lungs have been damaged by Covid. Hopefully, with the pulmonary rehab programme I am on at the moment, it will improve. "When you wake up after the transplant, you open up your eyes and the first thing you ask is 'Am I alive or dead because the room is very bright'. It takes a second for you to say, 'Oh I'm still alive'. "Your mouth is full of tubes, it's frightening but you don't care, you're alive." Books kept him going during the long days fighting the virus without visitors. "I am a voracious reader. I didn't turn on the news." Gerry is backing a campaign by Irish Lung Fibrosis Association to get a defined patient pathway for respiratory patients to ensure they are diagnosed quickly. While he believes the Irish public have taken the virus threat seriously, he urged people not to "drop their guard." Shoppers wear masks as a precaution against the transmission of the novel coronavirus as they walk past a shop window on Oxford Street in London on July 14, 2020. (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images) National Retail CEO Says Hes Willing to Lose Customers Over New Mask Policy The CEO of a national retail chain said Saturday that hes willing to lose customers over a new store policy on face masks. JOANN Fabric and Craft Stores CEO Wade Miquelon acknowledged that some customers may be angered by the policy, which takes effect Monday. JOANN, which operates about 850 stores across 49 states, will now respectfully encourage masks regardless of local mandates. This is the right thing to do, said Miquelon, So, for the very few minority [of people] that dont want to comply, I think those are probably customers that were willing to lose just because of the situation that were in. Miquelon said the policy is necessary as CCP (Chinese Communist Party) viruscommonly known as novel coronaviruscases have reached a tipping point. Previously, JOANN had a face mask policy at stores where the local government had rules in place. The new policy, which encourages but does not explicitly require masks, applies to all of the companys stores. Signs will be posted at all stores Saturday and the company will inform their customers of the change via its website. Miquelon declined to say whether JOANN employees are trained to refuse customers who dont wear face masks. Well cross the bridge when we come to it, he said. While he recognizes the potential for hostile moments, Miquelon added, I just dont want to see an employee get hurt. Our people didnt sign up for that. Theyre just trying to be a good citizen and earn a living. In March, JOANN released a video tutorial on how to make face masks, and encouraged people to drop them off at store locations to be donated to local hospitals. Miquelons concerns underscore how retailers are trying to strike a balance between protecting their employees and maintaining relationships with customers they need to keep their businesses alive. Several retailers, including Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Walgreens, and CVS, require masks but wont stop maskless customers from shopping in their stores. They say they want to avoid any confrontations between angry customers and employees. The CNN wire and Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. 'As we hit the restart button, mobilise our economy and learn to live with Covid-19 in the medium-term, there needs to be recognition that everything has shifted on its axis' (stock image) As coronavirus begins to loosen its grip in Ireland and across Europe, families and friends are now emerging from isolation and carefully returning to elements of normality. Public libraries, parks, playgrounds and shops are once again open and being enjoyed, showing our society is starting to understand how to live with a new norm. Businesses big and small are also implementing plans to reopen. Many will be focused on managing the severe impact on revenue and growth as a result of this pandemic, while all will be focused on the next chapter of our recovery. As we hit the restart button, mobilise our economy and learn to live with Covid-19 in the medium-term, there needs to be recognition that everything has shifted on its axis. Prior to Covid-19, it was reported 216,000 people in Ireland were working from home. Owing to the pandemic thousands of businesses and employees were thrust overnight into working from home. With schools and colleges closed and the majority of people required to stay at home, connectivity to services and activities such as video streaming, collaboration tools and online learning were critical. This dramatic shift in online behaviour resulted in a sudden and abrupt change to our mobile network traffic profiles. For instance, mobile traffic volumes were up 50pc during the working week and fixed traffic 60pc. If the pandemic had taken place as little as seven years ago, the operating capacity provided by the then 3G network would not have enabled us to connect people so they could work from home. We would not have had the option of buying everything we need online, nor would it have been possible for most of the student population to carry on with their studies. Thanks to the advance of technology and digital connections, we were able to support the community and continue business activity. Recovery will bring its challenges. In launching its recent Quarterly Economic Outlook report, Ibec warned of the long-term economic impact of the pandemic and predicts a contraction in GDP of 11pc in 2020 and a fall in consumer spending by 14pc. Unemployment is also expected to remain high at 16pc towards the end of 2020 and at 7pc in 2021. The EU recovery plan announced recently highlights the importance of investing in our future and in digitalisation, which is a good start. Additionally, the new programme for government recognises the central role of technology and connectivity to our economy and society: "Ensuring access to high-quality internet connections for people across Ireland is essential to the development of all parts of our country, socially and economically." These are sentiments I fully embrace. Our collective ability to recover will require strong leadership by our government and from institutions. We must rebuild our societies and economies to be more resilient, more sustainable, more digital and more inclusive. I believe there are four key elements we must now focus on: The recent Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published annually by the EU, ranks Ireland sixth out of the EU member states for digital competitiveness. While on the surface this is positive it masks some underlying issues. For example, when it comes to take-up of high-speed fibre to the home (FTTH), Ireland ranks as one of the lowest in Europe. Vodafone is proud to be playing our part to address this connectivity deficit. With our joint venture partner, ESB, we have invested more than 500m in Siro's high-speed FTTH network, which is now live in 45 regional towns and urban areas, and accessible to almost 400,000 homes and businesses. However, we must acknowledge this crisis has touched us all differently. The level of digitalisation has drawn an unseen dividing line, leaving many on the wrong side of it. Recent research among school principals revealed 39pc felt there was a clear digital divide across hardware, software and technological skills that was impacting the ability of children to learn online. The elderly have also been disproportionately impacted. The task ahead for Government is clear: no matter where they live, whatever their age and income, citizens must have digital access and tools, as well as literacy. Secondly, businesses must recognise a new reality: diminished physical interaction with customers or employees. According to the latest CSO figures, the SME sector accounts for 99.8pc of business in the Irish economy and employs more than two-thirds of workers. These businesses must be able to function digitally to be able to flourish in the future. Thirdly, we need to accelerate the provision of critical government services through digital means and I am pleased to see a commitment to this in the programme for government. Ireland ranks ninth among EU countries in digital public services, well above the EU average. This shows a healthy demand but when it comes to use of e-health services, for example, Ireland ranks near the bottom of the EU table. Finally, it is long overdue to bridge the perpetual digital infrastructure investment gap which, in its recovery plan, the EU Commission has estimated to be 42bn annually. Attracting and mobilising private investment remains important, but the real game-changer will only happen if governments adopt a new, comprehensive approach, and face up to policy choices driving the poor returns on digital investment in Europe. The opportunity is now to chart a new course to enhance digital infrastructure and accelerate the digitisation of all citizens, businesses and key government services - for the benefit of society, its resilience and its future competitiveness. We have an opportunity in Ireland to transform the economic and social life of rural towns and communities by addressing this digital divide, improving lives, creating jobs and contributing to a low-carbon future. At Vodafone, we are ready to play our part. Iraqi MP urges expulsion of all US forces, says 'slow drawdown' not acceptable Iran Press TV Friday, 24 July 2020 9:42 AM While the US claims it plans to gradually reduce the number of its forces in Iraq, a senior Iraqi lawmaker has called the partial pullout unacceptable and urged the expulsion of all foreign troops. Major General Kenneth Ekman, deputy commander of coalition forces, told reporters on Thursday that the US will "slowly" decrease the number of its troops in Iraq over time. He said the US is to reduce its "footprint" in Iraq as a feared resurgence of Daesh has not so far materialized in the Arab country. "I think over time, what you will see is a slow reduction of US forces," he added. He noted that US forces will hand over the control of the Besmaya base south of Baghdad to Iraqi forces on Saturday, and Spain's training contingent will return home. However, a senior Iraqi lawmaker said the partial withdrawal is not acceptable, urging the government of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to pursue the expulsion of all US-led foreign troops as per the Iraqi Parliament's decision. Mukhtar al-Musawi, a member of Fatah Alliance in the Iraqi Parliament, said Iraqi armed forces are fully prepared to defend the country against any danger, adding there is no need for US soldiers. He said the US plan to "slowly" withdraw its forces from Iraq is mainly aimed at "killing time", adding PM Kadhimi must discuss the issue with American officials in his coming trip to Washington. "We will take a different position if a timetable is not announced for the drawdown of US troops," he warned. Anti-US sentiment has been running high in Iraq following Washington's January 3 assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in addition to several other comrades, outside the Baghdad airport. Two days after the assassinations, the Iraqi parliament voted for a resolution that called for an end to the presence of all foreign forces, including the Americans. Washington, however, has threatened sanctions should US troops be expelled from Iraq instead of ending the occupation of the Arab country. On Monday, the Iraqi TV station Etejah broadcast an animated video showing rows of coffins covered with American flags in a helicopter, as it takes off from the desert. US military vehicles are then shown burning as a massive fist with flags for Iraq and the resistance forces rises from the ground beneath them. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rajasthan governor Kalraj Mishra on Sunday reviewed the security arrangements at his official residence, Raj Bhawan, as well as the Covid-19 health crisis in the state, amid severe political turmoil which has seen Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot locked in a bitter power tussle with his erstwhile deputy and rebel leader Sachin Pilot. The security review at the Raj Bhawan comes barely two days after the Chief Minister accompanied by about 100 Congress legislators protested on the lawns of the Governors residence on Friday. They were demanding that the Governor should convene an assembly session by Monday and let them face a floor test in the 200-member assembly. After a lot of political drama, the Congress government in the state has urged him to summon the assembly session on July 31. The party has also called for a nationwide dharna in front of Raj Bhawans on Monday. Chief Secretary Rajiva Swarup and Director General of Police Bhupendra Yadav participated at the meeting at Raj Bhawan and briefed Mishra about the protest being organized by the Congress party on Monday. Adequate security arrangements have been made at the Raj Bhawan, a statement issued by governors office said. At the meeting, the statement said, the Governor also expressed concern about the growing number of cases of coronavirus in the state. Mishra said that the number of Covid-19 cases had gone up three-fold since July 1. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that the government wants to hold a session of the assembly to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the state and the political crisis. According to the statement, Mishra directed the government officials that serious efforts should be made to control the growing cases of Covid-19 in the state. A new strategy will have to be considered to control the pandemic in the state, the statement said, quoting Mishra. On Saturday, a BJP delegation had submitted a memorandum to the Governor saying that the Congress threatening to surround the Raj Bhawan was a criminal act under Section 124 of the Indian Penal Code. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara, said, The Governor should not worry about anything. Congress follows Gandhian principles and protests, if any, would be peaceful. BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek, however, pointed out that the post of the Governor is a constitutional one and the kind of statements the chief minister made had raised concerns and the review of security arrangements seemed necessary. He said the Rajasthan government since the last 15 days had been locked in a hotel, and a Covid-19 review by the Governor was necessary in public interest. On Friday, the Governor had written to Gehlot expressing concern at Congress legislators staging a protest on the lawns of Raj Bhawan on Friday afternoon. In his letter to the chief minister, the Governor wrote, Before I could discuss the matter with experts regarding an assembly session, you have openly said that if Raj Bhawan is gheraoed then it is not your responsibility. If you and your Home Ministry cannot protect the Governor then what about law and order in the state? What agency should be contacted for the Governors security? Ive never heard such a statement from any CM. Is this not the beginning of a wrong trend where MLAs protest at Raj Bhawan? Mishra questioned in his communication to Gehlot. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Additionally, what will school systems do if students, or their caregivers, cant access the schools website? Well before COVID-19, thousands of school districts already had violated federal requirements to make their websites accessible to all. The work of accessibility and accommodation never was meant to end at the classroom door. For too long, it has been tailored to individual cases rather than made a foundational principle of Virginias schools. Now is the time for schools to stop viewing accommodations and accessibility as an afterthought and begin to take advantage of a digital learning possibility: equity in education. During remote learning, equity starts with 1-on-1, synchronous support for students and families, and simple, straightforward presentations. Now is not the time for clip art or wacky fonts, or cute YouTube videos without captions. Student engagement cannot come at the cost of accessibility. Now more than ever, equity also means providing clear contact information at the point of delivery about how a student or caregiver can get additional support. It means more scaffolding: organizational tools such as graphic organizers and clear, concise checklists to help students complete their work. As students start the 2020-21 academic year, were entering into a new normal one with more digital learning than ever before. Schools must take steps now to ensure this new normal includes at last accessibility for all. Last week, the ruling All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party and 12 other parties nominated candidates for the Ondo governorship election, while federal lawmakers grilled NDDC top officials over alleged misappropriation of N81.5 billion. Those were two of the top political developments of the week. In Ondo, not less than eleven aspirants challenged Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for the APC ticket. Four of them stepped down prior to the poll before the incumbent coasted to victory against the remaining seven aspirants in an indirect primary election. Mr Akeredolu will thus, again, fly the APC flag as he seeks reelection on October 10. On Wednesday the PDP conducted a direct primary. Eyitayo Jegede, who was the partys candidate in 2016, defeated seven aspirants, including the recently defected Ondo state deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, to again emerge the partys flagbearer and set up a rematch against Mr Akeredolu. Mr Ajayi had defected to the PDP in June after his fallout with Mr Akeredolu but came short in his bid to pick the governorship ticket of his new party. The ruling APC recently suffered the defection of Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Ondo deputy governor but was surprisingly consoled last week when a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, returned into its camp from the PDP. Mr Dogara, who was elected speaker on the platform of APC in 2015, defected to the PDP in 2018 alongside some members of the lower chamber. Until his presentation to President Muhammadu Buhari at State House on Friday by the Yobe State governor, Mala Buni, there was no pointer to Mr Dogaras second cross-party movement in two years. President @MBuhari this afternoon at the State House, Abuja, received Yobe State Governor, H.E Mai Mala Buni accompanied by former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara. While the Bauchi state chapter of the PDP expressed shock over the former speakers defection, the ruling party hailed it as the beginning of impending mass defections set to hit the failed opposition party. It also seized the opportunity to lash at the main opposition partys lawmakers who earlier issued a threat to impeach Mr Buhari over the alleged high level of corruption in his government and insecurity in the country. NDDC Drama Following the drama at the NDDC probe by the House of Representatives, the immediate past governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said he resigned from the agency in 2010 because of massive corruption there. Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. [PHOTO CREDIT: Pulse.ng] Mr Kwankwaso said he resigned from the board of the NDDC because of the greed and desperate moves by government officials to accumulate wealth through the agency, even though he too had been accused of corruption when he served as governor. Lawmakers and invited guests seated at the venue of the investigation of alleged financial recklessness by the NDDC currently going on at the House of Representatives The House of Representatives also began to probe alleged mismanagement of N100 billion at the North East Development Commission after the managing director was accused of gross abuse of office. Television actor Parth Samthaan, who has now tested negative for Covid-19, has thanked fans and well-wishers for their love. The actor had confirmed he had tested positive for the virus two weeks ago. Parth took to his Instagram account to share a health update and let everyone know that he is feeling much better. As you all know by now... My reports are negative & I feel much better. Thank you all for keeping me in your prayers... Thanks a ton, God bless you, he wrote in an Instagram post. Fans expressed their relief in the comments section. Thank God. Love you, one user wrote. Finally you posted thankgod you are fine now. stay blessed always love you, another wrote. Parth tested positive for Covid-19 on July 12 and revealed in an Instagram post that he would remain under home quarantine as he was showing mild symptoms. He also urged everyone who came in contact with him to get themselves tested. Also see: Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic cradle her baby bump in loving snap from maternity shoot Hi everyone , I have been tested Postive for covid 19 .although I have mild symptoms.. I would urge and request everyone whose been with me in close promitixy over the last few days please go and get yourself tested. The Bmc has regularly been in touch and with the doctors guidance I am in self quarantine and I am grateful to them for all their support . Please be safe and take care, he wrote. After Parths diagnosis came to light, the shoot of the Kasautii Zindagii Kay reboot was briefly stopped, and his co-stars including Erica Fernandes, Karan Patel, Aamna Sharif and Pooja Banerjee were tested. All the actors tested negative for the virus. Though Parth has now tested negative for Covid-19, it is not known when he will resume shooting for Kasautii Zindagii Kay. New episodes of the show began airing earlier this month, after a more than three-month hiatus. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BOTTREL, ALTA.Three teens are recovering from injuries after an intense storm tore through a campground northwest of Calgary and knocked a tree onto their tent. EMS spokesman Adam Loria says four ambulances were dispatched to the campground in the hamlet of Bottrel on Friday afternoon. Loria says all of the teens were boys and that one of them suffered multiple serious injuries, although he adds the teen is expected to survive. Duane Needham, owner of the Bottrel General Store, which operates the campground for Rocky View County, says hail was so intense he couldnt even see the campground from the store and dozens of trees were toppled. Needham says his brother and niece were the first to arrive at the tent where the three boys, aged 16 and 17, were staying. He says they had to remove a branch that was pinning the boy who was most seriously injured, noting the boy was speaking and was able to move his hands and feet. It was the weirdest storm Ive ever seen, Needham said. It was quite a mess. It was something you had to see to believe. Loria said one of the teens was taken by ground ambulance to Foothills Hospital in Calgary in stable, non-life-threatening condition. The remaining two were taken to Alberta Childrens Hospital in Calgary with minor injuries, Loria said. Needham said that when his brother and niece made it to the tent, the boy that was stuck under a branch was having trouble breathing because of the pressure. They snapped the branch and took the pressure off, he said. Needham said he didnt know where the boys were from but believed they were local, noting their parents arrived at the scene within 20 minutes. Needham suspects it may have been a tornado. Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Sara Hoffman said the weather office issued a severe thunderstorm watch for a large area of southern Alberta on Friday. She said she has seen pictures of accumulated hail, but said an investigation into the weather event is still ongoing. Hoffman said major damage doesnt necessarily mean there was a twister. Severe wind gusts can be more damaging than a tornado, she said. Hoffman said investigations strongly lean on pictures as well as witness accounts, and that she encourages people to email them to Alberta frequently experiences intense summer storms with hail, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada says one last month in the Calgary area that pounded homes, vehicles and crops caused almost $1.2 billion in insured damage, making it the fourth most expensive insured natural disaster in Canadian history. Read more about: US coronavirus deaths have topped 1,000 for the fourth day in a row Friday as 18 states set single day records of infections. A staggering 1,019 Americans were killed by the virus in the last day, topping off a dismal week with 1,140 deaths Thursday, 1,135 Wednesday and 1,141 Tuesday. Infections rose by at least 68,800 Friday, driven by escalating outbreaks across the south and west with Arizona, California, Florida, Texas and California especially hard-hit. More than 4.1 million people have been infected with the virus and more than 146,000 people have been killed. A total of 18 states surpassed their own records for new daily infections this week, as the US looks set to break its national record of 75,697 new cases in a single day reached back on July 16. California, South Carolina, North Dakota, Kentucky, Hawaii, Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia all beat their own records for daily cases, while forty states also recorded 14-day increases in infections per capita. Florida has now joined California in overtaking former virus epicenter New York in terms of total confirmed cases. The Sunshine State added another 12,444 cases to its tally, taking infections to 414,511, according to Johns Hopkins University figures. California leads the way with more than 440,000 cases while New York has driven down cases after enduring one of the longest lockdowns of all states. California governor Gavin Newsom announced new measures for the state's nursing homes after it emerged nursing home inspectors were visiting facilities without being tested for the virus. The shock revelation came as part of an LA Times investigation, suggesting inspectors could unwittingly infect some of the most vulnerable populations. However despite soaring cases and deaths across the US, White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr Deborah Birx insisted the worst of the crisis could be over for the hard-hit southern and western states. City of Orlando employees conduct COVID-19 tests at a drive-thru testing site. Florida has now joined California in overtaking former virus epicenter New York in terms of total confirmed cases Medics treat a patient in a Texas hospital. Cases are soaring in the south and west of America and US deaths have topped 1,000 for the fourth day in a row Friday 'We're already starting to see some plateauing in these critically four states that have really suffered under the last four weeks, so Texas, California, Arizona and Florida, those major metros and throughout their counties,' Birx told NBC news. Birx's comments come as federal health and education officials stressed the need to plow ahead with a return to school as soon as possible. The American public and its leaders have been sharply divided over whether students should return to school for the fall term during the pandemic. Birx said children under the age of 18 are typically less sick than older adults from the sometimes deadly illness but called it an 'open question' how readily those under 10 can spread the virus. Donald Trump has pushed for schools to reopen, saying it is critical to the mental and emotional well-being of children and the ability of their parents to work, after business closures and 'stay-at-home' orders have thrown millions of Americans out of work. The CDC issued a call to reopen schools in a statement posted on its website that listed the benefits of being in school and downplayed health risks, although it said exceptions should be made for so-called virus 'hot spots.' Despite soaring cases and deaths across the US, White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr Deborah Birx insisted the worst of the crisis could be over for the hard-hit southern and western states Most teachers unions, which in some states and cities have an outsized political influence especially among Democrats, have fought hard against reopenings. The guidelines were 'all put out with the intent to help facilitate, as was mentioned earlier, the full reopening of schools for face-to-face learning,' said Dr Robert Redfield, the CDC's director. While the risk of severe COVID-19 is seen as relatively low for children, there is fear they could infect teachers and other employees. Schools across the country are opening on different dates, with different modes of teaching - virtual instruction, in-person in classrooms, or a hybrid of both - and different or unclear expectations of how long each stage will last. Two Lincoln bars and the Railyard commons area have been closed for violations of the citys directed health measure, health officials announced Saturday. Iguanas Pub, Longwells and the Railyard commons were ordered to be closed from 5 p.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday, according to a press release from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Bairds mask mandate went into effect Monday. It requires business owners to ensure that their patrons age 5 and older wear face coverings anytime they cant maintain 6 feet of distance from other groups. The measure also requires businesses to limit parties to eight people, maintain at least 6 feet of distance between tables and limit capacity. The Health Department said it had received a number of reports alleging that certain bars were in violation. Inspections conducted late Friday night and early Saturday morning identified significant violations at the two bars and the Railyard commons, the Health Department said. Interim Health Director Pat Lopez said the bars were closed only after attempts to educate and work with the establishments failed. A week after actor Kangana Ranaut made sensational claims on Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case and questioned why the Mumbai Police is not summoning 'few people' of Bollywood, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said that Karan Johar's manager has been summoned, and the director himself will be summoned next if required. The Maharashtra Home Minister also revealed that Mahesh Bhatt would be summoned for questioning in the next few days, and they would get to the bottom of whether there is groupism in Bollywood that causes ostracisation of some people, as alleged by Kangana in great detail. "Around 37 people have been investigated in the suicide by Sushant. Tomorrow, Mahesh Bhatt's statement will be taken. Karan Johar's manager has been summoned, he will be summoned if needed. Kangana's statement will also be taken, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said. Earlier, on July 18, the Mumbai Police questioned Aditya Chopra in connection with the case. The Yash Raj Films head honcho recorded his statement at the Versova police station in Mumbai. The session reportedly lasted for four hours. Big names like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rumi Jaffery, Rajeev Masand, Rhea Chakraborty, Sanjana Sanghi, have been questioned so far. READ | Karan Johar's 'leave Bollywood' video surfaces after Kangana Ranaut mentions it to Arnab 'Why Powerful Not Summoned': Kangana Ranaut In an explosive interview on 'Nation Wants To Know', Kangana called the ongoing interrogation by Mumbai Police a 'complete sham' after they failed to summon those who are being questioned in the public domain or the ones who (she alleges) pushed him into a depressed state of mind. Kangana said, "I have no way of investigating this matter. I am not an official. I can only gather my common sense with whatever I see. Whatever I say and whatever I put out there is not my opinion... it's not something that I think about but it is for everyone in the public domain to see. and some people very conveniently ignore it." Ranaut further said, "I was summoned, I told them to send someone to take my statement in Manali. I haven't received anything after that." In conclusion, Ranaut stressed that Mumbai Police should summon two big Bollywood producers Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. Kangana Ranaut has, time and again, opined against filmmaker Karan Johar and had, in fact, tagged him as the flag bearer of nepotism in his chat show Koffee With Karan. READ | Kangana on AR Rahmans 'gang spreading rumours' claim: 'Everyone experiences bullying' Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment on June 14. As per the autopsy report, the actor died due to asphyxia caused because of hanging. Demand for CBI investigation has grown since then. In the latest update, Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy on July 15 wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput's death by suicide. The letter mentioned how 'big Bollywood names are trying to cover up the death'. Ishkaran Singh Bhandari, Dr Swamy's lawyer shared the letter and a video on his Twitter handle explaining why a CBI investigation was needed in the case. On Saturday, Swamy exuded confidence that CBI investigation is inevitable. READ | Kangana Ranaut reveals to Arnab, 'Wanted to shave head off & disappear'; read why 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. Ted Cruz signaled Sunday that more Chinese consulates could be closed in the U.S. after the Houston base was shuttered last week following revelations of spying on the premises. 'They may well be closed,' the Texas senator said when asked about other potential closures. 'That consulate was closed because it had engaged in espionage, it had engaged in intellectual property theft, they used it as a base for spying in Houston and throughout the Southwest,' Cruz told CBS News during an interview with Face the Nation host Margaret Brenner Sunday morning. 'And for a long time I have made the case that China poses the greatest geopolitical threat to the United States for the next century,' he continued. 'The most significant foreign policy consequence of this pandemic,' Cruz asserted, 'is people are understanding the threat China poses.' Cruz is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has often warned of the threat China poses to the U.S. including visiting Hong Kong to support protesters standing up to Beijing. Texas Senator Ted Cruz claimed Washington could shutter more Chinese consulates after the Houston compound ceased operations Friday.'They may well be closed,' he said of the remaining four consulates 'I have made the case that China poses the greatest geopolitical threat to the United States for the next century,' Cruz told CBS host Margaret Brenner Sunday morning, claiming the Houston consulate in particular was a 'base for spying' Beijing was told the Houston consulate had until Friday at 4:00 p.m. to cease operations. That day, officials were seen hammering the door shut after diplomats and employees vacated the property. Soon after the orders were issued, video emerged of diplomats burning documents in the courtyard of the consulate. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, the acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, claimed in a tweet Wednesday morning that 'China's Houston consulate is a massive spy center, forcing it to close is long overdue.' The consulate was raided by U.S. officials Friday, shortly after it officially closed for business. The consulate, which Donald Trump forced to close, was reportedly a hot bed of spies and was allegedly being used to steal medical and scientific research. On Friday afternoon, hours after the consulate officially closed and diplomats left, a group of men who appeared to be U.S. officials were seen forcing open a back door. The back door of the Houston consulate was forced open Friday afternoon by what appeared to be teams of U.S. officials making their way into the empty building The group of men was seen forcing the doors of the consulate open in Texas just hours after the Chinese employees and diplomats left A trio of consular vehicles leave the Consulate General of China building late on Friday The Chinese consulate in Houston closed its doors Friday, after an announcement Wednesday Small fires were seen being ignited in the courtyard of the building on Tuesday evening According to a Reuters witness, consulate staff had exited the building shortly after 4pm and left in vehicles. The back door was then forced open. Chinese authorities have called on Washington to reverse its decision, and said the closure of the diplomatic office was 'breaking down the friendship bridge.' In response, China has now ordered the closure of the US consulate in Chengdu - also within 72 hours. The U.S. has an embassy in Beijing and consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang, Wuhan and Hong Kong. The Chinese consulate in Houston is one of five in the U.S., not counting the embassy in Washington DC. On Tuesday, hours before the Trump administration made public its order to vacate the building, consulate employees were seen starting fires in a courtyard of the Houston building, prompting police officers and firefighters to rush to the area. Fire crews were prevented from accessing the compound as documents were seen being burned. Sources on Wednesday told NBC that the consulate was known as being a center for Chinese spying. Multiple U.S. officials told the network that the Houston consulate has long been used by the Chinese government to steal valuable medical research, and was involved in attempts to infiltrate the oil and natural gas industries. They said the consulate is well-fortified, was hardened to prevent U.S. surveillance, and was a high-tech communications hub to coordinate and execute various spying operations. Fire crews arriving on the scene were told they could not enter to put out the blazes Mark Warner, Democrat senator for Virginia and ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told NBC News's Katy Tur that he would not discuss the specific intelligence behind Wednesday's closure. 'But I can tell you for the last two years, I and other members of the intel committee have been holding classified briefings with business leaders and academic leaders about the concerted efforts of the Chinese communist party to steal our intellectual property, to steal it from companies, to steal it from universities, to be on better guard,' he said. Warner suggested the action was driven by the FBI and its intelligence. The State Department said China was directing 'massive illegal spying and influence operations.' David R. Stilwell, who oversees policy for East Asia and the Pacific at the State Department, told The New York Times that the Houston consulate had a history of engaging in 'subversive behavior'. China has five consulates in the United States. The Houston one, pictured, closed on Friday He said the consulate was the epicenter of research theft in the United States. For instance, Stilwell said, said the consul general, the top Chinese official there, and two other diplomats were recently caught using false identification to escort Chinese travelers to the gate area of a charter flight from George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Stilwell said that some of China's attempted scientific thefts in the United States had accelerated over the last six months, and could be related to efforts to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus - although he again presented no evidence. Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State, who has been a leader in aggressively pushing hard-line policies on China, said Wednesday at a news conference in Copenhagen that the Trump administration was 'setting out clear expectations as to how the Chinese Communist Party is going to behave.' He warned that the United States would 'take actions' to protect its interests. Moving vans were pictured outside the consulate in Houston on Wednesday Much of the interest in Houston has focused on the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In April 2019, three out of five scientists identified by federal authorities as being involved in efforts to steal American research on behalf of China at MD Anderson were ousted by the institution. A fourth scientist resigned before the conclusion of the investigation, and the fifth was disciplined by the center. Trump said during a news conference on Wednesday evening that 'it's always possible' his administration would close more Chinese missions. The consulate closure marks a further breakdown in relations between the world's two largest economies, and is a significant shift from just six months ago, when the countries signed a trade deal and Trump boasted that the U.S.-China relationship 'might be the best it's been in a long, long time.' Trump said six months ago that the relationship with China was excellent Now relations between Trump and China's leader, Xi Jinping, are at a low Now, in addition to closing the consulate, the U.S. is also considering a ban on Chinese-owned mobile apps such as Tik Tok, removing Chinese technology from the electrical grid, and sanctioning Communist Party officials over the internment of Muslims and a security law that effectively ends Hong Kong's independent legal status. Trump has also cut off additional trade talks and threatened to penalize China because he said 'they could have stopped' the pandemic. Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokeswoman, described the reasons given by the US for closing the consulate as 'unbelievably ridiculous'. She urged the U.S. to reverse its 'erroneous decision', or China would 'react with firm countermeasures'. 'While Chinese diplomats are promoting mutual understanding and friendship, the US embassy in China publicly attacks China's political system,' she said. 'As a result of smears and hatred fanned up by the US government, the Chinese embassy has received bomb and death threats.' Security was tight outside the US consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu yesterday as staff prepared to leave, a day after China ordered it to close in response to a US order for China to shut its consulate in Houston. The tit-for-tat consulate closures have brought a sharp deterioration in relations between the countries, which have the world's two largest economies. Shortly after the Houston closure order took effect last Friday, a group of men who appeared to be US officials were seen forcing open a back door to the facility. China's ministry of foreign affairs said yesterday that violated international and bilateral agreements and China would respond, without elaborating how. In Chengdu, a US consulate emblem inside the compound was taken down and staff could be seen moving about. Three removal vans later entered the compound. Police gathered outside and closed off the street to traffic in the south-western Chinese city. A steady stream of people walked along the street opposite the entrance throughout the day, many stopping to take photos or videos before police moved them on. Plain-clothes officers detained a man who tried to hold up a sign. It was not clear what the sign said. Neither the consulate nor the US embassy in Beijing have responded to requests for comment on the closure. Mangrove forests are a kind of magical phytocoenosium. They mostly grow on tropical and subtropical intertidal zones and are immersed in periodical tidewater. They are called forests on the sea as they are sometimes buried in the sea water and only have the crowns above the surface, and sometimes they are completely submerged in the water so they are also nicknamed underwater forests. Mangrove forests, just like coral reefs, salt marsh, and seagrass beds, belong to the marine ecosystem, but are more magical than them. The devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami happened on Dec.26. However, 172 households in a village in Indias Tamil Nadu state survived the deadly disaster, because of the luxuriant mangrove forests there. Mangrove forests are also heaven for birds. According to statistics, around 100,000 migratory and transient birds of more than 190 species would winter in the Shenzhen Mangrove Nature Reserve in the northeastern coast of Shenzhen Bay, South Chinas Guangdong Province every year. In a national nature reserve in Beilun Estuary, South Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 283 bird species are recorded, including those under key protection in China such as egret, peregrine falcon, spoon-billed sandpiper and black-faced spoonbill. The latest study suggests that the carbon storage in the mangrove forest per acre could be as much as 10 times more than that in forest, and carbon is sealed in the underwater soil. Thanks to the well-developed roots of mangrove plants, mangrove forests are able to resist the impacts of tides and waves, so as to protect farmland and reduce salt injury. They are a natural perimeter of the inland. Besides, mangrove forests are also a paradise for fish and shrimps as the plants roots, which are sticking underwater, offering favorable place for these little creatures to stay on and forage. China has 37 kinds of mangrove plants, and they are mainly distributed in Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Fujian and the southern coast of Zhejiang. This years World Oceans Day also held a series of activities to promote the protection of mangrove forests, as these plants might be extinct given the pressure from both climate change and human activities. Between 1980 and 2000, 35 percent of the worlds mangrove forests disappeared, or nearly 150,000 hectares each year, four times the amount of the global forest loss. And they are still decreasing every year at a speed of 1 to 2 percent. In the 1950s, China was still home to 50,000 hectares of mangrove forests, but the figure plunged to 22,000 hectares in 2000. According to Li Wuzheng, director of a mangrove reserve in Guangxi, the invasion of alien species, activities of peripheral residents, and insect pests are major threats for the plants, but human activities remain the largest one. The land reclamation, industrial construction, pollutant discharge and seaside aquaculture in coastal cites over the recent years have caused fatal damages to the existence of mangrove forests. For some residents living by the sea, mangrove forests are like supermarkets, as when the tides are low, they would always flock to the beach for beachcombing. Some of them even shock the fish with electricity. When humans find more food in the sea, the number of fish lowers, and so does the food for birds. Picking the fruits of avicennia marina, a species of mangrove plant, is a tradition for people in coastal Guangxi. However, such practice almost once wiped out the species. Fortunately, more and more people are realizing that to protect the mangrove forests is to protect their home. Mo Jirui, a 65-year-old forest ranger in Shankou mangrove forest nature reserve in Guangxi, is still walking in the forest every day to stop uncivilized behaviors and monitor insect pests. Chen Yuechao, another forest ranger in a nature reserve in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, was once threatened by some tourists as he tried to persuade them out of damaging the mangrove plants. However, he kept explaining again and again, saying that what the reserve does is to create a better environment, for now and for the future. Under the guidance of forest rangers, more and more people gradually came to realize that the mangrove forests not only offer abundant materials, but also are a natural defense. More of them are joining the protection of the plants. In the recent 20 years, as local authorities enhanced efforts to protect and restore environment, the total area of Chinas mangrove forests bounced back to around 29,000 hectares, and the country has established 52 nature reserves. China is also one of the very few countries that witnessed increasing area of mangrove plants. Over half of the mangrove wetlands are protected, way above the world average of 25 percent. A total of 7,000 hectares of mangrove plants were newly added in the recent 20 years. As ecology gets better, mangrove forests once again become a paradise for wildlife. In the mud flat of Zhangjiangkou National Mangrove Nature Reserve in East Chinas Fujian Province, there are over 150 bird species, 240 aquatic animal species and nearly 400 kinds of aquatic lives. There was never any doubt that Portlanders would counter federal officers show of force with one of their own. Angered by recent news reports detailing federal law enforcements brazen and arguably criminal tactics against protesters, Portlanders have come out in droves to defend First Amendment rights and resist the effort directed by President Donald Trump to quell the nightly protests. Behind a front line of moms in yellow shirts linking arms, a cast of thousands, including elected officials, youths, retirees, repeat protesters and first-timers have been amassing outside the federal courthouse downtown the past several nights, breathing new life into the protests that have persisted for more than eight weeks. The mostly peaceful group of everyday Oregonians carrying signs and chanting slogans stands in sharp contrast to the shocking videos of federal officers beating a veteran, shooting a man in the face with a less-lethal round and grabbing protesters off the streets and throwing them into vans. This is a city protective of its rich culture of protest and resolute in its opposition to Trump policies and actions. But it is also a city that risks losing sight of what sparked these protests in the first place. Like elsewhere across the country, Portlanders took to the streets after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was captured on video driving his knee into the back of Floyds neck. That a police officer, knowing he was being recorded, could act with such indifference to the pleas of a Black man struggling to breathe laid bare the racism in the criminal justice system. But while other deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police ignited similar anger including incidents in Portland Floyds killing seemed to launch a movement more determined than ever to change the institutional ways that America devalues the lives of Black people. In Oregon, leaders, businesses and individuals embraced the statement that Black lives matter and pledged change. Legislators quickly passed laws curbing police powers in a special session called by the governor. The Portland City Council eliminated funding for three specialty police units and unanimously extended the existing police contract by a year to give officials time to get more public feedback in negotiating accountability changes. But the aims of the protests are being overshadowed by a longstanding controversy regarding how law enforcement oversees such demonstrations. Critics have called out the bureaus use of tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse after-hours crowds, while police highlight incidents in which individuals have turned violent or destructive, setting fires and launching projectiles at officers. While these clashes typically take place after most protesters have left downtown, the argument of who did what to whom has taken center stage in these nightly protests. Certainly, any excessive use of force by police must be investigated. The actions by federal officers that appear to violate constitutional rights and send a message of intimidation are downright alarming and have merited condemnation by elected officials. And the sight of Portlanders joining together to emphatically reject such incursions on basic rights is inspiring. But the changing narrative of these protests should worry those seeking racial reforms. Because while policing of these protests has been heavy-handed and indiscriminately harsh, theres nothing indiscriminate about who has been targeted and disproportionately policed for decades. The inequities dont end there. They are built into our educational, economic, political, judicial and social systems that have for decades sanctioned poor educational outcomes for Black students, denied Black residents the ability to own homes, ensured underrepresentation of Black constituents, delivered harsher charges and prison sentences for Black defendants and convinced the community at large that this is just the way things are, not a reflection of deficiencies built into our systems. While the federal officers tactics are true threats, these racist practices are entrenched realities that need our sustained attention. In an op-ed for The Washington Post last week, the Rev. E.D. Mondaine, who heads the Portland chapter of the NAACP, warned that Portlanders are taking the bait laid by Trump and allowing themselves to be distracted from confronting racial inequities. Rather, demonstrations, he said, have become a spectacle. Vandalizing government buildings and hurling projectiles at law enforcement draw attention but how do these actions stop police from killing black people? he wrote. What are antifa and other leftist agitators achieving for the cause of black equality? The Wall of Moms, while perhaps well-intentioned, ends up redirecting attention away from the urgent issue of murdered black bodies. This might ease the consciences of white, affluent women who have previously been silent in the face of black oppression, but its fair to ask: Are they really furthering the cause of justice, or is this another example of white co-optation? His criticism comes in addition to pleas from other Black leaders urging Oregonians to reject the destruction that some in the crowd are causing, fearing that it is overtaking what should be a pivotal moment in history for Black people. And last week, Gov. Kate Brown issued her own call to Oregonians. The property destruction and the arson need to stop, she said. She pointed to efforts underway to develop better training for law enforcement, urging the community to engage in those conversations rather than allow themselves to be distracted. Opportunities exist for making real change and threats loom for deepening racial inequities. In addition to the training Brown mentioned, a group in Portland is working toward revitalizing the once thriving Black district in North Portland that was devastated by highway construction and urban renewal projects. Gaps in our educational system are likely to widen as school districts move to online teaching as opposed to in-person classes. The coronavirus pandemic is hitting communities of color far harder than white communities. These issues need and deserve all the resources and attention they can get a message that other elected officials, business owners and community leaders should amplify. Instead, nightly protests are increasingly about Trump. While Americans will have the chance to solve for Trump in 100 days, the racist problems embedded in our systems will take a much longer timeline. Oregonians should heed the words of Mondaine and many others and get to work. -The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board Subscribe to our free weekly Oregon Opinion newsletter. Email: At least 18 babies born to mothers suffering from coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in three Delhi hospitals since the first case was detected in March tested positive for the infection within a few hours to five days after birth. However, doctors ruled out that it was a case of transmission in the womb or vertical transmission. Although, mother to child transmission in newborns could not be established, the doctors said this shows that the babies can get the infection soon after birth from the environment. Doctors said all but one of the Covid-infected babies was asymptomatic and one of the babies born at RML hospital, who had other conditions, died. The highest number of deliveries 86 cesarean sections and 124 normal deliveries were handled at the 2,000-bed Lok Nayak hospital, the citys biggest dedicated Covid-19 treatment facility, according to the medical director of the hospital Dr Suresh Kumar. All babies born to Covid-19 positive mothers are tested for the infection soon after their birth and on day five. So far, five babies have tested positive for the infection. Of these five, three were found positive on the day of their birth. Although this is suggestive of the baby getting the infection in-utero before birth, there is no evidence of vertical transmission from anywhere in the world. Globally, 0.5 to 1% of newborns have been found to have the infection, said Dr Sangeeta Gupta, professor of gynaecology at Lok Nayak hospital. Doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, however, said they couldnt rule out vertical transmission in one of the three babies testing positive there. The baby tested positive within 16 hours of birth. There had been no contact with the positive mother after delivery and the baby had been taken to the nursery soon after. We could not send samples of the placenta, amniotic fluids, or cord blood for testing. The second way of confirmation was to test the baby for IgM antibodies. However, since the tests are not yet standardised, the baby tested negative, said Dr Aarti Maria, head of the department of neonatology at RML hospital. The highest number of positive babies were born at Safdarjung hospital, where over 100 Covid-19 positive mothers have delivered. So far, ten babies have tested positive for the infection after birth. However, none of the babies tested positive within first few hours of life, ruling out the possibility of vertical transmission, said Dr Sheeba Marwah, assistant professor and nodal Covid-19 officer for gynaecology department in Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung hospital. Dr Sushma Nangia, head of the department of neonatology at Lady Hardinge Medical College, said Fortunately, the babies seem to get very mild or no symptoms at all and recover soon. An observational study of 120 newborns in New York, recently published in the journal Lancet Chile and Adolescent Health Journal, shows that none of the babies got the infection during childbirth or after two weeks of breastfeeding and skin to skin contact. Breastfeeding is recommended by the WHO as well as most professional bodies of gynaecology and neonatology, according to the doctors. Evidence shows that there is minimal risk of contracting Covid-19 during breastfeeding and thus breastfeeding should be promoted irrespective of the Covid-19 status of the mother, said Dr Maria. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Police investigate in the 7200 block of South Artesian in Marquette Park, Chicago, Ill., on July 3, 2020. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times) 2 Dead, 40 Wounded in Shootings Across Chicago Over the Weekend: Police At least two people are dead and 40 were wounded in separate shooting incidents across Chicago over the weekend, officials said. The number represents a significant drop from the previous weekends. Last weekend, more than 70 people were shot, 10 fatally, and over the weekend the week before, around 60 people were shot and 13 died. And on Fathers Day weekend in June, more than 100 people were shot. A fatal shooting occurred at approximately 1:52 a.m. Saturday in East 78th Street, officials told WMAQ-TV. A 19-year-old woman was shot in the head before she was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Another fatal shooting was also reported Sunday afternoon when a 37-year-old man riding a bicycle was shot in the neck and chest in on West Carroll Avenue. He was taken to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Another person is in critical condition after a shooting on Sunday morning at around 4 a.m. outside the W Hotel in the Streeterville neighborhood, said police, according to ABC7 in Chicago. We are aware of a situation that was reported today. The safety and security of our guests and employees is always a top priority. Because this matter is under police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further, the hotel said in a statement to the news outlet. Friends, family, and residents of Chicagos Logan Square neighborhood attend a vigil on June 29, 2020, for 10-year-old Lena Nunez, one of 17 people fatally shot in the city the last weekend of June. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) The weekend violence came after President Donald Trump last week announced that federal agents will be deployed to Chicago and several other cities in a bid to fight crime under Operation Legend. Well work every single day to restore public safety, protect our nations children, and bring violent perpetrators to justice, Trump said at the White House. Weve been doing it, and youve been seeing whats happening all around the country. Weve just started this process, and, frankly, we have no choice but to get involved. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot confirmed Tuesday that federal agents would be sent to the city. Chicago wont see a Portland-style deployment coming, the Democratic mayor said, referring to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal agencies arresting people who were involved in violent unrest and attacks on federal property. The U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District Of Illinois said that three men in Chicago now face federal gun crime charges in connection with Operation Legend, reported CBS Chicago. Darryl Collins, 30, of Dolton; Romeo Holloway, 21, of Chicago; and Darryl Phillips, 22, of Chicago were charged and are being held in federal custody, officials said. They are the first arrests in Chicago in connection to the operation. New Delhi: With the surge in coronavirus cases, the number of testing is also increasing around the country, with the government labs setting record of testing 4,42,031 samples in the last 24 hours said the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on Sunday. The Ministry also said that Private testing labs across nation also touched new high by testing 79,878 samples in a single day. Taking to Twitter the Ministry wrote, ''India records highest ever more than 4.2 lakh #COVID19 tests in a single day.'' Nearly 1.6 crore samples tested so far taking Tests Per Million (TPM) to 11,485. Meanwhile, the fatality rate has seen a sharp decline as it came down to 2.35 percent. As per the Ministry data, 32,223 COVID19 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours taking the recovery rate to another high of 63.54%. Total recovered cases has reached 8,49,431 today and they exceed the active cases by 3,93,360. By Online Desk Jailed RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav's swab samples returned negative for coronavirus on Sunday. He was admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi and underwent a test for COVID-19 on Saturday after one of his aides complained of cold and cough. The doctors had, however, claimed that the test was a part of the precautionary measures amid surging caseload of coronavirus cases in Bihar. Sources at the hospital had also confirmed that Yadav, who was earlier not ready to undertake the test, readily agreed for the same after doctors' advised him on Saturday. RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav tests negative for coronavirus.@NewIndianXpress @SundayStandard1 Mukesh Ranjan (@Mukesh_TNIE) July 26, 2020 After being convicted by a special CBI court on December 23, 2017 in the second fodder scam, the 72-year-old RJD chief was lodged in Birsa munda Central Jail in Ranchi. He was shifted to RIMS after his health deteriorated. Yadav also suffers from heart and kidney related ailments and has undergone a fistula operation in the past at Mumbai's Asian Heart Institute. Jharkhand has so far reported 7,892 coronavirus cases with 3,521 recoveries and 83 fatalities. (With ENS inputs) Care homes have had a torrid time during the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of lives have been lost, staff safety has been compromised and relatives have been unable to see their loved ones. This desperate situation has spread a pall over the entire sector. But Caretech Holdings focuses on care for children and young adults with complex needs, from autism to anorexia. The business has proved resilient throughout lockdown, the board is optimistic about the future and, at 4.27, the shares look cheap. Support: Caretech runs short breaks with activities such as wall climbing Caretech was founded by Farouq and Haroon Sheikh, two Kenyan-born entrepreneurs, who came to this country as children. Having forged a career in property, the brothers wanted to build a business that made a genuine contribution to people's lives. Starting with one home in 1993, the Sheikhs developed the business over the years and listed on AIM in 2005. Today, Caretech has more than 500 dedicated care homes, schools and other facilities and looks after 4,500 people, aged five to 45. Unlike homes for the elderly, which tend to house dozens of people, most of Caretech's places are limited to a handful of residents and people often stay for a decade or more. Staff ratios are high, too. The business employs about 10,000 people, many of whom have been with the company for years. The group recognised the importance of treating employees well early on so there is a consistent focus on training, decent pay and appreciation of the workforce. Around 900 employees own shares in the business - a high proportion for a company of this kind. These and other shareholders have done well. The group has increased its dividend every year since 2007, rising from 3p back then to 11.7p last year. Revenues and profits have risen more than 20 per cent annually since flotation and further double-digit growth is expected. Farouq and Haroon still lead the business, as chairman and chief executive respectively. Last month, they unveiled robust half-year figures for the six months to March and said the company had been resilient through lockdown. Underling their optimism, the interim dividend was increased by 7 per cent to 4p, with analysts forecasting a full-year payout of 12.8p, supported by continued growth in sales and earnings. Caretech was not immune from the Covid-19 pandemic. At one point, hundreds of staff were self-isolating and the group had to take extra care to ensure residents were looked after properly. Among residents however, there have been no deaths from coronavirus, at least in part because they are mostly young and fall outside known high-risk categories. Looking ahead, prospects for this business are sound. According to independent consultants, Caretech's part of the social care market is worth around 15billion, that is the amount spent annually on children and young adults with complex needs. Caretech is one of the largest companies in this sector but it still has a market share of around 5 per cent so there is plenty of room for growth. Most of the people that Caretech looks after are in residential care but the group also runs specialist schools, helps young adults to live alone and visits children in families. There is a specialist foster division, too, focusing on children with particular needs. In almost every case, however, users are funded by local authorities, who are increasingly keen to outsource social care to private sector operators. Here, Caretech comes into its own, with high quality-control scores and a reputation for helping young people to become more self-sufficient and, therefore, less dependent on public sector support. Many of its peers are small, family businesses, with fewer resources than Caretech. The group has already acquired several such firms and more acquisitions are expected. Caretech is developing new technology as well, designed to improve the way residents are monitored and treated. And there are overseas ambitions. The Sheikhs recently invested in a Dubai-based medical centre focused on children and adults with psychological problems and they are looking closely at Saudi Arabia, which has roughly the same number of children with complex needs as this country, even though its population is half that of the UK. Midas verdict: Caretech shares were more than 5 earlier this year before plummeting to little more than 3 in the dark days of March. They have recovered since then but, at 4.27, there is still plenty of long-term potential and an impressive dividend-paying record, too. Buy. A mother from Kentucky was arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison on July 23. According to the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the woman produced child pornography that involved children as young as 9 months old. Child pornography The 26-year-old suspect, Paige Cagle, pleaded guilty back in January to a single count. She admitted that she sexually abused children from 9 months old to 1 1/2 years of age and has made two videos of sexual abuse while she lived in Missouri. Three more videos were made while she lived in Kentucky. Cagle admitted that she shared the explicit videos with other people through Dropbox. She also confessed that she had numerous child porn photos of girls from 4 to 13 years old, as reported by Crime Online. US Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. said that Cagle's production of child pornography was heinous, and the sentence that was imposed by the court was well justified by the facts presented on the case. Also Read: Man Charged With 60 Counts of Child Sex Abuse Gets Only 1 Year Sentence According to the suspect's plea agreement, a source tipped off the authorities about Cagle's activities. The said third-party source said he received the child porn images from the suspect back in March 2019. The suspect was indicted in April 2019. The said third party was Cagle's former friend who knew her well when she resided in Missouri. The third-party source was investigated for receiving child porn, so he told authorities that he got the content from Cagle who was already living in Kentucky then. The affidavit of the case indicated that the 9-month-old child and the 1 1/2-year-old child that was seen in the videos was her own daughter. She also told authorities that she had been abused when she was a child and she had been viewing child porn since she was a teenager. She said that she wanted to stop the habit. Cagle will now serve 85% of her sentence, which is 21 years and 3 months, and she will be on probation for life, according to the US Attorney's Office. Similar incident In March 2019, a mother from Rizal, Philippines was arrested for sexually exploiting her own daughter and selling the videos of her performing sex acts to a client in Australia. The arrest was made through an entrapment operation by both Australian and Filipino police forces. The Australian client, who is based in Sydney, was also arrested by the authorities. According to authorities, the mother has been exploiting her daughter since 2018. She had been selling photos and streaming videos of the girl performing sexual acts to the Australian client. The mother is now facing charges of child abuse and human trafficking. Meanwhile, the little girl has been placed under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as reported by CNN. The police said that the evidence that was gathered by the Australian Federal Police showed that the suspect obtained child pornography from the Philippines. When the authorities investigated the digital evidence that they got, they saw that the videos and the materials all came from the Philippines. The materials were produced by the mother and were sold online. The Internet Protocol or the IP address of the computing that was used by the mother was traced. Related Article: Two Italian Teens Pay Bitcoins to Watch Livestream of Children Being Tortured and Murdered @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ryan Petteway, Alyshia Macaysa, and Joannie Tang Petteway, Macaysa and Tang are members of the Multnomah County Public Health Advisory Board. COVID-19 has laid bare a true American pathology: unapologetic, litigiously defended structural racism. Weve seen it in things like the Chinese virus, racialized policing of public masking, and white supremacists giving state capitol buildings the Rick James couch treatment without consequence. Perhaps most pernicious of all, weve seen it in deliberations pertaining to the guidelines for deciding who gets potentially life-saving treatment and who doesnt during the COVID-19 crisis. In the event that COVID-19 cases exceed hospital capacity and exhaust supplies, those guidelines, called crisis standards of care, help answer the difficult questions: Who gets the ventilator or ICU bed? Whose life do we save? In Oregon, these deliberations have been held by regional committees of biomedical ethicists and care professionals from major hospital networks behind closed doors. Given Oregons legacy of racism, there is an ethical and moral obligation to make these deliberations publicand expressly include Black, Indigenous and people of color whose communities continue to be the most severely impacted. Fortunately, Oregon can learn from what has transpired elsewhere. Ethical guidelines recently published in Journal of the American Medical Association and New England Journal of Medicine made zero mentions of structural racism or care-provider bias. The message was clear: the authors did not see racism as relevant to ethical analyses of health care triage and rationing. In their attempt to outline an ethical path, they arrived in the middle of colorblind boulevardcrafting principles they believed were fair because they make no considerations of race. Perhaps impelled by these publications, some states, such as Massachusetts, published guidelines that also failed to consider structural racism and provider bias. After critical resistance from community groups and health professionals raising equity concerns, Massachusetts revised its guidelines. So where is Oregon in this? As members of Multnomah Countys Public Health Advisory Board, weve had the opportunity to engage in some early conversations pertaining to Oregons crisis care guidance. Some of us have been privy to the deliberations unfolding privately. Heres what weve learned. Like other states, in the event of a crisis overwhelming hospitals, Oregons guidelines call for prioritizing patients based on their chances for survival. It considers two components. The first is a patients hospital survival (will the patient survive to leave the hospital), as measured by organ function tests. The second is a patients near-term survival (how long a patient might survive once discharged), which factors in pre-existing conditions like diabetes, heart disease and respiratory disease. Like Massachusetts, Oregons guidelines expressly bar considerations of gender, race, religion and other protected classes in triage decision-making to prevent discriminatory application of the rubric. However, as a coalition of groups detailed in a letter to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, the scoring system penalizes people with pre-existing conditions. Because of systemic racism embedded in core health-related facets of life, like housing, employment opportunities, and food environments, most of these conditions are more prevalent within communities of colormeaning communities of color will be scored lower by design. Moreover, communities of color are already at greater risk of COVID-19 exposure due to the racially-skewed nature of employment patterns in frontline industries. For example, Latinx make up 53% of farmworkers and 27% of food service workers. People of color account for 65% of Amazon workers, and a disproportionate percentage of licensed practical nurses, public transit workers, and cleaning service workers. This is the sum of quintessential American racism: communities of color simultaneously deemed essential and expendable. Under these conditions, equally applying a colorblind care rubric is not an act of fairnessits an act of unapologetic, litigiously obfuscated structural racism. The rubric is de facto racism cloaked in de jure innocence. Oregon must do better. Failure to change will be to commit an act of racialized public health violence: systematically choosing white lives over Black, brown, and Indigenous ones. To avoid this, regional ethics committees should immediately open dialogue with leadership from BIPOC-led organizations across Oregon and extend committee membership. And BIPOC organizational leaders must call upon these committees to reconvene the 30+ hospital networks that approved current guidelines and craft a revised rubric rooted in an anti-racist framework that explicitly considers structural racisms impacts on pre-existing conditions. Additionally, the governor and the Oregon Health Authority must support these effortssilence on this matter obfuscates roles and responsibility, and thus accountability. As calls for reopening and returning to normal grow, we must remember whose lives are most at stake. We have an opportunity to craft guidance that reflects a more robust commitment to racial and health equity. It is an opportunity to reimagine, not return to, normal: because the social distance of normal killssome of us more than others. And well be damned if we let a rationing rubric put a mask on that. Becca Brownlee, Hanna Atenafu and Suzanne Hansche of the Multnomah County Public Health Advisory Board, co-authored this piece. Infamous piracy website Tamilrockers has struck again. This time Sushant Singh Rajput's last film Dil Bechara has been leaked online by Tamilrockers even though the film was available for free on Disney+Hotstar. The film had officially released on the OTT platform on July 24 at 7:30 pm. According to Pinkvilla, the leaked version is available in High-Definition (HD) quality. Like most of Tamilrockers' victims, the film landed on the piracy website mere hours after its release on Disney+Hotstar. Tamilrockers is infamous for leaking high profile projects on the internet. It usually uploads the films hours after their release and sometimes even before. Some of the films which were recently leaked on the website are - Penguin, Petta, Maharshi, iSmart Shankar, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, Dear Comrade, Saaho and Hindi Medium. Dil Bechara was already available free of cost on Disney+Hotstar, the viewers only had to download the OTT platform's app to watch the film. Dil Bechara was the last movie shot by Sushant Singh Rajput before his suicide on June 14. As it was the actor's last film there was massive anticipation regarding the movie. After its release, the film has become the highest-rated Indian film on IMDb with a rating of 9.8 out of 10. In Dil Bechara, Sushant Singh Rajput plays Manny who is suffering from osteosarcoma while Sanjana Sanghi plays the role of Kizie Basu battling thyroid cancer. At present, the film is at the top position on IMDb's 'Top Rated Indian Movies' list, moving past Kamal Haasan and R Madhavan's 2003 Tamil film Anbe Sivam. The trailer of the film was released on July 6 and it became the most liked video within 24 hours of release. The trailer has been watched more than 70 million times. Also Read: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram district court for 'wrongful' firing of employee Also Read: Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls likely to open; metro trains, schools to remain shut As Democratic Presidential Candidate, Joe Biden, steps up in his 2020 Presidential Campaign against opponent and incumbent President Donald Trump, it is essential for Indians to recognise that Biden's left-liberal approach implies for them geopolitical harm and a damaging shift in narrative. Republicans are bad and racist, and Democrats are nice and inclusive. To an outsider, especially one of my generation, this is what American politics boils down to. To us as Indians, with inclusivity and pluralism enshrined in our Constitution, and celebrated in our culture, this seemingly obvious dichotomy is of great importance. Our core values are those of tolerance and equality; any opposition to them is seen as a threat. I remember a few months ago, in the beginning of lockdowns, a relative had sent a message on the family group, talking about not killing the economy to stop the virus. It began with the words, I dont want to say it, but I agree with Donald Trump on this. Agreeing with President Trump on something as basic as not crippling the economy to defeat a pandemic, requires a declaration of dislike. This stems from our perception of Republicans, and therefore, Donald Trump, as racists and bigots. Any point of agreement must be shown to be minimal, and no charitable opinions may be espoused. Also read: China funding North-East insurgent groups along Myanmar-Thailand border: European think-tank Also read: US inaugurates China Working Group to counter threats from CCP Democrats, on the other hand, are seen as our ideological kin. Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee just opened up a historic 10 point deficit with Mr. Trump. Being a Democrat beating a Republican in Texas (the most Republican state in the U.S) he seems likely to win the November 3rd election. A multiplicity of Indians supports this, both at home and in the U.S.; members of the Indian-American Diaspora break heavily for Biden in all available polls. This isnt good for India. On the contrary, given Indias current foreign policy woes, it desperately needs the U.S to stand by it in its disputes with Pakistan and China. Joe Biden will not do that. Biden, while running as a centre-left moderate, plans to be a transitional figure, and will give way to radical left ideologues. His policy platform has gone from a traditional centrist Democrats platform, to an extremely progressive one, in the hope of appeasing the American far left. For India, this is problematic. Radical leftists in the U.S view society through an intersectional lens, based on a hierarchy of victimhood. They believe that American, as well as global life, is built on a system of historical discrimination. Those whom history robbed of power and agency must now be unquestioningly obeyed, and those who robbed them must be stripped of the same. When someone calls COVID-19 the Chinese Virus, and blames China for the virus, most Indians do not consider it controversial; in fact, we rather agree. On the American left, this is seen as a dog whistle to bigotry against Asian-Americans. While Americans liberals decry Euro-centrism, but their own views are premised on it. They decide who is to be considered more or less victimized, by looking at their success in American life. They consider America an oppressive bad faith actor in world politics. America has historically been somewhat hostile to Muslims, especially since 9/11, so they get a top spot in the intersectional hierarchy. The Vietnam War was waged against the expansion of Chinese communism; the Chinese get a pass as well. When Pakistan funds terrorism, and invades Kashmir, the radicals dont call it out, because to them, malicious acts undertaken by an Islamic theocracy are a direct result of historical oppression of Muslims in, and by the Western world. When Pramila Jayapal, a naturalized American citizen and sitting Congresswoman, calls Indian action in Jammu and Kashmir a human rights violation, while neglecting to mention the myriad cruelties inflicted on Kashmiri Hindus by Pakistani terror infiltrates, she does so on basis of that misguided belief. The view that America has a negative impact on geopolitics leads to the U.S withdrawing its support of India. Joe Biden will legitimize these views, and give them a platform to change not just the U.S, but the global polity as well. None of this is to argue that Donald Trump is a man unfairly maligned or misunderstood. A poor mans King Lear, rampaging on Twitter to project strength while displaying historic impotence at maintaining even a semblance of law and order, what he lacks in virtue and intelligence he more than makes up for in his nonchalant obliviousness to said lack. But those are personal problems with Donald Trump, not problems with the global political vision he represents. If we seek to maintain the world order of liberal democracies, we must remain steadfast and resolute in our opposition to autocracies like China. We must hold the line. Biden will not hold that line. Also read: Xinjiang likely another Bangladesh waiting to happen, says activist For all the latest World News, download NewsX App The Deputy Chief Executive of the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) and a Vice-Chairperson of the Central Regional NPP, Kofi Karikari Bondzie has admonished all Ghanaians not to entrust anyone with their health following an experience he had which led him to contract coronavirus. He added that Covid-19 is real and Ghanaians must take it seriously and abide by all the necessary protocols to safeguard their life. The Deputy CEO of CODA was speaking on "Wnfre Yie" hosted by D. C. Kwame Kwakye today Saturday 25th July 2020 on GBC Radio Central's weekend morning programme. When asked how he got to know he had contracted Covid-19, he said he contracted the disease on a visit to Sekondi Takoradi. According to Mr. Bondzie, after they had finished their formal meeting in the Sekondi Takoradi, the MCE in the person of Hon. K. K. Sam requested for a personal conversation with him. "We only spoke for about five minutes and I left," he explained that because of trust he never wore a nose mask and neither did Mr. Sam. He continued that, after several days the news broke out that Mr. K. K. Sam had passed to eternity and the cause of his death was coronavirus, "there I knew I was in trouble." Hospitalisation and Covid-19 Confirmation He continued his narration by saying that he was feeling feverish and went for a check-up. The results proved that he wasn't having malaria but he instructed the health professionals to administer malaria treatment, which they did. Mr. Bondzie added that he normally gets malaria within July to August, so, that feeling made him think that it was his normal malaria. According to him, several days passed and he had same feelings and getting weaker each passing day which prompted him to visit the hospital again. He added that this time around he requested for a Covid-19 test. Mr. Bondzie said while waiting for the Covid-19 results he told the health professionals at the University of Cape Coast Hospital to begin treating him for coronavirus. "Initially the health professionals were reluctant and insisted they can only do so when the results confirm he is positive. I told them to start because I cannot wait any longer and might be dead by the time the results come through". Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) Experience Expounding further, the Vice-Chairperson of the ruling NPP in the central region said, he was later moved from the UCC hospital to CCTH. He narrated that he was taken to an isolation centre for treatment. "It's like leaving in cell. Not even your wife, children or any family relation is allowed to see you except health officials". He recounted that, that experience was harrowing and he knew he was going to die at one point but the assurances from the health professionals were very encouraging and gave him hope. He explained further that, within the first few days he was so weak that nurses had to be cleaning him from time to time. "We have a very good medical team at the CCTH and I must thank them for their support and care. They did extremely well for me and I thank God for them". According to him, the CEO of CCTH Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu together with the medical team that took care of him deserve some commendation for a good job done. He revealed that coronavirus affected his pancreas to the extent that he started having an irregular sugar measurement in his system. According to him, sometimes when his sugar measurement was taken in the morning, it would read for example 2.2, in about three hours it could drop to 3.4 and latter rise to 11. 2. "This made tracking the sugar movement cumbersome for the health professionals to track and help me. It was very hectic," he explained. Elaborating further, he said before contracting coronavirus, he had no health history with either high or low sugar problem but all of a sudden Covid-19 strikes him irregular sugar levels in his body which he is now battling even though he has recovered from Covid-19. Down Moments with Coronavirus Responding to how he felt during all these trying times, Mr. Bondzie said, the encounter that downed his spirit was food services. He continued that every time food was brought to him, it was placed at the entrance of his door and was called to come pick it up. "A nurse can only enter my room and serve me my food when they are dressed in their coverall otherwise, I must pick it up from my entrance without seeing anyone". He continued that those times were difficult moments for him. According to Mr. Bondzie, he lost his sense of taste, and most times vomited all the food that he ate. But with all these notwithstanding, Mr. Bondzie said, one encouraging moment when he was battling with Coronavirus was when one friend of his risked life to come to the hospital and gave him the elbow handshake. He continued that, the gentleman said, "once I've shaken your hand, I know you're alive and you shall not die". This according to him happened after several days of hospitalisation. Discharge and Stigmatisation Stigmatisation has been part of our society. People Stigmatise others for various reason and as society grows, we expect such socially deviant behaviour to subside but, it still persists. People Stigmatise rape, HIV/AIDS, TB and now Covid-19 victims. Stigmatisation could be an act of describing or regarding someone or something as worthy of disgrace or great disapproval. Unfortunately, this happened to Mr. Karikari Bondzie due to coronavirus. He recounts three main stigmatization experiences that broke his heart and hope it never reoccurs again. According to the Deputy CEO, after he had been discharged, he decided to attend a party meeting. He continued that as soon as he got to the venue, his own family member took to the podium and announced that he was a Covid-19 patient and that he wasn't needed at the venue. "That was very difficult for me because how can my own family member behave this way," he quizzes. With the second experience, Mr Bondzie explained that his driver's friends were sacked from a bar they have been regular customers because of their association with him. "Their boss is Covid-19 patient and we cannot allow his driver to patronise this bar. Even though I call it positive experience because I want my driver to stop drinking but the experience is very bad for him," he fumed. Narrating his third stigmatisation encounter, the Central Region NPP Vice-Chair said, his outfit is collaborating with the Fisheries Commission to distribute outboard motors. According to him, his counterpart was to call him so they could meet to ascertain the number of outboard motors before handing it over to the Central Region Minister. He continued that, he waited and the Fisheries Commission guy never called him all because he is a Covid-19 recoverer. "I was furious and gave it to him well, well." In concluding the discussion, Mr Bondzie cautioned that all Ghanaians must be very careful and that he wouldn't wish the experience even for his enemy. He continued that, the only way we can overcome the coronavirus fight is to wear facemask at all times and at all places. CCTH Doctors and Nurses According to him, the doctors at CCTH are very good because they did very fantastic job. He continued that "we in the Central Region need to cherish our own health professionals especially those at CCTH." He further revealed that he spent about 12,000.00 in battling coronavirus. "Not every treatment regarding Covid-19 is free and citizens must know this and be careful." It seems that the government of Great Britain is going to introduce new measures due to a peak in the number of corona infections in Spain. Possibly this could have an impact on the upcoming Grand Prix of Spain. Formula 1 has just finished its first Triple Header and the next one will start next week. First there will be two Grands Prix at the Silverstone circuit, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya. The Mediterranean country only suffers a lot from the coronavirus. The last few days a lot of reports are coming out about a possible second wave in the country. The situation is so serious that the British government will announce additional measures on Sunday. According to the BBC, anyone who travels back to Great Britain from Spain will have to be quarantined for a fortnight. No impact on F1? A second wave could cause the organization of Formula 1 to abandon a Grand Prix in the country. After all, a few infections in the paddock may be enough to endanger the whole season. Liberty Media has previously indicated to pay close attention to the development of the coronavirus in the countries where a Grand Prix is organized. In addition, many teams are also located in Great Britain, which would mean that teams and drivers would also have to be quarantined for two weeks. That would clash with the current calendar. According to Andrew Benson of the BBC that alone will not be a problem. The staff in Formula 1 is excluded from compulsory quarantine, thanks to the measures that the sport applies. F1, along with other elite sports, has an exemption from quarantine for participants returning from non-air bridge countries, so this does not quantify a threat to the Spanish Grand Prix as things currently stand https://t.co/LYauZty9Co https://t.co/JyKjyNqgPd Andrew Benson (@andrewbensonf1) July 25, 2020 The UKs sudden decision to remove Spain from its quarantine-free holiday list and advise against all non-essential travel to the country is reportedly causing havoc for British holidaymakers. The British foreign ministry removed Spain from the governments safe travel corridor list on Saturday following a surge in Covid-19 cases. The corridors allow quarantine-free travel between the UK and more than 70 countries. Holidaymakers who have already left the UK must now self-isolate for two weeks upon returning home from Spain, while those who have not yet left face cancellation fees and confusion over their right to travel. The quarantine requirement which also affects British Transport Minister Grant Shapps, who is himself on holiday in Spain came into force from midnight Saturday, prompting travel companies to cancel departures and tour operators to cancel package holidays. Were incredibly disappointed that we didnt get more notice of this announcement, or that this decision wasnt made yesterday, as many Brits travel on holiday at the weekend, Andrew Flintham, UK managing director of Europes biggest travel company, TUI, told Reuters. The company said it was cancelling all departures on Sunday to Spain from the United Kingdom, and was urgently reviewing future flights. British foreign minister Dominic Raab on Sunday defended Spain's removal from the government's list of safe countries as a real-time response to a jump in coronavirus cases on Friday. The decision follows moves by Norway to reimpose quarantine on people coming from Spain. France has advised people not to travel to Spains north-eastern region of Catalonia. With Reuters EDDIE Irvine has spoken for the first time about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, declaring: "If the charges are true, it ain't good." The former Formula 1 driver admitted he partied with the paedophile financier and his alleged fixer in New York and Miami. Speaking exclusively to Sunday Life, he also told how he saw the pair surrounded by models and beautiful girls, including Virginia Giuffre, who claims the pair forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew. Co Down-born Eddie said he bumped into them so often he was not surprised that his personal details were in Epstein's infamous little black book of contacts, alongside the likes of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump and disgraced actor Bill Cosby. The racer-turned-millionaire entrepreneur added he was stunned when Maxwell (58) was arrested and charged with sex trafficking earlier this month because he had always thought of her as "sweet and super-nice". He described Epstein, however, as a "strange guy" and "socially awkward". Speaking from his mansion in Milan, Eddie said: "I wouldn't be surprised if I'm in Epstein's black book. "I'm in his book because I knew Ghislaine reasonably well. I spoke to her from time to time and I spoke to him from time to time, but my friend knew her a lot better than me. "Ghislaine kind of had the hots for one of my friends - he was just someone in my circle - so she would come around to try and meet up with him. "I would bump into them in Miami, but Ghislaine was always super-sweet and a super-nice lady." Miami is one of the areas where Epstein and Maxwell, who were once lovers, are said to have preyed on vulnerable under-age girls. The allegations featured in a major four-part Netflix documentary called Filthy Rich. Epstein (right) died in a prison cell in Manhattan last year aged 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, leaving a fortune of nearly $600million. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging. Maxwell is alleged to have recruited teenagers into a sex trafficking ring said to have been used by some of the world's most powerful men. Virginia Giuffre (35) claims she was groomed by Maxwell while working as a masseuse at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. She alleges she was subsequently forced to sleep with Prince Andrew three times, when she was aged 17 and 18, before fleeing Epstein's clutches aged 19. The Duke of York has strongly denied her claims. Giuffre is one of up to 100 girls allegedly used as sex slaves by Epstein and his alleged fixer Maxwell. Eddie insisted that even though he saw the pair constantly surrounded by models at dinners and parties, he never saw any vulnerable young girls in their company or any signs of sex trafficking. "When I was around, it was just a normal dinner, just parties. There'd just be a party where some people would turn up and some people wouldn't. But about that other stuff, I have no idea," he said. The dad-of-one, who has daughter Zoe (23) with ex-girlfriend Maria Drummond (52), added: "I had no idea about that, the providing of under-age girls. "The only girl I ever saw was the blonde one that was the masseuse (Virginia.) "I remember seeing her around a few times, but I would have said she was like 20 by that stage. I remember seeing her, but I never saw young girls. "There were always a few models around, but they were always older girls." Eddie's entry in Epstein's contacts book lists two mobile numbers - landlines in Ireland and America - a home address and an email address. It is on the same page as an entry for Mick Jagger, one of 310 Britons in the book. Billionaire Bernie Ecclestone, former world champion driver Jacques Villeneuve and race-fixing accused Flavio Briatore are among the other F1 contacts kept by Epstein. There is no suggestion that anyone whose name is in the book was involved in or had any knowledge of any wrongdoing. Other names in the list of contacts, dubbed the "holy grail" and seized by the FBI in 2009, include Tony Blair, Richard Branson and Prince Andrew, who has 16 numbers against his name. Epstein is said to have abused girls on a private jet nicknamed 'the Lolita express' and on his 'paedophile island', Little St James in the Caribbean. It is also alleged he abused hundreds more at his 60million townhouse in New York, found to be filled with pornography. Epstein is said to have been social inept and to have suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder. His oddness was obvious to Eddie. "He was always a strange guy," he said. "A lot of the finance guys tend to be a bit antisocial and socially awkward - that's why I think he had Ghislaine around. "While I was quite friendly with Ghislaine, I was never on Epstein's island, I was never on his plane and I was never at his house, but I'd bump into him and her in New York." Maxwell (58), the daughter of the disgraced newspaper baron Robert Maxwell, who died in mysterious circumstances in 1991, is facing trial on six charges of trafficking girls as young as 14 and perjury. If found guilty she could be handed up to 35 years in jail - at her age, an effective life sentence. Eddie, worth an estimated 94million and nicknamed 'Fast Eddie' and 'Irv the Swerve' during his driving career, told Sunday Life: "She was sweet and very bubbly, just the ultimate socialite. "She talked to everybody and she knew everybody. I don't have a bad word to say about her, apart from these accusations. If the charges are true, it ain't good." Explosive documents detailing Maxwell's sex life and Epstein's flight logs will be unsealed within days after a court ruling last Thursday. The 80 sets of papers, which Maxwell had sought to keep secret, include testimony from 2016 in which she complained involved "intrusive" questions regarding her sex life. The documents, which run to hundreds of pages, were ordered to be released by a judge in New York who said the public's right to know outweighed Maxwell's desire for privacy. They will also expose who travelled on Epstein's private jet. The unsealed documents include communications between Maxwell and Epstein in 2015, after Virginia Roberts Giuffre accused them of trafficking her. This story was produced by the Teacher Project, an education reporting fellowship at Columbia Journalism School. BETHLEHEM, Pa. Twenty years ago, a visitor to Centennial School would have heard a cacophony. Banging on doors, yelling, wailing, said Julie Fogt, the current director of the school. Adults were loud: Stop that, stop that! Crisis! I need help! It was a private school, but public schools paid to send their most troubled kids there. The school took only children who had both a diagnosis of autism or emotional disturbance and a history of severe behavior issues. It was the most violent school Id ever been in, said Michael George, the former director. A man with blue eyes and a bushy white mustache, George stepped into the role of director in 1999. The year before, a population of only around 80 kids were physically restrained over 1,000 times. Students were dragged, kicking and screaming, to locked seclusion rooms. Most of the schools furniture was old and dilapidated. As one administrator told George, why bother purchasing something new when an angry kid would probably break it the next day? George and the schools teachers realized the physical restraints were making student behavior worse. So they made it their mission to change the schools culture. In 1999, Centennial went from 233 restraints in the first 40 days of school to just one restraint in the last 40 days of school. Within four years, restraints were down to zero. The school also saved money, according to a 2005 study, because it didnt have to hire a huge crisis staff anymore. Students study at Centennial School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in April 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic shut down schools. The light are colored blue for the comfort of children with sensory disorders. During a visit to the school last year, the only noise was the murmur of kids chatting and teachers praising their work. The school is clean, with halls that smell like peppermint. Some classrooms have gentle blue overhead lights, for kids with light sensitivity. It feels like a zen spa for kindergarteners. Centennials success, teachers believe, proves that restraint and seclusion is almost never necessary, even for kids struggling with the most serious behavior issues. Story continues That belief stands in contrast with national trends. According to the Education Departments Office of Civil Rights, 75% of all restraint and seclusion incidents in public schools happen to kids with disabilities. Data on restraint for private special education schools is much more scarce, but some states show disturbing trends. In California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Rhode Island, between 45% and 67% of all restraint and seclusion incidents in the entire state take place in private special ed schools -- often schools where students are enrolled at taxpayer expense. Investigation: Private special ed schools can restrain kids with disabilities 1,000s of times. Parents might not know. "Were taking a vulnerable population and making them worse, using taxpayer dollars, George said. Leaders from private schools that do use restraint and seclusion sometimes say there are few other ways to deal with severe emotional outbursts. They ask how they're supposed to react if a child tries to punch another child, or bang their head over and over against a wall, or flip over a table. Schools like Centennial admit it's hard, but they say their own experience proves it can be done. "We have the same environment, same students, same teachers, Fogt said. Different approach. " A positive approach When Bryce Adair was in fifth grade, school was a series of constant meltdowns. As someone with autism, he was easily overwhelmed by anxiety when there were too many people or when a lesson was too difficult. I used to crawl under my desk and curl up into a ball, and I would just cry, he said. When his public school referred him to Centennial, one of 37 private schools approved to take special education students in the state, he blossomed. He stayed at the school from sixth to 10th grade, until he was able to transition back to public school. Now 18, Adair graduated from high school this spring and has started a career in electronics. After a few years at Centennial, Bryce Adair was able to return to public school. He graduated in 2020 with a vocational certificate in electronic technology. His success stems from the changes the school started to make in 1999. To radically reduce restraints, Centennial didnt do anything particularly radical. It used techniques that were already well-supported in research. The main technique the school used is known as Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, or PBIS. In short, teachers focus less on punishing bad behavior and more on teaching kids what good behavior looks like. The school adopts three to five overarching behavioral expectations for the entire school, like Be responsible and Be respectful. Teachers are trained to look for when kids are doing something right, not something wrong, and reward them with praise and points. Centennial shut down the seclusion room and turned it into a school store, where kids trade points for prizes. Kids cant lose any points on their point sheet, only earn them. This is so students always feel like they have something to gain from behaving well. Centennial had tried stuff like points sheets before, but the schools efforts were disorganized and scattershot. For the techniques to work this time, the school needed a structural and cultural overhaul. Classes would now be led by two teachers, including a more-experienced lead teacher. Teachers got at least three hours of professional development a week. Anything that worked in one classroom would then be codified into official school policy so everyone would be doing the same thing. [Bryce] had consistent expectations that were the same in every room, with every teacher, said his mom, Kim Adair. All this talk of praise and positivity may make it seem like the school coddles its students. But expectations are high. At Bryce Adairs old school, if he wanted to get out of class, all he had to do was throw a fit and the staff would call his mother to come pick him up. That didn't work at Centennial. Once I realized that they werent going to be lenient and they upheld their rules, I hated it," Adair said. The first year was really rough. I was not really taking to it well. I flipped a table. I threw a desk. After a crisis, students must create an "action plan" to make sure they make up for any learning they lost. If they rip up a piece of paper, for example, they have to spend points to buy more paper from the school store. If they miss class because of a tantrum, they'll make up their work during break time. Eventually, Adair realized, You are responsible for your own actions and you have to do your work. Because if you dont, it will sit there and stare back at you as long as you dont do it. Parents, counselors and teachers can all be involved in problem-solving sessions if the student continuously acts out. Adairs mom was on the phone with teachers weekly. While teachers were strict, Adair said, they were also kind. He remembers sharing jokes with one of his favorite teachers, Emily Polefka, and watching Bob Ross painting videos together during break time. He began to behave better, not out of fear of punishment, but because he cared about what his peers and teachers thought about him. "Once you start to know them, you dont want to be making trouble for teachers either because you have a relationship," he said. Polefka now works as a special education teacher at a public school. She said she still often thinks about Centennial's motto: "Nice matters." It means being nice to kids, treating each day as its a clean slate, she said. Respecting them and being kind to them, even when it feels almost impossible to be kind because you're so tired or stressed or overwhelmed with the situation you're dealing with." Success in other schools The approach has spread beyond Centennial. At Grafton, a private behavioral health network in Virginia that runs psychiatric facilities and private therapeutic schools, staff physically restrained adults and children with disabilities more than 6,000 times in 2003. So many employees were injured, the company couldnt even get workers compensation insurance. "Emotionally, its hard. Because no one wants to do that, former aide Kim Sanders recalled of restraining a child. Using input from teachers, Sanders helped Grafton develop a system for how to de-escalate most crisis situations. Now, if de-escalation does not work, staff members can use foam mats as shields instead of putting their hands on a student. Between 2003 and 2016, restraints went down 99%, including a drop of over 40% in the first year alone. The company also saved $16 million because there were fewer staff injuries and lower turnover. One school that decided from the beginning to avoid restraint and seclusion is Port View Preparatory, a private special education school in California. Administrators said the school, which serves students with emotional disorders, has never used restraints or seclusion since it opened in 2014, beyond briefly holding a child's hand if they were trying to hit themselves. The key is looking at it "from a relationship perspective," said co-founder and co-principal Edward Miguel. "When a restraint is not an option, and you have a conviction about that, you develop into different aspects of the relationship. Its based on trust. Miguel pointed out that schools like his usually create behavior plans for children who have acted out in the past. That makes him question why schools would have to resort to "emergency interventions" like restraint and seclusion, when they could plan alternative responses in advance. If I know those behaviors exist, how is it an emergency? Miguel said. What if they try and hurt themselves? Officials at Centennial say the biggest challenge when they tried to reduce restraints wasnt changing the students behavior and attitudes. It was changing the adults. Staff members were afraid if they stopped restraining kids, they would get hurt. It was a well-founded fear in one school year, there were 30 assaults against staff. Some staff members thought that students' behavior was beyond their control: their disabilities were too severe, or that their home life was too traumatic and neglectful. I would hear one excuse after another, George said. But the one thing I never heard was that we could do things better. That maybe we owned some of this violence that was occurring, because of the methods we were using. A student studies at Centennial School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in April 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic shut down schools. The light are colored blue for the comfort of children with sensory disorders. Now, even when a child is aggressive, throwing rocks or knocking over chairs, teachers wont escalate. Staff will take every other student out of the room, stay at a safe distance so no one gets hurt, and wait for the childs rage to blow over. Remaining calm in that kind of situation is scary and hard. Emily Polefka, Bryce Adairs former teacher, was a young graduate student in her first year of teaching when she joined Centennial in 2016. She remembers having no idea what to do when she saw a student react in anger and kick something she just froze. What if they start hurting someone? What if they try and hurt themselves?" she thought. But the lead teacher kept calm, quietly walked up to the boy and gave him a direction. He trusted her enough to cool down. She was patient with the student and didnt make a big deal of it, said Polefka. I think a lot of times we encourage our students to keep our problems small, and I felt her keep that problem small. Centennial had to close in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it didn't stop teaching its students. It created a detailed distance learning plan so teachers still met with students daily, and kids who didn't have computers at home got devices on loan. The school plans to reopen in September. "I hope to see you all real soon," Fogt told her school in a video message in March. "And just remember now more than ever, nice matters." Contributing: Joseph Hong, The Desert Sun This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disability in kids: Private special education school without restraint Kanpur: A purported WhatsApp conversation and audio clip of slain Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey and BJP leader Subodh Tiwari has gone viral on social media. The gangster had approached the BJP leader after the shocking July 3 Kanpur ambush and sought Rs 20 lakh from him. In the WhatsApp chats that has been circulated on social media, the dreaded gangster is seen asking the BJP leader to arrange Rs 20 lakh, few pairs of black coat and trousers along with shoes of his size, and arrange for his surrender. In return, the gangster promises to give the BJP leader land in Kanpur and vows to double the amount within 48 hours while also assuring him all help in return. The gangster asked the leader to arrange four pairs of black coat and trousers (size 40) and black shoes (size number 8) for him. "I may appear the day after tomorrow," the gangster wrote in one of the chats, leading to opinion that he was planning to surrender himself before the court in the get-up of a lawyer. Watch: BJP leader clarifies on leaked WhatsApp conversation with gangster Vikas Dubey The name of Samajwadi leader Irfan Solanki has also appeared in the case. Zee News, however, doesn't claim the authenticity of the WhatsApp conversation. Reacting to the leaked conversation, BJP leader Subodh Tiwari said he had shared the WhatsApp chat and call details with Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF). He said he doesn't confirm that the person on the other side of the conversation was Vikas Dubey. The BJP leader also expressed his fear for life for the chat conversation going viral on social media and requested security. "I had informed about Vikas Dubey's message on my WhatsApp to the STF and I cooperated with them completely so that the gangster gets arrested. I have no idea how the conversation got leaked and is now everywhere on the Internet. I fear for my life," he said. The BJP leader said that he was in touch with the gangster for nearly 3 days, and claimed that he continued talking to the gangster at the behest of the police. He said that after a few days when police officials told him that nothing was coming out in the case, he had put the number on the blacklist. On the other hand, SP leader Irfan Solanki too clarified about his role in connection with Vikas Dubey case and said he had nothing to do with the gangster nor have ever visited the Bikru village. He, however, admitted to having met BJP leader Subodh Tiwari. Solanki demanded an inquiry into the viral WhatsApp chat and accused BJP of falsely implicating him under a conspiracy. Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter on the morning of July 10 when he tried to escape from police custody after a police vehicle carrying him from Ujjain to Kanpur met with an accident. Prior to Dubey's encounter, five of his associates were killed in separate encounters. BRIDGETON Police are asking for the public's help finding a suspect after a body was found Friday morning in a Bridgeton storage locker. Police called the incident a homicide. Police are searching for Michael Molinari, 27, whose last known address was on Tennyson Avenue in Overland. Video from the scene shows Molinari, a white male, in a newer model, gray Dodge Ram pickup truck ramming through a gate to exit the storage facility. The truck has significant front-end damage. On Saturday, police said they recovered the truck, which belonged to the victim. They identified him as Cameron Gray, 28, of the 3500 block of Theresa Avenue in St. Ann. Police were called about 4:30 a.m. to Love's Self Storage at 13945 Missouri Bottom Road for a report of the truck driving through the facility's gate from the inside, said assistant Bridgeton police chief Major Mark Mossotti. By the time the officers arrived, the truck was gone, Mossotti said. A few hours later, officers returned to the storage facility when an employee found a dead man inside one of the indoor storage lockers. The victim was 28 years old, police say. Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service Dehradun: As tensions rise at the India-Nepal border near Tanakpur town in Champawat district of Uttarakhand, Nepalese authorities of Kanchanpur district visited Brahmdev village on Sunday. The village residents built concrete and wooden structures on 'No Man's Land' on the Indian side, thereby encroaching upon it. S N Pandey, district magistrate of Champawat said, "The district officials of the Kanchanpur district of Nepal visited the village today. We have already apprised them about our concerns. In the next meeting with them the issues will be discussed for resolution." Chief district officer and Superintendent of Police of Armed Police Forces of Kanchanpur district visited the spot and the village to talk to its residents and survey the area. The CDO of the district is equivalent to the DM of an Indian district while SP of APF is equivalent of district police chief of an Indian district. Reports have been sent to the Union Home Ministry about the ongoing situation. District magistrate of Champawat has also spoken to the ambassador of Nepal in Delhi. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Nepalese residents reportedly hurled stones on Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) which guards the borders. RK Tripathi, commandant of the Sashastra Seema Bal posted on the border where the issue has arisen said, "There has been no stone hurling and authorities of administration and police of Nepal have visited the area today. Now, the issue will be raised in the next meeting." According to reports, Nepalese residents built around 20 wood and concrete structures in no man's land on the Indian side last week which created a rift between the Indian and Nepalese authorities, and the people. The matter was raised by Nepalese authorities. The Nepalese people are claiming that the land belongs to them contrary to the claims of India that said that the land spanning about 150 square meters is 'No Man's Land'. According to the Indian officials, Nepalese nationals had encroached upon the area near Pillar 811 and Tanakpur barrage in Champawat district claiming it to be theirs. Transport minster Grant Shapps will have to endure a two-week quarantine after returning from Spain, just days after securing an air corridor with the country. The minister arrived in Spain yesterday for a holiday when the travel corridor exemptions he had arranged were in place, though hours after his arrival, the government imposed new restrictions. A spokesperson for Mr Shapps said he travelled to Spain when the exemption was in place. Transport minster Grant Shapps will have to endure a two-week quarantine after returning from Spain, just days after securing an air corridor with the country Mr Shapps arrived in Spain hours before the new restrictions had been imposed Mr Shapps was instrumental in drawing up the Governments scheme to create air bridges to scores of countries earlier this month despite concerns he was relaxing restrictions too quickly. Last night, Mr Shapps an aviation enthusiast who also owns a light aircraft did not respond to a request for comment. However, his mobile phone did have a foreign dial tone when called by The Mail on Sunday. Last nights surprise announcement comes only a day after a further five countries were added to the quarantine-free list for people travelling to England. Anyone arriving from Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will not be required to isolate for two weeks on arrival, it was confirmed on Friday. Popular holiday destinations including Portugal, Thailand and the US remain notable absentees. The Government said people should continue to check the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices travel advice and their insurance policies before travelling overseas. Ministers have previously warned travel corridors could be closed if coronavirus rates escalate. A government spokesperson said: 'Changes to the exemption for people returning from Spain will take effect from midnight tonight, meaning anyone returning from midnight tonight will have to self-isolate. 'The government has made consistently clear it will take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus, including if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country and not self-isolating becomes too high. 'The devolved administrations have all taken the same decision today, so travellers arriving from Spain into all parts of the UK will need to self-isolate. 'The government is urging employers to be understanding of those returning from Spain who now will need to self-isolate.' If you hear anything about rehab centers, its usually news about a celebrity checking in for treatment of mental illness or substance abuse. While Hollywood actors, pro athletes and rap stars may experience a relatively high incidence of such troubles, theres another big reason why they get good treatment: They can afford it. Psychiatric and psychological traumas are frequently excluded from full insurance coverage or providers are reimbursed at much lower rates than for broken arms, appendicitis, cancer and other physical ailments. This includes big public insurance mechanisms, such as Medicaid and Medicare. As a result, those who arent among the wealthiest Americans often go without treatment. Many medical professionals will tell you mental health issues increase due to the stress that frequently accompanies life without income stability. In addition, great attention is currently being paid to the toll of racism on emotional well-being among communities of people of color. Urban centers like Springfield and Holyoke are typically locations that suffer for affordable options for both in-patient and out-patient services. Thats no surprise because the reimbursement shortfall discourages providers from locating where rich people are in short supply. It also discourages young people from seeking careers in specialties such as psychiatry or substance-abuse counseling. In this context its great news to hear about two major potential investments in mental health for Western Massachusetts. One is Holyoke Medical Centers plan to build a behavior health hospital on its campus that would see an increase of beds from an existing 20 to 84. This week, Baystate Health announced plans to build a $43 million, 120-bed behavioral health hospital that would employ 220 people and serve children as well as adults. Baystates partner is Kindred Behavioral Health of Texas. The proposed site is also in Holyoke. Regulators will evaluate the impact of closing existing behavioral health units at Baystate facilities in Westfield, Palmer and Greenfield. Rural areas like Franklin County can bear a disproportionate mental health burden, and that needs to be considered and acknowledged, right alongside urban areas. As our society and community grapple with the fallout of the aftermath of the George Floyd killing and as we struggle with what social justice should look like in 2020, one concrete response would be to address the vast inequality in care around mental health. That would require improving the affordability of that care for all and raising the economic value we place on the work of professionals who work with everything from opioid overdoes to bi-polar illness. And, yes, it will require creating modern, affordable, state-of-the-art spaces to treat patients and attract the best professionals. Thats why the proposals for these complementary projects could strike a blow both for better healthcare and for social justice. New Delhi: The Winter Session of Parliament is set for another rocky day as opposition plans to present a united front against the ruling NDA government on the issue of black money. 1) Parliament Live, Winter Session Day 4 | Debate in LS: Stictest action will be taken against Kanpur train tragedy guilty, says Suresh Prabhu The Winter Session of Parliament is set for another rocky day as opposition plans to present a united front against the ruling NDA government on the issue of black money. 2) Kanpur train tragedy: Strictest possible action will be taken against guilty, Suresh Prabhu tells Parliament A day after the derailment of Patna-Indore Express in Kanpur that left at least 133 passengers dead, Railway minister Suresh Prabhu made a suo moto statement in Lok Sabhabriefing the House about the accident and details of relief and restoration work carried out by his ministry. 3) Patna-Indore Express tragedy: Rescue operations wrapped up, death toll reaches 133 Rescue workers wrapped up their operation to pull out bodies and injured from the mangled bogies of Patna-Indore Express on Monday that left 133 passengers dead. 4) Patna-Indore Express tragedy: Rescue operations wrapped up, death toll reaches 133 Rescue workers wrapped up their operation to pull out bodies and injured from the mangled bogies of Patna-Indore Express on Monday that left 133 passengers dead. 5) Ind vs Eng second Test, day 5: India beat England by 246 runs, take 1- 0 series lead India beat England by 246 runs in the second Test in Vishakapatnam courtesy batting heroics of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara and superlative bowling performance by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A police officer kicked and dragged a woman during an arrest in a McDonald's parking lot in San Jose, California, that was filmed by a DoorDash delivery man Wednesday. The emergence of the footage has now landed the cop on desk duty while an internal investigation over the use of force is underway. At the time of the arrest at a McDonald's at Santa Clara and 28th streets around 5.45pm Wednesday, cops armed with a seizure warrant had stopped the vehicle after it eluded authorities that same day and previously on July 18, police said. The department, which originally said the matter was handled without incident, chose not to identify the cop during the probe. compliant, yet he kicked her while she was on the ground and then continued to punch her and then DRAG HER???? THIS WAS AT MCDONALDS ON SANTA CLARA IN SAN JOSE!!!!! pic.twitter.com/F0kywklXK5 Diannee (@__dianeedun) July 23, 2020 A police officer kicked and dragged a woman during an arrest in a McDonald's parking lot in San Jose, California, that was filmed by a DoorDash delivery man Wednesday. Pictured is an image from the footage of the woman sitting on the ground as she is kicked by an officer An image shows the woman after then kick when she falls to the ground on her face An officer is pictured handcuffing the woman in an image from the footage The same officer is later seen in the footage dragging the woman across the parking lot The woman appears in the footage, handcuffed and leaning against the police vehicle The woman, Guadalupe Esperanza Marin, 39, was arrested on charges of driving on a suspended license, possession of paraphernalia and resisting arrest, the San Jose Spotlight reported. Police told the San Jose Mercury News that they had been trying to stop the car because of an expired registration. The vehicle was impounded. A woman and two children, who were passengers in the vehicle during the traffic stop, can be heard in the footage taken of the incident pleading with another officer that the vehicle had just been purchased. The footage was shot by DoorDash employee Josh Gil as he was preparing meals for a delivery run. 'I heard the cops pull up behind that woman. I think she was with a family member and two kids,' he told San Jose Spotlight. 'They pulled the guns out on them and demanded to get out of the car,' Gil said. The delivery man then described watching how a cop began kicking the driver. 'He gave her, like, a spartan kick, like an unnecessary spartan kick to the stomach,' Gil said 'You just see her wind get knocked out right off bat.' The arrest took place at a McDonald's at Santa Clara and 28th streets (pictured) Gil said he believes cops suspected the vehicle was stolen. People can be heard in the footage saying that the car had just been purchased. 'Even if she was guilty of the crime they suspected her of committing, they shouldn't have used that excessive force on her because she was being compliant,' Gil said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) Some lawmakers have called for a full-blown investigation into the fresh controversies and allegations of irregularities hounding the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. In a statement on Friday, Senator Panfilo Ping Lacson said he would be drafting a resolution calling for an inquiry on the said issues which were thrust into the spotlight following the resignation of one of the agencys officers. The proposed Senate Committee of the Whole inquiry will be one of the chambers top agenda when session resumes on Monday, Lacson added. Unabated corruption and mismanagement of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) funds has been a topic of discussion among Senate President (Vicente Tito) Sotto and me, along with some senators from the majority bloc, for quite some time now, Lacson said. Needless to say, there is urgency that the Senate has to act on the matter immediately, as part of its oversight mandate, having passed the Universal Health Law, he added. Sotto, for his part, also said there should be a full-blown Senate investigation again on the new issues faced by the state health insurer. President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered a separate investigation into the alleged irregularities in the agency, following the resignation its anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Keith who also made the same accusations. Keith, in his resignation letter, had reportedly claimed widespread corruption and other anomalies in the system, including an unfair job promotion process. No corruption A group of PhilHealth officers and staff said on Sunday the agency will welcome any investigation, but denied claims of corruption in the organization. We, along with dedicated and committed officers and staff of this Corporation, declare that there is no unabated and widespread corruption in PhilHealth. We are deeply hurt by these allegations and insinuations, the group said in a statement. The group stressed that any wrongdoing committed by an officer shall be reported, but maintained that complaints should be filed in the proper venue and should be given due process. "We are open to any investigation for alleged anomalies or irregularities we are accused of. We are saddened to be accused based on conjectures and hasty generalization which we find unfair, preposterous and malicious. He who alleges must prove," it added. PhilHealthPresident and CEO Ricardo Morales has earlier denied the former officials accusations, and challenged him to come up with the evidence and file the case. READ: PhilHealth under probe, denies widespread corruption alleged by resigned officer Other senators including Risa Hontiveros and Koko Pimentel likewise backed the calls for a probe, citing the need for accountability especially during this time of crisis. US-led Coalition Hands Control Over Seventh Military Base to Iraqi Forces Sputnik News 13:01 GMT 25.07.2020(updated 13:12 GMT 25.07.2020) The day before, the Iraqi military stated that the Besmayah military base used by Spanish troops as part of the US-led coalitions' efforts in the fight against Daesh had been attacked by four short-range rockets. The US-led international coalition has handed control of the Besmayah military base to the Iraqi forces. Thus, this is the seventh base transferred to the Iraqis, according to the country's Joint Command. "The transfer of the Besmaya military base, where the Spanish troops were deployed as part of the coalition, took place within the schedule developed by the Iraqi government and the leadership of the coalition. This is the seventh base transferred by the coalition," command spokesman Tahsin al-Khafaji told INA news agency. He noted that the Spanish military stationed at the base will be training Iraqi soldiers. "The Spanish military will leave Iraq upon the completion of their mission," al-Khafaji said. Several other bases are expected to be transferred in the future, the official added. On 5 January, the Iraqi parliament approved a resolution that demanded the immediate and complete withdrawal of foreign troops from the country. The resolution was approved after the United States killed Iran's Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi Shia militia group commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near Baghdad. Members of the parliament concluded that the US action violated Iraq's sovereignty. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prasanta Mazumdar By ASSAM: From selling home-grown vegetables in village markets so he could fund his studies to founding as many as eight institutions, the life of education entrepreneur Mahbubul Hoque, who is fondly known as Northeasts Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, has come a full circle. With his unwearying efforts, Hoque, in nearly two decades, has gifted his state Assam and Meghalaya several educational institutes such as University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), carving a niche for itself by offering courses hitherto little known to the region. Born in 1973 in the remote and nondescript Barcharra village in Patharkandi area of Assams Karimganj district, Hoque grew up facing personal tragedies, one after another, early in his life but he remained undeterred. Hoque lost his father Ibrahim Ali, who was a panchayat secretary, when he was in Class VII. And he was preparing for the Class XII board examinations, his mother, Khairun Nessa, passed away. "We were eight brothers. Our father struggled a lot to provide us education. As a school student, I sold home-grown vegetables in local markets. I also taught schoolchildren for my education expenses," Hoque recalls. When Hoque entered the Aligarh Muslim University as an undergraduate student in 1993, after securing a distinction in the Class XII exam, he was just 20 but already a Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was growing up in him. He had read about the vision, sacrifice and works of visionary Sir Syed. During the next seven years at the AMU, he would often visit his mazaar and sit there for hours enlightening himself with the vision of the founder of the university. In 2000, when the Karimganj resident was leaving the AMU with first-class B.Sc (Hons) and MCA degrees, high-paid lucrative job offers from multinational companies were waiting for him, but he turned them down. He wanted to serve his people. "Courses in computer science were high in demand then. So, I thought I must go back to my state and do something there," Hoque says. He approached some people in Guwahati for financial support for a start-up but none believed trusted him. He then started assembling computers and sold around 100 of them. With that money, that Hoque set up a five-computer lab in the city. "I had only Rs 85 when I started the lab in 2001. In due course, I visited Manipal University. Those days, the affiliation fee for a Manipal study centre was Rs 2 lakh. I didnt have so much money. So, I paid it in instalments of Rs 25,000 after borrowing money from a friend and started the centre," Hoque reminisces. In the first batch, Hoque had only 28 students at the centre. But the numbers kept growing each year. By 2006, the centre had as many as 3,500 students. Over the years, the number of staff also increased. Hoque said that was the turning point. "I came up with a trust called the Education Research Development Foundation. Some of the trustees are still there. Soon, I started the Regional College of Higher Education (now Regional Institute of Science and Technology or RIST), affiliated to the North East Hill University in Meghalaya. It was the states first engineering college. Then, I kept setting up one institute after another in Assam and Meghalaya," Hoque adds. He says that the Meghalaya government supported him in establishing the RIST. Hoque says then Meghalaya governor RS Mooshahary who had suggested him to set up the USTM by far his most successful venture. At the USTM, there are 22 departments and more than 60 courses mostly related to information technology. It has all the basic science programmes from undergraduate to postgraduate levels. "There are over 700 students at the USTM studying for free. Similarly, over 15 per cent of the students in my schools are being provided with free education. It is my duty and social responsibility to provide poor but meticulous students free education," Hoque says. Srijana Jaishi, a student of the USTM and a resident of Mizoram, says: "Besides education, we saw Hoque sirs involvement in social work during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is someone we all look up to." Dr Mukulesh Barua, director of Assam Institute of Management, says: "I have seen him (Hoque) from the beginning. He has got a single-minded focus to provide a platform of education and contribute to society." Representative Image The Congress launched its nationwide digital campaign, "#SpeakUpForDemocracy", on Sunday and hit out at the BJP for its "attempts to violate constitutional and democratic traditions". Congress leaders also accused the saffron party of trying to destabilise the Rajasthan government during a health emergency. "The Congress government in Rajasthan is trying its best to control the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also been appreciated globally. At such a time, the BJP is trying to destabilise the elected government in the state," Congress general secretary and the party's Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande said. State Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and the leaders of the saffron party are working to topple the Rajasthan government. "The Congress government is working effectively to battle against the pandemic. Even the prime minister has lauded its efforts. Then why is the BJP working towards bringing down the government? I want to say that democracy will win and the BJP's conspiracy will fail," he said. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is camping here with party leaders, said, "The BJP's conspiracy to kill democracy in broad daylight in Madhya Pradesh and now in Rajasthan has been exposed." "Is democracy a slave of the Delhi Durbar? Is the majority a puppet in Delhi's hands? Doesn't the rule of vote matter? If not, then raise your voice," he added. Reacting to the allegations, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Satish Poonia used a Hindi proverb to take a dig at the Congress -- a cat going on a pilgrimage after eating 900 mice. "The Congress is responsible for the political crisis in Rajasthan. It violated democratic values and insulted the Constitution for years. Will old sins be washed away through this 'SpeakUpForDemocracy' hypocrisy?" he asked. The Congress government in Rajasthan, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, is facing a threat after Gehlot's former deputy Sachin Pilot rebelled against the party. Eighteen other MLAs have also defied the party whip to attend CLP meetings. Including the 19 dissidents, the Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly and the BJP 72. Saja Shaheen is walking the aisles of Nour Cash & Carry, explaining the eclectic inventory of the popular grocery store her family has owned inside Brixton Market for more than 20 years. As new immigrant communities arrive in the diverse area of south London, she said, foods are added to match their tastes. Bags of rice are piled 6ft high near the entrance, next to huge jugs of various cooking oils. Spiced plantain chips and eight varieties of jerk sauce are imported from the Caribbean. There are bags of egusi, ground prawns and dried crayfish used for African dishes. Date syrups, tahini and okra cater to Middle Eastern customers. Nour has a crammed charm, but with a standout food selection that has made it popular with local restaurant chefs. (Its Whole Foods without the eye-watering prices, for real people, said a local blog.) The store is not designed for comfort or social distancing. Elbowing someone aside to reach a bag of beans or cornmeal is acceptable. There are no discernible checkout lines. Staff are savvy at defusing arguments. Some people say they come here for the fight, said Shaheen, walking through a spice aisle that stretches towards the ceiling, filled with curry powders, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika and peppercorns (green, red, black, white and pink). Its an authentic shop. It doesnt look fancy. Its been built organically. Nours beloved status in Brixton, a vibrant, occasionally chaotic, multicultural hub, made it a shock in January when the Shaheen family received an eviction notice. New landlords, Hondo Enterprises, run by a 39-year-old multimillionaire from Texas who moonlights as a house music DJ, said the tenants needed to move out by 22 July. A new power substation was being built on the premises to provide electricity for other shops in the increasingly upmarket shopping area where Nour is. When the Shaheen family refused to strike a deal, a gentrification fight began. A group of customers organised to save the store, saying Nours fate was a referendum about broader changes in Brixton. And like many such battles whether in San Francisco, New York or Paris those being displaced in Brixton are disproportionately lower income and from minority communities, raising issues of race in a country that has long struggled to address the topic head on. The shop became emblematic of something more, said Hiba Ahmad, who helped organise the campaign, called Save Nour. Everyone has seen this story over and over. The Shaheen family is originally from Iraq but was forced out in 1980 by Saddam Husseins regime. The family stayed in Iran for a decade before eventually going to London in 1990. We thought Europe was heaven, said Salam Shaheen, Sajas father, who drives every evening to a London wholesale market to hand-select produce for the store. The family settled near Brixton, an area with a reputation for welcoming immigrant families. Starting in the 1940s, Brixton was the centre of the Windrush Generation, the people who moved from Jamaica and other colonies to help rebuild the country after the Second World War. Many welcomed development of Brixton when investors began putting money into the area. The community had long been neglected and developed a rough reputation, particularly after riots in 1981 that were in part a result of racial tensions and aggressive police tactics. Two glass-covered pedestrian arcades in the centre of Brixton, dating from the 1920s and 1930s, became run-down and were nearly turned into apartments in 2008. Now a registered heritage site, Brixton Market, including the arcades, is a shopping and nightlife destination, with independent shops, restaurants and bars opening next to older merchants like Nour, fishmongers and butchers. The activists dressed up as club goers until McWilliams set began, when they revealed themselves and began heckling and criticising him But locals have watched warily as the change accelerated, fuelled by Brixtons once relatively affordable cost of living, public transportation links, boisterous nightlife, and enviable music, art and food scenes. A mural of David Bowie, who was born in Brixton, is a popular Instagram stop for tourists. All the local people, ethnic minorities, are being driven away, said Folashade Akande, owner of Iya-Ibadan, a store that has sold African food and crafts in the market for more than 20 years. As new shops like the plant-based cheesemonger opened nearby, her rents have increased. Ill try to stay as long as I can, she said. In the Nour campaign, anti-gentrification activists found a seemingly perfect foil in Taylor McWilliams, Hondos chief executive. With financial backing from American hedge fund Angelo Gordon, McWilliams bought the covered markets in 2018 for more than 37m, along with a popular nightclub and another property he plans to convert into a 20-story office building, which would be Brixtons tallest. Hes buying up Brixton, said Anees Matooq, a Nour customer who is active in the Save Nour group. Matooq said a prevailing view was that McWilliams, who dated an ex-girlfriend of Prince Harry and is a regular on the Ibiza club scene as a DJ in the house music group Housekeeping, wanted to make Brixton into an area where he and his friends want to hang out on weekends. For many, he represents what Brixton is not. Brixton Market, home to independent shops, restaurants and bars, is now a heritage site (Getty) McWilliams said he wasnt interested in changing Brixton. He wondered why he was cast as the villain, given that he had already spent more than 2m to fix plumbing problems, refurbish bathrooms and install a heating system that will keep the market busy during winter. He suspended rents for all tenants for three months after the pandemic broke out. In April, while at home obeying Britains lockdown orders, the Save Nour campaigners infiltrated an online charity concert McWilliams was playing. The activists dressed up as club goers until McWilliams set began, when they revealed themselves and began heckling and criticising him with signs in front of more than 1,000 internet onlookers. Suddenly club music websites were writing about the effort to save Nour. Many in Brixton said the campaigners had a false sense of nostalgia. Ian Riley, a Scotsman who owns a plant and homewares store, Cornercopia, remembers finding dead rats and human faeces when he took over a unit in the market more than a decade ago Marsha Smith, a local DJ who grew up going to Nour with her mother, said that while she was frustrated that new shops were tailored more to well-heeled customers, Brixton had gone through different waves of change. Emboldened by the Nour campaign, anti-gentrification activists are turning their sights to other projects in the area, and pressuring local political figures to slow development Youve got the original yuppies who dont like the new yuppies, she said. In June, facing a drop in sales as a result of the pandemic, the Shaheen family was preparing a court challenge to save Nour. Local celebrities like chef Yotam Ottolenghi spoke out on the stores behalf, and more than 55,000 people signed an online petition. But on 19 June, after a flurry of negotiations, a deal was reached. Nour would move to a new location in the market with a slightly lower rent. It feels like a big, giant hug, Saja Shaheen said at the store the next morning, as customers stopped in to congratulate the family. It validated us, an immigrant family coming here to this country and not being British. A few days later, sitting on a park bench a short walk from Nour, McWilliams said the intention had never been for Nour to close, but to move so that he could make improvements. The Nour space was the only suitable location for long-overdue power upgrades. The original yuppies dont like the new yuppies: critics point to hypocrisy in some of the gentrification rhetoric (Getty) The online protests, he said, had taken a personal toll. Activists targeted his friends, bandmates and girlfriend. People who he had not spoken to in 10 years received angry messages. His manager effectively dropped his band after other artists complained about his work in Brixton. Its all part of this crazy cancel culture, he said. Its astonishing to me. Emboldened by the Nour campaign, anti-gentrification activists are turning their sights to other projects in the area, and pressuring local political figures to slow development. This is the beginning of a long-term campaign, said Danai Nardi, a film producer who has lived in Brixton for more than 23 years. Saja Shaheen said she was ready to move on. She is embracing Brixtons shifting identity, including tailoring Nours inventory to Brixtons latest arrivals. She pointed to oat and almond milks now on sale, along with fancy rock salts and organic peanut butter. You always need a balance, she said with a laugh. The New York Times Flash British newspaper The Independent has denounced the attack or arrest of journalists in the United States while covering the recent demonstrations. According to a report by British newspaper on its website, a mounting crackdown on reporters by authorities has been seen in recent weeks as the Trump administration has deployed federal agents to several cities where demonstrators are calling for racial justice. It cited the United Nations human rights office as saying that journalists covering protests in the United States should be permitted to do their jobs without fear of attack or arrest. "(The protests) must be able to continue without those participating in them and also the people reporting on them, the journalists, risking arbitrary arrest or detention, being subject to unnecessary disproportionate or discriminatory use of force or suffering other violations of their rights," UN human rights spokesperson Liz Throssell told a news conference in Geneva as quoted by the Independent. According to the newspaper, its chief U.S. correspondent Andrew Buncombe was arrested on July 1 in Seattle while reporting on demonstrations. He was charged with failure to disperse despite repeatedly identifying himself as a journalist and was held for at least eight hours before being released. In response, The Independent launched a campaign named Journalism Is Not a Crime to protect journalists. "What we see today is how often the human rights of many, reporters included, seem to be casually disregarded by American police forces that are granted extraordinary immunities from prosecution. A certain institutional ethos has developed that the police are above the law, and have so little to fear from press scrutiny that they can lock journalists up with impunity," The Independent said in an editorial while announcing the initiative. So far more than 70 journalists in the United States have been arrested during Black Lives Matter demonstrations, while dozens of others have been injured by rubber bullets, pepper spray and tear gas, according to the Independent. New Delhi: Special train carrying passengers of the ill-fated Indore-Patna Express which derailed in Kanpur rural area on Sunday morning arrived in Patna at around 4am on Monday. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had informed on Sunday that the special train had all possible support for the passengers, including 4000 food packets, 2000 water bottles, 1500 cups of tea to be supplied free of cost. The train reportedly also carried injured people who has families in Bihar. A team of 20 doctors were waiting for the victims at the Patna station. Special train reached #Patna with rest of the passengers including injured.for detailinformation may please use Help-line numbers pic.twitter.com/NWuBJT14tO Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) November 21, 2016 A tragic train accident killed at least 130 people while injuring another 90 on Sunday morning when the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Kanpur Dehat at around 3:10 am on Sunday morning. Special train with survivors of #KanpurTrainTragedy reached Patna in early morning hours. pic.twitter.com/wOlhZQK9SI ANI (@ANI_news) November 21, 2016 The rescue operations, which took all day, were personally overseen by all senior authorities, including UP CM Akhilesh Yadav and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Ex-gratia amounts have also been announced for deceaseds kin and injured persons by Railway Ministry, Prime Minister, and UP and Madhya Pradesh governments, while, Bihar government has announced a compensation amount for victims from hailing from the state. Also read: Watch | Patna-Indore Express Kanpur Tragedy: Death toll rises to 122 over 100 injured Patna-Indore Express Tragedy: Helpline numbers issued by Railway Ministry For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday appealed citizens to raise their voice to protect democracy and launched the partys campaign #SpeakUpForDemocracy. Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader posted a video with the caption Lets unite in #SpeakUpForDemocracy and raise our voice to protect democracy (translated from Hindi). The video posted by the Congress leader has a voiceover in which the Congress party accuses the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) of ripping up constitution, demolishing democracy and murdering democracy in Rajasthan. Today, When the entire nation is fighting against coronavirus, the BJP is ripping up the constitution and demolishing our democracy. In 2018, people of Rajasthan elected the Congress government. Today, BJP is conspiring to topple democratically elected Congress government after doing the same in Madhya Pradesh, BJP is now trying to murder democracy in Rajasthan, it said. We demand BJP to stop toppling democratically elected governments. We demand to immediately convene an assembly session within our constitutional rights. Join #SpeakUpForDemocracy to raise your voice and protect democracy, it added. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had on Friday accused the BJP of a conspiracy to bring down its government in Rajasthan. Rajasthan plunged into a political crisis after differences between Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was removed as the deputy chief minister of Rajasthan and as the state unit chief of the party. They jetted off for a sunshine getaway after spending months in lockdown in the UK. And now dozens of stars including Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright are facing isolation when they return home, after the government introduced new quarantine rules. Maya Jama and Sam Faiers could also be hit by the restriction, with them both enjoying picturesque breaks in Ibiza and Marbella. Next stop isolation! Mark Wright, 33, and Michelle Keegan, 33, have been enjoying a break in Marbella but could not face having to quarantine when they return to the UK The UK government suddenly pulled its air bridge with Spain on Saturday night with almost immediate effect following a spike of coronavirus cases in the country. The move, which came into effect from midnight, means anyone returning to Britain from Spain faces an automatic fortnight-long quarantine at home. The rules apply to all regions of Spain, including the Canary and Balearic islands - though politicians in the latter say they are trying to thrash out a regional air bridge. Spain was one of the worst hit countries in Europe by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 290,000 cases and over 28,000 deaths. Taking a break: Sam Faiers, 29, is also currently in Marbella enjoying a last minute trip with her family after spending lockdown at home in the UK An unexpected return: Maya Jama, 25, has been sharing sexy snaps from her trip to Ibiza since flying out on a private jet on Monday, but could now have to spend 14 days isolation at home However it imposed very strict lockdown measures to contain the spread, gradually easing them earlier in the summer. Spain was originally put on a list of 74 countries which were considered safe for Brits to visit, prompting many celebs to book getaways. For example, presenter Maya Jama dashed off to Ibiza and has been sharing snaps of her incredible curves in bikinis as she relaxes in the sun since Monday. While Sam Faiers, 29, is currently on a family trip to Marbella with her beau Paul Knightley and their two children. In her element: Love Island's Gabby Allen, 28, is another celeb who could be effected after she jetted to Ibiza for some sun Cute: Jamie Laing, 31, and his girlfriend Sophie Habboo, 26, are also on a Spanish getaway, proving they were more loved-up than ever as they shared a cute snap The Mummy Diaries star appeared to be having a great time abroad as she frolicked on a beach on Saturday and sweetly kissed her daughter Rosie in another snap. Mark and Michelle are also facing isolation, with them having been on the Balearic Islands for some time with his glamorous family. Most recently they enjoyed a night out in Mallorca and a day trip together on a boat where he showed off his hunky physique. Former Love Islander Alexandra Cane is also in Ibiza with her pals and is now facing having to isolate back in the UK, as are Gabby Allen and model Demi Rose. Stunning: Alexandra Cane, 29, looked sensational as she showed off the results of exercise regime while in a black bikini during a boat day in Ibiza on Friday but is now looking at quarantining Quick getaway: Danielle Lloyd, 36, appeared relaxed in a selfie from her Ibiza break Model Danielle Lloyd is another star who could possibly be caught out by the new rules, with her currently making the most of the sunshine with her husband Michael O'Neill. TOWIE's James Argent is also abroad in Spain at the moment after spending some weeks at his pal Elliott Wright's bar and restaurant in Marbs. Other stars in Marbella include Chloe Khan and Natalya Wright, who has been sharing a splew of stunning bikini snaps from her trip. While Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasaei and Charlotte Crosby are also away, with the pair enjoying a break in Ibiza. Bare all: Gabby put it all on display for a sizzling social media snap while wearing a minuscule black bikini and matching black trainers in Ibiza, Spain on Friday Happiness: Sam displayed her slim figure in a colourful striped bikini this week whilst hugging her daughter as she makes the most of time away from the UK despite the current pandemic Racy: Demi Rose, 25, also put on a sizzling display as she showed off her ample assets in a blue floral bikini and decided to go without any bottoms while on a boat in Ibiza this week They had been on the stunning island with Billie Faiers and Jacqueline Jossa for a luxury photoshoot, however Jacqueline jetted home earlier this week. Spain had been on a list of 74 countries that the British government had said were safe for travellers to visit - meaning tourists returning home would not have to go into quarantine. But it has seen a surge of cases in the last few weeks, prompting most regions to impose rules for masks to be worn everywhere and, in several areas including Barcelona, calls for people to stay at home. However there might be some hope for celebs in Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. Beach babe: Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasaei, 30, set pulses racing as she slipped into a leopard-print bikini during her Ibiza break on Thursday Working it: Jess Wright, 34, caught the eye as she shared a sizzling Instagram snap of herself relaxing on a boat in Majorca on Wednesday Balearic Islands' government chiefs are pinning their hopes on establishing 'safe air corridors' with the UK to save their summer season and the holiday hopes of thousands of Brits. They confirmed overnight they were working with the Spanish and UK governments to set up the scheme for islands like Majorca and Ibiza. In a statement on its website, the islands' government said: 'We ave been working over the last few hours to establish the basis for a safe air corridor with the UK, following the British government's quarantine imposition for all holidaymakers returning from Spain. 'The British government's decision has caused great concern in the Balearic Islands' government, given that it will cause serious problems to tourist activity in our islands. 'One of the main arguments justifying the creation of a safe air corridor between the islands and the UK is the health situation here. 'The islands have had eight confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past fortnight, whereas in the UK the figure is 14,1 and in Spain as a whole, 37,9.' Roy Den Hollander was furious. The self-described anti-feminist lawyer was on a crusade to end the U.S. Militarys male-only draft registration system. He was helping represent a New Jersey teen who alleged in a 2015 lawsuit she was being discriminated against because she was unable to register under the Selective Service System as a woman. A teenager who was found dead around 18 months after his girlfriend was fatally hit by a bus posted an emotional message on Facebook days before his death. James Fincher, 18, was reported missing from an address in Coalville, north west Leicestershire, at 3.55pm on Saturday. A body was found in the area of Meadow Lane, Coalville, yesterday evening and formal identification is yet to take place, Leicestershire Police confirmed. Earlier this week, Mr Fincher posted a photo saying: 'Never ignore a person who loves you, cares for you and misses you, because one day you might wake up and realise you lost the moon while counting the stars.' James Fincher, 18, was reported missing from an address in Coalville, north west Leicestershire, at 3.55pm on Saturday His girlfriend Sian Ellis, of Whitwick, was struck by the bus at the end of the school day on January 28 last year. Following the collision outside King Edward VII College in Coalville, she suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene. Mr Fincher set up an online petition in bid to make the road where Sian was killed safer for schoolchildren, The Mirror reported. In February this year, he posted on Facebook the petition on Facebook and said: 'Over a year on since my girlfriend Sian Ellis was tragically and so unexpectedly hit by a bus crossing over the current 'crossing' that isn't a controlled one.' He added: 'The more signatures it gets, the higher the possibility of it being recognised and something a lot safer finally being put in place.' Leicestershire Police said: 'Officers searching for an 18-year-old man reported missing have found a body. His girlfriend Sian Ellis, of Whitwick, was struck by the bus at the end of the school day on January 28 last year. 'James Fincher was reported missing from an address in Coalville at 3.55pm yesterday (Saturday). 'A body was found in the area of Meadow Lane, Coalville yesterday evening. Formal identification is yet to take place. 'The death is not believed to be suspicious and a file is being prepared for HM Coroner. Thank you to everyone who shared our appeal and provided information.' Mr Fincher's sister Carolanne Campbell posted on Facebook: 'It still doesn't feel real. 'You have struggled so much these past 18 months, I just wish there was something more we could have done to help you. 'I will miss you so much James. Sleep tight you beautiful soul.' Scientists plan to release altered mosquitoes designed to sabotage the species' ability to reproduce. Is this safe? Here's everything you need to know: Who's doing this? The federal Environmental Protection Agency has approved a plan by a British biotech company called Oxitec to release about 1 billion genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes in the Florida Keys and, next year, Texas. The mosquitoes (code-named OX5034) will only be male the gender that does not bite humans and will carry a new gene that will be passed on to their female offspring and cause them to die while they're still larvae. Repeated releases of such "Trojan horse" mosquitoes should kill, in theory, 90 percent of the local population of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is capable of transmitting the Zika and West Nile viruses, as well as dengue and yellow fever. Oxitec claims it's safe and notes that the species is invasive to south Florida, anyway. But the plan has drawn protest from residents and some in the scientific community. "People here in Florida do not consent to the genetically engineered mosquitoes or to being human experiments," said Barry Wray of the Florida Keys Environmental Coalition. Henry Greely, a Stanford law professor and bioethicist, said the Oxitec plan reflects the almost limitless possibilities and dangers of genetic technology. "We can remake the biosphere to be what we want, from woolly mammoths to nonbiting mosquitoes," he said. "How should we feel about that? Do we want to live in nature, or in Disneyland?" How does this technology work? Scientists first genetically modified an animal a mouse in 1974. But the process remained cumbersome and slow until the development of the CRISPR technique and other "gene-editing" technology this decade. Now scientists can target exactly which genes they want to modify using RNA, break the DNA apart at the gene's location using an enzyme, and then insert a new gene. Last year, University of Georgia researchers created the first genetically modified reptile, a brown anole, and an Indiana company, AquaBounty, expects to begin harvesting tons of salmon genetically modified to grow faster at an indoor facility later this year. Critics say this is all moving too fast, without adequate study of risks and unintended consequences. Jaydee Hanson, policy director for the International Center for Technology Assessment and Center for Food Safety, calls Oxitec's project a "Jurassic Park experiment, except without the island." Story continues Where do the plans stand? In May, the EPA greenlighted Oxitec's plans for both Florida and Texas, issuing the company an experimental use permit. Florida state authorities followed suit with their own approval. Texas authorities and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control commission still need to sign off, and may face lawsuits. More than 31,000 people filed objections with the EPA and only 56 expressed support with some accusing the agency of relying solely on data supplied by Oxitec to issue permits. "What could possibly go wrong?" asked Hanson. "We don't know, because they unlawfully refused to seriously analyze environmental risks." What could go wrong? Some geneticists, including Dr. Ricarda Steinbrecher of EcoNexus, a public-interest research organization, have raised alarms that Oxitec's altered mosquitoes haven't been adequately studied. The researcher said "the underlying mechanism(s) leading to cell death" in the larvae aren't "fully understood" and thus can't yield "precise and predictable results." An independent group of researchers also claimed that some of the larvae produced from an earlier Oxitec field study in Brazil survived to sexual maturity and were able to reproduce introducing the mosquitoes' modified DNA into the local population. (So far, there is no evidence that the resulting hybrid is more robust or dangerous to humans.) Critics also warn that the potential removal of even an invasive species from the food chain and ecosystem could have profound unintentional consequences; many kinds of birds and bats, for example, eat mosquitoes. "I'm not sure I care if mosquitoes suffer, if they can suffer," Greely said. "But mammals or birds, I do care." What's the upside? Some see world-changing possibilities. Florida witnessed its first mosquito-to-human transmission of the Zika virus (which causes serious birth defects) in 2016, and West Nile is a perennial problem. As these diseases spread northward in a warming world, the elimination of a species that transmits them could prevent many illnesses and save lives. Meanwhile, a team of scientists led by the renowned botanist Joanne Chory is using CRISPR to create plants capable of storing extra carbon dioxide. Theoretically, if applied on a large scale, such plants could suck more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and arrest the forces of climate change. "I feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders," Chory has said. In Australia, researchers are devising a genetically modified coral capable of withstanding rising sea temperatures. "The worst thing that we could do is ignore genetic engineering because it's frightening for some people," said coral geneticist Line Bay, "and then get 10 or 15 years down the road and realize it's the only option." Oxitec's modified moths South Florida and Texas aren't the only places that Oxitec is testing its genetically modified insects. Earlier this year, Cornell University scientists announced the results of a project they had conducted with the company involving its genetically modified diamondback moths, or Plutella xylostella. The pest reportedly wreaks between $4 billion and $5 billion a year of damage to crops like broccoli, canola, cauliflower, and cabbage. Scientists and farmers are eager to find ways of limiting the damage as well as reducing the $19 billion worth of chemical pesticides sprayed on crops each year. The modified male moths come with a self-limiting gene that causes their female progeny to die. The Cornell team declared the test a success, saying that the modified moths should "effectively suppress populations of pest P. xylostella in the field." The company is also at work developing a modified, self-limiting version of the fall armyworm, which is responsible for terrible crop losses across sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia. An Oxitec scientist who co-authored the Cornell report hailed the "immense potential" of protecting plants without resorting to potentially toxic pesticides. This article was first published in the latest issue of The Week magazine. If you want to read more like it, you can try six risk-free issues of the magazine here. More stories from theweek.com Trump only pivoted on coronavirus after reportedly being warned of spikes among 'our people' in red states The GOP cancels the convention of Trump's dreams What Tom Cotton's 'necessary evil' comment says about America By WILLIAM J. KOLE News articles dont carry Hollywood-style viewer ratings or trigger warnings. Maybe this one should. But consider this: What if THESE are the good old days? Depressing as that might seem after the coronavirus pandemic has claimed well over 630,000 lives worldwide, cost tens of millions their jobs and inflicted untold misery across the planet, its entirely possible increasingly likely, some say that things will get worse before they get better. Americans in particular have been optimists by nature for the better part of four centuries. But even here, a bleak dystopian vision is emerging in some corners. It's not pretty. It imagines a not-too-distant future where we'll all look back with nostalgia at 2020 as a time when most of us had plenty of food and wine, could get many of the goods and services we needed, and could work from home at jobs that still paid us. "This could be as good as it gets, so let's take pleasure in what we have now," Katherine Tallman, the CEO of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, an indie cinema in Brookline, Massachusetts, told a recent Zoom roundtable. The pandemic continues to buffet the planet economically, dashing hopes that the worst of the joblessness might be behind us. For 18 consecutive weeks now, more than a million Americans have sought unemployment benefits. New infections have been surging in states like Florida and California that power the economy, threatening people's health and livelihoods for the foreseeable future. That's bad. But in online forums and on social media, futurists see the potential for worse. Much worse. Their musings aren't for the faint of heart. It's likely that few, if any, of their forecasts will come to pass. This time next year, we may well marvel at how swiftly this existential threat was vanquished. But with the numbers going in the wrong direction, and collective confidence badly shaken, those given to ruinous thoughts can be forgiven for thinking the worst: What if humanity's frantic efforts to produce a viable vaccine take longer than envisioned, allowing the virus to kill indiscriminately in the interim? What if that coincides with a climate calamity that ruins crops and shatters supply chains, stripping supermarket shelves bare of much more than hand sanitizer and toilet paper? For all our kvetching about masks, could we one day find ourselves having to don hazmat suits just to leave the house? Is it such a stretch to imagine the economic fallout moving beyond jobs and 401(k)s and wiping out entire industries setting off a global Great Depression, Part Two? The pandemic is "going to get worse and worse and worse," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters last week. "There will be no return to the old normal for the foreseeable future." Even President Donald Trump, in a notable departure from his generally insistent stance that the U.S. has the outbreak under control, said the "nasty horrible" virus "will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better." Presidential adviser Ivanka Trump puts on her face mask during a news conference Friday, July 24, 2020, in Greenwood Village, Colorado.AP Photo/David Zalubowski Margaret Hetherman, a New York City-based writer and futurist, thinks some of our darker pandemic experiences things like fighting over canned goods and hoarding toilet paper could foreshadow more dire years ahead if global warming continues unabated. "We're getting a taste of what could be ahead if we don't get control of ourselves here. The empty shelves could be just the beginning," she said. "It's hard to imagine, but the climate crisis upon us is probably going to render this a piece of cake by comparison." The Rhode Island village of Hope Valley mirrors the new COVID-19 landscape. More is closed than is open, including the local Grange community center, usually a beehive of activity and human connection. "NO YOGA," reads a plastic sign out front. "BE HEALTHY BE HAPPY BE SAFE," it adds, though the hamlet like thousands of other small towns nationwide is powerless to help its people accomplish any of those things. For businesses and consumers alike, a new order appears to be dawning one in which the risk of viral outbreaks increasingly is seen as perpetual, not a one-off. "These times we're in right now perilous as they are will soon be looked back on fondly as 'the good old days.' Prepare accordingly," tweeted Columbia University philosopher Rory Varrato. The website Quartz.com asked experts in business, technology, food, the arts and other sectors how the world will be different in five years because of the coronavirus. Their responses? Largely grim. "My bet is that movie theaters won't exist," said one, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Adam Grant. The pandemic has pummeled airlines and the hospitality industry. The American Hotel and Lodging Association warns that more than 8,000 U.S. hotels could close for good as early as September. Restaurants also are imperiled: Without government intervention, Democratic U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts cautioned this month, "there could be an extinction experience." Politics, too, cloud the horizon and moods. For some, a dystopian future includes four more years of Trump's chaotic presidency; for others, the election of Joe Biden and a sudden lurch back to the left. As if all that isn't enough to bring down the room, people love to share word of random supposed signs of the apocalypse things that certainly aren't, like the North American invasion of "murder hornets" and that squirrel in Colorado that was found to have been infected with bubonic plague. That stuff we mostly shrug off. But the future, writ large, is serious business. It is, after all, where we pin our hopes and dreams. If these do turn out to be the good old days, at least there are things for which we legitimately can be thankful: more time and meals together with loved ones; an extended reprieve from soul-sapping commutes; and for some of us a greater emotional investment in our children, if only because we're seeing a lot more of each other. "Even now, we can find joy in a day," said Hetherman, the futurist. "Even if we're in a hazmat suit, God help us, we'll have to find what joy we can." Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Ahead of the August 1 deadline for vacating her government bungalow in Delhi's Lutyens' zone, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday sent an invitation for tea to BJP leader Anil Baluni, who has been allotted the house, sources said. It is learnt that the invite has been sent to the BJP's Rajya Sabha MP, seeking his convenience and confirmation. When reached out for comments, Baluni did not respond to calls. Priyanka Gandhi is in the process of vacating the 35, Lodhi Estate house, after the Ministry of Urban Development issued her a notice on July 1 asking her to vacate the bunglow before August 1 as she was no longer eligible for it after her security cover was downgraded last year. She is learnt to have zeroed in on a house in Delhi and will be shifting there soon. She has, however, moved some of her belongings to a penthouse in an upscale residential society in Gurgaon's Sector 42, but will not be living there, sources said. They said the Gurgaon's house is only being occasionally used by her children and she will be located in central Delhi only. By the PennLive Editorial Board House Bill 2463 is pretty simple. It would require state agencies to follow Pennsylvanias Right-to-Know Law during declared emergencies. Like the current coronavirus pandemic emergency. The Right-to-Know Law guarantees public access to government records. The state legislature, which can agree on little more than the time of day, unanimously passed HB 2463 requiring compliance with the law during emergencies. Some state agencies had stopped processing public information requests during the first months of the COVID-19 emergency declaration and theres still foot-dragging on disclosing records related to nursing home deaths and business closure waivers. This unanimous bill faces a veto from Gov. Tom Wolf, which would be the first veto of a unanimously passed bill since 1978. Remember, this is about compliance with an existing law, not something new, which makes this a surprising issue for a standoff. The reasons given for objecting to the bill have been flimsy from the start. The administrations objections fall under the general heading of problematic and risky for instance, they contend that having to comply with the law would risk public safety or patient privacy. But these concerns are already addressed by the law. Melissa Melewsky, an attorney for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia, told PA Post the existing law makes numerous exceptions to prevent the release of the information that would create harm. They include: exemptions for trade secrets, confidential and proprietary information, individuals medical information, investigation exemptions, and exemptions related to safety and security of individuals, buildings, and critical infrastructure, she said. Of course, emergencies are exactly when laws like Right-to-Know have their greatest value. Emergencies are the times that people most need to be fully informed and to understand why decisions are being made. Our guess is that Wolfs really objecting to Right-to-Know compliance for the same reasons many government leaders have objected to it since meaningful Right-to-Know legislation was passed in 2008: fear of inconvenience and embarrassment from disclosure, or partisan self-interest. Certainly, anyone can succumb to the pressures of self-interest, even a governor who promised transparency during his campaign and again during the coronavirus crisis. No doubt the motives of GOP legislators wanting to know more about Wolfs handling of the coronavirus crisis arent pure. But times of crisis call for something bigger than partisanship: unqualified, no-holds barred, honest-to-God transparency. The kind of transparency that lets the chips fall where they may. That builds confidence in government for the people in Pennsylvania at a time when federal officials destroy such confidence daily in ways previously unimaginable. But if you want to talk self-interest, vetoing HB 2463 would create bigger, more lasting disadvantages for Wolf in the long-term: It ultimately cedes the high road. It misses an easy opportunity to create political goodwill that Wolf can build on and that he will need as the pandemic continually presents new challenges. It suggests a lack of confidence. It wastes energy and political capital on an unnecessary fight. Arguments against openness are always feeble and are themselves transparent. As a public official, youre either for transparency or against it theres no sometimes. The Right-to-Know law isnt about the person currently in office and their option to do with it as they please. The Right to Know is a public right to question the government and get answers. Our right. We thought Gov. Wolf understood that. No, you dont need to wash your face or get your eyes checked, the above picture is the real image of Saturn in all its high-resolution glory. The planet was captured by NASAs Hubble Space Telescope that shows clear and crisp images of the planet and the rings that surround it. The image was recently posted by the space agency and the moment we saw it, we could not stop looking at it. NASA "Hubble's sharp view resolves the finely etched concentric ring structure," said NASA in a blogpost. The rings are composed of chunks of ice " ranging from tiny grains to giant boulders. The Hubble Telescope orbits about 548km above Earth and this picture was captured when Saturn orbited1350 million km from Earth. The telescope also photographed a slight reddish haze over the planets Northern hemisphere which may have been caused due to heating from increased sunlight, which could either change the atmospheric circulation or perhaps remove ice from aerosols in the atmosphere according to NASA. "It's amazing that even over a few years, we're seeing seasonal changes on Saturn," said lead investigator Amy Simon of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. NASA The Hubbles sharp picture also captured Saturns majestic rings that are mostly made of pieces of ice with sizes ranging from giant boulders to tiny grains. How these rings are formed is still considered one of our solar systems biggest mysteries even for NASA. Some theories suggest these rings were formed during the age of the dinosaurs ,however most astronomers agree there this is no theory that can be accepted to satisfactory levels. These rings could have been formed in the past few hundred million years. "However, NASA's Cassini spacecraft measurements of tiny grains raining into Saturn's atmosphere suggest the rings can only last for 300 million more years, which is one of the arguments for a young age of the ring system," said team member Michael Wong of the University of California, Berkeley. While the planet was captured in detail by the telescope, it also managed to capture two of Saturns 53 confirmed moons. The bottom speck in the black background of space is called Enceladus while the speck on the right that resembles the Death Star from Star Wars, is called Mimas. Source: NASA For the first time, a total of 4,42,031 samples were tested in the country in a single day, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The government labs set a new record of testing 3,62,153 samples while private labs also scaled a new high by testing 79,878 samples in a single day. In the last 24 hours, 4,42,031 samples were tested. For the first time, government labs set a new record of testing 3,62,153 samples. Private labs also scaled a new high of 79,878 samples tested in a single day, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Central government has advised all States to keep up with the strategy of aggressive testing, tracking, and treatment which may initially lead to a high number of daily positive cases but would eventually achieve a decline. On Saturday, the Health Ministry had said a strong factor contributing to an increasing number of tests is the persistent increase in the number of labs from merely one in January 2020 to 1,301 today, including 902 government labs and 399 private ones. Till Saturday, Indias had reported 13,36,861 Covid-19 cases, according to the Union Health Ministry. Meredith Baber of Greenwich and New York City is among six students who have graduated from Vista Life Innovations a nationally accredited post-secondary program that supports the personal success of individuals with disabilities. Baber started at Vista in October 2015 and was a student in the residential transition program, Discover. In the Discover Program, students learn the skills necessary to live independently through experiential training in a community-based setting. Graduation is a significant milestone that acknowledges the independence and success students have worked hard to achieve in the Discover Program. Baber is planning to join Vistas long-term community-based program, Engage, to continue to develop herself as she accomplishes new goals. With campuses in Madison and Westbrook,the nonprofit Vista has been providing services to assist individuals with disabilities for 30 years. Vistas mission is to provide resources to help individuals with disabilities achieve personal success. For more information, visit www.vistalifeinnovations.org. Greenwich resident appointed to Burke Rehabilitation Hospitals board of trustees The Burke Rehabilitation Hospitals Board of Trustees welcomed Greenwich resident Julie Grace Burke to the board at a recent virtual meeting. Grace Burke has close ties to the hospital. Her mother, Bonnie Grace, was a patient at Burke after experiencing a stroke in 2018. Bonnie Grace and her husband of nearly 51 years, Tom, were recipients of the Burke Award in 2019. It means so much to me to join the Burke Board of Trustees because Ive seen the amazing work of their clinical staff first-hand, Grace Burke said. Im excited to help make the hospital as strong as possible and bring Burkes compassionate care to as many people as possible. Julie Grace Burke has been a top-ranked residential real estate agent for the past 14 years and currently represents Houlihan Lawrence. Before taking a decade without working outside the home to raise her young family, she worked in marketing and special events for Nordstrom Inc., helping to open their store in Short Hills, N.J., while also serving as the development coordinator for St. Vincents Hospital Westchester Branch. Grace Burke serves on the acquisition committee for the Greenwich Land Trust and served as a board member for six years. She was part of the executive committee that achieved accreditation for the organization and was critical to securing the donation and renovation of the GLT headquarters on Round Hill Road. Im thrilled to welcome Julie Grace Burke to the board, said John R. McCarthy, chairman of Burkes board of Trustees. Julies track record of success in community involvement, coupled with her undeniable passion for the hospitals vision and mission, make her the perfect addition to the Burke family. Always involved in her community, Grace Burke also spent many years serving on the board of the Cowan Center, the early learning center at Greenwich Academy; and the PTAs of Brunswick School, Greenwich Academy, Greenwich High School and Putnam Indian Field School. A graduate of the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, and Dartmouth College, Julie Grace Burke also studied public health and business administration at New York Universitys Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. She lives with her husband, John, and has two daughters, Anne and Lucy, and one son, Judge. Burke Rehabilitation Hospital is a not-for-profit, acute rehabilitation hospital in White Plains, N.Y., dedicated solely to adult rehabilitation medicine. For additional information, visit burke.org. Riverside student graduates from Eastern Connecticut John Mendoza of Riverside was among the hundreds of students who graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic in the spring 2020 semester. Mendoza graduated with a bachelor of arts in criminology. Easterns 130th annual commencement exercises were held via YouTube on May 19 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the same day the university had originally planned to hold its graduation ceremony at Hartfords XL Center. Cos Cob student named to Deans List at James Madison University Cos Cob resident, Katherine Walko has been named to the deans list at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., for the spring 2020 semester. Students who earn deans list honors must carry at least 12 graded credit hours and earn a GPA of between 3.5 and 3.899. Walko is a math major. Local students graduate from Fairfield University A number of local students graduated from Fairfield University in Fairfield in May. Among the graduates are Elizabeth Cavanaugh, Alessia M. Conte and Kimberly Mirabella of Cos Cob, and Madeleine J. Lerose of Old Greenwich. From Greenwich, the graduates included Byron A. Abanto, John A. Adimari, Nina P. Cremonese, Dominique Gambino, William L. Gaynor, Luke Hardin, Elizabeth A. Hutchins, Whitney A. Lynn, Katharine L. Schacter, Alexander Shabecoff and Katherine S. Vitale. Do you have news to announce about a recent wedding, engagement, anniversary, birth, graduation or more? Share the good news with the readers of Greenwich Time by sending an email to detailing the event to gtcitydesk@ hearstmediact.com. The United States tallied just shy of 1000 coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday after a four-day streak of four-digit death tolls. The country reported more than 67,000 infections, raising the seven-day average to 66,752. The world surpassed 16 million confirmed cases this weekend and reached at least 641,000 coronavirus-related deaths. The United States accounts for about one-quarter of the reported infections and one-fifth of the death toll. Fearing infection, demonstrators at Luis Munoz Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday protest against the arrival of tourists from the US mainland. Credit:Bloomberg With just days to go until COVID-19 jobless aid expires, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox News on Sunday that the White House and Republican lawmakers would present a stimulus package on Monday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had suggested on Friday that an agreement could take a weeks, potentially leaving millions of Americans in limbo when benefits are cut off. To complicate an already dire medical situation, Hurricane Hanna roared ashore the Texas coast on Saturday, leaving a path of destruction in an area already ravaged by coronavirus infections. Flash Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced here Saturday the lineup of his new cabinet after the ruling People's Action Party won a recent general election. The appointments will take effect from July 27 when a swearing-in ceremony for the cabinet will take place. Heng Swee Keat, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance, will take on an additional appointment as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, Lee said at a press conference at the Istana. Senior Ministers Teo Chee Hean and Tharman Shanmugaratnam are staying on, while serving as the Coordinating Minister for National Security and the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies respectively. Six of the fifteen ministries will be headed by new ministers. Grace Fu will be appointed Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, as the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources will be renamed the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. Lawrence Wong will be appointed Minister for Education while maintaining his post as the Second Minister for Finance. Desmond Lee will be appointed Minister for National Development in Wong's stead. Masagos Zulkifli will move to head the Ministry for Social and Family Development. Ong Ye Kung will become Minister for Transport, replacing the retiring Minister of Transport Khaw Boon Wan. Edwin Tong will be appointed Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, the ministry Fu has been leading. Indranee Rajah will be appointed Second Minister for National Development. She will remain Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and as the Second Minister for Finance. Maliki Osman will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Education and for Foreign Affairs. Tan See Leng will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Manpower and for Trade and Industry. The grave situation that Singapore is currently facing puts a premium on experience and a sure touch, Lee Hsien Loong said at the press conference, adding that this is why most Cabinet ministers are experienced with at least one term of government as political office-holders. He noted that he is rotating the ministers, especially the younger ones, to gain exposure and experience. The People's Action Party won 83 of the 93 parliamentary seats in Singapore's general election taking place on July 10. It won the election with 61.24 percent of votes, compared to 69.86 percent in last election in 2015. Australia is confronted with what one columnist has called the three horsemen of the apocalypse: COVID-19, a related economic crisis and febrile race relations. Education cannot only resuscitate our economy after COVID-19 but has a huge part to play in promoting reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The Victorian curriculum has it spot-on when it says "historical knowledge is fundamental to understanding ourselves and others". However, as a fierce debate has raged about our history, it has become clear that far too few of us possess a reasonable foundation of knowledge. Artist Djon Mundine has suggested creating a large carving of Indigenous figures in the cliff face opposite the Sydney Opera House. Credit:Steven Siewert Voices on the right fail to understand the scale and depth of injustice that Indigenous Australians have faced. From the left, historical figures have been assailed without an appreciation of the context in which they operated. Hawaii Based Ships to Sortie Ahead of Hurricane Douglas Navy News Service Story Number: NNS200725-01 Release Date: 7/25/2020 5:57:00 AM From Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Rear Adm. Robert Chadwick, commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, announced that U.S. Navy ships and submarines based in Hawaii not currently undergoing maintenance availabilities have begun plans to sortie as Hurricane Douglas travels toward the Hawaiian Islands. Ships that sortie will be positioned to help respond after the storm, if needed. "We have been carefully tracking this storm, and based on the current track, we have decided to begin plans to sortie Pearl Harbor-based ships," Chadwick said. "This allows the ships enough time to transit safely out of the path of the storm." Units will remain at sea until the threat from the storm subsides and Hawaii-based Navy aircraft will be secured in hangars or flown to other airfields to avoid the effects of the hurricane. The Navy orders a sortie during potentially extreme weather conditions to reduce the risk of significant damage to ships, submarines and piers during high winds and seas. Some ships will not get underway, due to various maintenance availabilities, and are taking extra precautions to avoid potential damage. Commanding officers have a number of options when staying in port, depending on the severity of the weather. Some of these options include adding additional mooring and storm lines, dropping the anchor, and disconnecting shore power cables. As the Air Force's 15th Wing and 154th Wing prepare for Hurricane Douglas, the main goal is to keep Airmen, equipment, and infrastructure safe. Additionally, Airmen are preparing to secure all aircraft in preparation for the hurricane. Personnel in Navy Region Hawaii, including on Oahu and Kauai, should follow hurricane awareness and preparedness guidelines established by city/county and state government. Navy Region Hawaii and its installations provide updated information on Facebook pages: - Navy Region Hawaii - Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam - Pacific Missile Range Facility At the beginning of hurricane season in early June, Navy Region Hawaii provided detailed information in the region/base newspaper Ho'okele for service members, civilian workforce and families. Information included preparing a disaster supply kit, creating a family emergency communication plan and knowing where to go if ordered to evacuate: - http://www.hookelenews.com/be-ready-for-hurricane-season/ - http://www.hookelenews.com/be-ready-for-hurricane-season-2/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Sunday. This file will be updated throughout the day. Web links to longer stories if available. 6 p.m. As of late Sunday, Ontarios regional health units are reporting a total of 40,723 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 2,798 deaths, up 104 cases in 24 hours. As has been the case in recent days, the new infections reported Sunday were predominantly among younger patients; the makeup of the provinces epidemic has shifted since the spring. In mid-April, during the provinces first peak in daily infections, most reported cases were among patients over 60, a spike that coincided with a series of devastating outbreaks in Ontario nursing homes. But relatively fewer seniors have been infected since, and in July the majority of new infections have been reported among patients under age 40. Sunday once again saw significant numbers of new cases reported in Ottawa 26 new infections and Windsor-Essex 24 cases. Both health units have seen notable jumps in cases in July. Toronto, meanwhile reported 26 cases and all four of the provinces new deaths Sunday. Despite still regularly reporting among the most daily infections of any health unit, cases have fallen sharply on average in the city. Over the last week, Toronto saw an average of 29 new cases reported each day; well down from the peak rate of 230 cases daily, seen over seven days in late May. The Stars count includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test. The province also cautions its data, published daily at 10:30 a.m., may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date. 10:30 a.m. Ontario is reporting another 137 cases of COVID-19 as case spikes in Ottawa and Windsor-Essex continue to inflate the numbers outside the GTA. Windsor-Essex, which has seen a series of outbreaks in its agricultural sector and has emerged as one of the hardest-hit regions during a recent uptick in cases, reported another 25 new infections Sunday. Meantime, Ottawa reported another 26 infections. On Saturday, the public health unit reported a third outbreak at a local daycare as infections have spiked among younger residents. According to the provincial data, a 58-per-cent majority of Sundays new cases were among patients under 40. Ontario has seen a total of 38,680 lab-confirmed infections, including 2,763 deaths, up four from Saturday, according to the provinces count. The Star maintains a separate count of COVID-19 cases based on the public reports of Ontarios 34 public health units, published in the evening. That count includes patients with probable infections, meaning they very likely have the virus but have not received a positive lab test. According to the province, Toronto saw the most new infections of any public health unit on Sunday, at 39. Cases counts have been falling in Ontarios largest city in recent weeks. 8:20 a.m.: Britains foreign secretary defended the governments decision to immediately impose COVID-19 quarantine measures on U.K. travellers returning from Spain, saying it just wasnt possible to give them more notice. Dominic Raab told Sky News that vague advice would have created more uncertainty. He said that the government must be able to take quick action to fight the virus. The quick decision threw the plans of thousands into chaos many of whom were startled to see such a decision imposed so quickly. Zeta Hill is among them. The teacher from Essex in southeast England had been on holiday in Mallorca for 12 days and is due to fly back on Tuesday. She said that while she knew she was taking a risk, the Balearic Islands havent been as badly affected as other parts of Spain. She said that she and her husband have been well behaved and followed the rules, but then you look at people crowding the beaches in the U.K. a few weeks back and being really unsafe and there will have been no consequences for them. 8:15 a.m.: A popular resort town in Austria has ordered restaurants and clubs to close early and urged people to avoid going out as it grapples with a new outbreak of the coronavirus. The dpa news agency reported Sunday that hundreds of people have already been tested in the town of St. Wolfgang, east of Salzburg, after the outbreak was first detected Friday. At least 44 of those have tested positive, at least 26 whom are interns working in the tourism industry, Austrias Kurier newspaper reported. Theyre thought to have become infected while partying in the towns bars, two of which have now been temporarily closed to prevent further spread. All have been ordered to close no later than 11 p.m. until further notice, the Kurier reported. Austria had relaxed many coronavirus restrictions in recent weeks, but has seen a rise in the number of infections lately. 8:12 a.m.: South Africas COVID-19 response is marred by corruption allegations around its historic $26 billion economic relief package, as the country with the worlds fifth highest number of COVID-19 cases braces for more. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a wide-ranging investigation into claims that unscrupulous officials and private companies are looting efforts to protect the countrys 57 million people. More so than at any other time, corruption puts our lives at risk, he said in a national address Thursday night. Food for the poor. Personal protective equipment for health workers. Grants for the newly laid off. All have been affected, he said. South Africa is seen as the best-prepared of any country in sub-Saharan Africa for COVID-19, but years of rampant corruption have weakened institutions, including the health system. In October, the head of the governments Special Investigating Unit said fraud, waste and abuse in health care siphoned off $2.3 billion a year. 8:11 a.m.: The number of South Koreas new coronavirus cases has fallen back to below 60, a day after it reported 100-plus for the first time in nearly four months. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 58 additional cases over the past 24-hour period, bringing the total to 14,150 with 298 deaths. 8:10 a.m.: China reported 46 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the highest daily tally in more than a month, as it took steps to stem recent outbreaks that have infected more than 160 people at opposite ends of the country. China has recorded 83,830 cases and 4,634 deaths since the pandemic began. The health commission said that 288 patients remain in treatment, including 18 in critical condition. 8 a.m.: Australias Victoria state has recorded 10 deaths overnight from COVID-19, its highest daily toll amid a continuing surge in coronavirus cases. State Premier Daniel Andrews said the deaths included seven men and three women. A man in his 40s became one of the youngest COVID-19 fatalities in Australia. There are 459 new infections, the 21st straight day of triple-figure increases. The fatalities bring Victoria's toll to 71 and Australias national tally to 155. A total of 228 people are hospitalized in Victoria, 42 in intensive care. Victoria processed 42,973 tests on Saturday, Andrews said, far and away the biggest testing result that weve seen on a single day. He said he is not currently planning to extend the lockdown in Melbourne, Australias second-largest city. Saturday 6:20 p.m.: Spiking infections in Windsor-Essex and Ottawa are fuelling a recent rise in Ontario COVID-19 case numbers thats not yet being felt equally across the province. According to the Stars count, the overall rate of infections has begun to rise again in the province after slowing through the first half of July. As of Saturday, Ontarios 34 regional health units had reported an average of 158 new cases per day over the previous week. Thats up about 35 per cent from July 12 when the same average hit a recent low of 117 cases daily but still well down from the peak of nearly 600 per day in late April. In a tweet, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said two-thirds of Saturdays new infections were among people under 44. Unlike during the April peak, the recent rise has been being fuelled by a growing number of infections outside the GTA. For the second day in a row, Windsor-Essex reported the largest number in the province: 32, tied with Toronto, which has a much larger population and is continuing to see case counts fall to their lowest levels since late March. Read the full story here The breakout star of hit Netflix reality show, Indian Matchmaking, Sima Taparia, is not bothered by the criticism she has received online. Sima says she takes it all on a positive note. Speaking to Pinkvilla about the show and the reactions she received online for it, Sima said she loves her fans. I thank all my viewers for their love. Its been really great reading reviews and messages from social media. I love my fans too, she said. Talking about the less than positive reactions, she said, I always take everything positive. It makes me stronger. Sima is a matchmaker from Mumbai who is roped by a bunch of NRI men and women who wish to find a partner for themselves. The series went viral online as the perfect candidate for some cringe-watching. It shows sexist and bigoted men and women looking for fair girls and rich boys to get married to. And Sima is the one who facilitates these arrangements. After the episodes aired last week, many took to Twitter to make memes on Sima and her constant reminder for women on the show to compromise in relationships. Talking about her clients on the show, Sima said she is still in touch with all of them. Keeping long term relation is the key here. Once I meet them neither I forget not do they, she said. However, none of the men and women ended up together. Also read: Dil Bechara: Rajkummar Rao calls Sushant Singh Rajput a superstar, Ranvir Shorey says took breaks to wipe away tears Talking to HT Brunch, Sima said, Earlier most families had that one person who would show relations to each other or the parents would say, this is the boy or girl of a marriageable age. But today, no one wants to be a mediator. Thats why I thought I should do that job, says Sima. Now Ive matched so many couples that it is difficult to recollect names! Sometimes engagement happens after looking at two matches, sometimes three. It is gods will and their destiny! I cannot say no to a client, kyuki they are the most important factor in my venture, she added. Indian Matchmaking is currently the number one show on Netflix in India. Talking about possibility of a second season, Sima said the decision rests with Netflix. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A CRIMINAL figure who was stabbed four times during an unprovoked attack at a pub in the city is no shrinking violet, a court has heard. Graphic CCTV footage shows Joseph Dillon violently lunging at John Costello seconds after he entered the North Star pub in Thomondate nearly two years ago, Mr Dillon, 51, of Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty has pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Costello and another man shortly after 8.30pm on August 21, 2018. In the footage, which was played during a sentencing hearing at Limerick Circuit Court, Mr Dillon can be seen deliberately walking to the area in the bar where the 39-year-old was drinking. He then stands over him and repeatedly strikes him with a knife which was strapped to his arm. Detective Garda Chris McGrath said the victim sustained stab wounds to his chest and upper limbs while another man sustained a nick on his forearm when he intervened. He said the defendant was identified from the footage and made full admissions when arrested - telling gardai he had snapped. The detective told John OSullivan, prosecuting, there is a history of bad blood between the two families and that there have been a number of serious incidents in recent years. After barrister Brian McInerney suggested the incident arose from cumulative provocation, Detective Garda McGrath said there was no provocation or threat on the particular evening. While accepting that Mr Costello is not a stranger to the law he said Mr Dillon had travelled from his home with the intention of attacking him. Having viewed the CCTV footage, Judge Tom ODonnell said the ferocity and savageness of the attack was extremely aggravating. He was minding his own business, he was stabbed in a most savage fashion, the chaos and mayhem was very very frightening, he commented adding it is clear the assault was a planned and premeditated action. He imposed a three year prison sentence and directed that Mr Dillon stay away from Mr Costello and his family for five years. The Byrds sent me down a byway to bluegrass music. Its the world out of which Chris Hillman came. They drew on some of it for Sweetheart of the Rodeo. And then I happened on to one of the Saturday morning radio shows devoted to the music. I could hear America singing. As a newcomer to the music, I found a world with its own storied history. I tried to catch up to it with Neil V. Rosenbergs Bluegrass: A History and with Richard Smiths Bluegrass: An Informal Guide. Smith is also the author of a good biography of Bill Monroe, the man who laid down the laws of bluegrass. There is a shortage of memoirs by key figures. I recommend Charlie Louvins Satan Is Real: The Ballad of the Louvin Brothers (with Benjamin Whitmer), and not just for the cover. Succeeding generations follow the laws of bluegrass as laid down by Mr. Monroe with an occasional exception or two. The music is acoustic. The instruments are banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, and bass. The emphasis is on the off-beat. Drums are generally prohibited. You are allowed to tap your toes. Singing is preferred in high harmony. Earl Scruggs perfected the three-finger picking style that is to be followed on banjo and popularized it as a member of the edition of Monroes Blue Grass Boys that included Lester Flatt on guitar. Flatt, by the way, had been averse to Monroe hiring Scruggs until he heard Scruggs play Dear Old Dixie at his audition. I thought I would draw on the vast library of music available by video for another extended lockdown installment of this series. As always, it is limited by my taste and, in this case, by my lack of knowledge. We arent even skimming the surface of the library here. I can only point the way to a few favorite performers and songs that have stuck with me over the years. I hope I have the facts straight. Any errors are inadvertent and subject to correction. The Stanley Brothers made a mark with Rank Strangers. In the video below Marty Stuart introduces Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys for a singalong version of the song. I think we have the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou? to thank for the late revival of Ralphs career. I saw Ralph perform on two versions of the Down From the Mountain tour inspired by the movie. This is music for adults. Foggy Mountain Breakdown provides a classic showcase for the display of instrumental prowess. Here it is performed by Ricky Skaggs, Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, and Jerry Douglas on dobro. Jerry Garcia started out in life as a crazed devotee of folk and bluegrass. He traveled to festivals across the country with his mandolinist buddy David Grisman. In 1973 they recorded the live Old & In the Way album with Garcia on banjo, Peter Rowan on guitar, John Kahn on bass and, oh, yeah, Vassar Clements on fiddle. They injected new life into the old form with songs like Peter Rowans Midnight Moonlight. The album was released in 1975. If you want to catch up with the classic catalog of bluegrass, the Bluegrass Album Band is a good place to start. They covered the classics on six albums that are available on two or three compact discs. This was a supergroup that formed around Tony Rice on guitar. Other members included J.D. Crowe on banjo, Doyle Lawson on mandolin, Todd Phllips on bass, Bobby Hicks and, oh, yeah, Vassar Clements on fiddle. Here they are on Model Church in 1981. Based on a nineteenth-century hymn, this is a legitimate Sunday morning song, but did it ever sound this good? Here Today was gone gone tomorrow after their one self-titled album in 1982. The group included Vince Gill, David Grisman, Herb Pedersen, Jim Buchanan, and Emory Gordy, Jr. Lonesome River is an old Osborne Brothers song that cuts deep with Gills vocal. I asked Vince about it just before one of his incredible shows at the Minnesota State Fair. Now youre taking me way back, is all he would say. Lets go way back. Hot Rize also made it new again in songs like Tim OBriens Walk the Way the Wind Blows. OBrien was the groups multitalented mandolin player. Kathy Mattea had a hit with the song. In the version of the song below Jerry Douglas joins in on dobro. This was a great group with a country alter ego they called Red Knuckles and the Trail Blazers. They had a sense of humor too. Lets bring Hot Rize back for Just Like You. Pete Wernick is on banjo, Charles Sawtelle on guitar, and Nick Forster on bass. Jerry Douglas got in his licks again on dobro. Wernick wrote the song. As I say, this was a great group. New Grass Revival was another group that made it new again in the 70s and 80s. Bela Fleck on banjo, Sam Bush on mandolin, fiddle, and vocals, Pat Flynn on guitar, and John Cowan on bass and vocals made an indelible impression in the latter day version of the band. Here they are on Tim OBriens Hold To a Dream. I include this one for inspirational purposes. Off on his own, Sam Bush is one of my favorites. Here he is on Nashville songwriter Jeff Blacks Same Ol River. Jerry Douglas sits in with him on this live recording. I first heard the Nashville Bluegrass Band on the local Saturday morning KBEM bluegrass show hosted by Phil Nusbaum. I could have sworn he called them the National Bluegrass Band. Thats the way they sounded to me like the official American bluegrass band. Stuart Duncan is the groups incredibly inventive fiddle player. Like Jerry Douglas, he must play on roughly every record made in Nashville. The late Clarence Whites brother Roland is on mandolin. Here they are performing Gillian Welchs Tear My Stillhouse Down. Here they are on the title track to the Grammy-winning Waitin for the Hard Times To Go. The song was written by Dave Alvin. You can hear America singing. Rounder Records has done much to keep this music alive. They started recording Alison Krauss when she was a teenage fiddle champion and then had the great idea of collecting her best numbers on a 1995 retrospective that made an impact far beyond the audience for bluegrass. The old Louvin Brothers song I Dont Believe Youve Met My Baby was one of them. It shows off her approach to great effect with Jerry Douglas unmistakably on dobro. Alison has acknowledged her debt to Tony Rice many times over. She asked him to sit in with Union Station on their recording of Gordon Lightfoots Shadows. Jerry Douglas joined Alisons group and toured with her for several years. Hes with the group in the Shadows video above. We saw the group on tour perform this instrumental composed by Douglas at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. It obviously blew the audience away. According to Rosenbergs history, Bill Monroe hired Del McCoury as a banjo player but converted him to guitar. McCoury himself is a class act. His group featuring his sons is an incredible outfit. Here they are on 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, by British folk master Richard Thompson. You may recall that Thompson led off my roundup last week. Theres something about bluegrass. Dolly Parton enlisted Nashvilles best musicians to record two discs of music, bluegrass style. Travelin Prayer is the Billy Joel song off her Grammy-winning The Grass Is Blue. If youve been paying attention, you should be able to identify a few of the musicians accompanying Dolly. This one will wake you up. I rate it four wow!s. Let us sign off with Dollys Sunday morning interpretation of Led Zeppelins Stairway to Heaven from Halos & Horns. New Delhi: India on Sunday (July 26, 2020) granted visas and facilitated travel of around 11 members of minority communities of Afghanistan. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Nidan Singh Sachdeva, a Sikh community leader who was kidnapped and later released on July 18, is among those who reached Delhi. Sachdeva was kidnapped in Afghanistan's Paktia province last month. "Around 11 members, belonging to the Sikh and Hindu minority community of Afghanistan, arrived in India today," the MEA said in a statement. India thanked the government of Afghanistan for the help and cooperation it extended, the statement said. "We appreciate the efforts of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in extending necessary support for the safe return of these families," the MEA said. On the matter of how India would facilitate Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan wanting to come back, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava last week had said that Hindu and Sikh communities in Afghanistan were being attacked by terrorists at the behest of their external supporters. "We have been receiving requests from the members of these communities. They want to move to India, they want to settle down here, and despite the ongoing COVID situation, we are facilitating these requests," he had said at a weekly briefing. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The show Piano Cleveland originally planned cant go on, but its digital doppelganger is all set. After postponing its signature event, the 2020 Cleveland International Piano Competition, Piano Cleveland is now poised to launch Virtu[al]oso, an online contest designed to appease piano-hungry fans and raise money for struggling pianists. We see this as an opportunity to be creative and do something that has a real influence on peoples lives, said Yaron Kohlberg, president of Piano Cleveland, presenter of the CIPC and Virtu[al]oso. "We really didn't know how this would go, how people would respond. But so far, people have been reacting amazingly." The contest, subtitled A Global Piano Competition for Artistic Relief, was conceived as a means of supporting pianists during the coronavirus pandemic. All 30 contestants slated to take part in the competition starting July 30 are guaranteed to receive $1,000, and three winners will earn $2,500. Additionally, throughout the online event, viewers will have the ability to donate to artists of their choice. "Basically, we're spreading out the prizes," Kohlberg said. "Most of these pianists have no other source of income." The format of Virtu[al]oso resembles that of the traditional piano competition, now slated for summer 2021, even as all events within it will unfold remotely. All performances have already taken place at one of five Steinway & Sons locations around the world: Cleveland, New York, London, Hamburg, or Beijing. There, on Steinway pianos, 30 artists from 18 countries recorded live, unedited recitals featuring at least two works of their choice. First-round recitals were to last approximately 20 minutes. These will air in a randomly-drawn order on the Piano Cleveland website at 7 p.m. each evening Thursday, July 30 through Tuesday, Aug. 4. A jury will then narrow the pool to six finalists. Their final-round recitals of 30 to 35 minutes will appear online at 7 p.m. Friday or Saturday, Aug. 7 or 8. After that, in an online awards ceremony 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, the jury will announce first, second, and third prize winners as well as a $1,000 audience favorite prize. "We really wanted to keep it as close as possible to a live event," Kohlberg explained. "It's not exactly the same as a live competition, but we've done our best to make sure it looks and sounds good." So far, Kohlberg said, "Virtu[al]oso" has exceeded expectations, receiving far more applicants than predicted (158 instead of 100, from 30 countries) and what he described as generous backing from donors. Still, the real test is yet to come. True success, Kohlberg said, hinges on how many people view some or all of the competition and contribute to their favorites. "This is all about artist relief," Kohlberg said. "We've got the absolute top class of the young generation here. It's a real treat to listen to them. We're going to do our best to get as many people as possible." 'VIRTU[AL]OSO' CONTESTANTS A Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant has died from the novel coronavirus one month after attending the airline's in-person training event. Jeff Kurtzman was one of 17 people who tested positive for the virus after attending the training course in Honolulu in June, according to NBC News. After the 60-year-old returned home to Los Angeles, he tested positive for the coronavirus and was admitted to the hospital, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram wrote in an email, local news outlet KHON2 reported. Weeks later, on July 21, Kutzman died of complications from the virus. "Over the past three decades had become well known to his in-Flight colleagues for his passion for discovering new places, people and cultures; his terrific sense of humor and knack for easy conversation; and his caring heart. He embodied the values of aloha and malama that we hold dear," Ingram wrote in his email, according to KHON2. "We have strengthened the mandates and protocols governing how we interact with each other at our facilities, and I urge us all to practice the utmost vigilance," Ingram wrote. According to the Hawaii Department of Health, social distancing at the event was "nonexistent" and masks were optional. Some of the employees who tested positive for the virus went on to expose eight household members and cause an additional 20 cases at two Hawaii recreational gyms, the department told NBC News. RELATED: How to Stay Safe and Reduce Your Coronavirus Risk While Flying, According to an Expert KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Kurtzman, who worked for the airline since 1986, recently told friend Connie Florez that the training course "got a little lax on the second day, 'but I kept my mask on. I don't want to get sick,' " according to NBC Los Angeles. "Hes such a beautiful man. He just kept apologizing. 'Im so sorry, Im so sorry. I know you must be scared,'" Florez told the outlet. "Really, weve lost an angel." Story continues "Jeff was a loving, generous, and kind man, and a rock in my life," friend Vic Gerami wrote on Facebook. "I cannot even begin to comprehend this loss, but I want to share about his passing with the countless people who love and respect him." Hawaiian Airlines told NBC News that they have resumed training with stricter rules on face masks and social distancing. "All of our instructors have been tested, and the approximately 60 employees who have been through recent training were asked to self-quarantine and monitor their health, the airline said. As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here. A US court has rejected the USD 1.5 million bail application of Tahawwur Rana, who is considered a fugitive by India for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, as per a PTI report. The court called him a flight risk. Rana is a childhood friend of David Coleman Headley, and was re-arrested on June 10 in Los Angeles, after an extradition request by India. The 2008 attack killed 166 people, including six Americans. US District Court Judge in Los Angeles, Jacqueline Chooljian, in her 24-page order dated July 21, denied bail to Rana arguing that he is a flight risk. YouTube Describing Rana as a flight risk, the US government opposed his release on bail, arguing that if he were to flee to Canada, he may escape the possibility of a death sentence in India. Given the stakes, an allowance of bail in any amount would not guarantee Rana's presence in court. Granting bail would invite the possibility of embarrassing the United States in the conduct of its foreign affairs, straining its relationship with India, Assistant US Attorney John J Lulejian had told the court. On the other hand, Rana's attorney told the court that the 26/11 accused is not a flight risk and has proposed a USD 1.5 million bond for his release. Rana, in his defence, has argued that the US's decision not to extradite his co-conspirator, Headley, to India, is inconsistent and bars his extradition. PTI While Rana has presented a robust bail package and proffered conditions which significantly mitigate the risk of flight, the court could not find that he had negated the risk of flight and accordingly granted the Detention Request (of the government) on that basis, according to Judge Chooljian. For someone facing conspiracy to murder and murder charges in India, the incentive to flee to avoid extradition is strong, the court said. Pakistan-born Rana completed Army Medical College there, and served in the Pakistani Army as a doctor for more than a decade, but eventually deserted. He is currently a Canadian citizen, but was a resident of Chicago where he had a business. According to the court papers, he has also resided in and travelled to Canada, Pakistan, Germany and England and speaks seven languages. If he flees to Canada, he could effectively avoid exposure to the death penalty as such country's extradition treaty with India contains a provision which allows extradition to be refused, if the offence for which extradition is requested is punishable by death in India and is not punishable by death in Canada, unless India gives assurances that a death penalty would not be executed, federal prosecutors had said. PTI There is no question in the court's mind that given Rana's significant foreign ties, particularly to Canada, and the potential death penalty awaiting him in India if he is extradited on and convicted of the most serious pending charges, he is a flight risk, the court said. According to the court papers, Rana had tested positive for COVID-19 at Terminal Island in Los Angeles on April 28, 2020, but was asymptomatic and has since recovered. He tested negative in the last three tests on June 13, June 15 and June 25. According to the federal prosecutors, between 2006 and November 2008, Rana conspired with Headley - also known as Daood Gilani - and others in Pakistan, to assist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harakat ul-Jihad-e-Islami, both US-designated terrorist organisations, to plan and carry out the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistani-American LeT terrorist Headley was involved in plotting the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. He was made an approver in the case, and is currently serving a 35-year prison term in the US for his role in the attack. India seeks his arrest on a number of offences, including the conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit forgery for the purpose of cheating, and murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has had an invisible companion while directing New Mexicos coronavirus response efforts this summer: incessant national political speculation about her potential role in a Joe Biden administration. The first-term Democratic governor has been repeatedly mentioned as a possible vice presidential pick Biden has said he will pick a female running mate or Cabinet member. Unlike some candidates, Lujan Grisham has not rejected the speculation or said she would decline an offer, but she has also not publicly touted her own credentials. Its flattering, but I try to just keep focused here, the governor said in a recent interview with The Washington Post that was broadcast online. However, Lujan Grisham has hit the virtual campaign trail for Biden, participating remotely in an Arizona roundtable event hosted by the Biden campaign last week and headlining a virtual Pennsylvania fundraiser in June. Thats led to some criticism from Republicans, including from President Donald Trumps reelection campaign, who have argued that a Biden presidency would hurt New Mexicos energy-reliant economy. If Michelle Lujan Grisham spent as much time governing as she does auditioning to be on Joe Bidens presidential ticket, New Mexico would be in a better place, Trump Victory spokesperson Andres Malave said. While Lujan Grisham has stumped for Biden, the speculation has led to some unfounded rumors, including one that Biden recently traveled to New Mexico to attend a fundraiser with the governor. University of New Mexico political science professor Gabriel Sanchez said the governor has handled the speculation well overall, adding, I think shes playing it as smartly as she can. Sanchez said Lujan Grishams handling of the coronavirus pandemic could demonstrate her executive chops, though its also exposed her to lawsuits and second-guessing. From a geographic perspective, New Mexicos limited national political stature and its relatively small number of electoral votes could put the governor at a disadvantage compared with other candidates, Sanchez said. But he said Lujan Grisham, who is New Mexicos second Latina governor, could still bring regional appeal. If they perceive she could be helpful in flipping Texas, thats a game changer, Sanchez said. He also said that Lujan Grisham would be a logical pick to lead the U.S. Health and Human Services Department if Biden were to beat Trump in the November general election, citing her background in health care policy and services for the aging. That seems to be an ideal position for her, Sanchez said. Biden connections Biden and Lujan Grisham are familiar with each other. The governor was a member of Congress, representing the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional District, during Bidens second term as vice president, from 2013 through 2016. Top aides say Lujan Grisham did not work one-on-one with Biden on legislation but did attend several events at the vice presidents official residence. There are also other connections, including Lujan Grishams former congressional press secretary, Richard Ruffner, who went on to work for both Biden and his wife, Jill Biden. Ruffner was working for Bidens presidential campaign as recently as last summer, according to federal campaign filings. Top Biden campaign officials did not respond to Journal questions about the Ruffner connection and Lujan Grishams qualifications. Lujan Grisham is the latest in a string of New Mexico governors to be mentioned in connection with national politics. Former Govs. Gary Johnson and Bill Richardson both ran for president, Johnson as a Libertarian in 2012 and 2016 and Richardson as a Democrat in 2008. Lujan Grishams predecessor, Republican former Gov. Susana Martinez, also faced questions about national political speculation, especially during her first term as governor. In recent years, presidential nominees have generally made their vice presidential selections in July or August, although the coronavirus pandemic could affect the timing of Bidens announcement this year. Recent speculation on Bidens pick has increasingly focused on African American women, including U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif; and former national security adviser Susan Rice. Reservations If Lujan Grisham were to leave New Mexico for a position in the Biden administration, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales would be in line to serve out the rest of the governors four-year term, which ends in 2022. However, there are reasons to think Lujan Grisham might have reservations about relinquishing her current job. She is the caretaker for her mother, Sonja Lujan, who lives in Albuquerque and has had recurring health problems. Lujan Grisham is also only 1 years into her first term as governor, meaning she could still hold the office for six-plus more years if she wins reelection two years from now. In response to questions about the national speculation, Lujan Grisham has said she wants to be governor but will do whatever it takes to support Biden. I want Biden to pick the person who gets his ticket elected and allows him to do the kind of leadership renewals and efforts in this country that are so badly needed, the governor said in a recent interview. In addition, Lujan Grisham has regularly criticized Trumps handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and accused the president of lacking leadership skills. In one recent campaign event, Lujan Grisham described Biden as a mentor, saying, We need a leader whos respected and kind and fair and ethical. She also said her late father, Buddy Lujan, would have been proud that his daughter is being mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate. Brazil is now home to more than 11.6 million Brazilians of Arab descent with many of them still maintaining ties with the countries of origin of their ancestors decades after arriving in the country, a report said. A landmark survey on Arab immigration to Brazil has been released by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) as part of its 68th-anniversary celebration. The Chamber shared the remarkable findings of its first-of-its-kind survey with the attendees of a webinar it organized to commemorate the special occasion. Carried out in three phases by IBOPE and H2R, leading research companies in Brazil, the survey revealed that around 33 per cent of those surveyed still communicate with their friends and relatives who are residing in Arab countries, while 28 per cent have already visited the Arab region. However, 50 per cent of the respondents said their knowledge of the Arab world mainly comes from television and social media. The respondents also support stronger Arab-Brazilian relations, with a high 83 per cent saying that Brazil should strengthen its diplomatic ties with Arab countries through its embassies. The survey was also conducted to examine the educational, social and professional backgrounds of Arabs who belong to the five generations of immigrants to Brazil to get insights into their integration into local society. Rubens Hannun, President, Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: The results of our survey reflect how Brazilians of Arab descents are still very much connected with and interested in the Arab way of life and culture. The respondents have grown up in a modern society but are still able to retain their Arab identity by maintaining their connection with their origins. Further, it is also inspiring that the respondents answered in affirmative when asked about further fostering the Arab-Brazilian relations on all fronts, a commitment that we have been upholding since our foundation 68 years ago. Releasing the findings simultaneous with our anniversary is a testament of the expanding alliance between Brazil and the Arab region and our relentless efforts to find new ways to build bridges and strengthen relations through trade and cultural exchange, to name a few. As we continue in our journey, rest assured that we will embark on new initiatives and ventures to cultivate more robust and dynamic cooperation and collaboration between Arab and Brazilian organizations, he added. Apart from the survey, the webinar also showed testimonial footage from people involved in the history of Arab immigration to Brazil, as well as featured key personalities with Arab backgrounds who have risen in prominence in their respective fields. Amid the impact of the coronavirus disease on trade, the Chamber has ramped up its efforts to enhance Brazils relations with the Arab countries. One of these initiatives is ABCCs once-a-week webinar organized to ensure uninterrupted business activities between Brazilian and Arab companies. TradeArabia News Service A bomb in a Syria border town controlled by Turkey and its Syrian proxies killed at least eight people, including six civilians, on Sunday, a Britain-based war monitor said. The blast from an explosive-rigged motorbike ripped through a vegetable market in the volatile town of Ras al-Ain, wounding at least 19 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Such bombings are common in the town, which was held by Kurdish forces before Turkish troops and their Syria proxies seized it last October. The Turkish defence ministry blamed Sunday's attack on the US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which still controls much of northeastern Syria. Despite the key role the YPG played in the US-led campaign to drive the Islamic State group out of northern and eastern Syria, Ankara has launched repeated incursions against the group, which it regards as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that has waged a deadly insurgency in southeastern Turkey since 1984. "The terror organisation PKK/YPG once more targeted innocent civilians," the ministry said on Twitter. During its most recent incursion against the YPG last year, Ankara established a "safe zone" extending along 120 kilometres (70 miles) of the border and including the town of Ras al-Ain. The area is a frequent target for bombings and other attacks. Last week, a car bomb killed four people and wounded 10. Search Keywords: Short link: 26.07.2020 LISTEN In an everyday experience, our little kids will tell us mammy or daddy please buy me chocolate. The name chocolate is sweet and lovely though. The taste and the appearance seem the best for the eyes and the stomach. Unfortunately, the kids do not normally know where this comes from; what are the original materials that were transformed to be made in these nice chocolates that have such exciting and appetizing quality. They do not know that chocolates are made from cocoa bean which do not seem edible to many people in its original form and state. When value is added to an agriculture produce, it pleases the eyes and attracts more currency then sold in its original form or appearance. Thats why agriculture systems are encouraged to promote value addition as it diversifies the national economies. Value addition in agriculture context has to do with the process of adding economic value to an agriculture produce by processing, packaging, branding or generally transforming to a suitable and acceptable food/goods for a certain society of people. The worth of a nation agriculture production does not purely lie on the quantity of raw produce but the economic benefits accrue in term of adding value to produce coming from the farms. For example, Liberia is one of the largest producers of unprocessed rubber/latex. But interestingly, we are not among the highest producers of rubber products in Africa not to say the world. If we have concentrated on value addition of rubber, we would have created more job and expand our economy. Agriculture produce are value generally when it is processed to the last stage for consumption at the comfort of the consumers. Shoppers psychologically and emotionally feel attracted and value farm produce when it is processed, packaged, branded and placed on a supermarket shelf. At this point of the value chain of a produce, it is never a mere farm produce but a food item in the supermarket with a dollar value on it. The buyer is prepared to pay the astronomical cost because now it looks pleasant, palatable and found in a highly rated market structure. This is the power of value addition and many economies survive on this. The full potential of agriculture in terms of the economic benefits is mainly hidden in the value addition component of the production process. It is in this segment of the production chain that more jobs can be created; foreign exchange can be expanded as a result of export of finished products and the national output of the economy can be enhanced. In as much as a nation must focus on the production of raw produce as a way to stabilize the national food security, a major component to place emphasis on is the value addition segment that requires a favorable business climate and inspiring government policies and programs. When farmers grow their crops and the produce can be fully utilized at an economic advantage to them, they can have the moral and economic motivation to till the soil more and labor for surplus harvest knowing that it wont be a waste. World Bank has projected that by 2030, the size of the food and agri business industry in Africa will reach a 1 trillion United States dollars worth. It is seem as an opportunity for Africa to have a size of economic continuum. But interestingly, this will mainly have to do with value addition to the food related produce coming from the farms. This is achievable depending on the level of investment that will be tailored to the value addition segment of Africa agriculture production chain. On the other hand, this mean as we push for a climate smart approach to agriculture production, we should not lose sight of an investment agenda in the food and agri business sector. This means African countries such as Liberia should intentionally and holistically lay out an agriculture development plan that promotes agriculture as a business concept and enhances local production. Value addition with respect to agriculture produce in Liberia is being introduced by few business establishments and individuals but at a slow pace due to some outstanding economic and infrastructure factors. Factors such as lack of suitable storage facilities, farm to market roads, stable electricity, access to finance, limited supply of produce and poor postharvest technology/handling are the challenging reality present in the sector. These are factors that have obstinately influenced value addition efforts over the years in Liberia. As individuals and business institutions try to leverage the potential of value addition in the agriculture space, they are confronted with the issues mentioned above which in most instances strangulate their initiatives or discourage them from continuing such effort. If we must increase value addition activities in our agriculture production system for sustained economic growth, these key issues must be addressed from policy stand point and national agriculture program perspective. Few years ago, Sam Barbeque introduced the Samba Juice on the Liberian market which is made of local vegetable produce such as ginger, oranges and other fruit vegetable. At an entrepreneurship forum held in Monrovia, Mr. Sam Mitchel, CEO of the enterprise disclosed that one of the major challenges to his juice production initiative is limited supply of needed raw materials (quality vegetables). He revealed that most times, his production team has to go across the border to neighboring countries to get supply of quality vegetable produce in order to carry on production. Situation of such increases the cost of production which directly affects the pricing issue of these value added produce/products. Currently, the Samba Juice product is not widely seen on the market probably for some reasons. However, there is a need to continue providing this product on the market or expand the production as it has the potential to create jobs and grow the national economy. Other enterprises such as Falama Liberia is involve with value addition of cassava product. They have been adding value to cassava by producing gari/farina, Acheke, Fufu, cereal /porridge, cassava flour and other products. The National Cassava Producer Union of Liberia is also involved with producing cassava chip for export to Asia, an initiative that is expanding the cassava sector of Liberia. It is also empowering smallholder cassava farmers in central Liberia. It is an effort worth acknowledgement and support nationally. There is a newly established enterprise called Wungkos Farm which is involved with plantain value addition by producing plantain chips, a processed, packaged and branded product being promoted by many agriculture enthusiasts in Liberia. Montserrado Meat, an enterprise striving to prove that Liberia can minimize the importation of meat products by rearing, processing and packaging meat product locally. These and many more local enterprises are playing some major roles in our local value addition effort. But the fact is more need to be done. Investment needs to be expanded in value addition. Imagine, combined meat consumption annually for Liberia is 133,000 tons and only 15 percent of this quantity is produce in the country. FABRA and other local enterprises are making some strive in the rice sector. But more need to be done. Liberia consumes 570, 000 tons of rice per annum and imports 80 percent of this quantity with a 20 percent domestic production. There is a huge import gap here which must be approached with robust production effort. There is no sustainable food system if you cannot increase investment in value addition. Value addition in agriculture comes with so much of socioeconomic benefits for a nation. Agriculture being bedrock of social economic development is a source of employment, national income and foundation for national stability. When the potential of agriculture is tap fully, a nation can experience sustained economic growth and improvement in the poverty cleft especially for rural population. Currently, Liberia youth unemployment stands at an alarming rate. The need to create jobs for the youth in Liberia has been a long standing task and still remains a major national priority. As the nation strategizes on ways to get the youth to jobs where they will contribute to national development and improve their welfares, agriculture value addition can lead the way and absorb a greater portion of the youth labor force. For example, if we push for value addition for produce like corn/maize. So many things will happen along the value chain of this crop. More jobs and business opportunities can be created. Products such as corn oil, animal feed, popcorn, corn flower and other products can be derived and in the process of producing these products, many job can be created, national income in the form of taxes will be collected and other social impacts can be made as relates to poverty reduction and economic growth. However, in order to realize the full potential of the value chain of corn, farmers must have the capacity to supply processers and value addition enterprises. Farmers must have access to climate smart production skills (effective extension service), access to finance and market linkages. In this way, there will be uninterrupted production of value added corn products. Adding value to corn produce will indirectly impart the animal production sector as nutritious feed can be produce from corn. Individuals and enterprises involve into animal or poultry production will have access to adequate feed which will make them to expand their production. This will impact the meat market as there will be more locally produced quality meat available on the market. The economic impact of this chain is much needed especially during post COVID-19 era. Adding value to our common crops will reduce lot of issues like postharvest losses and market uncertainty. If bulk demand for farm produce increases, farmers post-harvest losses will reduce as they will have direct supply line to many of the processors. In Africa, there is a 20 percent post-harvest loss annually. This is alarming and one of the better ways to address this is to promote value addition locally. It will reduce the stress farmers go through in providing temporary storage, transportation and traditional marketing especially with the perishable produce. Value addition increases the demand for farm produce which directly increases farmers income. Value addition of farm produce requires the development of an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to thrive. Having an attractive investment climate gives way to massive investment interest and efforts. That is why national leadership and agriculture policy drivers must put in place policies and programs that inspire investment in value addition of farm produce so as to stimulate economic growth. Agribusiness development scheme must be developed to make available access to finance/capital, electricity, technology infrastructure, standardization and certification. When these issues and others are worked on, business initiatives that seek to promote value addition will thrive and make needed economic and social impacts. The potential of agriculture to create economic stability and reduce rural poverty is still unexploited. All it needs is pragmatic leadership and national consciousness to do agriculture instead of speaking agriculture. As a nation faced with many social challenges and striving to build back better on the economy and empower youth, Liberia needs to strategically place youth interest at the center of its agriculture development program as the youth account for more than 60 percent of the population. According to UNFAO and WFP, Liberia is among 27 countries that are on the frontline of the impending COVID-19 driven food crises in Asia, Middle East, Central America and Africa. These countries are identified as hot spot and high risk nations that are experiencing or expect to experience significant food security deterioration in the coming months including rising number of people that will fall under the acute hunger category. In this light, food security programs and plan intended to push back acute hunger post COVID-19 should clearly consider value addition as a major pillar. Enterprises and individuals involve with value addition of local agriculture produce should be identified, assessed and capacitated with needed resources and technical supports to expand and diversified as we will need more food available during and post COVID-19. In order to resuscitate the Liberian economy and improve the economic growth indicators, agriculture must be seen as a sustainable vehicle that can absorb more of the nations unemployed population and a primary revenue generation sector. A major initiative that the Ministry of Agriculture must consider cardinal to agriculture investment is data. As at current, there is no analyzed data on many crops that are produce or consume in Liberia. Data availability aid in agriculture investment as such it must be treated as an essential tool that can influence national food security. The ministry must also focus on data management of framers and farm produce; knowing what is produce and where it is produce and by whom is the first step in creating the platform for value addition in agriculture. Nations with agriculture driven economies heavily depend on value addition to utilize the full potential of agriculture to their GDP. In Cote d Ivoire, Cocoa is a major and widely grown crop. As a result, it under go value addition that see the nation to be major exporter of cocoa related products such as body creams, tea, chocolate, biscuits and other products. According to the World Bank, Cocoa related production contributes 15 percent to the nations GDP and two thirds of jobs. This is admirable and deserves replication in the African countries including Liberia. Liberia needs to divert from the tradition ways of undertaking agriculture programs by developing impact based programs that seek for productivity and increased produce/products. Through this many people will be lifted from poverty and the nation will mobilize domestic resources through the sector for national development. It is time to look in the direction of value addition for Liberia farms produce. Value addition is a way to go! . By Jonathan S. Stewart - a Food Security Advocate and Green Ambassador. He is an agriculture development professional with focus on climate smart or sustainable agriculture. He leads a national and global youth effort in promoting Zero Hunger of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He is Agriculture Ambassador for Access Agriculture and the Lead Campaigner for Agro Tech Liberia. email: [email protected] Twitter: stewajo09 Biden says Putin will pay 'dear price' if he invades Ukraine Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 20:19:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DALIAN, China, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Rafa Benitez bemoaned his side's inability to stop Marouane Fellaini after the former Manchester United player scored a header hat-trick to help Shandong Luneng beat Dalian Pro 3-2 in the first round of the Chinese Super League on Sunday. Benitez's team scored first through Jose Rondon in the 57th minute, before Fellaini headed in a hat-trick from the 79th to 86th minute. "We have to be aware that he is quite good in the air and then needed to be close to him, but the delivery was good, the timing was good, and he had the quality with his header to make the difference," Benitez said about Fellaini's performance at the post-match press conference. "We knew that we worked on that, but sometimes you cannot stop good players," he said. Enditem Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Snow showers this evening. Becoming partly cloudy later. Low 13F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%.. Tonight Snow showers this evening. Becoming partly cloudy later. Low 13F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Imagine that youre investing in stocks for the first time. Youre putting together a raft of top tickers that you can buy once and forget about. Which names would you buy if you knew that a recession was coming? Chances are youd buy defensive stocks the kinds of stocks that have already proven their resilience during the pandemic. But what if a more complicated recession lay ahead? Lets explore the options. Diversification plus passive income Investors who know their defensive stocks know Loblaw Companies (TSX:L). Its a strongly diversified name. It pays a 1.8% dividend well covered by a 41% payout ratio. And while valuation metrics could be more enticing, this name is powerfully varied across outlets. Consumers know the grocery empire variously as Loblaws, No Frills, Valu-Mart, Real Canadian Superstore, and Shoppers Drug Mart. However, its Q2 contained a couple of nasty surprises, with the pandemic weighing on profits. Never mind rocketing grocery sales; paying staff bonuses turned out to have a deleterious effect on Loblaws bottom line. Same-store sales growth of 10% was offset by $180 million in pay bonuses. Seeing a continuation of certain pandemic stressors, Loblaw has laid out its focus going forwards: The company expects continued growth in its e-commerce business and is investing to expand capacity and enhance its same-day service offering while also improving the cost structure of the business over time. Investors may want to take their own inventory, though. Down 1.5% this week, deeper value could be forthcoming. A top consumer staples stock for a double dip Food stocks are nevertheless sound investments right now. Think about pairing the diversified Loblaw with a pure-play consumer staples input stock like Nutrien (TSX:NTR)(NYSE:NTR). Its illustrative of the economy at large that both of our largest rail operators leaned into agricultural shipments to get through a tough second quarter. Bulk freight of potash, fertilizer, and grain helped CN Rail and Canadian Pacific turn in acceptable, if thoroughly chewed up, Q2 reports. Story continues Investors have undoubtedly rewarded one rail operator more than another in the last 12 months. While CP is up by 18.5% year over year, CN Rail has gained 8.3%. But both have a Q2 consumer staples focus in common. Canadians concerned about a recession may alternatively consider buying Nutrien stock as a better-valued alternative. Down 35% in 12 months, this overlooked name is a high-quality bargain. Perhaps investors should look to our duopoly of rail operators for inspiration. As a mirror onto our economy as a whole, CN Rail and Canadian Pacific can offer a glimpse into major industrial trends. It should be instructive, then, to note that during this years second quarter, both names leaned into agri shipments. Moving extra grain, potash, and fertilizer, Canadas rail networks were on much the same track as Nutrien. Buying shares in both Loblaw and Nutrien can help add some defensive backbone to a TSX portfolio. Alternatively, if investing in a single stock, Nutrien covers the consumer staples space single-handedly as a pure-play on agri inputs. It also pays a rich 5.5% dividend. Either way, with a potential double-dip recession looming, consumer staples remain solid long-term investments. The post Should You Buy Loblaw Stock Right Now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Victoria Hetherington has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian National Railway and Nutrien Ltd. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/7/2020 (542 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. 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. INCIDENT 1023 When: March 25, 2020 Where: 1500 block of Alexander Avenue A male stole a package from the front step of a residence on Alexander Avenue. The package had just been delivered by a courier. Incident 1023 INCIDENT 1024 When: March 28, 2020 Where: 300 block of Dufferin Avenue A male broke into R.B Russell Vocational School. His image was captured on one of the schools security cameras. Yeo Jun Wei pleaded guilty on Friday in a federal court in Washington D.C. to one count of acting within the US as an illegal foreign agent, the Singapore-based Straits Times quoted the Department as saying. Singapore/Washington, July 25 (IANS) A Singaporean man pleaded guilty to acting under the direction of Chinese intelligence officials to obtain sensitive information from Americans, the US Justice Department said. Court documents said that he used his political consultancy in the US as a front to collect information for Chinese intelligence, targeting American military and government employees with security clearances on professional networking social media sites. Yeo would pay them to write reports which he said were meant for clients in Asia, but which were in reality sent to the Chinese government without their knowledge. He was recruited in 2015 by China intelligence operatives during a visit to Beijing, where he gave a presentation on the political situation in South-east Asia, according to the documents. In a " statement of facts" submitted to the court and signed by Yeo, he admitted he was fully aware he was working for Chinese intelligence, meeting agents dozens of times and being given special treatment when he travelled to China, the Straits Times reported. He received over 400 resumes, 90 per cent of which were from US military and government personnel with security clearances, and passed resumes of interest on to a Chinese intelligence operative. Yeo eventually moved to Washington D.C. from January to July 2019, where he attended multiple events at think-tanks to network and recruit more people to write reports. He was arrested when he returned to the US in November that year to try and get a US army officer working at the Pentagon to provide more confidential information. --IANS ksk/ Houston, July 26 : Hanna, the first of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, has made landfall in the US state of Texas, with maximum winds of 90 mph and heavy rains. Hanna morphed from a tropical storm into a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday and made landfall on Padre Island at 5 p.m., about 53 km south of Corpus Christi, Xinhua news agency quoted the National Hurricane Center as saying. Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge impacted the southern Texas coast. "Significant structural damage" and a gust up to 83 mph were reported in nearby Port Mansfield, the National Weather Service in Brownsville said in a tweet on Saturday afternoon. Some meteorologists warned of flash flooding and local authorities asked residents to stay home. Officials in Nueces County warned of dangerous storm surge and flooding, while in Willacy County, officials advised people in Port Mansfield to evacuate. Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties on Saturday in view of "a threat of imminent disaster, including property damage and loss of life, due to widespread flooding, storm surge, and hurricane force winds". Many of the counties have been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks. "Any hurricane is an enormous challenge," Abbott said during a Saturday briefing about the storm. "This challenge is complicated and made even more severe, seeing that it's sweeping through an area that is the most challenged area in the state for COVID-19." More than 68,000 homes and businesses were without power across Texas as of 8 p.m. on Saturday, mostly in the coastal region, according to PowerOutage.US, a website that collects live power outage data from utilities all over the country. "My administration is closely monitoring Hurricane Douglas off Hawaii & Hurricane Hanna, which has now made landfall in Texas. We continue to coordinate closely with both states," President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday night. Hanna, expected to weaken quickly as it moves inland, is now heading westward across South Texas, according to the Weather Channel reports. Manipur has announced stringent measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 disease by enacting the The Manipur Epidemic Diseases (Enforcement of COVID-19 Guidelines) Regulation, 2020. Any person who violates quarantine guidelines and protocol will be fined Rs 1,000 on each occasion, while failure to wear a mask in public places, failure to maintain social distance in public places and consumption of paan, gutka and tobacco in public places will carry a fine of Rs 200 each, according to the notification released on Saturday. On Sunday, the state reported 59 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total count to 2,235. The number of active and recovered cases are 714 and 1521 respectively. The notification also states that spitting in public places carries a penalty of Rs 500 while gathering in excess of permitted number of persons carries a penalty of Rs 10,000. Any other violation of guidelines carries a fine of Rs 1,000. In case any person fails to pay the penalty on the spot, such person shall be liable for prosecution under Section 188 of IPC and the authorised police officer shall take cognizance of the offence on his own or on receipt of any complaint from the authorised person/authority, it said. These regulations shall be in force for a period of one year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 22:35:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close By Kendal Brown CAPE TOWN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- With one of the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, and accounting for about half of the cases in Africa, South Africa is reeling under the pandemic but still fights unswervingly. As of Saturday, the country's confirmed cases reached 434,200, with 6,655 deaths. The pandemic and the resultant lockdown, enforced in late March, has led to a recession with severe contraction of the economy, accompanied by big job losses and business closures with high levels of social hardship. Although confirmed cases continued to surge, the government had to ease the lockdown restrictions gradually for the sake of livelihood. With the economy hard hit by the still surging pandemic, prospects for economic prospects remain dim. The GDP deficit forecasts vary from a reduction of 7.5 percent to 8.2 percent, depending on how the virus continues to affect the country. Returning productivity to maximum is a subject the government is understandably very quiet on at present, given South Africa's already severe economic challenges, with depressed growth, large fiscal deficits, increasing debt and high social vulnerabilities. Among all the sectors, small businesses have been most impacted by the pandemic. Mari Verwey, a salon owner and married mother of three-year-old twins in Cape Town, said that her salon was closed for three months without any income. Wanda Steyn, the owner manager of a fast food takeaway, said he thought the government strategy was well thought out, but it did not work well in some aspects. President Cyril Ramaphosa in his latest address to the nation last week, reminded South Africans of the 26 billion U.S. dollars social relief and economic support package to assist businesses, workers and households. Over 4.4 million people have now received the special COVID-19 grant, which assists those who are unemployed and do not receive other forms of support. So far, about 132 million U.S. dollars had been paid out to these recipients. The package also provides assistance to companies in distress and seeks to protect jobs by supporting workers' wages. Astrid Khumalo, an unemployed mother of two, said she appreciated what the government was doing at such a critical time when finding work was even more difficult. Providing food parcels and a small financial grant was essential to preserving her and millions of others livelihood in these desperate time, Khumalo said, commending the government for taking into consideration the plight of the poor. Some experts are of the opinion that to get the economy moving again in the latter part of the year as well as into 2021, there is going to be a need to face the short-term challenges of an economy that is staggering under the effects of no profits and a hammering in employment and fiscal revenues. Enditem Firefighters fight the blaze at the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul Cathedral in Nantes (ANSA) Prosecutors in France say a fire that has broken out in the Gothic cathedral of the western French city of Nantes on the Loire River started deliberately. Tourists and residents watch in horror as firefighters battled the blaze at 15th-century St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in the city's historical center. By Stefan J. Bos In a statement on social media service Twitter, the French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that "After Notre-Dame, the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral, in the heart of Nantes, is in flames. " He added: "Support for our firefighters who take all risks to save this Gothic jewel of the city." However, firefighters brushed aside comparisons with Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, whose lead roof and spire burned down in April 2019. But the Nantes fire brings back memories of that devastating blaze that threatened to topple the medieval monument. The blaze came after this cathedral also suffered a severe fire in 1972. Nantes Mayor Johanna Rolland called the building part of France's history and heritage. Saturday's blaze shattered stained glass windows and sent black smoke spewing from between its towers. Local firefighters said the roof was not affected by the fire, which broke out earlier on Saturday. They stressed the blaze was "under control." Authorities began investigating Saturday, who allegedly tried to torch the architectural miracle and why. Recently appointed French Prime Minister Jean Castex and French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin were due to visit the site late Saturday. Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday challenged the opposition to pull his government down as the Maharashtra chief minister emphasised he was at the helm of the three-party coalition government in the state. In the last of the two-part interview to the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Thackeray said the fate of his government was not in the hands of the opposition. The chief minister, while speaking to Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, also targeted the Centres ambitious Mumbai- Ahmedabad bullet train project to put his point across. Replying to a question related to the opposition criticism that his government was a three-wheeled vehicle, in a reference to his alliance partners - the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress, Thackeray said his Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government represents the poor people. If it is the choice between a bullet train and a three-wheeler, I will choose the latter as it is the travelling mode of the poor people. It is a strong government and I am at the steering wheel with two other partners, he said. Thackeray, who will turn 60 on Monday, also pointed at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre to deflect the criticism. The ones who have been raising questions about our three-wheeler should look at the government at the Centre. How many parties are there as coalition partners? When I attended the NDA meeting last time, there were 30-35 leaders representing ruling parties. It should be called a train government then, he added. Thackeray said that there were no differences between the three parties even though there was a lack of continuous dialogue due to the outbreak of the Covid-19. Congress had some issues related to the matters on public policies. After our meeting, they have been solved. We have better coordination between us. I take guidance regularly from NCP chief Sharad Pawar Saheb and occasionally speak Soniaji Gandhi, he said. The Shiv Sena chief also took a dig at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its alleged attempt to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan. He said Operation Lotus would not reap any success in Maharashtra. It is strange that the use of money for political gain is not a crime and the opponents are targeted using central agencies. But this would not last for too long. They should also keep in mind that days keep passing by, he said. They tried to topple the Rajasthan government perhaps because there is no pandemic spread in that state or in Madhya Pradesh. The leader of opposition [Devendra Fadnavis] criticised the Maharashtra government over the handling of Covid-19 during his Delhi visit, perhaps because the pandemic exists only in our state and not in Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, he said. The chief minister said it was not correct to say that the decision-making process regarding the coronavirus pandemic in the state is driven by the bureaucracy. Our handling of Covid-19 pandemic, especially in Dharavi, has been applauded at the international level. I was chosen as among the popular chief ministers. If the bureaucracy was at the driving seat, why was the government praised and was it done by the bureaucracy without any control from the government? he asked. The government policies are after all implemented by the officers and the bureaucracy and is the duty of the government to stand firm by the efficient officers. I will firmly support such officers, he added. Thackeray said he has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a uniform decision over the policies related to China as India is faced with a border standoff with that country. Our policies related to China should not be deviating as they differ in case of Pakistan. During times of trouble, we boycott these countries and after a few days extend an olive branch before them. During one of our interactions, I requested Modiji to take a firm stand on China and decide finally on the trade with Chinese companies. We have put our memorandum of understanding with them (Chinese companies) on hold, the CM said. Thackeray said the decision to allow the bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be taken on the basis of peoples mandate. He said he would want to a bullet train to run between Mumbai and Nagpur as it will prove more beneficial for the development of the state. My individual opinion or that of my partys stand on the bullet train project could be different, but as a state, the government will take its decision at the appropriate time. Currently, it is on hold. The government decision will be based on the peoples mandate about the project and after discussing it with all the stakeholders, he said. Thackeray added that if the people of Maharashtra decide against the bullet train, he will cancel it. The Shiv Sena leader also suggested a virtual bhoomi pujan ahead of the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya to avoid the crowding at the site, saying it could lead to the spread of Sars-Cov-2, which causes the coronavirus disease. He said lakhs of Hindus from all across the globe worship Lord Ram and would want to flock for the bhoomi pujan. Instead of putting their lives in danger, the laying of foundation stone could be done online, he said. South Carolina officials declared that the death of a three-year-old boy who lives at a Columbia apartment complex was due to an accidental firing to himself. At around 6 pm, a call regarding the shooting at the Wyndham pointe Apartments on Brighton Hill Road was reported to the Richland County Sheriff Office's Deputies, but when they arrive at the area, the family of the toddler already rushed him to the hospital. A witness at the scene shared to responding officers that the boy who is identified by the county coroner on Thursday as Liam Myers, had fired the gun accidentally pointing towards his head. The three-year-old boy was pronounced dead by the medical staff of the hospital an hour after the reported incident. In a redacted incident report obtained by DailyMail, the gun which is accidentally used is a Glock 45. However, officials are still questioning as to how the boy had access to the loaded firearm. But during the investigation at the apartment, a 9mm semi-automatic handgun was later found by the police under a mattress. Based on the report, some adults were in the apartment having conversations including the 22-year-old mother of Liam but they suddenly heard the gunshot, Officials clarified that Liam is not living at the apartment where the tragic accident happened. The three-year-old boy lived with his family at an apartment complex in northwest Columbia. Read also: Ahmaud Arbery Murder Suspect Who Filmed Shooting, Investigated for Sex Offenses On Thursday, members of Liam's family mourn due to the tragic death of the child. Liam's aunt shared multiple photos of him laughing and playing along with his cousins, wherein she wrote on her status update that Liam was the only son of his younger brother. She also added, 'Rest in Heaven Young King I love you, baby boy.' In his social media account, the father of Liam, Devin Myers, he expressed his grief and revealed that an hour before the shooting incident, Liam called him, asking him to come and stay at his house. As of Thursday afternoon, authorities are still investigating the shooting, and no arrested person or suspects yet. Liam's father Devin Myers, who is part of the black community, appeared on the national headlines in August of 2019 when he was spotted in a viral Facebook live video being detained by officers of the Michigan police department for almost 20 minutes after a white woman reported to 911 that he Devin looks suspicious while she was parking her car in Royal Oak, WIS-TV reported. Throughout the whole process, Myers remained calm and by the time that the supervising officers arrived at the scene, he was allowed to leave eventually. The supposed civil rights investigation by the state attorney general in order to force resignation on one of the officers who stopped Myers was delayed and lost its spark. But a month later, Myers was arrested in Michigan after a charge filed against him for fleeing state police stemming from an accident that happened July of 2019, wherein Myers allegedly led police on a chase with a speed up to 124 mph. Related article: Police Tase, Arrest Black Man in Walmart for Riding Bike that he Purchased @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Hawley added: I dont want private assurances from candidates. I dont want to hear about their personal views, one way or another. Im not looking for forecasts about how they may vote in the future or predications. I dont want any of that. I want to see on the record, as part of their record, that they have acknowledged in some forum that Roe v. Wade, as a legal matter, is wrongly decided. President Xi Jinping's incessant push to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is intended to bring not just Pak's essential infrastructural arrangement under its control, but is also being instrumentalised by China to take over its political and economic affairs. Over the years China has made several attempts to take ultimate control of the political and economic affairs of Pakistan. Since 2016, President Xi Jinping has pushed for China China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and a CPEC authority that would bring the countrys infrastructure and power-generation projects under his direct control. Though the proposal was rejected by the Nawaz Sharif government, it was finally accepted by Prime Minister Imran Khan. According to an article by Ali Salman Andani published in the Asia Times, Khan, a puppet of the military establishment, was able to manipulate the law to fulfil Xis desires to control the Planning Ministry of Pakistan. Also read: China funding North-East insurgent groups along Myanmar-Thailand border: European think-tank Also read: US inaugurates China Working Group to counter threats from CCP I consider Pakistans Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives as one of the most crucial state institutions, whose senior bureaucrats could implicitly scrutinise and resist Xis draconian CPEC scheme, as they had access to all of the secret documents on the agreement and were involved, directly and indirectly, in the decision-making process, Andani opined. So long as the reins were under the control of civilian institutions led by representatives of the people and civil servants, thorough accountability of Xis master plan at least at some level and at some point in time if not at once was possible. Sidelining the civil institutions altogether would allow Xi to play on both sides of the board, he said. Questioning the nature of the deal, the author said that the secretary of maritime affairs refused to show the highly confidential agreement to even the Senate Standing Committee on Finance. The article stated that by 2050 Xi plans to have ultimate control of the majority of the emerging-market economies. Andani said, Xi doesnt want the Belt and Road Initiative or any of its components to be held accountable or face resistance. He knows that his Chinese Dream of indoctrination of a majority of free people of the world by 2050 will not be fulfilled if the people of the countries victimised by the BRI come to know about his strategy to destroy their futures and those of their future generations. He said that the CPEC authority will be the Communist Party of Chinas (CPCs) authorised representative in Pakistan responsible for conceiving, implementing, expanding, enforcing, controlling, regulating, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating and carrying out all activities related to the CPEC. The CPEC authority will also the constitutional power to initiate any investigation or even impose penalties against any public office holder, including the Prime Minister and President of Pakistan, or those directly or indirectly involved in CPEC-related activities wilfully resisting directions, instructions or specified orders, Andani said while adding, Even the Prime Ministers powers will be limited to what is specified in the CPEC Authority Bill 2020. So he too will have to obey Xis commands. The truth is that Xi is burdening those countries in debt traps while they are already suffering from intense balance-of-payments crises. Xi will slowly poison Pakistan and other poor economies by creating extreme shortages of foreign-exchange reserves. In the end, these countries will have to accept the invasion of their political and economic systems by the Communist Party of China, he said. The author opined that the selected government of Pakistan is fulfilling Xis dreams at the cost of the countrys sovereignty, territorial integrity and freedom of its people. Also read: Xinjiang likely another Bangladesh waiting to happen, says activist For all the latest World News, download NewsX App OAG under pressure to break silence THAILAND: Pressure on the Office of Attorney-General (OAG) is mounting as many groups, including constitutional bodies, demand an explanation for its decision to drop all charges against Red Bull scion Vorayuth Yoovidhya. accidentsdeathcorruptionpolice By Bangkok Post Sunday 26 July 2020, 12:23PM Forensic police inspect the motorcycle belonging to Wichian Klanprasert and the Ferrari driven by Vorayuth Yoovidhya following the accident that killed the police officer in September 2012. Photo: Bangkok Post file While the OAG remains silent, a lawyer who claimed he saw the document detailing the prosecutors reasons said the decision was a result of the testimony of two witnesses who said the killed policeman abruptly changed lane on his motorcycle, thereby causing the fatal hit-and-run incident in 2012. This week, news broke that the OAG had in June dropped a reckless driving causing death charge against Mr Vorayuth, who had fled the country, despite the statute of limitations for the charge not expiring until 2027. Thammasat University vice-rector and law lecturer Prinya Thaewanarumitkul yesterday (July 25) stressed that both the OAG and the police owe the public an explanation. Dont let the case confirm public suspicions that the justice administration system can be rigged. The police also owe the public an explanation as to why they did not challenge the decision, he said. Democrat deputy leader Nipit Intarasombat posted on Facebook that the controversy could snowball and ultimately undermine the government itself. This matter is very serious and the prime minister, the attorney-general and the chief of police will have to address the public. Even though it doesnt directly involve the premier, he cant sit idly by, he said. With public anger escalating, at least three bodies have signalled their intention to take action over the matter. Activist lawyer Songkan Atchariyasap said he will bring the matter before the national reform committee on police affairs, of which he is a member, next week. Two former attorneys-general, Khemchai Chutiwong and Trakul Winitchaiphak, serve on the panel. Rewat Wisarutvej, a list-MP of the Seriruamthai Party and a member of the House panel on justice administration affairs, said the panel will look into the case and summon the attorney-general to clarify the matter. The case is telling the people there are double standards in the system, he said. And Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, chief of the House anti-graft committee said if someone filed a complaint, his committee would also look into the matter. Meanwhile, Attorney-General Wongsakul Kittipromwong has distanced himself from the furore. Prayuth Petchkhun, deputy spokesman of the OAG, said Mr Wongsakul, who is upcountry for an inspection trip and will not return until next week had only learned of the decision himself from media coverage. According to Mr Prayuth, the attorney-general will not comment until he has examined the details. Mr Prayuth said that for cases in Bangkok if the decision to drop the charges is not made by the attorney-general, the case must be forwarded to the national police for consideration. If the police chief agrees with the decision, the case is finalised. Decha Kittivittayanan, founder of the Tanai Klai Took (Lawyers Relieve Suffering) Facebook page, said he had seen a document showing the reasons behind the prosecutions decision to drop the charges against Mr Vorayuth who is accused of being behind the wheel when his Ferrari hit and killed Pol Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, a motorcycle policeman, on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, on Sept 3, 2012. He said two more witnesses had been identified from security camera footage. Both of them said they were driving behind Mr Vorayuth who was driving under the 60 km/h limit in the third lane, while the police officer, who was in the left lane, suddenly cut in front of his Ferrari. Previously, forensic police had concluded that Mr Vorayuth had been driving at 177 km/h. The National Anti-Corruption Commission in June revealed that it found there had been an intention by police to exempt Mr Vorayuth, now aged 35, from prosecution on charges of drug abuse and speeding despite the forensic result and a blood test. Actor Sonu Sood has turned hero for yet another family. On Sunday he promised to send a pair of oxen to a farmer and his family but later changed his mind for something even better. Earlier in the morning, Sonu retweeted a video of a farmer, who had to employ his daughters on his field after being left with no money to rent bulls.The girls would plough the fields while their father and mother helped them. Terrible! Tomato farmer in Madanapalle, #Chittoor dt, forced to use his daughters for ploughing as he doesnt have money to rent bulls. He suffered huge losses last time due to #coronavirus pandemic. With no cash in hand, he begins Kharif season on a sombre note. #AndhraPradesh, read the caption on the video. Sharing it, Sonu had written, Tomorrow morning he will have a pair of ox. Let the girls focus on their education. Starting tomorrow, two oxen will plough his fields. Farmers are the pride of this nation.. Protect them, he said. This family doesnt deserve a pair of ox .. They deserve a Tractor. So sending you one. By evening a tractor will be ploughing your fields Stay blessed @Karan_Gilhotra #sonalikatractors https://t.co/oWAbJIB1jD sonu sood (@SonuSood) July 26, 2020 By afternoon, he changed his mind and tweeted that he was sending the family a tractor instead. This family doesnt deserve a pair of ox They deserve a Tractor. So sending you one. By evening a tractor will be ploughing your fields Stay blessed, he even used the hashtag of a tractor company in his tweet. Sonus fans were once again impressed by his generosity. Sir your very nice & awesome work for our country.I personally check all your tweets & update all time suddenly smile on my face that how dedicately u & your team doing hard work. You are Super Man of India in this COVID-19 pendamic.God Bless Sir always. Hatts off Sir, wrote one. Day by day respect towards you is increasing sir. One word that describes you Daivam manushya Rupena. Your service towards humanity is unparallel, commented another. Also read: Dil Bechara: Rajkummar Rao calls Sushant Singh Rajput a superstar, Ranvir Shorey says took breaks to wipe away tears Earlier this week, Sonu got as many as 1500 students out of Kyrgyzstan. SpiceJet worked with the actor to bring the kids back with nine charter flights. In association with reel-life & real-life hero @SonuSood, were reuniting Indian students stranded in Kyrgyzstan for 4 months, with their loved ones! Glimpses of the happy, grateful faces on the 1st flight of this extraordinary mission, the airline posted on Twitter. Sonu also launched an app to offer support to workers in finding right job opportunities in various sectors across the country. He has come out with a free of cost online platform called Pravasi Rojgar, which will provide all the necessary information and right linkages to find jobs. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON By Douglas Busvine BERLIN (Reuters) - Business software group SAP plans to spin off and float Qualtrics, the U.S. specialist in measuring online customer sentiment that it acquired less than two years ago for $8 billion. The move to list Qualtrics in the United States would partly unwind former CEO Executive Bill McDermott's last big takeover and rebalance SAP back towards its German roots under successor Christian Klein. McDermott was criticised by investors at the time for overpaying for Qualtrics, which under founder Ryan Smith had been four days away from floating when SAP trumped the valuation it had hoped to achieve on the stock market. Yet with the market rallying hard since the deal, analysts at Jefferies said Qualtrics could be valued at as much as 14 billion euros ($16 billion) if priced in line with tech growth stocks now trading at 30 times revenue. Investors reacted by pushing SAP shares 3.9% higher, closing in on record highs, as Klein sought to close a chapter of management turmoil triggered by the Qualtrics deal. News of the spinoff came before SAP published full second-quarter results on Monday that confirmed the leader in enterprise resource planning software in the second quarter had bounced back from the coronavirus pandemic. Non-IFRS operating profit rose 7% to 1.96 billion euros at constant currency on a 1% increase in total revenue. SAP restated its 2020 outlook for a rise of between 1% and 6% in operating profit. STANDING ALONE Qualtrics, whose Experience Management platform gathers real-time feedback from customers to help analyse how a company's products or services are performing, achieved a 32% increase in revenue in the quarter. Yet it remains the smallest of SAP's four business segments, reporting a profit of just 7 million euros in the period. Klein, calling the spinoff a "win-win situation", said it would give Qualtrics the opportunity to achieve its potential with a higher degree of autonomy. Story continues SAP would keep control over and consolidate Qualtrics, which it still sees as a key part of its "Intelligent Enterprise" proposition that spans everything from finance to personnel, logistics and customer relationship management. Under the proposed initial public offering, Smith would become the largest individual shareholder in Qualtrics. He and his family had previously owned 80% of the business. SAP Chief Financial Officer Luka Mucic said details of the offering were still to be worked out, but noted it was typical for stock market offerings of tech companies to comprise a stake of 10%-15%. The goal, he added, would be to capitalise Qualtrics properly while giving SAP more latitude to invest in developing its own business or make smaller "tuck-in" acquisitions. (Reporting by Douglas Busvine; editing by Keith Weir and Jason Neely) The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has called for online applications from qualified and experienced Indian nationals for filling One Twenty One (121) vacancies to the post of Medical Officer, Senior Scientific Officer, Specialists, Assistant Engineer and Architect through direct recruitment on a fulltime basis. The registration-cum-application applications process towards the same started on July 25, 2020 and closes on August 13, 2020 by 11:59 pm. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Medical Officer, Senior Scientific Officer, Specialists, Assistant Engineer and Architect Organisation Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Educational Qualification Bachelor's Degree; B.E/B.Tech in relevant engineering discipline; B.Sc/M.Sc in concerned discipline; MCA; MBBS Degree/Doctorate of Medicine (D.M.); Bachelors Degree/Master's Degree in relevant subject Experience Refer to the advertisement Skills Required Desirable Job Location India Salary Scale Pay Matrix Level 10 to Level 11 as per the 7 CPC Industry Civil Service Application Start Date July 25, 2020 Application End Date August 13, 2020 Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for various posts through UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification must in the age group between 30 to 40 years of age, with relaxation (upper age limit) up to 5 years (SC/ST), 3 years (OBC) and 10 years (PWD) respectively. Candidates must remit a prescribed amount of Rs. 25 (Gen/UR/OBC) as application processing fee through online (net-banking/credit/debit etc.) mode or any other mode as applicable. However, SC/ST/PWD and Women candidates are exempted from pay the application fee. UPSC Recruitment 2020 For Scientists, Information Officer And RO Posts. Apply Online Before July 30 UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification Vacancy Details Post Name No. OF Vacancies Specialist Grade III Assistant Professor (General Medicine/Neuro Surgery) 60 Medical Officer/Research Officer (Homoeopathy) 36 Senior Scientific Officer (Ballistics/Biology, Chemistry, Documents, Photo, Physics) 21 Assistant Engineer (Quality Assurance/Metallurgy) 03 Architect (Group-A) 01 Total 121 Educational Criteria And Experience Desirous candidates applying for various posts through UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification must possess a Bachelor's Degree; B.E/B.Tech in relevant engineering discipline; B.Sc/M.Sc in concerned discipline; MCA; MBBS Degree/Doctorate of Medicine (D.M.); Bachelor's Degree/Master's Degree in relevant subject from a recognised University/Institution with relevant years of experience in the concerned area as specified in the advertisement. Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates for various posts through UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification will be done through Shortlisting, Written Examination/Interview and Document Verification. Candidates selected for various posts through UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification will be paid emolument under Pay Matrix Level 10 to Level 11 as per the 7 CPC. 7th Pay Commission: Centre Tweaks Night Duty Allowance (NDA) Rules, All CG Employees To Benefit How To Apply Candidates applying for various posts through UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification must register online on the official UPSC website at https://www.upsconline.nic.in/ora/VacancyNoticePub.php through ORA and submit their applications on or before August 13, 2020 by 11:59 pm. Read the detailed notification about UPSC Recruitment 2020 Notification for Medical Officer, Senior Scientific Officer, Specialists, Assistant Engineer and Architect posts here The Minority Leader in Parliament Haruna Iddrisu has asked government not to leave out any Ghanaian stranded abroad seeking to return to Ghana. The Government of Ghana through a special arrangement has granted some citizens abroad entry, even though the borders remain closed. But the Tamale South legislator says many Ghanaians are still locked up in other countries with no funds, hence, the need for the government to urgently attend to them. We need to do something about Ghanaians abroad who are still stranded. They are our citizens. I know that some efforts have been done, but we need to get our citizens back home. Many of them are not working in foreign countries and we know what that means. At least, if they are home, family members will share some bread with them. That is not the case in Europe or America. There is a huge number of Ghanaians out there, but what is being done to bring them into the country? The government must prioritise essential repatriation of Ghanaians as we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, he added. Ghana's borders remain closed as part of measures to stop the importation of the Coronavirus disease into the country. The borders were closed in March 2020. This is not the first time the Minority in Parliament had called on the government to evacuate Ghanaian citizens stranded in other countries due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Ghanaian nationals who are stranded outside the country amidst the Coronavirus outbreak and are willing to bear the cost of their evacuation are being brought home. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is facilitating the travel back. Evacuation conditions The government's pre-condition for evacuation is that the stranded citizens bear the full cost of their 14-day mandatory quarantine when they arrive in the country. These arrivals will be quarantined at the Airport View Hotel, Alisa Hotel and Marriot Hotel. Stay at the Airport View Hotel is costing GHS400 a night, Alisa Hotel going for GHS600 a night and Marriot Hotel going for GHS766 a night. The government has indicated that the issue of Ghanaians stranded abroad will be addressed in phases. The government's pre-conditions for evacuation is, however, a source of concern for some of the Ghanaians abroad who have described them as excessive. Some say they cannot afford the cost of quarantine because they have run out of money. ---citinewsroom US entry into Houston consulate violates Vienna Convention: experts Global Times By Leng Shumei and Wang Wenwen Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/25 18:07:46 China strongly opposes the US law enforcement's forcible entry into the Chinese consulate in Houston and has lodged solemn representations, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Saturday. US federal agents and local law enforcement entered China's consulate compound in Houston after it was forced to close on Friday local time, according to CNN reports. Several SUVs, trucks, two white vans and a locksmith's van entered the property, CNN reported. The consulate compound is a diplomatic and consular premises and China's state property. The US side cannot trespass upon the compound in any form according to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-US Consular Treaty, Wang said. Jin Yongming, a research fellow with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, explained to the Global Times on Saturday that a legal procedure to close one country's consulate in another country should be that the host country gives the reason and negotiates with the appointing country. Even if the US had asked for the consulate to close, regardless the compound is rented or has been purchased by the Chinese consulate, US legal enforcement authorities are not entitled to enter the compound without the consulate's consent, Jin noted. "US move violates the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to which the US is signatory. Article 27 of the Convention requires states to protect the premises, archives and property of the consular in the event of the severance of consular relations or closure of a consular post," Wang Jiangyu, a professor of law at the City University of Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Saturday. After the US ordered China to close its consulate in Houston within 72 hours on July 21, Chinese consulates in the US have expressed strong condemnation and opposition to the move. In an open letter released on Saturday by the Cai Wei, China's Consul General in Houston, Cai noted that the move will not strop Chinese governments' communication with the US and no one can stop the bright prospects of China-US cooperation. The Chinese consulate in New York also slammed the closure calling it a political provocation unilaterally launched by the US, which seriously violates international law and the basic norms of international relations and is intended to damage bilateral ties. China will take other legitimate and necessary action if the US does not withdraw the wrong decision, the New York consulate warned in a post on its website Saturday. China has retaliated by ordering the US to shut its consulate in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Friday. Statements from the two Chinese consulates show the country will continue to develop bilateral ties focusing on long-term interests, while US politicians are using China as a tool for the upcoming presidential election, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday. In the past month, the US's strategy on China has fallen into a state of madness, as it keeps creating conflicts, while China is making efforts to cut losses caused by the US, Li said. But there are still possibilities for China-US ties to develop in a better direction in the future, according to Li. No matter who takes office after the election, the president has to consider US' interests and fix ties with China, Li noted. China always upholds the principle of noninterference in the domestic affairs of other countries and Chinese diplomatic organs in the US are committed to bilateral communication and cooperation, the consulate in New York said. US policies should conform with mainstream public opinion when dealing with China-US relation, not the paranoid ideas of some politicians, the consulate noted. The New York consulate said it would continue to promote bilateral communication and cooperation, as well as friendship in the consular districts. Zhao Xin, a lecturer at the School of International Law at the China University of Political Science and Law, noted that the US' order to close the Chinese Consulate General in Houston and now the entry are both very rare and ludicrous acts in the history of diplomacy. She told the Global Times on Saturday that, according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the host country does not have the right to take over, even in cases of armed conflict or even if the two countries sever diplomatic relations or the embassy retreats temporarily or permanently. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 15:29:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close FIROZ KOAH, Afghanistan, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Eight militants including a key Taliban commander Mullah Khaksar have been confirmed dead as a clash erupted in Shahrak district of western Afghanistan's Ghor province on Sunday, said an army statement released here. The clash, according to the statement, flared up after a group of Taliban insurgents under Mullah Khaksar stormed security checkpoints in Kharistan area of the troubled Shahrak district in the wee hours of Sunday and troops returned fire killing eight insurgents including Khaksar, forcing them to flee. Describing Khaksar as a "notorious commander", the statement said the physical elimination of commander Khaksar could prove a major blow to the Taliban in Ghor province. The Taliban outfit has yet to make comment. Gor province, with Firoz Koah as its capital, has been the scene of Taliban-led militancy over the past couple of years. Enditem TCs Energy USA and its partners, Power China Huadong Engineering Corporation Ltd and Seabased of Sweden, have signed a major agreement to finance and revive the Ada Foah Energy Project, which has stalled for years. TCs Energy Ghana, a wholly Ghanaian owned company is the local counterpart to the project. The project seeks to establish a wave energy park in the Gulf of Guinea in Ghana, about 17 km off the coast of Ada to generate 1,000 megawatts (MW/H) of power from sea waves, employing an environmentally friendly technology the SEABASED Wave Energy Converters (WEC). TCs Energy has applied to the Ghana Standards Authority for Marine Energy Converters Certification to ensure that the project meets the highest international requirements. Under the terms of the agreement, Power China, a state-owned key enterprise, will provide 85 percent of the cost while the remaining 15 percent is to be borne by the Ghanaian company. The initial plan is to begin with 5 megawatts and scale up to the project target of 100 megawatts within 24 months. Seabased Industry AB has, in collaboration with TCs Energy, been working to create Africas first wave power plant, at Ada Foah since 2015 when the onshore grid-connected switchgear was installed and the first phase of the wave energy converters was deployed and connected. The sponsors have already invested over US$ 10 million for the acquisition of the project land and implementation of the pilot project. The pilot project successfully in generated abundant power which was seamlessly fed into the national distribution system. The huge success of the initial pilot led to interests from investors who have now pledged up to USD 2 billion towards the entire project which is due to start once Ghanas borders are open and the foreign technical team can travel to Ghana. Officials say the project will offer energy at a lower cost of between 3 and 4 cents compared with 10 or more cents available from hydro and thermal. In addition, there is an enormous environmental benefit since the project is renewable. The benefits to the government upon implementation are enormous as there will be no need to purchase oil, gas or other resources to produce electricity, CEO of TC's Energy, Mr. Anthony Opoku said. The project, with the tagline Pioneering Wave Energy in Africa, will involve the installation of generator units (WECs) and marine substations offshore; installation of an onshore sub-station to connect to the national grid; and the laying of cables to link the offshore generating units and the onshore sub-station located about 100m from the shore. The project is backed by a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between TCs Energy Limited and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to offtake up to 1,000 MW of power from the project. Commenting on these developments, Prof. Alex Dodoo, the Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, assured the CEO, that through GSA's certification processes safety and quality will be assured. The GSA will provide professional and technical services to the project in the area of inspection, testing, precision measurement and certification. In the coming days, we will sign an MoU with TC's Energy to provide certification at every stage of the project. This and other new technology products are precisely what Africa and Ghana need in a post-Covid world in order to create newer industries employing highly skilled individuals and creating wealth at all levels of Ghanaian society. It really offers fresh and abundant hope for Ghana and will definitely contribute significantly to the realization of a Ghana beyond aid, Prof Dodoo added. Our certification will ensure the quality and safety of products and services used for the project. This will help protect the funds invested. The GSA delegation included Charles Amoako, Deputy Director-General (Conformity Assessment), Clifford Frimpong, Director of Physical Science Directorate, Mr. Benjamin Otoo. Ag. Director, Finance. George Kojo Anti, Business Development Manager, and Peter Martey Agbeko, Head of Public Relations. As the National Standards Body as well as Conformity Assessments body, it is our role to facilitate the development of standards needed by businesses operating in the country he noted. Our doors are always open for constant engagement with us on anything you might need to make the project successful. CLEVELAND -- If ever there was a time when we have needed a fair and unbiased national media that we could depend on for daily reporting, presented in a straightforward way without regard to the journalists personal political views that time is now. With riots and assorted civic unrest sweeping through our cities, with racial tension at an all-time high, with the nation divided in every possible way, and with perhaps the most consequential election of our lives looming in less than four months, we need news and information from our major media sources that we can believe and trust. Sadly, that is not what we have today. Thats not necessarily shocking information to news consumers. Poll after poll has revealed the low regard the public has for what they see delivered from the nations networks, newspapers, websites and radio. A Gallup poll taken last September showed that only 13 percent of Americans have a great deal of trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. Another 28 percent said a fair amount, leaving 59 percent at not much or worse. We can only imagine what the results would be if the poll were taken today. But thats not the worst of it. Underneath those numbers lurks a more sinister problem at least for anyone who is still holding out hope that our deeply divided society might one day move back toward the middle. That same Gallup poll showed only 15 percent of Republicans with a great deal or even a fair amount of trust, while the Democrat count was 69 percent. Self-described independents were at 36 percent. A Pew poll released in January showed that Democrats tended to trust 22 of a wide range of 30 national media sources, while Republicans trusted only seven. No prizes for guessing which ones CNN led the way for Democrats while Fox News was far and away the leader for Republicans. And a Morning Consult poll in April reported a significant drop in trust from both sides over the last four years. Even among Democrats, The New York Times has fallen below 70 percent in overall credibility, but among Republicans, the erosion has been precipitous: In December 2016, at least roughly half of Republicans thought The Wall Street Journal (64 percent), The New York Times (52 percent), CNN (51 percent) and MSNBC (48 percent) were credible, reported the Morning Consult website. Four years later, those figures now stand at 41 percent for The Journal, 29 percent for the Times and 27 percent for both CNN and MSNBC. The reasons for that are not hard to figure out. Over the last four years, the Times, The Washington Post and others have cast objectivity aside and conducted an all-out war against President Donald Trump, who has accomplished, at least according to the coverage you will find in those papers, the incredible feat of not having done a single thing right in his entire time as president. Lately, things have gotten even worse for those who would hope for even-handed reportage. Early last month, an outcry from 800 Times reporters and editors led to the ouster of the top two editors in its opinion section for committing the unpardonable sin of publishing a column by Republican Sen. Tom Cotton that did not meet with their approval. That was followed a couple of weeks later by the highly publicized resignation of Bari Weiss, a centrist who had been hired as a writer and editor for the opinion section in 2017 after publisher A.G. Sulzberger lamented that the Times had completely missed the conservative groundswell that had led to Trumps election. In a letter to Sulzberger, Weiss spoke of constant bullying from colleagues after her forays into Wrongthink, and being called a Nazi and a racist on in-house forums, with no reaction from the people who allegedly run the place. a new consensus has emerged in the press, she wrote, but perhaps especially at this paper: that truth isnt a process of collective discovery, but an orthodoxy already known to an enlightened few whose job is to inform everyone else. Then there was Trumps patriotic speech at Mount Rushmore on July 4, in which he celebrated a long list of the countrys attributes, and spoke of traditional values that are now under assault in many areas. He spoke of racial equality and diversity, and the freedoms we enjoy, for which he was immediately ridiculed on CNN by editor-at-large Chris Cillizza. Trump said that, We must demand that our children are taught once again to see America as did Reverend Martin Luther King, when he said that the Founders had signed a promissory note to every future generation. Dr. King saw that the mission of justice required us to fully embrace our founding ideals. He called on his fellow citizens not to rip down their heritage, but to live up to their heritage. If you missed the speech, a transcript is easy to find on Google, where you can read it and decide for yourself if its as described in headlines from our leading national news sources: Washington Post: At Mount Rushmore, Trump exploits social divisions, warns of left-wing cultural revolution in dark speech ahead of Independence Day. New York Times: Trump Uses Mount Rushmore Speech to Deliver Divisive Culture War Message. Associated Press (once the standard of unbiased reporting): Trump pushes racial division, flouts virus rules at Rushmore. Finally, in our quest for unbiased reporting, we arrive in Portland, Oregon, where increasingly destructive and violent protesters have ransacked and graffitied a several-block area around the downtown federal courthouse building for 59 days running, doing untold millions of dollars of damage. And where has the bulk of the criticism been directed? Toward the Homeland Security troops that Trump finally sent to the city to try to restore order and protect property. The protesters have been almost universally described as mostly peaceful, whose main concern is supporting Black Lives Matter. If you believe that, you should take a look at a Portland KGW-TV interview with Portland Police Officer Jakhary Jackson (https://tinyurl.com/jakhary), a Black man who spoke of the threats, insults, destruction, looting and physical assaults he has endured during the protests. It says something when youre at a Black Lives Matter protest and you have more minorities on the police side than you have in a violent crowd, he said. And you have white people screaming at Black officers, You have the biggest nose Ive ever seen. You probably havent read that anywhere have you? The politicization of our national news, and the loss of our ability to trust our once-great news organizations, is a national tragedy. It is terrible for the democracy and detracts from our ability to make informed decisions based on real facts. Democracy dies in darkness, has been The Washington Posts motto since February 2017. It sure does. Ted Diadiun is a member of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. To reach Ted Diadiun: tdiadiun@cleveland.com Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions, comments or corrections regarding this opinion article to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. On 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? Kalani Faagata and Asuelu Pulaa have been dealing with some major hurdles. On their trip to California alongside Kalanis mother, Asuelu said some things he really shouldnt have. Asuelu is still bitter that he wasnt able to take his children home with him to Samoa due to a measles outbreak at the time. Instead of making the best of their circumstances and the trip to California, Asuelu made his feelings known, and he even called Kalani a lying b**** while they drove in the car. Asuelu talks with Kalanis father Kalani Faagata and Asuelu Pulaa | asuelupulaa via Instagram Asuelu is back home from the eventful trip to California, and Kalanis father suggests that they go for a walk with the dog. Asuelu tells the cameras everyone seems to be ignoring him because they know he doesnt want to talk to anyone. Low, Kalanis father, asks to speak with Asuelu about the way things went down at his grandsons birthday party. I just wanna come here, to talk to you away from Lani and Lisa, about what had happened in California, Low tells Asuelu. Asuelu wants Low to hear his side of things, and he starts to explain. Asuelu says Lisa, Lows wife, was asking him a lot of questions, including why women in Samoa are different from women in the United States. He admits he told her women in America are lazy. Low tells the cameras that he raised his daughters to be strong and to stand up for themselves. Asuelu admits he argued with Lows wife. He says he shouldnt have said the things he did. Low says he doesnt want the kids to hear stuff like that, considering they were sitting in the car with them while the argument was taking place. Kalanis father says it isnt acceptable for Asuelu to be cussing to front of his wife and daughter RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Kalani Faagata Asks Asuelu Pulaa Not to Throw Her Under the Bus in New Happily Ever After Sneak Peek Asuelu says he needs to learn how to talk to Lisa, and he blames himself. He also admits he swore at Kalani, Lows daughter. I dont like you cussing in front of my wife and my daughter, Low tells him. Thats not acceptable. Plus, it was Olivers birthday, Asuelus son with Kalani. Asuelu was acting like he wanted to stay in the room during his sons birthday celebration, making tensions worse. Low also mentions that Kalani told him that Asuelu never apologized, and Asuelu says he doesnt know how to talk to her about it. Im trying my best not to get violent, Low tells him. He also mentions Asuelu needs to learn how to treat Kalani, because he isnt having that. Asuelu clearly gets the message and says he understands, and that he will say sorry to his wife. Asuelu tells the cameras that he knows he has a temper, but he will prove to Low that what he says he actually means. Who knows how things will play out for Kalani and Asuelus relationship in the long run? Hopefully, things will improve between everyone in the next episode. Well keep you updated on events as we learn them. Olivia de Havilland, an actress who gained movie immortality in Gone With the Wind, then built an illustrious film career punctuated by a successful fight to loosen studios grip on contract actors, died Sunday at her home in Paris. She was 104 and one of the last surviving stars of Hollywoods fabled Golden Age. Her death was confirmed by her publicist Lisa Goldberg. De Havilland was both a classic Hollywood beauty and an honoured screen actress whose very name and bearing suggested membership in a kind of aristocracy of moviedom. Although she was typecast early in her career as the demure ingenue, she went on to earn meatier roles that led to five Academy Award nominations, two of which brought her the Oscar, for To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949). Those roles came to her in no small part because of the resolve she showed when she stood up to the studios and won a battle that helped push Hollywood into the modern era, surprising the movie moguls, who may not have expected such steel in an actress so softly attractive and, at five-foot-three, so unintimidatingly petite. She had shown similar grit a decade earlier, in her breakthrough role, when she held her own against her formidable co-stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Leslie Howard in Gone With the Wind. The 1939 Civil War epic was briefly pulled from the HBO Max streaming service last month and returned with an introduction saying that the film presents the Georgia plantation at its centre as a world of grace and beauty, without acknowledging the brutalities of the system of chattel slavery upon which this world is based. As Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, the beau and then wife of Howards Ashley Wilkes, she brought intelligence and grace to her portrait of a woman whose shy, forgiving, almost too kindly nature stood in sharp contrast to the often venomous jealousy of her high-spirited sister-in-law, Scarlett OHara (Leigh). De Havillands performance led to an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress, though the award went to another member of the cast, Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy, Scarletts housekeeper. (Leigh won in the best actress category.) De Havilland was under contract to Warner Bros. when the films original director, George Cukor, working for MGM, invited her to audition for the role of Melanie. (He was later replaced by Victor Fleming.) After getting the part, she had to plead with her studio boss, Jack Warner, to lend her to the MGM production, which was being overseen by David Selznick. By then she had established herself at Warner as a familiar heroine in some 20 films and had begun a long collaboration with prolific director Michael Curtiz, encompassing nine films. Most notable was a string of action features and costume dramas opposite the dashing Errol Flynn, among them Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), in which she played Maid Marian. De Havilland and Flynn were such a popular onscreen couple that rumours flew of an on-set romance, fuelled in part by Flynns reputation for bedding his co-stars and reports that he was infatuated with her. By all accounts there was no truth to the whisperings of an affair, though some years later de Havilland admitted to having had a great crush on Flynn and suggested that circumstances at the time he was married when they met stood in the way of a romance. So naughty and so charming, she said of him. Warner had signed de Havilland to a seven-year contract in 1935 on the strength of her performance that year as Hermia, the defiant daughter who resists an arranged marriage, in Max Reinhardts film adaptation of A Midsummer Nights Dream. (The year before, she had made her professional stage acting debut in the same role in a Hollywood Bowl production by Reinhardt.) After her success in Gone With the Wind, de Havilland returned to Warner with the expectation of more challenging roles. For the most part, they did not materialize. One exception was Hold Back the Dawn (1941), in which she played an American schoolteacher who is seduced in Mexico by a wily European exile (Charles Boyer). Her performance earned her another Oscar nomination, but this time she lost to her sister, Joan Fontaine, who won for Suspicion. The two were rarely on speaking terms after that. (They are the only sisters to win best actress Academy Awards, and their sibling rivalry was called the fiercest in Hollywood history.) The formula roles kept coming. When de Havilland complained, she was told that she had been hired because she photographed well and that she wasnt required to act. The studio had misread her determination. She began to refuse roles she considered inferior. Warner retaliated by suspending her several times, for a total of six months, and, after her contract expired, insisting that because of the suspensions she was still the studios property for six more months. De Havilland sued. The case dragged on for a year and a half, but David finally beat Goliath when the California Supreme Court upheld a lower-court ruling in her favour in 1945. What became known as the de Havilland decision established that a studio could not arbitrarily extend the duration of an actors contract. When she resumed her career, de Havilland appeared in four films in rapid succession, all released in 1946. In one, The Dark Mirror, she played twins, one good and one evil. In her Oscar-winning performance in To Each His Own, she was an unwed mother who must give up her infant son when his father, her lover, a First World War flying ace, is killed in action. De Havilland soon took on one of her most demanding roles, that of a young bride who becomes mentally ill and is sent to an institution, in The Snake Pit (1948). The film, directed by Anatol Litvak, was an unflinching study of mental illness and the treatments available then, from narcotics to electroshock. De Havilland was nominated for a best actress Oscar but did not win. She captured her second Oscar the next year with The Heiress, directed by William Wyler and adapted by Ruth and Augustus Goetz from their Broadway play based on Henry James Washington Square. De Havilland presented an affecting portrait of a repressed, spinsterish young woman dominated by her rigidly protective father (Ralph Richardson). It was one of de Havillands favourite roles. The films I loved, she said in 1964, the great loves, are The Snake Pit, The Heiress and, of course, Gone With the Wind. But she did not love Hollywood, and in the 1950s she startled the town when she abandoned it to live in Paris with a new husband, though she kept her U.S. citizenship. For Olivia, William Stadiem wrote in a profile of her in Vanity Fair magazine in 2016, there was a whiff of decay and disappointment about Hollywood. Olivia Mary de Havilland was born July 1, 1916, to British parents in Tokyo, where her father, Walter, a cousin of aviation pioneer Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, ran a firm of patent lawyers, though he was not a lawyer himself. In 1919, her mother, the former Lillian Ruse, an elocution teacher, moved with Olivia and Joan, her younger sister by 15 months, to Saratoga, California, near San Francisco. The de Havillands divorced, and Lillian married George Fontaine, a department store executive, whose surname Joan later took as her stage name. Olivia de Havilland was married twice. Both marriages ended in divorce. The first, in 1946, was to Marcus Aurelius Goodrich, a Texas-born novelist, screenwriter and journalist; they had a son, Benjamin, and divorced in 1952. She married Pierre Galante, the author of military histories and at one point editor of the magazine Paris Match, in 1955 after the couple met in France. They moved to Paris, had a daughter, Gisele, and divorced in 1979. De Havillands son died of Hodgkins disease in 1991. Before she was married, de Havilland had romantic relationships with James Stewart, Howard Hughes and director John Huston, with whom she reunited for a time after her first divorce. By her account she also turned away a smitten young John F. Kennedy, who was visiting Hollywood after his PT-boat service in the Second World War. She is survived by her daughter, Giselle Galante Chulack. Joan Fontaine died in 2013 at 96. Although she had decamped to Paris, de Havilland remained a creature of Hollywood for most of her career. But she did try her hand at theatre again, making her Broadway debut in 1951, to good reviews, as Juliet in a short-lived production of Romeo and Juliet. She returned to Broadway in 1952 for another brief run in Shaws Candida and was last seen there in 1962, when she starred with Henry Fonda in A Gift of Time, adapted by Garson Kanin from Lael Tucker Wertenbakers book Death of a Man, about the last days of the authors husband, Charles, who died of cancer. The movies kept calling, however. In 1952, she starred in My Cousin Rachel, based on the bestselling novel by Daphne du Maurier. She played the bride of an older man, and Richard Burton, in his Hollywood debut, played the son who thinks his attractive new stepmother may be capable of murder. By the time she travelled to Italy to film The Light in the Piazza (1962), in which she played the protective mother of a beautiful but mentally impaired young woman (Yvette Mimieux), de Havilland had appeared in some 40 movies and was living in semi-retirement in Paris. She also published a book in 1962, a collection of lighthearted observations about life in France titled Every Frenchman Has One. De Havilland made only a handful of films after that. She was in her mid-40s by then, receiving fewer acting offers and finding many scripts too prurient for her tastes. One she liked, however, was Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), which gave her the opportunity to co-star with Bette Davis, another Hollywood legend nearing the end of her career. The film a weaker echo of the similarly gothic Davis and Joan Crawford melodrama, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? tells the tale of an increasingly demented woman (Davis) and a scheming relative who comes to live with her (de Havilland, who replaced Crawford after filming began). From the mid-60s onward, de Havillands acting was largely confined to sporadic roles in television series like The Love Boat; television movies like The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana (1982), in which she played the Queen Mother; and miniseries like Roots: The Next Generation (1979). Her work in the 1986 NBC miniseries Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna, in which she played a Russian empress, brought her a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy nomination. In 1965, she became the first woman to head the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She returned to feature films only occasionally, among them the hugely successful 1977 disaster movie Airport 77, in which she joined a ensemble cast of veteran actors. Her last Hollywood film was The Fifth Musketeer (1979), in which she played the mother of Louis XIV (Beau Bridges). But even when she was well into her 80s, she had not entirely given up the idea of returning to the spotlight. She was a presenter at the Academy Awards in 2003. She narrated I Remember Better When I Paint, a 2009 documentary about the positive impact of art therapy on people with Alzheimers disease. In Paris, de Havilland had lived in a five-story town house, built around 1880, since 1958 (in recent years next door to former French President Valery Giscard dEstaing), all the while never missing Hollywood, she said. I loved being around real buildings, real castles, real churches not ones made of canvas, she told Vanity Fair. She maintained an active lifestyle there into her second century, defying her advancing years. Olivia doesnt seem 99, Stadiem wrote in his 2016 Vanity Fair profile. Her face is unlined, her eyes sparkling, her fabled contralto soaring (only Orson Welles had an equally imposing instrument), her memory photographic. She could easily pass for someone decades younger. She was in the news and in court once again in 2018, when she sued FX network and Ryan Murphy Productions over her portrayal by Catherine Zeta-Jones in the miniseries Feud: Bette and Joan, about the rivalry between Davis and Crawford. She maintained that her portrayal constituted unauthorized use of her name and likeness and showed her in a false light as a hypocrite with a public image of being a lady and a private one as a vulgarity-using gossip. A California appellate court dismissed the suit, ruling that the portrayal was not highly offensive to a reasonable person as a matter of law. De Havillands readings of scripture on Christmas and Easter at the American Cathedral, on the Avenue George V, became annual events in Paris. In 2010, Nicolas Sarkozy, then the president of France, awarded her the Legion dHonneur. And her association with a distant era of Hollywood glamour made her a living legend in her adopted city. In 1999, she was honoured with a party in Paris to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Gone With the Wind. At one point, one of the hosts recalled, with a glass in hand, she toasted the film and its leading actors, reminding the room that she was the last one still standing. Let us raise a mint julep to our stars, she proclaimed, on that great veranda in the sky! John Hickenlooper wont have long to relish his win in Tuesdays Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. He still has a case to make to Colorado, one left unsettled after all his years as governor and all these months on the campaign trail. Zbigniew Ziobro, Poland's Minister of Justice attends a meeting at the Ministry of Justice, in Warsaw, Poland, on Jan. 28, 2020. (Omar Marques/Getty Images) Poland to Withdraw From Convention on Violence Against Women Poland will take steps next week to withdraw from a European treaty on protecting women from domestic violence. The right wing government said it is because the treaty violates, among other things, parents constitutional right to educate children with moral or religious education in accordance with their own convictions. The Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro told a news conference on Saturday that, to fulfill an election campaign promise, his ministry would submit a request to the labour and families ministry on Monday to begin the process of withdrawing from the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, otherwise known as the Istanbul Convention. It contains elements of an ideological nature, which we consider harmful, Ziobro, leader of United Poland, a smaller party in the ruling coalition led by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, added. On Friday, thousands of people, mostly women, protested in Warsaw and other cities against proposals to reject the treaty. Protesters hold banners reading No to legalization of domestic violence and Womens Strike as they take part in protest against the Polish government plans to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, in Warsaw, Poland, on July 24, 2020. (Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images) The aim is to legalise domestic violence, Magdalena Lempart, one of the protest organisers said on Friday at a march in Warsaw. Some protesters carried banners saying PiS is the womens hell. Responding to the protests, Deputy Minister of Justice Marcin Romanowski argued the Istanbul Convention is is redundant from the point of view of protection of victims and prosecution of perpetrators of domestic violence, adding that the Polish legal system already meets the standards set out by the document in both respects. Ziobro also said the government has done a lot in recent years in the fight against domestic violence and violence against women through legislation, and is implementing changes by introducing ideology-free solutions. Real solutions to protect victims of domestic violence were included in the anti-violence law, which the Sejm [lower house of the Polish parliament] adopted almost unanimously on April 30 this year. Ziobro said. He called the Polish law a model for other countries as it exceeded the standards required by the Istanbul Convention. Controversy Surrounding The Definition of Gender According to a written statement by the Ministry of Justice, The government sought to terminate the Convention because of harmful ideological solutions such as the concept of the so-called gender in opposition to biological sex. This seems to refer to the definition of gender in article three of the treaty, which it says shall mean the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men. According to this concept, biology does not determine whether someone is female or male, it is a matter of a socio-cultural choice that anyone can make. This is related to the assumption that the education of children in schools should be changed. a statement from the Polish Justice Ministry reads. According to DW, Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Romanowski described the treaty as gender gibberish and called for Poland to withdraw from it as soon as possible. Poland is no the only Central-Eastern European countries reject the definition. It is in exactly these terms that Slovakia rejected ratification, and Bulgaria declared the Convention unconstitutional. In Lithuania too the ratification is held back by the refusal to accept article 3c of the Convention. an essential passage of the Convention European Data Journalism Network reported. Hungary: Threat to Marriage and of Increased Migration The Hungarian Parliament in May refused to ratify the treaty. Had the Convention stuck to the protection of womens rights, Hungary would have been among the first countries to ratify it and adopt corresponding domestic legislation. In fact, we have already included most of the Conventions recommendations, those pertaining to the protection of women, into Hungarian law. But the Convention went far beyond this, with its final text including sections that could not be incorporated into our domestic law because they run counter to Hungarys constitution, the Fundamental Law. a declaration from their Parliament reads. The declaration cited two reasons: the definitions of gender and persecution. Firstly, the Hungarian parliament contended that without biological genders, for example, Hungarys constitutional definition of marriage (the matrimony of a man and a woman) would become void. And if something contradicts the Fundamental Law, it cannot be adopted by Parliament. Secondly, Article 60 requires signatories to ensure that gender-based violence against women may be recognised as a form of persecution, and refugee status should be granted to those fear such persecution. Based on this article, the Hungarian parliament was concerned that Hungary may be forced to grant entry to illegal migrants on grounds that run contrary to Hungarys well-established policy of discouraging and putting an end to migration. The statement went on to call the Convention yet another attempt by pro-migration groups to find a way to force the issue of migration. Council of Europe: Translation Difficulties Used to Fuel Controversies In response to the continuous criticisms from countries since the Convention opened for signatures in 2011, the Council of Europe published a Q&A document (pdf) to defend it. Difficulties around the translation of the term gender and its distinction from the term sex in languages which do not have an exact equivalent have sometimes been used to fuel controversies about the convention and its implications. Such difficulties cannot become a pretext for rejecting the convention, or an obstacle to its implementation: the convention does not require an adaptation of the national legal systems to incorporate the use of the term gender, but uses it to explain the purpose of the measures that it asks states to adopt and implement. The convention has already been ratified and implemented in countries using languages which do not have an exact equivalent of the term gender (belonging to different linguistic groups, such as the Germanic, Roman and Slavic families), without this leading to controversies. Another leaflet promoting the Convention stated that the existing migration and asylum policies are not put in question by the Convention. Reuters contributed to the report. Nidan Singh Sachdeva, the Afghan Sikh who was kidnapped a month ago and released recently, arrived here earlier in the day and narrated the ordeals that he faced at the hands of abductors and also thanked the Indian government for bringing him back to his motherland. Facing threats from Pakistan-backed Taliban, eleven members of Sikh community from Afghanistan, who were granted short-term visas by Indian Embassy in Kabul, including Sachdeva, who was abducted from a gurudwara in Paktia province last month, touched down in New Delhi on Sunday afternoon. Speaking to ANI on his return, an emotional Sachdeva, said, I dont know what to call Hindustan -- whether it is my mother or my father -- Hindustan is Hindustan. I was abducted from the gurudwara and 20 hours later, I was covered with blood. I was tied to a tree as well. They used to beat me and ask me to convert into a Muslim. I repeatedly told them that why should I convert, I have my own religion, he said while describing Nidan Singh thanked Government of India for bringing him here. I am more than thankful to the Indian government for bringing us here to our motherland. I have no words to describe my feelings here. I arrived here after much struggle. The atmosphere of fear prevails there. Gurudwara is where we can be safe but a step outside the Gurdwara is fearful, he said. They used to beat me every day and every night, he said further and added, It is because of sheer happiness, I am speechless. I am very grateful to them. Ministry of External Affairs recently announced that India has decided to facilitate the return of Afghan Hindu and Sikh community members facing security threats in Afghanistan to India. The decision comes four months after a terror attack at a gurdwara in Kabuls Shor Bazaar killed at least 25 members of the community. India has condemned the targeting and persecution of minority community members by terrorists in Afghanistan at the behest of their external supporters remains a matter of grave concern. Leaders of the Afghan Sikh community have appealed to the Indian government to accommodate the Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan and grant them legal entry with long term residency multiple entry visas. Once a community of nearly 250,000 people, the Sikh and Hindu community in Afghanistan has endured years of discrimination and violence from extremists, and the community is now estimated to comprise fewer than 100 families across the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON For the past several years Waseem Ashtikar, a kitchen manager at Boston Pizza in Edmonton has been saving money for he and his wife to fulfil their final religious duty as Muslims, to perform Hajj. The annual pilgrimage a mandatory duty for all those physically and financially able is set to begin on July 28 this year and ends on Aug. 2. For the past several years millions of Muslims, from all walks of life save up to go for Hajj in Saudi Arabia. According to the General Authority of Statistics for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, more than two million people attended Hajj in 2017. That number only grows each year. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 1000 Saudi citizens will be performing Hajj. Everybody else had to cancel their plans, including Ashtikar. He was devastated when he realized Hajj would not be a reality this year. He said he had been saving money for the past three to four years. "It's a big savings from this country like if we are going from some other country like back home (India) or somewhere else, it's cheaper," he said. "Here like it's minimum you need at least $25,000 to $30,000 to save for the Hajj." In Canada and the U.S, Muslims interested in going for Hajj often purchase all-inclusive travel packages from companies that exclusively take people on the pilgrimage. The packages offer hotel stays, transport, food and sometimes will include flights too. They vary in price, depending on the proximity of hotels to the mosques, the amount of transportation required and food choices but are usually in the tens of thousands of dollars per person. Ashtikar was set to fly to Saudi Arabia on July 12, but in February Saudi Arabia moved to temporarily halt entry into the kingdom. He waited for the next few months hoping that COVID-19 cases might drop and Hajj could be a possibility, but they didn't. Another traveller, Khadija Farooq was lucky enough not to invest all her money right away. Story continues The speech pathologist from Edmonton had also been saving for two years to go to Hajj with her husband. Khadija Farooq Their Hajj package which included the cheapest hotels farther away from the mosque and least amount of transport hence requiring them to walk everywhere, cost $22,000 in total not including flights. "It's quite a pricey and financial commitment, right, that you are making," she said. Farooq had only given in a $200 deposit and had not paid the full fee yet. "We were some of the lucky ones who didn't end up paying the full $22,000, but I know that a lot of people weren't fortunate as we were," she said. Travel companies are also struggling as they face mass cancellations from clients. Tamir Ali, owner of ECO Travels in Edmonton, said after Hajj got cancelled his clients expected their money back right away. "Most of the money is already split between airline deposits and hotel deposits and some of these deposits are not refundable and you will just get it as credit," he said. "They think it can happen right away, a refund. So we are in a very tough situation." Ali said to keep the lights on he took a loan from the federal government, however he does not believe it will sustain him in the long term. "We are looking for a more comprehensive strategy to help us businesses that are affected harshly in this crisis." Where some like Farooq are waiting until the pandemic is over to reconsider their Hajj plans, Ashtikar is holding out hope for next year. "This year Almighty didn't plan for us (to go), but next year we are planning to go again," he said. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Real estate conglomerate China Evergrande Group established on July 10 a Guangdong-based subsidiary whose one of major businesses is the R&D of NEV-related technologies, according to the enterprise information query platform Tianyancha. Involving a registered capital of 500 million yuan ($71,451,025), the newborn company, dubbed Evergrande Hengchi New Energy Automobile Technology (Guangdong) Co.,Ltd., is wholly held by Evergrande New Energy Automobile Investment Holdings Group Co.,Ltd. According to Tianyancha, its line of businesses includes the R&D of NEV-related technologies, the manufacture of automobile parts, the sale of complete vehicles, the wholesale and retail of automobile parts as well as the consultation and transfer services of NEV-related technologies. Tianyancha's record shows that a subsidiary, named Evergrande New Energy Automobile (Guangxi) Co.,Ltd., was registered on July 8 by the same parent company, featuring a similar business scope to the Guangdong-based one. Evergrande Group celebrated on May 22 the first spade cut of its electric drive system production base at Nantaihu New Area in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, according to a local media report. Covering an area of 450mu (300,000 square meters) and involving an investment of 15 billion yuan ($2.144 billion), the new base will contains the R&D hubs focusing on the three-in-one electric drive system, electric motor & autonomous driving technology as well as the integration of electric motor and batteries, and corresponding manufacturing workshops. It is expected to produce 500,000 units of electric drive system per year with an annual output value of 12 billion ($1.715 billion). The Chinese real estate titan is renowned for its magnificent ambition to become the world's largest and most powerful NEV maker. Through a series of merger and acquisition moves, it has formed a wide-ranging industrial chain involving the manufacture of complete vehicles, electric motor & ECU, power battery, automobile sale and smart charging, etc, eyeing annual capacity of 5 million NEVs within the next decade. In last November, the property giant announced the strategic partnership with a total of 60 world's leading auto parts suppliers at one go, including such well-known firms as Bosch, Magna, Continental AG, ZF Group, thyssenkrupp AG, JTEKT and BASF. Furthermore, Evergrande New Energy Automobile Group, a subsidiary of Evergrande Group, signed contracts with five European automotive engineering companies in last September to develop 15 EV models. The five partnersGermanys FEV Group, EDAG and IVA Group, as well as Austria's Magna Steyr and AVLdevelop powertrains and other auto parts for automakers worldwide including Ferrari and Toyota Motor (photo source: Evergrande Group). AKRON, Ohio Akron police on Saturday arrested an organizer of a Black Lives Matter protest of a grocery store. Dirshawn Mansfield, 29, was released from the Summit County Jail about an hour after his arrest. He is charged with three misdemeanors criminal trespass, obstructing official business and disorderly conduct. He is scheduled for arraignment on Monday in Akron Municipal Court. Mansfield said in a video he posted on Facebook prior to his arrest that he organized the protest at Marcs grocery store on East Waterloo Road near Glenmount Avenue after store managers refused to allow an employee to wear a face mask that said Black Lives Matter on it. Mansfield did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Marcs Vice President of Human Resources Shannon Joherl said in a statement that the local grocery chain required employees to wear masks in all stores in May. She said employees masks are required to be free from any type of logos or writing. When the employee showed up with the Black Lives Matter mask, managers offered him a different one. The employee left the store and later quit. Were sorry he made the choice to leave Marcs, but respect his decision to do so, Joherls statement said. For many years, Marcs has supported programs that assist those in the communities we serve. We strongly believe in diversity in our workplace and provide opportunities for advancement in all our stores for all our employees. A group of about 20 protesters gathered in front of the grocery store about noon, according to Akron police spokesman Lt. Michael Miller. Miller said officers told the protestors that they could not protest on private property and directed the group to several places they could protest. Miller said officers waited for some time for the protestors to move to a different area but they didnt. The officers went to arrest Mansfield, who ran several blocks before officers caught up to him, Miller said. After the arrest, the protestors left. No one else was arrested, Miller said. Protestors then went to the Summit County Jail and protested until Mansfield was released, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. Read more from cleveland.com: Teen accused of fatally shooting driver during Cuyahoga Heights police chase also charged in shooting that injured 5-year-old girl University of Akron police investigating sexual assault at off-campus house Cuyahoga County Jail officer suspended for pepper-spraying inmate at close range, and separately allowing another inmate to nearly escape Workers removed the US insignia from the consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Saturday, one day after Beijing ordered its closure as relations deteriorated in a Cold War-style standoff. The Chengdu mission was ordered shut in retaliation for the forced closure of Beijing's consulate in Houston, Texas, with both sides alleging the other had endangered national security. The deadline for the Americans to exit Chengdu remained unclear, but AFP reporters saw a worker on a small crane removing a circular US insignia from the front of the consulate, leaving just a US flag flying. Three moving company trucks entered the US consulate building Saturday afternoon, and cleaners were seen carting large black rubbish bags from the consulate in the early hours of the morning. One of them split and appeared to contain shredded paper. At least ten bags were removed from the building. Other staff were seen carrying boxes, moving trolleys and wheeled suitcases inside the building. Beijing says closing the Chengdu consulate was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States", and has alleged that staff at the diplomatic mission endangered China's security and interests. Washington officials, meanwhile, said there had been unacceptable efforts by the Chinese consulate in Houston to steal US corporate secrets and proprietary medical and scientific research. The last Chinese diplomats left the Houston consulate on Friday as a 72-hour deadline to close the mission passed. Officials there were seen loading large sacks of documents and other items onto trucks, and throwing some in bins. Beijing said Saturday that US agents "forcibly" entered the Houston consulate. The building "is China's national property", the statement read, citing the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Sino-US Consular Treaty. It added that the United States "must not infringe on the premises ... in any way". "China has expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the US forcibly entering the Chinese Consulate General in Houston and has lodged solemn representations". The statement added that "China will make a proper and necessary response in this regard". 'Legitimate response' Tensions have soared between the two powers on a range of fronts including trade, China's handling of the novel coronavirus and a tough new security law for Hong Kong, with US officials this week warning of a "new tyranny" from China. Closing the US consulate in Chengdu was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States", the foreign ministry said Friday. "The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires to see, and the US is responsible for all this", it said. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters that some US staff in the Chengdu consulate "were engaged in activities outside of their capacity, interfered in China's internal affairs, and endangered China's security and interests". The Chengdu consulate, established in 1985, has been at the centre of past controversy. It was included on a top-secret map leaked by intelligence analyst Edward Snowden showing US surveillance worldwide. The mission was also where senior Chinese official Wang Lijun fled in 2012 from his powerful boss Bo Xilai, who was then head of the nearby metropolis Chongqing, and has since been jailed for life for corruption. The independent Luxembourg radio station Radio ARA has released a statement criticising the government's new Media Support Bill. Radio ARA, which has been broadcasting since 1992, believes that the proposed law (7631) does not sufficiently recognise the needs of community media, an important part of the overall media landscape in the country. Without financial support, the station's survival is in doubt. The full text of Radio ARA's press release reads: 'Radio ARA is deeply disturbed by the new text of the Media Support Bill. Until recently, it seemed as if the state would finally recognise community media in Luxembourg. After years of discussions with the Ministry of Media and a positive recommendation from ALIA, two weeks ago Radio ARA was invited to the Chamber of Deputies to present their role to the Media Commission. However, one day after Radio ARA spoke to the Media Commission about the importance of community media for media plurality - and without waiting for the parliamentary debate on the public service, the Council of Ministers adopted a bill that means a major setback for the radio. in virtually every European state, community media is recognised and promoted as a third pillar of the media landscape, besides public law and private-commercial media. Institutions such as the European Parliament, UNESCO and the Council of Europe recommend all Member States to seize the opportunities offered by community media, thereby consolidating media literacy in society and, above all, involving marginalized groups. Community media give civil society direct access to the antennas, strengthen participation and provide a training ground for journalists. In the present legal text 7631, which focuses mainly on the written press, community media is included in one line. The aid provided for them is capped, and does not address the real needs of community media. The requirement of a minimum number of full-time journalists, means they are bound by a system that contradicts their way of working. The requirements of community of media is for technical and infrastructure support as well as personnel needed for administrative, coordination and communication with the massive number of community volunteers that are involved at the station. Lisa McLean (responsible for English-language ARA City Radio and Community Shows Radio ARA): Radio ARA is important in Luxembourg because a large part of the population is not represented by the existing media. We thought that our response during the pandemic had made our mission clear. With the Local News produced in 10 languages, including Arabic, Tigrinya, Farsi, Albanian, Russian, Italian ... we reached people in Luxembourg who would not otherwise have had access to important local information. But first we realized that we were not eligible for COVID emergency press assistance and then that our work and potential is not understood at all. This hurts. Since the end of last year, Radio ARA has been in a critical financial state. Like all media, it has become increasingly difficult to finance the station solely through advertising. A large number of advertising clients have moved to digital media, which will receive additional funding from the Luxembourg State through the press assistance system. Radio ARA employs 170 volunteers and freelancers, as well as journalists with (foreign) press cards to make good quality broadcasts and news. 12 people are employed (part time) and mainly take care of the organization, training and project management. The radio does not have enough money to hire a technician, this work is done on a voluntary basis, by its supporters. Guy Antony (President): "The new law does not do us justice. Its like coming to the clinic with appendicitis and then getting your arm plastered. While community media offers a great opportunity in a democracy and would address Luxembourgs great lack of media pluralism and alleviate the problem with media concentration, this new Media Bill 7613 intensifies the problem, and means Radio ARAs existence hangs in the balance."' Britain will take steps to protect itself against military threats in space from Russia and China in a sweeping review of its defences, Ben Wallace has said. The Defence Secretary said it will lead to a 'pivoting away' from a focus on conventional warfare to 'operate much more in the newest domains of space, cyber and sub-sea'. His comments come after the UK and US accused Russia of testing an anti-satellite weapon in space earlier this month. Ben Wallace said the review will lead to a 'pivoting away' from a focus on conventional warfare to 'operate much more in the newest domains of space, cyber and sub-sea' Mr Wallace wrote in the Sunday Telegraph China is also 'developing offensive space weapons', a move which has prompted the most comprehensive review of Britain's defence capabilities since the Cold War. Mr Wallace said the world is 'moving at an unprecedented pace and our defence must move with it'. 'Our adversaries go further, deeper and higher. The binary distinction between peace and war has vanished,' he said. MPs have warned the type of anti-satellite weapon Russia is accused of firing could cripple the UK's systems. Russia has dismissed the accusation as 'propaganda'. Mr Wallace wrote that as traditional conflicts change - with space, cyber and data the new battlegrounds - Britain needs to take action to 'outmanoeuvre our adversaries with a sharper technological edge and relentless focus on innovation'. His comments come after the UK and US accused Russia (pictured, President Vladimir Putin) of testing an anti-satellite weapon in space earlier this month The Russian Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket with the Progress MS-15 cargo spacecraft lifting off from the launch pad at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, 23 July 2020 Russia's alleged anti-satellite weapons test has caused widespread alarm, with UKspace - the trade association of the British space industry - warning such missiles could mean 'the end of space' as humans know and use it. Echo of Reagan's 1983 'Star Wars' When Ronald Reagan proposed a network of space lasers to knock out incoming nuclear missiles, the scheme was almost immediately dubbed 'Star Wars'. Addressing his nation on television in 1983, he said the 'Strategic Defense Initiative' was not an act of aggression but a sign that the United States was prepared to defend itself. The two-term American leader asked: 'What if free people could live secure in the knowledge that their security did not rest upon the threat of instant US retaliation to deter a Soviet attack, that we could intercept and destroy ballistic missiles before they reached our own soil or that of our allies?' After the Cold War came to an end, funding for the Strategic Defence Initiative was cut. The scheme was reorganised and renamed several times. Advertisement UKspace president Will Whitehorn told the Today programme: 'If you actually fired at other satellites, space would quickly become a field of massive shrapnel and, as you can imagine, that would be the end of space.' Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall, ex-deputy defence staff chief, also urged the UK to push against anti-satellite weapon development, telling the programme: 'The consequences (are there) for every nation on Earth of some kind of catastrophic confrontation in space because we are so reliant on satellites, and will continue to be.' Tensions between Britain and Russia have been high in recent weeks, as the UK targeted Russians with new sanctions, accused Russian actors of trying to meddle in last year's election and said Moscow has tried to hack into vaccine research. Separately, Britain announced on Monday it would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in an escalation of a dispute with China over its introduction of a national security law for the former British colony. Earlier this month, PM Boris Johnson ordered equipment from China's Huawei Technologies to be purged completely from Britain's 5G network by the end of 2027. China - once courted as the prime source of investment in British infrastructure projects - has accused Britain of pandering to the US. Johnson was also set to overhaul the United Kingdom's treason laws to counter threats posed by China and Russia. The step is likely to see a new Treason Act, a new Espionage Act and a rewriting of the Official Secrets Act. The taxation of multinational companies garners significant attention in media, research and political spheres. There is no doubt that the system for taxing companies needs updating but many of the contributions on the topic contain one, or on occasion all, of the following shortcomings. There are statements that can only ever be true so have no meaningful value, claims which are incomplete or just plain wrong that mispresent the actual outcomes and an absence of setting out what the actual outcomes are. No one sets out to pay more tax than they have to. If one side of a street has free parking and the other has metered parking, drivers will look for a spot on the side that is free rather than the side that will see revenue flow to the local authority. I doubt anyone would consider anything unusual or egregious about such behaviour if they bothered to think about it at all. And if the local authority wants to collect parking fees it should charge for parking on both sides of the street. Multinational companies (MNCs) face similar incentives albeit on a scale that is much more likely to get people to examine and criticise their actions. MNCs make decisions about where to locate their operations and tax is one factor that influences these decisions. Saying that MNCs make these decisions to avoid tax is pretty much the same as telling us drivers prefer free parking spots. MNCs were setting up structures that minimised their tax bills in the 1920s when the architecture for taxing cross-border companies was put in place. In the 2020s, they will make decisions to revise their structures with the intention of minimising their tax bills in response to changes arising from the ongoing Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, or Beps project being led by the OECD. And its safe to predict that in a hundred years time MNCs will have structures in place that will minimise their tax bills in the face of whatever rules are in place in the 2120s. Being told that companies have structures that minimise their tax bill is only telling us how companies operate. The rules can change, and they should, but one thing wont change: Companies will always seek to minimise their tax bill. In most cases, corporate tax bills are reduced within the law. If we dont like the outcomes the law gives rise to, it is the law that should be changed. Obviously, this is easier for a local authority that sets the parking charges on both sides of a street as opposed to the coordination that is required to change the laws within, and international agreements between, the many countries in which MNCs operate. However, when it comes to the headline-grabbing claims about the taxation of MNCs many of them could be addressed without the need for international coordination. That is because when it comes to corporate tax headlines, the antagonists are almost invariably American companies. We could say that this is because American companies are run by exceptionally ruthless executives who are willing to go further than their counterparts in other countries to benefit their shareholders. Read More Eamon Quinn: Government continues to fight to retain control over corporate tax regime But why would the Volkswagen management be hard-nosed enough to set up their cars to deceive emissions tests but unwise to the strategies that could apparently cut billions off their tax bill? It is not that Volkswagen has a bigger social conscience when it comes to tax but not being a US company means it does not face the same tax rules that underpin the structures of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and scores of other US companies. There is a reason that US companies dominate the tax headlines and it is not the tax laws of Ireland and The Netherlands or even the lack of tax in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands. The reason is the tax laws of the US. And the primary tax payments affected are the tax payments to the US. The US has seen the share of its total tax revenue that comes from corporate income taxes fall but, as with lots of things, what happens in the US should not be taken to be reflective of what happens elsewhere. If we look at the EU15 group of countries, in 1965 the average share of their total tax revenue that came from corporate taxes was 6.7%; in 2018 it was 8%. This is not to say that this share is 'fair' but it is the case that EU countries are collecting more of their taxes from profit taxes then they were 50 years ago. The last half century has also seen corporate profits rise as a share of national income. When in terms of the GDP of these countries, the figures show that corporate taxes have risen from an average of 1.8% in 1965 to 3.1% in 2018. That covers the rise in profits and then some and tells us that the effective tax rate on profits has not fallen. Cuts to corporate tax rates can easily be condensed into a headline or an eye-catching graph. Technical law changes that broaden the tax base do not lend themselves to pithy one-liners but can be as important in determining how much tax a company pays. And companies pay lots of tax, even American tech companies. Between them, the five companies listed above made $38bn (32.6bn) of corporate tax payments which were equivalent to 20% of their pre-tax profits, an outcome that rarely gets reported. In the 10 years to 2019, Apple reported pre-tax profits of $570bn. In the same period, Apple made $100bn of corporate tax payments to governments around the world. Although often characterised as the archetypal tax avoider, Apple is also likely the largest taxpayer in the world. Apples financial accounts show that the company had actually set aside $130bn of those profits to cover its tax liabilities giving an effective tax rate of 26%. The $30bn difference arose because the US was like a local authority that only had parking charges on one side of the street. The US tax system facilitates and incentivises US companies to characterise some of their profits as 'offshore' when in reality they are not shifted out of the US at all. These types of profits were central to the European Commissions high-profile state-aid case against Ireland. Margrethe Vestager made a ruling that over 100bn of these profits earned by Apple from 2003 to 2014 should have been included in Irelands tax base. Under US rules these profits are considered stateless and, up to recently, the tax due wasnt paid immediately but when the profits were repatriated. The profits are in the US but the US system provides spaces that allow companies to park them tax free. We should not be surprised that companies choose these spots that offer free or cheaper parking. The OECD has published some aggregate statistics from the country-by-county reports that companies have been required to file in recent years. Unsurprisingly, US companies report large profits in countries like Ireland, the Netherlands, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands. In 2016, US companies reported $117bn of profits in these jurisdictions. But the data for US companies show the profit attributed to stateless entities was $120bn greater than for the four mentioned countries. The OECD data show that US companies had $31bn of taxable profit in Ireland in 2016 and incurred a 14% effective Irish tax on them. It is possible to calculate significantly lower effective rates for Ireland but this needs chunks of the $120bn of stateless profits to be incorrectly attributed to Ireland. This is what Ms Vestager did when she incorrectly claimed that Apple had a tax rate of 0.005% in Ireland. This characterisation completely omits the tax that is due to the US and as the EU court has ruled including these profits in Irelands tax base is not legally sound. These profits should be included in the tax base of the US. It is the US itself that is the biggest tax haven for US companies. If the ability of US companies to offshore their profits was reduced, and it should be, then many of the shortcomings that plague the corporate tax debate could be reduced as well. Maybe then we could have an informed discussion of the broader changes that are necessary to update a system that was put in place a hundred years ago. - Seamus Coffey is a UCC economist and former chair of the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council The Zamfara Government has began the distribution of 5,667 rams and 993 cows as Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) palliatives to various categories of people in the state. The Director-General, Media, Public Enlightenment and Communication to the Zamfara State Governor, Yusuf Idris, disclosed to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau on Sunday. As a tradition, the State Government under the leadership of Governor Bello Matawalle has always kept its promise of bringing relief to its people. We did the same thing during the Eid-el-Fitr where various categories of people, especially orphans and the less privileged numbering close to 100,000, received clothing materials, assorted foodstuff and cash to enable them to celebrate the end of the 30 days of the Ramadan fast. This time too, a large number of families, individuals and groups will benefit from this gesture in addition to foodstuff and clothing materials that have recently been given to about 50,000 orphans and the less privileged to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir coming up on July 31, Mr Idris said. The palliatives, according to him, were distributed early enough so that the beneficiaries could have enough time to process them. The Zamfara governors spokesman did not, however, disclose the amount spent on the purchase of the rams and cows, but said the beneficiaries would include public servants, civil servants, groups, unions, organisations and other personalities. (NAN) In the United States a federal judge has ruled that Connecticut officials cannot keep court proceedings and documents secret for teenagers charged with the most serious crimes. Stock image In the United States a federal judge has ruled that Connecticut officials cannot keep court proceedings and documents secret for teenagers charged with the most serious crimes - a decision that will reopen Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel's murder case to the public. US District Judge Michael Shea in Hartford ruled last Friday that a state law approved last year - to protect juveniles' identities when their cases are transferred to adult court and only unsealing documents if they are convicted - violates the First Amendment right of access to the courts. The decision came in a lawsuit challenging the law filed by the Hartford Courant and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The judge ordered the state Judicial Branch to open courtrooms and unseal the records in the cases of juveniles aged 15, 16 and 17 whose cases were transferred to adult court but kept secret under the new law. Under the previous law, serious juvenile cases including murders and rapes were unsealed when they were transferred to adult court, as Skakel's was, allowing public access to court proceedings. The new law resulted in the sealing of Skakel's case, because he was a teenager when Martha Moxley was killed in their wealthy Greenwich neighbourhood in 1975. Skakel, a nephew of Robert F Kennedy's widow, Ethel Kennedy, was convicted in 2002 in the bludgeoning to death of Moxley when they were both 15. He served 11 years in jail before a judge overturned his conviction in 2013, citing mistakes by his trial lawyer. He was freed on $1.2m bail. The state Supreme Court reinstated the murder conviction in 2016, but later reversed itself and overturned the conviction. The US Supreme Court last year declined to hear an appeal by state prosecutors, who have not disclosed whether they plan to retry Skakel. It's unclear whether officials plan to appeal the ruling. Uttarakhand government has identified 10 hectare land in Haridwar to develop religious theme park based on 52 Shakti Peeths, said officials. The religious theme park based on 52 Shakti Peeths will be developed at Kankhal in Haridwar district and is a part of the state governments ambitious project to develop tourist destinations in each one of the thirteen districts of the state. A 10-hectare land has been earmarked at village Devpur Ahatmal near the ancient shrine of Shri Daksheshwar Mahadev temple in Kankhal area, where according to Hindu tradition, Sati (Parvati) plunged into fire leading to the formation of 52 Shakti Peeths. According to Hindu tradition, after the death of Sati, Lord Shiva carried her body and wandered throughout the subcontinent and Shakti Peeths are places blessed with the presence of shakti (power) due to the falling of body parts of Sati while Lord Shiva wandered. District magistrate Haridwar C Ravi Shankar said soon a detailed project report will be submitted to the state government and process for land clearance, no objection certificate from forest department has been started on a priority basis. Basic infrastructural facilities, amenities, development of nearby tourist and religious places of importance will also be done under this project. At the chosen site a grand religious theme park featuring all the revered fifty-two Shakti Peeths will be featured which will be one of its kind. It surely will draw pilgrims and tourists from across the country, said Shankar. District tourism officer Haridwar Seema Nautiyal said that the concept of 52 shrines theme park is unique as pilgrims and tourists will witness all these religious seats of importance at one destination. Lauding the development of the theme park where 52 Shakti Peeths replicas would be featured at one place, Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, the apex body of all the Akhadas, said that this will add another place of religious importance to the already world-famous Haridwar. Replica structures of all the fifty two shrines spread in India and outside will be a unique concept, which will provide one place for people to know about revered shrines, whose pilgrimage is of utmost religious significance for devotees, said Mahant Hari Giri Maharaj, general secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad. These Shakti Peeths are mentioned in Vedic texts and scriptures so putting them all together at one place will make the theme park almost a shrine itself, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON She never shies away from flaunting her voluptuous curves. And Lauren Goodger made sure to put on a very racy display as she posed naked while in the bath on Sunday. The TOWIE star, 33, left little to the imagination as she carefully cupped her ample assets with one hand for the sexy snap. Racy: Lauren Goodger, 33, left little to the imagination as she carefully cupped her ample assets with one hand for a sexy bath selfie shared to Instagram on Sunday Lauren pulled a sultry expression as she looked straight at the camera and lifted one leg to show off her bronzed skin. The brunette beauty tied her locks back as she took a dip in the bubble bath and added a slick of blusher and pink lipstick to her face. It comes after Lauren took to Instagram on Friday to share a slew of throwback snaps from several years ago, declaring herself 'so skinny' at the time. She lamented the days of her former figure as she captioned the images: 'OMG I was so skinny! What I'd give to go back!' Flashback Friday: It comes after Lauren shared a slew of throwback snaps from several years ago, declaring herself 'so skinny' at the time The snaps included a shot of Lauren in a lacy black two-piece and heels, showcasing a tiny midriff. They were circa 2015, when Lauren fronted a fitness DVD. Despite becoming a tad curvier since then, Lauren is clearly not concerned about her fuller frame and is still regularly snapping selfies in skimpy ensembles. Earlier this year the reality star denied that she has had surgery, including implants or fat transfer to enhance the look of her derriere. Lauren told new! magazine: 'I've always been thick set and I've always had a big bum. That's the way it is. Feel it if you want! I've not had implants.' Back then: The TOWIE star lamented the days of her former figure as she captioned the images: 'OMG I was so skinny! What I'd give to go back!' Still a bombshell: Lauren is pictured this year modeling her tanning range And another: One saw her in a busty black bikini accentuating her ample chest and small waist She also insisted that she would allow anyone to do a Kim Kardashian-inspired X-ray on her bottom to make sure that it was real. Lauren went on to reveal that although she had lipo and sculpting three years ago she hasn't had any since and any fluctuation is down to weight gain or loss. Meanwhile, the Dancing on Ice star recently revealed that now the UK's COVID-19 lockdown begins to ease, she's on a mission to find a new man. Talking to her friend, Bobby Norris, also 33, over the phone for new! magazine, the brunette bombshell claimed she has lined up 100 dates for when lockdown permits. Five tears ago: The throwback snaps were circa 2015, when Lauren fronted a fitness DVD She said: 'In isolation, I've got so many guys asking me out and I've got about 100 dates lined up after this, I'm loving life and I'm getting lots of attention. 'I've got a lot more time on my hands to respond and talk to people and normally I don't really bother. I feel really confident at the minute.' Lauren also added she would love to get involved with the TOWIE ten-year reunion, the show that turned her into a household name. The TV star declared the 'whole f***ing show was about her relationship' with ex fiance Mark Wright, who she dated on and off for 11 years and that she gave 'TV gold.' TOULOUSE, France Sitting around a table strewn with steaming cups of mint tea, a dozen women were sharing memories of their summer holidays in their homeland, Algeria. Malika Hai recalled sweltering days spent with her cousins near the beaches. Samia Tran described the cheerful family dinners around traditional dishes. And Zohra Benkebane, almost an hour into the conversation, was the first to burst into tears. We all have a lump in our throats, Ms. Tran said as she hugged her sobbing friend. Its too hard. We need to go home. For many French citizens of Algerian descent whose families migrated across the Mediterranean in the second half of the 20th century, summer holidays in Algeria are a deep-rooted tradition. Every year thousands of people venture off toward what they commonly call the bled a word derived from Arabic that refers to the countryside. George Clooneys directorial credits include movies such as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Leatherheads, Ides of March and Suburbicon. George Clooney is in negotiations with Amazon Studios to direct the feature film adaptation of J R Moehringers The Tender Bar: A Memoir. The 59-year-old actor-director will also produce the movie along with his producing partner Grant Heslov through their Smokehouse Pictures banner. He will direct the movie from a script by Oscar-winning scribe William Monahan, reported Variety. Published in 2005, Moehringers novel has been described as a coming-of-age story. It centres on the author, who as a young boy is seeking a replacement for his father, a New York City disc jockey who had vanished before his son spoke his first word. When he cant find his fathers voice on the radio anymore, the boy turns in desperation to the bar on the corner, where he finds friendship from his Uncle Charlie and other adults, who take him to the beach, to ballgames, and ultimately into their circle. Clooneys directorial credits include movies such as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Leatherheads, Ides of March and Suburbicon. He also helmed the adaptation of Joseph Hellers 1961 classic novel, Catch-22, for Hulu which released last year. The show, where he played a supporting role as training commander Scheisskopf, marked his return to TV after a gap of 20 years. He most recently helmed Netflix and Anonymous Contents sci-fi thriller Midnight Sky, starring Felicity Jones in the lead. (With inputs from Press Trust of India) Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing was probably hoping to provoke a little watch envy when he boasted online about buying a 20,000 timepiece but the only thing anyone commented on was how much he looks like TVs Judge Rob Rinder! As these pictures show, they do bear an uncanny resemblance but there is a subtle difference. Rob would never be so crass as to brag, as Jamie did: My grandmother left us 20k. My sister and brother invested in a house but I bought a gold Rolex, She would have hated it. Classy. Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing (left) in the picture posted online, wearing the 20,000 timepiece and TVs Judge Rob Rinder, right Did Prince Andrews security detail really take out their guns and shoot the sound system at a New Order gig? Well, thats what the bands bass player Peter Hook claims. He reveals the band were hired by an LA club to entertain Andrew and Fergie on a trip to help English fashion designers. We were so loud that Andrews Secret Service men ran over to the PA and shot it out. Its a great story, until Peter admits the band had a huge bag of marching powder and were completely out of our minds. So hes hardly the most reliable witness Queen of Zoom... The Queen chalked up another world first this weekend becoming the first monarch to unveil a portrait of herself via Zoom. The portrait, above, was commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a lasting tribute to Her Majestys service and is to be displayed in the FCOs London HQ The portrait was commissioned by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a lasting tribute to Her Majestys service and is to be displayed in the FCOs London HQ. The unveiling went without a hitch but for one small protocol problem. Artist Miriam Escofet explained: The team had practised bowing their heads but it just looked like we were nodding. These Foreign Office types are terribly clever, but they clearly havent learned to step back from the camera! The Duke of Cambridge was cautious of his brothers relationship with Meghan Markle at the start, a new excerpt from the upcoming biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reveals. In an extract of Finding Freedom printed in The Sunday Times, a source close to Prince William said he was keen to make sure that Meghan had the right intentions with Prince Harry. After all, these are two brothers that have spent their whole lives with people trying to take advantage of them, the source said. Theyve both developed a radar to detect that type of person, but as William didnt know a whole lot about Meghan, he wanted to make sure Harry wasnt blindsided by lust. William was also said to have sat Harry down and urged him to take things slowly with Meghan at the start of their relationship. Dont feel you need to rush this, he said, according to sources. Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl. The words this girl are said to have irritated Harry, leading him to describe his brother as a snob. World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Show all 24 1 /24 World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Canada World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Italy World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Canada World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Argentina World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Belgiam World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Brazil World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Chile World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Belgiam World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Canada World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK Harry could see through Williams words. He was being a snob, a source close to Harry is quoted as saying in the book. The book also details how several members of the royal family did not trust Meghan, or have faith in their relationship. At least two other family members also voiced concerns to each other over the pace at which Harrys relationship had moved, the book states. Meanwhile, when Meghan and Harry started dating, one senior royal allegedly referred to the Suits actor as Harrys showgirl. Another is reported to have told an aide, She comes with a lot of baggage, while one high-ranking courtier was overheard telling a colleague, Theres just something about her I dont trust. COLUMBUS, Ohio The arrest of Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder last Tuesday on a federal racketeering charge marked a stunning fall for one of the states most powerful politicians. Despite his larger than life presence in Capitol Square, he was not exactly a household name until he made national news in his downfall. And to those who have followed his career closely, the allegations against him didnt exactly come as a surprise. Householder, a Republican farmer and former insurance salesman from rural Perry County, has ruled the Ohio House of Representatives since January 2019. It was the second time hed held the job. He served a previous stint as speaker from 2001 through 2004, leaving, as it turns out, amid another FBI investigation that never produced any charges. Starting shortly after he was re-elected to the Ohio House in November 2016, he engineered an impressive political comeback, recruiting and cobbling together a coalition of supporters that eventually included Democrats. Federal agents have said his achievement was accomplished through corruption, alleging FirstEnergy gave Householders political operation $60 million in a corrupt exchange for a $1 billion nuclear bailout law. Householder is regarded as charming and a cunning political tactician, often difficult to read and for those who dont know better, easy to underestimate. Chris Redfern, a former Ohio Democratic Party chairman who was the top Democrat in the Ohio House during Householders first term as speaker, said he wasnt among the optimists, including within his party, who believed there was a Householder 2.0. Hes from Appalachia. He has a chip on his shoulder, and wanted to show big city legislators, both Republican and Democrat, what a powerful person he was, Redfern said. He did that when he first took power, and now hes done it again. And he did that by assimilating people, raising an inordinate amount of money in exchange for access, and he was blinded by it. And now hes in trouble. Sandy Theis, a Democratic political consultant who previously investigated Householder when she was the Columbus bureau chief for The Plain Dealer during his previous term as speaker, said the new charges reveal a level of audacity she hadnt expected. Here you have a guy who the FBI took a very, very hard look at and he managed to skate, she said. And then he comes back and gets his old job back, he does some things right, and then he puts in place what appears to be an incredibly sophisticated criminal enterprise. That took a lot of thought. Householders second term has lasted 18 months. It started in a bipartisan fashion, helping Republican Gov. Mike DeWine pass a hike in the states gas tax to pay for road and bridge projects and pushing for a budget that raised social-services spending and cut taxes. He pledged to finally fix Ohios system of funding public schools, a cause his advisers described as a key motivating force in his desire to get back into politics. Although there were signs of tension before, this feel-good picture worsened after the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. After weeks of widespread business closures that aimed to contain the spread of the virus at the expense of the states economy, Householder began agitating to re-open the state before DeWine was fully ready. Gov. Mike DeWine, left, waves alongside Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, right, during DeWine's 2019 State of the State address. (Paul Vernon, Associated Press file) He emerged as a consistent foil to DeWine on the coronavirus, despite DeWines widespread public support. He passed legislation to lessen the penalties for violating public-health orders, prompting a veto from DeWine. Another House bill, blocked by the Senate, would have required state contact tracers to get written permission before conducting interviews with people possibly exposed to COVID-19. Householder told reporters he was just following the lead of pandemic skeptics within his caucus, although he himself conspicuously refused to wear a face mask. He made a point to block a Democratic resolution that would have required them on the House floor and in committee rooms. Householder during his tenure also demonstrated a trademark socially conservative streak, combined with a willingness to use his ability to control the state budget as a cudgel. He threatened public-library funding last June over a pair of LGBT-themed teen events at a pair of Central Ohio libraries. And in June, citing his displeasure with how city police had handled protests that led to damage to the Statehouse, he threatened to either cut local government funding to Columbus or even somehow withdraw Capitol Square from the city altogether. His toughest political victory, though, may have been getting the legislature to approve House Bill 6, which aims to direct $1 billion to two Ohio nuclear plants owned by a FirstEnergy spin-off. The cause is something Householder has long supported, but in this case, it helped raise millions of dollars for his successful campaign to become speaker and build what looked like a permanent political infrastructure. HB6 was the basis for his arrest last week the FBI said Householder corruptly traded $60 million in campaign money from FirstEnergy some of which helped him become speaker in exchange for the bailout. An 81-page charging document describes a pay to play scheme orchestrated by Householder with the help of two members of his inner circle: Jeff Longstreth, his top political aide and Neil Clark, a longtime Columbus lobbyist who was a close adviser. It also alleges that Householder misappropriated $400,000 in campaign funds for his personal use, including $100,000 hes alleged to have spent fixing up his house in Florida. The allegations throw into sharp relief the dark side of Householder people in Columbus have long described politically ambitious, even ruthless. But his story starts with humble beginnings. Much of this story was re-written from a cleveland.com profile of Householder from June 2019, a different era when those in state political circles were optimistic about what his tenure might bring. As a side note, of the people originally quoted in that story Clark and Matt Borges, a former Ohio Republican Party chairman turned lobbyist who was involved in the HB6 campaign also were charged last week. Who is Larry Householder? Householder, born in 1959, like his father and grandfather grew up on a farm near Junction City, a village of fewer than 1,000 people in rural Perry County, an hour east of Columbus. He graduated from New Lexington High School before attending Ohio University, where he received a political science degree. He and his wife, Taundra, a public-school teacher, have five sons. A sixth child, daughter Kaley, died in 1992 at age three in a freak accident involving a power window in the Householder familys minivan. Householder received his state insurance agent license in 1981, state records show, and founded his own business selling policies for State Farm. He also farmed, and in 1991 bought 100 acres off Township Road 19, near Glenford in Perry County, that he still owns today. He was elected Perry County commissioner in November 1994. Two years later, he ran for the Ohio House of Representatives and won, defeating an incumbent Athens County Democrat. Democrats soon began comparing him to another country insurance agent, Vern Riffe, the longtime Democratic House speaker for whom a state office tower is named today. That comparison has stuck. Householder was an outsider, unfamiliar to then-Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, a moderate Republican from suburban Columbus who was close to state party leadership and remains influential today. They wanted him to be a back-bencher when he first got elected, Jim Trakas, a former Cuyahoga County Republican Party chairman who was among the state representatives Householder helped get elected, said in an interview in 2019, long before this weeks scandal. He didnt want to be a back-bencher. House Speaker Larry Householder speaks with reporters in his office on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019. (Laura Hancock, cleveland.com) Householder bucked caucus leadership, campaigning on his own to get elected to the sixth-highest ranking position in House leadership. Householder drove to personally meet with disaffected House members to ask for their vote. I began to realize from their comments that that hadnt been done - that no one had really sat down and spent much time with them, Householder told The Plain Dealer in 2000. And that struck me as sort of odd, and I thought at the time that there might be an opportunity down the road that I could serve as speaker, he said. The problem was that Davidson, who was set to retire in 2000 due to term limits, had her own successor in mind. She wanted then-state Rep. Bill Harris, a car dealer from Ashland. Householder responded by forming a team and recruiting his own candidates for more than a dozen open seats, aggressively raising money to help them campaign. Although Householders candidates overwhelmingly won their races, he eventually struck a deal with party leaders under which Harris would serve as speaker for a year in 2000, with Householder taking the job in 2001. But circumstances created an opening for Householder GOP state Sen. Dick Schafrath, a former Cleveland Browns player, wanted to retire from politics. Trakas said Householder found out about it, and helped find Schafrath find a job in then-Gov. Bob Tafts administration so he could continue to receive health insurance. Schafraths soft landing created an open state Senate seat, to which Harris ended up getting appointed. And Householder was unopposed to become House speaker. Hes always been a brilliant tactician and strategist, Trakas said. Householders tenure As speaker, Householder, whod run for the Statehouse on an education platform, in March 2001 introduced a school-funding formula that called for spending an extra $3.2 billion over two years, four times as much as Gov. Bob Taft had proposed. Two years before, the Ohio Supreme Court had found the states method of funding schools unconstitutionally relied on local property taxes. The cases plaintiff, Nathan DeRolph, was a 15-year-old Perry County student. The proposal was a non-starter due to its price tag, and Taft and then-Senate President Richard Finan killed it. Later that year, a $1.5 billion budget gap emerged due to a slowing economy, and Householder announced his support for a package of tax hikes to help close it. The next day, Householder moved a package of socially conservative policies, including one bill mandating a minute of silence in public schools and another condemning gay marriage. There is no vote-bartering going on, Householder told The Plain Dealer at the time. He said rather that he was trying to keep his caucus happy. A 2000 Plain Dealer article details some more flexible aspects of Householders political ideology, shaped by his experiences growing up in coal country. The article describes Householders pro-union sympathies, and his belief that government has a role in helping the vulnerable. He liked to tell how his grandfather, a postal carrier, delivered food to those in need during the Great Depression. He praised the United Mine Workers for improving working conditions in his community. In this Jan. 12, 2000, file photo, Ohio House Republicans Larry Householder, right, and Bill Harris shake hands after an announcement stating they will split the duties of Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives for 2001 and 2002, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File) In 2003, another budget deficit emerged. Householder that year helped push through a hike in the states gas tax, 6 cents over three years, as well as a 1-cent hike to the state sales tax. But he all the while continued to butt heads with other Republican officeholders, due in part to aggressive fundraising tactics by him and his close aides. Explosive memo The situation came to a head in an anonymous letter said to have been penned by a high-ranking employee of a Republican officeholder. The nine-page memo was explosive. Addressed to then-Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, the FBIs Cleveland office, the Internal Revenue Service in Columbus and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, it alleged Householder and two top aides were getting kickbacks from vendors to the House GOP campaign fund. A three-year investigation, in which bank records for the campaign funds and their vendors were subpoenaed, ensued. The investigation closed without charges, but months of reports followed describing Householders aides pressuring members to donate money, and revealing contracts that paid them exorbitantly to manage party funds and supposedly independent issue campaigns. Private memos written by Householders political team and other records were leaked to The Plain Dealer, revealing an unimplemented plan to destroy Blackwells career and eventually elect Householder governor. Then-state Auditor Betty Montgomery accused one Householder aide of threatening state vendors unless they donated to a favored candidate. Even before the scandal, Householders personal relationships had frayed with Taft, Finan and others. Jeff Jacobson, a former state senator whos now a lobbyist, said in a 2019 interview that some found Householders assertive, independent style to be abrasive. He had a lot of confidence in what he was doing, and he didnt think his job was to wait on whatever the governor happened to be wanting to do, Jacobson said. You dont want me to do this bill? Ill kill that bill.' ...It didnt always go over well. It wasnt just staff hed get into arguments with. But Householder had plenty of supporters, and was seen as someone reliable who could get things done. "Larry is a very hard-working, loyal guy. I thought he did a nice job as speaker," John Mahaney, a longtime lobbyist for the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants told the Associated Press in 2015. "His staff didn't do him any favors, but he himself certainly was four-square with me. His word was his bond, as I prided myself at having mine be over the years. Also, we're a couple of hillbillies him from Glenford, me from Zanesville so we got along." Householder left office in 2004 due to term limits, abandoning plans to run for state auditor. With the FBI investigation still hanging over his head, he instead ran for Perry County auditor, narrowly winning the November election. He then was engulfed in local political drama, with a longtime auditors office employee emerging to challenge him for his seat. Householder placed her on paid leave. A former Perry County Republican Party chairman challenged Householder in the May 2006 GOP primary, but lost. Perhaps sensing defeat in what turned out to be a Democratic wave election year, Householder later that year opted not to seek re-election, conceding the race and leaving politics. Householder remained in private business, serving on a New Lexington bank board, managing his farm and making investments in the energy industry. His campaign website doesnt mention his tenure as county auditor, saying he spent the intervening years tending to his business ventures and helping raise his sons. Return to politics After spending years out of the limelight, Householder began his political return in 2015, making moves to run for his old state representative seat. "The issues you hear from about everybody is a return to traditional values," Householder told the Newark Advocate. "They think that government, in particular, isn't doing enough to try to bring back traditional families. Our region has been left out of a lot of success the rest of the state has seen. I felt it was time for me to step up and go back to Columbus." In this July 18, 2016 file photo, Larry Householder speaks during the opening day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Associated Press file)AP Some of the lingering harsh feelings about his tenure as speaker re-emerged in July 2016 after Householder was selected to commemorate Bob Bennett, the late longtime state GOP chair, at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. This angered some Ohio Republicans, including now-Attorney General Dave Yost, who viewed it as a snub to Davidson. Householder was elected back to the Statehouse in November 2016, alongside now-President Donald Trump. He and his family flew to Trumps inauguration in Washington, D.C., in a private plane owned by FirstEnergy, which soon helped underwrite his second campaign for speaker. Familiar playbook Like he did in 1999, Householder assembled a political team, recruited for open seats candidates who backed his leadership and got to work. He met twice a month with supporting Republicans, which his opponents referred to as a shadow caucus. (His political team referred to the meetings by a less ominous name, Every other Thursday.) His resulting clash with state Rep. Ryan Smith, favored by outgoing Speaker Cliff Rosenberger as his successor, saw millions of dollars in attack ads funded by dueling dark money groups, including over $1 million spent in Householders primary alone. Tensions between Smith and Householder froze House business for much of 2018. Rosenberger resigned shortly before that years primary amid reports that the FBI was investigating him. Householder saw most of the candidates his team recruited for open seats elected, but didnt have enough Republican votes to win the speakers race. The legislature hung in limbo as neither side was able to declare victory. But in January 2019, Householder had a political breakthrough, getting labor unions to help broker a deal with Democrats to break the stalemate and name Householder speaker. After vanquishing Smith, Householder addressed the House. Over the last 18 years, either this dais has gotten smaller or I have gotten larger, he joked. A corrupt bargain Federal authorities apparently were playing close attention to Householders comeback. The criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday describes recorded conversations between Householder and Clark dating back as far as January 2018. Its unclear if they were investigating at this time or if someone else was recording them and later provided them to authorities. Shortly after Householder returned to office, he picked two freshman legislators he helped elect, state Reps. Jamie Callender, of Lake County, and Shane Wilkin, of Highland County, to carry the bailout legislation. In April 2019, House Bill 6 was introduced. The legislation would raise more than $1 billion for two financially troubled nuclear plants owned by FirstEnergy Solutions, a former FirstEnergy subsidiary. Householder and other supporters argued the money would save the jobs of the plants thousands of workers, and secure Ohios diversity of energy sources. To pay for the nuclear subsidy, it would tack new fees onto electricity bills, offsetting them by eliminating different ones that funded renewable energy programs. Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder leaves the Federal Courthouse after he was arrested in a $60 million federal bribery probe Tuesday, July 21, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (Jay LaPrete, Associated Press)AP Although hed apparently secured the loyalty of the members he recruited, the bill was a tough sell for some. Some conservatives saw it as government intrusion into private enterprise. Some progressives viewed it as an unacceptable rollback of renewable energy standards. Critics on both sides of the political aisle saw it as propping up a failing corporation. Throughout the legislative process, Generation Now, a political nonprofit the FBI says was controlled by Householder, provided air cover, running ads and sending political mailers pressuring members to vote yes. But Householder got involved personally, too. One unidentified House member went to the FBI after Clark, the lobbyist closed to Householder, pressured him to vote yes. During the May 28, 2019 meeting, Householder texted the member while he was sitting with FBI agents. After the member refused to change their vote, he responded: I just want you to remember when I needed you you werent there. twice. An intermediary later told the unnamed representative to delete the texts. After the bill eventually passed, and DeWine signed it, opposition began organizing a repeal effort, a process that involves gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures. Householder and his political allies mobilized an unprecedented, sophisticated and expensive campaign to thwart it. That entailed hiring up petitioning firms to make them unavailable for the opposition and hiring blockers whose job was to follow the repeal petitioners and make potential signers wary of approaching them. Some fights broke out. Nick Everhart, a Republican political consultant who worked in support of Smiths speaker bid, said Householder is a political operative at heart. He compared him to Lyndon Baines Johnson, the Democratic former president and country politician who was a legendary deal-maker in Congress. He said he was surprised about the allegation that Householder misused campaign funds for personal expenses. I always took him as being in love with the power game, not in it to get rich, but clearly he was also driven by greed. he said. Householder seemed to be driven by being the under-estimated hick from Perry County who came into Capitol Square and beat the experts and insiders at their own game. At the end of the day I think that operative mentality is what did him in, he added. Cleary he had made a promise to FirstEnergy to get it done in exchange for whatever he wanted, and was going to deliver on it at all costs. So instead of being a public servant and Speaker he basically ran point from the inside on a mammoth public affairs and ballot campaign. The criminal complaint summarizes the FBIs view of Householders political return. It references FirstEnergy and Generation Now, the political nonprofit controlled by Householder that poured money into his races, promoted House Bill 6 while it was pending before the legislature and through a network of related entities, eventually thwarted a repeal effort financed by natural-gas and environmental interests. To summarize, from March 2017 to March 2020, Householders Enterprise received approximately $60 million from Company A [FirstEnergy] entities, paid through Generation Now and controlled by Householder and the Enterprise. In exchange for payments from Company A, Householders Enterprise helped pass House Bill 6, legislation described by an Enterprise member as a billion-dollar bailout that saved from closure two failing nuclear power plants in Ohio affiliated with Company A. The Enterprise then worked to corruptly ensure that HB6 went into effect by defeating a ballot initiative. Smith was sidelined following his loss in the power struggle. But he emerged as a vocal critic of House Bill 6, the nuclear bailout he had refused to support. He also didnt pull punches in his criticism of Householders approach to legislating. Nope, its because I didnt sell legislation. Everybody knows whats going on here. Ryan Smith (@RyanSmithOH) May 24, 2019 Nope, its because I didnt sell legislation. Everybody knows whats going on here, he wrote in May 2019. Smith, who left the legislature last year to become president of the University of Rio Grande in Gallia County, declined to comment this week on Householders Tuesday arrest. But a Tuesday tweet offers a window into how he was feeling that day. Its a beautiful day at the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College! @URioGrande #MaskUpRio pic.twitter.com/yRNoDQqO0w Ryan Smith (@RyanSmithOH) July 21, 2020 Its a beautiful day at the University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College! @URioGrande #MaskUpRio Smith wrote, his face covered by a red scarf. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 22:57:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close An AG600 "Kunlong" amphibious aircraft flies over the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, July 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) China-developed AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft, succeeded in maiden flight from sea. With long-range and long-haul capabilities, the AG600 is designed to operate in complex weather and environment conditions. QINGDAO, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China's indigenously-developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft succeeded in its maiden flight over sea on Sunday morning in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, its developer announced. The aircraft took off from the sea off Qingdao at 10:18 a.m. and completed the test flight after flying for about 31 minutes, said state-owned plane-maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The successful maiden flight from the sea is a major step forward in the development of this large amphibious aircraft following its maiden flight in 2017 and first takeoff from a water reservoir in 2018, said the AVIC. SPECIAL MISSIONS The successful maiden flight paved the way for the aircraft to undergo the following phases of test flights over sea and verification of its performance as an amphibious aircraft. The AG600, together with the Y-20 large transporter and C919 single-aisle passenger airplane, is part of China's key project of independently-developed "large aircraft family." Codenamed Kunlong, the AG600 is a key aeronautical equipment in China's emergency rescue system, said the AVIC. An AG600 "Kunlong" amphibious aircraft slides on the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, July 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) The AG600 is designed to meet the country's demands for forest firefighting, marine rescue and other critical emergency rescue missions. It is also the first time that China's aviation industry has developed a special-mission large civil aircraft model. To prepare for the maiden sea takeoff, the AVIC completed multiple test flights over sea so that crew members could become familiar with the air and marine environment, according to the developer. The development team and test flight team have optimized the aircraft, trained test flight pilots and made preparations for test flights in a maritime environment. GREAT POTENTIAL Starting in 2009, the AG600 amphibious airplane project has been designed with the potential to have multiple variants, seeking to continuously meet various demands of customers, said the AVIC. The multi-tasking amphibious plane can take off and land on both ground and water, thus packing more potential for various missions. The crew disembark from an AG600 "Kunlong" amphibious aircraft after its maiden flight over sea, at Rizhao Shanzihe Airport in Rizhao, east China's Shandong Province, July 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) With long-range and long-haul capabilities, the AG600 can efficiently shuttle between the fire site and water source, each time carrying as much as 12 tonnes and dropping water over an area of 4,000 square meters. The AG600 is designed to operate in complex weather and environment conditions. In rescue missions, it can conduct low altitude water surface search and anchor for water and maritime rescue missions. The aircraft is capable of rescuing up to 50 people on each mission. Besides roles in firefighting and water rescue, the AG600 aircraft can be modified or fitted with more facilities to meet customers' special mission requirements, according to the AVIC. The AVIC will facilitate further development of the AG600 project. The development team will focus on the firefighting-type of AG600 aircraft, which is expected to be completed by 2023, said the Chinese plane-maker. St. Stephens College of Delhi University has released an ultimatum to its students to vacate and empty their rooms before August 7. As per the notice issued by the college, a fine of Rs 100 will be charged per day if any student fails to do so. The Delhi Universitys St. Stephens College has given an ultimatum to its students currently residing in hostels and the ones who are at home but have their belongings in the hostel to vacate and empty their rooms. If they are unable to do so before August 7th, then a fee of 100 will be charged for every day they remain. Students are quite displeased with this notice, calling it unjust, given that they are trapped in one place and cant move due to the coronavirus outbreak. John Varghese, College Principal, stated that students have been sent constant reminders from the start of July to leave their rooms. He said that they need to sanitise the hostel for students who will be coming after the new session begins. A notification on the colleges portal said that given the ongoing crisis, and the pleas of junior resident members, students fail to vacate their rooms will be able to remain in their accommodations with a charge of 100 per day, to start from the 7th of August. The notice also addressed resident junior members, informing them that if and when the government permits to re-open housing facilities, all possessions and other baggage will be moved a week earlier than the date of re-opening to facilitate required cleaning and refurbishment. In such a case, the college will not be liable for any damage or loss. Also read: Jolt for aspiring students: Trump bars new students taking online classes from entering US Also read: States have no power to cancel university exams: UGC tells Maharashtra HC Previously, another notification was sent out to students, dated 23rd June, requesting that they vacate their rooms. A student from West Bengal said, opting to remain anonymous, that the college is being unfair, charging nearly double of what they would otherwise pay for the rooms. The students had left for West Bengal on March 7, when the colleges mid-semester break began. The break was supposed to last till March 15 but the Government of Delhi decided to shut down the state due to the coronavirus outbreak. The student added that students were unable to come back to the hostels in order to collect their belongings. He said that even in the current state, it is unsafe to travel. They are stuck long distances away from the college and it will not be possible for them to return in time to collect their things. The students usually pay 1,400/month in the form of room rent but according to this new rate, they will have to pay 3,000/month. He continued that although students have been allowed to designate someone of trust as their local guardians to collect their belongings, that is not at all viable as the rooms keys of the rooms are in possession of the hostellers. Another hosteller currently stuck in Kashmir, mentioned unsafe travel being the main issue. He also said that he has written to the dean of residence but received no solution to the issue. He added that there are students who live in or around Delhi and could get there by car but his local guardian resides in a containment zone and will not be able to travel given the situation. Principal Varghese said that a portion of students has been circulating misinformation. He said that before the lockdown was enforced, lots of students had already left the hostel due to the mid-semester break. After the lockdown was announced, they did not return. He added that no one is talking about the fact that the college is charging them nothing at all for the duration of time they have been gone till August 7th. Not a single paisa has been charged for the period of time they were not in the hostel. He said there were some students who had stayed there till June 30 and were charged only for the time they remained, not for their belongings that had been left behind. He said that the college has admissions and needs to get ready for the new set of students that will join it, as applications are submitted every year. As such, they have to get the rooms ready, repair damages, fumigate and sanitise the rooms, and then finally assign rooms for the fresh set of students to come, though they are unsure when that will happen. The principal added that unless the possessions of the students are collected by them, they cannot carry out any of these things. He also said that the dean of residence has been asking them all to retrieve their belongings and in case they are unable to do so, they may designate any relative or acquaintance as their local guardian in Delhi who can collect their things. Many of the students have done just that. He continued that from July, repeated notifications have been sent out to the students informing them of the deadline. He said that now since the lockdown has been eased alongside the travel restrictions. There should be nothing stopping the students from doing the needful. It might be true that some places are under containment but they are in a direct line of communication with the dean and have been permitted to authorise someone of trust as their guardian who can collect their belongings in their place. He added that he does not believe that many of the students still have their possessions kept in the hostel. What they are being asked of is a penalty and not rent. The principal said that one deposits his/her baggage in an airport or railway station and is charged according to the hours. But they have to be just and get ready for the students joining the college. In the current situation, the fumigation and sanitisation processes, along with the cleaning, are going take quite long. He also said that there are procedures that can be followed in case the students have the keys along with them and are knowledgeable of the process. Also read: Stay in India, Study in India: HRD Ministry forms committee to further education opportunities For all the latest Education and Jobs News, download NewsX App Hundreds of Thai LGBT activists and allies raised rainbow flags on Saturday evening as they called for democracy and equal rights, the latest in a series of youth protests calling for the government to step down. Several youth-led demonstrations have sprung up across the country since last week, when thousands of Thai activists defied a coronavirus ban on gatherings and staged one of the largest street rallies since a 2014 military coup. The activists on Saturday danced and sang and performed stand-up comedy sketches making jabs at the government of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army chief who ousted an elected government six years ago. Pride flags were waved against the backdrop of Bangkok's Democracy Monument. "We're here today mainly to call for democracy. Once we achieve democracy, equal rights will follow," said a 21-year-old activist who went by a made-up name, Viktorious Nighttime. "The LGBT group do not yet have equal rights in society, so we're calling for both democracy and equality," added Viktorious, who was wearing a glittery tiara and a face mask. The calls came after Thailand's cabinet backed a civil partnership bill earlier this month that would recognise same-sex unions with almost the same rights as married couples. Saturday's gathering was the latest in a series of protests under the Free Youth movement, which has issued three demands: the dissolution of parliament, an end to harassment of government critics, and amendments to the military-written constitution. "Even if they don't step down from power today, we want to let them know that we won't go anywhere, we will be here," said a 21-year-old protestor who gave her name as Yaya. "Even if they get rid of us, our ideology will never die, we will pass this on to the next generation." Professor Ransford Gyampo, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana has said that until the countrys security services are empowered to independently deal with perpetrators of political crimes, the country will continue to suffer such incidents. Despite the country being famed for successfully conducting elections since 1992, there have been pockets of violence in some constituencies. In the aftermath of the Ayawaso bye-election which was marred by violence, political vigilantism was identified as a major threat to the countrys peace and as such, moves were made to disband the various vigilante group. A law was also passed to make vigilante groups illegal in the country but some chaos witnessed in the ongoing voter registration has reignited calls for the government to find a lasting solution to the problem. Speaking as a panel member on JoyNews Newsfile program, on the chaos that rocked a voting registration exercise at Kasoa, Professor Gyampo maintained that until the police and other state organisations are able to act independently of political influence, the chaos associated with elections will persist. According to him an independent and well-equipped police service will be able to arrest and prosecute political officials who break the rules. Gyampo observed that the continued politicisation for the security agencies has made it impossible for Ghanaians to trust in them. What happened is a show of a fundamental lack of confidence in the security agencies. Since 1992, we have demonstrated lack of confidence in our security agencies because we have politicised them so opposition parties dont trust the security agencies. Those in power themselves sometimes dont trust the agencies. In the short term, the practice of MPs and aspirants touring registration and voting centres should be discouraged. Because when they are going there, they dont go alone. On the longer term, I think that acts of thuggery that surround our electoral processes will not stop unless we do something proactive to depoliticise the security services of the land. Professor Gyampo also argued that it will be prudent for the government to distance itself from the actions of the Minister of Special Initiatives, Hawa Koomson. Source: ghanaweb.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 novel coronavirus pandemic has now killed more than 646,000 people worldwide. Over 16 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their nations' outbreaks. The United States has become the worst-affected country, with more than 4.2 million diagnosed cases and at least 146,788 deaths. PHOTO: Chris Cdebaca of Oxnard, Calif. and his wife Avonna Ramsey await the start of Third Eye Blind's performance at Concerts in your Car at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Ventura, Calif. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Sunday's headlines: Teen girl is El Pasos youngest virus victim in region's deadliest week Total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide tops 16 million Spain removed from UK's travel corridors exemption list Here is how the news developed on Sunday. All times Eastern. 5:42 p.m.: Duke will only allow freshmen, sophomores in campus housing To reduce its residential population, Duke University will only allow freshmen and sophomores to live in on-campus housing this fall. In a message sent to faculty, staff and students on Sunday, Duke President Vincent E. Price said the decision was based on the spread of COVID-19 both in North Carolina and nationally. "It is sadly clear that the persistence and spread of COVID-19 are trending in the wrong direction nationally, in North Carolina, and in Durham; and based on the latest guidance from Duke medical experts and public officials, we anticipate that matters may worsen in the weeks ahead," Price said. "In light of these worrisome conditions and to address the increased prevalence of the coronavirus, we must further reduce the density of our campus residential population." The move will decrease Duke's residential population by about 30%, Price said. In addition to freshmen and sophomores, students who have specific needs for campus housing due to personal or academic reasons may also be eligible for on-campus housing. Story continues Juniors and seniors will have first priority for campus housing in the spring, Price said. In the meantime, they can live in the Durham area or do remote learning. All students, regardless of where they will live, will do most of their course work remotely, Price said. North Carolina has 112,713 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to state data. As of Saturday, the testing positivity rate was 9%. 1:15 p.m.: Mexican state health secretary has died after contracting virus The health secretary of a Mexican border state who tested positive for COVID-19 has died, the governor of Chihuahua confirmed in a statement. Dr. Jesus Enrique Grajeda Herrera died Sunday morning at a Mexican hospital after suffering cardiac failure, Gov. Javier Corral said in a Facebook post. Corral did not definitively say Grajeda Herrera died of COVID-19. The health secretary contracted the virus on July 2 after traveling to the state of Tamaulipas to meet with officials there, including Gov. Javier Garcia Cabeza de Vaca, who hours later tested positive for the coronavirus. Grajeda Herrera was admitted to a Chihuahua hospital on July 5 and had been showing signs of improvement. 10:55 a.m.: Florida sees another 9,000-plus cases in last 24 hours The state of Florida has seen an increase of 9,344 cases and 78 new deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Florida Department of Health. Florida now has 423,855 total cases and 5,972 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began. The state currently has an overall positivity rate of 11.06%, officials said. An additional 334 people were hospitalized on Saturday for COVID-19, bringing the statewide total of active hospitalizations to 8,925. In total, 24,064 people have been hospitalized in the state because of the coronavirus. 3:58 a.m.: Teen girl is El Pasos youngest virus victim, among 3 new deaths to close out deadliest recorded week A teenage girl, El Paso's youngest victim of the coronavirus, was among three new deaths reported Saturday morning by health officials to close out the deadliest recorded week of the entire pandemic for the region. The number of fatalities for the week reached 42, which not only set a record for El Paso but also surpassed the weekly death in neighboring Ciudad Juarez for the first time since the outbreak began. El Paso's Mexican sister city tallied just over half of the Sun City's weekly death toll at 26, which was its lowest count in months. It was not immediately known if the teenage victim noted in Saturday's health department death report was 19-year-old Dariana Rubio, who died earlier this week from what her family believed was the virus. The other two latest deaths were a man in his 60s and a woman in her 70s, both with underlying health conditions. The health department also reported 221 newly confirmed virus cases on Saturday, bringing the total number of infections to 12,971. Of those, officials indicated 3,402 were active cases -- while 9,348 El Pasoans were listed as having recovered. Research shows some recovered persons can still have long-term health issues stemming from the virus. For the week, there were 1,839 new virus cases recorded, which was down from the 2,033 infections occurring last week. On Saturday morning, 310 people were hospitalized, which was a drop by seven patients from Friday. Of those in the hospital, 97 were listed in intensive care Saturday, marking the first time in ten days that the ICU count dropped below 100. Ventilators are currently required by 49 of the hospitalized patients. 3:35 a.m.: Total number of COVID-19 cases worldwide now more than 16 million The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide has now passed 16 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. The total number of global confirmed cases now stands at 16,048,100 while the total number of deaths globally stands at 644,556. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their nations' outbreaks. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world topped the benchmark of 15 million only four days ago on July 22. What to know about coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map 1:34 a.m.: Spain removed from UK's travel corridors exemption list, travelers now required to self-isolate Spain is no longer on the U.K.'s travel corridor list and people arriving into England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from Spain will be required to self-isolate. The British government has said that those already in Spain can stay for the remainder of their vacation and will have to self-isolate upon return. The Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) is now advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain which does not cover the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands because travel advice is based on the risk to the individual traveler and COVID-19 infection rates are lower there than mainland Spain. "Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the U.K.," a government spokesperson said in a statement released to the media. "Weve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary. Both our list of quarantine exemptions and the FCO travel advice are being updated to reflect these latest risk assessments." ABC News' Jim Parker, Scott Withers, Joshua Hoyos and Alexandra Faul contributed to this report. Global COVID-19 cases top 16 million, was 15 million only 4 days ago originally appeared on abcnews.go.com It was out of character for 53-year-old Geneva Verneal Adams to just hang out at a bar, But she loved to dance, so thats just what she did on the evening of July 24, 1976 the night she disappeared. Geneva was a religious woman, a devoted member of the Pentecostal church, who worked tirelessly her entire life raising 10 children in the working-class area of Festus, Missouri, taking jobs in factories and nursing homes. Her first husband, the father of her children, died of cancer in 1969. A brief second marriage ended in divorce. Geneva Verneal Adams Geneva didnt drink, but since she liked to dance, she asked her daughter, Sheila, who was in her 20s at the time, to drive her to the Artesian Lounge in Herculaneum, Missouri that Saturday night for an evening of dancing. Her son, Steve Crump, who was 17 years old at the time, was getting ready to go to his job at a local restaurant. Steve and his 12-year-old brother, Billy, were the only children still living at home. The others were grown and had started their own families. Steve still remembers his mothers mood as she left for the bar that night. I hadnt seen my mom that happy in a long time, Steve told Dateline. She didnt drink, but she loved to dance and was excited about going out. Steve told Dateline he felt his mother had been lonely since the death of her first husband and following her divorce. She really deserved to have a good night out, Steve said. It was really nice to see her so happy. But the next morning, Steve woke up to a silent house. He knew something was wrong. I thought it was strange because our mom was always there to make us breakfast and there was always coffee being brewed when we woke up in the mornings, Steve said. But that morning, nothing. After discovering that his mother had not slept in her bed that night, Steve called his sister, Sheila, who had gone dancing with her. Sheila told Steve that at some point during the night, she decided she wanted to go home. Her mother wanted to stay and continue dancing with a man she had met earlier in the evening. The man offered to take her home and Sheila left. Story continues Steve said at that point they began to panic and, along with a few of his siblings, tried to track down the man who had been with their mother. Steve told Dateline that bartenders at the Artesian Lounge told him that his mother had been with a regular named Jimmie Lee Mills and that they left around 1 a.m. Steve said he later discovered that Mills was his little brother Billys school bus driver in Festus. As soon as we figured out who it was, we found out where he lived and went over to his trailer and demanded to know where our mother was, Steve said. Steve said Mills told them that he and Geneva left the Artesian Lounge and drove to another bar that was open late in East St. Louis near Illinois. He said he then dropped Geneva off at a donut shop around 4 a.m. in Crystal City, Missouri. Why would he drop her off at a donut shop in the middle of the night? It makes no sense, Steve said. The family filed a missing persons report with the Herculaneum Police Department and according to Chief Mark Tulgetske, police at the time were told the same story by Mills. Chief Tulgetske, who took the case on 15 years ago, told Dateline that Mills was questioned repeatedly, but insisted he didnt know anything. Jimmie Mills quickly became a person of interest in Genevas disappearance, the chief confirmed. Jimmie Mills has always been and still is our number one person of interest in this case, Chief Tulgetske said. But without a body, we have not been able to charge him. Chief Tulgetske told Dateline Mills has an extensive criminal record including charges of rape and robbery. The chief said he also believes Mills is responsible for the deaths of multiple women. According to reports confirmed by Chief Tulgetske, Mills was charged in the rape of a hitchhiker in Jefferson County five weeks before Geneva disappeared. He was out on bail when he met Geneva at the bar. Nine years later, in July of 1985, another woman with a connection to Mills disappeared, Chief Tulgetske told Dateline. Cynthia Horan, 21, lived in an apartment building in St. Louis, and shared a kitchen and bathroom with Mills. Investigators turned their attention to Mills, but after being questioned, Chief Tulgetske said there was not enough evidence to charge him with anything. On July 30, 1988, a hiker in Jefferson County stumbled upon a shallow grave containing the skeleton of a young woman, according to Chief Tulgetske. A forensic anthropologist built a clay model of the woman's face and determined it to be a woman named Julie Adams, who had been missing from St. Louis since March of 1988. But her family wasnt convinced it was her. Neither were police. In 2009, Chief Tulgetske, who was a captain on the force at the time, along with St. Louis homicide Detective Randy Sasenger and Jefferson County Sheriff's Lieutenant Eugene "Doc" Coombs, decided to test their theory that the remains really belonged to Cynthia Horan, by comparing DNA from the remains with a saliva sample from Cynthias brother. It was a match and her remains were returned to her family for a proper funeral. Julie Adams is still missing, Chief Tulgetske said. Genevas son, Steve, who is now 61, has been doing his own research on the case and holds on to every bit of information chronicling his mothers case. He told Dateline that Cynthia Horans story gives him hope that his mothers case will one day be solved. Its been a roller coaster ride, Steve said. Just 44 years of ups and downs. Something happens and you have hope, but then youre let down again. Its tough. In 2018, police received some information in what they say has been the biggest break in the case yet. According to Chief Tulgetske, the body of an unidentified Jane Doe had been found in September of 1976, in a wooded area of Washington Park, Illinois. That area is near where Jimmie Mills said they were going that night Geneva disappeared, Chief Tulgetske said. Bars stayed open much later over there. The body was examined at that time, but was too decomposed to identify a cause of death, the chief told Dateline. Chief Tulgetske said Jane Doe was buried in a private cemetery off a residential road in Fairview Heights and forgotten until 2014 when an Illinois State Police sergeant working to identify cold case remains ran Jane Does information through the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System database - and came across Genevas case. Steve told Dateline hes stumped on how the connection was not made before now. Chief Tulgetske explained to Dateline that missing person cases were handled differently back then and that there was less communication between agencies. Investigators were able to obtain crime scene photos and limited records on where Jane Doe might have been buried, but the chief said all other evidence on her case was gone. According to the records, Jane Doe had dentures, reddish-brown hair and a small frame. Its Mom, said Steve, who told Dateline he was able to view photos from the massive file that contains his mothers case. I just know it. I believe thats her. So in December 2018, authorities obtained an order to exhume the body from where records indicated Jane Doe had been buried in Greenwood Cemetery. But they came up with nothing. Steve was once again crushed with disappointment. Its so frustrating, Steve said. Its like youre reading a book and the last chapter is missing. Chief Tulgetske said he believes the answers to Genevas case are in that cemetery, but said the records are clearly wrong on where the body is and authorities dont plan to dig at this time. Im 99 percent sure that Geneva is buried in that cemetery, Chief Tulgetske said. But without a better lead on where her body is, we just cant dig up the entire area. He added that if the body of Jane Doe is found and identified as Geneva, it would give her family closure. We have been working on this a long time and I want nothing more than to give this family closure and peace, Tulgetske said. But he said that would not necessarily lead to a prosecution. We suspect foul play, but at the time the body was found, it was too decomposed to determine a cause of death, Tulgetske said. At this point, the best we can hope for is a confession or for someone to come forward with information about what happened that night. The person of interest in Genevas disappearance, Jimmie Mills, who is now in his 70s, was sent to prison on weapons charges in 2010. Chief Tulgetske told Dateline Mills was interviewed multiple times while incarcerated, but refused to talk about that night in 1976. Mills was released in August of 2019 and Chief Tulgetske said they do not know where he now resides. We keep hitting dead ends, Chief Tulgetske said. But we want to solve this case. Our hope now is for someone to come forward. Someone with information about that night. Or about where this body could be buried. Geneva's 10 children gather for a photo just a few years after her disappearance. Genevas son, Steve, continues to push on with his search for answers in his mothers case and is writing a book that he hopes will tell her story. I want to keep her story alive, Steve said. For her and for her family. Out of us 10 kids, only 6 of us are left. But we dont want our mothers story forgotten. We make sure to tell our children and grandchildren. Its not over until we find out the last chapter of her story. At the time of her disappearance, Geneva was described as being approximately 50 to 52 tall, weighing between 110 to 120 pounds, with reddish brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue tank top with a design on the front and blue pants made of a thin material. Anyone with information about Genevas case is asked to call the Herculaneum Police Department at 636-479-4791. Iran vows to lodge complaint against U.S. fighter jets for "harassment" of passenger plane People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 15:44, July 25, 2020 Iran will lodge a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization over "harassment" of its passenger plane by two U.S. fighter jets over the Syrian airspace. TEHRAN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran announced on Friday that it will lodge a complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) over "harassment" of its passenger plane by two U.S. fighter jets over the Syrian airspace on Thursday. In a statement, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran urged the ICAO to immediately address the issue, which, it said, is "a clear violation of the international law and the aviation standards and regulations," Press TV reported. On Thursday evening, two U.S. fighter jets came close to an Iranian Beirut-bound passenger plane over Syrian airspace, which forced the pilot of Iran's Mahan Air to change altitude to avoid collision, according to Iran's state TV. The Iranian plane had to dive and make a quick landing at the Beirut airport after U.S. warplanes blocked its passage, it said. The Mahan Air aircraft, with over 150 passengers on board, was later landed safely in the Lebanese capital, but the incident caused the injury of several passengers, Iran's state TV reported. The plane flew back to Tehran after refuelling. Iranian Vice-President for Legal Affairs Laya Joneidi said on Friday that the "harassment of the passenger plane in a third country is a blatant violation of aviation security, and a breach of the freedom of the air for civil flights." The U.S. government is responsible for the fighter jets' dangerous maneuvering, and Iran can legally pursue the issue at the ICAO and at the International Court of Justice, Joneidi was quoted as saying by Press TV. Also, Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami described the U.S. jets' move as an "act of terrorism." "Our passenger plane was moving at the international commercial flight route and corridor, and the American fighter jets' threatening move was unlawful and inhumane," said Eslami. "The ICAO is expected to issue a statement against this inhumane move by the United States," the Iranian minister said. Besides, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that Iran will "take necessary political and legal measures" over the incident. The incident is the first of its kind in Syria but it adds to the tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which have soared since 2018 when the U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the landmark Iranian nuclear deal and reimposed unilateral sanctions against the energy and financial sectors of the Islamic republic. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands of demonstrators chant slogans and hold signs during a protest against Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his residence in Jerusalem (Ariel Schalit/AP) Police in Israel arrested more than a dozen people after nationwide protests in a growing and persistent show of force against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Thousands of people demonstrated outside Mr Netanyahus official residence in Jerusalem and hundreds gathered in a seaside park in Tel Aviv, demanding the premiers resignation and slamming his response to the crisis. For the first time since the wave of protests began weeks ago, hundreds also assembled outside Mr Netanyahus private home in the upmarket coastal town of Caesarea, where heavy security greeted them. Expand Close Israeli police officers arrest a demonstrator during a protest against Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his residence in Jerusalem (Ariel Schalit/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli police officers arrest a demonstrator during a protest against Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his residence in Jerusalem (Ariel Schalit/AP) Demonstrators lining bridges and intersections waved black flags, the symbol of one of the movements behind the protests that is demanding the prime ministers removal. The protests are emerging as among the biggest challenges to Mr Netanyahus lengthy rule since demonstrations over the cost of living in 2011 drew hundreds of thousands to the streets. They come after what critics say is the premiers fumbling of the Covid-19 response and in the shadow of his corruption trial, which resumed earlier this month. At a press conference last week which coincided with protests, Mr Netanyahu addressed the surging protests, warning demonstrators: Do not drag the country into anarchy, violence, vandalism. Expand Close Protesters in Tel Aviv demanding the resignation Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he faces trial on corruption charges and grapples with a deepening coronavirus crisis (Oded Balilty/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters in Tel Aviv demanding the resignation Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he faces trial on corruption charges and grapples with a deepening coronavirus crisis (Oded Balilty/AP) Critics say police have been heavy-handed in trying to clear out the protests, using water cannons to drive them out and in some cases causing injury. Police say that protesters who ignore calls to disperse are removed to restore order. Police fired water cannons on protesters at the Jerusalem protest and said 12 people were arrested there for being involved in disturbances. Two other people were arrested in separate locations for attacking protesters with pepper spray and a knife. Israel appeared to have contained its first wave of coronavirus infections in the spring, with Mr Netanyahu boasting that Israel was among the most successful countries in the world in its response with the virus. But what critics say was a hasty and ill thought-out reopening sent new cases soaring, with Israel now claiming one of the worlds highest infection rates, adjusted for population. The government, formed with the intention of focusing on combating the virus, has moved slowly and haltingly to contain the new outbreak. Expand Close Israeli police officers scuffle with demonstrators outside Benjamin Netanyahus official residence in Jerusalem (Ariel Schalit/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli police officers scuffle with demonstrators outside Benjamin Netanyahus official residence in Jerusalem (Ariel Schalit/AP) Israel has since reimposed some restrictions after an extended lockdown in the spring paralysed its economy. Unemployment has since jumped to more than 20%, from around 3.9% before the outbreak, and anger has grown over the governments financial assistance plans, which have been criticised for providing those in need with a pittance or nothing at all. The crisis has brought public confidence in Mr Netanyahu and his government to a low, at a time when the Israeli leader could use the support. A court decided earlier this month that the prime ministers corruption trial will resume in January with three hearings a week, a pace that will keep his legal woes firmly in the public consciousness and raise questions about his ability to simultaneously govern and fend off the accusations against him. Mr Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of scandals involving billionaire associates and media moguls. He denies wrongdoing and accuses the media, judiciary and law enforcement agencies of a conspiracy to topple him against the will of the people. - North Korea has not officially confirmed any case of COVID-19 after the disease broke out in neighbouring China in late 2019 - The person suspected to have the disease is said to have defected from North Korea three years ago but returned on July 19, 2020 - According to state media, the suspected patient illegally crossed the closely guarded border from South Korea and was showing coronavirus like symptoms North Korea leader Kim Jong-un has declared a state of emergency after medics in the country identified a person with symptoms resembling those of COVID-19. If confirmed as positive, the person will be the first COVID-19 patient in North Korea. READ ALSO: I'm alive: Vioja Mahakamani actor Prosecutor dismisses rumours he is dead North Korea leader Kim Jong-un. Photo: Getty Images. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kenyan woman goes missing in US after dinner with lover The Kim Jong-un-led country is among few nations whose administrations have not reported any case of coronavirus. The virus broke out in neighbouring China in late 2019. According to state media KCNA, the person arrived in North Korea on Sunday, July 19, from South Korea where he had defected to some three years ago. READ ALSO: Mixed reactions from Kenyans after 2 men were arrested over CS Matiang'i COVID-19 rumours "An emergency event happened in Kaesong city where a runaway who went to the south three years ago, a person who is suspected to have been infected with the vicious virus returned on 19 July after illegally crossing the demarcation line," said state media KCNA. The North Korea leader announced a state of emergency in Kaesong city. Photo: KCNA. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Boni Khalwale: Kakamega county raids sanitising booth donated by ex-senator Section of observers, however, maintain that North Korea is not free from contagion. They have cited porous borders where contraband goods are smuggled between China and North Korea, especially during winter, as among routes the virus might have found its way in North Korea. Jong-un had, however, in January 2020 closed its borders as the pandemic unleashed terror in China before spreading to almost every country. As of Sunday, July 26, South Korea which boarders Jong-un's territory had recorded 14,150 cases of the virus out of which 12,890 were recoveries and 298 deaths. READ ALSO: Upasuaji wa maiti waonesha mwanamke wa Kilimani aligongwa na kifaa butu kichwani North Korea is yet to confirm a single case of COVID-19 since the disease broke out in neighbouring China in late 2019. Photo: Getty Images. Source: Getty Images READ ALSO: I'm alive: Vioja Mahakamani actor Prosecutor dismisses rumours he is dead Globally, the caseload had topped 6,202,385 out of which 9,913,232 were recoveries and 648,445 deaths. The US and Brazil were the hardest hit with a death toll of 149,398 and 86,496 respectively. Before noon of Sunday, Mexico, which had a death toll of 43,374 had lost some 729 more people to the pandemic. As of Saturday, July 25, Kenya had reported 16,643 cases. They included 7,574 recoveries and 278 deaths. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. I did not sacrifice Ayeiya, family wants 21 million as compensation - Wakimani of Churchill Show. On TUKO TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke Members of two opposing militia groups armed with guns held counter-protests in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, the Courier Journal reports. Why it matters: The NFAC, a Black militia that stands for "Not F**king Around Coalition," announced earlier this week that it would hold a demonstration in the city to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was fatally shot by police in March. The Three Percenters, a far-right militia group, announced it would have "boots on the ground" in the city in response to the NFAC's announcement. Louisville Metro Police Department Police Chief Robert Schroeder said three people were hit by gunfire Saturday when someones gun discharged at the NFAC demonstration, according to the Courier Journal. All three victims went to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. In photos: A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Members of NFAC, most carrying firearms, gather to march on July 25 in Louisville. Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images Grandmaster Jay speaking with police on July 25. Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images Members of NFAC resting on July 25. Photo: Brett Carlsen/Getty Images I couldn't even finish the trailer of the second one, ew. Reply Thread Link I watched it today because I really needed a movie like this, just something dumb to watch. It was veeeeeery predictable and if people would just communicate with each other this movie wouldve been over in 5 minutes lol. I wonder who theyre gonna have her end up with Reply Thread Link Yeah.... like the whole movie I was like can someone just say whats up??? Reply Parent Thread Link I felt like I was rewatching my Freshman yr of college with my bf of that time who was at school in another state. Down to our jealousy of our male/female friends. My God we were so damn dumb. Reply Parent Thread Link Does this one actually have proper storytelling? I dont mind dumb teen movies, but outside of the obvious problems, the first one felt exactly like what it was: a rambling, unedited Wattpad fic Reply Parent Thread Link not really, it feels like about 4 different stories at once with random parties/events inbetween Reply Parent Thread Link Noah. It's so obviously Noah, if not Noah - LEE. The sequel was silly. The actors playing Marco and Chloe looked like they were in their thirties and I'm supposed to believe that one is a high school senior and the other is a college freshman or sophomore. Also, Elle and Lee's obsessive BFF act is getting old and it's not cute. Reply Parent Thread Link What a timely post. Im 40 minutes into the sequel with another hour and 27 mins to go. Elles in Boston and just found jewelry or something. Why is this movie so long? Why am I doing this to myself? Goodness. Reply Thread Link I had this exact thought process yesterday. Reply Parent Thread Link the movie has SO much filler, wait until you get into the gay couple "plot" lol Reply Parent Thread Link This was me watching it Reply Parent Thread Link I couldnt even finish the first one and I have a high tolerance for bad romcoms, what is their even left to say with this plot?? Reply Thread Link I watched the sequel yesterday. No idea why, because I hated the original and I hate this one also. Reply Thread Link this movie makes me so angry and yet I'll probably watch the third one like an asshole idk who is worse noah or lee. probably lee. these girls need to love themselves. Reply Thread Link [ Does anyone care about spoiling this trash? ] Also why she didn't go with the ever-so-slightly prettier guy who was actually kinda nice is beyond me. And why did that other girl take the nice guy back? Like sis, he lied to you for like mooonths. Lee, no doubt. He's the epitome of a nice guy and ew. Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] lied to her for months cause he wanted to hang out with elle, let her sit in the backseat instead of upfront with him andddddd most of all overheard him say he would dump her ass on a heartbeat if elle asked him to. shes such a pathetic character he is without a doubt that type of guy who swore you were just friends until one day he professes his love for you then gets mad as if you should have known all along and feels led on when you say no and yes elle should have gotten with the new guy. reminds me how I felt while watching to all the boys pt2 Edited at 2020-07-26 11:34 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I haven't watched the sequel but I'm not surprised at the spoiler considering this was Elle's pro/con list in the first one and she still ended up with the guy. lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i watch them with my friends to cringe and laugh exclusively Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol same. I hate Elle and yet I will totally watch the next Reply Parent Thread Link lee 100% he does not deserve rachel Reply Parent Thread Link i actually didn't hate noah in this one. he was def dumb af but seemed to have at least grown somewhat. elle on the other hand sucked. Reply Parent Thread Link me trying to piece together when joey king and jacob elordi broke up compared to when euphoria was filming since theres also pics of jacob with zendaya and then remembering the tom holland/zendaya rumors & how tom visited zendaya on set pic.twitter.com/92YI2e5WyF carl (@carlaahhhhh) July 25, 2020 Reply Thread Link dis tew much Reply Parent Thread Link His fans are insufferable and trashing Joey when she hasn't even said shit about him. Sometimes the internet makes me feel like Jerry pic.twitter.com/f3evPg8I0R Joey King (@JoeyKing) July 26, 2020 This is Noah Centineo or whatever all over again. Fangirls are annoying... this guy is not cute enough or that great of an actor for them to be doing all of this. Pretty sure he cheated on her too. Congratulations to HER for HER professionalism going to work with her cheating ex on this garbage movie while having an Emmy nomination under her belt and promoting the movie while he stayed silent and just cashed the check https://t.co/tFlOY6URDA veronica|acab (@spiideychelle) July 24, 2020 Edited at 2020-07-26 09:18 pm (UTC) Jacob has been sort of a dick during the minimal promo he did for this.His fans are insufferable and trashing Joey when she hasn't even said shit about him.This is Noah Centineo or whatever all over again. Fangirls are annoying... this guy is not cute enough or that great of an actor for them to be doing all of this. Pretty sure he cheated on her too. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link why dafuq does he have a mullet?? Reply Parent Thread Link i do think jacob's a good actor, but i don't understand why he has to be so passive aggressive about the movie. i think joey is a decent actress too and i'm pretty sure her and the rest of the cast don't actually think the movies are masterpiece, they just know it opened a lot of opportunities for them which is why they speak so fondly of them and constantly promo for it and jacob just keeps phoning it in, it's annoying. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Did he really push his glasses up with his middle finger? That seemed rather deliberate. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i can see why he's ~distant to an extent - i think he really struggled with the fame and the 'shipping'/harassing from fans when the first one came out. (ik he deleted his instagram a few times) but yeah at the same time, its nagl. Reply Parent Thread Link And watch "Euphoria" for clear skin As though Euphoria isn't written by a white man in his mid 30's and exeutive produced by Drake. Edited at 2020-07-26 10:26 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Joey King posted a pic of her and the actor who plays Marco hugging and celebrating the movie saying that they got COVID tests just so they could hang, and I laughed lmao. It was very yeah my other co-star is acting like hes too good for this and we broke up so Im #TeamMarco Reply Parent Thread Link i watched this friday and it was fine! i try not to put a lot into watching these movies. i do wonder what it was like for joey and jacob to film it because i assume they were broken up by then. Reply Thread Link Wait. The second one clocks on at over 2 hours? Wth Reply Thread Link Omg i was watching it today and thought to myself DAMN THIS IS A LONG MOVIE Reply Parent Thread Link The first movie creeped me out. Reply Thread Link it was so awkward, I felt like I was reading a legit teenager's diary. I had to google who wrote it halfway through and when it turned out to be an actual teen, everything suddenly made sense. Reply Parent Thread Link At least the Marco guy was hot. Reply Thread Link he looks like he's 30, just like the love interest in Never Have I Ever. Reply Parent Thread Link so does the actress that plays rachel! she's the oldest one at 30 Reply Parent Thread Link also chloe is fine as fuck Reply Thread Link The whole concept of a kissing booth was never not gross, but its extra fucking gross right now! That said, it was dumb but I watched it. She and the new guy had more chemistry than her boyfriend. Its hard to watch that actor in anything cutesy after he was this diabolical psychopath in Euphoria. Reply Thread Link he definitely gave off more nate vibes in this one especially in the football game scene Reply Parent Thread Link She and the new guy had more chemistry than her boyfriend. Lol I didnt watch the second Lara Jean movie but this sounds like exactly what people said about that Reply Parent Thread Link grosser than sierra burgess is a catfisher? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I saw that one but I dont remember it very well. The concept of anybody being allowed to kiss this blindfolded person is definitely creepy, but really what gives me the willies is that it makes me think of germs. Thats more what I was referring to. So during the pandemic, its even more gross to me. Reply Parent Thread Link I turned that one off I think. Isnt that the one where they swapped places when kissing the love interest? No ty Reply Parent Thread Link that was def worse. especially cos she ends up with him in the end. smh. veronica was the true star. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link oh god that movie was truly horrid Reply Parent Thread Link That one was so bad Reply Parent Thread Link Lol why does my comment sound so angry in retrospect Reply Parent Thread Link why does* Netflix cancel good shows and throw money at shit like this lol Edited at 2020-07-26 09:16 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link you know why! monaaaaaay Reply Parent Thread Link because these movies are cheap. Reply Parent Thread Link You took the words out of my mouth. Reply Parent Thread Link Balearic and Canary Islands' officials have launched a desperate bid to open 'safe air corridors' with the UK. Canary Islands president Angel Victor Torres has asked the Spanish government to try to negotiate the corridors with the UK. The region is seeking to enable British tourists to continue holidaying in islands like Tenerife and Gran Canaria without having to quarantine on return following a similar move by the Balearic Islands' government. The Foreign Office has only urged Brits to avoid all but essential travel to the Spanish mainland, not the Canaries and Balearics, following a spike in coronavirus cases which has hit regions like Catalonia and Aragon the hardest. Despite this, British holidaymakers returning from all parts of Spain will have to undergo a two-week quarantine under the current rules, which were updated by the British government in a snap decision overnight. Mr Torres is said to have asked Spain's Tourism Minister Maria Reyes Maroto and Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya to lead the air corridor negotiations with Britain. Canary Islands president Angel Victor Torres has asked the Spanish government to try to negotiate 'safe' air corridors with the UK. Above, tourists and locals bask on Las Palmas beach in Gran Canaria earlier this month Meanwhile Balearic Islands officials have launched a similar bid to establish 'safe air corridors' with the UK to save their summer season and the holiday hopes of thousands of Brits after the government axed Spain from its safe travel list. They confirmed overnight they were working with the Spanish and UK governments to set up the scheme for islands like Majorca and Ibiza. The announcement came after the Foreign Office ordered British tourists returning from Spain to self-isolate for two weeks from midnight last night, with just five hours notice. The British government imposed a snap decision to axe Spain from the safe travel list in a decision which has been described as a 'hammer blow' by hotel bosses in Benidorm, although the town's mayor Toni Perez insisted he would still encourage holidaymakers to come because it was a 'safe' destination. The UK government is now advising 'against all but essential travel to mainland Spain'. Balearic Islands officials say they are pinning their hopes on establishing 'safe air corridors' with the UK to save their summer season. Above, tourists in Spain faced a race against time to fly back home to avoid the mandatory two-week quarantine that came into effect last night The announcement came after the Foreign Office ordered British tourists returning from Spain to self-isolate for two weeks from midnight last night, with just five hours notice. Above, tourists at the beach in the Balearic island of Mallorca The decision was described as a 'hammer blow' by hotel bosses in Benidorm. Above, tourists arrive at Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands on July 25, shortly before the new quarantine measures were announced After learning the region was not on the Foreign Office 'black list', the Balearic Islands' government said in a statement late last night: 'Great Britain has excluded the Balearic Islands from its recommendation to its citizens not to travel to Spain, something which means that travel insurance is still valid. 'The Balearic Islands' government has been working over the last few hours to establish the basis for a safe air corridor with the UK, following the British government's quarantine imposition for all holidaymakers returning from Spain. 'The British government's decision has caused great concern in the Balearic Islands' government, given that it will cause serious problems to tourist activity in our islands. 'One of the main arguments justifying the creation of a safe air corridor between the islands and the UK is the health situation here. 'The islands have had eight confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the past fortnight, whereas in the UK the figure is 14.1 and in Spain as a whole, 37.9.' Benidorm mayor Toni Perez reacted to the UK quarantine decision by admitting: ' 'We very much regret it. In Benidorm we've worked hard to minimise the risks and we haven't got any problems here at the moment. 'It's a very safe destination with beaches which are very well organised and businesses which have established protocols and are applying them. 'The Balearic Islands' government has been working over the last few hours to establish the basis for a safe air corridor with the UK,' Balearic officials said in a statement last night. Above, tourists arrive at Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands, on Saturday 'One of the main arguments justifying the creation of a safe air corridor between the islands and the UK is the health situation here,' the statement read. Above, a woman wears a mask as she walks along Palma Beach in Palma de Mallorca 'The problem in Spain is in certain areas, but in the end this decision affects us all and especially resorts like ours whose main market is British. 'We are going to continue working along the lines we have been up to now, knowing that what we've been doing has been done well and that we offer a safe destination thanks to the hard work of everyone here.' He added: 'These questions of quarantine are something we can't control but Benidorm will continue to welcome those who want to come here and will continue to offer visitors including foreign tourists maximum health security.' Toni Mayor, president of the Benidorm and Costa Blanca hotel association Hosbec, described the shock UK move as a 'hammer blow.' He said: 'It couldn't have come at a worse time. It was looking pretty good from August 1. 'Bookings were up including family bookings and around 85 per cent of our hotels were going to be open and we were looking forward to having at least something of a normal summer. 'This announcement is going to bring everything crashing down. Benidorm mayor Toni Perez reacted to the UK quarantine decision by admitting: ' 'We very much regret it. In Benidorm we've worked a lot to minimise the risks and we haven't got any problems here at the moment.' Above, tourists walk along Magaluf beach in Spain's Balearic Island of Mallorca 'The British tourists who are already here have got no other option but to stay and self-isolate when they return. 'But I fear a lot of those who were planning to come are now going to cancel. 'There's got to be a question mark over how many tour operators are going to carry on operating as planned. 'It's not just places like Benidorm that's going to suffer, other popular holiday destinations like the Canaries and Majorca are going to be hard hit too. 'The UK is 18 million holidaymakers every year and the British are Spain's number one holiday market.' He added: 'There were hotels in Benidorm which were going to open on August 1 with the increased number of British arrivals that will end up staying closed now, and others that had opened but could shut following this announcement. 'There's bound to be question marks now about whether the Spanish government should have allowed discos and pubs to open so quickly. 'But the reality here is this pandemic has been a learning experience for all of us. Under the new rules, the government has said UK tourists who are already in Spain can stay for the remainder of their holiday. However, from today, they will have to self-isolate for fourteen days on their return to Britain. Above, tourists at Punta Ballena street in Magaluf 'It's a very complicated situation. I think we can wave goodbye to any hopes of a normal summer now with this announcement. 'I'm obviously very concerned about the outlook for the future.' Under the new rules, the government has said UK tourists who are already in Spain can stay for the remainder of their holiday. However, from today, they will have to self-isolate for fourteen days on their return to Britain. The rules apply to travellers returning from anywhere in Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands. The rising toll of COVID-19 deaths is overwhelming the Bolivian city of Cochabamba, where an apparent victim of the new coronavirus body was left in the street for several hours on Saturday. Florencio Carvallo, President of the District 6 Neighbor where the body was found, said that because most the residents live on rent, "the owners are opting on taking the dead bodies out." After a few hours, forensic workers showed up and picked up the body. The sharp increase in coronavirus cases has resulted in a backlog in burials. Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America, with the most precarious health system. The Andean nation has reported 66,456 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 2,473 deaths. By Jun Ji-hye The health authorities are keeping their guard up against a surge in COVID-19 infections among people arriving from abroad as the number of new daily imported cases has become much higher than that of locally transmitted infections in recent days. The rise in imported cases has been mainly attributed to infections in Russian sailors and Korean workers returning home from Iraq. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Sunday that the country added 58 new cases Saturday, taking the nation's total caseload to 14,150. Of those, 46 were imported cases, nearly four times the 12 local infections. Among the 46, 38 were Korean workers evacuated from Iraq. New infections dropped to under 60 a day after the country recorded its highest figure in nearly four months, but the authorities said they are still on high alert as new daily cases could soar again at any time. On Friday, the country saw 113 new cases including 86 that were imported, nearly triple the 27 local infections. This was the first time for the daily cases to exceed 100 since April 1. Of the 86 36 Korean workers from Iraq, 32 sailors on a Russian fishing vessel docked in Busan and 18 others 81 were detected at airports or seaports, while five tested positive during their 14-day self-quarantine period. Imported cases that day were the highest since Korea reported its first COVID-19 patient, Jan. 20. Two Korean military planes arrived back home Friday, carrying 293 Korean workers from Iraq amid the worsening situation there regarding the virus outbreak. "The government will carry out COVID-19 risk assessments on countries on a regular basis, and take timely and necessary steps, including isolation, in a bid to stem the inflow of the coronavirus from overseas," KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Joon-wook said during a media briefing. The authorities are also keeping a watchful eye on locally transmitted infections as new cases have continued to break out sporadically nationwide. Meanwhile, the death toll remained unchanged at 298. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Nyesom Wi... The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governors Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Nyesom Wike (Rivers) were behind the violence at the Oba of Benins palace on Saturday. The party said the destruction of property was a glimpse into the do or die plot the PDP plans to unleash in the lead up to the September 19 Governorship Election. APC spokesman, Yekini Nabena, said this in a statement on Sunday. To imagine that the PDP chose to desecrate the Palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II is despicable, unheard of and a new low even by PDPs ignoble standards. Why is a show of force needed on citizens you wish to govern? Nabena noted that the PDP was not campaigning for votes but relying on brute force, violence and intimidation ahead of the poll. He said Wike promised on Saturday to make sure that everything needed is done to foist the PDP governorship candidate on the good people of Edo State. APC noted that Wike is bent on importing to Edo State his Rivers State model of violence and intimidation. He will not succeed! We definitely will not watch helplessly and allow the PDP and Wike turn Edo State into a killing field in their attempt to foist an unpopular candidate. APC condemned the incident and called on security services to fish out the perpetrators and their sponsors. During the entire Edo State governoship electioneering process, we stand with the good people of state in rejecting all forms of political violence as was unleashed on Saturday by the so-called Obaseki Boys and PDP supporters on hapless victims. Filmed over just seven days, "Anti Corona Virus" Film features a small cast and crew, and followed strict Covid-19 guidelines during production. "Anti Corona Virus" is director Mitesh Kumar Patel"s third feature film. It is an emotional drama about Covid-19 survivor Bruce and his family, who struggle to get their lives back on track during the pandemic. After Bruce and Laura Gunther return from their anniversary trip to Italy, Bruce realises he has brought coronavirus to the ones he cares about most his own family. Bruce must come to terms with his actions before they consume him and his family. Cast The production team consisted of 11 cast and crew members, who completed the movie in just seven days while following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's sanitation guidelines. Keith Lopez stars as Bruce; other cast members include Tina Marie Nigro, John Carr and Courtney Asher. Story idea Indian-American filmmaker Patel came up with the story himself and decided to make the movie with his production company Applied Art Productions in order to bring some hope to the world. He felt it was important to tell a faith-based story, since he believed everyone needed uplifting viewing in these challenging times. He said: As a filmmaker, it is my job to tell this story and bring a positive message to all. Many film productions were forced to pause during the pandemic, so the team felt lucky to be able to make their movie in the nick of time before lockdown. Patel knew they had to make this film as quickly as possible before the situation got worse and there were more coronavirus infections in the USA. Just after the production was completed, Arizona's governor announced a Shelter in Place order. Hygiene during the shoot The cast and crew were fastidious about hygiene during the shoot. All equipment was cleaned with disinfectant and social distancing was practiced at all times. The main challenge the director faced was the lack of the time, since they didn't have a few months to write the screenplay but only a few days. The screenwriter worked constantly and intensively; as soon as he completed the pages, they would shoot the next day. The actors received their lines just hours before each shoot. Mitesh Kumar Patel graduated with a Masters in Fine Arts (Applied Arts) before starting an advertising and design business. The Los Angeles-based company then branched out into production, distribution and VFX. It now produces feature and documentary films, including horror film "The Man in the Maze", which debuted in India before coming to the United States, and received 12 awards from film festivals and theatrical distributors. The company then produced the action drama and horror movie "Neron" and is now in production for the thriller "House Of Quarantine" and is planning to make fantasy drama "Instant Karma". Valerie Pecresse, a French presidential hopeful from the Republican party, who had the egregious audacity to illegally visit the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan on December 22, 2021, is now allegedly "infuriated" at the French government's "deafening silence" at Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's remarks that she would not have been permitted to leave the country, had Baku been informed about her illegal trip. A lot of interest, Schachtel says, seems to be stemming from New Jersey, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The San Francisco-based Facebook group Pandemic Pods and Microschools, for instance, now has more than 9,500 members. The group was started by Lian Chang, who wanted to find a safe way for her 3-year-old to socialize during the pandemic. Instead of hiring teachers, some families are hoping to share the teaching among the parents. Meredith Phillips, a mother of an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old who lives in Croton, N.Y., is hoping to create a pod with three other families this fall that will rotate houses. One of the dads, who owns a tech company, might teach coding, while Phillips, who is an editor, will teach reading and writing. The parents will ideally teach whatever theyre good at, or know about or care about, Phillips said, and in doing so expose the kids to lots of different subjects. Some families are pulling their kids out of school for these learning pods, while others are using pods as a supplement to their schools online curricula. Ideally, from our perspective, it would be complementary, rather than a replacement, said Adam Davis, a pediatrician in San Francisco who is hoping to create a learning pod with a teacher or college-aged helper for his second grader and kindergartener in the fall. Were pretty committed to our school were involved in the Parent Teacher Association, he added. Parents who pull their kids out of school also have to contend with state homeschooling laws, although its not clear whether infractions would be enforced during the pandemic. Pods and Privilege Some parents argue that by pulling their kids out of public schools to join pods, they are doing a public service because they leave more resources for kids who stay in school. But thats not how education finance works, said LHeureux Lewis-McCoy, Ph.D., an educational sociologist who studies educational inequality at New York Universitys Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. The idea that if I pull out my child, itll be better for the district, is quite the opposite, he said. In fact, if students leave public schools to join pods, funding for already starved public schools could drop further. If dollars follow students, and in many states they do, that can mean that school budgets are directly reduced for each child that is no longer attending, said Jessica Calarco, Ph.D., a sociologist who studies educational inequality at Indiana University. Parents starting pods should ask their school administrators how their departure will affect both short-term and long-term school funding, Dr. Calarco said, and ideally donate any lost funds to the school through the P.T.A. or a school foundation. Given the financial and time costs of podding, they will likely be more popular among privileged families. The pods organized by the Portfolio School, Hudson Lab School and Red Bridge School cost $2,500 per elementary school child per month for a pod size of five, though financial aid is available. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are to launch a Silicon Valley-inspired venture capitalist spending spree on roads, infrastructure and energy. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay is expected to announce plans to ditch the Treasury's cautious approach to spending and adopt bold practices from US firms, the Sunday Telegraph reported. These would focus on 'innovative' projects which 'move quickly, start small and fail fast', and rapidly fulfil Downing Street promises on roads, infrastructure and energy. Mr Barclay and Chancellor Mr Sunak, who cofounded an investment firm in Silicon Valley, hope to import project management processes used by technology companies in the US, it was said. The politician is said to have recruited analysts and developers from Californian firms to help the Treasury adopt some of these practices. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak (pictured on July 21) are set to launch a Silicon Valley-inspired venture capitalist spending spree on roads, infrastructure and energy Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay (pictured) is expected to announce plans to ditch the Treasury's cautious approach to spending and adopt bold practices from US firms Mr Barclay, a former Barclays executive, will lay out his plans for the Treasury - described as 'the new radicals' - during a speech to the Onward think tank on Tuesday. He will reportedly promise to shape the Treasury into 'the department that marshals together people, ideas and best practice, from inside and outside Government to make things happen.' The PM's 'Project Speed' will also be considered in Treasury decision making, with Mr Barclay expected to ask 'if the wheels of Government can be made to spin this fast in a crisis with all the added pressures of lockdown, why cant it happen normally?' He is expected to give the Treasury's furlough scheme as an example, as it was announced on March 20 and opened for applications a month later. Mr Barclay is leading a review of Whitehall spending which will set budgets for Government departments. He will say this is a 'review in which we think differently about what government is, what it does and how it does it'. It comes after the Prime Minister last month announced Mr Sunak will lead a new unit, dubbed 'Project Speed', to fast track major infrastructure projects and identify bottlenecks in the system that need to be cleared away. These would focus on 'innovative' projects which 'move quickly, start small and fail fast', and rapidly fulfil Downing Street promises on roads, infrastructure and energy It comes after the Prime Minister last month announced Mr Sunak will lead a new unit, dubbed 'Project Speed', to fast track major infrastructure projects and identify bottlenecks in the system that need to be cleared away He also hinted that he would also take the bulldozer to parts of the Whitehall machine, saying he had been frustrated by its 'sluggish' response to the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Johnson set out the principles of his Government following months in which the coronavirus has occupied almost all of its effort. He said that, despite the continuing health challenges and looming economic crisis, it was 'the moment to be ambitious' about the future. People would be offered a 'New Deal', he said, with Britain rebuilt in a fairer way after the pandemic exposed divisions in society. The PM restated his determination to offer opportunity to people living in 'neglected' parts of the country, saying he was 'doubling down on levelling up.' The Prime Minister said there would be no return to austerity, despite the dire state of the public finances, but refused to rule out tax rises further down the track. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) New York, United States Sun, July 26, 2020 08:09 543 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066949c8a 2 People Michelle-Obama,podcast,Barack-Obama,Spotify,united-states Free Michelle Obama is launching her new podcast, and who better to be her first guest than her husband, the former US president. She revealed Friday that Barack would star in the premiere of her podcast on July 29. The Michelle Obama Podcast, to be exclusively broadcast on Spotify, will be a series of interviews pairing America's first black first lady with one guest per episode. "I can't wait for you all to hear the conversations I've been having for the #MichelleObamaPodcast," she tweeted. I can't wait for you all to hear the conversations I've been having for the #MichelleObamaPodcast. My mom, my girlfriends, my colleagues, and many others all stop by, along with someone youre pretty familiar with: @BarackObama is my first guest on 7/29! https://t.co/L8FgSZGAkG pic.twitter.com/v2rNJTWZDg Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) July 24, 2020 "My mom, my girlfriends, my colleagues, and many others all stop by, along with someone you're pretty familiar with: @BarackObama is my first guest on 7/29." Others listed in the tweet as future guests include former Obama aide and friend Valerie Jarrett, and talk show host Conan O'Brien. The podcast is produced by Higher Ground Productions, the company formed by the Obamas in 2018, which has also made content deals with Netflix. Read also: Michelle and Barack Obama to produce a new film with Netflix Among the topics to be discussed by the Obamas are the coronavirus crisis and the protest movement sparked by the death in police custody of George Floyd, according to Hollywood industry news outlet Variety, which heard part of the first episode. The former US president has been invited on podcasts before -- most recently in 2017 on Pod Save America, which is hosted by some of his former staffers and speechwriters. His popular wife scored a publishing world victory with her memoir Becoming, which was released in November 2018. Since then, more than 11.5 million copies have been sold, and tens of thousands of people attended book events across the United States and abroad. The book also spawned a documentary, which was released on Netflix in May. 3 Dead, 4 Injured When Plane Crashes Into Utah Home: Police Two adults and a 9-month-old child died and four others were injured when a small plane crashed on a home on Saturday, said officials. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the plane, a Piper PA-32, crashed in West Jordan in Salt Lake County, Utah. The pilot was identified as 43-year-old Lee Wyckoff, and the two other victims were identified as 9-month-old Coral Wyckoff and 36-year-old Milda Shibonis, according to the West Jordan Police Department. Rebecca Wyckoff, 36, was injured and is in critical condition, the department said. The other injured victims were identified as 12-year-old Veda Sheperd, 2-year-old Cody Mitchell, and 72-year-old Mary Quintana. Quintana was on the ground at the time of the crash, police confirmed. She was said to be in critical condition. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will now investigate the matter, the FAA said. The cause of the crash has not been determined. Lee Wyckoff 43, Deceased (pilot) Rebecca Wyckoff 36, Critical condition Coral Wyckoff, 9 months. Deceased Cody Mitchell, 2 Critical burns on legs and arms. Milda Shibonis, age 36 Deceased Veda Sheperd, age 12 (walked away from crash) At residence, Mary Quintana, 72 Critical West Jordan Police Dept. (@WJPD_PIO) July 26, 2020 Quintanas brother, Joe Murillo, told the Deseret News that the family is now shaken up. Were getting through it, slowly but surely, he said. Shes a good person, a real good person and everything. . . . Everything is good about her, and I hope she makes it through. Neighbors helped Quintana escape after the crash, he confirmed. FAA Statement on aircraft that crashed into a residential backyard in West Jordan, Utah, Saturday afternoon. Information is preliminary and subject to change. pic.twitter.com/ZRfLM9sfoE The FAA (@FAANews) July 25, 2020 That felt real good. She had the community, that was helpful and that was really good. If it werent for her neighbors she probably wouldnt have made it out, Murillo said. The crash caused a large ground fire, according to footage posted by local news outlets. A photo of the crash site showed the charred remains of at least one home. Immigrants who are staying at an I.C.E. detention center may be subjected to harassment and excessive force from guards who are responsible for helping them. In a recent report by The Independent, immigrants staying at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia were allegedly thrown out of their wheelchairs or slammed to the ground when they asked for medical help. The detention facility is currently run privately by CoreCivic. Needing Help In early April, an immigrant named Roberto-Blanco Gonzales noticed he was developing symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus. He had submitted requests for medical attention for two weeks, but his pleas were ignored. Blanco staged a one-man protest by sitting at a table in his unit. He refused to go back to his cell despite guards ordering him to do so. He said an officer approached him and threatened to place him in solitary confinement. Blanco also claimed the officer told him "to go die with the sick ones in the hole." In reports obtained by The Intercept, the guard wrote "refusing to obey staff" in Blanco's disciplinary document. He was taken to the clinic and given pills for his stomach pain following his protest. Four unnamed guards fetched him from the clinic and placed him in solitary as punishment for protesting. Blanco refused to go. According to records, force was used to secure Blanco after he "attempted to break away" from the emergency response team. But Blanco painted a more brutal picture of the incident. The immigrant said the officers grabbed and slammed him to the ground. His head reportedly hit the floor, and a guard pressed his foot onto it. The impact damaged his right eye, causing a blood clot that was still present two months after the incident. Blanco was not given access to an eye specialist before he was deported. He tested positive for COVID-19 in El Salvador in late May. Hugh Tinarwo, an immigrant from Zimbabwe, also accused I.C.E. officers of shooting at him using pepper-ball ammunition and throwing him out of his wheelchair. The incident, he claimes, also involved the guards dragging him away to solitary confinement and pressing on his neck. Tinarwo uses a wheelchair due to an injury he sustained before arriving in the U.S. The incident caused the pain to become worse. Now, he needs other people to push his wheelchair for him. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement In early June, a federal lawsuit accused the I.C.E. of forcing asylum-seekers to clean detention centers hit with COVID-19 using their bare hands. The immigrants said they were asked to clean the trash from the infirmary where infected detainees were treated. They were also forced to clean feces from a cell without being given gloves. The suit, which was filed in Arizona, said the detainees were given sandwiches with rotten ham to eat. Additionally, they were refused access to daily baths and toilet paper. Those who protested against the treatment were placed in solitary confinement indefinitely. Read the latest news from the U.S.: By Express News Service CHENNAI: A day after a case was registered against ABVP President Dr Subbiah Shanmugam on the charges of harassing a woman, the complainant has approached the police to withdraw the complaint. The police said that the complainant requested to withdraw the complaint since the accused had apparently apologised to the woman. However, Adambakkam police said that they would proceed with the investigation since an FIR has been registered and added that the complainant can explain the same to the magistrate and close the case if they wish to. ALSO READ | Case against ABVP national president for 'urinating' on neighbour's doorstep in Chennai Meanwhile, an audio clip claiming the involvement of RSS and BJP members to save Subbiah has since gone viral on social media. An alleged conversation of Subbiah and a neighbour can be heard in the over two minute-long clip that claims that some members of RSS and BJP approached him (Subbiah) and offered to give him a helping hand. A voice is also heard saying that one local BJP functionary offered to speak with the police inspector to not register the case. A senior police officer said, "We came to know about the audio through social media forwards and when contacted Dr. Subbiah, he denied that it was his voice. However, we are enquiring to find the veracity of the message." On Saturday, Adambakkam police registered a case under three sections of the IPC including Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act against Dr Subbiah Shanmugam, an oncologist with a government hospital, after one Balaji Vijayaraghavan lodged a complaint against the former on July 11 and submitted CCTV footage of the doctor peeing at the doorstep of the survivor at odd hours. The complainant Balaji Vijayaraghava cited pandemic as a reason to request a withdrawal of the case. "I had a chance to meet the doctor. We discussed everything at large and decided to amicably solve the problem. Being one of the best doctors in the city, his services should never even pause. Withdrawal at this point may sound atrocious, but once again, remember the pandemic we are in. It is more important to save lives than have quarrels," said Balaji Vijayaraghava in a message to Express. The accused Dr Subbiah was not available for comments. Unlike surrounding school districts, OPS has not yet provided computers to all its students. When schools closed in March, many OPS students struggled to continue learning, either because they lacked devices or they had unreliable internet connections. This spring, the school board approved the purchase of about 56,000 iPads with internet connectivity one for each student. The iPads are managed by OPS and have all the apps students will need loaded onto them. The devices are being handed out in five waves from now through September, so not every student will have their iPad when school starts Aug. 11. Maskel said the district is continuing to plan for the most effective and equitable distribution of the iPads. You can infer from the headline to this article in the Washington Post that President Trumps focus on Joe Bidens war on the suburbs has potential as a campaign issue. Trump uses fear to tout repeal of housing rule, the headline declares (paper edition). The housing rule in question is affirmatively furthering fair housing (AFFH). Using fear is the rule, not the exception, with political themes. When the left, including the Washington Post, claims that police officers often kill blacks without justification, it is invoking, or creating, the fear that blacks are in mortal danger from the police. When Democrats, along with the Post, kept insisting that President Trump colluded with Russia, they promoted the fear that Trump was selling out America to the Ruskies. When the Post peddles its democracy dies in darkness line, it mongers in fear that Trump will kill our democracy. The question to ask in these cases isnt whether politicians, polemicists, and journalists are using fear. The question is whether the fear being mooted is justified. Trump wasnt colluding with the Russians. Nor has he attacked democracy. These fears are groundless. By contrast, fear of AFFH is justified. For example, pursuant to AFFH, Dubuque, Iowa was required to provide low income housing to residents of Chicago, some 200 miles away. The Obama administration forced Dubuque to give these out-of-staters preference for affordable housing over needy residents of the town, many of whom had been providing Dubuque with tax revenue for decades. Similarly, Westchester County, New York was coerced into agreeing to build 750 affordable housing units, 650 of which would be in municipalities with less than 3 percent African-American population and less than 7 percent Hispanic population. In addition, Westchester County agreed to advertise its affordable housing units to people living outside the County. The Obama administrations Department of HUD insisted on this deal even though Westchester County had not been accused of engaging in housing discrimination. The Washington Post article about Trump using fear to tout his repeal of AFFH makes no effort to show that the presidents statements about what AFFH entails are factually incorrect. Instead, the Post, characterizing AFFH as nothing more than an anti-segregated housing rule, complains that Trumps line of attack is, you guessed it, racist. But if its racist for suburbanites to want to reside in low density communities and have zoning decisions made by their elected officials rather than the feds, then almost everyone I know in my suburb every liberal and the few conservatives around here is a racist. And thats why the left, including the Post, fears Trumps AFFH line of attack on Biden. The people in suburban Washington D.C., where I live, are going to vote against Trump no matter what. But if folks in the suburbs of cities like Atlanta, Milwaukee, Detroit, Houston, and Philadelphia come to understand that Biden is committed to radically transforming housing and transportation patterns where they live, more than a few of them might well reconsider their support for the former vice president. The Posts article insists this wont happen that Trumps claims about AFFH wont move the needle. It relies on the opinion of political analyst Amy Walter. Walter is a respected analyst. Did she predict Trumps victory in 2016, though? Not that I recall. Walter might be right that suburbanites will shrug off Trumps claims about what Biden has in store for the suburbs. History suggests that this election will be mostly a referendum on the incumbent. But read the Posts article which appeared on the front page and see whether you agree with me that the authors protest too much, and that the paper actually is worried that Trump has found an issue with the potential to resonate with suburban voters. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the killing of four aid workers and a security guard in Nigeria's north-eastern Borno state. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called on the Nigerian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. A photograph, published by the Islamic State's newspaper, shows five men wearing civilian clothing sitting on the ground, blindfolded. Standing behind them are five other armed men wearing military clothing, with their faces covered. The image appears to be a screen grab from a propaganda video. The Islamic State in West Africa Province, Iswap, is a splinter group of the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram. The aid workers were kidnapped last month and their deaths confirmed earlier this week. It underlines the risks humanitarian workers face in north-eastern Nigeria. The region has seen more than a decade of violence from Boko Haram that has forced more than two million people from their homes and killed more than 30,000. 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 Much like Trump branded antifa a terrorist group a formality that facilitates investigations into the groups possible foreign or domestic funding sources the Chinese government closed the Hong Kong loophole that makes it vulnerable to foreign interference by passing new Hong Kong security laws aimed at punishing crimes of subversion, terrorism, secession and collusion with foreign forces, now punishable with sentences as severe as life in prison. Beijing is handling domestic unrest in much the same way Barr wants to manage protests in the U.S. states, sending in federal troops in unmarked gear. But when China does it, its unacceptable to Barr. As its ruthless crackdown of Hong Kong demonstrates once again, China is no closer to democracy today than it was in 1989, when tanks confronted pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square, Barr said in a speech last week. If the U.S. is allowed to crack down on terrorism, shouldnt other nations be able to do the same? Of course, theres the argument that some countries could use the fight against terrorism as a pretext to label political opponents as terrorists. But isnt that whats happening with protesters in the U.S., who are all being tarred with the antifa brush? Only four women rest under the long rows of white marble headstones at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, where nearly 9,400 other Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country are buried. Three of the women are African American. Pfc. Mary J. Barlow, Pfc. Mary H. Bankston and Sgt. Dolores M. Browne endured stifling segregation while serving their country, yet with their comrades they maintained a lifeline between American troops and their families back home. The women were members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the Six Triple Eight, the only all-Black Women's Army Corps unit to serve in Europe during World War II. The battalion which served in England and France had a tough assignment: clear up an overwhelming backlog of letters and care packages that had been building up for years. Mail was considered a lifeline and a morale booster a reminder of home and the country those troops were fighting for, and the Army wanted the job done fast. The Six Triple Eight often worked in cold, dark conditions for months, but completed their mission even earlier than expected. But when they came home, the unit of African American women was treated to little or no fanfare. "I'm sure that you have seen, as many people have seen, how service people were heralded," said former WAC Lena King, 97, one of 11 known survivors out of the 855-member battalion. "But our dismissal was quiet and unpronounced. We simply came home." More than 6,500 African American women served during World War II. Many enlisted out of a patriotic sense of duty for a country that kept them segregated. While the Six Triple Eight has received accolades in recent years including the Army's Meritorious Unit Commendation in 2019 supporters are behind bills calling for the battalion to receive the Congressional Gold Medal for their extraordinary service, joining the likes of the Tuskegee Airmen and Montford Point Marines. "I believe that people are aware that Black women served during World War II," said retired Army Col. Edna Cummings, who advocates for the women. "But I do not believe they know the full scope of their service." This effort to further recognize what Black women endured and accomplished during World War II comes as people across the country are, once again, in a reckoning over race. King said she believes the service of African American women and men in WWII should have translated into a broader impact on society. "The thing is you think that all of that is going to make things better for racial equality and so forth, but it has no effect really, she said. "It's painful to see that we still haven't really brought it together. A call for women to join up In February 1945, the 6888th commanded by Maj. Charity Adams (later Adams Earley), was sent to England, where a shortage of personnel was wreaking havoc with the mail system. The battalion knew it needed to excel. They adopted the motto, "No mail, low morale." Meanwhile, White WAC units had already been deployed overseas, according to official accounts. "Mary McLeod Bethune and the first lady Eleanor Roosevelt said the women needed a meaningful assignment to prove that black women could support the Armed Forces just as the white women did," said Cummings who co-produced a documentary about the Six Triple Eight. Bethune was a friend and adviser to the first lady and a member of President Franklin Roosevelt's "Black Cabinet." As Allied troops advanced across Europe, ever-changing locations hampered mail delivery. Upon arrival in Birmingham, England, the women were shocked to see the mail piled up in hangars and warehouses. "Oh, God, it was terrible," said former WAC Indiana Hunt-Martin, one of the few surviving Women's Army Corps members of the 6888th. They worked three shifts a day, using information cards and serial numbers to match mail with millions of troops and personnel, according to the US Department of Defense. The addresses on many of the letters were hard to follow. Loved ones used a slew of different nicknames for service personnel, using "Bob, Rob, Robby, Bert, and so forth, just for Robert," Adams Earley said in her memoir, "One Woman's Army: A Black Officer Remembers the WAC." Countless soldiers had the same full name. Adams Early said at one point there were 7,500 Robert Smiths. Hunt-Martin remembers that the men on the front moved around constantly. "Sometimes, I would send a letter out, by the time I look around (it) was back because he'd moved again," said Hunt-Martin. With the work underway, the WACs did enjoy days off, allowing them to see London, go to the theater or travel. Locals invited them to dine in their homes on the weekends, the women remembered. "The English people were friendly," said former WAC Fannie Griffin McClendon. "One of the many things they wanted to know is why we were all separated. We didn't have that answer for them." Segregation and inequality for Black WACs Like much of the country, the military was segregated throughout World War II. Black service members faced continuous racism, and the women of the 6888th have sharp memories of being segregated on trains, spat at and demeaned by White men and women. Even the battalion's boss was not exempt. Adams Early wrote that a general told her: "I'm going to send a white first lieutenant down here to show you how to run this unit." Her response? "Over my dead body, sir." Former WACs said the prejudice particularly stung because they'd signed up for the war effort out of a sense of duty. Many also looked for opportunities long unafforded to most Black women, who were often relegated to service roles such as maids and cooks. Those with undergraduate and higher degrees said that they were hoping the military would profit from their education and provide training for more skilled work. According to historian and author Sandra Bolzenius, most went unsatisfied. "There was not a lot of excitement for Black women to be in the military," said Bolzenius, arguing that military leaders didn't like to be forced to change hiring practices. "Unbelievable, because the crisis, the shortage of troops was real." Increased pressure to desegregate the military came from Black newspapers, activists and the NAACP even before the US entered the war. When thousands of Black women were allowed to enlist in 1942, they had to have separate lodging and training classes and could not dine with their male or White female comrades. Bolzenius said many White post commanders were reluctant to request Black WACs join their bases after graduating from basic training. They did not want to go to the trouble of setting up separate quarters, schedules and classes for Black WACs. If they did, commanders relegated them to lower skilled roles as orderlies, laundry workers and cleaners. In March 1945 in Massachusetts, about 100 Black WACs went on strike refusing to show up for work at a hospital in Fort Devens. They'd been been promised jobs as technicians but were assigned menial roles instead. "You know, there was a confidence about these women that led them to strike," said Bolzenius. "They knew that the way other people were looking at them was completely wrong." The 6888th completes its mission While unequal conditions were a shock to some, they were expected by those accustomed to the nation's racial divide. But, in speaking to CNN, the surviving members of the Six Triple Eight spend far more time remembering their contributions to the war effort. They processed an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per shift (which would net out to nearly 6 million pieces of mail per month.) They finished their first assigned six-month stint in three months, then completed assignments in Rouen, France, and Paris, according to the US Army Center of Military History. Their accomplishments showed the world how well Black women could perform in the military, said retired US Navy Cmdr. Carlton Philpot. "As with most initiatives for minorities and women, if the initial group fails, then that's not a good thing," said Philpot, who was instrumental in the construction of a monument honoring the Six Triple Eight at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 2018. "But if they're successful, they may not get full credit, but it does open the hearts and minds of a lot of good people." The war ended and the unit completed its mission in early 1946. Soon after returning to the US, Adams Earley become the first African-American woman promoted to lieutenant colonel. She later became a college dean and community leader. Lena King continued her education in England. Fannie McClendon went into the Air Force and later had an antique shop. Hunt-Martin worked for the Labor Department. Some were active in the civil rights movement. But three women never came home. Pfc. Mary J. Barlow, Pfc. Mary H. Bankston and Sgt. Dolores M. Browne were killed in a jeep accident while on duty in France in July 1945. The women of the Six Triple Eight organized to prepare the bodies for burial and held memorial services. The story of the 6888th is solidified in history by those graves at Normandy and they are now a greater part of the story of World War II. "We want to leave a legacy that we have done something that is remarkable," said King. "We've done so much I think to show that we are just as interested and love our country as much as anyone else." President Dwight Eisenhower was a member of the Republican Party, the party that today openly represents the interests of the wealthy and the corporations. Like Barry Goldwater, Eisenhower was a conservative, and both of them would be appalled by the neoconservatives of today. When Eisenhower left office, he warned Americans about the dangers of the powerful corporations getting into bed with the military. Eisenhower refused to follow the advice of his military advisers to use atomic bombs on Communist China. However, the Reagan and the George W. Bush administrations openly embraced the corporate powers. Reagan raised taxes on the middle class and working poor while cutting taxes for the wealthiest in America from 70 percent to 28 percent. He bragged that hed eliminated more than a thousand programs for poor people. Additionally, the national debt increased over 300 percent while he was in office. The George W. Bush Administration cut taxes twice for the richest Americans and started two unnecessary wars that are still killing Americans today. In addition, the national debt doubled during his administration and the Great Recession started then. Unfortunately, the Reagan Administration, the George W. Bush Administration and the present administration have more in common with Franco, Hitler and Mussolini than they do with Eisenhower. Birds of a feather flock together! David L. Faust, Selinsgrove Jacinda Ardern's fiance Clarke Gayford has shared a touching tribute to the love his life on her 40th birthday. The New Zealand prime minister celebrated the milestone on Sunday, with her fiance among the many who publicly posted for the occasion. 'I don't really do these posts, but I think a bit of symmetry like the number 40 is worth positing on,' Mr Gayford wrote alongside an Instagram photo of the couple. Jacinda Ardern's smitten fiance Clarke Gayford has shared a loving tribute for her 40th birthday 'I don't really do these posts, but I think a bit of symmetry like the number 40 is worth positing on,' Mr Gayford wrote alongside an Instagram photo of the couple 'Happy Birthday today to my favourite achiever in the whole wide world, someone, who despite everything on her plate, still finds time to squeeze lots of fun, love and happiness into our wee family unit.' The prime minister was handed another birthday present on Sunday with a new poll showing Labour is on track to cruise to victory in this year's New Zealand election. Ms Ardern's party charted 61 per cent in a Newshub-Reid Research poll announced on Sunday, the same day that Ms Ardern turned 40. The result is the strongest result on record for Labour. If replicated at the ballot box on September 19, Labour would be able to govern alone with a sizeable majority in the next parliament. Meanwhile, Ms Ardern confirmed her engagement to her long-term partner in May 2019 after she was spotted wearing a ring on her left hand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern,her partner Clarke Gayford, and their child Neve look on after the Prime Minister formally commissioned the diving support and hydrographic survey vessel Manawanui into the Royal New Zealand Navy last year The prime minister was handed an exciting birthday present on Sunday with a new poll showing Labour is on track to cruise to victory in this year's New Zealand election Their engagement came almost a year after the birth of their first child Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford in June 2018. Mr Gayford, who hosted a fishing show, stepped away from work to look after their daughter, allowing Ms Ardern the role of running the country. Ms Ardern and Mr Gayford, 43, first met at an awards event in 2012. However, they did not start dating until 2013 when a constituency issue brought them together, Stuff reported. Mr Gayford was upset about the potential loss of privacy proposed by the Government Communications Security Bureau Amendment Bill. The couple's engagement came almost a year after the birth of their first child Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford in June 2018 He first went to local MP, Nikki Kaye, but got no response. He then wrote to Ms Ardern and the two met for coffee and bonded over a shared interest in music. Ms Ardern has previously spoken out about their wedding plans, saying neither her or Mr Gayford had a particular stance on marriage. 'I predict we will one day. We happen to have done things in reverse a little bit, but that happens in life sometimes too,' she told RNZ. Ms Ardern drew international attention when she became second elected world leader to give birth while in office, the first was former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto Scrambling to save the Rajasthan government, the Ashok Gehlot-led cabinet has sent the governor a revised proposal for an assembly session on July 31 as the Congress backs its leader with a digital campaign and plans for nationwide protests to ramp up the pressure. On the same day, Mayawati's BSP issued a whip to six of its MLAs directing them to vote against Congress in case there was a no-confidence motion. A day before the Supreme Court hears the case of the embattled Congress-led government, there was business-like calm in the Rajasthan capital on Sunday with Governor Kalraj Mishra meeting top officials to discuss the corona crisis. As Congress leaders in the state and outside spoke in unison to support him and lash out against the Centre and the BJP, the chief minister also held a separate review meeting to discuss the coronavirus crisis. The Rajasthan Congress called off its plans to protest in front of the Raj Bhawan on Monday. "Tomorrow, Congress workers will protest in front of Raj Bhawans as part of 'Save Democracy-Save Constitution' agitation call. But in Rajasthan we will not do anything like that." state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said in a tweet. Discussion on the pandemic, the economy and the bills to be taken up are listed as part of the agenda for the assembly session in the Gehlot-led cabinet's revised proposal sent late Saturday night, Congress sources said. The government, fighting for survival after Gehlot's now sacked deputy Sachin Pilot staged a rebellion with 18 other MLAs following a bitter and prolonged feud, has been pushing the governor for an opportunity to prove its numbers on the floor of the house. However, it is not immediately clear whether a floor test is part of the proposal. Gehlot said in a late evening tweet that the opposition is usually the one making the demand and the ruling party is reluctant. "... here we are demanding but there is no reply." "I hope His Excellency the Governor is also a seasoned politician, amiable, tactful and the post he is holding has great dignity. It is a constitutional post ... He will order us soon, we will call the Assembly," he added. The Congress has 107 MLAs in the 200-member assembly, including the 19 dissidents, and the BJP 72. The governor on Friday had sought clarifications on six points from the state government after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan pressing for a Vidhan Sabha session.The dharna was called off, according to the Congress, after Mishra said he will abide by the Constitution but not act under any pressure. The governor had asked Gehlot to resubmit the proposals with the clarifications. As the tussle over convening an assembly session continued, a Raj Bhawan statement said the governor noted that active COVID-19 cases have tripled in the state since July 1 and directed that serious efforts be made to control the spread of the disease. On Sunday, Rajasthan reported 1,132 new cases, pushing the state's infection tally to 36,430. A furious Congress accused him of resorting to the "worst kind of obstruction of democracy" by raising "superficial and motivated" queries on the Gehlot government's demand for convening a session of the state assembly. In New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said his party is "begging" for a floor test in the state assembly but the governor is not convening the House and "delaying" the trust vote allegedly at the behest of the Central government. He also cited Supreme Court judgements and several precedents with regard to the convening of the assembly session to assert that the governor cannot act of his own and can only do so with the advice of the Cabinet. "Such superficial, clearly motivated, digressive and extraneous queries establish beyond doubt that they are coming from the highest authorities of the central government and being parroted without change as His Master's Voice from Raj Bhawan, Jaipur, Singhvi said at a virtual press conference. The Congress, which has announced that it will stage protests in front of Raj Bhawans across the country against what it called "misuse of powers" of governors to topple governments headed by opposition parties, also launched its nationwide digital campaign, "#SpeakUpForDemocracy". Participating in the online campaign, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said democracy in the country will function in accordance with the Constitution. The people of the country will protect democracy and the Constitution by rejecting the BJP's conspiracy of deceit and deception," he said in a tweet in Hindi. "Today, the entire country is worried because democracy is in danger. The #SpeakUpForDemocracy programme that has been run has its own message... common people will have to understand and those in the government will also have to understand on the other. The atmosphere in the country is worrying," Gehlot added. Various other leaders, including former Union minister Ajay Maken and the party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, spoke as well. "The BJP's conspiracy to kill democracy in broad daylight in Madhya Pradesh and now in Rajasthan has been exposed, Surjewala, who has been camping in Rajasthan, said. Reacting to the allegations, state BJP president Satish Poonia used a Hindi proverb to take a dig at the Congress a cat going on a pilgrimage after eating 900 mice. "The Congress is responsible for the political crisis in Rajasthan. It violated democratic values and insulted the Constitution for years. Will old sins be washed away through this 'SpeakUpForDemocracy' hypocrisy?" he asked. As the war of words escalates with the ruling party MLAs still holed up in a resort in Jaipur and no real information on the whereabouts of the dissident MLAs, the Supreme Court will on Monday hear the case of the political crisis in the state. Voice of dissent in a democracy cannot be shut down, the apex court had said on Thursday. It refused to restrain the Rajasthan High Court from passing an order on a plea by Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs challenging the disqualification notice against them and said it would be subject to the outcome of petition before the apex court. The apex court said the issue raised in the plea filed by the speaker required prolonged hearing as it involved larger questions related to the democracy and how it will survive. On Friday, the Rajasthan High Court ordered maintaining status quo on the disqualification notice issued by the state assembly speaker to the 19 dissident Congress MLAs. No decision has been taken by the party on whether to challenge the High Court order of Friday ordering status quo on the disqualification notices issued to the 19 rebel party MLAs. Sources added that a section within the party favours a withdrawal of the petition filed before the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's previous order requesting the speaker to defer action. A senior party leader said the decision has been left to the speaker, who has moved the SC, and the party's legal eagles handling the matter. (With PTI inputs) NORTH WALES About 100 people gathered to commemorate an addition to a Montgomery County park that fortified the friendships of two countries: the United States and the Republic of Korea. Welcome to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Korean War Memorial and America Korea Alliance Peace Park, said Grand Master Bong Pil Yang, general secretary of the park committee. The July 25 ribbon-cutting ceremony commenced with a presentation of the colors from various local veterans associations, as well as renditions of the United States and Republic of Koreas respective national anthems sung by Ocean County College Professor Sungii Kim. The flags of the United States, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Republic of Korea were seen blowing in the wind on a particularly hot morning at the park on Kenas Road in North Wales. Organizers hoped this memorial would ensure people never forget the conflict that was often described as The Forgotten War. Former state representative Kate Harper, co-chair of the park committee, underscored the need to remember the fallen American and South Korean soldiers. Today is an important day for us, Harper said. Harper said there were 40,000 American soldiers who were killed during the Korean War. She added there were more than 100,000 others injured, 2,000 of them from Pennsylvania. Additionally, she said that 138,000 soldiers from the Republic of Korea, and nearly one million civilians lost their lives during the war. While 2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, Harper noted that U.S. service members are still there today. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all of those soldiers who have helped forge bonds that cannot be broken between the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, she said. Harper expressed her appreciation to a number of participants including representatives from Montgomery Township, as well as the projects architect, Joseph A. Lavalle, who also serves on the Upper Moreland Township Board of Commissioners. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, whose Dad served with the United States Armed forces in Korea, spoke at the ceremony. The monument was the brain child of Bong Pil Yang, who recruited a committee of public spirited citizens from the area to plan the memorial and find funding for the construction, a statement from Harper said. Franklin Kwang Soo Lee, a Korean American Montgomery County businessman, co-chaired the committee. The memorial was funded through donations of many individuals and veterans and their families and also received significant financial support from the Republic of Korea and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. State senators Bob Mensch and Maria Collett and state representatives Todd Stephens, Tom Murt and Steve Malagari were on hand for the ceremony, according to the statement from Harper. State Sen. Daylin Leach, D-17th dist., acknowledged the importance of the countries alliance. Because of a war, were here today celebrating a peace, Leach said. While organizers broke ground on July 19, 2019 at the site located within Memorial Grove Park, it took years to bring the Korean War Memorial to fruition. Korean community members first cultivated proposals for the commemorative monument in 2014. High ranking South Korean officials visited the park in 2015 and fundraising efforts began in 2017. To learn more about the Korean War Memorial and American-Korean Alliance Peace Park, visit www.koreanwarmemorialpeacepark.com, or check out the initiatives Facebook page, The Korean War Memorial, American-Korean Alliance Peace Park. The parks land is owned by Montgomery Township, but it was purchased with funds from the countys Open Space Program in 1998, according to Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh. Arkoosh added that any augmentations to the land would need to be submitted and approved only under specific parameters. So this beautiful space will always be this beautiful space, Arkoosh said. Other speakers from Saturdays event were from military and veterans organizations, as well as Montgomery County Sheriff Sean Kilkenny, and Ambassador Won Sam Chang, consulate general of the Republic of Korea, based in New York City. Dignitaries addressed the current global health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chang expressed his condolences to those whove lost their lives, and his gratitude to the health care workers and first responders working on the front lines. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt normal life in Montgomery County, spectators and veterans were still able to safely gather to pay tribute to the parks new monument under the stipulated conditions in Gov. Tom Wolfs mandated green phase. Arkoosh noted how the areas Korean community has stepped up during this difficult time. Specifically, the Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia, whose members have made masks to help mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus. Arkoosh, donning a mask made by the organization, said that acts like this are the real meaning of this memorial. When two countries come together to help each other out in a time of need not because they necessarily had a long standing preexisting relationship, but because it was the right thing to do. To protect our shared values, Arkoosh said. To protect a way of life and a way of government that is deeply meaningful to all of us. When two countries come together in that way, that bond is there no matter what the future brings, no matter what challenge, no matter what pandemic, no matter what emergency, and we will forever be grateful for that, she said. This article was updated to reflect the name of the organization as the Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia. Union Civli Aviation Ministry on Saturday (June 25) cleared the deck for Greenfield Airport at Uttrakhand's Pantnagar by submitting pre-feasibility report for airport. The pre-feasibility report was submitted by Aviation Secretary Pradeep Kharola and Airport Authority of India chairman Arvind Singh to Uttrakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. It is learnt that Kharola and Singh submitted the report giving a 'yes' to 1100 acre land for Greenfield airport at Pantnagar after inspecting the land earmarked for the project. The Union Civil Aviation Ministry in its report has suggested the proposed 1100 acre of land in Pantnagar for Greenfield airport a 'Suitable Land'. The Ministry said in its report that the airport will give boost to air connectivity, tourism, economy, disaster management and strategic interests. The Ministry has also proposed that the Greenfield airport at Pantnagar would be upgraded to international airport in future. Stressing on the importance of the new airport, CM Rawat asserted that it is important to strengthen the air infrastructure in the state from tourism, disaster and strategic point of view. CM Rawat added that significant amount of work has been done in the field of civil aviation in the state in the last three years. Pantnagar airport currently has about 267 acres of land with a 530 sqm of passenger terminal. The current handling capacity of the airport is 50 passengers in peak hours. CM Rawat has directed the concerned officials to complete the necessary procedures for the greenfield airport as soon as possible. Traits that form an organism's appearance, including color, are determined by many different genes and the creature's environment. "Humans and domestic animals, for example, have varied skin, fur and hair, as well as a range of heights -- an example of continuous variation," says Utah State University genetic ecologist Zach Gompert. "In the wild, however, types of genetic mutations affecting adaptation and thus, appearance, are only beginning to be understood. Some traits show more discontinuous or discrete variation." In a paper published July 23, 2020 in Science, Gompert and colleagues from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom; France's Paul Valery University of Montpellier; the University of Bern and the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, Switzerland; Mexico's Campus Juriquilla of the Autonomous University of Queretaro, University of Notre Dame and the University of Nevada-Reno, discuss findings from an investigation of seven species of North American stick insects (Timema). "Most research on the genetic basis of traits and adaptation has focused on individual genes and small mutations," says Gompert, associate professor in USU's Department of Biology and the USU Ecology Center "But in this paper, we uncover a greater role for large mutations and structural rearrangements of the genome that effectively 'lock up' suites of genes in groups." The stick insects used in the study are flightless and plant-feeding. Most Timema species have green and brown-color "morphs," a local variety of a species, which are cryptic, meaning they visually blend into their surroundings. Cryptic coloration enables the insects to avoid predation by birds, as they blend in on the leaves and stems or bark of the plants they eat. However, one species, Timema chumash, exhibits a range of morph colors, including greens and browns, but also yellow, orange, red, and shades of blue. "Using genome-mapping methods, we show that a large, million base pair, adaptive deletion -- a supermutation -- converts a continuum of color variation seen in T. chumash into discrete color morphs in the other stick insect species," Gompert says. "This finding is important, as it helps reconcile large evolutionary shifts or gaps with the continuous process of evolution. It also provides insights into how continuous variation is packaged into semi-discrete units of biological diversity, such as morphs, sexes and species." By the time Rugg set his mattress on fire, he had made four formal requests to be seen by mental health staff, starting from the first day of lockdown on April 6, as well as spoken requests during twice-daily temperature checks. He says one mental health worker came to see him, but only to tell him to put in his paperwork. I cant sleep and my doctor wont come, he wrote to Veronesi in one letter, and in another: I feel overwhelmed by everything. JAIPUR/NEW DELHI : The political crisis in Rajasthan that began as a feud between rebel Congress leader Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is now turning into a tussle between the Chief Minister and Governor Kalraj Mishra. While Gehlot and his loyalist MLAs continue to mount pressure on the Governor for an assembly session, Mishra has so far not given any indication that he will yield to the pressure. ALSO READ| Congress workers stage demonstrations across Rajasthan against BJP Angered by an unresponsive Governor, the Congress announced that it would hold protests outside all Raj Bhavans across the country on Monday. "PCCs will hold protests in front of Raj Bhavans across the country against this naked murder of democracy and subverting institutions on Monday, the 27th of July, 2020. Join this mass movement to save our democracy & Constitution," Congress organisational secretary KC Venugopal tweeted. Following this, the PCCs will hold protests in front of Raj Bhavans across the country against this naked murder of democracy & subverting institutions on Monday, the 27th of July, 2020. Join this mass movement to save our democracy & Constitution. K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 25, 2020 The party will hold an online campaign, 'Speak up for democracy', on Sunday against what it called the BJPs constant attempts to topple elected governments and misusing constitutional bodies. Gehlot, meanwhile, held a string of meetings with his MLAs and cabinet colleagues. In his meeting with the MLAs, Gehlot said if needed he was ready to go to the President to ensure that the "BJP conspiracy" to delay a test of strength does not succeed. ALSO READ| Cong GenNext wants to be Pilot sans plan "The BJP conspiracy will not be allowed to succeed. I will go to Rashtrapati Bhavan if needed. If we have to picket Rashtrapati Bhavan or even the Prime Minister's residence we will do so," Gehlot told the MLAs, who raised their hands in support. Later, the Rajasthan Cabinet met at Gehlot's residence where a fresh proposal for an Assembly session was drafted. The reworked proposal was sent to Raj Bhavan, which said the focus of the session would be the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis. Gehlot was expected to meet Mishra in the evening. The BJP, on its part, said the state was heading for a "constitutional crisis". ALSO READ| We will gherao PM Modi's house if necessary, says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot A 12-member team met Mishra and accused the CM of preventing the Governor from carrying out his constitutional duties. "We have asked the Governor that the governments focus should be on coronavirus," said party chief Satish Poonia. Press Release July 26, 2020 POE BATS FOR TAX INCENTIVES FOR DOCTORS PROVIDING FREE SERVICES Doctors who brave the frontlines - with or without the pandemic - to give their services for free to where healthcare needs are at their direst deserve recognition and incentives, Sen. Grace Poe said. In her Senate Bill No. 1715 or the Physician Pro Bono Care Act, Poe pitched that physicians rendering free services to indigent patients shall be entitled to a tax credit to be deducted from their gross income. "A number of doctors have taken it upon themselves to volunteer and render free health services to our people who cannot afford to seek medical attention. The tax incentive is a way of giving back for their selflessness, commitment and expertise," Poe said. According to the measure, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) are tasked to evaluate the pro bono services rendered by the physicians, considering the number of hours and the nature of treatment involved. The Bureau of Internal Revenue, in consultation with the DOH and the PMA, will promulgate the rules and regulations for the implementation of the measure. In pushing for her proposal, Poe underscored the constitutional right of Filipinos to have access to health services, and for the government to endeavor to provide free medical care to the poor. In 2019, the Philippines had a woeful doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:33,000 - far from the 1:6,600 global average. Worse, six out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor. Poe said the COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the country's healthcare system and highlighted the importance of having adequate number of doctors in protecting and advancing public health. The pandemic also widened the gap to quality healthcare access among the poor and the marginalized. "Truthful to their oath, doctors reduce or even forgo their fees based on patients' circumstances. But we recognize that they also have a need to sustain their profession and that's where tax incentives could be most helpful," Poe said. "If doctors could write off their pro bono work on their taxes, we would see more charity care. This is a win-win situation for patients and doctors," she said. The senator explained that while a favorable tax incentive would result in less tax revenue, generating more free physicians' services could lead to long-term savings for the government's health insurance program, which would offset potential revenue losses. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Here's a look at futures prices on commodities that impact Southern Illinois and the rest of the Midwest. Silver streaks higher Silvers meteoric rise continued this week, exploding over $23 per ounce for the first time since 2013. The metals value has more than doubled since mid-March when investment assets collapsed amid the initial coronavirus-driven market panic. Since then, as scientists and investors more fully grasp the impact of the pandemic, people are flocking toward silver, boosting the price by over $3 per ounce this week alone. Meanwhile, gold is nearing an all-time high. The yellow metal sold off less substantially than silver this spring, but its recent rise of more than $400 per ounce is a sign that gold remains a darling investment. The primary driver of both metals has been increasing government debt as the U.S. Congress and European Union are each spending trillions to combat the economic and healthcare costs of the COVID-19 outbreak. Investors are fearing that the increase in spending could devolve into governments printing money and sparking inflation to foot the stimulus bills, which should boost metals further. Alongside investor demand, industrial consumption of metals is rebounding as the global economy increases activity, adding fuel to the rally. As of midday Friday, gold traded for $1897 per ounce, while silver stood at $22.85. Soybeans surge Soybeans shot to $9.10 per bushel on Friday on news of rising foreign demand for U.S. beans, especially from China. American farmers typically compete with growers in Brazil for foreign buyers, but this years Brazilian crop is almost completely sold, leaving the U.S. as the primary supplier for global demand. The U.S. soybean crop is entering a critical stage in its growth and conditions are looking great, indicating a large and healthy crop. Even as prices rise, some traders warn the market could be approaching a proverbial cliff as political tensions between the U.S. and China escalated this week. The U.S. forced China to close its Houston consulate over accusations of espionage, and now China is retaliating by closing a U.S. consulate in Chengdu. If the relationship continues to erode, trade between the worlds two largest economies could be threatened yet again. By far, soybeans are the most valuable export from America to China; any additional trade interruptions could send soybeans sharply lower. Walt and Alex Breitinger are commodity futures brokers in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the opinions here are solely the writers'. They can be reached at 800-411-3888 or www.indianafutures.com. This is not a solicitation of any order to buy or sell any market. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The world is working on a vaccine which can check the spread of Covid-19 that has killed lakhs across the globe. From Americas to Australia, there is hardly any major country left which is not affected by the coronavirus disease. But since its outbreak, fake information on social media too has been flowing incessantly. The infodemic has led to numerous false claims being made on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. In March, when India had just entered the first phase of the lockdown, fake bank account details were circulated for contributions to the government relief funds. There are also a number of other such misinformation being circulated including about the Covid-19 treatment and on ways to avoid getting infected from the deadly coronavirus. In fact, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) launched a fact-checking Twitter handle which keeps on debunking such news. And since the time the Oxford University announced the results of its vaccine candidate, the focus of the rumour mill has been the human trials and vaccine safety. One of the videos being widely viewed on Facebook falsely claims that people who will be administered Covid-19 vaccine will see their DNA change. The video has been made by US-based osteopath Carrie Madej. Without giving any evidence, she also claims that these vaccines will link people up to an artificial intelligence interface. According to the results presented by the Oxford University, their vaccine Astrazeneca will trigger immunity response against the Sars-CoV-2 virus by invoking the T-cells. Moreover, the researchers have said that the vaccine will undergo rigorous trials and a series of checks before it is recommended for widespread public use. Then there was a claim that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said in an interview that he expects 7,00,000 people to develop negative side effects from a coronavirus vaccine. In fact, some of the posts falsely quoted Gates to say that 7,00,000 people will die after taking Covid-19 vaccines. The interview happened in April, but the clips started circulating in July. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation confirmed in a statement that Gates reference was hypothetical. Strong scientific evidence shows that vaccines are safe and they have a proven track record of preventing diseases, the statement said. Experts believe that a vaccine against Covid-19 will be critical to ending this pandemic once clinical trials show that they are safe and effective in a broad group of people. There was more controversy and false claims regarding the vaccine work being done by Gates. Some of the posts on the social media said that the tech billionaire is planning to implant microchips in people through Covid-19 vaccine. This theory was propounded by Russian Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov in May. In a column, Zyuganov attacked capital globalism and claimed that the mandatory vaccination plan is a ploy by so-called globalists to implant chip in every human being so that their movements could be monitored. Gates said in an interview last week that he wants the truth to reach people and hoped the fake news dies down. Gates and a foundation led by him and his wife Melinda are working to find a vaccine for Covid-19. In February, the foundation had announced that it is donating US $100 million to vaccine research and treatment efforts. Another false claim made through memes is that the 50 million fatalities reported during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 were caused by vaccines. The US Centres Centers for Disease Control has called it the most severe pandemic in recent history, but stated that there was no vaccine at that time which caused such a large number of fatalities. YouTuber Jim Chapman has announced his engagement to girlfriend Sarah Tarleton - having only split from his wife Tanya Burr in March 2019. Jim, 32, and Sarah, 27, are currently holidaying in Mallorca at the luxury Cap Rocat Hotel and took to Instagram at the weekend to post snaps with the model flashing a diamond ring. He captioned this: '@sarah.tarleton and I have some news!' 'We have some news!' YouTuber Jim Chapman has announced his engagement to girlfriend Sarah Tarleton - despite only splitting from his wife Tanya Burr in March 2019 Sarah also posted a snap of the pair lovingly looking at one another, captioning it: 'A bit too overwhelmed to find the right words, but this has been the most magical weekend!' The couple stood on the shoreline at sunset with the ocean stretching out behind them as they posed for the announcement. Sarah looked summery in a floral dress while Jim donned a navy polo shirt and white slacks. The pair are expected to return to the UK at the end of the weekend and will then need to quarantine for 14 days under the new COVID-19 Spanish travel restrictions. Sarah addressed this in an Insta story as she lay on a sun lounger admiring the view. She wrote: 'Last bit of this dreamy set-up before two weeks quarantine. Worth it, probably one of the best weekends of my life!' Sarah also posted a snap of the pair lovingly looking at one another, captioning it: 'A bit too overwhelmed to find the right words, but this has been the most magical weekend!' Moving on: Jim, 31, and Sarah, 27, are currently holidaying in Mallorca at the luxury Cap Rocat Hotel and took to Instagram at the weekend to post snaps with the model flashing a diamond ring Ex-wife: In March 2019, Bulletproof actress Tanya announced her split from childhood sweetheart Jim following three and half years of marriage What pandemic? The pair are expected to return to the UK at the end of the weekend and will then need to quarantine for 14 days under the new COVID-19 Spanish travel restrictions. Sarah addressed this in an Insta story as she lay on a sun lounger admiring the view Jim had shared gushing snaps with Sarah over the course of the weekend, branding her in one Insta Story his 'one true love'. Earlier in July, he credited her for helping him through lockdown, admitting he'd struggled during the pandemic. 'Lockdown has been really difficult for the last few weeks - Ive not been the happiest version of myself, but @sarah.tarleton has been an excellent little companion and kept me smiling. Shes alright, I guess,' he posted on Instagram. He and Tanya - married for three and a half years - confirmed they had ended their relationship just 16 months ago. They had been together for 12 years in total. Besotted: Jim had shared gushing snaps with Sarah over the course of the weekend, branding her in one Insta Story his 'one true love' Pretty: Sarah is an Anglo-Indian Model and a self-confessed 'bookworm' Gushing: Earlier in July, he credited her for helping him through lockdown, admitting he'd struggled during the pandemic Shortly after their split, in May 2019, a video obtained exclusively by MailOnline revealed that Jim had already moved on - with him seen kissing Sarah whilst attending the VIP launch of show Hats, Heels and Horses at The London Cabaret Club. The YouTuber and the Anglo-Indian model attempted to 'keep a low-profile' as they made their first public appearance together at the high-profile event, just weeks after he and his wife confirmed their split. A source told MailOnline: 'At the beginning of the night during the drinks reception Jim and Sarah were cosied up in a booth tucked away at the end of the bar area, far away from the rest of the VIP guests. Jim wrote on July 9: 'Lockdown has been really difficult for the last few weeks - Ive not been the happiest version of myself, but @sarah.tarleton has been an excellent little companion and kept me smiling. Shes alright, I guess' 'After Vogue Williams finished her DJ set, they stayed in the bar and tried to keep a low-profile while everyone else took to their seats in the iconic Bloomsbury Ballroom for the main event. 'Once the lights had gone down and the show had begun, Jim escorted Sarah to their seats, which were positioned at the end of the central runway, in full view of all of the celebrity guests and cameras flashing. 'They seemed completely at ease with each other, laughing and chatting away, and even shared a kiss when the lights were dimmed during one of the performances. 'They left together part-way through the cabaret show.' Spotted: Shortly after Jim and Tanya split, a video obtained exclusively by MailOnline in May 2019 revealed that Jim had already moved on - with him seen kissing Sarah whilst attending the VIP launch of show Hats, Heels and Horses at The London Cabaret Club [pictured posing with performers from the cabaret show] Break-up: Tanya broke her silence about the split last November, insisting that there was 'no drama' and that she and Jim were 'still best friends' [pictured in 2017] Tanya broke her silence about the split last November, insisting that there was 'no drama' and that she and Jim were 'still best friends'. Jim revealed he had moved out of the 2million London he shared with Tanya in April 2019, and had moved in with his sister. In a clip posted to his Instagram Stories the YouTuber informed fans that he was staying in his sibling's abode until he officially settles into his new home. The social media sensation told his followers: 'I'm staying at my sis house for a while, until the sale of my place goes through and I can move there.' Tanya originally took to her Instagram account to reveal that she and the blogger had 'made the painful decision to no longer be together'. Split: Upon announcing their split in March, Tanya went on to insist that she and Jim would 'remain friends forever' and have a 'huge amount of love and respect for each other' [pictured in 2018] She insisted that she and Jim, who shared a net worth of 4million, would 'remain friends forever' and have a 'huge amount of love and respect for each other'. She penned in a statement: 'Just wanted to let you all know that a few weeks ago Jim and I made the painful decision to no longer be together. 'We have a huge amount of love and respect for each other and will continue to remain friends forever. Thank you in advance for respecting our privacy at this difficult time.' Jim also took to his Instagram stories to share a heartbreaking post about their split, he penned: 'After twelve incredible years, Tan and I have decided to go our separate ways. End of the road: She took to her Instagram account to reveal that she and the blogger had 'made the painful decision to no longer be together' 'We're still absolutely the best of friends and have nothing but love and respect for each other. 'We will continued to support one another in all of our ventures and are both looking forward to what the future holds.' A friend of the couple told The Sun: 'Jim and Tanya are both really sad but the split has been done with love and respect for each other. 'They will stay friends for sure. There was no one to blame they just grew apart.' Tanya and Jim had been in a relationship since December 2006, the model had been in the year above her at sixth form in Norwich. 'We're still absolutely the best of friends': Jim also took to his Instagram stories to share a heartbreaking post about their split Young love: Tanya and Jim had been in a relationship since December 2006; he had been in the year above her at sixth form in Norwich [pictured with their dog Martha] They got engaged in 2012 during a romantic getaway to New York and later married at Babington House, Somerset, in September 2015. They seemed to hint at their troubles, as neither Tanya or Jim had posted photoswith one another on their very active social media accounts in the two months leading up to the confirmation of their split. Jim's birthday celebrations on December 28 2018 marked the last post they shared together. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, Karan Johars manager and even Johar, if need be, will be questioned in connection with the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said on Sunday. Deshmukh said Bhatt will be called for questioning on Monday and Johars manager will be called thereafter. Police will call Johar too if required. Summons have been sent to Kangana Ranaut for her statement in the case, he said. Police have already questioned more than 30 people from the film industry, including director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and director-producer Aaditya Chopra, among others. Deshmukh had said last week there was no need for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case and that Mumbai Police were probing it efficiently. The state home minister had reacted after actor Rhea Chakraborty took to social media demanding the probe be shifted to the central agency. Rajput, 34, was found dead in his apartment in Bandra in Mumbai on June 14. Police have said the actor died by suicide. Deshmukh had said on June 15 the police were investigating the angle of professional rivalry if any. The minster had also tweeted the alleged cause of clinical depression owing to the profession rivalry behind the death of the Dil Bechara actor were also being probed. (Please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist if you need support or know someone who does. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918) By Trudy Rubin Last week, Mike Pompeo came to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to release a yearlong State Department study on the U.S. approach to human rights. You might think the secretary of state's timing strange, as President Donald Trump mocks basic human rights principles at home and abroad. But Pompeo told his audience, "The timing couldn't be better." I agree. This is a moment in time when Americans should be having a national dialogue led by the White House on how to transform the "inalienable rights" enshrined in the Constitution into reality in race relations. It is also a time when the country needs to reexamine whether and how our leaders can promote human rights abroad. But those vital debates aren't happening. And that is not, as Pompeo charged at the National Constitution Center, because "too many leading voices promulgate hatred of our founding principles." They aren't happening because the president openly assaults the values Pompeo claims to be defending, and stokes racial hatred while blaming his critics for the chaos he creates. It is still useful, however, to pay attention to the report of the State Department's Commission on Unalienable Rights, which casts light on the national dialogue we should be having. The commission was originally tasked with reexamining the role of human rights in U.S. foreign policy. What emerged is a document Pompeo is shamelessly using to appeal to President Trump's conservative religious base. The secretary distinguishes between the "inalienable rights" promised in our founding documents _ the report stresses property rights and religious liberty as the most essential _ and "contrived rights" created by politicians. The implication is that the latter includes reproductive rights and LGBTQ rights, which are undeserving of protection (especially when you need evangelical votes). Equally egregious, the secretary uses the report to claim that "never before have America's founding principles been under such relentless assault." He denounces "outrageous efforts to erase American history by tearing down statues of our nation's founders." In other words, a report on the nation's founding principles is used as a vehicle to misrepresent the struggle to implement those principles with demonstrations that have been overwhelmingly peaceful. No mention of Trump's sending military-clad federal agents uninvited into U.S. cities, in autocrat wannabe mode. And when it comes to statues of our nation's founders _ in the few instances where they have been threatened _ the Trump administration's behavior makes it harder to defend them. I believe that statues of the founders should be honored, not defaced, because those men embraced universal principles unique to the times they lived in, principles that we are still struggling to live up to. Trump could be making that argument in an effort to bring the country together. Instead, he and Pompeo choose to stir ugly divisions that undercut the very principles they claim to endorse. And that fake Pompeo piety is equally egregious when it comes to promoting human rights abroad at a time when American leverage is waning. He uses the report to argue that Trump's critics "have lost sight of the fundamental difference between autocracies ... and liberal democracies." "That is the most appalling part of the report," notes Michael Posner, the former assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor under President Barack Obama. "Look at Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Hungary, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia," Posner told me. Indeed, the list goes on and on of places where Trump has failed to raise human rights issues with autocratic leaders he favors, even as he critiques such violations in countries he dislikes, such as Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba. Until recently, when attacks on China became a campaign necessity, Trump turned a blind eye to the mass concentration camps in which Beijing has interned millions of Muslim Uighurs. Only months ago, the president was praising the "great progress" made by China in Hong Kong. And, oh yes, Trump praised North Korea's Kim Jong Un as a man whose "country does love him," with naught a word about the huge concentration camps in the country. And laughed with Vladimir Putin about the deaths of Russian journalists. Apparently it is Trump who can't tell the difference between liberal democracies and autocracies, nor can his secretary of state. Yet, Pompeo's sycophantic defense of his rights report is still useful, because it reminds us of the debates that will be necessary if the administration changes in November. The country will need to revisit the issue of how to restore human rights advocacy as a serious element of U.S. foreign policy, not one dependant on presidential whim. Far from disqualifying America as a rights promoter, our internal struggles over race are a sign that most Americans care about the founding principles that Trump and Pompeo keep insulting. "I think the civil rights struggle is an opportunity," Posner told me. "We are an open society, and that hard debate over our failings makes the world recognize we take these things seriously." More seriously than the current administration's pretend concern for values it dishonors every day. Trudy Rubin ( Trudy Rubin ( trubin@phillynews.com ) is a columnist and editorial-board member for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Her commnetary was distributed by Tribune Content Agency. By AFP RIO DE JANEIRO: A cobra that bit a veterinary student in Brazil, putting him in a coma, has turned into a celebrity by sparking an investigation into an alleged exotic animal trafficking ring. The monocled cobra, which is native to Asia, bit 22-year-old Pedro Krambeck Lehmkuhl on July 7 in Brasilia, sending doctors on a frantic search for the right antivenom so rare in Brazil that the lone doses had to be rushed from Sao Paulo. Questions about how the snake ended up at the student's apartment soon turned into a police investigation that found 16 other snakes at a property belonging to a friend of Lehmkuhls, as well as three sharks, seven more snakes, a Moray eel and a Tupinambis lizard at another property. So far the probe has led to the firing of two officials at the Brazilian environmental regulator, IBAMA, over suspicions they facilitated fraudulent import permits for a wildlife trafficking ring. The cobra Naja in Portuguese has meanwhile become an internet sensation, after being found near a shopping centre where it was allegedly abandoned by a friend of Lehmkuhls trying to get rid of evidence. A Twitter account opened in the snakes name, @najaoriginal, has nearly 50,000 followers. It is now living at the Brasilia Zoo, which showed off Brazils most famous cobra in an Instagram live video on Friday. A Rwandan refugee could face up to 10 years in prison after admitting setting fire to Nantes cathedral. The 39-year-old man, who has solely been identified by his first name Emmanuel, worked as a volunteer security guard at the 15th-century Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paint which set alight last week. Three fires had been started at the site on July 18 and it took 104 firefighters to control the blaze which tore through the building and caused millions of pounds worth of damage. A Rwandan refugee faces up to 10 years in prison after confessing to an arson attack on Nantes cathedral last week Fire engines and 104 firefighters worked tirelessly at tackling the blaze in the Catherdral and stayed there to ensure it was completely under control The Rwandan refugee was questioned for a second time yesterday by prosecutors and he was placed under formal investigation early this morning after confessing to setting fire to the cathedral, French newspaper Le Monde reported. Prosecutor Pierre Sennes said Emmanuel had been charged with causing the destruction of property by fire an offence that can be punished with a 10-year sentence and fine equivalent to 136,000. Sennes added that Emmanuel had previously denied any involvement in the fire. His lawyer, Quentin Chabert, said his client bitterly regretted his acts and 'cooperated' with police. Emmanuel was being housed by the Nantes diocese, having arrived in France five years ago, and was one of seven security guards at the cathedral. On the day of the fire he was responsible for locking up the cathedral, which was started in 1434 and took more than four centuries to complete. Hours later, fire and thick black smoke could be seen pouring out of the building, causing millions of pounds worth of damage. The main organ, which dated back to 1621, was completely destroyed, along with priceless stained glass. Emmanuel initially denied any wrong-doing but then changed his account of events after forensic evidence was found that implicated him in the crime. Father Hubert Champenois, who has been Rector of the cathedral for seven years, said he knew Emmanuel well. The interior of the cathedral was wrecked by the fire and was covered in debris after the inferno tore through the building Firefighters were lifted on a crane across the front of the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul in Nantes after the fire tore through the building 'He served at the altar,' said Father Champenois, before Emmanuel was charged. 'He was well liked. He was a Rwandan refugee who took steps to obtain papers in France.' Michel Bourcier, the cathedral organist, said: 'We have been saying hello and good evening for several years. He is extremely courteous.' The Nantes blaze came just 15 months after a devastating fire tore through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The fire, which led to Notre Dame being shut, has been blamed on an electrical fault. It was not the first time fire damaged the cathedral. It was partly destroyed during World War Two in 1944 after Allied bombings. In 1972 a fire completely ravaged its roof. It was finally rebuilt 13 years later with a concrete structure replacing the ancient wooden roof. 'The fire of 1972 is in our minds, but at this stage the simulation is not comparable,' Nantes Mayor Johanna Rolland told reporters last week. The monument is historically inaccurate, historian Arica L. Coleman told The Washington Post. It gives the impression that we were just sitting around waiting for Lincoln to free us. That is not true. From the beginning of the war, we were running away. A lot of us were going into the Union lines seeking freedom. Black people were like, Im not sitting here waiting to be freed. Even Frederick Douglass, who spoke at the monuments dedication, had issues with it. What I want to see before I die, Douglass wrote in a letter to a newspaper in 1876, is a monument representing the Negro, not couchant on his knees like a 4-footed animal, but erect on his feet like a man. Others point out that the monument was commissioned by Black people and that the model for the Black man in the sculpture was himself formerly enslaved. So, following a failed attempt by protesters more than month ago to topple the sculpture, the debate continues. Some Americans see the mounting anger against such statues as going too far. To be honest, I sometimes wonder that myself. As some of you keep telling me: Slavery ended more than 150 years ago. Get over it. But consider what followed: BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jul. 26 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: Latvia is taking measures to promote sustainable development, eradication of poverty, rule of law, and good governance in the EU Eastern Partnership and Central Asia countries, a representative of Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend. The ministry official said that Latvia implements development cooperation in line with the national Development Cooperation Policy Guidelines for 2016-2020. "The overall objective of the development cooperation policy of Latvia is to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in developing countries, particularly in our priority partner countries in the EU Eastern partnership and Central Asia, by promoting sustainable development, eradication of poverty, rule of law, and good governance," the representative said. As was noted, for several years now, Latvia has been sharing its knowledge and expertise with partners in Uzbekistan in such sectors as good governance, trade facilitation, standardization and certification of agricultural products, good agricultural practice, IT technologies and digitalization, education and other. "Within the EU Border Management Program in Central Asia (BOMCA), Latvia with other project partners share its best practice on border management issues," the representative said. In 2020, within the annual call for proposals (i.e. grant project competition), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia has approved three projects to be implemented in support of Uzbekistan, the official noted. "In line with the 'Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19', this competition was envisaged to address urgent issues caused by the COVID-19 crisis, including in the health sector, and to overcome socio-economic challenges related to COVID-19. To reach those aims, the support could also be provided to the development of public governance, administrative capacity building, business development, strengthening export capacity, and promotion of principles of democratic and open societies," the official said. Besides the annual call for proposals, this year Latvia will also implement a project to exchange experience on education digitalization issues in Central Asia Uzbekistan included. "Moreover, our support to partner countries in 2020 is also a part of assistance put in place through the Team Europe package in the EUs Eastern Partnership and Central Asian countries described in the 'Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19'," the official concluded. --- Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh Millions of migrant workers who fled Indias cities when the virus hit are too scared to return. Spurning free air tickets, accommodation and higher pay, millions of migrant workers who fled Indias cities when the new coronavirus hit are too scared to return, with grim implications for the already crumbling economy. Migrant labourers form the backbone of Asias third-biggest economy toiling in every sector from making consumer goods and stitching garments to driving cabs. But when India went into lockdown in late March, vast numbers of them lost their jobs, prompting a heart-rending exodus back to their home villages, sometimes on foot, their children in their arms. Nearly 200 migrant workers died on the way, according to data compiled by a road safety NGO. Mumbais swanky highrises, for example, were built and largely staffed by people from poorer states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, who worked as security guards, cooks and cleaners. But as the city became a virus hotspot, about 80 percent of construction workers left the financial hub after work came to a standstill, according to the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry. Migrant workers queue to enter a railway station to board train directed to the Indian state of Bihar during a coronavirus lockdown, in Faridabad, Haryana state [File: Money Sharma/AFP] Four months on, with lockdown measures eased, some workers have trickled back but more than 10,000 building sites are lying virtually abandoned due to severe labour shortages across the city. We are trying our best to bring back migrant workers, even going to the extent of giving them air tickets, COVID-19 health insurance [and] weekly checkups by doctors, real estate developer Rajesh Prajapati told AFP news agency. But it has not reaped any positive signs yet. Property giant Hiranandani Group, which unusually continued to pay its workers during the lockdown, has had more success. But the company has still only managed to convince about 30 percent of its 4,500 workers to stay on site. We looked after them, took care of their food, safety and sanitisation and even had mobile creches for kids, the groups billionaire co-founder Niranjan Hiranandani told AFP. Double whammy for economy With a colossal slump in growth expected, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government has steadily eased restrictions on many businesses even as coronavirus cases near 1.4 million. But analysts say firms are still staring at a bleak future due to battered finances, stalled projects and crucially, a lack of workers. Real estate demand has plummeted by almost 90 percent in Mumbai, with falling sales and the lull in construction severely affecting access to credit. We have a double whammy with the pandemic eroding demand while construction workers are not available, Pankaj Kapoor, CEO of Mumbai-based consultancy Liases Foras, told AFP. Credit flow from the lender has [also] stopped because credit disbursal is based on construction progress and sales, he said, projecting the turmoil to deepen. Migrant workers from Maharashtra state walk along a road on the outskirts of Hyderabad city to reach their hometowns during a government-imposed lockdown [File: Noah Seelam/AFP] Business owners in other fields paint an equally grim picture. Aseem Kumar, general secretary of the Garment Exporters Association of Rajasthan, told AFP his sector was in a mess. The organisation represents 300 manufacturers exporting clothing to Japan, the United States and Europe. Many have offered workers accommodation, insurance and a 20 percent raise, but to little avail. Most of the orders have been deferred to next season as there are no labourers available, he said. A lack of transport means that even those who are willing to swallow their fear and return to work many are desperate to do so are unable to. Construction worker Shambhu told AFP his family of four was on the brink of destitution after he fled Mumbai, reduced to living on 200 rupees ($2.70) a week. Unlike his compatriots, the 27-year-old, who goes by one name only, was able to travel by rail to Odisha a possibility that is now firmly out of reach because most trains are not running. Almost 50 percent of people I know are ready to return if trains are restarted, he said. It is better to go to big cities and work than sit in villages and starve to death. A second United States city has descended into chaos with police declaring a riot following a large demonstration motivated by long-running protests against police brutality as people took to the streets in solidarity with nearby Portland protests. Seattle police made the declaration on Saturday (local time) after protests in the citys Capitol Hill neighbourhood and deployed flash bangs and pepper spray to try to clear an area near where weeks earlier people had set up an occupied protest zone that stretched for several blocks. Via Twitter, police said they had made more than two dozen arrests for assaults on officers, obstruction and failure to disperse. They also said they were investigating a possible explosive damage to the walls of the citys East Precinct police station. Firecrackers go off near members of a police SWAT team during protests in Seattle. Source: Getty Images Authorities said rocks, bottles, fireworks and mortars were thrown at officers as they attempted to clear the area over the course of several hours stretching into Saturday night. One officer was hospitalised with a leg injury caused by an explosive. One witness shared a video of a violent confrontation showing police firing pepper spray and barging through a crowd. Thugs pepper spraying a nurse in scrubs at the Seattle protests is cowardly and grotesque. These are our essential, front-line workers against COVID-19, they wrote to Twitter. The video showed a woman in scrubs being pepper sprayed at close range. Source: Twitter Earlier, protesters in Seattle broke through a fence where a youth detention facility was being built, with some people setting a fire and damaging a portable trailer, authorities said. Thousands of protesters had initially gathered peacefully near downtown in a show of solidarity with fellow demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, where tensions with federal law enforcement have boiled over during protests stemming from the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Story continues The US appears to be coming apart at the seams ahead of the November election as social unrest mounts. Source: Getty Initially there was no sign of law enforcement near the Seattle march. Later, Seattle Police said via Twitter that about a dozen people breached the construction site for the King County youth detention facility. Also, police said protesters broke out windows at a King County court facility. Earlier this week authorities, in response to long-standing demands by community activists, said they would work to eliminate youth detention centres in the county by 2025. After the fire at the construction site authorities said they had ordered people to leave a different area, in a section of Capitol Hill, near downtown, where the East Precinct is. At least one person broke through a fence line at the precinct, authorities said, and moments later a device exploded that left a 20cm hole in the side of the precinct. A demonstrator kneels in front of police during protests on Saturday. Source: Getty Images Demonstrators use skip bins and shields for protection from police during a protest on Saturday in Seattle. Source: Getty Images Earlier this month police cleared the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone after two fatal shootings. A group had occupied several blocks around a park for about two weeks following standoffs and clashes that were part of the nationwide unrest over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Prior to Saturdays protests, Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best had announced officers would be armed with pepper spray and other weapons, promising officers would not use tear gas and urging demonstrators to remain peaceful. In the spirit of offering trust and full transparency, I want to advise you that SPD officers will be carrying pepper spray and blast balls today, as would be typical for events that carry potential to include violence, Best said. A Seattle SWAT officer rides on an armored vehicle as police and protesters clash on the weekend. Source: Getty Death after shooting in Texas protest One person has been killed after several shots were fired amid a Black Lives Protest in downtown Austin, Texas. Footage posted during a Facebook Live on Saturday, US time, showed the moment when several shots rang out as a group of about 100 people marched and chanted "Fists up! Fight back!" Austin's Police and the city's Emergency Medical Services department confirmed on Twitter that one person was killed during the shooting. There were no other deaths or people shot, according to the EMS department. With Reuters Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. The government said on Friday that the change will come into force from July 28 and will apply to Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and St Vincent and the Grenadine, reports the BBC. London, July 25 (IANS) The UK government has announced that travellers from another five countries will not be required to quarantine upon their arrival, it was reported on Saturday. The countries were initially were excluded from the government's list of 74 'safe' spots announced in early July, but changes have been made following 'risk assessment reviews, the Department of Transport said on Friday. The government will update the list on a weekly basis if any changes are required. Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is expected to announce a Portugal air bridge on Monday after the Portuguese government was reportedly angered by an "absurd" decision to exclude the country, reports the Metro newspaper. The south-western European country has seen cases slow to 127 a day, the lowest since May 11, although parts of Lisbon have sparked concern and remain in partial lockdown. Self-isolation for 14 days will still be required for people travelling from Canada, the US, Sweden, Russia and much of Central or South America. The government has been advising against all but essential travel since March, but this advice has been lifted for destinations that "no longer pose an unacceptably high risk" for British travellers. Health measures like quarantine are set by each UK nation separately, the BBC reported. Wales and Northern Ireland have introduced quarantine exemptions for the same countries as England. Scotland is also allowing exemptions, and has updated its own list of countries with which it is now allowing travel without quarantine. --IANS ksk/ Former Gov. Chris Christies new lobbying firm was paid $180,000 in the last three months by three New Jersey hospital chains on stimulus legislation approved by Congress in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Senate filings show. Christies firm, Christie 55 Solutions LLC, was paid $60,000 apiece by Atlantic Health System, Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJBarnabas Health between April 1 and June 30, filings show. Christie and Rich Bagger, his former chief of staff, were hired to lobby on the $2 trillion stimulus law known as the CARES Act and the federal paycheck protection program, which offered forgivable low-interest loans to small businesses that retained their employees despite the coronavirus-related recession. New Jersey hospitals have said that most of the CARES Act money earmarked for health care facilities was not allocated on the basis of coronavirus cases but through formulas that shortchanged them. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage The firm also received $60,000 from Clean Slate Centers, a chain of alcohol and drug treatment centers, to lobby on the CARES Act, PPP loans, and regulations concerning substance abuse treatment. Christie made fighting opioid addiction a top priority his final year as governor and he later was put in charge of President Donald Trumps Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. Christies firm was also paid $30,000 by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to lobby the White House on actions to help Puerto Rico recover from the earthquakes and hurricanes that have hit the island. Both Christie and Bagger were listed as lobbyists for the authority. Trump called Puerto Rico one of the most corrupt places on earth, claimed that the islands death toll after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2018 was inflated to make me look as bad as possible, misstated how much recovery money was allocated to the island, and refused to allow federal funds to be spent on the electrical grid. Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke said Trump at one point suggested selling the island. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Express News Service By NEW DELHI: North Delhi mayor Jai Prakash on Saturday visited waterlogged lanes of Mubarakpur Dabas in Kirari and arranged pumps to drain stagnated water. He was accompanied by local councillor Poonam Prashar. During the inspection Prakash waded through knee-deep water. "The area is neglected by the Delhi government hence 1.5 lakh residents of the area have to suffer every year due to waterlogging," said Prakash. The mayor claimed that he had discussed the issue with the chief minister Arvind Kejriwal two days but to no avail. "The CM told me that local MLA will inspect the area with me but he didnt turn up today. I arranged Corporations pump to drain water, which had entered the houses," Prakash said. The mayor has been visiting different neighbourhoods every day to check sanitation and waterlogging arranged himself. Several residents, present during the inspection, said that the entire locality is submerged after every rain and during monsoon, the situation turned bad to worse. "Mubarakpur Dabas is an unauthorised Colony, therefore, it is the governments responsibility to make roads and sewer line here. But no development has taken place here in the last couple of years. It seems that this area is not part of the city," said the mayor. Prakash also instructed malaria department officials to conduct regular fogging and cleaning to prevent an outbreak of water-borne diseases. Rituraj Kovind, Kirari MLA couldnt be reached for comment. Experts say a technology U-turn is needed to help contact tracers in NSW and Victoria because there is "no chance" the COVIDSafe app is going to work as intended with its current settings. Since April the multimillion-dollar COVIDSafe app has found just six connections in NSW not already identified by contract tracers, while in Victoria, where contact tracers are overwhelmed, it is yet to detect a contact that hadn't already been identified. Contact tracing apps work by exchanging Bluetooth handshakes with smartphones around them, recording times that users come into contact with potential coronavirus carriers. But the COVIDSafe app is having unintended effects on battery power, other apps, and may not connect with iPhones if the screen is locked. The COVIDSafe app cost more than $2.5 million to develop but has not identified many cases not found by human contract tracers Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Marc Edwards, founder of app developer Bjango, said there was "no chance" the COVIDSafe app was going to work as intended because it's technically "impossible" to get the app to run continuously while the phone is locked on Apple's software system - iOS. 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... Which is more important: Educating the next generation of New Mexicans to thrive and lead in a complex world, or keeping their teachers, parents and other loved ones healthy and alive to raise and educate them? The only possible answer: We must do both. Thats been our commitment since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its the challenge Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and my staff at the Public Education Department have been facing all summer as case numbers waned and then waxed again in New Mexico. We were pained by the necessity of keeping students and educators physically distant in the spring. We were reenergized by the complex yet hopeful task of preparing for school reentry. And we have dreaded the prospect that a COVID-19 resurgence would further delay the joy and excitement of the first day of school. Unfortunately, given the continuing rise in cases, the Aug. 3 date for a return to in-person learning using a hybrid approach has now been postponed until after Labor Day, when it will be phased in, beginning with our youngest students. The weekslong delay will give our districts and charter schools more time to secure the personal protective equipment needed to keep buildings clean and personnel safe, to communicate reentry plans to families and school staff, and to make sure everyone is ready to return to school safely. The delay will also put that much more distance between the start of in-person learning and our current virus surge, ensuring that we can maintain our commitment to prioritize the health and safety of our students and educators. With those preparations complete, schools will be ready after Labor Day to safely welcome back your youngest learners, who emerging research continues to show spread the virus at much lower rates than adults and teenagers. For that reason, children from pre-K through grade five and grade six in schools where that is the top grade will be allowed to return on a hybrid schedule beginning Sept. 8. Children in grades six through eight will follow based on data benchmarks that support their safe return. After another pause, students in grades nine through 12 will be allowed to return on a hybrid schedule, again based on evidence showing it is safe. Nothing in this plan prevents districts from beginning remotely in August, as schools and districts representing more than 40% of New Mexico school districts and charter schools have already indicated is their plan. In fact, knowing that some families wont feel safe sending children into classrooms at all this fall, the state has invested in online learning management systems and online educational resources so that every district and charter school will be able and required to offer online learning only as an option for families. The plan also provides flexibility needed to serve special-needs students: Those with disabilities may return to classrooms in person in August in small-group or one-on-one settings. Those in pre-kindergarten through third grade who need extra help and support also may return in groups of no more than five students per teacher. In addition to being the place where children are educated, schools have become an important resource for feeding them, and that wont change. Every district has a plan to make sure no New Mexico child misses a school-provided meal during remote learning. Delaying the return to in-person learning is not the outcome we had hoped for. None of this is ideal. We all want educators and students back together as soon as possible. Turning this desire into a reality depends on the rest of us. So please: Stay home. Practice social distancing. And wear face coverings so we can stop the spread. Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) is expected to release the MP Board Class 12th Result 2020 on Monday, i.e. on July 27. The results will be released on the official websites of the board - mpbse.nic.in and mpresults.nic.in. According to the Principal Secretary of School Education Rashmi Arun Shami, the MPBSE class results was to be released in the third-week of July, which for some reasons, has got delayed. This year around 8.5 lakh students appeared for MP class 12 exams. According to reports, the result is expected to be out at 3 pm on Monday. Students can also check their scorecard on - mpbse.mponline.gov.in, results.gov.in, examresults.net and indiaresults.com. Students are advised to keep their admit cards safe so as to fill their board details when the results are declared. Heres how you can check the MP Board 10th Result 2020: 1. Visit the official website at mpbse.nic.in 2. Click on the MP Board 12th result 2020 link on the homepage 3. Key in your login credentials like roll number etc and submit 4. Your MP Board 12th Result 2020 will be displayed on screen 5. Download and take its printout. Students can also check their MP Board class 12 results through mobile apps: 1. MPBSE Mobile app, MP Mobile app, and Fastresults app available on Google Play Store. 2. MP Mobile App on Window App store The MPBSE board class 12 exam was scheduled to be held from March 2 to 31. However, the board had to postpone some exam papers that were scheduled between March 20-31 due to Coronavirus-induced lockdown. The board later announced told exam for important papers, which were necessary for students to get admission to higher education institutions. In 2019, almost 7.5 lakh students had taken the MP Board class 12 exam out of which 76.31 per cent students passed. Congress leader Ajay Maken accused the Centre on Sunday of conspiring to topple the Congress governments in various states, instead of fighting the financial crisis, COVID-19 and China. He also said to protect the Constitution and democracy, Congress workers will stage protests in front of the Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday. The Rajasthan unit of the Congress, however, announced that it would not take part in the nationwide call for protests in front of Raj Bhawans. Addressing a press conference in jaipur, the former Union minister alleged that the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have launched an attack on democracy and the Constitution. "The country is battling against the coronavirus pandemic. The countrymen are facing a severe economic crisis. More than 14 crore jobs have been lost according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). "Small businesses are on the verge of closure. China has taken over our territory. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of fighting the coronavirus, the economic crisis and China, is conspiring to topple Congress governments," he said. "The reality is that the Modi government and the BJP have launched an attack on democracy and the Constitution," Maken added. He said it is clear from the BJP's "conspiracy" to topple the Rajasthan government that these "disruptive forces" want to make democracy a slave of the "Delhi Durbar" and a puppet in their hands. The majority verdict is being murdered in Rajasthan and the public mandate crushed, the Congress leader said. He said the most worrying aspect is that the Constitution and established constitutional traditions are being ruthlessly trampled by the BJP. Maken also said it appears that the hope for justice from the judiciary is diminishing and people occupying constitutional posts such as governors are seen as helpless and unable to protect the Constitution. He said the people of the country have to ask the BJP government at the Centre whether the mandate given by the people of Rajasthan will be respected or decided by money and the power of the rulers in Delhi. "Can the prime minister and the Centre trample the Constitution and established constitutional traditions for grabbing power?" Maken asked. He also wondered whether a governor can refuse to call an Assembly session, as proposed by an elected government, and if the judiciary can unconstitutionally interfere with the jurisdiction of the legislature. Maken said in a show of solidarity with the Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and for the protection of the Constitution and democracy, Congressmen will stage protests in a "Gandhian way" in front of Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday. Hours after the announcement, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said in a tweet, "Tomorrow, Congress workers will protest in front of Raj Bhawans as part of 'Save Democracy-Save Constitution' agitation call. But, in Rajasthan we will not do anything like that." Meanwhile, Rajasthan Health Minister Raghu Sharma alleged that the Centre was using various agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax Department, to bring down the Rajasthan government. "Isn't it a conspiracy to weaken democracy in the country by misusing constitutional bodies one by one. When constitutional institutions and democracy are in danger, then the country will move towards dictatorship," he said. Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that the Governor is a constitutional head and not a party worker. "Governor Kalraj Mishra is not a BJP worker It is the legal right of the Cabinet to send the proposal to the Governor for convening the session of the Legislative Assembly. The Governor is not bigger than the Constitution," he said. During the day, National Students' Union of India (NSUI) state president Abhishek Chaudhary gave red roses to the family members of the dissident Congress MLAs at their residences to appeal to them to return to the Congress family. Advertisement The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Enugu State has described the purported suspension of its Chairman, Dr. Ike Okwesili, by disgruntled element in the association, as a hoax and mischievous. There was a report in some sections of the media, claiming that NMA Enugu State branch had after its virtual Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on July 24, suspended its chairman, Dr. Okwesili, for alleged gross misconduct and abuse of office. The group which claimed that the virtual meeting, participated by 30 out of over 4,000 members of the association in the state, have appointed Dr Onyekachi Ugwuonye, one of the three vice chairmen to act as chairman pending the determination of the matter by the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the NMA state branch. The suspension was reportedly issued in Enugu and signed by Ugwuonye and Dr. Okam Izuchukwu. They claimed that their meeting was in line with Article VII (i) and (ii) of the By-laws of the NMA, Enugu State, while alleged that the suspended chairman had unilaterally withdrew the rights and privileges of some members of the association without recourse to laid down procedures and thereby, threw the association into chaos. But, NMA in a letter with ref. NMA/ENUGU/240720/622, addressed to Zonal Chairmen, Heads of Affiliates, CMDs/MDs of Tertiary Health Institutions (THIs) and its members, titled: Re: purported suspension of the NMA Enugu State chairman disclaimer, described the report as malicious and figment of those behind it. In the letter which was made available to our correspondent on Sunday, signed by Dr. Ike Okwesili and Dr. Emmanuel O. Aneke, Chairman and Secretary of Enugu state NMA respectively, also described the meeting as improper despite the number as those who signed for the meeting were non-financial members. The letter was copied to the President of NMA, Commissioner of Police Enugu State and State Director, DSS. The letter read The leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Enugu State has been regrettably inundated with barrage of complaints bordering on acts of gross misconduct by some members who for reasons best known to them orchestrated and executed a failed plot to topple a legitimate State Executive Council of our noble association. We are heavily dismayed by these unwholesome, fraudulent and embarrassing activities of these individuals who have even gone ahead to issue a press release with a cloned letter head of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Enugu State, a criminal act which violates all extant laws of the land, MDCN Act and Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). It is therefore expedient to state that expressions, information and all content of that said report do not in any way represent the official position and opinion of NMA Enugu State. Anybody associating or doing business with this group of individuals does so at his own risk as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Enugu State will not be held legally responsible for any misrepresentation arising from the activities of these impostors. Let it be known that these illegalities and act of gross misconduct have dire consequences and everyone involved in this obnoxious act will surely face the full wrath of our noble association and law, it declared. Meanwhile, it was gathered that the leadership of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), ESUT-Parklane, was suspended and privileges withdrawn from NMA following their indictment by NMA Ethics & Disciplinary Committee on December 5, 2019 for criminal diversion of monthly dues collected on behalf of NMA Enugu state for years; and refusal to remit all the monies to its account. An action the disciplinary committee described as unprofessional /unethical with serious consequences. Our correspondent reports that both Okam and Ugwuonye are standing criminal trial for criminal defamation and stealing in the state magistrates courts. President Akufo-Addo in his 5th address to the nation about measures being taken by the government to ease the effects of coronavirus announced that his government will foot the electricity and water bills of all Ghanaians for the months of April, May and June. This was to cushion the public, especially the vulnerable from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Subsequently, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta while presenting the Mid-Year budget review in Parliament on Thursday, 23rd July 2020 indicated that the free water and electricity have been extended. That is also why we further reduced electricity prices by half and completely provided potable water for free for everybody since March this year. And we will extend it for another three months, he told Parliament. It takes a caring government of the people, and with that, I mean, a Government of all the people, to offer cost-free water to all across the country: representing all domestic and commercial customers in Ghana for three months." It takes a caring government to be for the people and for business, large and small, to choose to subsidize electricity consumption by 50 per cent to 4,086,286 households and 686,522 businesses at a cost of 1.02 billion in three months. And we will extend the coverage for lifeline customers for another three months" In a one-on-one interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Ken Ofori Atta disclosed the cost of this intervention. "For electricity; every three months will cost 1bn, and this is for only the lifeline customers. With water, the cost is 257m for the three months," he stated. Watch the video below for the breakdown Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/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 Millions more children in the US learned on Friday that they are unlikely to return to classrooms full time in autumn because of the coronavirus pandemic. The countrys two most populous states each reported roughly 10,000 new cases and some of their highest death counts since the pandemic began, while big numbers in Florida and Arizona are also helping drive the US resurgence that is forcing states to rethink the school year. California Governor 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. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, joined by Chicago Public Schools chief Dr Janice K Jackson, left rear, announce a preliminary reopening framework for public schools (E Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune via AP) 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 will not come until late August. Meanwhile Iowa Governor 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. HOOSICK The field of surrender from which 700 Hessians started their march into captivity is now fully preserved at the Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site after the American Battlefield Trust purchased 23.1 acres adjacent to the state park for $60,000. The American victory at the Battle of Bennington fought near the hamlet of Walloomsac on April 16, 1777 is considered to be the precursor of the American successes at the Battles of Saratoga on Sept. 19 and Oct. 7, 1777 and part of the turning point of the American Revolution. We had already determined the historical significance of the property. We had the support of the assistance and support of the American Battlefield Trust, said David Pitlyk, historic site assistant, whose research was cited by the trust in its acquisition. Known as the Zamani Tract at Bennington for Mohammed Zamani of Troy who sold the land in June to the American Battlefield Trust, the acquisition comes as the nation prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution beginning in 2025. Its so important in telling the stories of the Battles of Saratoga. It will be a part of the state historic site, said Jim Campi, chief policy and communications officer for the American Battlefield Trust, which is headquartered in Washington D.C. The American Battlefield Trust preserves battlegrounds in the U.S. and explains to the public the historical significance of the sites in the nations history. The purchase at the Bennington battlefield is the seventh one the trust has made in New York state to protect 301.98 acres of American Revolution and War of 1812 battlefields. It is the fourth site connected to the Saratoga campaign during the Revolution. The 23.1-acre Zamani Tract fills in a key spot of the Aug. 16, 1777 battlefield. Located across Route 67 from the entrance road to the historic site, which was established in 1927, the acreage includes the area through which the mixed British force of Hessians, Tories, British and Native Americans fought and retreated. The American forces composed of New Hampshire militia led by Gen. John Stark, Massachusetts militia and Seth Warners Green Mountain Boys from Vermont gained a surprising and overwhelming victory against the British detachment that had been sent to raid Bennington in Vermont, 10 miles to the east of the battlefield, for supplies. The final phase of the first engagement saw the 2,350 Americans defeat British forces that amounted to 1,450. The Hessians attempted a final breakthrough with a saber charge. It ended in defeat on the surrender field. Accounts place the British commander Lt. Col. Friedrich Baum hauled naked and mortally wounded in a cart to Bennington as part of the 700 soldiers who surrendered. The Americans saw 30 soldiers killed and 40 wounded. The British had 207 killed in addition to those captured. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. This is the first time the complete surrender field is preserved. Its important to being able to preserve something thats important in history to New Yorkers and all Americans, Pitlyk said. The Statement of Significance for Zamani Tract, 5154 NY 67 is an eight-page research report written by Pitlyk to explain the historical importance of the 23.1-acre site. Pitlyk recounts the story of the Battle of Bennington and various types of research that have been conducted at the site to determine troop movements and better explain what happened during the fighting. Its anticipated that the Zamani Tract will eventually become part of the Bennington Battlefield Historic Site. As the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution draws nearer the American Battlefield Trust anticipates purchasing additional parcels such as the one for the Bennington battlefield, Campi said. ABT recently announced it is working with the North American Land Trust to raise $3.85 million to protect the 72-acre Brinton Run Preserve on the Brandywine Battlefield outside Philadelphia. The Revolutionary War battlefields in the state where ABT has made purchases previous to Bennington are 68.34 acres in 2019 at the Newtown battlefield in Chemung County; at the Saratoga battlefield 6.03 acres in 2019 and 19.8 acres in 2018; and Battle of Fort Ann in Washington County, 160 acres in 2017. The War of 1812 battlefield acquisitions were both at Sackets Harbor in Jefferson County in 2017, 24.03 acres and 0.51 acres. The U.S. Justice Department said Friday that three residents of Quebec have been charged by a grand jury in Cleveland, Ohio, on fraud charges related to an $8 million cryptocurrency initial coin offering (ICO). The three individuals Dominic Lacroix, Yan Ouellet and Sabrina Paradis-Royer are charged with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, per the statement. The charges represent the latest legal development tied to the PlexCoin ICO, which raised approximately $8 million during its 2017 sale. Lacroix and Paradis-Royer were charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last year. The two, while neither confirming or denying the SEC's allegations, were ordered to pay close to $7 million in combined fines and penalties. The DOJ alleged in its release that the three individuals took funds ostensibly said to be used for the development of PlexCoin and used it for themselves. "The indictment states that the first transfer of PlexCoin occurred in August of 2017, and the PlexCoin ICO continued through October of 2017. Court documents show that the defendants and their co-conspirators regularly transferred investor funds from the PlexCoin ICO into fiat currency accounts, and cryptocurrency addresses belonging to themselves for the purpose of daily living expenses and home renovation products. Investors purchased approximately $8,000,000 USD worth of PlexCoin throughout the ICO," the government alleged. "While technologies and the means to make investments may change, one thing remains constant securities fraud ruins lives and deprives victims of their hard-earned money and savings," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said in a statement. "Digital currencies are a new type of investment, and just like with traditional securities, you should take the time to research and know exactly what you're getting into before making any type of investment." 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. This is the main reason I ran for office in the first place and after serving on the health and human services committee the last two years, I know there is much more we can do, Hernandez said. Hernandez is a Tucson resident and a health policy professor at Arizona State University. She has a bachelors degree in sociology and public health and a masters degree in public health from the University of Arizona. I know we must continue to work on improving the health care and health human services that we provide to Arizonans, Hernandez said. I will continue to work on issues like vaccinations, especially now that COVID has affected us all, and will push for issues for the elderly in our communities. Hernandez said voters should choose her because she has advocated for the issues and delivered to my community since Day 1. When I said I wanted to see change with police officer trainings I worked hard in a bipartisan manner to ensure school resource officers were properly trained to work in schools with mental health and deescalation training, Hernandez said. I was able to get $1 million in the budget for that and I am proud of that as it will help ensure the safety of our children. The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday mocked the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Edo State, Past... The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday mocked the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Wike said APC has no candidate that can withstand the pedigree of state Governor, Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He spoke during the campaign flag-off for the re-election of Obaseki in Benin City, the state capital. According to Wike: APC has no candidate. Ize-Iyamu is not a candidate for the election. Dont be afraid, nobody can rig this election. No one man can decide for us in Edo. The new reality of dining in at New Oberpfalz at Griffith is doffing masks at the spread-out tables and donning them everywhere else in the building, or while talking with a server or bartender. "We don't anticipate any issues with guests who don't have a mask. Most guests were already masking," owner Dan Lehnerer said. "Some people forget, which is easily corrected and we have masks for anyone who needs one. Once people are seated, they can take the mask off, so the experience of eating and drinking isn't compromised by the mask but when they get up to use the restroom or inquire with staff while standing, they need to remember to mask up. It's a learning curve. There have been many times where I have walked from the brewery to the tap room and forgotten my mask, having to go back to get it before interacting with staff and guests." It's taken some getting used to. It was just another day as Vu Van Thai and his family members traveled to Hoa Binh Province, approximately 75 kilometers from Hanoi, to harvest fine-quality honey from their bee colonies, a routine they have done over the past three decades. Around five that morning, Thai, a beekeeper for nearly 30 years, and his family members left their home in Ha Dong District, Hanoi, ready for a days harvest at their bee farm in Hoa Binh. This is the years third and also last honey harvest, which typically starts in early July, three weeks after the second. Thai said they are by and large on the move between the two localities when flowers bloom. According to the veteran beekeeper, he and his family have their plates full with three harvest seasons, namely longan, apple and forest honey, during the year. As it is the forest honey season now, were transporting our swarms to forest edges where bees can suck irresistibly tempting nectar from the blossoms, Thai said, adding the insects are moved back to Hanoi during the longan and apple seasons so that he can better tend to them. We collect about 300 liters of pure honey on average during each apple and forest honey season. The longan honey harvest, however, gives the lowest yields but the honey is the most sought-after variety, Thai revealed. As bees fail to pick up nectar in winter, they feed on an amount of honey they have produced during the year, he added. Thais farm boasts more than 100 boxes of bees, with most of the insects coming from the wild and the rest bought from other keepers. Thai said the job has brought great economic efficiency with handsome profits and low investment and overheads, with his family raking in more than VND100 million (US$4,291) in profits each year. To avoid stings during harvest time, keepers in Vietnam need to put on hats with veils, overall protective clothing, and gloves. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre First, keepers spray fumes so that the swarms turn less aggressive and leave their hives, which makes it easier to collect honey from trays of honeycomb. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre After spraying fumes, keepers remove trays of honeycomb from beehive boxes. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre Trays are where bees build hives and produce honey. Each box can hold four or five trays which are laden with wax and fragrant, glossy honey. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre Bee swarms are thrown into panic as the trays containing their hard-earned fruits are removed from the boxes. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre Vu Van Thais farm, snuggled in Ha Dong District, Hanoi, Vietnam, home to more than 100 boxes of beehives, needs five to seven people to collect honey during harvest time. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre After being removed from behive boxes, trays of honeycomb are trimmed off outside layers of wax before being put into honey extractors. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre Trays are then arranged into a honey extractor, which is a centrifugal spinning machine making honey spurt out. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre According to Vu Van Thai, owner of a bee farm nestled in Ha Dong District, Hanoi, Vietnam, the greatest challenge is the harvest, during which collectors without proper protection are highly prone to stings. Weather conditions may also take a toll on the quality and quantity of honey. Rainy weather means diluted honey, which cannot be harvested, while sunny weather leaves honey condensed, which also causes difficulties to collectors. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre After honey is collected, empty trays are put back into beehive boxes. The job ends when the swarms settle back into their hives. Photo: Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! But the force of the storm was forecast to weaken during the next 48 hours. We consider ourselves fortunate that Hurricane Douglas veered away from our islands at the last minute, but we remain vigilant as always during hurricane season because all it takes is one storm to cause devastating damage and impacts for our residents, Luke P. Meyers, the administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, said. While other storms have caused damage to the islands, only two in modern history have made landfall, according to the center: In 1992, Hurricane Iniki hit Kauai as a Category 4 storm, killing six people and causing about $3 billion in damage. In 1959, Hurricane Dot caused about $5.5 million in damage. Though the islands avoided a direct hit, the combination of high water levels, storm surge and large breaking waves could raise water levels by as much as two feet above normal tides near the center of the storm, the center warned. Forecasters predicted three to six inches of rain on the main Hawaiian islands, possibly contributing to flash flooding and landslides. Maui County had asked residents to shelter in place or move to an emergency shelter immediately if they lacked a safe place to weather the storm. Much of the county has already been through the brunt of the storm with minimal damage, said Mayor Michael Victorino of Maui County. Martha Kalifatidis was enjoying her 'firm' skin on Sunday, and couldn't help but show it off on Instagram. The former Married At First Sight star shared a photo in which she posed completely topless, laying on her stomach in bed. The 31-year-old's golden skin glistened in the light, and she explained in her caption that she'd just applied her favourite lotion. Glowing: Martha Kalifatidis (pictured) was enjoying her 'firm' skin on Sunday, and couldn't help but show it off on Instagram. The former Married At First Sight star shared a photo in which she posed completely topless, laying on her stomach in bed The moisturiser, which she placed on her face and body, is said to have firming and illuminating qualities. Appearing makeup-free, she showed off her natural beauty and her newly blonde hair. Earlier this month, Martha declared she was spending time in the 'outback' instead of her pre-coronavirus plans to travel to Mykonos, Greece. Lathered up: The 31-year-old's golden skin glistened in the light, and she explained in her caption that she'd just applied her favourite firming and illuminating lotion But the former reality failed to mention she was actually on a day trip to Wattamolla Beach, which is just over an hour from her Bondi home. In an image posted to Instagram, she posed in a white cap and a ribbed one-piece swimsuit with a bold cut out on the torso. It appears she added an orange-toned filter to make her luscious locks appear more blonde. Local: Earlier this month, Martha declared she was spending time in the 'outback' instead of her pre-coronavirus plans to travel to Mykonos, Greece Oops! Her partner Michael Brunelli (right) ruined the illusion by geotagging the location on his own Instagram post as Wattamolla Beach, which is just over an hour from their Bondi home 'Was supposed to be in Mykonos but I'm outback,' Martha told her fans. But her partner Michael Brunelli ruined the illusion by geotagging the location on his own Instagram post. In a series of six photos, the 28-year-old lifted Martha into the air and threw her into the water. 'How to end a relationship in six steps,' Michael joked in the caption. Some maintain the bill was the real impetus for the corruption probe that led to Halls political downfall and 1975 conviction on bribery and extortion charges. Sullivan certainly attributes the sudden end of his career to it. They spent $100,000 to beat me, Sullivan said recently, referring to oil and gas interests. That summer it was reported Sullivan and several other representatives who supported the tax increase had gone to Acapulco courtesy of a lobbyist. Sullivan and the others admitted going on the trip but said it was at their own expense. There doesnt seem to have been any proof otherwise, but the damage was done. Sullivan, who according to news reports had a chance of being the next speaker of the House, was beaten in the 1972 Democratic primary. Sullivan later served two terms as a district attorney and 14 years on the local school board. He was also on the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for a while. Now he wants to tie up some loose ends in the House. Over 8.40 lakh will receive their Karnataka Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) Class 10 results in the first week of August, amid the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. The students can check their SSLC results 2020 on karresutls.nic.in as the result will be announced within ten days. The results of the Karnataka Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) board exams for Class 10 will be announced in the first week of August, amid the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. The students can check their SSLC results 2020 on karresutls.nic.in as the result will be announced within ten days. Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar made the announcement, in a statement to news agency ANI on July 20. "The Class 10 exam results will be announced in the first week of August. The process of evaluation will be completed in 10 days," Kumar had said. The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) on June 25 organised the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exam in which over 8.40 lakh students appeared amid COVID-19 measures like one student per bench and cap on their number per classroom. The state government had decided to conduct the SSLC or the Class X board exams amid COVID-19 fears, ignoring the opposition's appeal to put them on hold till the coronavirus is brought under total control. Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa had said that there was no connection between the lockdown and the SSLC exams, adding they would go on as per schedule. Earlier, the KSEEB has said that as many as 8,48,203 students would take up the examination at 2,879 exam centres. The Karnataka Board has also deployed over 1 lakh officials to conduct the exams. According to reports, students came to the examination centres as early as 7 am, and they were allowed inside after undergoing thermal screening and sanitising their hands. The KSEEB has stated that each classroom will have around 18 to 20 students. Students were also instructed to wear masks and maintain physical distance. Students appeared for the first language examination on June 25 and the examination ended on July 4. The students in containment zones and those with symptoms such as cough, cold and fever were reportedly provided N-95 masks and made to sit in another classroom and write the examination. Kumar had said, "My deep gratitude to parents for their faith in the government, and heartfelt thanks to the teaching and other govt staff members, police for their tireless work and dedication. Children will fondly remember their care for a long time to come." Earlier, the examination was scheduled to be held in March 27 but was postponed for an indefinite period after the COVID-19 induced lockdown came into force. An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibaba's UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a clash between the two countries' forces on their border. Following the ban, which China has criticised, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content or acted for any foreign government. In court filings dated July 20 and previously not reported, the former employee of Alibaba's UC Web, Pushpandra Singh Parmar, alleges the company used to censor content seen as unfavourable to China and its apps UC Browser and UC News showcased false news "to cause social and political turmoil". Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand of a district court in Gurugram has issued summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen individuals or company units, asking them to appear in court or through a lawyer on July 29, court documents showed. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons. UC India said in a statement it had been "unwavering in its commitment to the India market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation". Also read: Chinese smartphone marketshare in Q2 falls to 72% amidst anti-China sentiment Alibaba representatives did not respond to requests for comment from the Chinese company or on behalf of Jack Ma. Parmar, who worked as an associate director at the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017 and is seeking $268,000 in damages, referred Reuters queries to his lawyer, Atul Ahlawat, who declined to comment saying the matter was sub judice. The court case is the latest hurdle for Alibaba in India after the Indian government's app ban, following which UC Web has started laying off some staff in India. Before the apps were banned, the UC Browser had been downloaded at least 689 million times in India, while UC News had 79.8 million downloads, most during 2017 and 2018, data from analytics firm Sensor Tower showed. ALLEGATIONS IN COURT India has said it banned the 59 apps after it received "credible inputs" that such apps posed a threat to India's sovereignty. Its IT minister said the decision was taken to safeguard citizens' data and public order. Also read: India restricts Chinese bidders from public procurement projects In more than 200 pages of court filings, reviewed by Reuters, former employee Parmar included clippings of some posts showcased on the UC News app that he alleged were false. One post from 2017 was headlined in Hindi: "2,000-rupee notes to be banned from midnight today". Another headline of a 2018 post said: "Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan" and contained description of firing across the disputed border between the countries. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the claims in the court filing. India did not ban its 2,000-rupee currency note and no war occurred between India and Pakistan in 2018. The lawsuit also contains a "sensitive words list" with key words in Hindi and English like "India-China border" and "Sino-India war" that the court filing alleges were used by UC Web to censor content on its platforms in India. "In order to control any news related content to be published against China was automatically/manually rejected by an audit system evolved for this purpose," the filing said. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and China's foreign ministry in Beijing, as well as India's IT ministry in New Delhi, did not respond to requests for comment. Also read: How India's economic offensive cost China over Rs 51,000 crore so far Former coronavirus patients say they are still suffering from horrific symptoms months after beating the deadly disease. Samantha Demmler tested positive to COVID-19 after returning to Melbourne from the U.S. with a 'little tickle in her throat' on March 20. 'It didn't seem I had this thing that was causing the whole world to stop,' she previously told Daily Mail Australia. 'I'm a pretty optimistic person but I started to panic. It definitely catches up to you. Your mind starts thinking and playing scenarios on what could happen.' Samantha Demmler (pictured) tested positive to COVID-19 in March and still has symptoms four months later The 27-year-old musician was cleared by authorities on March 29, but four months later she is still fighting the lasting effects of the disease. 'Since having the virus, my main lingering effects have been a build up of fluid in my lungs, decreased sense of smell and memory loss,' she said in a Facebook update. Ms Demmler's case is not isolated, with many coronavirus survivors finding their recovery has stretched to well beyond the two-week incubation period thought to kill the disease. Infectious disease experts still know very little about the long term effects of COVID-19, leaving many former patients in fear of copping a second wave of the disease. Professor Peter Collignon from ANU told Herald Sun that with many infections a small percentage of patients normally suffer lasting effects, but that percentage is unknown for coronavirus. 'You often see it takes many months for people to get back to normal even when, in medicine, we can't find an abnormality,' he said. Despite being cleared of the disease, Ms Demmler (pictured) still suffers from fluid in her lungs, decreased sense of smell and memory loss 'The bottom line is we don't know the percentages but there will be some people who are left with underlying issues.' Ms Demmler is a severe asthmatic and said it was scary not knowing the trajectory of the disease and her recovery process. 'For us people that have had the virus its even more upsetting that we have no clarity if we can get the virus again and what are the effects going to be long term,' she said. Victoria's horror second wave outbreak of coronavirus rolls on, with 459 new cases on Sunday and 10 more deaths in Australia's deadliest day since the pandemic began. There are 228 Victorians in hospital with 42 in the ICU, many of whom are fighting for life on ventilators. The sheer scale of the eurozone market and Ireland's relatively low level of exports to this market underline the untapped potential (stock image) One of the challenges we face in growing our economy is the limited size of our domestic market. Ireland's entry into the then EEC in 1973, and subsequent adoption of the euro in 2002, opened the door to a large and developed marketplace. As the EU has progressed and expanded the four freedoms - goods, services, people and capital - the eurozone has effectively become an expanded domestic market of 340 million people. Irish exporters have traditionally been heavily dependent on the UK and, to this end, for over a decade Enterprise Ireland has pursued a diversification strategy to alleviate this dependency - not by reducing exports to the UK, but by increasing exports faster to other markets. In the last 10 years, this dependency has reduced from 42pc to 31pc of exports, with the eurozone being a key element of this diversification strategy, the need for which has been accelerated by Brexit. Enterprise Ireland's eurozone strategy focuses on our six largest markets in thecurrency bloc - The Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. The strategy takes a two-pronged approach - increasing the number of new exporters to the eurozone (Eurozone Start) and increasing the scale of current exporters (Eurozone Scale). The sheer scale of the eurozone market and Ireland's relatively low level of exports to this market underline the untapped potential. In 2019, Enterprise Ireland client companies exported 7.9bn of products and services to the UK which has a market population of 66 million, and just 5.65bn to the eurozone. If Irish companies were to export the same per head of population to the eurozone market of 340 million people as they do to the UK, exports would be in the order of 40bn - so this tells us the size of the potential. But although they are currently at 5.65bn, exports to the eurozone have grown by 15pc and this now represent 22pc of Irish exports, up from 20pc in 2018. And since 2009, exports to the eurozone have more than doubled, increasing by 3bn, with non-food exports performing particularly well in 2019 - growing by 25pc. The sectors which contributed most to this growth were: construction - which grew by an enormous 89pc, electronics - with 42pc growth, and digital technologies - which grew by 21pc. One of the objectives of Enterprise Ireland's eurozone strategy was to exceed 1bn in exports to three markets by 2020 and this was achieved in 2019 when The Netherlands grew by a huge 35pc to 1.4bn, Germany grew by 16pc to 1.3bn and France, which grew by 3pc to 1bn. In addition, Spain delivered growth of 11pc, Italy 7pc and Belgium 4pc. This performance demonstrates the capability of Enterprise Ireland client companies to recognise and take advantage of opportunities and adapt their products and strategies to pivot into new markets. Thanks to committed Irish companies, products and services from Ireland have a strong reputation across Europe. They are particularly recognised by their flexibility and ability to adapt to suit their customers as well as their high level of innovation. Companies such as Cubic Telecom, a digital technology company which sells into the automotive industry, E+I Engineering, experts in global power distribution and Mercury, which builds and manage complex engineering projects, are just three of our 900 client companies who are exporting successfully to the eurozone. Of course, Covid-19 and Brexit, have presented significant challenges for Irish businesses and the Irish economy. But as exporters, we need to engage with clients beyond the island of Ireland. Never has it been more important to look to Europe as this represents a large, developed economy and a relatively stable political environment on our doorstep. And with the added benefits of a single currency, no tariffs, customs, or borders and increasing regulatory alignment, it is effectively an expansion of our domestic market. And thanks to our reputation, Europe has opened the door wide. So by delivering on eurozone growth, Irish companies are proving their ability to adapt and pivot towards new opportunities and this ability will stand them in good stead in working through the current crisis. Now is the time to put our foot to the pedal and drive our exports into markets which are looking for 'locally-made in the eurozone' products and services. Flash Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) once said, "China-Africa ties have not grown overnight, nor is it a gift from someone else, but have been forged and sealed in adversity, built on one concrete step after another." Facing challenges brought by the sudden COVID-19 outbreak, China and Africa have offered mutual support, fought shoulder to shoulder with each other, jointly held the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, setting a new benchmark in the international cooperation against COVID-19. Facing a new era, how to inherit and pass on the China-Africa friendship among the young generations of both sides? Let's listen to what some young leaders from African political parties say. China-Africa friendship in the eyes of African Young Leaders Ramadane Carlos Jose, Secretary of the Discipline and Supervision Committee of the Youth Organization of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), said that Africa-China cooperation has been expanded from the political and economic fields to all aspects including the cultural front and people's daily life. If you take a walk in Mozambique, the presence of Africa-China friendship can be felt everywhere. Antonio da Brito, Member of the Central Committee of the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), said that Africa and China have always upheld the principle of mutual respect, complete equality, fairness and justice in cooperation, and have jointly safeguarded the development interests of developing countries. China is an important market for African exports and a major source of imports and development resources for African countries. China has assisted Africa in talents cultivation, knowledge sharing and technology transfer, and has become preferred cooperation partner in Africa's digital economy development. The two sides also enjoy fruitful cooperation in fields such as public health, agriculture, and poverty reduction. Maiquel dos Santos, member of the Politburo of the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe/Social Democratic Party (MLSTP-PSD), said that bilateral cooperation is being continuously transformed and upgraded and Chinese companies are stepping up their investments in Africa, contributing to the self-led development of the continent. In the post-COVID-19 era, global issues and challenges will be more daunting. This requires countries to join forces and necessitates the building of a community with a shared future for Africa and China. Young generations passing on the baton of China-Africa friendship Masonwabe Sokoyi, the 2nd Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of South Africa (SACP) in Western Cape said that young generations should take history as a mirror to fully understand that those who oppressed us can never be our friends, but only those who were there with us during the difficult times such as the people of China. China is Africa's largest development partner, and it is our incumbent responsibility to further the development of the Africa-China friendship. As young leaders, we are encouraged and happy with the China-Africa friendship which is anchored based on mutual beneficiation as well as the approach of President Xi Jinping on Africa and his visions on Africa-China friendship focusing on development through the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC). It's most important that we shall do everything possible to support the current efforts by FOCAC. Maiquel dos Santos added that, in the era of information technology, African and Chinese youth should take full advantage of modern technologies and communication tools, adhere to the principle of mutual respect, strengthen mutual exchanges and draw experience from each other in order to jointly carry forward the traditional friendship forged by both sides. Africa encouraged by China's fight against COVID-19 Sokoyi said that the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 jointly initiated by China, South Africa in its capacity as the Chair of the African Union and Senegal in its capacity as the Co-Chair of FOCAC was indeed a motivation to African countries. Maiquel dos Santos said that since the outbreak, China has promptly mobilized the government, enterprises, social organizations and other forces to send medical teams to Africa, provide Africa with anti-epidemic materials and share experience in COVID-19 prevention and control. Africans are sincerely grateful. The best way to win the world's support is mutual assistance and friendly cooperation. When mentioning Con Dao island, people often remember Con Dao prison, once considered "Hell on Earth" during the war against the foreign invaders. Today, it has risen into an attractive magnet on Vietnams tourist map thanks to its natural landscapes, diverse ecosystem and historical values. Also known in other names such as Con Lon and Con Son, the island district of Con Dao is in Ba Ria Vung Tau province. It has a total area of 76 sq.km with a population of around 6,000. The island has been hailed by many foreign travel magazines as it was named in the top 10 best places to travel in Asia list of 2016 by Lonely Planet Magazine, and made it to the list of the best secret islands on earth by Travel + Leisure magazine. The island has welcomed an increasing number of domestic and foreign visitors as it is an ideal place to escape a busy life and enjoy the tranquil nature. Hang Duong cemetery, the resting place of thousands of revolutionary soldiers. The relic of Wharf 914, a popular historical site in Con Dao. The number 914 refers to the number of Con Dao prisoners who lost their life during the construction of the wharf. The wharf was constructed in 1893 with a designated length of 107 metres. It has since been expanded to 300 metres long and 5 metres wide. It is a perfect place to salute the sun rise on the island, as boats carrying seafood dock early in the morning. A quiet scene on the island: blue sky, deep blue ocean, and bright sunlight. Boats dock at Ben Dam Bay. Aquaculture farming area at Ben Dam Bay. Visitors to the bay can explore the life in the fishing village while tasting fresh seafood. Con Dao is famous for its long white sand beaches and crystal clear seawater. Every corner in the island can produce beautiful photos. Nhan Dan Con Dao island full of must-visit locations Situated in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Con Dao island regularly features on global lists of the most beautiful destinations globally, Yvonne Bannigan folds her arms over her designer blouse and wistfully looks off to one side, like a Renaissance martyr. Flashbulbs track her every step into Manhattan's criminal court. When she pleads guilty to one count of grand larceny, and is sentenced to three years' probation in addition to the community service she has already served, the case makes headlines around the world. One publication calls her the 'Irish Vogue grifter'. Another says she looked like she was auditioning for a reboot of Gossip Girl. She is described as a cautionary tale. And yet she is also, with each outfit change and careful pout, one of the stars of the season, a cover girl - for all the wrong reasons. It was already being called The Summer of Scam in New York. In the months before Bannigan's case came up, Anna Delvey, the so-called 'fake heiress', had turned the corridors of the Manhattan criminal court into a sort of catwalk, as she stylishly defended herself in a case that was part Sex and the City, part Catch Me If You Can. And another mystery woman, dubbed 'Hollywood's con queen', had resurfaced and was impersonating Wendi Murdoch to swindle people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars; the FBI were investigating. But neither captured the public's imagination quite as much as Bannigan. Perhaps it was that while Delvey did have a sort of glamorous grifter aura, Bannigan was wholesome: she was young, apple-cheeked and Irish. And she had so much more to lose. The dream job for one thing. She had been an assistant at Vogue, and had gone on to work for the high priestess of fashion, Grace Coddington. Expand Close Anna Sorokin being led from court (there is already a Netflix series being made about her) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anna Sorokin being led from court (there is already a Netflix series being made about her) It was a bit like the Devil Wears Prada - except that Coddington, aside from being an industry visionary, was, by many accounts, quite a bit warmer than Meryl Streep's character inspired by Anna Wintour. The flame-haired maven had a reputation for mentoring young women. Her former assistants, Vogue once noted, described her as "less a boss than older sister, life compass, and brilliant collaborator rolled in one". She didn't seem like the kind of person who would accuse someone of theft to the value of just over $53,000 without cause. We may never know for sure why it started, but you could guess. For a young woman surrounded by luxury but unable to afford much of it, the temptation must have been great. For while the movies sell the image of loft apartments and designer freebies, the reality is a lot different. "You always have to give the stuff back," one former Conde Nast underling explains - through gritted teeth - and the average monthly salary of an actual assistant in Manhattan would hardly cover a few brunches at Balthazar. And even that comes after years of scrabbling and striving to make it in a field made hyper-competitive by, among other things, decades of movie mythology. Bannigan had already worked a number of lowly positions in the New York fashion world before she entered Coddington's orbit. She may have felt she was entitled to some of the glittering trappings of the world in which she moved. Not many Irish girls have found work at Vogue. In the 1980s, Orla Healy became assistant to Anna Wintour and used that as a springboard to become managing editor (features) at the Daily News - the iconic tabloid on which Superman's Daily Planet was based. But Healy at least had a background in journalism; she had worked at the Sunday Independent before going to New York. Bannigan grew up one of three children in Dublin. Her mother was a makeup artist, her father ran a library-supply business. In 2013 the then 20-year-old Bannigan arrived in New York and scored an internship in the public relations department at Zac Posen. She took courses at Parsons, the prestigious design school in Greenwich Village, and worked as a greeter in Abercrombie & Fitch's Fifth Avenue flagship store. Soon after that, she became an intern at Elle. Expand Close Yvonne Bannigan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Yvonne Bannigan Video of the Day If she moved fast, it might have been because she seemed so at home in this world. She was beautiful - she had the look of a young Faye Dunaway, the London Times later noted - stylish and personable, and she emitted just the kind of glamour that glossy magazines look for in their hires. In February 2015, Bannigan arrived at the fashion mecca of Vogue as an assistant in the fashion and accessories department under Coddington. This was a major step up for the young Dublin woman. Coddington is an industry legend, a former model who has created some of the most dramatic photoshoots in the magazine's history. Like Bannigan, she was an immigrant, who transcended a small town upbringing in rural Wales to become one of the most respected figures in global fashion. She's been at Vogue since 1988 but remained largely unknown to everyone but fashion geeks until 2009. That year a documentary team began filming a behind-the-scenes look at the magazine, which would be called The September Issue. Their star was not, as expected, Anna Wintour - but a pale and slightly irritable redhead who stole the show. Coddington was soon recast in the popular imagination as the real power behind the throne and this gave her the clout to decide her retirement from the magazine on her own terms. When she left her full time post at Vogue for an at-large position at the magazine, Bannigan soon followed. By the spring of the following year, she was working for Coddington's own company. Just a few months later, the stealing began, and it continued for two years until Coddington filed a complaint in early 2018. According to the editor, who was described as "Informant 1" in court papers, Bannigan's unauthorised charges totalled $53,564. In addition to this, Bannigan was alleged to have sold some of Coddington's property on an online consignment store called TheRealReal. She was also accused of keeping $9,000 in commission for herself. Coddington's genius has always been giving an artistic sheen to a commercial vision. Her dark and shimmering photo shoots never forget their job is to sell expensive handbags, perfumes and clothes. Her own collaboration with Louis Vuitton retails for around 1,500 - unattainable for most young women. Expand Close Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour Coddington was, perhaps, not the kind of person that Bannigan imagined scrupulously checked her spending records. She had, a couple of years previously, signed a book deal thought to be worth $1.2m. She spent her money on things like a psychic for her cat. Her Long Island home was written about in Architectural Digest and its walls were lined with photographs by friends and collaborators such as Helmut Newton and Bruce Weber. Bannigan, by contrast, shared a two-bedroom apartment in the East Village where the rents have long since soared past the point where an assistant could comfortably afford them (a two-bed goes for around $2,500 a month). In an interview with the Irish Independent in 2016, she talked up her new life. She'd recently found herself sitting at a table with the popstar Rihanna, she explained. She was looking forward to the new shows by Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang. And even if it made her sound like a diva, she always started the week with a facial. The icing on the cake came when she appeared in the pages of Teen Vogue, in a piece that lauded Coddington as a boss. Behind the scenes there was trouble brewing, however. Shortly after the investigation began, Bannigan's lawyer, Michael Cornacchia, told the Sunday Independent that his client was "puzzled" by the charges, given that she had "nursed" Coddington through two surgeries and a stroke. He continued, "Never, ever during these two years did Coddington, who checked her credit card statements and kept track of her possessions, complain to Yvonne or anyone else about Yvonne's conduct or any misuse of credit cards or misappropriation of any of her property," he claimed. "In fact, Yvonne was the one who suggested that Coddington go to the police to report the questioned charges and Coddington went to the police the next day with Yvonne's encouragement." By then, little people hoodwinking stars had become one of the biggest themes of the summer. Rolling Stone had run a piece about a precocious teen who posed as a wealthy heir and explorer. The Fyre documentary, which told the chaotic story of a celebrity festival that never was, had become one of the biggest TV hits of the year. A British woman, Larissa Watson, became known as The Portofino Pirate after she tried to steal a yacht in Italy. Then the case of Anna Delvey was called 'the grift that kept on giving'. Delvey, whose real name is Anna Sorokin, managed to convince Manhattan's elite that she was a wealthy socialite. People believed she was a millionaire German heiress and aspiring businesswoman, looking to build a cultural centre - a space for wealthy young artists to create, socialise and party. Eventually it turned out that she was really the daughter of a Russian truck driver and had scammed a photo editor at Vanity Fair, Rachel DeLoache Williams, into spending thousands of dollars of her own money on a Kardashian-level lavish trip to a Moroccan souk. In a bizarre twist, Delvey lived rent-free at the Magnises townhouse in New York of fellow fraudster, Fyre Festival promoter Billy McFarland, for four months. Two five-star New York hotels, Beekman and the W, pressed charges related to unpaid bills and a further investigation found she had allegedly deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars of bad checks and forged bank statements in a quest for a $66m loan. Every new story seemed to throw up its own mesmerising anti-hero and Vogue's glossy rivals reviewed how to get the 'scammer chic' look - mostly eyeliner and insouciance. It was a guilty pleasure with a woke justification. Marie Claire noted that "Rooting for a crook whose crimes include scamming the rich can be seen as a winking protest of the status quo; a way for Americans to nod at glaring societal unfairness in a way that's a little more nuanced than just eat the rich," adding, "Also, scammers get their designation because, somewhere along the line, they get busted, which makes cheering them on a little less guilt-inducing." Part of the thrill of scam-watching was imagining how the chastened scammers would style out their penance. How would Anna Delvey get her designer duds delivered to Rikers Island? How would Bannigan get the lighting right for her community service selfie? Despite the paparazzi treatment she received as she left court, there were never any pictures of the Dublin woman doing her 15 days' community service - and in the months after her conviction, her Instagram page did not record them. Instead it focused on the highlights from her brief and star-crossed career in fashion. One post made a few months before her sentencing shows her relaxing on a sofa in Paris on a trip which she likely made with Coddington. "A little fashion pup at the Chanel Atelier in Paris, ahead of our campaign shoot with Patrick Demarchelier - pure magic. #karl," it was captioned, in reference to the recently deceased Karl Lagerfeld. Another picture showed Coddington in front of a window at Harrods in London. Another showed Bannigan and friends in fancy dress at a V Magazine Halloween party. A third depicted a signed copy of Coddington's memoir Grace: 30 Years at Vogue. Somewhat incredibly, the inscription reads: 'For Yvonne, with love, Grace Coddington'. And yet the formerly warm relationship is not so hard to fathom - if you speak to those who knew Yvonne. "She was actually a sweet girl," one former colleague of Bannigan tells the Sunday Independent. "She was always on time, she went out of her way for others. She was very professional and charming and l'm not surprised Grace warmed to her. When you're around all this wealth, it's easy to feel you're entitled to some of it. Things must have gotten out of hand somehow. I don't know why she chose to fight it. She might not have known just how much publicity the case would generate." In the end, she is hardly the first person to fiddle their work expenses but the context ensured that it would not soon be forgotten. As a naturalised US citizen with no prior criminal record, Bannigan would have been entitled to stay in the US after her conviction. She was reported to be looking for a job in hospitality but the internet, with its guarantee of everlasting notoriety, might make that difficult. Bannigan's social media is a wall of privacy but she has perhaps not given up on her dream of making it in the Big Apple. "New York is always hopeful", she wrote in another internet post. And fashion does love a comeback story. London: In a discreet Soho club, in the summer of 2016, a couple on a blind date spoke for three hours "in their own little world", foregoing food in their excitement to discuss their "passion for wanting to make change for good". He knew they were destined for one another. She was "spellbound". Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the time of their engagement. Credit:AP If fans were hoping to hear of a fairytale romance, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - at least according to a new biography - will not disappoint. The couple declared their love after three months, their friends have disclosed, and planned their long-term future together not long afterwards. WASHINGTON For some, it was when Rep. John Lewis led the 24-hour sit-in in the U.S. Capitol to force a vote on gun control. For others, it was the Georgia congressmans surprise visit to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in March. For another, it was the last-minute scramble to change parts of a speech Lewis would deliver at the 1963 March on Washington. As the nation spends the next several days memorializing the civil rights giant with services in Alabama, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, close friends, mentees and congressional colleagues shared some of their favorite moments with Lewis moments they say show his spirit and how he left a lasting mark. Lewis was best known for his lifelong work helping register Black Americans to vote, fighting against discrimination and protecting the rights of Americans to vote. He was an advocate for social justice and believed people could change. "He's not changed his view in 60 years about the whole question of the goodness of man and working to change men's hearts,'' said Courtland Cox, also a veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Here are some of those memories. From left, Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., House Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn of S.C., Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. and Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. in Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. A veteran of sit-ins Rep. James Clyburn, the highest-ranking African American in Congress, met Lewis 60 years ago at a meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Atlanta. The two later served decades together in Congress. But one of his most vivid memories of his friend and colleague is from just a few years ago, when he decided to join a protest over the inaction on gun violence. Rep. John Larson from Connecticut pressed Clyburn to join the Democratic protest over inaction on gun violence in the House chamber. Clyburn agreed, especially since he knew Lewis was on board. It wasnt a hard sell to join the 2016 protest led by his longtime friend and fellow civil rights veteran. Clyburn was asked to offer up the prayer before the sit-in. We all knelt down and some of us were able to get up rather quickly, recalled Clyburn, 80. The two of us took a little more time then the others to get up. Story continues In a surprise move, Democrats led by Lewis brought legislative business to a halt and triggered a chaotic, late-night showdown as they demanded a vote on gun control legislation. Dozens of Democrats took turns for 25 hours talking about gun violence and citing mass shootings. At one point, Lewis sat on the floor. Others followed. What is the tipping point? Are we blind? Can we see? How many more mothers, how many more fathers need to shed tears of grief before we do something?" Lewis had said. During the overnight protest, Republicans, who controlled the House, shut off C-SPAN, which had been airing the lawmakers sitting in the well of the chamber. Democrats broke chamber rules and turned to social media to broadcast and summon colleagues. Yall keep it going. Were on our way, Clyburn said colleagues responded. And to our surprise people from all over pulled up on the grounds to the Capitol for the midnight rally. That was a pivotal night, a very good night. Clyburn said Lewis was the right person to be front and center. Sit-ins were in his wheelhouse. When people think of sit-ins, they think about John Lewis, he said. Hopes and dreams' Courtland Cox, a veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, worked with Lewis as the organization sent armies of mostly college students to the South to register African Americans to vote. Cox huddled with John Lewis, then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, in a far corner inside the Lincoln Memorial. Lewis and Cox, along with James and Mildred Forman, were revamping the speech Lewis was set to deliver that day at the 1963 March of Washington. Outside, busloads of people arrived from across the country. Thousands waited on the National Mall. Speakers and celebrities took to the stage. There had been calls for last-minute changes to Lewis speech. The day before some people, including local clergy and Kennedy administration officials, had objected to parts of his speech, including a reference to people marching across the South like Union General William Sherman. There was resistance to changes. But some key organizers pushed for them to move ahead with the long-awaited march. We had to be very clear about what we were going to do and not do, Cox remembered. It was important for Lewis to stay focused on the mission. He was representing the hopes and dreams of many Black people in the South, Cox said. With Forman hunched over a portable typewriter and banging on the keys, they rewrote. Lewis, in a dark suit and tie, headed to the stage with his three-paged single-spaced speech he had not rehearsed. He didnt have time to really review, Cox said. He had to do it on the fly before 250,000 people and the nation. Cox is sure Lewis was a bit nervous. Who wouldnt be? He was 23 years old, Cox, 22. But, he said, We had right on our side. More: Rep. John Lewis recalls the foundation of SNCC Rep. John Lewis on March 1, 2020, in Selma, Alabama. He was not to be deterred Rep. Terri Sewell, the first black woman elected to Congress from Alabama, calls herself a disciple of Lewis and had worked with him on voting rights. The call from Rep. John Lewis chief of staff, Michael Collins, came early the morning of March 1. Collins wanted to know if Sewell could help with arrangements for the civil rights legend to show up at the Edmund Pettus Bridge later that day in Selma. Sewell was back at home for the annual commemoration of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march. Lewis usually led a pilgrimage there, but because of his failing health it wasnt clear if he would make it. Selma will welcome John with open arms, she recalled telling Collins. Lets figure out how to make that happen. Later that day a police escort led the car carrying what Sewell called the precious cargo to the apex of the bridge. Word spread. People peeked in the car clamoring to get a glimpse and maybe even a picture with Lewis. The path was cleared, and with help Lewis climbed up on a stepladder to address the crowd. Sewell held on to Lewis with one hand and tried to record with the other. Lewis told them to keep the faith, keep their eyes on the prize. He was not to be deterred, Sewell said. He was as forceful then as he was on that bridge 55 years earlier. And in some ways, in that moment, you caught a glimpse of that kind of determination, the kind of strength and courage and bravery that this man has exhibited all his life. And we were also appreciative that he would want to be in Selma on the 55th anniversary. But isnt that so like John? He didnt miss a beat Melanie Campbell, president of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, volunteered for Lewis early congressional campaign and later worked with him to get out the vote. It was 2016, and Campbells national civic engagement group was at Bethune-Cookman University in Florida to join students from the historically black college on a march to a polling site a mile from campus. Students had invited Lewis, who along with Campbell, the president of the college and others marched that late morning in November. Afterward, Lewis stood on top of a truck and spoke to hundreds gathered. He was 76, said Campbell. And he didnt miss a beat. Campbell said Lewis motivated the students. She said he never stopped reaching out to younger generations. He could have been in a whole lot of places, she said. But he came to this HBCU in Daytona Beach, Florida. More: 'Work is still unfinished': Younger civil rights activists vow to continue work of Rep. John Lewis Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, in the blue cap, listens to Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., address a crowd March 1 on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. The moral center Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, had worked with Lewis on civil rights and along with others boycotted an opening of a civil rights museum in Mississippi because President Donald Trump had been invited. John Lewis had already received every award imaginable, Johnson thought. Still, the NAACP, one of the nations oldest civil rights organizations, wanted to honor Lewis in February with the chairmans award for his lifes work at their NAACP Image Awards, a star-studded glitzy affair in L.A. Johnson said it made sense. Lewis was the moral center of the civil rights movement. But Lewis wasnt well enough to travel for the live show, so NAACP Chairman Leon Russell met with him in his congressional office in Washington, D.C., for a video interview. Johnson called to thank Lewis. That video aired during the show. A few days after the awards show, Johnson joined hundreds at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate Bloody Sunday, when in 1965 Lewis and other protesters had been beaten by police. To the surprise of many, Lewis, whose health was failing, made a brief appearance. Everyone was shocked, said Johnson, who stood inches from Lewis and listened in awe as the congressman inspired the crowd. Despite his battle for his health, he still showed up one last time,'' Johnson said. "His challenge to the crowd was, We must vote like weve never voted before. Johnson said Lewis once again laid the groundwork for the next mission: the November election. Thats a challenge for us still, he said. More: Rep. John Lewis recalls the foundation of SNCC More: John Lewis boycotts opening of Mississippi civil rights museum because of Trump Black leaders march down Jefferson Street at the head of a group of 3000 demonstrators April 19, 1960, and heading toward City Hall on the day of the Z. Alexander Looby bombing. In the first row, are the Rev. C.T. Vivian, left, Diane Nash of Fisk, and Bernard Lafayette of American Baptist Seminary. In the second row are Kenneth Frazier and Curtis Murphy of Tennessee A&I, and Rodney Powell of Meharry. Using his handkerchief in the third row is the Rev. James Lawson, one of the advisors to the students. 'No arrogance on his part' Bernard Lafayette, a veteran of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, was Lewis' college roommate 60 years ago at the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville. Lafayette recalled long, late-night conversations between the two scholars on segregation and racism. At the time, Lewis was already studying nonviolent demonstration tactics to challenge Jim Crow laws in the Deep South. He encouraged Lafayette to attend the workshops with him, pressing again and again as Lafayette initially resisted because of his personal workload. "John convinced me to go to these workshops, and I got stuck," Lafayette said with a chuckle. "That was it. That was the beginning of the journey for me." The roommates, along with other young students in Nashville, would become major players in the civil rights movement, participating in lunch counter sit-ins, Freedom Rides and later community organizing in Selma. Lafayette remembered Lewis' preternatural leadership qualities during those early college years when he was elected to leadership positions ahead of elder classmates. "He had a tremendous appeal to people. He didn't go out of his way to do that," Lafayette said. "He was quiet, in terms of his spokesmanship, but people had confidence that he had a sincerity. There was no arrogance on his part. He never put anybody else down. He had respect. People had confidence in him in terms of his leadership. That's the thing that made the difference." More: Lawmakers push to make civil rights landmarks national monuments In this March 7, 1965 file photo, state troopers use clubs against participants of a civil rights voting march in Selma, Ala. At foreground right, John Lewis, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, is beaten by a state trooper. The day, which became known as "Bloody Sunday," is widely credited for galvanizing the nation's leaders and ultimately yielded passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We were a family Ernest Rip Patton, a Freedom Rider, met Lewis in the fall of 1960 when they attended nonviolent workshops in Nashville to prepare for the sit-ins. It was midmorning on May 24, 1961 when Ernest Rip Patton, John Lewis and other civil rights activists boarded the Greyhound bus. They were among a group of Freedom Riders traveling from Montgomery, Alabama, to Jackson, Mississippi, to protest segregation on public transportation. It was a dangerous mission. The bus didnt stop in some places along Highway 80 for fear of encountering the Ku Klux Klan. I always said, Nashville was the battle to train us, but the Freedom Ride was the war, recalled Patton, 80. Patton and Lewis sat together near the front. Lewis would be the third to get off the bus in Jackson. Patton was the fourth. Inside, Lewis would leave the lunch counter at the bus station to go to the whites-only bathroom. He was arrested. Patton and others were arrested at the whites-only counter. Patton said the students out of Nashville were a tight group. We were a family, he said. It wasnt that John was this superstar when I first met him. He was just John Robert Lewis to me. Thats what I called him. I said, 'Im going to call you like your mama calls you when you did something wrong.' Years later, Patton met up with Lewis and other members of Congress at a civil rights anniversary event and asked if he should address him as congressman Lewis. He said, Dont you ever call me Congressman Lewis. Im John, Patton said. I said: 'No, youre not John. Youre John Robert Lewis,' and he started laughing. Contributing: Melissa Brown, Montgomery Advertiser This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Civil rights icon John Lewis remembered for his passion, leadership Seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic, over 16 million people around the world have been infected, nearly 650,000 have died, and almost 10 million have recovered from the contagion, data from worldometers.info has revealed. The latest statistics imply that the pandemic is still gathering pace with the rate of new infections showing no sign of slowing down, especially in hard-hit countries in America and Europe. After the first set of COVID-19 cases were reported in Wuhan, China, in early January, it took about 15 weeks to reach two million cases. By contrast, it took just eight days to climb above 15 million from 13 million reached on July 13. The World Health Organisation (WHO) head, Tedros Ghebreyesus, had in the first week of July when the virus crossed the 10 million thresholds warned that the worst should still be expected, noting that the virus would infect many more people if governments did not start to implement the right policies. Health experts stress that official data almost certainly underreports both infections and deaths, particularly in countries with limited testing capacity. Nigeria, Africas most populous country has tested just about 250,000 of its over 200 million population and found nearly 40,000 infections leading to more than 850 deaths. On April 28, the Nigerian government announced its target of testing at least two million people within the next three months. The ambitious 90 days target will elapse on July 28, yet the country is yet to cover 20 per cent of the two million. Grim Milestone The WHO declared the coronavirus a pandemic on March 11, when there were 118,000 confirmed cases and 4,000 had died. The first 41 cases were confirmed in Wuhan, China, on January 10. But the virus has since spread to the worlds six continents and over 200 countries. As the virus continues to spread, life, as it were, is no longer the same with billions across the world trying to recover from the economic impact of the virus. Hospitals are under strain as confirmed infections increase. READ ALSO: For most of its victims, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks after a combination of treatment therapy, leading to the recovery of almost six million sufferers. But the contagion is far more deadly for especially older adults and people with existing health problems. It can cause severe pneumonia that can make breathing almost impossible for the victim. There is no vaccine yet for COVID-19 and the pathogen has been mutating in its pattern of spread. A study found that the disease can spread through the air and remains contagious for hours. Statistics As of the time of filing this report, there are 16,202,385 confirmed cases across the globe, data from worldometers.info, an online dashboard that tracks the global number of confirmed coronavirus cases, showed. These official figures have at least tripled the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to WHO data. The four worst-hit countries: the U.S., Brazil, Russia and India alone have a combined figure of nearly nine million infections, more than half of the global total. There are 5,640,708 active cases as of the time of reporting. Of that number, about 5,574,505 (99 per cent) are in mild conditions while only 66,203 (1 per cent) cases are in serious or critical conditions. Meanwhile, about 9, 913, 232 people have recovered after treatment so far worldwide. Death Toll As of the time of reporting, about 648,445 people have succumbed to coronavirus. This death toll recorded in seven months is close to the upper range of yearly influenza deaths. The United States which already has the highest number of reported infections in the world 4,315,709 is also the country with the highest death toll of nearly 150,000. Some experts believe the death toll could be higher as many people suspected of the disease die without being tested. Countries have continued to report inadequate testing kits for potential patients of the virus. Advertisements Top Five Hardest-hit Countries The top five hardest-hit countries are the U.S., Brazil, India, Russia, and South Africa. While the pandemic worsened in the United States, President Donald Trumps focus ahead of a presidential election in November has been on reopening the economy, and governors in the hard-hit states of Texas, Florida and Georgia continue to push back hard against calls for stricter restrictions. In Brazil, more than 2.3 million people have tested positive including President Jair Bolsonaro, and more than 86,000 people have died. While Mr Bolsonaro has played down the outbreak, its scale has made Brazil a prime testing ground for potential vaccines. India, with over a million cases, reported almost 40,000 infections on Wednesday. Having been keen to reopen its economy, India is now facing the twin challenge of combating the pandemic and massive flooding in the countrys northeast. Russia confirmed 5,871 new coronavirus infections Saturday, bringing the countrys official number of cases to 806,720. Over the past 24 hours, 146 people have died in Russia, bringing the total toll to 13,192 a rate considerably lower than in many other countries hit hard by the pandemic. Russian authorities began easing anti-virus measures in June ahead of a massive World War II military parade in Moscow and a nationwide vote on constitutional reforms that now allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036. Both events were initially postponed due the pandemic. Several institutes in Russia are working on a coronavirus vaccine. South Africa is leading Africas coronavirus race, coming fifth on the global table with 434,200 and 6,655 deaths. Two ministers in South Africas cabinet have been infected with the virus. Other countries are reintroducing restrictions in response to fresh outbreaks. In Spain, the number of people allowed on Barcelonas beaches were limited after crowds flocked to the seaside over the weekend despite advice to stay home. Africa now has over 800,000 infections and more than 17,000 deaths. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 By Tamilla Mammadova Trend: The South Gas Corridor (SGC) project, which provides for the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, will help attract additional investments in Georgia, Georgian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Zurab Pataradze told Trend. "We are very pleased that the implementation of the South Gas Corridor project is in its final stages," the ambassador said adding that it is of geopolitical importance for both countries. "The Southern Gas Corridor is an integral part of the strategy for developing transit and economic potential of our countries. The project contributes to the creation of new jobs, implementation of infrastructure projects and economic development, and it also increases revenue to the budget," the ambassador said. SGC is one of the priority projects for the EU, which envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor was held in Baku on May 29, 2018, while the opening ceremony of Phase 0 of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) was held in the Turkish city of Eskisehir on June 12, 2018. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356 A salesperson introduces the Hongqi HS5 model from FAW to customers at the 17th China Changchun International Automobile Expo in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province, on July 13, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJING -- Sales of top 10 Chinese-branded carmakers reached 4.36 million units during the first half of the year, data showed. The figure accounted for 84.53 percent of the total sales of Chinese-branded cars, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The Shanghai-based SAIC Motor, Chongqing Changan Automobile, and Geely Auto ranked the top three in terms of sales volumes during the period. China's auto industry has seen a wider recovery in recent months although the COVID-19 epidemic took its toll on the sector, said Fu Bingfeng, deputy secretary general of the association. In the passenger car sub-sector, medium and high-end brands will likely fare well during the second half, while the demand for low-end cars will further shrink, leaving some manufacturers financially troubled, Fu said. China Insider July 25: Pompeo Calls on Chinese People to Stand up and Fight Against the CCP On July 23, at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in California, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo implored democracies to work together to defend against expansive threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), calling it a choice between freedom and tyranny in his speech on communist China. Pompeo said that in the more than four decades since the United States normalized relations with the CCP, China has not liberalized as many had hoped. People and countries have to tell the truth about the CCP: President Nixon once said he feared he had created a Frankenstein by opening the world to the CCP. And here we are. We cant treat this incarnation of China as a normal country just like any other. Unable to accept a two-grand bag, I suggested he give me a bookmark I texted my new admirer, P from Westcliff, to warn him that the column he is probably about to read is all about our planned lunch date in either a pub in Leigh-on-Sea or a country-house hotel in North Yorkshire. I said I hoped he wont be offended. Just seen it. Nothing alarming, no. Though I will be more conscious about what I say in case you slaughter me in print and online and in your podcast. Oh dear. I wont slaughter you, I promise. No need to promise. I said that when I first got in touch. I understand you have a column to write, and if it really concerned me, I wouldnt risk meeting you. But men all say this, at first. My future husband was fine with his high-profile naughtiness, but soon flew into a rage when I wrote about the woman he had an affair with. David knew when he got in touch with me that I would write about our relationship, given Id already named him in a couple of columns oh, and a book for being an early crush. Men are genuinely fine with being written about when you are describing how the love of my life comes for the weekend and I am in the place I want to be, with the person I most want to be with. Or, in the Rock Stars case, that their penis needs a book not a column. Its when you write about their awful habits and hygiene and hankies that it all tends to go south. Anyway, then P wrote. Please look at the website of [his familys luxury brand] and choose something. I know its a bit odd, and I am not trying to impress you, and you wouldnt be under pressure to see me again. But I know how stylish you are and how much youd like it. The way everything is gift-wrapped is beautiful. No rush. So I couldnt help myself. I had a peek. What can I say, I own a womb, even if its as unused as my Le Creuset. The prices are eye-watering. I couldnt possibly accept a two-grand cross-body bag, so I wrote back, How about a lovely bookmark? You are sweet. Please choose something. Oooh. Postman. A package. I open it. A single flashing light for a dog. Thats odd. I have three dogs. What am I supposed to do, cull two of them? What is this, Sophies Choice? And its summer! Also, who knows my address? David. My friends Dawn, Sue, Helen. I dont think Andrea in Belfast has my home address. If it was Isobel, shed just pop round and lob it at me from a safe distance. So, having consulted MI5, I am pretty sure its from David. Flashing light. Cross-body bag. Flashing light. Cross-body bag. I wont accept the bag, of course not. Im not a common prostitute, as Bridget Joness mother would say. Even though I was only offered scrap value for the engagement ring David gave me, I still plan to pay him back for it. I should never have accepted it in the first place. My friend Helen says I should keep it. Nic says I should keep it and wear it. That its the same as a Christmas present, and I wouldnt return that. But I think an engagement ring is different. Its a promise to do something later down the line. So what if you never intended to go through with a marriage, you were vaguely embarrassed to be asked, said yes not wanting to offend, and also got carried away with the gesture? Plus the thought, of course, of choosing a hen weekend destination and dress and flowers and a menu and a guest list and honeymoon destination. Then you should give it back. Or refund his money. Which is what I will do. You can see now why I was made bankrupt. I keep making bad decisions. I am kind of wondering how I can stop. To contact Liz tweet @lizjonesgoddess or visit lizjonesgoddess.com LISTEN TO LIZ JONESS PODCAST! Join Liz as she dissects her weekly You Diary, delves into the archives and screams, Why did I write that?! Find it now at mailplus.co.uk/lizjones, iTunes and Spotify. Dr. Billy Price took me on a sweet stroll down memory lane the other day. The recollection destination was the former Conover Drug on 1st St. East, the place to which a Conover kid such as I could go without begging adult transportation. Id just hop on my bicycle and pedal about three quarters of a mile, and Id be in what was one of my little citys favorite places for both kids and adults. Id plop down on a soda fountain stool, devour a bag of barbecue corn chips washed down with a cherry Sprite, and then wander to the comic book section to select a new Archie Comics before paying and pedaling home. Grown-ups passed up the stools in want of booths, where theyd drink coffee, eat sandwiches, and gossip, while druggist, store owner, and Billys dad Bill Price filled prescriptions, counseled folks about their meds and ailments, and visited with whoever stopped by. Bill was a kind, compassionate man whom everyone loved. (Natural News) Although this story sounds like an urban legend, it isnt. Weve confirmed this from a huge number of sources: For the last several months, strange packages that appear to be from China are being delivered via the US Postal Service (USPS) to Americans all across the country, hitting people in at least six states so far. These packages often contain seeds of unknown origin, but several packages are described as containing counterfeit US currency or pandemic protective equipment such as masks or latex gloves. The packages, all of which contain a return address of China Post, are untrackable under USPS tracking systems and are labeled as containing jewelry or earrings. The packages are being shipped to specific individuals in the United States, using their names, addresses and phone numbers. Yet none of these people have placed orders of such products, according to dozens of complaints that have been filed with the US Postal Service and USDA. One package, shown below, was received by a citizen in Austin, TX: The Virginia Dept. of Agriculture is warning that these seeds may pose a danger to the crop integrity of the United States of America. From their July 24th press release: The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has been notified that several Virginia residents have received unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China. The types of seeds in the packages are unknown at this time and may be invasive plant species. The packages were sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them. Invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops. Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations. I received in Austin, TX yesterday. Double sealed and stored for inspection if USDA gets back to me. pic.twitter.com/u4SHyep83K Chad Andrews (@TMEIBV) July 25, 2020 The Arkansas Dept. of Agriculture is also sounding the alarm over these seed packages of unknown origin. Via HotspringsVillagePeople.com: According to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, residents of several states have reported that they received packets of seeds in the mail with writing on the outside that appears to be Chinese. While it is not known yet the precise species of the seeds, there is speculation that they could be seeds of an invasive species. If you should receive an unsolicited package of seeds in the mail, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture asks that you do not open the package or plant any unsolicited seeds. That story further warns that these seed packages could constitute environmental terrorism being carried out by an unknown party. The Kansas Department of Agriculture has also been alerted to the strange seed packages. Via KSNT.com: The Kansas Department of Agriculture is warning people about mysterious packages of seeds that appear to be from China. Agriculture officials believe these seeds might be dangerous. They said they could be invasive species, could introduce diseases to local plants, or could be harmful to livestock. People in other states across the country have also received similar packages, according to the department. Originating at Amazon.com? We are getting reports that all the individuals who have received these mysterious seed packages so far are Amazon.com customers. It also appears that the packages may be originating from Amazon fulfillment centers, not China, since all the packages lack any export stamp from China. In other words, even though they are labeled with a China return address, these packages appear to be originating within the USA, and the evidence so far which is not yet conclusive is pointing back to an Amazon.com fulfillment center. One explanation is that the products are part of a brushing scheme where operators set up fake customer accounts on Amazon.com using real customer names and addresses, then order low-cost products to be shipped out so they can leave positive reviews from verified customers. This is a method for gaming the Amazon.com review system. The Wall Street Journal explains brushing in this article about Alibaba. The same tactic can be used on Amazon, too. Chinese manufacturers are able to send products to the United States incredibly cheaply because the U.S. Postal Service subsidizes packages from China, making it cheaper to mail products from China than from within the United States itself. This is how the treasonous US government helped build Chinas export business; by paying most of the shipping of products from China. (The US government also subsidizes Amazon.com packages, too, granting Amazon a near-monopoly over online retailing.) Counterfeit cash, pandemic equipment and more A page from BadBuyerList.org reveals that many other people have been receiving these mysterious packages for several months: I see several people reporting an unsolicited receipt, via China Post, of a small quantity of seeds in a small package with a customs declaration identifying the contents as stud earrings. I also received an identical mailing and have no explanation. I reported to the U.S. Postal Inspector Service [www.uspis.gov/report/]. This is scarry, but glad im not the only one. Just received a small package from same place CHINA POST AiR-Small packet by air to US> HH Northside of the west gate of South China Avenue, Longgang District Shenzhen. under my name and my cell phone number. Crazyyy scary, their getting slick. Inside the package is fake pack of 100 dollar bills. I think im going to the police with this so they can track and finger print and what not. I ordered an item through Amazon.FedEx shipping label shows my phone no. was changed from my phone no. to 1-347-448-3190 I placed my order but was delivered to Oxford,Pa which is not my address and not my phone number. It belongs Aaron Sathrum aka Aaron Phone 1-347-448-3190 ext. 40913 6625 Red Deer Street San Diego, CA 92122 Just received a Huge pack of face mask. No quantity, nothing noted. From China, w/ this number. Must be 250 face masks. We never ordered any mask. So weird. Hello, today a received a package from CHINA POST AiR-Small packet by air to US> HH Northside of the west gate of South China Avenue, Longgang District Shenzhen. To me with my exact name and address to the United States of America. There was a phone number listed as 347 448 3190. The package says Stud earring 260008591 value $3.15. With an untraceable UP0022464646CN. But when you open package it has small clear package of black maybe seeds. This is scary dont know what those seeds are. Just received 10 pairs of blue plastic gloves..from same number from China How odd. I received TP that I was expecting from Amazon. Same qty of TP, Scott 1-ply, 1,000 per roll. Got 36 as 3 packs if 12 unwrapped, not 1 pack of 36 wrapped rolls. UPS from Walmart and each in its own box, not FED-Ex from Amazon. My order history on Amazon states it was shipped today 5/14, but my box arrived yesterday 5/13. With the phone number 347-448-3190 and ext. 90056, but it has my name and address. I have called in to Walmart and Amazon is unreachable. Walmart says they do have Amazon ship for them. This will be escalated by the customer service rep at Walmart. I now wonder if I am going to get another box of 36 TP via FED-Ex AND get charged for both shipments. Stay on the lookout for mysterious packages that appear to be from China. And do not plant any seeds they contain. By Patpicha Tanakasempipat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of Thai protesters sang a Japanese cartoon jingle on Sunday with lyrics mocking the government as hungry hamsters feasting on taxpayer cash, part of a new protest movement by youth who say they are using whimsical tactics for serious ends. Thai youths have been defying a coronavirus ban on gatherings to hold rallies almost daily since last week. By Patpicha Tanakasempipat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of Thai protesters sang a Japanese cartoon jingle on Sunday with lyrics mocking the government as hungry hamsters feasting on taxpayer cash, part of a new protest movement by youth who say they are using whimsical tactics for serious ends. Thai youths have been defying a coronavirus ban on gatherings to hold rallies almost daily since last week. The first rally, by a group called the Free Youth Movement, drew more than 2,000 activists, one of the biggest anti-government protests since a coup in 2014. At Sunday's demonstration, protesters sang new lyrics to the theme song for "Hamtaro", a Japanese cartoon about a hamster who loves sunflower seeds. They ran in circles around Bangkok's Democracy Monument, like hamsters running in a wheel. "The most delicious food is taxpayers' money," they sang. "Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament!" Leaders of the Free Youth Movement have said they will return to the streets for another large-scale demonstration next week if their demands are not met, including dissolving parliament, revising a constitution written by the military and ending the harassment of government critics. Some of the protests have been whimsical in tone, but the protesters say their political aims are serious. "The adults may think because we're doing this, they can't take us seriously. But this is the way for the new generation," said a 20-year-old protester who gave her name as Fah. "We are doing this differently in hope that something will change." (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Additional reporting by Juarawee Kittisilpa; Editing by Kay Johnson and Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. At least 250 widows from across western Cameroon are staging protests to call for an end to cleansing rituals and other cultural practices they say they have been forced to undergo following their husbands deaths. The widows gathered to demonstrate in the western town of Bafoussam. Forty-seven-year-old Amede Djoulde is a member of the Association of Widows, based in the nearby town of Foumban. She says the demonstrations began when a mother of five children was chased from her marital home after her husband died recently. She says widows are suffering enormously in their community. Women are always accused of killing their husbands and no one seems to consider the pain they go through after losing their life partners. Amina Nji says her family home is now illegally occupied by her late husband's older brother. She says she should be the owner of their matrimonial home because she constructed it with her husband. She says her in-laws did not take into consideration that she and her five children need a home. She says she now lives in her oldest daughters house but wants to return to her home. The women say they oppose practices that include the ritual of being forced to drink water used to bathe their late husbands body as a sign they did not kill their spouse. The women also say the practice of having to stay with their in-laws for about a year after their husbands die is cruel. Njingum Ngemnye, a public figure in the village of Koutoupit, says the practices are to cleanse the women of evil spirits brought about by the death of their spouses. He says tradition gives authority to particular notables to cleanse a woman by shaving her head immediately after the burial of her husband. He says the female siblings of the late husband must accompany the widow to her farm, fetch water and watch over her by accompanying her everywhere she goes. Seidou Tonta, also a notable (public figure) in Koutoupit, says he is surprised that the women want to abandon traditions intended to protect them. He says their tradition states that a widow, for her safety and fear of being cursed by her late husband, must avoid having sexual relations and wear only black dresses for up to a year after her husband dies. He says he is upset that many people are now believing in the doctrine of Christian churches that says God is against such practices. He says their traditions must also be respected by people who preach Christianity. Ernestine Essah, the highest ranking official in Noun, an administrative unit where Foumban is located, says the government has been educating communities in order to avoid such practices. She says the most disturbing issue she has observed in western Cameroon is the inhumane way women are treated when they lose their husbands. She says she has organized several talks and conferences to propagate the rights of women. She says she has asked those who still practice harmful widowhood rights to stop it because it is against the dignity of women and the government forbids such rites. The government of Cameroon says its western region still has some of the worst forms of cultural practices that undermine the rights of women. La Paz (AFP) - An international team of scientific institutions will join forces to preserve the future of the Lake Titicaca giant frog, an endangered species, Bolivia's natural history museum said. "In a coordinated effort, a cross-border team has been formed for the conservation and study of the emblematic Titicaca water frog (Telmatobius culeus) with the vision for the species' long-term future," the La Paz-based Museum of Natural History said in a statement sent to AFP. The team is made up of organizations from several countries, including Bolivia's Natural History Museum "Alcide d'Orbigny," Peru's Cayetano Heredia University and environmental NGO NaturalWay, the Denver Zoo in Colorado and the Zoology Museum at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. The mission also has the backing of the United Nations and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Lake Titicaca water frog is the world's largest aquatic amphibian, growing up to six inches long (145 millimeters). It can even grow as long as 20 inches, according to a 1970 report by legendary French scientist Jacques Yves Cousteau. The frog lives at depths of up to 109 yards (100 meters). It is characterized by its soft, loose skin that resembles a sack with detached folds, allowing it to breathe in the water of Lake Titicaca, which are more than two miles (3,800 meters) above sea level, as well as some surrounding waters in La Paz and Puno, Peru. The water frog is considered critically endangered, threatened by the overexploitation of the species for culinary purposes, ritual uses and the use of its skin for leather production. It is also threatened by high levels of water pollution in Lake Titicaca, which has produced infectious diseases that negatively affect amphibian populations. Hundreds of people took to the streets of the Russian Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk on July 26 to demand the release and return of the region's governor. Sergei Furgal is now in jail in Moscow on charges of attempted murder and ordering two contract killings some 15 years ago. Supporters say the charges are politically motivated. Furgal, who denies the allegations, beat a pro-Kremlin candidate in an election nearly two years ago. Demonstrations have rocked the city of 600,000 for more than two weeks and have grown to include calls for the resignation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. On July 25, a crowd estimated at up to 50,000 turned out despite officials urging people to stay away due to concerns over the coronavirus. Officials put the turnout on July 25 at some 6,500. The man appointed by Putin to replace Furgal addressed protesters for the first time in public on July 26. As the demonstration was ending, Mikhail Degtyaryov told a small group that a council would be created to allow the protesters to communicate with him on the Furgal matter. Degtyarov said he thinks any proceedings against Furgal should be open to the public. "If there is undeniable evidence, then the people should be allowed to see it," he said. After Degtyaryov left, a scuffle took place on the square where he had addressed the crowd. Police detained one activist. Degtyarov is a member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, as is Furgal, but he has never lived in Khabarovsk. Such sustained demonstrations are unusual for Russia's regions, as is the fact that the authorities have not yet moved to break them up. They follow on the heels of a controversial nationwide vote that set the stage for Putin to remain in power until 2036. The protests have unnerved Moscow. Khabarovsk Krai residents overwhelmingly voted for Furgal in the 2018 gubernatorial elections. His surprise victory was a blow to the ruling United Russia party. Furgal, who was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow, is charged with attempted murder and ordering two murders in 2004-2005. He denies the allegations. With reporting by dpa Wife Says Rights Lawyer Ding Jiaxi Tortured in Shandong Detention Center 2020-07-24 -- Concerns are growing over the fate of human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi, with his wife raising concerns that he may have been tortured during his time in the Linshi Detention Center in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong. Ding has been denied permission to meet with either family members or a lawyer since his initial detention in the wake of a December 2019 gathering of dissidents and rights activists in the southeastern port city of Xiamen. The crackdown on the gathering is being coordinated nationwide by state security police in Shandong. Detainees are being accused of subversion and held under "residential surveillance at a designated location" (RSDL) and criminal detention. Ding's wife Luo Shengchun said she had learned that he had been subjected to torture and degrading treatment while in the detention center. "He's being deprived of sleep, and they have to sleep with the lights on, so he has 24-hour exposure to [fluorescent lighting] but no access to daylight," Luo said. "He is being held in a constant sitting position and handcuffed to a steel chair." "When there is no interrogation, he will be left to sit there, immobile, but he will be woken up again if he dozes off," she said. She said that despite the lack of external signs of torture, the treatment is enough to be considered torture under international conventions. "You may not see any marks on him ... but has been mentally tortured," Luo said. "I think they have escalated things since the July 9, 2015 crackdown on rights lawyers." "At least some people were allowed to meet with their lawyer back then," she said. "Now, it's worse, because everything is done in secret, so you can't gather any evidence." Rights lawyer Xie Yang, who was among 300 lawyers, law firm staff and rights activists detained, questioned and otherwise harassed during the July 2015 crackdown, said Ding, along with fellow activist Xu Zhiyong, are political prisoners, and therefore the usual rights protections accorded to suspects in China's criminal justice system don't apply to them. "They want to step up the level of fear among the family members of political defendants and make them realize that they will get no protection from the law," Xie said. "If the law gets in the way of the political aims of the ruling elite, then they'll just abandon it," he said. "They repeatedly told me when I was in the detention center that the law had no place there." He said Ding and Xu were unlikely to be allowed to see a lawyer if they continued to refuse to "confess" to the accusations against them. Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Copyright 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The lockdown upturned life as they knew it for most people. But not for Kevin Kwan. The enforced isolation was how he had lived and worked since October last year. I was in a self-imposed lockdown, says the best-selling author. Locked away, he worked on Sex and Vanity, his fourth novel, which hit the shelves this June. I try to be in complete isolation when I write, Kwan says, speaking from LA. I go into my writers cave and get lost in the story and its characters. If I emerge from there, it isnt easy getting back into that space. While he works on his books which include Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems he cuts down phone usage and turns off email. I put out a message saying I might not call you back for three months, Kwan says. Travels in his armchair He had hoped to turn in the manuscript by February and then embrace the exhilaration of promoting the book. The pandemic put paid to that. I miss the promotions, Kwan says. Writing is a lonely sport. Once thats done, I enjoy going on tours, meeting people. In a way, its showing gratitude to the people whove gone out and bought your book. Kwans love for travel is evident in his latest book, much of which is set in Capri, Italy. He had hoped people would read the book while lying on a beach. I didnt expect the book to be released in the midst of a pandemic. But I still hope it can lend solace, joy and laughter in these times. I find myself reading about exotic places these days, and we can all armchair travel. I find myself reading about exotic places these days, and we can all armchair travel Kwans travels brought him to India for a lit-fest in Mumbai and he spent two weeks in Rajasthan. I knew Id love India, but I didnt realise how much, Kwan says. The historical sites made a deep impression and he found even the modern cities incredible. I made friends with an architect who showed me the hidden parts of Bandra with its colonial influences. I long to return and see South India. Its so many different countries within a country. Thats true also of China. No province is like another and Westerners dont always get that. Old money and new In Mumbai, Kwan took in the contrast between the unostentatious Mani Bhavan and Antilia. And its for one family, right? he asks, pointing to the dichotomy of these two edifices situated in the same locality. The frequently abrasive contrast between old money and new in Asia, specifically among the Chinese, is a key element in Kwans stories. While the old-moneyed class considers the nouveau riche vulgar and crass, the latter dismiss this disapproval as mere jealousy. They are living out loud and enjoying themselves more and, hey, they have more money, too, Kwan points out. Everyone thinks they are doing it the right way, thats human nature. The frequently abrasive contrast between old money and new in Asia, specifically among the Chinese, is a key element in Kwans stories (Jessica Chou) He is careful not to be judgmental, taking instead a satirical view. Another thing that gets unique treatment in Sex and Vanity is the snobbery attached to an elite education. So, every character introduction is accompanied in parenthesis by her or his alma mater. The protagonist Lucie, for instance, is (92nd Street Nursery School, Brearley, Brown Class of 18), while her cousin and chaperone in Capri, Charlotte, is (Rippowam, Miss Porters, Smith). Kwan says, When I moved to New York in my 20s, at every social event I went to, I found elite New Yorkers name-dropping which school and college they had been to. Then, theyd want to know where I had gone. So, I meant that as a joke. But you can tell a great deal about the characters from where they were educated. Simplicity rules Theres plenty of great food in Kwans books, remarkable architecture and design and, of course, high fashion. While Kwan was tracking trends when he ran his own design studio, now hes not really concerned with whats coming off the runways. I have a dear family friend, Cleo Davis-Urman, who acts as my fashion consultant. She is a style director at Saks Fifth Avenue and was stylist for my characters in books 2 and 3, he explains. His personal style, Kwan maintains, is simple and casual and LA suits him very well because nobody dresses up. I only shop when I travel. I like to support local businesses and local artisans. India is so many countries within a country. Thats true also of China. Sex and Vanity features his favourite sandal-maker in Capri. From a very young age, I refused to wear anything that screamed a brand name. If I was going to advertise, I might as well get paid for it, he laughs. Im happiest in my shorts and sandals. Im still an island boy in that sense. Kwan grew up in one of Singapores most affluent households. We lived with our grandparents and various relatives. The family home was, in fact, a little village. Singapore in the 70s and 80s was a tropical paradise, with remote lanes and forests through which we would cycle. It was an idyllic childhood. I was not very good at school and was more like a wild monkey, Kwan reminisces. While it was a privileged upbringing, he was no spoilt brat, he says. We got one new outfit every Chinese New Year. I have two older brothers and wore a lot of hand-me-downs and the toys were ancient. So, I had no idea of money or privilege. Singapore calling When he was 11, the family moved to Texas. It was a huge culture shock, Kwan remembers. I had to learn how to do everything for myself. I think my father, who had a very Western outlook, wanted us to have that. But the memories of his childhood in Singapore remained strong. My father had grown up in a different time and had had a wonderful childhood. When he fell ill, I began to put these memories down. It was a way of reconnecting with them. Kwan had initially meant to write a collection of short stories peopled by characters he had known in Singapore. Eventually, it became Crazy Rich Asians and was made into a hit film. When Crazy Rich Asians was being filmed Kwan was an executive producer he found himself commuting too often for his liking to LA from New York and decided to move there. Hes started his own production house and is hoping to roll out more projects in the future. Now, of course, Hollywood has hit the pause button, he says. And, yes, hes watched Bollywood films. The whole spectacle amazes me, Kwan says. There was this scene of a dance atop a train I found utterly fascinating. Ah, Chaiya Chaiya. Tech that! For a book called Sex and Vanity, theres not a great deal of the former in it. My friends 17-year-old son is a bright kid, very popular in high school. Hes made a conscious decision to keep off social media. He said he had no interest in taking selfies all day long and that sex and vanity is what it was all about. I thought it was a great name for a novel. And it reflects the central emotions running through the book. He himself is a Luddite, Kwan laughs. Because of his books, he had to get on Instagram and Facebook. Im convinced I was born in the wrong era, a hundred years too late. I am all for real experiences. The virtual cannot equal that. The mark of true success for me will be when I can be completely rid of tech. Id like to live in a village in Italy. Any messages for me would be left in a cafe. The bartender would hand them to me when I went in for my cappuccino. Who would have thought that would be the ultimate dream of the man who wrote Crazy Rich Asians? The writer is a senior lifestyle journalist and editor based in Bengaluru, and has edited several mainstream publications in the past. Also see: HT Brunch Cover Story: Questioning happiness with Amish From HT Brunch, July 26, 2020 Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch Hurricane Hanna made a second landfall in Texas on Saturday afternoon. The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season made its second landfall at around 6.15 pm in eastern Kenedy County, about 15 miles north-northwest of Port Mansfield. It had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (145 kph). Earlier in the afternoon, the storm had made landfall on Padre Island, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles (209 km) south of Corpus Christi and about 70 miles (113 km) north of Brownsville. Hurricane Hanna roared ashore onto the Texas Gulf Coast, bringing winds that lashed the shoreline with rain and storm surge, and even threatening to bring possible tornadoes to a part of the country trying to cope with a spike in coronavirus cases. The hurricane made landfall around 5 pm CDT about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles (209 km) south of Corpus Christi and about 70 miles (113 km) north of Brownsville. As of Saturday evening, it had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (145 kph). Many parts of Texas, including the area where Hanna came ashore, have been dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, but local officials said they were prepared for whatever the storm might bring. Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb said Saturday that he had seen some residents doing last-minute shopping for supplies, but he warned that if that hadnt been done already, people should stay at home and ride out the storm. Weve been staying at home for five months because of the corona(virus). ... So staying home doesnt sound real popular, but right now this is a real important matter, McComb said, adding that residents should remember to wear masks if they have to evacuate their homes. Steady rain fell Saturday in Corpus Christi and the winds got stronger. Sherry Boehme, who lives in a condo along the beach there, said the storms approach had increased the anxiety she has felt during the pandemic. The 67-year-old has mostly stayed at home because of health issues related to chronic lung disease. Its almost like a double whammy to us, Boehme said Saturday by phone. I think its made a lot of people nervous. ... Well get through it. Everybody is good and strong and sticks together. Boehme said shed already felt 60 mph wind gusts at her condo and had seen a surge of water coming from the bay. Most people seemed to be staying home, as traffic was light, she said. Judge Barbara Canales, Nueces Countys top elected official, said officials were highly concerned about storm surge that was already moving inland. Live webcam footage showed waves sweeping over popular Whitecap Beach near Corpus Christi hours before the hurricane was expected to make landfall. First responders in Corpus Christi proactively placed barricades near intersections to have them ready to go if streets began to flood, McComb said. More than 35,000 people throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, were without power early Saturday evening, according to AEP Texas. Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where health officials made headlines when they revealed that 60 infants tested positive for Covid-19 from July 1 to 16. Farther south in Cameron County, which borders Mexico and where Brownsville is located, more than 300 confirmed new cases have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks, according to state health figures. The past week has also been the countys deadliest of the pandemic. The main hazard from Hanna was expected to be flash flooding. Forecasters said Hanna could bring 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain through Sunday night with isolated totals of 18 inches (46 centimeters) in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna loomed as the first big test. South Texas officials plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind and incorporate social distancing guidelines and mask wearing. Gov Greg Abbott said Saturday that some sheltering would take place in hotel rooms so people could be separated. We cannot allow this hurricane to lead to a more catastrophically deadly event by stoking additional spread of COVID-19 that could lead to fatalities, Abbott said. Various resources and personnel to respond to the storm were on standby across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft. Mobile teams that can continue testing for Covid-19 were also being deployed. Abbott said he has issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties in Texas and had asked the federal government to approve a similar declaration. Tornadoes were also possible Saturday for parts of the lower to middle Texas coastal plain, forecasters said. A hurricane warning remained in effect for Port Mansfield to Mesquite Bay, which is north of Corpus Christi, and a tropical storm warning was in effect from Port Mansfield south to Barra el Mezquital, Mexico, and from Mesquite Bay north to High Island, Texas. Mexicos northeasternmost states, coastal Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon just to its west, also took precautions ahead of the storms arrival. Tamaulipas was preparing shelters and disinfecting them to try to avoid spreading Covid-19, the states governor, Francisco Cabeza de Vaca, tweeted. US-China Tensions Increase in South China Sea Dispute Recently, the U.S. government officially expressed its position on the South China Sea dispute, refusing to recognize the Chinese Communist Partys nine-dash line sovereignty claim. At the same time, an escalating military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait is feared to be a trigger for a hot war between China and the United States. Only the US state of California has reported more infections as cases continue to surge. Florida has overtaken New York in the number of coronavirus cases, according to the latest figures from the health department in the southeastern United States state. Vietnam is again on high alert for the coronavirus after medical officials detected the countrys first few locally transmitted cases in three months. Australia recorded its highest-ever daily tally of deaths from the novel coronavirus, all in Victoria as authorities in the state battled scores of clusters of infection. Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the public should remain extremely vigilant as the country nears a total of 1.4 million infections, with almost 50,000 cases reported in the past 24 hours. The number of coronavirus infections has hit 16 million worldwide, while more than 646,800 people have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. More than 9.3 million patients have recovered. Here are the latest updates: Sunday, July 26 23:06 GMT China expands state jobs for graduates as coronavirus hits private sector Chinas thousands of state-owned enterprises, local governments, and public institutions are expanding hiring as a record number of students graduate into a job market left reeling by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Reuters news agency. Around 8.7 million Chinese students are graduating this year, almost half a million more than in 2019, heading into an uncertain future as private firms rein in recruitment. Job stability for the young is a long-standing political concern in China. President Xi Jinping, who has previously warned that struggling graduates could turn into negative energy, is urging more hiring. Graduates, who generally enter the workforce in June or July, face a severe situation, officials have said. Available positions for them in the recent pre-graduation spring recruiting season fell by 22 percent on year, according to research from BOSS Zhipin. While Chinas gross domestic product bounced back into growth in the second quarter, surveyed unemployment of graduates aged 20-24 was more than three times the rate for the broader population, rising to 19.3 percent in June, 2.1 percentage points higher than May. 20:30 GMT Young adults majority of new virus cases in Canada Canadians under the age of 39 make up a clear majority of new cases of COVID-19 in Canada, health authorities said, warning young adults they are not invincible against the disease. Recent national surveillance data show that young adults aged 20-39 years of age account for the highest incidence rates across all ages in Canada, Canadas Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said in a statement. For the week ending July 22, the incidence rate was highest among young men and women aged 20-29 (14.4 and 13.8 cases per 100,000 people respectively), followed by those aged 30-39. Younger Canadians are not invincible to the disease, Tam warned, noting that it is not only the elderly who are at risk of serious health problems if infected. She pointed out that, of the cases of COVID-19 reported to the public health department last week, 63 percent involved people under 39 years of age, of whom roughly one-third were hospitalised. According to the latest available figures, Canada has so far recorded some 113,800 cases of the new coronavirus and 8,900 deaths [Carlos Osorio/Reuters] 19:40 GMT White House pushes narrow virus aid, Pelosi blasts GOP delay United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday assailed Republican disarray over a new pandemic relief package as the White House suggested a narrower effort might be necessary, at least for now. The California Democrat panned the desire of the administration of US President Donald Trump to trim an expiring temporary federal unemployment benefit from $600 weekly to about 70 percent of pre-pandemic wages. The reason we had $600 was its simplicity, she said from the Capitol. The administrations chief negotiators White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were returning to the Capitol later Sunday to put what Meadows described as final touches on a $1 trillion relief bill that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is likely to bring forward Monday. We can move very quickly with the Democrats on these issues, Mnuchin said. Weve moved quickly before If there are issues that take longer, well deal with those as well. 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] 18:45 GMT Moderna gets further $472m US award for virus vaccine development Moderna Inc said on Sunday that it has received an additional $472m from the United States governments Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to support development of its novel coronavirus vaccine. The US-based drugmaker said the additional funding will support its late-stage clinical development including the expanded Phase 3 study of Modernas vaccine candidate. Encouraged by the Phase 1 data, we believe that our mRNA vaccine may aid in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing future outbreaks, Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said in a press release. In April, Moderna received $483m from the US federal agency that funds disease-fighting technology [Brian Snyde/Reuters] 17:50 GMT India repatriates 814,000 citizens stranded abroad The Indian government has repatriated 814,000 citizens stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic since May, the countrys civil aviation minister said. More than 814K stranded Indians have returned through various means under VBM [Vande Bharat Mission] since 6 May 2020, out of which more than 270K returned on flights from 53 countries. Hardeep Singh Puri said on Twitter. In May, New Delhi launched an operation dubbed Vande Bharat Mission to evacuate citizens stranded in many countries due to COVID-19 restrictions. 17:05 GMT Florida overtakes New York in coronavirus cases Florida has overtaken New York in the number of coronavirus cases, according to the latest figures from the health department in the southeastern United States state. The Sunshine State has reported 423,855 total cases, up 12,180 in the last 24 hours. New York, once the epicentre of the US outbreak, has 411,200 total, seeing just hundreds of daily new infections. California, with a population of nearly 40 million, about twice that of Florida, is now the worst-hit US state, nearing 450,000 cases. Deaths in the US state of Florida are also rising, with another 124 fatalities reported overnight, bringing the total to 5,854 [Joe Raedle/AFP] 16:45 GMT Mexico state health minister dies after being hospitalised for COVID-19 The health minister of the Mexican state of Chihuahua, Dr Jesus Grajeda, has died, Chihuahuas governor said on Sunday, nearly two weeks after Grajeda was hospitalised with COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. I have no words to express all my feelings in this moment, except for profound sadness, Chihuahua Governor Javier Corral wrote on Facebook on Sunday morning, saying Grajeda had died of heart failure. With more than 385,000 confirmed cases and nearly 43,500 deaths as of Saturday, Mexico has the worlds fourth-highest death toll from the coronavirus. Latin America is the region most impacted by the coronavirus pandemic [Alfredo Estrella/AFP] 16:10 GMT Latin America leads world in coronavirus cases, Reuters tally shows Coronavirus cases in Latin America for the first time have surpassed the combined infections in the United States and Canada, a Reuters tally showed on Sunday, amid a surge of infections in Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Argentina. The quickly growing number of cases makes Latin America the region most impacted by the pandemic globally, with 26.83 percent of worldwide cases. Brazil has reported the highest number of cases in Latin America [Amanda Perobelli/Reuters] Latin America now has 4,327,160 total cases of the novel coronavirus compared to 4,308,495 infections in the US and Canada, according to the count based on data provided by the governments of each country. 15:35 GMT Florida records 9,300 new cases, blows past New York Florida on Sunday became the second state after California to overtake New York, the worst-hit state at the start of the United States novel coronavirus outbreak, according to a Reuters tally. Total COVID-19 cases in the Sunshine State rose by 9,300 to 423,855 on Sunday, just one place behind California, which now leads the country with 448,497 cases. New York is in third place with 415,827 cases. Still, New York has recorded the most deaths of any US state at more than 32,000, with Florida in eighth place with nearly 6,000 deaths. On average, Florida has added more than 10,000 cases a day in July while California has been adding 8,300 cases a day and New York has been adding 700 cases [Joe Raedle/AFP] 15:03 GMT Taiwan resumes ocean cruise amid pandemic Taiwan resumed an island-hopping ocean cruise on Sunday, joining a handful of places in the world to restart voyages after the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a virtual standstill. Some 900 holidaymakers are adapting to new safety measures when boarding Genting Hong Kongs Explorer Dream, embarking from Taiwans northern Keelung port. The company now offers trips of up to five days from Taiwan to its scenic outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. The cruise resumption is part of a government effort to boost a tourism industry badly hit by the pandemic. Taiwan has largely closed its borders since mid-March and advised citizens against overseas travel unless absolutely necessary. Taiwan has kept the pandemic well in hand with only 11 active cases and no local transmission for more than three months due to early and effective prevention [Ann Wang/Reuters] 14:31 GMT Tanzanias former President Benjamin Mkapa had malaria, not virus, says family Former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa was suffering from malaria and died of a heart attack, his family said Sunday, scotching rumours that he succumbed to coronavirus. Mkapa was found with malaria and he was admitted for treatment since Wednesday, family member William Erio revealed during a funeral mass broadcast on state television TBC1. Mkapa, 81, was the East African nations third president [Mike Hutchings/Reuters] Mkapa, who ruled the East African country for two terms from 1995 to 2005, died early Friday aged 81 in a Dar es Salaam hospital, but the government did not reveal the cause of his death. He was feeling better on Thursday and I was with him until 8pm that day, Erio said. 14:00 GMT Republican US coronavirus relief bill to be unveiled Monday: Mnuchin US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Republican coronavirus relief legislation will be made public on Monday and that he believes the party can move quickly with Democrats to hammer out their differences. The most pressing issues are enhanced unemployment benefits that run out next week and liability protections from coronavirus-related lawsuits, Mnuchin said. We can move very quickly with the Democrats on these issues. Weve moved quickly before, and I see no reason why we cant move quickly again, Mnuchin said on the Fox News Sunday programme. 13:30 GMT Europes biggest holiday company cancels all trips to mainland Spain TUI, Europes biggest holiday company, said on Sunday that it had decided to cancel all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including Sunday August 9 on updated advice after the United Kingdom imposed a quarantine on those returning from the country. TUI UK have taken the decision to cancel all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including Sunday 9th August 2020, it said in a statement. We know how much our customers look forward to their holiday abroad and some will be able to accommodate the new quarantine restrictions. Therefore all those that wish to travel to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands will be able to travel as planned from Monday 27th July. The United Kingdoms decision has provoked anger and confusion among tourists [Nacho Doce/Reuters] 13:10 GMT Hello, this is Hamza Mohamed in Doha taking over from my colleague Usaid Siddiqui. 12:50 GMT Hurricane Hanna lashes Texas as US state faces coronavirus crisis Hurricane Hanna has pummelled the southern coast of Texas in the United States overnight with howling winds and a surging sea that threatens a broad area already contending with a spike in coronavirus cases. Hanna, the first hurricane in the 2020 Atlantic storm season, has forced authorities to arrange shelters and evacuation for people while also maintaining physical distancing protocols and other pandemic restrictions. Read more here. 12:35 GMT Madrid insists coronavirus is under control in Spain The Spanish government said that in spite of the recent surge in coronavirus cases, the situation there is under control. The statement comes in response to countries that have recently announced travel restrictions on Spain. Passengers travelling from Spain to the United Kingdom will have to undergo a fortnight in isolation while Norway imposed restrictions on travel to Spain. French Prime Minister Jean Castex strongly recommended Friday that the French avoid going to Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain where the epidemic is particularly on the rise. 12:10 GMT Vietnam reports two more locally transmitted coronavirus cases Vietnam reported two more locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 420. The new cases include a 17-year-old boy in the central province of Quang Ngai and a 71-year-old woman in Da Nang city, the government said in a statement. There have been no deaths from COVID-19. 11:40 GMT South Korea baseball fans finally return to stands South Korean baseball games reopened to fans as health authorities outlined a phased process to bring back spectators in professional sports amid the COVID-19 epidemic. Both baseball and football teams are now allowed to sell up to 10 percent of the seats for each game as officials plan to control the level of attendance based on the progress of anti-virus efforts. Following the guidelines, fans were screened for fevers upon entering the stadium and required to sit a safe distance during a baseball match between LG Twins and Doosan Bears in Seoul. Baseball fans enjoy the Korea Baseball Organization League game between the LG Twins and Doosan Bears at the Jamsil Stadium in Seoul, South Korea [Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images] 11:05 GMT Modi warns of rapid coronavirus spread as caseload nears 1,400,000 The novel coronavirus is spreading rapidly in several parts of India and the public should remain extremely vigilant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. We must understand that the virus is as deadly today as it was at the beginning and we need to be even more careful, Modi said during his monthly radio address. He advised people to continue wearing masks, washing their hands and upholding social-distancing and hygiene rules, referring to the measures as our weapons to fight the virus. Indias Health Ministry reported 48,661 new infections and 705 deaths on Saturday. 10:12 GMT Madagascar opens new coronavirus treatment centre Madagascar has launched a new coronavirus treatment centre amid rising infections and hospitals being overwhelmed, the president said. In a series of tweets, Andry Rajoelina said the Mahamasina treatment centre in the capital Antananarivo can accommodate 250 COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms. In these difficult times, I call on the nation to show unity and solidarity in the fight against the epidemic, Rajoelina said. 09:50 GMT Virus outbreak on German farm leaves almost 500 locked down Almost 500 people have been confined to a farm in southern Germany after a new coronavirus outbreak prompted authorities to lay down quarantine, local officials say. So far, 174 harvest workers have been discovered to be infected with the coronavirus, which can lead to a case of the potentially deadly disease COVID-19. A security service has been hired to make sure no one leaves, said officials from the Dingolfing-Landau region late on Saturday. 09:33 GMT UK foreign secretary defends quarantine measures The UKs foreign secretary defended the governments decision to immediately impose COVID-19 quarantine measures on UK travellers returning from Spain, saying it was not possible to give them more notice. Dominic Raab told Sky News that vague advice would have created more uncertainty. He said the government must be able to take quick action to fight the virus. Read more here. The move to take Spain off a safe-travel list was announced late on Saturday and it took effect from midnight (23:00 GMT on Saturday), leaving travellers with no time to dodge it [Hannah McKay/Reuters] 09:04 GMT Tokyo confirms 239 new COVID-19 cases Tokyo officials confirmed 239 new coronavirus infections, Japanese media reported, as the capital struggles with a resurgence in cases after the government lifted a state of emergency. The total marks the sixth straight day new cases in the city have exceeded 200. While Japan was spared the kind of surge in infections that have killed tens of thousands in other countries, Tokyo has raised its coronavirus alert to the highest level after a series of new cases. 08:40 GMT Indonesia reports 1,492 new cases, 67 deaths Indonesia reported 1,492 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total tally to 98,778, data from the countrys Health Ministry website showed. The number of deaths in the Southeast Asian nation related to COVID-19 rose by 67, bringing the total to 4,781, the data showed. The rooms are bare and have little furniture but the children welcome a respite from the streets [Jessica Washington/Al Jazeera] [Al Jazeera] 08:16 GMT UK govt shambolic on making Spanish quarantine decision: Labour The way the government decided to impose a quarantine on those people travelling from Spain to the UK was shambolic, the health policy chief for the main opposition Labour Party said on Sunday. I can understand why the government have made this decision but of course, the way in which this decision has been made in the last 24 hours is frankly shambolic, Jonathan Ashworth told Sky News, saying the government had given those Britons holidaying in Spain no time to plan for quarantine by bringing in the new rule with little notice. 07:52 GMT Russia reports 5,765 new cases in 24 hours Russia reported 5,765 new coronavirus cases and 77 more deaths, a steep decline from the 146 deaths reported a day earlier. The nationwide tally of infections has risen to 812,485, Russias coronavirus crisis response centre said. 07:31 GMT Brazil reports more than 1,200 deaths Brazil reported 1,211 deaths from the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, according to its Health Ministry. The South American nation, one of the worst-hit countries in the world, has so far registered 86,449 deaths. 07:07 GMT South Africa reports about 12,000 new cases South Africa has announced more than 12,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases as the total in one of the worlds worst-affected countries reaches 434,200 with 6,655 deaths. South Africa makes up well over half the confirmed cases on the African continent, where experts say the virus could smoulder in areas poorly served by health services. Africa now has more than 828,000 cases. The true number of cases on the continent of 1.3 billion people is unknown because of testing shortages and insufficient data. 06:42 GMT Israel arrests protestors demonstrating against pandemic policy The Israeli police arrested 12 people and used water cannon before dawn on Sunday to disperse furious protesters against government coronavirus policies in Jerusalem, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated against joblessness, corruption, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus handling of the pandemic. 06:01 GMT Vietnam reimposes restrictions after first locally transmitted cases Vietnam reimposed restrictions in one of its most popular beach destinations after a second person tested positive for COVID-19, the first locally transmitted cases in the country in more than three months. Da Nang authorities in central Vietnam banned gatherings of more than 30 people in public places as well as all sport, cultural and religious events in the city of 1.1 million. Theme parks, beauty salons, bars and clubs were also ordered shut. Hello, this is Usaid Siddiqui in Doha taking over from my colleague Ted Regencia. 05:08 GMT UK tourists in Spain panicking over quarantine order British tourists flying home on Sunday after a holiday in Spain angrily reacted to an abrupt decision by their government to make everyone arriving from the Mediterranean country spend 14 days in quarantine. The UKs decision late on Saturday to take Spain off a safe-travel list over a rise in coronavirus cases took effect from midnight (23:00 GMT on Saturday), leaving travellers with no time to dodge it, and with major concerns about their returns, tourists at Madrids Barajas airport said. Spain was one of the worst-hit countries in Europe by the coronavirus pandemic, with nearly 290,000 cases and more than 28,000 deaths. It imposed very strict lockdown measures to contain the spread, gradually easing them earlier in the summer. 04:25 GMT Australias Victoria state records 10 deaths overnight Australias Victoria state has recorded 10 deaths overnight from COVID-19, its highest daily toll amid a continuing surge in coronavirus cases. State Premier Daniel Andrews said the victims included seven men and three women. A man in his 40s became one of the youngest COVID-19 victims in Australia. There were 459 new infections, the 21st straight day of triple-figure increases. The deaths bring Victorias toll to 71 and Australias national tally to 155. A total of 228 people are hospitalised in Victoria, 42 in intensive care. Australia has recorded more than 14,400 cases. 04:05 GMT Italian city slaps $1,150 fines on mask rule violators Failure to wear a mask inside stores in the southern city of Salerno has proven costly to many, the AP news agency reported. Three people in the port city in the Campania region received 1,000-euro ($1,150) fines on Saturday, the Corriere della Sera reported. Campania Governor Vincenzo De Luca signed an ordinance on Friday, provisioning for fines of up to 1,000 euros for not wearing masks in closed public places. Similar fines were handed out on the tourist island of Ischia, in three cafes and in a restaurant, also in the Campania region. Campania accounted for 21 of Italys 275 new virus cases on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Health. Five deaths were reported in the nation of 60 million since Friday, raising its COVID-19 death toll to 35,102. 03:50 GMT Greece reports 31 new COVID-19 cases Greek authorities have announced 31 new cases in the last 24 hours, with eight from arrivals from abroad. There were no reported deaths, AP news agency reported. This developed as authorities announced that visitors from Bulgaria and Romania will need to present a negative test for the virus, taken over the 72 hours preceding their arrival. This measure will go into effect Tuesday. Greeces health minister Vassilis Kikilias says eventual vaccination against the coronavirus will not be mandatory, but strongly recommended. Total confirmed cases in Greece stand at 4,166, with 201 deaths. 03:30 GMT South Korea COVID-19 cases down as imported infections fall A child model presents a creation during a fashion show, wearing a mask as a measure to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease, in Seoul on Friday [Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters] South Koreas new coronavirus cases dropped to below 60 on Sunday, a day after the country recorded its highest figure in nearly four months due to a surge in infections among people arriving from abroad, Yonhap news agency reported. The country added 58 new cases, including 46 from abroad, bringing the total to 14,150, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The number of new infections was down 55 from Saturday, when the countrys new cases surged to 113, including 86 cases from South Korean workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors. It marked the first time since April 1 for the country to report more than 100 cases. There were no additional deaths, keeping the total death toll at 298. 03:19 GMT Germanys confirmed cases rise to 205,269 The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 305 to 205,269, Reuters news agency reported on Sunday quoting data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases. The reported death toll was unchanged with 9,118, the tally showed. 02:43 GMT France expands free COVID-19 testing as infection rates rise French health authorities are making COVID-19 tests available free of charge without prescription as they closely monitor an uptick in infections after the lifting of lockdown measures, Reuters reported on Sunday. PCR nasal swab tests, which detect COVID-19 infections caused by the novel coronavirus, will be freely available on demand under government orders published on Saturday. France has recorded 30,192 deaths attributed to the coronavirus, among a total of 180,528 cases of the disease, according to statistics published on Friday. 02:30 GMT Lebanon reports highest daily count of cases Lebanon has reported 175 coronavirus cases the highest daily count bringing the total to more than 3,500, according to the AP news agency. Lebanese officials warn of a spike in infections following the easing of restrictions after the countrys only airport opened on July 1. Government officials have urged people to observe physical distancing and wear masks. The country of about five million has 47 confirmed deaths and 3,582 reported cases. The government is considering reintroducing restrictions, including closing gyms and nightclubs, which reopened for business after the country relaxed its lockdown. 02:09 GMT Costa Rica registers record 931 new cases and 11 deaths Costa Ricas Health Ministry has reported a record 931 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths, both single-day highs for the small Central American nation where 72 percent of all its confirmed cases have been registered since the beginning of this month. In total, Costa Rican authorities have reported 14,600 cases and 98 deaths in the country of five million people, according to Reuters. Despite the increase in cases, hotels are operational and the government has announced European, British, and Canadian tourists will be allowed to enter the country beginning August 1. 01:40 GMT Mainland China reports 46 new cases, 22 in Xinjiang Beijing partially reopened movie theatres on Friday as the threat from the coronavirus continues to recede in Chinas capital [Mark Schiefelbein/AP] China reported 46 cases of the new coronavirus in the mainland for July 25, up from 34 cases a day earlier, Reuters reported on Sunday, quoting the countrys health commission. Of the new infections, 22 were in the far western region of Xinjiang, according to a statement by the National Health Commission. Thirteen were in the northeastern province of Liaoning, while the remaining 11 were imported cases. China reported two new asymptomatic cases, down from 74 a day earlier. As of the end of Saturday, mainland China had 83,830 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said. The COVID-19 death toll remained at 4,634. 01:04 GMT North Koreas Kaesong placed under lockdown North Korean leader Kim Jong Un placed the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea under total lockdown over coronavirus concerns and declared a state of emergency to contain a potential outbreak, the AP reported on Sunday quoting North Koreas state media. The maximum emergency system was implemented after a person was found with suspected COVID-19 symptoms in the city, the Korean Central News Agency said. It said the person is a runaway who had fled to South Korea years ago before illegally crossing the border into the North early last week. If that person is officially declared a virus patient, he or she would be the Norths first confirmed coronavirus case. North Korea has steadfastly said it has no single virus case on its territory, a claim questioned by outside experts. 01:00 GMT Mexico reports 6,751 new cases, 729 deaths Mexicos Health Ministry has reported 6,751 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 729 additional deaths, bringing the total in the country to 385,036 cases and 43,374 total deaths. The government has said the real number of infected people is likely significantly higher than the confirmed cases, according to Reuters. 00:29 GMT Brazil registers 1,211 coronavirus deaths Brazil registered an additional 1,211 deaths attributable to the novel coronavirus over the last 24 hours and another 51,147 confirmed cases, Reuters news agency reported quoting the health ministry. The South American nation has now registered 86,449 deaths and 2,394,513 total cases as of the end of Saturday. 00:16 GMT Israelis protest against Netanyahus handling of pandemic Police use water cannon during a protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus alleged corruption and his governments handling of the coronavirus disease crisis, near his residence in Jerusalem early on Sunday [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters] Thousands of protesters hit the streets of Jerusalem to denounce Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus handling of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as alleged corruption in his government. Images from Jerusalem showed some of the protesters clashing with police outside the residence of Netanyahu on Saturday night. The number of people to test positive for coronavirus in Israel topped 60,000 on Saturday as the government struggled to contain a resurgence in infection rates. With a population of nine million, Israel has reported a total of 455 deaths from the pandemic. 00:01 GMT US state of Arizona reports 3,700 new cases Hurricane Hanna roared ashore on the US Gulf Coast in the state of Texas, bringing winds that lashed the shoreline with rain and storm surge and even threatening to bring possible tornadoes to a part of the country trying to cope with a spike in coronavirus cases. The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall on Saturday afternoon. By the evening, it had maximum sustained winds of 90mph (145kmph). Many parts of Texas, including the area where Hanna came ashore, have been dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, but local officials said they were prepared for whatever the storm might bring. ________________________________________________________________ Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Ted Regencia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. You can find all the key developments from yesterday, July 25, here. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal New Mexico health officials reported 324 new cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths related to the disease in an update Saturday afternoon, bringing the statewide total to 18,788 cases and 607 deaths. Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokeswoman with the Governors Office, said in a news release that all of those who died had underlying conditions. They were: Two women, both in their 80s, from Bernalillo County. One was a resident of the Rio at Las Estancias, and the other was a resident at Princeton Place; A woman in her 60s from McKinley County; A man in his 70s from Rio Arriba County; A man in his 80s from Sandoval County; and A woman in her 60s from San Juan County. Health officials said there were 93 new cases in Bernalillo County; 64 in Dona Ana County; 28 each in McKinley and Lea counties; 12 in Curry County; 10 each in Sandoval and San Juan counties: nine each in Chaves and Santa Fe counties; eight in Valencia County; five each in Rio Arriba, Cibola and Otero counties; four each in Eddy, Lincoln and Roosevelt counties; three in Sierra County; two each in Luna and Quay counties; and one each in Colfax, Grant, Guadalupe, San Miguel and Taos counties. There were also three cases among federal inmates at the Cibola County Correctional Center, one case among federal inmates at Otero County Prison Facility and 10 cases among Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees at the Otero County Processing Center. There were 148 people hospitalized with the virus, 32 of them on ventilators, and 7,268 designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health, as of Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 22:11:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close The AG600, codenamed Kunlong, flies over the sea off Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, July 26, 2020. China's indigenously developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft succeeded in its maiden flight over sea on Sunday morning in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, its developer announced. The aircraft took off from the sea off Qingdao at 10:18 a.m. and completed the test flight after flying for about 31 minutues, said state-owned plane-maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The successful maiden flight from the sea is a major step forward in the development of this large amphibious aircraft following its maiden flight in 2017 and first takeoff from a water reservoir in 2018, said the AVIC. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) by Xinhua writer Hu Tao QINGDAO, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China's indigenously-developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft succeeded in its maiden flight over sea on Sunday morning in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, its developer announced. The aircraft took off from the sea off Qingdao at 10:18 a.m. and completed the test flight after flying for about 31 minutes, said state-owned plane-maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The successful maiden flight from the sea is a major step forward in the development of this large amphibious aircraft following its maiden flight in 2017 and first takeoff from a water reservoir in 2018, said the AVIC. SPECIAL MISSIONS The successful maiden flight paved the way for the aircraft to undergo the following phases of test flights over sea and verification of its performance as an amphibious aircraft. The AG600, together with the Y-20 large transporter and C919 single-aisle passenger airplane, is part of China's key project of independently-developed "large aircraft family." Codenamed Kunlong, the AG600 is a key aeronautical equipment in China's emergency rescue system, said the AVIC. The AG600 is designed to meet the country's demands for forest firefighting, marine rescue and other critical emergency rescue missions. It is also the first time that China's aviation industry has developed a special-mission large civil aircraft model. To prepare for the maiden sea takeoff, the AVIC completed multiple test flights over sea so that crew members could become familiar with the air and marine environment, according to the developer. The development team and test flight team have optimized the aircraft, trained test flight pilots and made preparations for test flights in a maritime environment. GREAT POTENTIAL Starting in 2009, the AG600 amphibious airplane project has been designed with the potential to have multiple variants, seeking to continuously meet various demands of customers, said the AVIC. The multi-tasking amphibious plane can take off and land on both ground and water, thus packing more potential for various missions. With long-range and long-haul capabilities, the AG600 can efficiently shuttle between the fire site and water source, each time carrying as much as 12 tonnes and dropping water over an area of 4,000 square meters. The AG600 is designed to operate in complex weather and environment conditions. In rescue missions, it can conduct low altitude water surface search and anchor for water and maritime rescue missions. The aircraft is capable of rescuing up to 50 people on each mission. Besides roles in firefighting and water rescue, the AG600 aircraft can be modified or fitted with more facilities to meet customers' special mission requirements, according to the AVIC. The AVIC will facilitate further development of the AG600 project. The development team will focus on the firefighting-type of AG600 aircraft, which is expected to be completed by 2023, said the Chinese plane-maker. Enditem Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex were secretly engaged two months before they officially announced it to the world, a new biography about the couple reveals. Back in 2017, during an interview following their engagement news, Prince Harry and Meghan shared the details of the proposal, but it appears they may have lied about Prince Harrys proposal. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Karwai Tang/WireImage Did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lie about their engagement? During their engagement interview, the couple was asked about the details of Prince Harrys proposal and it was all very romantic but rather ordinary, as they said they were cooking a chicken dinner. During the November 2017 interview, when asked, When did it happen, how did it happen? of the proposal, the two exchanged a look. Prince Harry then explained, It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage, just a standard typical night for us. Just a cozy night, it was what we were doing, just roasting chicken and having, Meghan started, with Harry interrupting, saying, Roasting a chicken, trying to roast a chicken. Meghan continued, Trying to roast a chicken and it just just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee. She didnt even let me finish, she said can I say yes, can I say yes and then were was hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like can I can I give you the ring? She goes oh yes, the ring, Harry added. He continued, So, no it was it was a really nice moment, it was just the two of us and I think I managed to catch her by surprise as well. RELATED: Prince Harrys Desire to Make Meghan Markle Happy Could Be Damaging to Him, Claims Royal Expert Prince Harry proposed to Meghan in Botswana, book claims According to an excerpt from Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family published in The Times, authors Carolyn Durrand and Omid Scobie claim that the engagement actually happened months prior to that interview. Prince Harry, the books authors claim, proposed to Meghan during their August 2017 trip to Botswana. A royal source told The Sun at the time, Who knows what will happen when theyre watching a sensational African sunset together? Maybe hell get down on one knee. Meghan had traveled to London to meet with Harry after filming her last episode of the show Suits and then they traveled to Botswana for their romantic holiday. The book claims that the rift between Prince Harry and Prince William began shortly before the couple became secretly engaged in August 2017, though no further details of the engagement were published in the excerpt. Fans arent all that surprised While the books claim about their secret engagement might be shocking to some, not all fans found it that out of the ordinary. One royal fan tweeted, That is not very unusual for royals, honestly, to announce the engagement actually weeks or even longer after the actual event took place. Agreed, given that once the news is out, they were going to have the worlds media all over them, another Twitter user responded. Anyone with their public profile would also have wanted that special time in their lives to belong to just them, to enjoy in private. Commissioner Heather OLoughlins Letter to the Editor on July 15 regarding the current SRO debate in our school district was disappointing at best. The myriad of discrepancies presented during the public meeting on July 9, 2020 and in Ms. OLoughlins letter regarding the SROs in Helena Public Schools can be broken into three distinct categories: the anecdotal examples bordered on slander of our professionals and - most egregiously - the data was misinterpreted. During the scripted presentations of the panelists the ACLU assembled, an individual of the school district was named and misinformation was given out on her role in the anecdote shared by the former student. The meeting was not to evaluate the job performance of individual professionals employed by the district. It can be assumed that since it used the anecdote as part of its argument, the ACLU was fully aware of what the young adult would say and therefore blatantly ignored professional standards of not calling out unrelated individuals just to vent past frustrations. Additionally, several times, classroom teachers were entirely disregarded and SROs were elevated to the level as first responders in a crisis. Police officers are trained in first-response but they arent the first encounter a student will have in a time of crisis. The vast - almost exclusive - majority of the time, the first responder to students is the classroom teacher. We are trained to identify telling signs of a students current mental state and appropriate follow-through on those concerns as well as how to build relationships with students so we can be on alert for any deviations in behavior that may indicate trauma or mental health struggles. Additionally, the data cited at the meeting and again in Ms. OLoughlins letter was faulty at best and misled the public in the role SROs have in our schools. In Ms. OLoughlins letter, she cites ACLU Montanas 2019 report Empty Desks... that Black, Indigenous, and other students of color are more likely to be disciplined in school and has used that to justify the removal of SROs. This is incorrect. The SROs do not discipline the students. They enforce the law and would do so whether physically present in the school or not. If a law has not been broken or if protective custody is not needed, the officers are not involved. Several concerns have also been raised about the report regarding its viability including - Multiple citations for students were counted as individual arrests (21 students receiving 2 citations was counted as 42 arrests) - One year of data was used (now nearly outdated) from 2015-2016 - Many districts, including Helena, have already implemented many practices recommended by the ACLU including MBI programs, CSCT counselors, and education of teachers to provide trauma-informed teaching The arguments being made to remove SROs arent about our officers at all. They are arguments against systemic racism, broken school systems, and generational poverty as well as arguments against the current district administration and practices. The former realities are far too big for one group of city commissioners to tackle, and the latter is far beyond the scope and reach of the City Commissions duties. Change is absolutely necessary on the former and discussions in the appropriate venues occur on the latter. However, stating SROs create a racist environment does detract from a more reasonable and achievable argument to remove them - the city cant afford to pay for them. Certain members of the City Commission are promoting a removal of the SROs from our school in hopes it will resolve the incredibly difficult and complex societal issues that plague our schools, community, state, and nation. They are misleading the public as to the role SROs play in our schools and using them as a scapegoat to avoid addressing the real problems of budget issues and inherent impacts poverty has on our schools and community. If the City cant afford to pay for the SROs because too many projects were approved before the budget was balanced, then the commissioners have a responsibility to acknowledge that. As with most other situations, our district professionals will do our best to fill in the gaps and provide the most cohesive, caring, and safe educational environments for our students regardless of the limitations or unforeseen circumstances. Meghan Schulte is and English teacher at Helena High School. Love 20 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Nurses, doctors and supervisors at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital are protesting to remove the name of Facebook CEO from the hospital, as advertisers leave the social network owing to its inaction over the spread of hate speech on its platforms. The medical fraternity is the new addition to the ongoing #StopHateforProfit campaign against Facebook that has witnessed over 400 subscribers leaving the platform and employees staging walkouts. According to a report in sfist.com this week, hospital supervisors Gordon Mar and Matt Haney have revived a 2018 proposal to remove the name "Zuckerberg" from the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. "As advertisers leave Facebook in droves due to inaction in the face of hate speech, and employees stage walkouts, it frankly does not make sense for San Francisco's public hospital to continue to hold Mr. Zuckerberg's name," Haney said in a statement to KPIX. "We deeply appreciate the original donation, but it shouldn't have ever come with permanent advertising rights on this public hospital that belongs to the people of San Francisco," Haney added. In 2015, the hospital added Zuckerberg's name following a $75 million donation from Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician who used to work at the hospital. Technically, its full name is Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, but Chan's name has mostly been dropped. "Whether we like it or not, Zuckerberg's name is attached to our institution. Looking into a future desperate for institutional funding, our leaders are unlikely to support any effort to change the official name back to San Francisco General Hospital. But that doesn't mean we, who work here, have to use the Z name or letter," hospital physician Robert Brody wrote to staff in an email obtained by Stat News. Several top-notch brands like Disney, Coca Cola, adidas, Walgreens and Starbucks have already pulled out their ads from the social network. Microsoft has suspended its advertising on Facebook and Instagram through August. Earlier this month, civil right group leaders in the US were left disappointed after meeting Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, over their concerns related to the spread of hateful content on their platforms. Sandberg, Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives had met online racial justice group Color of Change, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others who started the #StopHateforProfit campaign in June. The union workers of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) says it is taking steps to take back the management of the National Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform from K-Net. This comes after the corporation refused to reduce its channels on the National Digital Terrestrial Television as directed by the Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful. Speaking to Citi News, Chairman of the GBC workers Union, Sam Nat Kevor said DTT was originally set up by GBC and they have the personnel to man it. The private firm that installed and supplied the transmission equipment was given that four-year mandate to manage it, he said adding that, the action coming from the Ministry that asked us to reduce our channels form six to three came as a surprise to them. According to him, the DTT sites have been installed on landed property belonging to GBC. They also expressed their gratitude to the National Media Commission for intervening in the tussle between GBC and the Ministry of communication. We are really grateful to the NMC because if that decision had not been reversed, it will be unfortunate for this country. We are therefore calling on any policymaker and other stakeholders that anything they do that will go to the detriment of this organization will be a destruction to the country. We will, therefore, continue to work on the doorsteps of the NMC that going forward, they should not let us down but be nationalistic, Sam Nat Kevor noted. DTT platform must be managed by public entity NMC Chair The Chairman of the National Media Commission, Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, is advocating for the public management of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform. Mr. Boadu-Ayeboafoh suggested that the managers of the platform be selected by the NMC. The DTT platform is currently managed by KNET, a private firm which has been under contract since 2015. This DTT platform must be managed by a public body which is constituted by the National Media Commission and whose Chief Executive shall be appointed by the National Media Commission in the same way because it is dealing with media. He argued that this suggestion was in line with the mandate of the NMC. For as long as it is media and it is funded by public funds, our position is that it is the National Media Commission that must appoint the Chief Executive and the Board of Directors to manage the DTT platform. The NMC prevented the Ministry of Communications from limiting the channels of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and Crystal TV on the DTT platform following a petition from GBC on the matter. President Akufo-Addo subsequently directed the Minister for Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, to suspend her directive to the GBC. The DTT platform currently has the capacity for 40 channels, which has been used up. The government's planned expansion of capacity on the network has been delayed by the COVID-19. citinewsroom US Judge Denies Portland Effort to Limit Agents During Protest Arrests By VOA News July 25, 2020 A U.S. judge has ruled against the (western U.S.) state of Oregon, which sought to restrain federal officers' actions during daily protests in Portland that have often spiraled into violence. U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman ruled Friday that the state lacked standing to sue on behalf of protesters. The state lawsuit sought to restrict federal agents' actions when they arrest people, including prohibiting federal agents from detaining protesters without probable cause. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum's lawsuit accused federal agents of arresting protesters without probable cause and using excessive force. She sought a temporary restraining order to "immediately stop federal authorities from unlawfully detaining Oregonians." David Morrell, an attorney for the U.S. government, called the motion "extraordinary" and told the judge during a hearing this week that it was based solely on "a few threadbare declarations" from witnesses and a Twitter video. Morrell called the protests "dangerous and volatile." Friday's ruling comes a day after a different federal judge blocked U.S. agents from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers at demonstrations. That case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon. Despite the judge's ruling, thousands of protesters took to the streets Friday night near Portland's Hatfield Federal Courthouse, facing off against the federal officers stationed there. The Associated Press reports that several organized groups participated in the demonstration, including Healthcare Workers Protest, Teachers against Tyrants, Lawyers for Black Lives and the "Wall of Moms." The courthouse protesters chanted, "Black Lives Matter" and "Feds go home." The protesters shook the fence that surrounds the courthouse and threw fireworks and glass bottles toward the building. The federal officers responded with tear gas and flash bangs, according to AP. Earlier this week, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was among a group of protesters who were tear-gassed when federal agents broke up a protest at the federal courthouse. Homeland Security acting Secretary Chad Wolf has insisted that federal agents are not making the situation worse, and said Wheeler legitimized criminality by joining demonstrators, whom President Donald Trump has called "anarchists and agitators." The New York Post reported that White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday that three federal agents were "likely left permanently blinded" by lasers used by protesters. She also said two other agents were injured. "It's got a potential to have deadly impact deadly impact, and I'm not being hyperbolic," said Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Mark Morgan told Fox News. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Thursday announced an investigation into the use of force by federal agents in Portland, and in Washington, D.C., where tear gas was used to clear an area across from the White House last month before Trump crossed the street to stand in front of a church. Also Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari announced an investigation into allegations of improper behavior by DHS law enforcement in Portland recently. Demonstrators have marched in Portland every day in response to the May 25 death of George Floyd, a Black man, while in police custody in Minneapolis. Some protests have led to vandalism and other crimes. Elsewhere, federal law enforcement agents are also being dispatched to Chicago, after a surge in gang violence that has left about 100 dead in the last several weeks. Agents are also being sent to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Kansas City, Missouri. The deployment to these three cities is part of what has been dubbed "Operation Legend" to fight violent crime. The mayors of those three cities and 12 others have sent a letter to federal authorities calling for the immediate withdrawal of their forces and to "agree to no further unilateral deployments in U.S. cities." David Chipman, a senior policy adviser at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, told VOA that when he was an agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, "I was proud to work with local leaders when they needed help righting wrongs." But Chipman said Trump's recent actions in Portland and his statements about problems in other cities "make clear he thinks federal law enforcement are his personal chess pieces for partisan power grabs." VOA's Steve Herman contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 1 Connect the following: Concern for Global Warming, Protecting the Rainforest, World Peace, In support of Legalizing Gay Marriage in the US, Support for refugees thru International Rescue committee, Supporting the Criminal Justice reform in the US and what do you arrive at? 2 In the world of technology, what are Grey Hats and White Hats? 3 Name the company that has launched a Covid-19 Killer marker pen? 4 In which country would one be if he or she was a recipient of wages based on a practice called Kurzarbeit? Also, explain the concept. 5 A particular industry body forced ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila have been sent a request by a Nigerian group, to urgently publish all reports of corruption probes by the National Assembly since 1999. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) made the request under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. The organization also the two principal officials of the National Assembly to disclose the number and details of public hearings and corruption probes by the National Assembly that have resulted in any indictment of suspects, and to name such suspects. The reports should be sent to appropriate anti-corruption agencies to consider if there is sufficient admissible evidence to pursue prosecution, the group said in a 25 July letter by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare. Publishing the reports of hearings and probes would bolster public trust and confidence in the oversight functions, and dispel the perception that many of these hearings and probes are politically motivated and serve personal interest, rather than the general public interests. The most effective way to deter corruption is to make the cost of engaging in these types of acts higher than the rewards. This end can only be accomplished by making public the reports and pursuing public accountability for corrupt acts. Doing so would also give Nigerians greater confidence that their lawmakers can use their constitutional oversight functions to address corruption in Nigeria. The FoI requests, read in part: We urge you to sponsor a resolution to stop lawmakers from directly getting involved in the execution of projects by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure the proper and effective exercise of oversight functions, including investigations of corruption allegations, such as those involving the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). We also urge you to urgently use the opportunity of the ongoing public hearings and corruption probes to influence Nigerias anti-corruption agenda, including by immediately amending section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act on independent counsel for corruption. Section 52 requires the Chief Justice of Nigeria to authorise an independent counsel to investigate any allegation of corruption against high level public officials, and to report his/her findings to the National Assembly or appropriate house of assembly. The proposed amendment should include additional requirements beyond merely reporting to lawmakers, that would allow the independent counsel to use the findings of any investigation as a basis to pursue effective prosecution of corruption cases without any authorisation by the executive or the National Assembly. SERAP notes that both the Senate and House of Representatives have over the years conducted several public hearings and corruption probes to expose pervasive problem of corruption in MDAs. SERAP is concerned about the systemic and widespread corruption allegations in MDAs and among high-ranking public officials, and the negative impacts on socio-economic development, as well as access of Nigerians to public goods and services, including quality education, adequate healthcare, clean water and regular electricity supply. We would be grateful if the requested information is provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of the FoI requests. If we have not heard from you by then, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights to compel you to comply with our requests. The exercise of oversight functions and powers by the National Assembly to conduct public hearings and corruption probes in MDAs should be regarded as a public trust. The National Assembly has a unique opportunity to enhance transparency and accountability, as well as the integrity of its oversight functions on corruption matters in particular, and other constitutional roles, in general, including by publishing widely the reports of all corruption-related public hearings since 1999. There is legitimate public interest in the publication of the reports of these public hearings and probes. The public hearings and probes can only serve as effective mechanisms to prevent and combat corruption if their reports are widely published. Related Toronto police are searching for a man wanted for break and enter, assault and failing to comply with probation. According to a July 25 news release, the incidents happened in east Toronto, near Danforth Avenue and Main Street. Investigators report on Wednesday, July 8, a male suspect broke into a residence and assaulted a victim. On Tuesday, July 21, this same individual allegedly committed two criminal offences by breaching his probation. Joao Martins, 56, of Toronto, is wanted for one count each of break and enter and assault, and four counts of failing to comply with a probation order. He is described as five-foot-four and 138 pounds, and is unshaven with long dark hair. Joanna Lavoie is a breaking news reporter for Toronto.com. Eleven members of Sikh community from Afghanistan who were granted short-term visas by Indian Embassy in Kabul, including Nidan Singh Sachdeva who was abducted from a gurudwara in Paktia province last month, touched down in New Delhi on Sunday morning. Ministry of External Affairs recently announced that India has decided to facilitate the return of Afghan Hindu and Sikh community members facing security threats in Afghanistan to India. The decision comes four months after an Islamic State-backed attack at a gurdwara in Kabuls Shor Bazaar killed at least 25 members of the community. India has condemned the targeting and persecution of minority community members by terrorists in Afghanistan at the behest of their external supporters remains a matter of grave concern. Leaders of the Afghan Sikh community have appealed to the Indian government to accommodate the Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan and grant them legal entry with long term residency multiple entry visas. Once a community of nearly 250,000 people, the Sikh and Hindu community in Afghanistan has endured years of discrimination and violence from extremists, and the community is now estimated to comprise fewer than 100 families across the country. A Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 5 deputy has died of COVID-19 after a two-month battle with the virus, authorities said Sunday. The wife of Deputy Mark Brown, 53, said he died around 11 p.m. Saturday at their home after spending about two months in intensive care at a hospital. He was allowed to return home Friday, she said. The kindest, most gentle, and giving man that I was privileged to call my husband was called home to be with our Heavenly Father, the deputys wife, Michelle Brown, said in a GoFundMe post. Mark Brown, I am so honored and lucky to spend 24 years with you by my side. Her last post in the fundraiser was of a photo of her kissing Brown after he returned from the hospital. She detailed how the virus had impacted their family, including herself and their oldest son all of whom tested positive. She said the three of them began feeling unwell in mid-May. I never developed a cough, even though I was short of breath, she said. Mark on the other hand has experienced every symptom known and his breathing issues have become critical. Brown was hospitalized twice, the second time after his symptoms took a turn for the worst. In May, she lauded her husband as my constant, my rock, my official bug killer, my life partner, and the father of our four children. Brown, a Houston native, worked 23 years as a law enforcement officer in Hempstead and for Spring Branch ISD. He joined the constable's office in 2017 and was most recently an investigative deputy in the Special Operations Division. Mark Brown represented the very best of Precinct 5, Constable Ted Heap said in a statement. Whether he was on patrol or investigating an unsolved case, he was a dedicated and hard-working deputy who sought only to protect our residents and see that justice was served. Brown is survived by his wife, Michelle, and their four children, Christopher, Isabella, Abigail and Jacob. Funeral arrangements are being finalized. The global contagion has impacted first responders. Jeff McShan, spokesman for the constable's office, said Brown is among 20 deputies who have tested positive for the virus since March 11. Three of those deputies are quarantining without symptoms, he continued. The Houston Police Department has reported no COVID-19-related deaths but more than 375 of their officers have contracted the virus since March. Two deputies Juan Menchaca and Raymond Scholwinski with the Harris County Sheriffs Office died in June. Last week, Leroy Lucio of the Houston Fire Department died at a San Antonio hospital. nicole.hensley@chron.com By Express News Service ALAPPUZHA: Alleging that SNDP Yogam vice-president Thushar Vellappally had connections with hawala and terrorist outfits, former president of the Yogams Mavelikkara union Subash Vasu urged the CBI or the NIA to probe the same. He said the agencies should investigate Thushars account statements over the last 20 years to examine his hawala deals. Subash had arrived at Alappuzha to undergo Crime Branch questioning in connection with the micro-finance fraud case he is accused in. K K Mahesan, former president of the Yogams Kanichukulangara union, had told me that Thushar collected the unions funds and purchased a 45-acre cardamom plantation at Vandanmedu under his sons name. He had spent a sum of `10.8 crore for this purpose, of which `9 crore was black money. The Vellappally family instead accused Mahesan of stealing `13 crore. Mahesan had told me all this before he died by suicide. I have evidence to prove this, Subash said.After the demonetisation was imposed, Thushar had purchased gold ornaments. The demonetised currency was utilised to purchase this gold. That money actually belonged to the Kanichukulangara union, he alleged. Can South Los Angeles teach America how to lead? Thats the promising question behind the news that Karen Bass is a top contender to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Bass is best known as a consensus-building and uncommonly kind politician who has served South L.A. in the Assembly and in Congress over the past two decades. But far more important than her political career is Bass role in a larger story about South L.A.s transformation into a better place and about what true leadership looks like now. South L.A., with 850,000 people covering 50 square miles, is the size of San Francisco. At the heart of its complicated story is Community Coalition. Bass and other activists started Community Coalition in 1990 amid the crack cocaine epidemic. Since then, it has been built through block-to-block work that rarely gets media notice into a California success story. The coalition works on a broad array of issues from nuisance abatement to college access because it organizes around the varied concerns of residents, not a poll-tested political agenda. The wonderful paradox of the coalition is that its focus on street-level organizing has made it extraordinarily successful in developing leaders for the city and state. Its leadership philosophy almost seems contrarian: You rise not by self-promotion, but by empowering your neighbors, and learning how to follow their lead. Bass and her unflashy, collaborative style embody this approach, but she is just one of hundreds of coalition alumni in Southern California governments and civic institutions. Among these leaders are L.A. City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Albert Retana, an organizer who, after a stint in the Obama administration, returned to serve as the coalitions president and CEO. Bass was a physicians assistant when she gathered neighborhood activists in a living room 30 years ago to address crack cocaines toll on their community. The goal of the group originally called Community Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment was that South L.A.s people should be more involved in solving such problems. That premise still defines Community Coalitions stated mission to elevate the voices of our members, shift power to the community, and tackle the root causes of poverty, crime and violence. But in method it is flexible and adapts to new challenges. In its early efforts with the crack epidemic, it tried several tactics before discovering that shutting liquor stores was most effective at countering crime and drugs. From there, the coalition branched out to almost everything. It developed a youth organizing program, led efforts to reform foster care and advocated successfully for more school construction and college prep classes. The work often built on itself. After the group started to organize the King Estates neighborhood around nuisance abatement, residents suggested revitalizing Martin Luther King Jr. Park. So the coalition held an Easter egg hunt, which evolved into Power Fest, a popular music festival. Bass departed in 2004 to enter politics, but the group kept increasing its reach. It has sought to remake the justice system, address structural racism, transform the built environment and give neighborhoods more power over economic development. Such work led it into ballot measure politics, notably the statewide tax hike Proposition 30 and the criminal justice reform measures Props. 47 and 57. This year, the coalition has started a center offering national fellowships in organizing. In all of this, it has been sensitive to South L.A.s demographic changes, with Black people leaving and Latinos arriving. The organization carefully balances Black and Latino representation among its leaders, and at meetings. sociologist Manuel Pastor of the University of Southern California has credited the group with helping to make South L.A. a model of ethnic sedimentation, where ethnic groups build on each others histories, rather than ethnic succession, where conflict arises as a new group replaces an old one. The notion of South L.A. as a national model for anything may seem odd to an America that still associates the area with gangs and riots. But no place could be more relevant to a country that finds itself near rock bottom. Over the past 30 years, crime in South L.A. declined by more than two-thirds, access to health care expanded, schools opened and education improved, homeownership increased, and transportation, arts and food options exploded. Is there any doubt that the United States could benefit right now from emulating the Community Coalitions devotion to cultivating new leaders and building unity from the ground up? If Joe Biden picks Bass as his running mate, its a safe bet that coalition organizers, past and present, will be leaders in a new administration. And given their track record, the prospect of a South L.A. vice presidency might offer Americans something that is hard to find these days: Hope. Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zocalo Public Square. Representative image Telangana Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali on Saturday appealed to Muslims not to sacrifice cows on Bakridfestival on August 1. Observing that the state is known for secularism where all religions are treated with mutual and equal respect, he said Bakrid should be celebrated in the same spirit, an official release said. Secularism is promoted during the present TRS regime, he said. Secularism existed even during the Nizam and Qutb Shahi rule, with the four minarets of the historic Charminar in the city seen as symbols of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christianity, all havingequal respect, he said in a separate video message. Similarly, all religions and castes should be treated with equal, mutual respect, he said. Ali, who had a meeting with DGP M Mahendar Reddy on the measures to be taken for Bakrid, said cows should be not sacrificed as Hindus worship them. Goats and other animalscan be sacrificed, he said. He also said safe distance should be maintained at the time of prayers, and during sale and purchase of animals in order to keep COVID-19 at bay. China orders US to close consulate in Chengdu city in tit-for-tat move Iran Press TV Friday, 24 July 2020 4:43 AM China has ordered the closure of the US consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu, in retaliation for Washington's move to shut down the Chinese consulate in Houston earlier this week. In a statement on Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing had revoked the license for the US consulate in Chengdu, underlining that the reciprocal move was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States." The ministry added in the statement that Beijing had "made specific requirements on the ceasing of all operations and events by the Consulate General" in Chengdu's diplomatic mission. "The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires to see, and the US is responsible for all this," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. China warned of a reciprocal measure after the administration of US President Donald Trump had granted Beijing a 72-hour moratorium to vacate its consulate in the Texan city of Houston over spying allegations. In a statement released on Thursday morning, the Chinese embassy in Washington accused the US of "groundless fabrications" about the actions of China's diplomatic missions and called on the Trump administration to "immediately revoke this erroneous decision." The Chinese state media said the move by the US government to close China's consulate in Houston was an attempt to blame Beijing for American failures ahead of presidential elections in November. The China Daily described the closure of the consulate as "a new gambit in the US administration's bid to paint China as a malevolent actor on the world stage, and thus make it an outlaw to the international community". Pompeo taps into Cold War-era language Riled by the rising power of China, the United States has over the past years been at loggerheads with Beijing over a range of issues, including trade, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and the coronavirus pandemic. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ramped up his anti-China rhetoric on Thursday and raised the alarm about the threat of what he claimed was a "new tyranny" from China. Pompeo said the world countries will have to choose sides "between freedom and tyranny" in dealing with China, adding that, "If the free world doesn't change Communist China, Communist China will change us." In a language that recalled the US Cold War with the Soviet Union, Pompeo accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of being a "true believer" in the "bankrupt" totalitarian Marxist-Leninist ideology. "His ideology informs his decades-long desire for global hegemony built on Chinese Communism," Pompeo claimed. The US secretary of state also urged Washington and its allies to use "more creative and assertive ways" to press the Chinese Communist Party to change its ways, calling it the "mission of our time." The Chinese embassy in Washington announced on Thursday that it had received "bomb and death threats" as the 72-hour deadline was coming to an end. The embassy blamed the threats on the US government's smear campaign against Beijing. China has four other consulates in the United States in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York as well as an embassy in Washington. Trump said in answer to a question at a news briefing on Wednesday it was "always possible" other Chinese missions could be closed too. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Visitors wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the new coronavirus sit while maintaining social distancing at the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Saturday, July 25, 2020. AP South Korea's new coronavirus cases dropped to under 60 on Sunday, a day after the country recorded its highest figure in nearly four months due to a surge in infections among people arriving from abroad. The country added 58 new cases, including 46 cases from abroad, bringing the total to 14,150, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). The number of new infections was down sharply compared to 113 the previous day, but health authorities are on alert over a possible spike in both local and imported cases. It marked the first time since April 1 for the country to report more than 100 cases. South Korea reported its first case on Jan. 20. After falling below 30 for the first time in more than three weeks on Monday, the country's new virus cases gradually increased throughout the week on locally transmitted cases from a nursing home, churches and a front-line military base. Imported cases, however, also have increased by double-digit daily figures for 30 consecutive days. The sharp fall was attributed to a sharp drop in the number of imported cases, the KCDC said. On Saturday, South Korea reported 86 cases from its workers returning home from Iraq and Russian sailors. Some 300 South Korean workers returned home aboard two military flights from the Middle Eastern country on Friday, with around 90 of them showing virus symptoms. Some 30 sailors on a Russia-flagged fishing vessel docked in the southeastern city of Busan were also confirmed to have been infected with the new coronavirus. Of the newly confirmed imported cases, 38 were from Iraq, followed by four from the United States, two from Russia and each one from India and Hong Kong, according to the KCDC. All of the 38 new patients from Iraq were from among the South Korean workers who arrived from the country, which increased to 74 the number of confirmed patients in the group. Local infections also decreased to 12 from 27 the previous day, the KCDC said. Of the latest cases, 10 were from the capital city of Seoul and its surrounding Gyeonggi Province. The southeastern port city of Busan and Gwangju in the southwestern part of the country also reported one infection each. The number of domestic infections fell to around 10 after hovering around 20 to 30 for the past five days. In the Seoul metropolitan area, new additional cases were reported mainly from the government office building, churches and nursing homes. There were no additional deaths, keeping the total death toll at 298. The total number of people released from quarantine after full recoveries came to 12,890, up 24 from the previous day. South Korea has carried out 1,522,926 tests since Jan. 3. (Yonhap) India is observing Kargil Vijay Diwas on Sunday to commemorate its victory over Pakistan in the high-altitude conflict in Jammu and Kashmirs Kargil district and along the Line of Control (LoC) and pay tributes to soldiers who lost their lives more than two decades ago. India launched Operation Vijay to clear the posts in the Kargil sector, which was occupied by the Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators on the Indian side of the LoC. The armies of the nuclear-armed nations fought the war between May and July in 1999. Also read: PM Modi dedicates Mann Ki Baat address to Kargil Vijay Diwas, shares Covid-19 inspirational stories The Indian Army, with the help of the Indian Air Force (IAF), wrested back the glaciated heights of Kargil, in the Ladakh sector, from the Pakistan army. The Kargil War, which lasted a little over two months and ended on July 26, 1999, led to 527 deaths on Indias side. Here are some facts about the Kargil War: * India and Pakistan fought the Kargil War between May and July of 1999 in Kargil district under the temperature of minus 10 degree Celsius. * The conflict began after Indian forces detected infiltrations by Pakistani troops and terrorists into Indian territory. The Pakistani side had a strategic advantage during the start of the conflict as they positioned themselves in key locations and could fire at advancing Indian troops. * The Indian Army was able to ascertain the points of incursion based on information from local shepherds and launched Operation Vijay. * IAFs launched its air operations under Operation Safed Sagar in support of the army on May 26. Indian MiG-21, MiG-27 and Mirage-2000 fighters fired rockets and missiles throughout the Kargil War at the fortified enemy positions from their side of LoC. * IAF had planned to bomb targets in Pakistan during the Kargil War. But the then National Democratic Alliance or NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee instructed the then IAF chief air chief marshal AY Tipnis that his fighter jets must not cross LoC under any circumstances. * IAF also wanted to cross the LoC slightly during the Kargil War but this request was also rejected by the government. * Pakistan shot down two Indian fighter jets while another crashed during the operation. * The Indian Navy also launched Operation Talwar to blockade Pakistani ports, especially the one in Karachi, during the Kargil War to stop the supply of oil and fuel. * The Indian Navys western and eastern fleets patrolled the Arabian Sea and threatened to cut Pakistans trade routes. * Pakistan asked the US to intervene but then American president Bill Clinton declined its request, saying Islamabad must withdraw its troops from LoC. * Indian armed forces attacked the rest of the outposts as Pakistani troops withdrew and captured the last of them by July 26. * The official death toll on the Indian side was 527 and that on the Pakistani side was between 357 and 453. * Pakistan had initially denied it had any role in the conflict and said that India was facing off with Kashmiri freedom fighters. It, however, awarded its soldiers medals for the conflict later. * After the Kargil War, India increased its defence spending in the budget. * The complete overhaul of Indias intelligence set-up and the creation of a younger and fitter army are among the most significant changes made by the government on the basis of recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee (KRC). * The creation of the post of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was also among them. General Bipin Rawat took over as the first CDS on January 1 this year and will serve a full three-year term till December 2022. * The creation of the Defence Intelligence Agency in 2002 and the technical intelligence gathering agency, National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) in 2004, were some of the reports key outcomes. * The timespan for promotions was slashed up to the rank of commanding officers (COs) or colonels and their equivalent in the air force and navy. Ethiopia has started filling the dam's reservoir despite the lack of a deal with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan Ethiopias first year of filling the reservoir behind its disputed Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will not affect Egypt this year, the Egyptian irrigation ministry spokesman said. Last week, Addis Ababa said it achieved the first-year filling of the dams reservoir due to the rainy season flooding the Blue Nile, meeting its target of 4.9 billion cubic metres of water retained so far. Egyptian irrigation ministry spokesman Mohamed El-Sebaie said in TV comments late on Saturday that the step is not expected to impact Egypt this year due to the water reserves at its own High Aswan Dam. The filling will not affect [Egypt] this year because we have taken [water] from the reserves of Lake Nasser that had been saved over the past years," El-Sebaie said, referring to the reservoir behind the Aswan dam. He said plans adopted by Egypt to reduce water consumption have helped increase reserves in Lake Nasser, which can be used in case of a drought caused by lack of seasonal rainfall or the filling of the GERD. Ethiopia has started filling the dam's reservoir, which has a capacity of 74 billion cubic metres, despite the lack of a deal with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan. Negotiations mediated by the African Union (AU) are still ongoing to resolve outstanding issues on the rules for filling and operating the dam. The spokesman said the ministrys rainfall forecast centre has reported above average rainfall this year, which is an indication that there will be no drought or below average rainfall affecting Egypt. Nevertheless, he stressed that any reduction in water flow caused by the GERD's filling process would negatively affect Egypt's share of water at varying degrees, depending on the volume of rainfall and periods of drought. The spokesman said that although Egypt can bear a certain degree of harm for the sake of allowing Ethiopia to achieve its development goals, the country will not tolerate excessive harm caused by years of drought, which would affect the amount of water reserved behind the Aswan dam. "This is the major point of contention [with Ethiopia] we need to cooperate during the dry years," he said. The spokesman explained that the Nile water level in Sudan declined after Ethiopia started filling its dam because the reservoirs of Sudans dams were near empty as Khartoum prepared for the rainfall season. Egypt, on the other hand, has not been affected, since we have reserves that we can manage well and at good levels that can meet our needs in the coming period. Egypt, which relies on the Nile for 95 percent of its fresh water, fears the dam will significantly reduce the rivers flow, especially during the filling stages through periods of drought or dry years. Ethiopia, on the other hand, says the project is key to its development After the last round of AU-brokered talks last week, Egypt said it had agreed with Sudan and Ethiopia to prioritise reaching a legally binding deal on the filling and operation of the mega-dam, and the African Union called on the three nations to "work expeditiously to finalise the text of a binding agreement". However, Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti said during a press conference in Addis Ababa on Friday that Ethiopia wants a guiding agreement on the GERD that is non-binding. On Saturday, Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, the current AU chair, that Egypt rejects any unilateral action that may compromise Egypts right to Nile water. Search Keywords: Short link: As China's enormous economy starts to rev up again with the worst of the pandemic behind it, the desperate countries of Central Asia may find their economic -- and political -- futures tied to a more assertive Beijing. With only a relative handful of coronavirus cases remaining, China appears to be the first major economy in the world to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic. But the virus continues to ravage Central Asia, where the economies of its five countries were already suffering the shocks of major drops in commodity prices, a fall in remittances from migrant laborers, and a global economic slowdown that could see Central Asia's gross domestic product contract by up to 5.4 percent by the end of the year, according to the World Bank. Such a situation leaves Beijing as the main source of help for the region. "There are no signs that the pandemic has deterred China from its long-term objectives," Nadege Rolland, a senior fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research and a former adviser on Chinese strategic issues to the French Defense Ministry, told RFE/RL. "Beijing is still intent on seeing China rise to the top in global affairs and it sees the current disorder from the virus as a way to achieve that goal." Not missing a beat, China held its first meeting with the foreign ministers of all five Central Asian countries via videoconference on July 16. Discussion centered on cooperation in fighting the coronavirus and kickstarting the region's staggering economies. Unprecedented Challenge While China has long been one of Central Asia's dominant players, the narrow format marked a new targeted approach for Beijing with the region -- which tends to favor bilateral ties or larger blocs like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) -- as it finds growing opportunities to expand its influence against the backdrop of the pandemic. The meeting came as the unimpeded spread of COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge to Central Asia that has shown the woeful condition of the region's health-care systems, laid a tremendous strain on its economies, and put its foreign relations to the test. In addition to the new means of engaging with Central Asia that was unveiled in July, Beijing has made inroads since the pandemic began with high-profile humanitarian and medical missions and by promoting its digital technologies as a way to limit the spread of the virus. China has also employed the SCO to help promote its narrative about its response to COVID-19 and looks set to further enmesh Eurasia within its orbit with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a blanket term for the multibillion dollar centerpiece of Chinese President Xi Jinping's foreign policy that aims to gain influence by building infrastructure and funneling in investment. But the pandemic has also supercharged wider trends that could have further shockwaves for Central Asia, particularly a deepening confrontation between China and the United States. A New Cold War? Over the last several months, tensions have escalated over Hong Kong, the South China Sea, human-rights abuses in Xinjiang, and a long simmering trade war. Meanwhile, Washington has also made gains in its campaign to push countries to ban technology made by Chinese telecom giant Huawei over national security concerns. This month saw the United Kingdom announce a ban on using Huawei in its next-generation 5G communications networks, as well as France saying that it would move to severely limit the use of Chinese technology in its own networks. The escalating rhetoric and moves have seen officials in both Beijing and Washington refer to the growing confrontation as the beginning of a new Cold War. The Central Asian countries are used to walking a tightrope between large powers and hedging their bets between Beijing, Moscow, and Washington. But as a new reality in Central Asia that is more lopsided in China's favor begins to present itself, the balancing of the past may be more difficult to maintain. "Chinese policymaking is still warped towards the United States, so that means the region increasingly gets seen through that lens," Rafaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. "The Central Asians will never want to choose sides, but it will be hard to hedge in a world divided by the two. That means they will always bend more to the Chinese perspective." Not So Great Games China's new way of engaging with Central Asia's foreign ministers that was unveiled on July 16 is not the first such arrangement in which an outside power engages with the five countries. Similar arrangements already exist with Japan, South Korea, the European Union, and the United States, which used the format in February during a trip to the region by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. It was during that trip to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that Pompeo focused his attention on China's presence in Central Asia, raising concerns about corruption, unsustainable debt, and abuses in Xinjiang, where the Chinese government has reportedly imprisoned more than 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in internment camps. But the visit to the region -- the first by a U.S. secretary of state in five years -- also brought home the limitations of U.S. engagement in the region. American interest and involvement in Central Asia have waxed and waned since the collapse of the Soviet Union, intensifying in the aftermath of the invasion of Afghanistan and ensuing anti-terrorism military campaigns. The region has once again received more attention as Washington increasingly views China and Russia as its two main rivals on the global stage. Despite that, Central Asia is not a policy priority in Washington. By comparison, Xi has made multiple state visits to the countries since he took power in 2012, most recently last year, and when he announced the launch of the BRI in Kazakhstan in 2013. Since then, China has become Central Asia's and the world's biggest development financier as state-owned banks backed costly building projects in risky markets -- expanding Beijing's influence and creating new opportunities for its companies. It's through this vehicle that China is looking to capitalize on the chaos created by the pandemic to further its goals and deepen its influence in Central Asia and beyond. China's state-owned media has already taken up the call, with numerous articles framing the BRI venture as a means to jumpstart global economic recovery. The initiative was always conceived as a vehicle for China to push its views and build up its influence in the developing world, says Rolland, and the pandemic presents a major opportunity. "This isn't the Cold War with clearly defined ideologies and geographic blocs, it looks much more like very malleable spheres of influence," she said. "China isn't yet chasing global hegemony, but rather towards creating a subsystem where Beijing would have a constellation of countries that are amenable to its views." China's share in Central Asia could also grow as Russia -- another of the region's large external players -- faces a steep uphill recovery from the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic and the fall in energy prices. Moscow and Beijing have grown closer together in recent years and have sought to divide their interests in Central Asia, but China is set to gain new ground as it is poised to keep expanding beyond building large infrastructure projects into other areas in the wake of the pandemic. "For many years, it's been that China covers more economic issues and Russia deals more with security, but we are increasingly seeing that those spheres can overlap and the lines between them are starting to blur," Temur Umarov, an expert on China-Central Asia relations at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told RFE/RL. A Bumpier Silk Road While China's economy has begun to rebound from the pandemic, the pace of its recovery is still uncertain. These questions come as Beijing faces mounting calls to reschedule loans for shipping hubs, electrical plants, and transport links that look unsustainable as economies around the world -- from Latin America to Africa to the Middle East -- struggle and globalization slows. A June survey by the Chinese Foreign Ministry found that 20 percent of the BRI projects have been "seriously affected" by the pandemic, with a further 30 to 40 percent "somewhat affected." Fears of a global recession have provoked China's partners to review the viability of those projects in their countries, which could lead to renegotiations or even project cancellations. So far, though, no major BRI contracts have been canceled due to the pandemic, and the initiative is too important to Xi -- and to China -- to be shelved. But how Beijing will manage the projects amid the pandemic problems around the world will be a key test of its international diplomacy skills. "Even before the pandemic, concerns were mounting over debt and corruption and the fiscal environment now makes all of that worse," Jonathan Hillman, the director of the Reconnecting Asia Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told RFE/RL. "I think we are looking at a future where Chinese officials will be mostly renegotiating deals rather than chasing new ones." Chinese state media have begun trumpeting less costly global initiatives focused on technology and health care rather than high-profile infrastructure projects. China has also already used the pandemic to focus on digital initiatives, such as in e-medicine, e-commerce, e-payments, and e-learning, and analysts believe that Chinese companies have ample room to expand on these fronts in Central Asia. Moreover, despite a more cautious approach to the BRI coming from Beijing, China still remains one of the few means of securing financing moving forward, which could drive Central Asian governments closer to China. "This is an opportunity for China and they will take advantage of it," said Hillman. "But I wouldn't expect a big building spree like before. This will be a new phase for Beijing." Md. hospital revises COVID-19 visitor policy after denying patient's request to see priest Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The University of Maryland Medical System has amended its COVID-19 visitor policy to allow clergy visitation after one of its hospitals denied access to a Catholic priest who was asked to administer sacraments to a trauma patient injured in a car accident. UMMS has revised its visitor policy to adhere to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' guidelines at all 13 hospitals in its medical system, including Prince Georges Hospital Center, which was at the center of a religious discrimination complaint due to its restrictive visitation policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic. CMS guidelines stipulate that hospitals must ensure patients have adequate and lawful access to chaplains or clergy. The changes come after a complaint was filed with the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. Sidney and Susanna Marcus were admitted to Prince Georges Hospital Center of the University of Maryland Medical System after a severe car accident in May. Sidney Marcus, who sustained life-threatening injuries, was moved to the intensive care unit as his conditions declined. His wife, Susanna, requested that a priest provide the Catholic religious sacraments of Holy Communion and Anointing of the Sick for Sidney, the HHS said in a press release. The hospital denied the request, however, which prompted Susana Marcus to file a complaint. Despite being willing to wear any necessary personal protective equipment, the priest was turned away by the hospital based on a visitor exclusion policy it had adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the HHS said. After the complaint, Sidney Marcus was allowed to have a priest visit him in the ICU. The Trump Administration has made it a priority to defend Americans right to practice their faith, at all times and especially during this pandemic, said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. As our work with the University of Maryland Medical System shows, we can deliver healthcare, combat COVID-19, and protect religious freedom all at the same time. Other patients have also benefited Susanna Marcus' religious discrimination complaint that led the UMMS to amended its visitation policy. Children at a UMMS hospital can now have two parents or guardians visit during hospital visiting hours, with one adult being allowed to stay overnight. Patients at the end of life can have up to two visitors at the same time, but only for one hour. And patients with disabilities or those being treated for COVID-19 can have two visitors during hospital visiting hours and one overnight visitor. Too many people have died alone during this crisis, but this resolution shows that hospitals can practice compassion and safety without sacrificing either, said Roger Severino, director of OCR, in repose to UMMS' revised accommodations for patients. Though restrictions have been loosened at UMMS facilities, visitors must adhere to a list of guidelines, including the wearing of a facemask upon entering the hospital, and additional screening if exhibiting a fever or "flu-like symptoms." Ontario Place is a remarkable place. Despite being poorly taken care of over the last decades, and having its main attractions shuttered in 2012, it still draws people. The 1971 landscape design and architecture remain unique and beautiful. World class, perhaps. Trillium Park, created on the east side of Ontario Place and opened in 2017, is a magnificent addition. People walk and jog the perimeter path, they explore the semi-ruins of the old Wilderness Adventure ride, sit on the beach on the west island, and inhabit the other spaces in various ways. Its summer so the marina is filled with boats, masts and riggings tinkling in the wind, and theres chatter in the evening as people sit on their vessels. Couples make out on the old lake freighters that were filled with concrete to serve as breakwaters for the artificial islands. Theres life and activity, in short. Thats important to remember as the provincial government proceeds with plans to redevelop the site. Last week, bids from three leading contenders were identified, including a European firm that builds large tourist spas. Throughout this government process there has been a sentiment to do something big, world class even a phrase as elusive and meaningless as it is desperately aspirational. Whether or not Torontonians will have much say in its future, presumably most of the people using the site now, remains to be seen. The question of Ontario Places next life comes at a critical time for parks and parkland not just in Toronto, but Canada. Park People, an advocacy organization for parkland in Canadian cities, just released a report looking at the trends, challenges and leading practices in 27 cities across the country in five broad theme areas: nature, growth, collaboration, activation and inclusion. Theres a lot to dig into, but three top challenges were identified by cities across the country. The first was keeping pace with growth. Toronto is no stranger to this, of course, and though we have a vast ravine system and some large parks, theres a definite squeeze in many areas of the city. The need to be physically distant during the pandemic has revealed just how well used the greenspaces we have are. The report notes that Toronto is in a relatively good place as it has a park master plan, the 20-year Parkland Strategy, along with a standalone biodiversity strategy. The second and third big challenges across Canadian parks are related: aging infrastructure and insufficient operating budgets. Unless your local park has been recently rehabilitated, you can probably spot something in it that needs replacing. One need only attempt to get to the Toronto Islands on a busy summer day on the elderly, if occasionally romantic, ferries to know that infrastructure needs constant updating to meet current demands. Before the Ford government changed legislation, Section 42 of the Ontario Planning Act stipulated that large new developments either had to set aside five per cent of the site for parkland or the developer could provide cash-in-lieu to create a park nearby. Its yet unproven if the new Community Benefits Charge will provide new space and funding as the previous model did to keep up with the citys explosive growth. Toronto currently has 2.7 hectares of parkland per 1,000 people while Vancouver and Montreal have 2 and 2.6, respectively. Calgary has a whopping 6.6. Overall, the operation budget for Toronto parks is $54 per person. Nearby, Hamilton is at $38, Mississauga spends $44 and Richmond Hill is at $41. As for the other big cities in Canada reporting this data, for comparison, Vancouver is at $82, Calgary at $64 and Edmonton at $42. Montreal couldnt provide budget data this year due to COVID, but last year reported $103 per person. The numbers are interesting to think about, considering how much value they bring residents, and how often they are used. Though the report was largely prepared in pre-COVID times, it includes a survey conducted last month that revealed parks are increasingly important to Canadians across the country. Of the 1,600 polled, 87 per cent support increased funding to expand and improve parks as part of COVID-19 recovery, 82 per cent responded that parks have become more important to their mental health during the pandemic and 70 per cent said their appreciation of parks has increased during this time. Among other areas, the report covers is how amenities like washrooms make parks more inclusive for all people. While Toronto has opened some public washrooms, its routine to find others closed, or with limited hours, exacerbating a pre-COVID situation when there werent enough places to go, limiting the time people can spend in public. This isnt a problem at Ontario Place. Even in winter, some of the vast, stadium-capacity washrooms are heated and open. An ideal situation, as these things go. New uses need to be found for the historic modern structures and landscape, preserving them in the process, but this summer has proven Ontario Place as an open, public park fulfills some of the critical needs identified in the Park People report. Shawn Micallef is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @shawnmicallef The Red Sox announced they have selected right-hander Zack Godley to their 40-man and active rosters. Fellow right-hander Dylan Covey has been optioned to their minor league training site to clear active roster space. Their 40-man roster now sits at 39 players. Boston signed Godley to a minor-league deal shortly after he was released by the Tigers at the outset of Summer Camp. Godley didnt immediately command a 40-man roster spot, but it always seemed likely hed get a look on an uncertain pitching staff. The 30-year-old turned in a pair of productive seasons as a starter with the 2017-18 Diamondbacks. Combined, he tossed 333.1 innings of 4.10 ERA ball with a solid combination of strikeouts (24.7%), walks (9.4%) and groundballs (51.6%). The wheels fell off completely in 2019. Between Arizona and Toronto, Godley turned in a 5.97 ERA in 33 appearances (9 starts) with dramatic declines in his strikeouts and grounders. Along the way, Godleys lost some velocity on both his cutter and sinker. Given his somewhat recent respectable track record, though, its easy to see why the Red Sox are willing to give him another look. Their current top four starters- Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez, Ryan Weber and Matt Hall hardly inspire a ton of confidence. Covey, too, is a recent addition to the pitching staff, having been acquired from the Rays on Tuesday. The three-year White Sox starter threw two innings in relief in yesterdays loss to the Orioles. https://www.aish.com/j/fs/How-I-Survived-an-Israeli-Coronavirus-Hotel.html I emerged from 14 days in solitude a better Jew. For those of you who are unaware, anyone entering Israel has to quarantine in an isolated area for two weeks. The Israeli government understandably didnt trust me to quarantine in my apartment which is why they insisted that I go to what is known as a Corona Hotel. As I have just returned to Israel and am finishing up my quarantine, let me take you on my little journey as to how I made it through my Corona Hotel experience. I Was Scared A Corona Hotel They call the hotel Corona. It didnt feel reassuring that the hotel itself had the virus. To make matters worse I was effectively in solitary confinement. Granted it was in a five star hotel with a bath and movies on demand. Food Rations Dont Make Jews Happy I thought I was going to get the famous Israeli hotel breakfast buffet. I thought wrong. Instead, they dropped a bag outside my door. This was worse than being locked up in solitary. At least in solitary they slip the food through a window; they give a bit of service. Three square meals per day is just not enough for me. I am American. I need at least 8 meals. Maybe more. On the bright side, I have already lost almost fifty pounds. No Washing Machines They turned me into a manual laborer. My dirty clothes were unrelenting taskmasters and I was their slave. I felt like I was back in the days of the pyramids, except without the pyramids. And how do you even hand wash clothes? This was not a life skill taught to me at Jewish summer camp. A Shabbat Retreat Where You See People Less Lighting Candles is a Social Experience Because there were concerns about lighting Shabbat candles in our hotel rooms, the organizers had us light candles together on a big table in the lobby. The medical term for this is Quarantine Shwarantine. This was my first interaction with other humans who werent behind plexi-glass. I was relieved to hear that I was not alone in having no idea how to effectively ring out a shirt. The Minyan As I was lighting the candles, I heard about a Minyan being organized. I had never felt so thankful for ten men in my life. We couldnt socialize and we had to stand six feet apart but this meant no fighting over the armrest or annoying small talk. I wish my shul was like this. As for the chazzan, he didnt have the greatest voice but there was a silver lining here too in that he was wearing a mask. Oneg Delighting in Shabbat Youre supposed to delight in Shabbat, and of course we Jews do that with food. One quarantining congregant brought cake, cashews, peanuts, Coke and herring. One guy really enjoyed it. Once he touched the cashews, they were all his. Big bowls of food are not optimal in pandemics. When it came to the pound cake, I went in after the first guy. I wasnt that scared. Actually I was, but my fear was drowned out by hunger. I was famished! In life, you have to be brave and take chances. And when it comes to a wet dense pound cake, thats when my bravery shines through. Ingathering of the Exiles is Motivating After Shabbat we had a big circle where everybody shared their story. One person came from Cape Town, one from Buenos Aires, one was from New York, one from Thailand, one from France. Each of us had our own journey back to Israel. Each expedition was more intriguing than the next. Mostly we talked about whether there was meal service on the planes and if not what we did to find kosher food. Because were Jews and we like to eat. Non-Religious Became Religious This was the first time in my life that I had ever seen so many people return to Jewish observance. Once the non-religious people realized that they could leave their rooms for Minyan, they were all at shul davening like rabbis. Stuff I am Left With In quarantine, you learn a lot about yourself. I learned that I am fine smelling like bath gel if thats all I have to wash my clothes. I dont like cottage cheese anymore, but that may change after quarantine. I learned how to make going to the hotel reception to pick up milk take twenty minutes, and how to keep a friend on the phone for forty-five minutes when they have to run. I learned that afternoon naps can last five hours, and touching cashews during a pandemic is good way to get yourself a lot of cashews. I learned that when it comes to leaving my room to go to daven, I have the ability to be extremely devout and show up two hours early. I learned that as Jews, we need each other, even if we dont stay far apart. Minyan saved me. Shabbat saved me. Lighting candles saved me. The comradery that quarantining together as a nation with one religious saved all of us. Only in Israel do people share their quarantine with other people. Everything beautiful about living in Israel was experienced at the quarantine hotel. A nation reuniting in the hardest of times, distanced in solitude with Jews from all over the world. When youre together there is nothing to fear. And even though we may be separated, we can still be united. How do you express a smile when half of your face is hidden? Its a question confronting many Melburnians living in an unfamiliar new masked reality, where the go-to gesture for putting one another at ease suddenly feels so obstructed. Royal Childrens Hospital general paediatrician Daryl Efron has been wearing masks as part of his job for 30 years and more intensively during the pandemic. The associate professor admits that masks complicate a critical element of communication we use a warm, open, relaxed face to show somebody we are calm and attentive but he says they dont hinder as much facial expression as you might think. Associate Professor Daryl Efron flashes a big smile through his mask with seven-year-old son Luca. Credit:Simon Schluter You dont need the mouth to see a smile. Everyone can see smiling eyes, Efron says. You just need to make sure your smile is a big smile so your eyes light up. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday expressed anguish over instances of stigmatising of Covid-19 patients and denial of dignified last rites to people who succumb to the virus. He said such incidents were totally uncalled for and urged local communities and the society at large to prevent the recurrence of such happenings. In a Facebook post, Naidu said the need of the hour is to fight prejudice and nip it in the bud. Otherwise, it can become more toxic than fake news and misinformation. Urging everybody to treat Covid-19 patients with understanding and empathy, he said it should be remembered that nobody is totally safe and the invisible virus can infect anybody. Pointing out that since time immemorial India is known as a land of tolerance and people have been displaying their empathic nature by coming to the assistance of those in distress, the vice president described as disturbing media reports of some people, including relatives, of stigmatising and ostracizing those infected with coronavirus, mainly due to fear of contracting the infection. Referring to instances where people opposed providing space for last rites to those who died of the virus, he said it was totally unacceptable and goes against the age-old Indian traditions of being in solidarity with bereaved family members. Observing that a host of factors such as illiteracy, superstitions, fake news and rumours fuel false beliefs among the people, Naidu urged the health authorities and the media to take up special campaigns to promote awareness and educate people on all the facts relating to the coronavirus and its transmission. The correct message has to be reiterated, reinforced and widely disseminated to ensure that it creates a positive impact and brings about the desired transformation in behaviour, he said. Expressing optimism that the dire situation caused by the pandemic can be overcome by striving collectively, he said the first and foremost task is to flatten the curve. Every citizen has to act responsibly by adhering to the norms like frequent hand washing, wearing masks and maintaining social distance, he emphasised. He also called for expressing gratitude to farmers, the unsung Corona warriors, who have been rendering selfless service in ensuring food security. carry out a basic research and education program on quantum information science and engineering, and award grants for the establishment of Multidisciplinary Centers for Quantum Research and Education. Do we need a new Internet? People have been asking that question for more than a decade, and this blog examined the reasons why back in 2015 Now, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a blueprint for a new quantum Internet with much stronger security, higher speeds and much more. Science Alert wrote this about DOEs plans:This past week, the Washington Post wrote that the U.S. hatches plan to build a quantum Internet that might be unhackable. The new network would sit alongside the existing Web, offering a more secure way to send and process information.Covering these developments, c|net wrote that the US wants to develop a quantum internet GCN added that NIST again narrows post-quantum encryption algorithm candidates . To protect communications in a future where quantum computers will be capable of cracking the prime number factoring that is the basis of todays encryption, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has selected 15 promising new approaches to encryption and data protection to form the core of the first post-quantum cryptography standard.In December 2016, NIST issued a call for new algorithms that would be less susceptible to a quantum computers attack. Within a year, it had received 69 submissions for replacements for algorithms dealing with public key cryptography for encryption, key establishment and digital signatures. These efforts have come as a result of the National Quantum Initiative Act from 2017-2018 from the 115Congress.This initiative contains the following elements:There is no doubt that these research initiatives will lead to amazing advances in communication technology, and will no doubt bring about a new generation in Internet technology. I applaud these efforts in quantum computing.Nevertheless, developers must remember that people, process and technology are involved in all successful projects. Also, 90% of data breaches occur because of some type of human element.So my point is that there will always be insider threats that contribute to every new development.In other words, I doubt if an unhackable network can be achieved given the human element. Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has posted a tweet in appreciation of the brilliant acting skills of Kangana Ranaut, who is currently making headlines for her statements. He remembered a scene from Madhur Bhandarkars film Fashion and praised her performance that got Kangana her first National Film Award for best actor in a supporting role. Shekhar tweeted Sunday morning, Fashion, the film. A Young girl nervous, emotionally wrecked Drugged. Her name being announced on stage. She was after all, a top model. It was one shot. Kangana transformed herself from a wreck to a Diva as she walked on the ramp. It was genius acting. Unforgettable @KanganaTeam. Fashion, the film. A Young girl nervous, emotionally wrecked Drugged. Her name being announced on stage. She was after all, a top model. It was one shot. Kangana transformed herself from a wreck to a Diva as she walked on the ramp. It was genius acting. Unforgettable @KanganaTeam Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 26, 2020 At the heart of everything thats going on, is your undeniable power as an actor. I cant forget that scene in Queen where you tried to dance with Cab driver in Paris. It was innocent funny, yes. But you brought in the beginnings of transformation of the character so beautifully Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) July 26, 2020 When Kanganas team thanked Shekhar with a Thank you sir, he responded to them, At the heart of everything thats going on, is your undeniable power as an actor. I cant forget that scene in Queen where you tried to dance with Cab driver in Paris. It was innocent funny, yes. But you brought in the beginnings of transformation of the character so beautifully. Also read: Sona Mohapatra says Ram Sampath was targeted by illiterate self-important gang, took 2 years to recover post Raees Soon, Kanganas team also shared a glimpse of the scene that Shekhar mentioned by sharing a fan edit of her films. Back in 2016, Shekhar had revealed he was in talks with Kangana for a film. I had met Kangana one day and we spoke about a film. I am still writing it, and once I am done with it, Im definitely going to make it. Its on the lines of film Masoom, he had told Hindustan Times in an interview. Heres a glimpse of transformative moment of movie Fashion in a lovely fan edit, many thanks for all the love and encouragement https://t.co/C5AnXZhOiK Team Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 26, 2020 Kangana has been in news of late as she has been constantly speaking about nepotism and favouritism in the film industry and demanding justice for Sushant Singh Rajput, who died by suicide June 14. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Before he tries to reopen Ontarios schools, Education Minister Stephen Lecce needs to do his math homework. First, he has to total up the costs for the extra teachers, classrooms, school buses and new health precautions that will be required for the provinces 4,828 publicly-funded schools to safely unlock their doors in the midst of an unshakable pandemic. Then he has to add that figure to the roughly $30 billion his ministry has budgeted to run the schools this year. And finally, he has to convince Premier Doug Ford to hand over the money. Because no one should doubt that whatever school-reopening plan Lecce announces next week, it wont work unless this government backs up his words with cold, hard cash. The fix wont come cheap. The Progressive Conservatives have rightly concluded that, despite the persistence of COVID-19, the schools must reopen for everyones sake. Months of staying at home and out of the classroom have taken a toll on young Ontarians, not just in educational terms but when it comes to their mental and emotional development. Its been tough on working parents, too, especially for women, who typically shoulder more of a familys child-care burden. Beyond helping kids and families, however, the government has to reopen the schools so Ontario can exit its pandemic-induced recession. If working families cant count on working schools, our economy will grind away in low gear for months to come. All these reasons explain why both Premier Ford and Minister Lecce favour having schools offer full-day learning, five days a week once again. That beats teaching them online at home something school boards tried with very limited results after classes were suspended in mid-March. The full-day option also beats having a hybrid of in-class and at-home instruction. Thats neither the best way for students to learn nor for parents to keep working. The province is wisely allowing school boards to tailor their specific plans to their own communities. But its impossible to imagine that whatever class sizes and busing schedules are deemed safe to allow proper physical distancing, the school boards wont need additional teachers, classroom space and buses. The budget for crucial safety measures will be formidable, too. Schools will need to ensure that students, many of them very young, use hand sanitizers at school and classroom entrances. Washrooms, touch-surfaces and, of course, school buses will need to be frequently cleaned. More staff will likely be needed to execute these safety measures, too. In its school reopening plan, the Alberta government is requiring students, staff, parents and any other visitors to pass a self-screening questionnaire daily to determine if they can enter a school. Thats a sensible lead Ontario should follow. But of course it will involve additional costs. And even more new bills will come when, as is inevitable, a school experiences a COVID-19 outbreak. Alberta, with a population a third of Ontarios, is budgeting an extra $370 million for the coming school year, and much of that is COVID-19 related. Ford will have to be ready with more money than that. We know that many parents and students are uneasy about the coming school year. But this province has the means to meet the challenge. After Denmark and Netherlands reopened their schools, their nationwide rate of COVID-19 infections actually dropped. Theres no reason Ontario cant experience the same success when it opens its schools again. Theres no reason it cant maximize public safety doing it, either. But Minister Lecce will have to do the math. And make sure the money is there to make everything happen. Hezbollah capable of targeting Israeli offshore gas rigs in Mediterranean: Israeli commander Iran Press TV Saturday, 25 July 2020 5:24 AM A senior Israeli military official says the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement now has the capability to attack Israeli offshore natural gas platforms in the Mediterranean Sea in case of a future confrontation. Israeli Hebrew-language Israel Hayom daily newspaper quoted the commander of the Israeli navy's Haifa base, Brigadier General Gil Aginsky, as alleging on Friday that Israeli naval forces are ready to face off any potential threat, noting that the Tel Aviv regime currently "faces two challenges at two levels: One on the surface of the water and one beneath. We know how to deal with any complex and thorny scenario. In relation to what is under the surface of the water, we are getting prepared and acquiring weapons to confront this stiff challenge," the London-based and pan-Arab al-Araby al-Jadeed media outlet reported. Aginsky noted that Hezbollah is working on an undersea attack tunnel that crosses into the occupied territories. "They are active in sea water. They intend to prevent us from being here, and if they can, they will do it. Our job is to prevent such a thing. We maintain and cover the northern border wall," he said. Aginsky went on to say that the Israeli army has learned lessons from the Hezbollah anti-ship missile attack on INS Hanit corvette on July 14, 2006, during Israel's 33-day war on Lebanon. The Israeli naval commander highlighted that the vessel was struck 16 kilometers (9 miles) off the coast of the Lebanese capital Beirut, and that four Israeli marines were killed in the incident. "The threat remains and is serious, but we monitor and guard gas platforms. If Hezbollah wants to do strategic damage, it will try to harm these platforms," Aginsky pointed out. Back in February 2018, Hezbollah released a video that showed what appeared to be drilling platforms floating above Israeli gas fields with targeting sights superimposed on the images. The video, aired by Israel's Hadashot TV news at the time, also included quotes from Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's speech, in which he warned that the group would retaliate against any Israeli strike on Lebanon by attacking Israel's offshore platforms. "If you attack, we will attack. If you bomb, we will bomb you. I promise you, within hours [the platform] will cease operating," Nasrallah said then. Earlier that month, Hezbollah had released another video and issued pamphlets, warning the Israeli regime against operations in Lebanon's exclusive economic maritime zones. "Whoever harms gas and oil sites in Lebanese economic waters, their own sites will be harmed," one pamphlet read. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Second, increase high school counseling resources to improve students awareness of postsecondary opportunities, in-demand careers and financial aid processes. Nebraska must increase the proportion of seniors who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is only 40% at some high schools enrolling many low-income students. Completing the FAFSA may not be pleasant, but it is the foundational requirement to access federal, state and institutional financial aid. A number of states and cities have made FAFSA completion mandatory for most high school seniors and experienced large increases in FAFSA completions. If that is a step too far for Nebraska, it is still sensible to explore ways to reach 70% FAFSA completion without overwhelming busy guidance counselors. Third, increase funding for the Nebraska Opportunity Grant (NOG) program. The NOG serves low-income Nebraska undergraduates attending public or private institutions and can be used for tuition, fees and other educational expenses. The grants can be used by adult learners as well as recent high school graduates, and they are not awarded based on standardized test scores, which are highly correlated with greater family income and parental education. Only about one-third of the 35,000 eligible students receive NOG, and the average award is only $1,410. Ukrainian soldiers did not return fire. Russia-led forces mounted 15 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, on July 25 one day prior to an earlier agreed ceasefire. "Last night, no enemy shelling was recorded in the areas of responsibility of the vast majority of units except for 15 violations of the ceasefire in Krymske, Prychepylivka, Popasna, Troitske, Novozvanivka, Novo-Oleksandrivka, Orikhove, Avdiyivka, Nevelske, Lebedynske, Opytne, and Vodiane," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said on Facebook in a morning update on July 26. Read alsoUkraine's JF units start preparations for new Donbas ceasefire agreed from July 27 In most cases, the enemy opened fire from rifles, grenade launchers, and 82mm mortars. Proscribed 120mm mortars were used in some cases. Fulfilling the Minsk agreements and taking into account the fact that it was harassing fire, JFO units did not return fire. No Ukrainian army casualties were reported. JFO units have begun preparations for a full and comprehensive ceasefire in accordance with the decision of the Trilateral Contact Group of July 22, 2020, which will enter into force from 00:01 on July 27, 2020. Rouhani Says Religious Ceremonies To Be Held Despite Pandemic In Iran Radio Farda July 25, 2020 The Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday stressed the importance of holding Muharram mourning ceremonies everywhere, even in coronavirus hotspots, but also underlined that social distancing protocols including wearing masks should be observed. Shiites around the world hold huge mourning ceremonies on the lunar anniversary of the death of Imam Hossein (Hussain ibn Ali), the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad and the third Imam of Shiites every year. The Imam was killed in a battle against Khalif's forces near Karbala in today's Iraq on 10 October 680 AD. The hardliner religious and political establishment is strongly against cancellation of religious gatherings and mass ceremonies. Speaking at a meeting of the National Coronavirus Combat Headquarters the Iranian President said the "mourning or health" dichotomy does not exist and both have importance in the lives of the people. "We held the Ramadhan ceremonies without negative impact. Some people observed the rites at home to the accompaniment of online and TV programs and some went to mosques. Ramadhan ceremonies did not cause a peak," he said. In mid-June Iran's daily death toll that had remained below 100 since April 14 went up again and the country is now experiencing a second peak with official daily death numbers above 200. Saying that the ceremonies should be held everywhere, even in red and yellow zones, in villages and cities, Rouhani said people must keep the safe distance from each other and avoid huge crowds and long ceremonies. "The days and times of the mourning ceremonies can be shorter but the ceremonies will be magnificent as before," he added and urged religious figures and authorities to help with the observance of health protocols. Meanwhile, Ayatollah Hashem Hashemzadeh Harissi, a member of the Assembly of Experts, told Etemad Online that "certain organizations and entities" should not force people to hold the ceremonies and put their lives in danger. "There is no coercion to [hold] mourning ceremonies [for Shiite Imams]," he said and urged them to follow the advice of health authorities. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/rouhani-says -religious-ceremonies-to-be-held-despite- pandemic-in-iran/30746511.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said that he was not in favour of complete lifting of the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the state only to address the economic concerns. He said there was a need to strike a balance between the issues related to health and economy considering the challenge posed by the pandemic. "I will never say that the lockdown will be lifted completely. But I have started reopening a few things gradually. Once reopened, it shouldn't be shut again. Hence, I prefer taking steps in phases. You can't just think about economy or health. There needs to be a balance between the two," he said. Thackeray made this statement in an interview published in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Saturday. The ongoing lockdown in the state will continue till July 31. From June onwards, the government had started lifting the restrictions in phase-wise manner under its 'Mission Begin Again' initiative. "This pandemic is a global war. It has affected the entire world. Those countries which had lifted the lockdown in haste thinking that it was over, were again forced to impose it to curb the spread. In Australia, they had to rope in Army," he said. "Many people are opposing lockdown. They say that lockdown is affecting the economy. To such people, I would say that I am ready to lift the lockdown, but if people die due to it, would you take the responsibility?...Even we are concerned about the economy," he said. On the restarting of the suburban railway network in Mumbai, he said, "What if families fall ill and their houses are sealed? Therefore, everything would be done step-by-step." Speaking about his government which has completed six months in office, Thackeray said that he was leading a three- party alliance government supported by some independents. "This is not just Thackeray sarkar, but everybody's sarkar, especially that of the citizens of the state, who have accepted this experiment," he added. After the assembly polls last year, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress came together to form the government in the state. Thackeray said the six-month period has been full of challenges like the coronavirus pandemic and Nisarga cyclone, which hit the coastal parts of the state on June 3. "I am not bothered about the political challenges. People have faith in me," he said. Talking about the coronavirus situation in Mumbai, he said, "There was never a need to call the Army in Mumbai. I am proud of the administration which rose to the challenge and set up jumbo field hospitals for treatment of coronavirus patients in the city." Speaking about the criticism that he has not been to the Mantralaya, the state secretariat, during the pandemic, the chief minister said that technology helps people in doing all the work and there was no need to travel. "I can be at home and cover the entire state with help of technology and take quick decisions. I am not saying one shouldn't move out. But when you go out, you are at one place only while through video-conference you can go everywhere," he said. "I am not bothered what critics say till people trust me. I am honest with my work," he added. On starting the academic year during the pandemic, Thackeray said e-learning was the only option. When asked about Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis's recent visit to Delhi, Thackeray said sarcastically that he might have gone there to take stock of the coronavirus situation in the national capital. "He goes to Delhi and speaks about Maharashtra's COVID-19 situation since he has given his MLA funds in Delhi," the CM said in an apparent reference to BJP MLAs donating to PM Cares Fund and not to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. "Recently, a survey listed Maharashtra chief minister as the best CM in the country. This caused stomach pain to many," he said. "Coronavirus has many symptoms. Stomach ache may be one of them. Loss of taste is also a symptom," he said sarcastically when he was asked if life has become tasteless for some since the MVA government came to power. Thackeray also rejected the criticism that his government had hidden the number of coronavirus victims. "The WHO and Washington Post have taken note of the state government's efforts," he said. By SALLY HO and CHRIS GRYGIEL SEATTLE Seattle police declared a riot Saturday following large demonstrations in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood and deployed flash bangs and pepper spray to try to clear an area near where weeks earlier people had set up an occupied protest zone that stretched for several blocks. Via Twitter, police said they had made more than two dozen arrests for assault on officers, obstruction and failure to disperse. They also said they were "investigating a possible explosive damage" to the walls of the city's East Precinct police station. Authorities said rocks, bottles, fireworks and mortars were thrown at officers as they attempted to clear the area over the course of several hours stretching into Saturday night. One officer was hospitalized with a leg injury caused by an explosive. Earlier, protesters in Seattle broke through a fence where a youth detention facility was being built, with some people setting a fire and damaging a portable trailer, authorities said. Thousands of protesters had initially gathered peacefully near downtown in a show of solidarity with fellow demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, where tensions with federal law enforcement have boiled over during protests stemming from the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Initially there was no sign of law enforcement near the Seattle march. Later, Seattle Police said via Twitter that about a dozen people breached the construction site for the King County youth detention facility. Also, police said protesters broke out windows at a King County court facility. Police pepper spray protesters Saturday, July 25, 2020, near Seattle Central Community College in Seattle. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP Earlier this week King County Executive Dow Constantine, in response to long-standing demands by community activists, said he would work to eliminate youth detention centers in the county by 2025. After the fire at the construction site authorities said they had ordered people to leave a different area, in a section of Capitol Hill, near downtown, where the East Precinct is. At least one person broke through a fence line at the precinct, authorities said, and moments later a device explosive that left an 8-inch (20-centimeter) hole in the side of the precinct. Earlier this month police cleared the "Capitol Hill Occupied Protest" zone after two fatal shootings. A group had occupied several blocks around a park for about two weeks following standoffs and clashes that were part of the nationwide unrest over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Protesters march near the King County Juvenile Detention Center, Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Seattle, in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP Prior to Saturday's protests Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best had announced officers would be armed with pepper spray and other weapons, promising officers would not use tear gas and urging demonstrators to remain peaceful. "In the spirit of offering trust and full transparency, I want to advise you that SPD officers will be carrying pepper spray and blast balls today, as would be typical for events that carry potential to include violence," Best said. At an emergency hearing on Friday night, U.S. District Judge James Robart granted a request from the federal government to block Seattle's new law prohibiting police from using pepper spray, blast balls and similar weapons. The temporary restraining order halts the law that the Seattle City Council passed unanimously last month after confrontations that have largely been peaceful but were occasionally marked by violence, looting and highway shutdowns. The law intended to de-escalate tensions between police and demonstrators was set to take effect on Sunday. But the U.S. Department of Justice, citing Seattles longstanding police consent decree, successfully argued that banning the use of crowd control weapons could actually lead to more police use of force, leaving them only with more deadly weapons. Best known for her turn as Melanie Hamilton in Gone With the Wind and her swashbuckling adventures with Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland specialized in playing aristocrats of virtue, though her work would get more varied as her career progressed. De Havilland, who died Sunday at age 104, performed for some top Hollywood hands, including Michael Curtiz, Raoul Walsh, William Wyler and Robert Aldrich, and proved surprisingly eager to reveal cracks in her patrician facade. Her Oscar-winning role in The Heiress, as a plain woman whose heartbreak over a gold-digging suitor turns into chilly resolution, cannot currently be streamed, but its available on Criterion Blu-ray and DVD. Here are nine films that illustrate the dramatic chops that won her two Oscars and some of the riskier roles that she gambled her image to explore. A Midsummer Nights Dream (1935) Marked for stardom from the very beginning, de Havilland made her screen debut in this glittery production of Shakespeares romantic fantasy, appearing alongside several stars and stars-to-be, including Dick Powell, James Cagney, and a teenage Mickey Rooney as Puck. New York: With weddings postponed and offices shut, business was bleak at Woodside Tailor Shop in Queens during the long months of pandemic lockdown. There was no need for party dress alterations or any pressure for slacks to be hemmed. But about three months in, things started picking back up in June, with one particular service in sudden demand: People needed a bit more breathing room in their clothing. Tailors are stepping in as wastelines expand around the world. Credit:New York Times "Everybody got fat!" said Porfirio Arias, 66, a tailor at Woodside. "It's not only in New York. It's all over the world that people got fat." In a city where gyms are still closed, and Netflix and couch the safest evening entertainment, the phenomenon of stay-at-home weight gain playfully called the Quarantine 15 by some has brought an unexpected windfall for some tailors. Some said they have seen business rise by as much as 80 per cent, with customers asking for buttons to be moved, waistbands lengthened and jackets made more roomy. A Jeep plowed through a Black Lives Matter march along a highway near Denver Saturday night moments before a protester shot a gun and wounded at least two other demonstrators, police said. One of the protesters who was shot during the mayhem on Interstate 225 in Aurora was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The other demonstrator who was wounded showed up at the hospital with a graze wound, the Aurora Police Department tweeted that evening. A woman who also appeared to dodge the Jeep, fell 20 feet off the highway as she escaped to safety, witnesses said. A Jeep plowed through a Black Lives Matter march along a highway near Denver Saturday night moments before a protester shot a gun and wounded at least two other demonstrators, police said. A protester tosses a bag at the vehicle as it plowed through the crowd One of the protesters who was shot during the mayhem on Interstate 225 in Aurora was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Protesters are seen along the highway where the jeep had plowed through the crowd Protesters and medical personnel are pictured attending to a wounded demonstrator A woman who also appeared to dodge the Jeep, fell 20 feet off the highway as she escaped to safety, witnesses said A search is now on for the shooter, whom witnesses believed opened fire to stop the Jeep. A driver and passenger from the Jeep were detained after police later located and towed away the vehicle. Neither has been identified. Protesters, after the highway protest in Aurora ended in mayhem Saturday night, also broke windows at the local the courthouse, where a fire was started in an office, police said. An unlawful assembly was declared and police ordered protesters to leave the area, authorities said. Tensions have been heightened at recent protests against racial injustice since federal officials were sent to quell demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. Police also declared a riot in Seattle on Saturday. Protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd, a black man in Minnesota who died after a white officer held him to the ground with a knee to his neck, have also highlighted other cases of fatal police violence. Saturday night's march on I225 was held to bring attention to the death of Elijah McClain, a black man who was stopped by police while walking down an Aurora street in August 2019 after a 911 caller reported him as suspicious. Police placed him in a chokehold, and paramedics administered 500 milligrams of ketamine, a sedative, to calm him down. He went into cardiac arrest and was later declared brain dead and taken off life support. Saturday night's march on I225 was held to bring attention to the death of Elijah McClain, a black man who was stopped by police while walking down an Aurora street in August 2019 after a 911 caller reported him as suspicious One of the officers involved in McClain's arrest last August was fired earlier this month after receiving photos of three officers mocking and re-enacting the killing, outside the 23-year-old's memorial. The Aurora Police Department on July 3 announced Jason Rosenblatt was fired, along with officers Erica Marrero and Kyle Dittrich for their involvement in the October 2019 incident. A fourth officer, Jaron Jones, who also appeared in the images, resigned days ahead of a pre-disciplinary hearing. Rosenblatt, who was one of three Aurora cops involved in McClain's fatal arrest, also appeared in the pictures he received, but was terminated after receiving them in a text message and responding: 'HaHa'. Jason Rosenblatt, who was involved in McClain's fatal arrest last August, was fired on July 3 for receiving a photo re-enacting McClain's killing A memorial to McClain was set up near the I225 protest Black Lives Matter protest Saturday Aurora Interim Chief Vanessa Wilson publicly released the photos for the first time, which showed Jones pretending to put Dittrich in a chokehold while Marrero looks on and laughs. All three officers were on duty and in uniform at the time. They were taken two months after McClain, 23, a massage therapist who loved animals and who taught himself to play the guitar and the violin, died after cops held him in a chokehold on August 24. 'We're ashamed, we're sickened and we're angry,' Chief Wilson said in a press conference on July 3. 'While the allegations of this internal affairs case are not criminal, it is a crime against humanity and decency.' 'It shows a lack of morals, values and integrity, and judgment. I can no longer trust to allow them to wear this badge,' she added. The only criterion appears to be loyalty to the president in spite of obvious and credible evidence. Others who testify against President Donald Trump based upon facts are either found guilty, fired or forced to resign. Michael Cohen was serving a prison term for revealing the truth of the president's misdeeds and obstructive behavior. The current administration has nominated and had confirmed by the Senate over 200 federal judges with lifetime appointments, all of whom are right-wing conservatives. It just takes a simple majority of the Senate for confirmation. This is a blow to individuals and freedom of choice. The U.S. leads the world in total deaths per capita due to the coronavirus. With 4% of the world's population, we have over 25% of the deaths. This is clear evidence of a lack of centralized, competent and science-based leadership and control. Sending foreign college students back to their homes does nothing to solve the problem. It results in billions of dollars lost to the economy and increased bad will with our allies. These students represent over 10% of college enrollments which, if lost, would reduce significant tuition incomes in the USA. The president, along with the Secretary of Education, has dictated that schools should open for in-person education regardless of CDC guidelines. If a school declines to force students to physically attend, they will face loss of federal funds (about 10%), which affects low-income students who receive free lunches and other forms of support. It will not improve the economy, but rather will spread the virus at an accelerated pace. Americans are banned from European travel as a punishment for high virus rates. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) For the first time in its history, the University of the Philippines Diliman held commencement exercises virtually via live streaming online on Sunday. A total of 3,778 candidates participated in a virtual ceremony via live stream, led by 28 summa cum laude graduates from different fields of study. The ceremony carried the theme "Maglingkod, Magmalasakit, Manindigan," calling on its graduates to serve the country with empathy and conviction amid the crisis. The university said the theme also paid tribute to the frontliners, those who lost their lives due to the pandemic. It also sought to condemn the Anti-Terrorism Law and the congressional vote to kill the franchise bid of media giant ABS-CBN. While not physically together, the graduates shifted their sablay as Steffi Ramos, a summa cum laude graduate of BA Broadcast Communications, delivered her valedictory speech. In her address, Ramos emphasized the importance of telling stories especially at such crucial times. "The stories we were trained to tell are sometimes stories that are not easy to tell. Hindi ito laging masaya," she said. "But we have a right to tell these stories...lagi nating tandaan na ang panggigipit sa kritikal ngunit makatotohanang pamamahayag ay galawan lamang ng mga duwag." [Translation: While it's not always fun to tell stories, we have a right to tell them...let us always remember that pressuring critical but truthful reporting is a gesture that comes from a coward.] Ramos also stressed to the graduates the importance of taking action, amid keeping a resilient mindset amid difficulties. "It is important that as we carry both hope and optimism for the future under the label of resilience, we also carry the promise of trying to make this world fair and better...because we live in an equitable and just world." Black activists: Portlands focus on feds only aids message After George Floyds death at the hands of Minneapolis police, people in Portland came out in droves to protest police brutality and racism, chanting that Black lives matter. As the weeks went by, the crowds dwindled to a few dozen and the protests increasingly turned violent. Since President Donald Trump deployed militarized federal agents to the progressive city early this month, the numbers of protesters have swelled again into the thousands, including mothers wearing yellow shirts and dads armed with leaf blowers to drive away tear gas. Feds go home! the mostly white demonstrators chant. But they also call for racial justice, often led by Black protesters with megaphones. ADVERTISEMENT While the protests have taken on a new tone of opposition to federal intervention, Black leaders and protesters say the surge in activity though often chaotic hasnt distracted from their anti-racist message. Instead, its shined a spotlight on it. Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, the first Black woman elected to that office, rejected the idea that the Black Lives Matter protests are being hijacked by white people. We cannot afford not to respond to this attack on our democracy, this attack on our Constitution, Hardesty said. And we would be foolish to believe that we could stay focused just on Black lives and not address the physical assaults that are taking place. Federal agents have used tear gas, less-lethal ammunition and other force against protesters who have been targeting the U.S. courthouse with fires and other vandalism during two months of nightly demonstrations. Peaceful protesters have been tear-gassed and hit by munitions. U.S. authorities say they must act to protect federal property and officers, while local leaders say their presence has made the situation more volatile and urge the agents to leave. By being subjected to tear gas, nightsticks and pepper spray, white people are stepping up and theyre seeing the brutality that Black people normally experience, said white protester Carol Vogel Warner, who has an adopted Black son. Theyre feeling it. Portland police also have used tear gas and other force against protesters. State Sen. Lew Frederick, a Black Democrat whos dodged pepper balls fired by federal agents at the protests, said the Trump administration miscalculated if it thought it could end the demonstrations with a show of force. ADVERTISEMENT It reignited the protest movement in Portland, Frederick said, adding that hes seen more Black people demonstrating now than in the early days. Those attending the protests are overwhelmingly white, a reflection of Oregons makeup. Its population is only 2% Black, compared with 13% for the entire U.S., largely due to the states racist past. Its Constitution excluded Blacks from living in Oregon until the clause was repealed in 1927. Even this week, with the nation focused on the deployment of the federal agents and their tactics, white protesters chanted the names of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans who have been killed by police. Vogel Warner said thousands of people stopped marching Monday to remember them. We all raised a hand and we had some moments of silence, offering either prayers or chants or our silent love to those people who died, she recalled. The intervention in Oregon could be just the beginning of a clash between the Trump administration and Democratic leaders in cities nationwide. The White House announced this week that federal agents also will deploy to Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to combat rising crime. The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 Black-led organizations across the U.S., said it remains undeterred. As we witness Portland becoming a war zone, we understand clearly that this is an attempt to intimidate not just protesters on the streets of Portland but to derail our movement in defense of Black lives, said Chinyere Tutashinda, a coalition organizer. She called it a failed strategy designed to increase support for Trumps re-election. Some Black protesters, however, say that white people who have been throwing water bottles at law enforcement and causing vandalism are setting back the movement. When we ask people to stop, they dont. I have been pushed tonight. I have been shoved tonight. I have been told to shut up, Portland demonstrator Julianne Jackson said. If white people want to help us, this is not helping us. The protests are just one prong of the move to end police violence and racial discrimination and serve underserved communities, Frederick said. Another is changing laws and providing assistance. After Floyds death, Oregon lawmakers passed police a ccountability measures proposed by the People of Color Caucus, to which Frederick belongs. And on July 14, 10 days after the federal deployment in Portland, lawmakers provided $62 million in federal coronavirus relief funding to Black people and businesses affected by the pandemic. Thats because of the People of Color Caucus and the kind of momentum that has been fostered, Frederick said. Associate Press reporters Aaron Morrison in New York and Aron Ranen and Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report. The Kissing Booth 2 is officially on Netflix! That means more from Elle (Joey King), Lee (Joel Courtney), and Noah (Jacob Elordi). One of the latest original movies from the streamer, we watched the sequel to the 2018 hit when it debuted on July 24, 2020. Joel Courtney, Joey King, and Jacob Elordi | Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Netflix Keep reading to check out things that dont make sense about The Kissing Booth 2. Havent watched the teen rom-com yet? Come back to this later because there are spoilers ahead. The Kissing Booth 2 covers Elles senior year of high school The Kissing Booth 2 picks up pretty much right where the original left off. When audiences last saw Elle, she and Noah were having a heartbreaking goodbye at the airport. Theyd spent every moment of their last summer together. He headed off to college at Harvard while she stayed in Los Angeles for her senior year of high school. In the first few minutes of the sequel, Elle gives viewers a recap. And as her senior year gets underway, she and Noah navigate being in a long-distance relationship. But when he suggests she apply to Harvard, Elle has to figure out how shed pay to attend the pricey college if she were to get in. Meanwhile, she and Lee have always planned on attending the University of California, Berkeley, together. RELATED: The Kissing Booth 2 Stars Jacob Elordi and Joey King Reveal How They Found Balance After Their Public Romance and Split After learning her dad could never afford for her to go to Harvard, Elle enters a dance competition for a chance to win $25,000. Ultimately, she wins the competition with her dance partner, Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez). While they have a connection and even share a kiss at one point, Elle knows Noahs the guy for her. The movie ends with Elle learning shes been accepted to both UC-Berkeley and Harvard. Except she tells Noah and Lee, both universities put her on the waitlist. While Netflix has yet to confirm Elles story will continue, the cliffhanger suggests The Kissing Booth 3 is pretty likely. While we wait to hear from the streamer whether or not another movie will be made, were dissecting The Kissing Booth 2. 1. The timing of Elles Harvard interview is too perfect First, let us say this. The timing of Noah suggesting Elle apply to Harvard couldnt be worse. Wouldnt they have talked about it over the summer before he left for Boston? That aside, when Elle casually says shes set up interviews at colleges in Boston, including Harvard, she manages to get them scheduled for the same weekend Noah surprised her with a plane ticket and her own Harvard sweatshirt to visit him. Maybe its movie magic, or the trip took place weeks later, but it seems like it happened too quickly. 2. Her DDR competition winnings wouldnt put a dent in tuition costs OK, so its a teen rom-com. But Elle winning $25,000 wouldnt amount to much toward college tuition, namely, because shed split the winnings 50/50 with Marco. Even if she went home with $12,500, thats still not going to get Elle very far at Harvard. 3. The kissing booth idea is outdated The kissing booth that led to Elle and Noah getting together just doesnt seem like itd happen in modern times. Didnt they fade from the high school experience like the pie-throwing game and the bonfire in Grease? RELATED: The Kissing Booth Author on Why It Became a Series: I Couldnt Let Go of the Characters It makes for an entertaining movie but it doesnt seem all that relatable to the current high school experience. 4. Elle wouldnt get to see Chloe at the airport At the end of The Kissing Booth 2, Elle tracks down Noah at the airport. Frantic, Elle races through the airport looking for him, hoping shes not too late. Instead, she finds Chloe (Maisie Richardson-Sellers), which wouldnt happen in real life. Realistically, Elle wouldnt get through security without a ticket. Watch The Kissing Booth and The Kissing Booth 2 on Netflix. RELATED: The Kissing Booth 2 Is Here Watch These 5 Teen Movies After The recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a new round of calls for economic reform that will involve the usual issues like tax and business regulation. But economic reform can also involve working out smarter ways of shaping social policy. One such case is a proposal to change the criminal law for children now under consideration by state and federal attorneys-general. The plan, which would raise the age of criminal responsibility for children from the current age of 10 years to 14, will be discussed at a meeting on Monday. The proposal would mean that, rather than facing court proceedings and possible jail, children under the age of 14 who break the law would be handled by public health and social workers, and dealt with by specialists in rehabilitation and child welfare, just like children under 10. There are moral and legal arguments why children, who often have little understanding of what they are doing, should not be treated the same as adults. The inquiry into the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in the Northern Territory exposed how brutal conditions can be for young people. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The products worth $805,000 were exported via the customs of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province (southwestern Iran) during 4 months of the current Iranian year (March 20-July 21, 2020), said Behnam Ahmadi, director general of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Trend reports citing the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA). Ahmadi stressed that the volume of exported products was 477 tons. Ahmadi added that exports of products increased by 64 percent in terms of volume and 116 percent in terms of value compared to the same period last Iranian year. The director general noted that, 290 tons of products worth $373,000 were exported through the province's customs during the first four months of last Iranian year (March 21-July 22). Ahmadi said that the sweet licorice powder, various health and cosmetic products, saffron, shoes, clothes and other products are the main exported products. "The products were mainly exported to Iraq, Switzerland, France and South Africa," he said. Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB) is working hard to tighten up its operations and bring down expenses in an effort to reduce its cash burn while also getting closer to breakeven. On July 20, investors learned that the company would again be laying off staff -- this time from its European operations. In addition to laying off one-quarter of its staff in certain countries, Aurora will also eliminate its regional office in Europe. However, a better move for the company would be to simply close up shop in Europe and other international markets entirely, and here's why. The markets outside North America are too small Europe's one of the more appealing pot markets outside of North America, but unfortunately, that's not saying a whole lot. In 2019, the entire European cannabis market was worth just $260 million. By comparison, in Canada's first year with the recreational market open for business, sales totaled 908 million Canadian dollars ($677 million USD), and that was with many bumps along the way. In April 2019, research company BDS Analytics projected that the Canadian market would be worth $5.2 billion in 2024. And while it may take years before marijuana is legal across the U.S., it's likely well worth the wait. From January through to May of this year, the state of Colorado alone generated more than $779 million in marijuana sales. Retail cannabis sales (both medical and recreational) for the U.S. are on track to hit $15 billion this year, a 40% increase from a year ago, and they could hit $37 billion in 2024. For Aurora investors, the temptation is to look at the potential value of where the European market will be years from now, but the reality is that no one can be certain how things will play out. One forecast by research company Prohibition Partners in 2018 projected that the European cannabis market will soar to a value of 115.7 billion euros ($135 billion USD) by 2028. But a big caveat is that that estimate assumes there will be widespread legalization in Europe over the next eight years, which is far from a guarantee. While countries are moving toward legalizing cannabis for medical use, let's not forget that recreational use is still only legal in Canada and Uruguay. It's hard enough forecasting the pot market for one country, let alone 28, especially so far in advance. Prohibition also estimates that in Oceania, the cannabis market will reach a market size of $1.55 billion by 2024. Aurora should take a different approach Aurora's been focused on international expansion for a while now, and it's made the stock one of the worst cannabis investments out there. In just one year, its stock has lost more than 86% of its value, while the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF (OTC:HMLSF) is down 58% over the same period. The Alberta-based pot producer's playing the long game, but if it doesn't strengthen its financial position soon, it may not be around to see other markets around the globe reach their potential. In each of its past 10 quarters, Aurora's been unable to generate positive cash flow from its day-to-day operating activities, and it's had to issue both debt and equity to keep the cash coming in. That's why, instead of being overaggressive and expanding into any market that it can find, Aurora may want to take a page out of Trulieve Cannabis's (OTC:TCNNF) book and opt for a more conservative growth strategy. The Florida-based company's focused on dominating its home market, where it has more than 50 dispensaries throughout the state. That's helped Trulieve record profits in seven straight quarters, and it's been one of the better pot stocks to buy, with its share price up 55% in 12 months. By abandoning Europe and other international markets, Aurora can trim lots of overhead associated with its operations abroad and come closer to breakeven while focusing on its domestic operations. The cannabis company needs to take more drastic measures to improve its bottom line, and that means taking a heavier-handed approach to cost-cutting. By completely pulling out of markets rather than laying off staff, it can do just that. Until it makes drastic changes, Aurora will remain a risky buy Aurora's reported a net loss in five of its past six quarters. The company needs to make bigger moves to strengthen its financials, and until that happens, it's just too risky of an investment. Although the stock may appear to be a cheap buy, trading at below its book value and a price-to-sales multiple of about 5, that's because many investors have lost hope in Aurora and are too tired of its disappointing results to pay any sort of premium for the shares. Unless you're OK with taking on a lot of risk, you should stay far away from Aurora's stock. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot along with senior Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala (L), Avinash Pandey (2nd from L) and Ajay Maken (R) speaks to media, outside a hotel in Jaipur. PTI Photo Efficiency debate Nikamma kaun? The Congress party is witnessing huge disquiet within. In-house legal eagles are engaged in a full-fledged blame game over the Rajasthan fiasco. Lawyer Kapil Sibal reportedly blames Abhishek Manu Singhvi for ill-advising Rajasthan Speaker to first move the high court and then the Supreme Court. On both counts the Congress failed to drive home a win. Rather it inadvertently bestowed on Sachin Pilot the perception of being in the right. Vivek Tankha is another disgruntled soul in the Congress parivar, finding faults with both Sibal and Singhvi. Randeep Singh Surjewala is Rahul Gandhis point man for Rajasthan, a lawyer by profession but a man of little consequence. Party insiders blame Randeeps skewed knowledge of constitutional law for the mess. Rahuls video avatar Three have come out and two more are to come. Rahul Gandhi is posing a challenge of sorts to TV news anchors, YouTubers and others of the tribe. He has reportedly prepared five videos on the Sino-Indian issue where the target is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Assisting him is Nikhil Alva, son of former Union minister Margaret Alva. Alva junior and Rahul get along well. At one point, Nikhil was also handling Rahuls social media and Twitter account. But not everyone in the Congress is happy with Rahuls penchant for videos. In the world of communication, they point out, Rahul should give due weightage to the real beneficiaries of his no-holds-barred attack on Modis handling of China. Scindias defection doom In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has been losing party MLAs at regular intervals. After Jyotiraditya Scindias rebellion in which the grand old party lost 22 MLAs and then the Kamal Nath regime, three more Congress MLAs have joined the BJP. However, this time around, supporters and camp followers of Jyotiraditya Scindia are getting a tad worried. Apparently, BJP chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is slowly working on a strategy to reduce his governments dependence upon the maharaja of Gwalior. If a few more Congress MLAs join the BJP, Chouhan would be able to run his government without the support of the Scindia camp. Crowding out editors Nothing seems to be going right for the media these days. After the Covid-19 impact on sales, distribution, salaries and jobs for journalists, key organisational bodies are set to witness a split. At a meeting of a Union minister, a loud TV anchor known for his obnoxious behaviour was heard contemplating formation of a Nationalist Editors Guild as opposed to the existing inclusive Editors Guild seeped in an ethical and idealistic world of journalism. A group of 20 nationalist editors, including some established private TV faces known to hold the Congress and Opposition responsible for all 2014-2020 ills, are said be keen to be part of new editors body. The Narendra Modi government is likely to accord them credence and legitimacy. Whose Rao? Faced with PM Narendra Modis bid to usurp the late P.V. Narasimha Raos legacy, the Congress woke up in a rather unconventional manner. The partys managers launched a fulsome praise Rao campaign to mark an anniversary of Raos first budget of July 1991 when Dr Manmohan Singh was introduced as Union finance minister. Manmohan, Rahul, Sonia and the official Congress social media handle paid glowing tributes to Rao who was otherwise considered a persona non grata in Congress circles. The Congress also plans to celebrate Raos birth centenary too. What is intriguing is the mention of Dr Subramanian Swamy in Manmohans tweet recalling how maverick Swamy, a Sonia baiter and now in the BJP, was accorded a cabinet rank by Rao. MP: Leaders who met CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently quarantine themselves India pti-Madhuri Adnal Bhopal, July 26: A day after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he has tested coronavirus positive, some state ministers and BJP leaders who recently met him have quarantined themselves at their homes and are undergoing tests for the disease. On Saturday, Chouhan, 61, said on Twitter that he has tested positive for coronavirus and appealed to all colleagues who come in contact with him to get tested for the disease. He was admitted to a COVID-19 designated private hospital in Bhopal, a BJP leader later said. MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan tests positive for COVID-19 Chouhan had chaired a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He also had one-on-one meetings with23 ministers in Bhopal on Wednesday and Thursday, an official in the Chief Minister's Office said. After Chouhan shared the news about testing positive for coronavirus on Saturday, state Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel shifted from Harda town and quarantined himself at his home in Baranga village, some 22 km from the district headquarters, an aide of the minister told PTI on Sunday. Patel also underwent a test for coronavirus and his report came out negative on Saturday night, the aide said. State BJP MLA Ajay Vishnoi also said he and his family members underwent tests for coronavirus on Sunday morning. "I am waiting for the results. I had met Shivrajji on in Bhopal on July 21," the former state minister said. The MP council of ministers has 34 members, including Chouhan. On Thursday evening, Chouhan attended a function at the BJP state office in the state capital where Congress MLA Naryaran Patel joined the BJP after resigning as member of the Legislative Assembly. MP cabinet expansion not happening on Wednesday: CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News On Tuesday, Chouhan along with his cabinet colleague Arvind Bhadoriya and two top BJP office-bearers from the state went to Lucknow to pay his last respects to Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon, who died earlier that day. Bhadoriya, who is the state co-operatives minister, on Thursday said he has tested positive for coronavirus. The two BJP office-bearers who accompanied Chouhan to Lucknow have tested negative for coronavirus, a party office- bearer said. Pakistani Christian students will be forced to study Quran if gov.s plans move ahead Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The governor of Pakistans Punjab province has asked all provincial universities to recommend how the teaching of the Quran with translation could be made part of the syllabus, saying the Islamic holy book is a complete code of life and will help students win favor of Allah Almighty. It will be compulsory for students to attend lectures on the Quran, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said at a news conference, saying that the Quran will also help them become good human beings, according to The New International. The news conference was held to announce that the governor, who is the chancellor of universities, has constituted a seven-member committee of vice-chancellors to submit recommendations on how to make the Quran part of the syllabus. The committee has been asked to submit final recommendations on May 22, according to a statement by CLAAS-UK, a Christian legal advocacy group. It is sad that for minorities, especially Christians who are living in large numbers in Punjab, their religious and fundamental rights are totally ignored, Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, said. No alternative program has been announced for non-Muslim students of Punjab universities. Saeed said forcing non-Muslim students to study the Quran against their will, and that of their parents, will have a negative impact. It will promote bigotry and hatred against non-Muslims in Pakistani society, something which is already on the rise. Saeed added that it was shameful that apparently none of the nine Christian lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly raised their voice against the move. A controversial bill making the teaching of the Quran mandatory in all schools and colleges in the entire country was passed by the National Assembly and the Senate in 2017. Balighur Rehman, the state minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, insisted at the time that the Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Bill 2017 would only apply to Muslim students. It will lead toward spreading goodness and auspiciousness and toward ending chaos and uncertainty, the bill claimed, stating that it would make the divine message understood, ensure the response of society, encourage peace and tranquility, promote the supreme human values of truth, honesty, integrity, character building, tolerance, understanding others point of view and way of life. The bill states that students in first grade through fifth grade will learn to read the Arabic text of the Islamic holy book, while students in sixth grade through 12 grade will also learn to read the Arabic text with simple Urdu translation, Hindustan Times reported at the time. Christians are often targeted both by Pakistans blasphemy laws meant to protect Islamic sensitivities and by hardliners who carry out violence and have killed scores of believers in the past several years. Persecution watchdog Open Doors USA ranks Pakistan at No. 5 on its 2020 World Watch List of 50 countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian. Archbishop David Irefin Chairman, International Missionary Crusade Fellowship, Archbishop David Irefin speaks in an interview with Ernest Nzor, on his religious group and the Coronavirus pandemic. What does brotherhood mean in the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star? Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is the new Kingdom of God on earth firmly established by God Himself in fulfillment of Daniel 2: 44. Brotherhood means oneness and peaceful co-existence of all creations of God. Brotherhood means God, Christ, angels, human beings, animals, fishes, birds, ants, wind, sun, moon, stars, the sky, etc. In fact, Brotherhood means God and all things created by Him put together and Christ as Head. Thus, Brotherhood is not a church, society, cult, movement, etc. The Founder, Builder and Sustainer is the Supernatural teacher, the Sole Spiritual Head of the Universe, The Holy Spirit Personified Leader Olumba Olumba Obu. Why does His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu emphasizes love and vegetarianism? His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu says that love is the bedrock of our salvation. Accordingly, love rules everything in heaven and on earth. The earth dwellers are ignorant of the fact that evil begets more evil. Obu maintains that all the problems facing human family including the ravaging Coronavirus emanate from lack of love at the level of family, village, cities, countries and organisations. To Him, love is the embodiment of all things. Love constitutes mercy, humility, patience, kindness, endurance, longsuffering, forgiveness and the ability to live peacefully with one another. Love is God and any person that possesses love automatically possesses God. Such persons would never harm any member of the human family. If you love God, you will love Christ, and love all creations of God. Contrary to seeking love, the rulers of this world, religious leaders and their followers are pursuing, hate, retaliation, manufacturing weapons of mass destruction and social discrimination which lead to destruction. In addition, Olumba warns that irrespective of colour, religion, sex, social status, or achievement in life or tribe, lack of love translates to eternal damnation. While love refers to the absence of hate, division, killing, stealing, discrimination, death and suffering. On the other hand, vegetarianism is a divine injunction from the Almighty God (Gen 1:29). Leader Olumba Olumba Obu says there was never a time God ordered man to kill and eat animal or fish. Accordingly, all those who abide in love cannot harm any Gods creation. All the troubles in the world that hinder the human family from knowing God and obeying Him results from eating meat and fish. Continuous disobedience to Gods inunction will always lead to sickness, calamities, diseases and death. Leader Olumba Olumba Obu affirms that it is better to obey God and experience peace, joy, good health, eternal life and prosperity than obey angels, prophets, spirits and messengers and be condemned. Thus, to escape Gods judgement and further calamities, the earth dwellers should embrace love and vegetarianism as way of life. *** Source: Leadership The more Leo Varadkar heard from his new Fianna Fail Cabinet colleagues, the more concerned he became. As Michael McGrath, Dara Calleary and Stephen Donnelly, the Health Minister, took to the airwaves earlier last week to clarify foreign travel advice ahead of the publication of a green list, they appeared to succeed only in muddling the government message further. As Varadkar later said: "Ministers were doing interviews and predicting what the decision might be." The kicker came last Monday afternoon when Donnelly took the unusual step as a senior minister to do a clip with RTE on the plinth at Leinster House - instead of the courtyard in Government Buildings. He, in effect, said that irrespective of the imminent green list the advice was that no one should travel abroad unless for essential reasons. This rang alarm bells in Fine Gael. Varadkar and Donnelly's predecessor Simon Harris had repeatedly communicated last month that the list would include countries where the virus was at a similar or lower rate than in Ireland - raising the prospect in the public's mind of foreign holidays being on the table this year. Now, according to a senior Fine Gael figure, "it looked like there was going to be a different rule for Irish people". Donnelly was not actually saying this, but it was typical of the confusion in the air. Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, the new Tanaiste issued a statement effectively rebuking the ministers for giving mixed "messages about international travel" and casting doubt on whether the Government should publish a green list at all. Just as Varadkar appeared to be trying to clean up a Fianna Fail-made mess last Tuesday morning, Taoiseach Micheal Martin was flying back from Brussels where he had helped broker an EU stimulus package that should net Ireland 5bn to deal with Covid and Brexit in the coming years. "The optics of the week are s**te, there's no doubt about that," a senior Fianna Fail minister admitted later. Martin, already the subject of much disquiet in his own ranks, will have learned last week that he has to find a way to manage a relationship with his Tanaiste that is without precedent. The Fine Gael leader will succeed his Fianna Fail counterpart in just over two years' time but in the interim will serve as the second most prominent and important figure in the Government. It is already noted by Fianna Fail privately that the Tanaiste is assembling a sizable operation in Government Buildings. "His operation is the same as the Taoiseach's, it's going to have to be managed," said one Martin ally, who added that the Taoiseach will have to "count to 10 a lot" when Varadkar makes public pronouncements that appear to conflict with Fianna Fail. "Maybe even 20." For the general public the sight of both Martin and Varadkar conducting a media blitz to sell the July stimulus package last Thursday and Friday will have done nothing to counter the view that they are effectively co-taoisigh. There is no easy way to shift this perception among the public. Some Fianna Fail TDs argue Varadkar should have taken a back seat in the first few months of the new Government. "I don't think people were too impressed with Leo the last few days. He is still front and centre of things," said one backbencher. Most Taoisigh are categorised as either a chairman or a chief. Varadkar was considered a chief, drilling into the detail of various policies, setting ministers clear tasks, assiduously following up, and probing issues around the Cabinet table. Enda Kenny was viewed more as a chairman who was happy to delegate, let his ministers get on with their work programme and report back every so often, only intervening when a crisis took hold. Cabinet meetings were more business-like than the sort of open discussions that Varadkar encouraged. Some in Fine Gael believe Martin will operate as Kenny did, with one FG minister describing his approach at Cabinet thus far as "much more low-key and much more in the chairman space". But there is evidence to suggest Martin is far from the aloof chairman of the board. He has taken personal charge of reopening the schools from the end of August, showing up at the Department of Education last Friday morning to get an update on the plan. "Micheal is obsessed with education and always has been," said a senior government source. Some view this as an effective sidelining of Norma Foley, the Education Minister, who has had a difficult start and drawn the ire of Opposition TDs who have already accused her of breaching the ministerial code. But the senior source insisted Ms Foley has been doing all the running on the plan and will deliver a package that "packs a punch" tomorrow. It's not just education: the Taoiseach was spotted in the Department of Health last week with a minister noting: "He is mooching around departments." The running joke for years in Fianna Fail has been that Martin views himself as the best former minister for education, health, enterprise and foreign affairs - portfolios he held in the Bertie years. "God love Norma and Stephen," said one minister. "And God help Leo." Martin, Varadkar and Eamon Ryan, the newly re-elected Green Party leader, are keen to stress that their working relationship is a good one. Much of the key decision-making in the Coalition happens in the highly-secretive Government Cabinet Coordination Committee made up of the three leaders and their top aides. It was here last Tuesday evening that a fudge on the green list was hammered out. As Varadkar himself admitted of the new travel advice last Friday: "It may not be simple but it is very straightforward." The big decisions on the July stimulus were also made by the leaders along with Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath who has, numerous sources say, settled into Government better than anyone else in Fianna Fail bar Martin. "There is general kudos for McGrath. He wasn't afraid to make political calls, Fine Gael ministers found engagements with him very good," said one senior Fine Gael figure. But getting what was, in reality, a first of two budgets this year agreed was not without its rows and disagreements. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail had signed off on the plan to cut capital gains tax to 20pc for 18 months. It even appeared in documents circulated to some Fine Gael ministers last Wednesday evening. But the Sunday Independent understands that no one in Government Buildings had told the Green Party. When Eamon Ryan found out, he immediately demanded the plan to cut tax on property and share sales to be dropped. "They [the Greens] thought it would be politically dangerous for them, the critique of the Government would be that it was for wealthy people," said a source involved in the talks. "You couldn't not see it in the context of their leadership as well, their party is quite split." The decision to drop the temporary CGT cut meant a cut in the standard rate of Vat from 23pc to 21pc came on the table. "That was kind of a last-minute thing because there was a huge gap," said the source. The move to cut the sales tax on a raft of everyday items was the "big and bold" measure, as one minister said, that was at the centre of the 7bn package of grants, tax cuts, spending increases and loan guarantees that was announced by the three leaders last Thursday afternoon and broadly - and to their relief - landed well with the public. Ryan is viewed as having had an excellent few weeks behind the scenes, having siphoned off 250m from the stimulus for new green transport and retrofitting initiatives. His success was viewed with envy by other ministers, one of whom said the Climate Action and Transport Minister was viewed by colleagues as having "cleaned out the place". But just as the stimulus plan appeared to show the Government at last functioning properly, Fianna Fail found more ways to inflict damage on the Coalition's credibility. First there was the mishandling of the vote for the Dail's vice chair - a lucrative if inconsequential position that is of little relevance to the public. Fine Gael TD Fergus O'Dowd was the preferred Coalition candidate for Leas Ceann Comhairle but was beaten in a secret ballot by Independent TD Catherine Connolly. There was much gossiping among TDs last Thursday and Friday over the identities of the government rebels with most pointing the finger at the burgeoning Fianna Fail awkward squad. "It was being let known that 'don't f**king worry they'll never find out'," said a Fianna Fail TD. "Use it as a protest, vote against it." Several Fianna Fail TDs identified privately have denied they voted for Connolly over O'Dowd, one even sending a picture of their ballot paper to prove the point. But Stephen Donnelly admitted he missed the vote: "I got pulled into an urgent healthcare matter, which is no excuse, as I should have been there to vote." His failure to show up has infuriated O'Dowd. But the Louth TD should perhaps be more concerned by the at least six government deputies that the whips believe voted for Connolly. While it may include some Fine Gael TDs, it is more widely viewed as the beginning of an uncoordinated but potentially destabilising revolt against Martin from within his own party. The vote was also another blow to the authority of the new Government Chief Whip Jack Chambers, who had earlier been forced into a U-turn on plans that would have excluded up to 19 Opposition TDs from being members of Oireachtas committees. Sources close to Chambers described his solution - increasing the number of TDs on each committee from 7 to 9 - as a "compromise", but most objective observers view it as an embarrassing climbdown for the young whip. Still there was good news for Chambers last Friday when the Dail passed legislation to ensure that he and the two other super junior ministers at Cabinet - Fine Gael's Hildegarde Naughton and the Green Party senator Pippa Hackett - get a 16,000 pay increase. The optics of beginning to cut Covid payments while passing laws to boost some ministers' pay packets are appalling. One senior Fine Gael TD said it was "politically f**king stupid" and "gold for the Shinners". They weren't wrong. No wonder one Cabinet minister confided this weekend that they were desperate for the summer recess. "There is nothing left in the tank we need to all get away from each other." TDs will break from the Dail on Friday for six weeks, allowing ministers time to read further into their briefs and - they must hope - avoid the sort of unforced errors that have marred its first month in office. Its a big week ahead in Washington, where Congress will hash out the fate of jobless benefits for over 30 million people as the coronavirus rages on. Heres what else you need to know in business and tech as we roll into Monday. Image Credit... Giacomo Bagnara Whats Up? (July 19-25) The Wrong Direction The country has been hemorrhaging jobs since March, but at least we could take some comfort in seeing new unemployment claims steadily tick down from their initial spike. Until last week, when the number went up again for the first time in three months. Economists blamed the resurgence of the virus, which has forced some businesses to close again and others to limit their operations for well, who knows how long? Whats more, many businesses have burned through any emergency funding that they got through the Paycheck Protection Program (if they were lucky enough to get it in the first place), and are looking to cut expenses like staff. A Vaccine Race The federal government is investing in the vaccine business. The Trump administration secured a nearly $2 billion contract with the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German manufacturing partner to obtain 100 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine by December. Its too soon to know if Pfizers early version of a vaccine even works or is safe, let alone could be ready for mass production by the end of the year. But if it is, this arrangement would give the government dibs on the first batch for about $20 a dose, with the rights to acquire up to 500 million more. (Americans would receive the vaccine for free.) The government made a similar deal this month with a smaller biotech company, Novavax. Two parents are suing Valley Forge Military Academy after the school's president, retired Major Gen. Walter T. Lord, resigned over a clash with the board of trustees. Read more The battle over the future of the controversy-plagued Valley Forge Military Academy is headed into a federal courtroom in a lawsuit filed by parents of two cadets who are angry over last months ouster of the schools popular president. The suit filed Monday in U.S. District Court by parents Derek James Graham, who lives in New Hampshire, and Scott Keith Newell, a South Carolina resident seeks to bring stability to the grades 6-12 academy after a month of turmoil by removing the current trustees chairman, John English, and replacing him with another school parent. Its our belief that weve watched the decline of our beloved alma mater, said Newell, who added that both he and his father are Valley Forge alumni and that he sent his son there because of faith in then-president Walter Lord, who left last month under murky circumstances. Bad decisions are being made by the board. Newell, Graham, and their attorney, Leno Thomas, said the plaintiffs would like the Delaware County school to at least temporarily bring back Lord a 54-year-old retired Army major general and a Valley Forge alum whod been on the job for only a year if English can be removed from the board. English and current school leaders did not have an immediate response to the lawsuit. Lords attorney, Bryan Lentz, did not return a call for comment. The parents sought an emergency temporary restraining order and injunction that, in addition to restoring Lord until at least the end of the year, would have barred the school from destroying any relevant documents and froze its accounts. But U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quinones Alejandro denied that request Tuesday in a one-page order. Pennsylvanias last remaining military-style secondary school, which was founded in 1928 and which has produced notable alumni such as writer J.D. Salinger and Iraq War Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, has been racked by discord since the departure of Lord, who was working to address declining enrollment, disciplinary problems, and other issues. Yearly tuition for boarding students at the all-boys academy in Wayne is approximately $45,000. Lord cited philosophical differences with English at the time of his unexpected resignation, and English asked him to leave the school two days later. Many alumni and other stakeholders appeared to side with Lord. More than 2,100 of them signed a Change.org petition urging greater transparency and the presidents return, and about 100 showed up at last months alumni association meeting to press similar demands and call for the boards resignation. The suit lawyer Thomas said it was filed in federal court because the parents live in differing states maintains English violated school bylaws because Lords departure was not voted upon by the entire board in a proper fashion. It also alleges English failed to inform other trustees about a critical report presented in December 2018 by the Healy Educational Foundation that cited dire conditions at Valley Forge and said its endowment was $10 million short of what is needed to fund the school in times of scarcity. There is upheaval there and the chairman thinks that he can do anything that he wants that its his way or the highway, Thomas said. Parents have created a GoFundMe page to pay for the legal fees involved. The suit asks that another Valley Forge parent, Dr. Jonathan Fishbein, of Gladwyne, founder of a health-care analytics firm, be placed on the board and be granted decision-making powers to return the school to stability. Newell said in an interview that hes long been concerned about the future of the school and that he only sent his son, currently a high school freshman, there because he was impressed with Lord and his leadership style. Ive watched this school bleed to death over the last 20 years from bad management, poor decisions, he said. I didnt think it was going to survive much longer, until Walt Lord sprang on the scene last year. Said Graham: We bought into his vision. Ohioans should keep in mind what the alleged $60 million Statehouse bribery scandal erupting over House Bill 6 demonstrates: that Ohios General Assembly increasingly stands up for special interests, not the public interest. HB 6 requires Ohio electricity customers, starting next year, to subsidize the Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear power plants, once owned by Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. Without subsidies, according to their owners, the plants cant compete in the power market. HB 6 also emasculates Ohios green-energy requirements. In plain English, HB 6 protects stock market speculators who invested in the two nuclear plants. The Legislative Service Commission estimates Ohio electricity consumers will pay $170 million a year in the new charges HB 6 allows. (This does not appear to count the bills separate consumer subsidy for two coal-fired plants, one in Indiana.) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu, deputy editor-in-chief of Trend news agency The more Armenia's policy fails in the region and in the world, the more aggressive this small but very ambitious country becomes towards neighboring countries, as well as to the peoples who are aware of the false Armenian policy. Armenia, which claims to be the "defender" of the Christian values in the region, is hostile towards its neighbors, and considers the extermination of Turks and Muslims, as well as all other peoples that do not fit into the "Armenian dream" as the meaning of its existence. The peoples of the region have already become witnesses of attempts to implement the Armenian chimera - the creation of "great Armenia" in 1915 and during the occupation of the Azerbaijani historical territories. While the regional countries, namely, Azerbaijan, Turkey and almost all neighboring countries, followed the path of democracy by creating equal conditions for representatives of all nationalities living in their territories, the Armenian political elite still builds its ideology on the Nazi dogmas of the fierce enemy of all peoples of the former USSR, odious fascist Garegin Nzhdeh (1886-1955). Taking Nzhdehs vicious ideological heritage as the basis, the Armenian political elite not only well mastered his fascist methods, rejected by the entire mankind, but also openly boasts of their real implementation. At the same time, amid the global war against terrorism, Armenia and the majority of Armenians stubbornly regard the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) terrorists as national heroes, "builders of great Armenia". Obviously, the statement terror has no nationality or religion does not apply to the Armenians, they finally lost their minds, intoxicated by the chimera of great Armenia, elevating terrorism to the rank of a national idea. As it is known, more than a third of the ASALA attacks were committed at airports in various countries, a half of attacks were committed against diplomatic missions and diplomats. ASALA terrorists in some cases also attacked religious leaders and media representatives. In total, the "record of service" of the notorious Armenian terrorist organization includes 110 terrorist attacks. Turkish diplomacy suffered from ASALA most of all - 42 people died. ASALAs final "feat" is the explosion of a bomb in the Turkish embassy in Brussels in 1997, after which the Armenian national terrorist organization went "underground". ASALA was established in 1975 in Beirut, during the civil war by Lebanese Armenian Hakob Hakobyan, who took part in the activity of the Palestinian armed organizations in the early 1970s. However, some acts of terrorism were committed before its formal creation. That is, the armed conflicts in the Middle East have become fertile ground for the emergence of the Armenian terrorism. Today, the end of peaceful life and political instability may become as a bitter surprise far beyond this troubled region if ASALA resumes its terrorist activity. Actually, ASALAs menacing step is already visible in the West - during the provocations against the peaceful rallies of Azerbaijanis and Turks in several Western countries, including the US. The Armenians wear T-shirts with the inscription ASALA in an emphatic manner and chant the misanthropic slogans of terrorists. This means that ASALA is being unchained. Meanwhile, the obvious problem is that in response to the open aggression of the Armenians intoxicated with ASALAs ideas, the police of the Western countries did nothing to prevent violence against Azerbaijanis. There is no doubt that the Armenian lobby and the Armenian authorities are behind the "resurrection" of ASALA, which poses a threat not only to Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also to the whole world. The West must draw conclusions as a result of the recent provocations of Armenians against the peaceful rallies of Azerbaijanis till it is not too late as in addition to the vast diaspora, the active migration of Armenians to the West will inevitably entail the "flourishing" of the ideas of terrorism. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@rhafizoglu Prime Minister Chung Sye-Kyun, left, President Moon Jae-in, center, and Moon's Chief of Staff Noh Young-min arrive at a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, July 21./Yonhap By Do Je-hae It's tough to be a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae or a government ministry these days. After being pressured to donate their emergency disaster relief fund, they are now being told to sell some of their houses. These officials, who have often been the subject of public envy for status and job stability, are facing intense pressure to adhere to the one-house-per-person rule recommended by Presidential Chief of Staff Noh Young-min and Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun. At government ministries, the rule is applicable to director-general level and above. And at Cheong Wa Dae, senior presidential aides have undergone intense scrutiny over how many homes they own. Cheong Wa Dae has said that it will announce the results of Noh's recommendation made earlier this year that senior aides should sell houses they own, other than their main residence, by the end of this month. Noh himself became a victim of his own recommendation and has put both of his houses, one in the affluent Gangnam district and the other in Cheongju, South Chungcheong Province, up for sale. The prime minister has ordered government ministries and even local administrations to quickly look into the housing ownership status of high-ranking officials. "Those who own multiple homes will hopefully sell those other than their main residence as soon as possible," he said during a regular government meeting on COVID-19 held July 8. It was considered rare for the prime minister to mention the housing issue during a meeting on pandemic response. The remarks were seen to reflect the government's urgency to improve the public's sentiment toward the Moon administration, which has turned negative particularly over missteps in controlling housing prices in recent weeks. "If senior officials have multiple homes, it will be hard for the people to trust the government's housing policy no matter what," Chung said. Chung's remarks are understandable but incorrect for two reasons. First, more members of the public say that pressuring officials to sell their real estate assets is tantamount to an infringement on the right to own multiple homes. Article 23 of the Constitution guarantees the right of all citizens to own property. From this perspective, questions are rising as to whether it is justifiable for the senior officials to face pressure from their workplace regarding their personal property. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha takes questions during an interpellation session at the National Assembly, July 22. Yonhap Authorities believe a mens rights lawyer shot and killed a fellow attorney in California in the days before he attacked a federal judges family in New Jersey and died by suicide, officials announced Friday. Roy Den Hollander, 72, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on July 20, the day after the ambush shooting that killed U.S. District Judge Esther Salas' 20-year-old son and wounded her husband. Salas was in another part of the house and unharmed. Investigators said Wednesday that they had evidence linking the New Jersey shooting to the July 11 death of lawyer Marc Angelucci in San Bernardino County, California. Den Hollander and Angelucci, 52, were involved in separate federal lawsuits seeking to force the U.S. government to require all young women to join men in registering for a possible military draft. Den Hollanders lawsuit, filed in 2015 on behalf of a woman in New Jersey, was assigned to Salas. He withdrew as the lawyer in the case a year ago after being diagnosed with cancer. When he died, Den Hollander had items related to both Salas and New York State Chief Judge Janet M. DiFiore. He also had a typed document that contained information about on a dozen or so other women, some of them judges, two sources with first-hand knowledge of the material told The Associated Press. Three judges known to be on the list declined to comment or did not return messages from the AP seeking comment. In California, Den Hollander arrived at a train station in San Bernardino on July 7 and rented a car, the county sheriff's office said Friday in a news release. Authorities released a photo of a man, who is wearing a mask, at the train station carrying items away from a food stand. Officials said Den Hollander drove the rental car to Angeluccis home, where he shot and killed him. Den Hollander drove away and boarded a train out of California from Union Station in Los Angeles. A photo at the station shows a man, again masked, wheeling a suitcase. It was not immediately clear if Den Hollander took a train across the country, and if the same gun was used in the shootings and the suicide. In both the California and New Jersey attacks, the suspect appeared to pose as a delivery driver, a law enforcement official previously told the AP. The official could not discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. Den Hollander described himself as an anti-feminist attorney who filed lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of ladies night promotions at bars and nightclubs, sued Columbia University for providing womens studies classes, and sued news organizations over what he said was biased coverage. In more than 2,000 pages of often misogynistic, racist writings posted online, Den Hollander had sharply criticized Salas and other female judges. He also wrote about wanting to use the rest of his time on earth to even the score with his perceived enemies, using cowboy justice. Discussions are continuing this weekend on the measures needed to allow the full reopening of schools next month as the World Health Organisation said precautions will be needed when schools do re-open. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said he is confident students will be back in the classroom in under six weeks. It is thought a major financial package is planned that will include enhanced cleaning regimes, curriculum changes and more substitute teachers. Yesterday, the Irish Examiner reported that the Government will approve a "very significant" package worth 200m on Monday to allow a full-time reopening of every school in the country next month. Mr Martin has personally intervened to ensure delivery of what has been described as his Governments top priority in getting all 1m school children and 100,000 school staff back in classrooms at the end of August. This publication reported yesterday that the 200m contains 125m of Covid-related support funding and 75m in minor works funding announced in the July stimulus on Thursday. The plan will also be fully in accordance with the public health advice, with stricter social-distancing requirements for older children. The Cabinet will be briefed on the details tomorrow before its publication. Last week, the Tanaiste warned that it would reflect very badly on Ireland if we were on the only country in Europe that cannot reopen schools in the coming weeks. Speaking in the Dail, Leo Varadkar said hairdressers, shops, restaurants and even the parliament had opened as he stressed the importance of classes resuming. He pointed to Germany, which has had higher incidence of Covid-19, and said they had been able to reopen schools there. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation says just because children do not get severe Covid-19 symptoms, does not mean they can't spread the virus. Margaret Harris from the WHO says children and adults will need to take precautions when schools re-open. So this is one of the areas where there has been a lot of confusion because children quite often dont get a very severe illness, she said. Ms Harris said this led to people thinking they dont spread the virus. She added: Just because you dont have symptoms doesnt mean you cant spread the virus. Or just because you have mild symptoms doesnt mean you dont have the virus in your mouth or nose. Ms Harris said some approaches in countries have been to put children in small groups. She said that way, you know if indeed a case arises the potential for spread has been very limited. And you know where that virus is likely to have tracked too. So there are many things you can do. Peaceful protests against police brutality and the presence of federal agents at demonstrations turned violent as police in several large cities across the country declared riots, and one protester in Austin was killed in a shooting that erupted during a weekend of civil unrest. A Black Lives Matter protester was fatally shot just before 10 p.m. on Saturday during a march in downtown Austin, police said. While police initially said the protester, identified as Garrett Foster, was armed when he approached a car occupied by a man who killed him, Foster's mother disputed the account during an interview Sunday on ABC's "Good Morning America." Sheila Foster said her son was pushing his fiancee's wheelchair when he was gunned down. PHOTO: Demonstrators try to topple a steel fence during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse, July 25, 2020, in Portland, Ore. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP) "And this gentleman got out of his car and started firing shots, and my son was shot three times," the mother said. The gunfire, which was captured on cellphone video, caused protesters to run and duck for cover. Police said the suspected gunman was captured and was being interviewed by investigators. The alleged gunman's name has not been released. The deadly violence occurred as protests across the country turned from peaceful to chaotic. PHOTO: Police push a demonstrator to the ground during protests in Seattle, July 25, 2020. (David Ryder/Getty Images) Oregon Police in Portland, Oregon, declared that a demonstration turned into a "riot" early Sunday when protesters breached a reinforced fence around the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in downtown Portland. Federal agents guarding the building deployed tear gas on the demonstrators, who officials alleged hurled projectiles and fireworks at the agents. MORE: Federal officers clash with protesters in Portland as US attorney calls for investigation It was the 59th straight day of protests in Portland and demonstrators have accused federal agents of inflaming violence by using questionable tactics for detaining protesters and dispersing crowds. President Donald Trump has threatened to send federal agents to more cities to restore order. Story continues PHOTO: A person holds debris from projectiles and other devices they say were used by police during clashes with protesters, July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest near the Seattle Police East Precinct headquarters. (Ted S. Warren/AP) More than 100 miles away in Eugene, Oregon, police also declared a "riot" when Black Lives Matter members, protesting in solidarity with their Portland counterparts, clashed with counterprotesters waving American flags and toting signs reading "All Lives Matter," according to police. Police said they moved in to quell the demonstrations when vandalism occurred to businesses, including a Whole Foods store, and officers witnessed and arrested a man allegedly firing a gun into the air. Rocks and other objects were also thrown at police, officials said. PHOTO: A protester holds a homemade riot shield during a protest in front of the Oakland Police Department Station, July 25, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. (Christian Monterrosa/AP) At least eight other people, including a juvenile, were arrested on suspicion of rioting in Eugene, police said. California In Oakland, California, a peaceful march through the city's streets intended to show support for the ongoing protests in Portland erupted in violence late Saturday. This video shows a person knocking down the barricades in front of Police Headquarters after officers called for an unlawful assembly and asked the crowd to disperse. pic.twitter.com/08S5b7IDLo Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) July 26, 2020 The Oakland Police Department tweeted that some agitators among the roughly 700 peaceful demonstrators vandalized a police station by breaking windows, spray painting walls and shooting fireworks. Police officials said multiple small fires were set throughout the city, including one at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse. Police said several arrests were made. PHOTO: Hundreds of protesters gather downtown, July 25, 2020, in Oakland, Calif. (Natasha Moustache/Getty Images) Washington In Seattle, officials said that 59 police officers were hurt on Saturday in clashes with protesters and that 47 arrests were made. Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said at a late-night news conference Saturday that protests were mostly peaceful until nightfall when some agitators began throwing rocks and explosives at police. Best said one officer was hospitalized with a leg injury caused by an explosive. PHOTO: A person is arrested by Seattle Police at Cal Anderson Park, July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest near the Seattle Police East Precinct headquarters. (Ted S. Warren/AP) Earlier in the day, a dozen people set fire to portable trailers during a protest at the construction site of the new King County Juvenile Detention Facility, police said. Officials also said that windows of cars and some businesses were broken near downtown Seattle as groups of protesters marched through the area. PHOTO: Federal officers launch tear gas at a group of demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse, July 26, 2020, in Portland, Ore. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP) Police said they were also investigating an explosion that damaged the facade of the police department's East Precinct. Additional interior photo of the suspected explosive damage to the the East Precinct's wall: pic.twitter.com/2qHnkiiWDZ Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 26, 2020 "There, several people emerged from the group and began spray painting and attempting to disable security cameras and a fenced perimeter around the precinct. At least one person breached the precincts fence line. Moments later, a device exploded leaving an 8-inch hole in the side of the precinct," police said in a statement. MORE: Riot declared in Portland, mayor in crowd as feds disperse tear gas By 10 p.m. Saturday, police had made 45 arrests, officials said. Virginia Meanwhile, the police department in Richmond, Virginia, declared an unlawful assembly on Saturday night after more violence erupted there. MORE: Trump says 'a lot of people in jail' after Portland protests, but few were charged A demonstration billed as "Richmond Stands with Portland" started out with a peaceful march but became unruly as marchers made their way to Richmond Police Headquarters, officials said. Prior to reaching police headquarters, police said some in a group of mostly peaceful protesters set fires, broke windows and spray-painted graffiti on buildings. Some damage was done to buildings at Virginia Commonwealth University, police said. #VSP on post to protect @RichmondPolice HQ from protesters. Protesters tore down police tape & have pushed forward w/lasers & firecrackers. https://t.co/EOZbJ94GnC VA State Police (@VSPPIO) July 26, 2020 Just after 11 p.m. Saturday, police tweeted please disperse or face arrest while addressing protesters outside police headquarters. Police posted on Twitter images of rocks, batteries and other projectiles they said were hurled at officers posted outside the headquarters that "prompted an Unlawful Assembly being declared." A city dump truck parked near police headquarters was also set on fire, according to police. The Virginia State Police said its troopers were helping to protect the police department headquarters when several people who were among the protesters tore down police tape and moved forward pointing lasers and shooting firecrackers. Police said tear gas was used to disperse the crowd outside the headquarters. Four men were arrested and charged with unlawful assembly, police said. A 29-year-old man Richmond man was also arrested and charged with rioting with a firearm, while a 28-year-old man from Hopewell, Virginia, was arrested on suspicion of assault on a law enforcement officer and rioting, according to police. ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway and Alexandra Faul contributed to this report. Police declare riots as protests turn violent in cities nationwide; 1 demonstrator dead in Austin originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has explained the reason why he left the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). PREMIUM TIMES reported Mr Dogaras defection on Friday after which he met with President Muhammadu Buhari. In a letter of resignation addressed to the Bogoro C Ward Chairman of the PDP dated July 24, 2020, Mr Dogara mentioned a breakdown of governance in his native state of Bauchi under the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed whom he said he helped install as a governor in 2019. The former speaker said he cannot successfully ask questions about those issues without being accused of disloyalty if he were to remain in the PDP. He argued that if he abdicates this responsibility of telling the truth to power in Bauchi State, having done same under the administrations of former Governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abubakar, he will be the most irresponsible and unprincipled politician in Bauchi State. The explanation contained in the letter was sent to PREMIUM TIMES by Mr Dogaras spokesperson, Turaki Hassan. Mr Dogara was elected speaker on the APC platform in 2015. He decamped, alongside dozens of other lawmakers, to the PDP in the build-up to the 2019 general election. He won his re-election as a lawmaker on the PDP platform but did not contest the speakers position as the APC won majority seats in the parliament. After his meeting with President Buhari on Friday, the head of APCs interim management, Mala Buni, who also attended the meeting, said Mr Buhari was pleased with the defection. He (Buhari) welcomed him. Hes happy with the development. Thats what hes looking for. We are rebuilding the party and these are the steps we are taking towards rebuilding the party, the APC leader said. PORTLAND, Oregon Snot streaming down his face and tears dripping from his swollen-shut eyes, John Beck tried to shake off the pepper spray and compose his thoughts. "Tell people what is happening here," he said. "I want them to know." Federal agents pepper-sprayed Beck, 46, and hundreds of others during a raucous demonstration Saturday night outside the federal courthouse in Portland, which has seen 58 straight days of protests sparked by the Black Lives Matter social justice movement and the Memorial Day death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. After federal agents briefly retreated Saturday night into the courthouse, some protesters began rattling a fence encircling the federal building. Shortly after 1 a.m., protesters tore down a section but didn't cross onto courthouse property. Federal agents eventually reemerged and pushed protesters several blocks away from the courthouse, firing tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd after Portland police declared the gathering a riot. "The violent conduct of people downtown is creating grave risk of public alarm," the Portland police department posted on its official Twitter account. "Portland Police have declared a riot on SW 3rd Ave. Leave the area to the west." Confrontations between activists and federal officers have escalated for more than a week in Portland, with some protesters throwing fireworks, bottles of water and other objects at the officers. Other protesters said that the gatherings were largely peaceful and that the federal officers were instigating the violence. Volunteer medics tend to John Beck after he was shot with pepper spray while yelling at federal agents at the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, in the early hours of July 26, 2020. The federal show of force in Portland sparked solidarity protests nationwide over the weekend as demonstrations and clashes with law enforcement unfolded in Seattle, suburban Denver, Anchorage and Louisville, Kentucky. President Donald Trump has said he sent the officers to Portland this month to protect federal property. In recent days, Trump also directed federal officers to Seattle to confront protesters and threatened to do the same in other Democratic-led cities where activists have demanded police reform since Floyd's death more than two months ago. Story continues Federal officials said at least six officers were injured in Friday night's violence in Portland. Federal officers said they were also hit with garbage and blinded by laser pointers and flashlights. One protester was arrested Friday after climbing over the fence, officials said. A protest participant readies protective equipment before joining the crowd on Saturday, July 25, 2020. Officers responded to the attacks by releasing tear gas canisters, prompting some protesters to throw each canister back over the security fence. The two sides used leaf blowers to disperse the fumes. Joining the protests were hundreds of moms in yellow shirts and dozens of veterans. Businesses in the area were boarded up, and many closed early Saturday afternoon. "Fifty-eight days," one protester yelled as tear gas exploded around him. "We've been out here for 58 days. You think we're giving up now?" Medical workers listen to ER nurse Beth Higginbotham, 54, during a rally for Black Lives Matter in Portland, Oregon, on July 25, 2020. Beck, an environmental analyst at a laboratory, said he attended Saturday's protest to voice anger at the federal presence. At one point, he stood by his bike and yelled at the federal agent separated from him by the tall steel and concrete fence. "I told that man he should go home," said Beck, wearing shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt. "I know they have orders, but they also have a choice. And I told him that. And then he pepper-sprayed me." Beck, like other protesters, said the federal response to their complaints has only strengthened their resolve. The Constitution, they said, guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. "We've been quiet," said Denica Coombs, 37. "We told society that there needed to be justice. And there is no justice, so there will be no peace." A woman marching in a protest in downtown Portland holds a sign during a Black Lives Matter rally on July 26, 2020. Coombs, a nurse, drove from Seattle to Portland on Saturday to participate in the protests. She's Black and wanted to show support for the Portland community. "We are all standing up for each other. We're here to protect each other," she said. Earlier in the day, ER nurse Beth Higginbotham organized a march of scrubs-clad medical workers to join the protests. Portland is a liberal, mostly white city, and many Black protesters said the groundswell of sustained support from white allies has provided a much-needed boost to their demands for police reform. "Our country is sick," Higginbotham said. "We as nurses and medical workers take care of people. And right now we need to care for Black lives. Because they are being killed. They are being murdered. They are being hurt. Right now, to use an analogy, Black people are having heart attacks and strokes and white people have cuts on our fingers." ER nurses Beth Higginbotham, 54, right, and Melanie Hamlin, 45, lead a march for Black Lives Matter in Portland, Oregon, on July 25, 2020. Higginbotham first joined the protest on Friday evening, staying late into the night to watch the tear gas and fireworks. Nothing she saw dissuaded her from coming back Saturday, she said, especially because all of the attention is focused on the federal building no stores have been looted or set on fire. "I have been amazed by the solidarity," she said. "People are here because it matters." Melanie Hamlin, a children's ER nurse, said she, too, isn't bothered by the clashes between officers and crowd. More important to her, she said, is the support Portland is showing for the Black community. "It's just so beautiful to see," she said Saturday evening. A protester burns signs during a break in confrontations between federal agents and a large crowd at the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, in the early hours of July 26, 2020. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Portland protests: Police declare riot as violence grows Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The Kwara State Police Command has dismissed four officers after finding them guilty of misconduct, including extorting a suspect. Eight other officers were also sanctioned for related offences, an official said. According to the spokesperson of the command, Peter Okasanmi, the four officers were found guilty of serious offences. He disclosed that the state police commissioner has ordered a retrial in one of the cases involving the four officers. One of the cases tried, reviewed and in which punishment of dismissal was upheld involved the duo of ex-Sgt Sola Akano, and ex- Cpl Babatunde Glorious. They were alleged to have illegally arrested a suspect, booked the suspect already in their custody out on enquiry, but took him to his bank, where he was made to empty his bank account, withdrawing the sum of N1,190,000 for the dismissed officers. Not done, they again demanded and insisted on the sum of N200,000 bail which they also collected from members of the suspects family before releasing him. The duo also seized the two phones of the suspect and as at the time of their arrest, the two phones had already been checked and converted to their personal use. It was after the suspect regained his freedom that the matter was brought before the police commissioner, who ordered the investigation of the two ex-non commissioned officers, the statement read. READ ALSO: Apart from Messrs Akano and Glorious, the police spokesperson did not name the other two dismissed officers. He also did not list the specific offences of the other eight police officers punished as well as their ezacr punishments and names. Mr Okasanmi did not pick or return calls by PREMIUM TIMES seeking clarification on the omitted information. Officials of the Nigerian Police Force, on several occasions, have been caught on camera extorting suspects and motorists. Some of those caught have been dismissed. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 10:55:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Domestic anti-drug musical "Rebirth," featuring a touching tale of a narcotics police officer and his beloved wife, will start its first national tour in September. The musical is based on the story of Luo Jinyong, a narcotics police officer in southwest China's Yunnan Province. In 2005, Luo was seriously injured in a fight with drug dealers as he made his way home alone. His wife wrote over 600 love letters to Luo, reading them to him as he lay in a coma, until he regained consciousness after more than 1,000 days. The production combines the Luo family story with various myths and legends from Yunnan's ethnic minorities, offering a glimpse into the unique eastern culture. Enditem 7K Shares Share A lifetime ago, when we first heard of a novel virus making the rounds in China, I was added to several physician groups on Facebook. The discussion surrounding the virus was academic; the distance made it easy to be objective, speculation on how severe it was, and how widely it would spread was casual and detached. Terrible what was happening in China. Those lockdown measures were so draconian. If only they closed their wet markets. As the list of countries affected by the virus grew, the discourse slowly became more concerned. We read the personal accounts from doctors in the hardest-hit cities, most notably from Lombardy, Italy, where the virus had taken the city in its grasp. We started to talk about what this could mean for us, for the rest of the world. There were some who predicted tragedy and widespread death and despair early on. One post that keeps coming back to me stated, People you know will die from this. At the time, the OP was largely vilified as being alarmist. Yes, things did not look good there, but why would you say that? Surely it wouldnt be that bad here. Today, 140,000 deaths later, we are in a different world. We have learned that COVID does not discriminate between the sinners and the saints, it takes, and it takes, and it takes. In Texas, where I live, cases are surging, and hospitals are overwhelmed. My newsfeed has been littered with posts from physicians describing the state of their hospitals. One notes they were forced to manage COVID patients in the ER because ICU beds were full. In other hospitals, known COVID patients were being turned away from the ER if they didnt look sick enough. Another physician put out a desperate plea for a family member who was critically ill with COVID. She was admitted to a hospital that did not have enough supplies to even get the appropriate IV access. The physician had reached out to see if anyone, anywhere in Texas could find an ICU bed that could take her. These physician groups are a window into the realities of the pandemic. In the absence of evidence-based guidelines, physicians have taken to crowdsourcing the latest data, treatment protocols, and fact-checking news articles with each other. It is the only way to have the most accurate and current information without the noise and hype of the media. Perhaps most valuable, physicians are sharing personal experiences in the day-to-day care of this new and challenging disease. The names are different, the places have changed, but the stories have a haunting familiarity. Arizona has traded places with Italy. The Rio Grande Valley is the new NYC. Also evident in these posts now is a new level of frustration. How can we protect our communities from the danger that is clearly in front of us when we are met with resistance and distrust at every turn? Front line workers feel as if they are trying to catch a tsunami in a butterfly net. And they turn to the public for help with the rising waves. Wear a mask. Wash your hands. Physically distance. Thats all we ask. We promise we will handle the rest. To physicians who are in the know, the public response does not make sense. If only people would just do what needs to be done. But we must remind ourselves the public does not have access to the same window we do. And over time, the volume of conflicting information has left people wondering who to believe. To most people unfamiliar with the scientific methodology, the frequent change in guidelines equals unreliability. Under normal circumstances, data is collected and analyzed over months and years, multiple studies are done to ensure the findings are reproducible over time and circumstances before any recommendations are made. As new data comes to light, the guidelines are revised. The pandemic has dramatically accelerated this timeline. What we are witnessing, in fact, is scientific research working at warp speed. Meanwhile, physicians struggle to do their jobs. Five months into the crisis and we are no closer to having adequate PPE for our health care workers. The safety label on our masks that proclaims not for reuse now reads as ironic. We are being forced to ration our COVID testing supplies, because we never know when the supply chain will fail. Labs cannot keep up with the sheer numbers of tests, and results that previously took 24 to 48 hours are now taking up to 7 to 10 days to be reported. While anti-maskers resist even the smallest change to their routine, we have changed our lives dramatically to protect ourselves and our patients. Our protocols have been written and rewritten to make sure we can provide the best care in the safest possible setting. We find ways to work with the shortages, the sick colleagues, the ever-evolving data. We go through elaborate decontamination rituals when we return home from work in an attempt to protect our families from the perils of our profession. Fortunately, physicians too, do not discriminate between the sinner and saints. We give, and we give, and we give. Our time, our expertise. Our safety. We treat all comers, whether they wear their masks or not, whether they believe us or not. What motivates us to do this? We took an oath, and we accept all that comes with it. But it is difficult to not become disillusioned. To not throw up your hands at the lack of support, the wilful negligence, the inefficiencies. And we do, multiple times a day. And then we grab a mask and carry on. Nida Zakiullah is a family physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com WASHINGTON Americans struggling through the worsening coronavirus outbreak got some rare good news this week as researchers delivered encouraging updates about potential vaccines. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, whose gloomy warnings have frustrated President Donald Trump, has sounded consistently enthusiastic about the prospects. Its a heartening thought that even as the country has failed to contain the virus or implement the kinds of public health measures experts have called for, theres a deus ex machina coming to rescue us if we can just hold out long enough. But some experts are worried about Americans getting too used to the idea that a miracle vaccine or treatment is around the corner. While theres broad agreement the latest news is promising, some are concerned that the prospect of future relief could breed complacency amid raging outbreaks that are killing hundreds of people each day. I think we absolutely have to have a backup plan in place, Carl Bergstrom, a biologist at the University of Washington, said. It's something thats not talked about enough. Even in a best-case scenario, the country may be six months or more away from widespread inoculations. And we may not be in a best-case scenario, which could require policymakers and the public to develop plans for the long haul. So far the story of the vaccine development seems to be that none of the things that could have gone wrong have gone wrong, Bergstrom said. That doesn't mean were home free by any means. If theres a Plan B, its not clear what it is at the moment. The White House and its allies in Congress are struggling to negotiate even the next temporary relief bill, and Trump has repeatedly speculated that the U.S. will soon find a vaccine or cure, or that the virus will disappear on its own. That has some people nervous. Ken Frazier, CEO of the pharmaceutical giant Merck, recently warned that anyone hyping a medical breakthrough before 2021 was doing a grave disservice to the public given the inherent challenges of developing and administering a vaccine. Story continues The reality of the world is that this time next year very well may look like what we're experiencing now, Frazier said in an interview with Harvard Business School professor Tsedal Neeley. "I think when we do tell people that a vaccine's coming right away, we allow politicians to actually tell the public not to do the things that the public needs to do, like wear the damn masks, he added. While multiple vaccine candidates in the U.K., China and America are progressing well, its possible the next phase of larger trials could reveal more serious side effects or limits to their effectiveness. And if public expectations are too high, some worry it could put pressure on officials especially in an election year to authorize their use too quickly. (The head of the FDA has insisted it will not cut corners on safety.) Even if a vaccine hits every mark on safety and effectiveness, theres a possibility governments could struggle to distribute it quickly. The Trump administration is buying up hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine candidates in advance in the hopes that it can move quickly if theyre approved, but roadblocks could still emerge. Topher Spiro, vice president of health policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, has spent months researching the logistics of inoculating the public against coronavirus once a vaccine is approved. Potential problems hes looked at include failing to produce enough glass vials to bureaucratic snafus over who administers the vaccine to simply struggling to convince enough people that its safe to get vaccinated. An Associated Press poll this week found 20 percent of respondents said they did not plan to get a vaccine if it became available, with another 31 percent unsure. We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves and we should start preparing for the possibility we have a vaccine, but that does not mean we should stop looking for strategies to contain the virus in the meantime, Spiro said. Avik Roy, president of the conservative Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, co-wrote a coronavirus response framework in April that argued officials should assume for planning purposes that advances in vaccines or treatments dont materialize. I spent a dozen years as an investor in biotech companies, Roy said. When you're close to the ground in development of novel treatments, you're acutely aware of how often they fail, how often data that looks promising in the early stages doesn't pan out in the late stages." According to Roy, accepting the prospect of no vaccine as an organizing principle could lend more urgency to installing security measures like temperature scanners, protecting vulnerable populations like seniors, and advancing plans to safely reopen schools. If were going to say its OK to lock down the economy and keep schools closed because we'll have a vaccine in six months, that involves a lot of premature assumptions, he said. Many expert suggestions involve redoubling current efforts to confront the virus. Improving testing availability and turnaround times, which the White House has been reluctant to put more federal dollars into, could help detect outbreaks before they get out of hand. Hiring and training more contact tracers, and maybe even experimenting with apps to assist them, could help track the spread of the virus. Finding effective treatments that speed up recovery and increase survivability could make the pandemic easier to manage as a day-to-day threat. Former Obama health official Andy Slavitt has called for a national push to produce high-quality N95 masks for daily public use, rather than the more common cotton masks. Any struggles on the vaccine front could affect the economic response as well. The longer the crisis persists, the more that temporary shifts like virtual offices or increased e-commerce sales could become entrenched habits. That could make aid programs like Paycheck Protection that are built on maintaining existing businesses, which may no longer be viable in a world ravaged by coronavirus, harder to sustain. As it stands, many businesses are already closing their doors permanently. The CARES Act was mainly based on the premise that we would freeze jobs and firms in place and then everyone would go back, University of Chicago economics professor Steven Davis told NBC News. Theres a great deal of evidence that the post-pandemic economy will look significantly different and many of the lost jobs are not coming back. Then theres the less desirable backup scenario: The virus wins. If enough people are infected waiting for a vaccine to emerge, the country could approach herd immunity and gain at least temporary respite from major outbreaks. Some experts have estimated reaching that point would require as much as 60 percent to 70 percent of the population to get infected, while others see a potentially lower threshold. According to a study this week by the CDC, America is still a long way off either way, with only 24 percent of even worst-hit New York City believed to have antibodies against the virus. But some argue were likelier to reach that point earlier than we might think if current outbreaks worsen. Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a CNBC contributor who sits on the board of Pfizer, predicted that by early 2021, we will either have a vaccine, or we will have herd immunity. The country probably wont be celebrating either way, however. We are a long way from it now, and a lot of death and disease until we get there, Gottlieb said. New Delhi, July 26 : The Congress party on Sunday held a nation-wide online campaign 'Speak up for Democracy' against the attempts to topple Rajasthan government and misuse of constitutional offices. Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal in a statement said, "The online campaign named '#SpeakUpForDemocracy' ran from 10 a.m. with people posting videos asking the Rajasthan Governor and the Modi Government to show accountability. It resonated with people and the trend remained at top across India and was number 5 worldwide with more than 300K tweets till about 5 p.m." Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi charged the BJP with "Ripping up the constitution and demolishing democracy" in a video tweet and said that when even as the whole country was in the middle of fighting the pandemic caused by Coronavirus, the same thing happened in Madhya Pradesh. "We demand to immediately convene an assembly session, which is within our constitutional rights," his video said. Speaking for the party's digital protest, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, "Leadership is recognized in times of crisis. In Corona's national crisis, the country needs a leadership that works in the public interest." She lamented, "But the BJP government at the centre has made its intention and its character clear by trying to topple the elected governments. The people will answer". The Pradesh Congress Committees on Monday will hold protests in front of the Raj Bhavans in their respective states at 11 a.m. demanding 'Save Democracy - Save Constitution', exposing the anti-democratic and anti-constitutional actions of the BJP, the Congress in a statement said. "The protest gatherings are to be held strictly adhering to the social distancing protocols required by the health and civic authorities," said a statement. Scranton, PA (18503) Today Scattered snow showers with snow becoming steadier and heavier late. Low around 25F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%.. Tonight Scattered snow showers with snow becoming steadier and heavier late. Low around 25F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%. A couple have been banned from shopping at Walmart for a year after video showed them wearing swastika face masks at a store in Marshall, Minnesota. Cellphone footage posted to Facebook by vicar Raphaela Mueller shows the man and a woman wearing bandana masks adorned with giant swastikas while paying for their purchases at the cash register. In the video, a man who is off camera can be heard telling the couple, 'You're sick. You have an illness, you can't be American and wear that mask.' A Minnesota couple have been banned from shopping at Walmart after they went viral for wearing swastika face masks while shopping in a store Saturday afternoon The couple argued with fellow shoppers who told them how offensive the face masks were As the man is speaking, the woman flings her arms up into the air in a 'ta-da!' gesture, before flashing her middle fingers at the camera. The man also raises his arms into the air, before quickly going back to putting items onto the conveyor belt. 'We literally had a war about this,' the off-camera man says, as the swastika-decked woman saunters over. As the woman mumbles something unintelligible, a second man off-camera says, 'My grandfather killed Nazis.' The woman then paces around, denying the fact that she's a Nazi, saying instead 'socialism is going to happen here in America' and that 'If you vote for Biden, this is what we're going to have, socialism!' One of the off-camera men brands the mask 'so incredibly offensive' as the woman walks away. The female half of the couple is pictured here waving at the people she would later argue with At one point, the woman marched over to the people who were videotaping them. The woman ranted about socialism being the result if Joe Biden were to win Election 2020 The woman denied that she was a Nazi. Police issued the couple with trespass notices that day Raphaela Mueller posted the shocking video encounter on Facebook Saturday afternoon Mueller, vicar of a southwest Minnesota parish, wrote in her Facebook post: 'I was born and raised in Germany, and I grew up hearing about my great-grandmother who fought in the underground against the first wave of Nazis in the 1930s and 40s. 'Let me make this abundantly clear once and for all - THE SWASTIKA IS A HATE SYMBOL AND YOU DO NOT FLY THE FLAG, YOU DO NOT WEAR THE SYMBOL ANYWHERE ON YOUR BODY, YOU DO NOT USE OR DEFEND THIS SYMBOL, EVER. END OF STORY.' Mueller wrote on Facebook that the store manager said 'he didn't have the power to keep them out, regardless of what mask they were wearing.' She also noted that she intended to call the customer service hotline and 'work my way as far to the top of the food chain as I can.' 'They won't (shouldn't?) allow people without face masks now that their new rule is in effect, offensive masks should be in the same category as no masks,' Mueller added. After the video clip went viral, Walmart confirmed that the incident occurred at their Marshall store. Mueller (pictured) said she was born and raised in Germany and noted that the ' swastika is a hate symbol and you do not fly the flag' or 'defend this symbol, ever' Police told KARE that they were called to the Walmart at about noon Saturday because the couple's masks were creating a disturbance at the location. Marshall PD then issued the couple - identified only as a 59-year-old man and a 64-year-old woman - with a notice of trespass. The duo then left the store without incident, police said. It's unclear who called police on the couple with the swastika masks. On Saturday night, Walmart issued a statement about the incident. 'What happened today at our store in Marshall, MN is unacceptable. We strive to provide a safe and comfortable shopping environment for all our customers and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment in any aspect of our business,' Walmart said in the statement obtained by KARE. 'We are asking everyone to wear face coverings when they enter our stores for their safety and the safety of others and its unfortunate that some individuals have taken this pandemic as an opportunity to create a distressing situation for customers and associates in our store.' Walmart also told the news station that the trespass notices issued to the couple ban them from going to any Walmart for at least a year. The couple had apparently decided to wear the swastika bandannas as a way to protest the state's mandatory mask rule, which went into effect Saturday and was issued to help slow the spread of coronavirus, according to the Star Tribune. Mueller told the newspaper that 'Its been shown that, biologically, trauma passes down through the generations in your DNA.' She noted that: 'My immediate physical reaction was nausea and wanting to cry, so I cant imagine what that must feel like for other people who lost family members in the Holocaust.' Although authorities haven't named the couple, Facebook users claim to know the couple. They 'have been known bigot [sic] in the town for awhile now,' one Facebook user wrote. 'They spray painted "build the wall" on their garage one year. I had to drive to the middleschooleach [sic] day and pass it.' While the swastika-wearing couple are not facing charges stemming from this incident, they could be arrested if they step food inside a Walmart in the next 365 days. A meteorite that fell to Earth from Mars and was discovered in Oman in 1999 will soon be returned to its home planet. The sample, referred to as Sayh al Uhamiyr 008 or SaU 008, has been under the care of the Natural History Museum since 2000. Prof Caroline Smith, Head of Earth Sciences Collections at the Museum, Principal Curator of Meteorites, and member of the Mars 2020 Science Team says Every year, we provide hundreds of meteorite specimens to scientists all over the world to study. But this is a first for us: sending one of our samples approximately 100 million km away back home, to further our knowledge of Mars. The Mars 2020 mission is monumental for planetary exploration. A part of NASAs long-term campaign of robotic exploration on Mars, its primary aim is to seek signs of ancient life and collect rock and regolith samples for possible return to Earth. To achieve this, Perseverance, the Mars 2020 rover, will use a combined high-precision laser, camera and spectrometer instrument called SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals), to illuminate rock features as fine as a human hair and decipher the composition of the sample. However, this level of precision cannot be left to chance. A slight change in temperature, or moving sands beneath the rover, can lead to misalignments. Experts at the Museum have been helping NASA prepare for this by allowing access to their world-leading meteorite collection. The SaU 008 sample will be one of the first Martian meteorites to ever return to the planet's surface. Once Perseverance has landed at Mars Jezero Crater in February 2021, the meteorite will be used as a testing material by SHERLOC to ensure accuracy and precision before the instrument goes on to investigate unknown samples. Prof Caroline Smith explains, When you start work for the day, you need to measure materials you know very well and that you know the composition of. This allows you to be confident that the instrument is working properly before you start working with new samples. After a robust selection process, the SHERLOC instrument designers chose SaU 008 as one of their calibration materials. To minimise the margin of error, it is useful for the calibration materials to be as similar to the samples being tested as is possible. With this in mind, Prof Smith suggested using a Martian meteorite made of basalt, a material that is ubiquitous on Mars. Prof Smith recalls, The piece that we are sending was specifically chosen because it is the right material in terms of chemistry, but also it is a very tough rock. Some of the Martian meteorites we have are very fragile. This meteorite is as tough as old boots. In addition, studying this sample over the course of the mission will help us to understand the chemical interactions between the Martian surface, and its atmosphere. Overall, SHERLOC's calibration target includes 10 objects, including SaU 008. SuperCam, another instrument aboard Perseverance, also has a piece of Martian meteorite on its calibration target, which will serve the same purpose to SuperCam as SaU 008 does to SHERLOC. As well as taking samples, there is hope that the rover will be the first element of a joint NASA and European Space Agency campaign for a Mars sample return, meaning that the samples collected by Perseverance could one day return to Earth for further research. Mars 2020 also seeks to find signs of past life; when Perseverance arrives on the red planet, it will land at the Jezero Crater, a site pinpointed for potentially being a past habitable environment. As well as this, it will gather information into the possibility of future human life on Mars. Perseverance carries technology that will pave the way for human missions to Mars, including an experiment to generate oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere. Ahead of the launch on July 30, 2020, Prof Caroline Smith concludes, As an innovative global science leader, were thrilled that the Museum is able to open up its world-class collection - in this instance a meteorite that was blasted off Mars between 600 and 700 thousand years ago - and become an integral part of the Mars 2020 mission, a monumental journey of space exploration, pushing the boundaries of science in a truly international endeavour. ENDS Notes for editors Media contact: Tel: (0)779 969 0151 Email: press@nhm.ac.uk Press pack: Available here. About the Natural History Museum: The Natural History Museum is both a world-leading science research centre and the most-visited natural history museum in Europe. With a vision of a future in which both people and the planet thrive, it is uniquely positioned to be a powerful champion for balancing humanitys needs with those of the natural world. It is custodian of one of the worlds most important scientific collections comprising over 80 million specimens. The scale of this collection enables researchers from all over the world to document how species have and continue to respond to environmental changes - which is vital in helping predict what might happen in the future and informing future policies and plans to help the planet. The Museums 300 scientists continue to represent one of the largest groups in the world studying and enabling research into every aspect of the natural world. Their science is contributing critical data to help the global fight to save the future of the planet from the major threats of climate change and biodiversity loss through to finding solutions such as the sustainable extraction of natural resources. The Museum uses its enormous global reach and influence to meet its mission to create advocates for the planet - to inform, inspire and empower everyone to make a difference for nature. We welcome over five million visitors each year; our digital output reaches hundreds of thousands of people in over 200 countries each month and our touring exhibitions have been seen by around 30 million people in the last 10 years. Multistate outbreak of Cyclospora, an infection linked to consumption of bagged salads, has infected over 600 people in the United States. According to federal officials, the infection is linked to recalled batches of salad mixes by Fresh Express production facility located in Illinois. The salads mixes contained red cabbage, iceberg lettuce and carrots and other products by Fresh Express. The first few cases of infections were reported between May and this month across 11 US states including Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners continue to investigate a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections potentially linked to salad products that were made by Fresh Express containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and carrots and that were sold in several regions of the United States. The investigation includes Fresh Express branded products as well as products made by Fresh Express for retail store brands sold at ALDI, Giant Eagle, Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, ShopRite, and Walmart. Investigators continue to look into whether other retail brands may be impacted, the FDA said in a release. Also read: North Koreas Kim Jong Un locks down city after suspected Covid-19 case The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has urged people to steer clear of salads. Consumers should not eat, and restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve any of the recalled products. These products may either be branded with the Fresh Express label, or they may be branded with a number of retail store brand labels. The recalled retail store brands are ALDI Little Salad Bar, Giant Eagle, Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco Signature Farms, ShopRite Wholesome Pantry, and Walmart Marketside, the FDA stated. Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite, affects the intestinal tract and causes diarrhoea that can last for over a month. A person may start showing the symptoms nearly a week after consuming contaminated food or water. This comes at a time when the United States is battling the Covid-19 pandemic. With over 4 million coronavirus infections till date, the US tops the global coronavirus tally followed by Brazil and India. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON These photographers show us what you can do with just a smartphone. Over thousands of photographers all over the globe submitted their photos to this years iPhone Photography Awards, in the 13th year of the contest. The winners of the 2020 iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) were revealed on the platform https://www.ippawards.com, and the Grand Prize Winner and Photographer of the Year Award goes to street photographer Dimpy Bhalotia of the United Kingdom for her image Flying Boys. In Bhalotias image, three boys take flight from a wall into the Ganges River, their expressive limbs filling the sky with both tension and exuberance. First, Second and Third Place Photographer of the Year Awards go to Artyom Baryshau of Belarus with No Walls, where blue stripes fade into an even bluer sky; Geli Zhao of China for an untitled image of sheets catching wind on a cloudy day; and Saif Hussain of Iraq with Sheikh Of Youth, a portrait of an elderly man caught between aspects of himself. Jiawen Wu from Singapore snagged Third Place for the 2020 Nature category, for the image entitled Journey to the Lava Field, which was shot in Hawaii, using an iPhone 6. Top-three winners in an additional 18 categories were awarded to photographers from almost every corner of the world, including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. French Biriyani (Kannada film streaming on Amazon Prime); Cast: Danish Sait, Sal Yusuf, Disha Madan, Rangayana Raghu, Sindhu Srinivasamurthy, Nagabhushan, Michael Madhu, Mahantesh Hiremath; Direction: Pannaga Bharana; Rating: * * * (three stars)By Vinayak Chakravorty There is only one way to make a slapstick comedy: Keep the jokes coming, and keep them funny. There is only one way to enjoy a slapstick comedy: The jokes are so funny that you forget what language they are in. "French Biriyani" tick-marks both the criteria. For a Kannada film that drops for global viewership thanks to the OTT advantage, director Pannaga Bharana's latest effort works very well beyond language specifics. This is largely owing to the odd-couple comic chemistry the screenwriting (Avinash Balekkala) sets up between the film's two leads, Danish Sait and Sal Yusuf, amid a wanton comedy of errors spread incessantly over the film's near two-hour runtime. Actor-comedian Danish Sait shot to fame pulling off pranks on FM radio, using a number of different avatars. His 2018 debut film as an actor, "Humble Politician Nograj", used one such avatar -- the crooked politician Nograj -- to entertain with a satirical edge. "French Biriyani", his second feature, uses Asgar, another popular role that Danish has regaled with on radio. Asgar is a Bangalore auto driver and Yusuf plays a Frenchman named Simon, in India to attend a medical conference. The narrative wastes no time in setting up the backdrop for a crazy gag fest -- Simon, after ending up as Asgar's passenger thanks to a freak turn of events, gets robbed of his suitcase that has everything including his passport. Over the next three days, the duo will be caught in a whirlpool of twists involving cops, gangsters and a cow that obviously loves to snack on mobile phones. "French Biriyani" works because the film does not try to be anything but crazy, and sincerely sticks to its purpose. But although hilarity is the basic intent of storytelling, you don't miss the occasional urge to spoof filmy stereotypes, particularly in the depiction of the mafia dons Powder Charles and his son Muscle Mani. The jokes keep coming in irreverently at the expense of anything and everything that the narrative can incorporate within two hours -- from pesky telemarketers to erectile dysfunction. It's all in the spirit of good clean fun, and served up in a slice of Bangalore that is far removed from the familiar picture of the buzzing metropolitan's swanky club scene and bustling IT hub. We often hear filmmakers talk of 'out-and-out entertainers' that can be enjoyed only if you keep your brains back at home. More often than not such filmmakers end up serving damp squib, without realising even brainless comedy needs lots of brains to create. Watch "French Biriyani", and you'll know. (Vinayak Chakravorty can be reached at vinayak.c@ians.in) Israel has beefed up its troop presence along the borders with Lebanon and Syria since Fridays strikes on Syrian army positions. Israel says those strikes were in response to unspecified munitions fired on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The exchanges came after Mondays air raid on Damascus believed to have been carried out by Israel that killed five foreign fighters, including a member of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has come out with a report recommending guidelines for school reopening. In short, their recommendation is that kids need to go back to school in person. So why isnt our governor listening? From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has made every decision without input from the people most affected by her decisions. She has closed businesses, and forced the layoff (of) over 100,000 workers. Hundreds of those businesses are closed for good, and thousands of jobs are gone forever. She has decimated our economy and ruined lives without regard for the long-term consequences of her decisions. The new school year is here, and she is doubling down, but this time it is our children who will pay the price. Why would the AAP tell us to send our kids back to school? Studies have shown that: 1) COVID-19 is less dangerous than the flu to children, and 2) closing schools last spring was detrimental to their well-being. When doctors are telling you to do something and a politician is telling you to do the exact opposite, it should be a no-brainer who to listen to. The governor claims science drives her every decision, but she is ignoring the science. Is there something else going on here? Just this month Human Services Secretary Dr. David Scrase stated one of the nuances were learning from doing the reading is that what actually increases spread is not the kids going to school, its that the parents are now free with their kids in school to go out and about, have more contacts, go to stores you know go back to work, for example, in person, rather than working from home. In other words, they are keeping kids out of school not because it is dangerous to them, but because it allows their parents to go out and work and live their lives. Using children to control their parents is outrageous at best and scandalous at worst. The governors hybrid school model will result in children going without in-person instruction three days a week. Working parents will not be home to help with remote learning, or they will be forced to quit their jobs. Those are the awful options. One-in-five, mostly poor and minority children, who dont have a computer or internet access will be completely out of luck. How long will it take to recover from a full year of lost instruction? How many high school students will simply drop out of school for good? How much further behind will our children drop in national rankings; can we do worse than 50? Maybe 54 behind the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and Samoa? The hybrid model is a recipe for disaster, and its simply not necessary. We should allow families concerned with getting sick to go with an all-online model. That would immediately reduce class sizes across the state. Online instruction discriminates against poor and rural families, so give them the option to put their children in school five days a week. This solves every problem, including the Yazzie/Martinez lawsuit ruling, and is consistent with what pediatricians are saying. Parents should have some say in their childrens well-being and education. Its time for the governor to listen to parents, listen to doctors, listen to the science and do what is best for our kids. SYDNEY, Australia - Australias Victoria state has recorded 10 deaths overnight from COVID-19, its highest daily toll amid a continuing surge in coronavirus cases. State Premier Daniel Andrews said the deaths included seven men and three women. A man in his 40s became one of the youngest COVID-19 fatalities in Australia. There are 459 new infections, the 21st straight day of triple-figure increases. The fatalities bring Victorias toll to 71 and Australias national tally to 155. A total of 228 people are hospitalized in Victoria, 42 in intensive care. Victoria processed 42,973 tests on Saturday, Andrews said, far and away the biggest testing result that weve seen on a single day. He said he is not currently planning to extend the lockdown in Melbourne, Australias second-largest city. In other developments in the Asia-Pacific region: North Korea says leader Kim Jong Un has placed the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea under lockdown after a person was found with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. Kim said he believes the vicious virus may have entered the country, state media reported Sunday. If the person is officially declared a virus patient, he or she would be the Norths first confirmed coronavirus case. North Korea has steadfastly said it has no single virus case on its territory, a claim questioned by outside experts. Vietnam on Sunday reimposed restrictions in one of its most popular beach destinations after a second person tested positive for COVID-19, the first locally transmitted cases in the country in over three months. Da Nang authorities banned gatherings of more than 30 people in public places as well as all sport, cultural and religious events in the city of 1.1 million. Theme parks, beauty salons, bars and clubs were also ordered shut. On Sunday, a 61-year-old man was confirmed to be infected, a day after a 57-year-old tested positive for the coronavirus. Both are in critical condition and require life support. A team of doctors who successfully cured a British pilot from COVID-19 flew to Da Nang to direct the treatment of the two patients. Health workers have not been able to establish a connection between the two men, nor trace the source of infection. Its reported that for the last month, they did not travel out of the city, where theres been no case of COVID-19 since April. Several hundred people who had been in contact with the men have initially tested negative for the virus. The city has started testing for the coronavirus on a larger scale. China reported 46 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the highest daily tally in more than a month, as it took steps to stem recent outbreaks that have infected more than 160 people at opposite ends of the country. Authorities confirmed 22 cases in Urumqi, a city in the Xinjiang region in the countrys far west, the official Xinhua News Agency said. That raised the total in the local outbreak to 137 since the first case was detected 10 days ago. Another 13 cases were confirmed in Liaoning province in the northeast, bringing the total there to 25, almost all in the city of Dalian. The National Health Commission also reported 11 imported cases in the latest 24-hour period, in people who had arrived from overseas. China has recorded 83,830 cases and 4,634 deaths since the pandemic began. The health commission said that 288 patients remain in treatment, including 18 in critical condition. The number of South Koreas new coronavirus cases has fallen back to below 60, a day after it reported 100-plus for the first time in nearly four months. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 58 additional cases over the past 24-hour period, bringing the total to 14,150 with 298 deaths. Twelve of the newly confirmed cases were locally infected while the rest came from overseas. Health authorities said the 113 cases on Saturday were mostly imported infections found among cargo ship crews and hundreds of South Korean construction workers airlifted out of virus-ravaged Iraq. ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak A man in his 40s has become the youngest Victorian to die from COVID-19, as doctors warn many Australians have common health problems that put them at greater risk of harm from coronavirus. The death was one of 10 announced on Sunday, marking the deadliest day of the pandemic so far in Australia. Premier Daniel Andrews announced 10 new deaths on Sunday. Credit:Scott McNaughton Seven men who died were aged from their 40s to their 80s and three women were aged in their 70s and 80s. Seven of the deaths are connected to growing outbreaks at aged care facilities. There are now 560 active cases in aged care 24 more than Saturday across at least 38 homes. Premier Daniel Andrews did not reveal details of the victim in his 40s but warned everybody was susceptible. Kim Young-hoon, executive vice president for medical affairs at KU, speaks during the "Next Normal Conference 2020" hosted by the school at the College of Medicine building in Anam, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of KU Medicine KU held "Next Normal Conference" with world-renowned scholars By Bahk Eun-ji Korea University (KU) Medicine held a conference to seek a sustainable direction for the "next normal" for human society after COVID-19 pandemic, including health care, leadership, economic growth and development. With the title of "Next-normal Conference 2020," KU Medicine co-hosted the conference with Johns Hopkins University, the University of Manchester and Freie Universitat Berlin at the KU college of Medicine building in Anam, Seoul, Thursday. The event started with a video greeting from Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, and a number of world-renowned scholars such as Jim Dator, professor emeritus at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Martin McKee, professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and domestic experts including Kwon Jun-wook, director of the Korea National Institute of Health and Kim Woo-joo, professor of infectious diseases division of the KU Guro Hospital joined to share their thoughts on how to redefine "normal" in the age of COVID-19. Dator, who gave a keynote speech at the conference, talked with Kim Young-hoon, executive vice president for medical affairs at KU, after giving a lecture titled "Learning from a cleft in time: four futures." In the talks, the two professors exchanged a wide range of opinions on the topics of the philosophy of solidarity, the interaction between artificial intelligent (AI) and human collective intelligence, how to enhance social immunity and the role of Korea's global leadership in the post-pandemic world when the crisis is over. "People around the world have been forced to isolate themselves in order to survive during the pandemic, although the world is connected by technology development. However, I believe we should still pursue the philosophy of solidarity for co-existence, which is the lesson we learned from such new types of virus pandemic such as COVID-19, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and H1N1," Kim said. "This time we have started to discuss from healthcare sector, but eventually the discussion should be expanded to all areas such as economy, jobs, social stability, politics, and international exchanges, he added. "We need a serious discussion to come up with adequate responses so that the world can move in the right direction together." Essentially, the COVID-19 crisis is a health care issue, and each country has had a significant socio-economic impact in the prevention, patient management and treatment capabilities of the new type of virus. This means that the role of the public health system will be, or has already significantly changed ahead of the post-pandemic world. To answer the question of what he thinks the role of health care in the post-pandemic world, especially compared to the previous one, Kim said it will be of key importance to accurately find value through agreement between members of a society. "During this coronavirus outbreak, we can say we have all observed the failure of the health care systems in western developed countries. On the other hand in Korea, the balance and partnership of private hospitals and public insurance systems enabled universal accessibility as well as a successful response to the COVID-19 crisis," Kim said. "In the end, I think it's important to build a solid and organic publicprivate partnership (PPP) to successfully manage such a situation when public health is endangered." In the conference, experts also shared their knowledge about how to prepare for the further possible virus outbreaks. Song Jin-won, a professor of microbiology at KU's College of Medicine, reexamined the history of humankind overcoming viruses through the discovery of the Hantan virus and the development of preventive vaccines in a special lecture, and forecast new viruses to come. Martin McKee, a world-renowned health scientist, gave a presentation titled "COVID-19 and the economy We need a consistent response that includes both," and Courtland Robinson, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health talked on the theme "Human immobility and health in a post-COVID-19 world." In addition, Lee Eun-jung, director of Graduate School of East Asian Studies at the Institute of Korean Studies in Freie Universitat Berlin, talked about diagnosis and seeking solutions to the greatest threats to mankind, in a talk titled "Racism and discrimination in COVID-19 responses." Lawsuit seeks to delay enforcing Noem's new abortion pill ban Planned Parenthood and ACLU of South Dakota are suing Noem and the Department of Health in enforcing a new abortion pill ban. Protests took a violent turn in several U.S. cities overnight, with demonstrators squaring off against agents outside a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, forcing police in Seattle to retreat into a station house and setting fire to vehicles during unrest in California and Virginia. A protester in Austin, Texas, who was apparently armed with a rifle was shot and killed after witnesses say he approached a car that had driven through a march against police violence. And someone was shot and wounded in Aurora, Colorado, after a car drove through a protest there, authorities said. The unrest Saturday and early Sunday stemmed from the weeks of protests over racial injustice and the police treatment of people of color that flared up after the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd, who was Black and handcuffed, died after a white police officer used his knee to pin down Floyd's neck for nearly eight minutes while Floyd begged for air. In Seattle, police officers retreated into a precinct station early Sunday, hours after large demonstrations in the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Some demonstrators lingered after officers filed into the department's East Precinct around 1 a.m., but most cleared out a short time later, according to video posted online. At a late-night news conference, Seattle police Chief Carmen Best called for peace. Rocks, bottles, fireworks and mortars were fired at police during the weekend unrest, and police said they arrested at least 45 people for assaults on officers, obstruction and failure to disperse. Twenty-one officers were hurt, with most of their injuries considered minor, police said. In Portland, thousands of people gathered Saturday evening for another night of protests over George Floyd's killing and the presence of federal agents recently sent to the city by President Donald Trump. Protesters breached a fence surrounding the city's federal courthouse building where the agents have been stationed. On April 11, as Gord Roberts flew north of the city toward the Kitchener airport to practise an instrument approach, the voice of the air traffic controller at Pearson came in clearly over the radio in his Cessna-182. Do you want something special today? the controller asked. Roberts loves being up in the air, and normally hes pretty busy as a volunteer pilot, transporting people from northern Ontario to cities like Toronto for medical treatments with the charity Hope Air. But when the pandemic hit, those flights were cancelled. And although there was nowhere to go in March and April, Roberts was still flying when he could, because he likes to keep his instrument skills sharp. Flying by instrument is essential on cloudy days, in storms, any kind of bad weather, so he practises instrument approaches at different regional airports. Roberts would never attempt Pearson: if he asked air traffic control if he could try an approach at Canadas busiest airport before the pandemic, he would politely be told it wasnt possible, unless it was an emergency. General aviation traffic which includes smaller planes like Roberts is typically diverted around Pearson, in routes north and south of the city, for the safety of everyone. And thats where Roberts was, north of the city, on April 11, when he was asked if he wanted to try something special. (Hes not usually asked that question.) He was about 3,200 feet above the ground, heading west (4,000 feet above sea level). The winding suburban streets below were filled with parked cars that were normally at GO train parking lots, tucked underneath office towers, or crawling along Highway 401. As the pandemic deepened, the runways at Pearson, normally teeming with traffic, were just as quiet as the highway below. According to Nav Canada figures, by the end of March, traffic at the airport had plummeted to around 250 departures and arrivals a day versus the normal 1,200 flights a day for the same period in 2019. That pattern deepened in April and May, with daily flights dropping to around 180 a day. In June, daily flights averaged 250 a day, compared to an average of 1,300 a day for June 2019. The controller asked if Roberts had the instructions for approaching Pearson with him. Roberts confirmed he had the digital file on board, and loaded it up to his screen for easy reading. He was told to make a left turn toward the airport, where he was cleared for an approach over runway 33-R. Using his instrument training, he descended to 200 feet above the runway before he climbed back into the sky. It was a novelty, a thrill. When he mentioned it to his friends at the Buttonville Flying Club, they were all pretty amazed. The fact that I didnt even ask for it and was offered to me, Roberts says. A few of them even went over to Pearson to check it out themselves. Jonathan Bagg, a spokesperson with Nav Canada, the not-for-profit company in charge of managing Canadas airspace, says that in general, commercial jets and smaller aircraft arent mixed the larger planes travel faster, and create wake turbulence, which is a safety concern for smaller aircraft. The job of an air traffic controller is to ensure that aircraft operate at a safe distance from each other. While the airspace structure around Pearson has not changed, with fewer planes in the sky, sometimes that gives you more flexibility in terms of how you keep aircraft safely distanced, he says, confirming that there have been more requests from smaller planes to fly in the normally busy zone. If its quiet, air traffic controllers have more ability to grant that access, he says. David Sprague, the president of the Buttonville Flying Club, says that flying in a small plane is often peaceful. Its especially nice when the sky is clear, and you can see the city, and watch the jets parade overhead as they go in and out of Pearson. Now, the parade is a very slow and sporadic one. Sprague was flying above Buttonville on a Saturday in June to keep his hours current and it was just after sunset. There were only three airplanes within what looked like 10 miles one was a police helicopter, one was a guy that coming from New Brunswick, and one was a guy coming from Muskoka. On a mid-July morning, at his home in Toronto, he looked at his tracking devices and saw five airplanes below 10,000 feet, and five above 10,000 feet, within an 80 kilometre radius of the city. He estimated that it was about a third of the regular traffic, possibly lower. Commercial and cargo traffic have been picking up, Gord Roberts says But in the first months of the pandemic, the controllers were basically sitting there bored and they were just so obliging, Roberts said. While airports like Pearson have felt the pandemics effects acutely, smaller airports saw big declines, too. Initially our flying was down by about 75 per cent, says Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport vice-president Rob Seaman. Thats slowly crept back up. The Markham-based airport serves all kinds of general aviation traffic, including police and media helicopters, medevac flights, flight training schools, corporate flights and recreational flyers who make short jaunts on the weekends. Nowadays, all occupants of landing planes are surveyed, people on board are given thermal scans. There are disinfections, masks, a check-in process on the street side and the air side, says Seaman, who hired two people for that purpose. We are doing everything we can to keep the bug out the door, he says. Initially some people were grumpy about it, and some were non-believers, and now theyve just resigned themselves to the fact that this is what theyre going to do. The mandatory mask orders that some municipalities have enacted have also helped, but there are still people who grumble. Mark Brooks is a flight instructor with Canadian Flyers based out of Buttonville Airport. Flight school was grounded until recently, but he does a lot of utility flights, and has been flying across the province and beyond fairly regularly, repositioning planes and doing maintenance checks. The first few months of the pandemic were interesting, but rustic. Many airports had fuel, but no food, and no washrooms, he says, which meant packing a granola bar and peeing behind the nearest bush. As Ontario has slowly reopened, those amenities have been coming back. With travel restrictions and border closures, the economic pain has spread widely. Buttonville tends to be a jumping-off point for young people going to other airline jobs, Seaman says, and hes heard from a lot of former employees. Everyone who has left us in the last couple of years has come back knocking on the door saying, Boss, can I have my job back, because theyre being told on the commercial airline side its going to be at least two years before the young hires who were at the end of the line get called back, Seaman says. Its a mess. Nav Canada is funded by the fees it charges aircraft that fly through Canadian airspace. The companys president told the Stars Bruce Campion-Smith that traffic and the subsequent revenue dropped by around 75 per cent in April. The company has fixed costs to control Canadian air traffic around the clock and with no government assistance forthcoming, they announced a 30 per cent fee hike this May to take effect in September. They make most of the revenue off the transatlantic routes, Mark Brooks says. Right now theyre really hurting and like all of us theyre trying to try to figure out how to make it work. General aviation pilots have noticed the changes. When you fly anywhere in Canada, you typically speak with different controllers as you pass through different regions. When Gord Roberts flew from Oshawa to London recently, he spoke with one controller the entire way, where he would normally speak to three. Nav Canadas Jonathan Bagg says that combining positions is something they do at night when there is less traffic, but now theyre doing it more consistently. The companys laser focus on safety hasnt changed, he says. Our people are committed to getting the job done from a safety perspective, and that safety focus also applies to how we run the operation, he says, noting that theyve implemented a number of protocols to keep staff safe. A forecast for the next five years of air travel from the International Air Transport Association estimates that average trip lengths will fall sharply, and that international air travel may not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2023-2024. A July update showed that domestic air travel in regions like China and U.S. has increased slightly over pandemic lows, but border restrictions have not been widely relaxed for international travel. Within the GTA, general aviation is picking up again. People who fly for recreation are making more weekend jaunts to regional airports, where some restaurant patios on site are open for an outdoor meal. Gord Roberts is back flying for Hope Air once again. Canadian Flyers, the flight school where Brooks teaches, has many students eager to take off, with a steady supply of masks and disinfectant. On a recent flight to London, Ont., and Goderich, Brooks noticed more traffic in the air, and saw some bigger jets going toward Hamilton and Pearson. Barely a month ago, he said, he would have seen no one. Smaller utility airports like Buttonville and Oshawa, he says, are roaring back to life. Brooks is glad to see a gradual and careful return for the industrys sake, although he enjoyed the peaceful skies. Cheong Wa Dae / Gettyimagesbank South Korea sees "high chances" of a person's alleged illegal border crossing into North Korea, a military official said Sunday after Pyongyang claimed that a defector with suspected virus symptoms recently crossed the demarcation line to return home. "The military is looking into the detailed routes, seeing high chances of a certain person's border crossing into the North," the official said, without identifying the person as the defector mentioned by the North. "Regarding the North's report, our military has specified some people and is verifying facts in close collaboration with related agencies," the official said. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is reviewing the overall readiness posture of the military, including its monitoring equipment and recorded video clips, he said. Ukrainian soldiers will be able to use the right to self-defense, as guaranteed by Article 51 of the UN Charter. Ukrainian who have participated in UN peacekeeping missions are arriving in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, to monitor the implementation of a recently agreed ceasefire. "Ukrainian servicemen most of whom have considerable combat experience and were directly involved in peacekeeping missions under the auspices of the UN have been sent on a special mission and have started to arrive at the first line of our defense in Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said on Facebook on July 26. Read alsoUkraine's JF units start preparations for new Donbas ceasefire agreed from July 27 This move will allow Joint Forces personnel to continue their combat missions and prevent possible provocations, it said, and Ukrainian soldiers will be able to use the right to self-defense, as guaranteed by Article 51 of the UN Charter. The JFO Headquarters says Joint Forces units continue preparations for a complete and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line, which will take effect on July 27. Yet, if the enemy violates the peace agreements, the Ukrainian army will act in accordance with international law and national legislation of Ukraine when there is an offensive or an act of provocation by armed formations of the Russian Federation, subversive activity or reconnaissance operations, which poses a threat to the life and health of Ukrainian servicemen and civilians, causes damage, or destroys infrastructure. "What is more, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to repulse enemy attacks in case of violation of the agreements and for this purpose, the Command of the Joint Forces has created additional reserves," it said. Military correspondents and film crews of Ukrainian and foreign media will be working at various sections of the contact line to objectively inform Ukrainian society and the global community about the current situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, it said. As UNIAN reported earlier, participants in the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, OSCE) on the peace settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a complete and comprehensive ceasefire on the contact line from 00:01 on Monday, July 27. PLA starts maritime drills featuring 'powerful ammunition' on doorstep of S. China Sea Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/25 18:59:37 Last Updated: 2020/7/25 20:54:55 The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is holding live-fire drills with powerful ammunition near Leizhou Peninsula of South China's Guangdong Province, on the doorstep of the South China Sea, starting Saturday, amid continuous US military provocations in the region. The drills likely feature anti-ship and anti-aircraft exercises by warplanes of the PLA Air Force, said a Chinese military expert, who also hopes to see the drills to include other military branches including the Navy and Rocket Force in joint operations, and China's anti-aircraft carrier ballistic missiles. According to a notice released by the PLA Unit 95180 via local media Beihai Television on Thursday, the drills will be conducted in two phases. The first phase is from Saturday to Monday, in a large, roughly rectangle-shaped area in the waters off the Leizhou Peninsula to the west, and the second phase is from Tuesday to August 2, in a smaller circle with an eight-kilometer-radius in the same region. It also said the live-fire exercises will cover an extensive area with powerful ammunition, and the general public should not enter the designated sea areas. The notice did not reveal any further detail on the drills. According to publicly available information, including a report on Beihai city government's website, the Unit 95180 is affiliated with the PLA Air Force. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Saturday that maritime live-fire drills by the air force usually include shooting aircraft and surface vessels. Such drills could train securing air superiority and target hostile warships in the South China Sea. In an analysis article on Friday, Ordnance Industry Science Technology, a Xi'an-based magazine on the national defense industry, highlighted the wording in the PLA notice of "powerful ammunition". It said ballistic missiles in the DF series of the PLA Rocket Force should be among the first to be identified as powerful ammunition. Song said that he would be eager to see the drills feature more military branches, with the Navy and Rocket Force joining in a coordinated joint operation. In a potential anti-ship exercise featuring the Rocket Force, ballistic missiles can target large surface vessels, and heavy anti-ship cruise missiles could also conduct long-range strike from 300 to 400 kilometers away, Song said. The PLA drills come at a time when the US military has been making increasing excursions into the South China Sea for reconnaissance and exercises with warplanes and warships, which experts said may increase the possibility for military skirmishes with China. Drills by the PLA can show its actual combat capability in potential conflict with the US forces in all territories and fields, and can serve as a major deterrence that demonstrates the PLA's determination to safeguard national sovereignty and development interests, Song said. In other drills in the South China Sea, JH-7A fighter bombers affiliated with the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy recently conducted live-fire shooting training on sea surface targets, Navy H-6 bombers ran nighttime patrol missions in the South China Sea from Monday to Wednesday, and Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft held multiple anti-submarine training sessions in early July, according to media releases by the PLA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Beauty assistant: Alice Robertson The new formulas focus on much more than keeping the rays at bay Sunscreen offerings so often seem to be the preserve of big companies (Vichy, La Roche Posay, Clarins the list could go on and on). Of course, theres nothing wrong with that at all it provides us with a wealth of choice. But lately theres been a rise in what I call niche suncare, smaller brands edging their way into the market and bringing more personality to things. Take Saltee. This is one of my favourite new lines and happens to be London-based, too. But its sunscreen for the face has shot to the top of my own charts. This is because it feels like really luxurious skincare. Now we all know that protecting our faces from the sun is part of taking care of our skin, but this lotion also leaves skin looking dewy while providing a great base for make-up; plus its super lightweight. I love the Face Sea & Sun Formula SPF 50 (29, saltee.co.uk). Theres no white cast to this finish because this is whats known as a chemical sunscreen ie, one that absorbs the suns rays, as opposed to a mineral sunscreen that sits on top of the skin and reflects the rays away. So why did Saltee decide to take the chemical route? The most important advice to consumers is that they use a higher SPF (30-plus) with very good UVA and UVB protection, says its co-founder Sam Richardson. Re mineral versus chemical, the weight of evidence suggests that its the individual formulations of sunscreens rather than just the UV filters (which account for ten to 20 per cent of the total ingredients) that determine their suitability for individual skin types. So Face Sea & Sun contains natural nourishing ingredients such as Nordic pine bark to help prevent pigmentation and cucumber extract to hydrate. Its also vegan and paraben-free. The accompanying Body Active Sun Lotion SPF 30 (32) is great too and reef-friendly from September (YOU readers can currently buy both for 45 at youbeautyshop.co.uk/saltee.) Oskia SPF 30 Vitamin Face Cream (58, oskiaskincare.com) also comes with a skincare focus, featuring snow algae and vitamin E to help protect collagen it also combats the effects of pollution and glacier water to hydrate. This feels more like a sunscreen thanks to its creamy texture, but also because its a mineral version containing zinc and titanium dioxide. Although this gives a slight white cast when applied it does seem to dissipate and feels good on the skin. On to the body and Sun Bum, an independent US brand created by a group of friends that has recently launched here. This stuff looks cool and smells great with a signature banana fragrance thats sweet and yummy in that delectable holiday-fun-in-the-sun way. And the Premium Moisturizing Sunscreen Spray SPF 50 (17.99, boots.com) is excellent: its a chemical screen (the brand also has a mineral line), includes vitamin E in its formula, and gives a really light veil of water-resistant cover with an easy-to-apply aerosol. Tropic skincare is not exactly a niche brand but neither is it a behemoth. Founder Susie Ma continues to head it up and it still feels very personal. New additions to its collection include Great Barrier Sun Lotion SPF 30 (28, tropicskincare.com), which mixes chemical sunscreen with mineral (zinc and titanium dioxide) to give a very smoothly textured product that feels moisturising; it also nourishes with vitamin E and smells deliciously of coconut . All of the above are reef-friendly, so free of oxybenzone, the chemical that bleaches coral. The exception in my line-up, and not so niche, is Shiseido Expert Sun Protector Face Cream (32, shiseido.co.uk), although the company is looking at creating an oxybenzone-free version for next year. This deserves a mention thanks to its SynchroShield responsive UV protection. In other words, the tougher the conditions whether heat, water or sweat the harder it works to keep skin protected. All wrapped up in a lightweight texture thats barely visible on the skin. Weve pictured the SPF 30 version here but its also available in SPF 50; plus theres an accompanying body range. After sun? glow for it! Left: Soleil Toujours Apres Soleil Exotic Shimmer Body Oil (46, net-a-porter.com) Right:Elf Retro Paradise Glow Up Body Oil (12, elfcosmetics.co.uk) Keeping with the theme of summer skin, Ive been trying out Soleil Toujours Apres Soleil Exotic Shimmer Body Oil (46, net-a-porter.com) and really cant recommend it highly enough. This is a super-luxe blend of oils including rosehip, argan and pomegranate as well as green tea and rosemary leaf extracts, all working to moisturise and soothe the skin. Theres also some jasmine oil in the mix, so it smells great, too. But the bronze shimmer tint is spot on not too glittery so you really just get a sunny radiance like that look you see in magazines and think theyve likely faked it somehow. For a less expensive option, try Elf Retro Paradise Glow Up Body Oil (12, elfcosmetics.co.uk). It doesnt feel quite as gorgeous to use but it still delivers what its name suggests and comes in two shades, the golden-hued Sunkissed and deeper bronze Golden Hour. My best budget buy Altruist Face Fluid SPF 50 (9, amazon.co.uk ) For a brilliant inexpensive facial sunscreen, try just launched Altruist Face Fluid SPF 50 (9, amazon.co.uk). Formulated by dermatologists and fragrance free, this has a barely-there texture and leaves no white cast (its a chemical and mineral mix). Also reef friendly. Top marks. Mumbai, July 26 : The MD of HDFC Bank, Aditya Puri has sold over 74.2 lakh shares, 95 per cent of his stake in the bank for around Rs 842.87 crore during the week gone by. Prior to the transaction, Puri held 0.14 per cent stake -- 77.96 lakh shares -- and post the sale he holds 0.01 per cent stake, 3.76 lakh shares, according to the latest data released by the exchanges. Puri sold the shares during July 21-23. The development gains significance as Puri is set to retire from the top post of the bank in October after serving as the MD since its establishment in 1994. The bank's board last year set up a 6-member search committee to identify his successor. Puri is credited with building India's largest and most valued private sector bank. The bank's market capitalisation currently stands at Rs 6.14 lakh crore. At the end of the day's trade on Friday, its shares were at Rs 1,118.80 on the BSE, lower by Rs 11.90 or 1.05 per cent from the previous close. Whatever the occasion or time of year, this homes flowing floor plan makes it an ideal venue for family gatherings, as does the spacious, eat-in chefs kitchen, with its full range of high-end appliances and attractive Wood-Mode cabinets, and the adjacent breakfast room, adorned by an inlaid cedar-tray ceiling, from which that sweeping view can also be enjoyed over morning coffee. Rounding out the opulent touches of the living/dining area are a cathedral ceiling, a built-in bar and beverage center and a circular staircase. Theres also more than enough room to accommodate both a large family and overnight guests, with a total of six bedrooms, four of which are on the main floor, four full bathrooms, one of which on the second floor has an air tub and steam shower, and two additional half baths. And just for good measure, there are two laundry roomsone on each floor and a second family room upstairs with built-in bookcases and three skylights, which is also carpeted and can thus serve as an ideal play area for any kids in the family (or, alternately, as a home office). Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 19:06:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A man walks on Times Square in New York, the United States, July 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The best thing for the nation is not to reopen as quickly as possible, it is to save as many lives as possible, over 150 prominent U.S. medical experts and health professionals have said in an open letter addressed to the Trump administration, members of Congress and state governors. WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States has neared 150,000 with daily deaths continuously passing 1,000, while some health experts are calling for a shutdown to contain the surging pandemic. The best thing for the nation is not to reopen as quickly as possible, it is to save as many lives as possible, over 150 prominent U.S. medical experts and health professionals have said in an open letter addressed to the Trump administration, members of Congress and state governors. Reopening before suppressing the virus is not going to help the economy, they added. Visitors pose for photos with the Statue of Liberty on the cruise to Liberty Island in New York, the United States, July 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The United States has reported more than 4.1 million COVID-19 cases with over 146,000 deaths, which are far higher than those in any other country or region, according to the latest tally by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. According to the CSSE, New York state has reported the highest death toll of 32,608 in the country. California, Florida and Texas emerged as new epicenters of coronavirus infection in the country, as the death toll rose to 8,408, 5,777 and 4,990, respectively. Other states with more than 5,000 fatalities include New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, the CSSE data showed. "Hospitalization data was highly erratic this week, but what we did see is alarming," according to a new report of The COVID Tracking Project. Deaths are rising three weeks behind cases, which suggests a very difficult few weeks ahead for the United States, said the report. Healthcare workers wheel a patient into the emergency room at Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York, the United States, April 14, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua) "Of all the nations in the world, we've had the most deaths from COVID-19. At the same time, we're in the midst of 'reopening our economy,' exposing more and more people to coronavirus and watching numbers of cases -- and deaths -- skyrocket," the experts said in the letter. "Right now we are on a path to lose more than 200,000 American lives by November 1st. Yet, in many states people can drink in bars, get a haircut, eat inside a restaurant, get a tattoo, get a massage, and do myriad other normal, pleasant, but non-essential activities," said the letter. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged schools across the country to reopen as long as they can practice good hygiene and social distancing. The White House is asking Congress to pledge 105 billion U.S. dollars to schools as part of the next coronavirus stimulus bill, he said. A woman walks past a building of New York University in New York, the United States, July 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) Trump and his administration are pressuring schools to reopen in the fall, threatening to withhold federal funding from schools that do not comply. However, few Americans want to see their local schools reopen for in-person instruction as usual or even with minor adjustments, said a new poll released on Wednesday. Eight percent of Americans say their local K-12 schools should open for in-person instruction as usual and 14 percent think schools can reopen with minor adjustments, the survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, showed. People enjoy meals at the outdoor dinning area of a restaurant in New York, the United States, on June 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) According to the poll, 46 percent of Americans believe major adjustments are needed and 31 percent say schools shouldn't open at all, while a majority of adults are concerned that sending students back to school would cause a surge in new infections in their community. Over 20 states have paused or partially reversed reopening efforts, raising uncertainty over the prospect of economic recovery. Noting that the premature reopening of the U.S. economy has exacerbated the pandemic, Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at accounting and consulting firm RSM US LLP said, "it has become increasingly clear that there will not be a meaningful domestic or global economic recovery until an effective coronavirus vaccine regimen is in place." Both Democratic candidates for Missouri lieutenant governor have described the most important part of the job as being active in the state's affairs. Gregory Upchurch, of St. Charles, and Alissia Canady, of Kansas City, will appear in that order on the Aug. (Reuters) - At least two explosions hit a military base in Baghdad's southern suburbs on Sunday, the Iraqi military said in a statement, without providing any further details. Security sources said multiple explosions occurred and that the base is used as an ammunition depot by Iraqi police and paramilitary groups (Reuters) - At least two explosions hit a military base in Baghdad's southern suburbs on Sunday, the Iraqi military said in a statement, without providing any further details. Security sources said multiple explosions occurred and that the base is used as an ammunition depot by Iraqi police and paramilitary groups. (Editing by Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. As South Texas continued to feel the effects of one hurricane, another one was threatening parts of Hawaii, according to forecasters. Driving the news: Former Hurricane Hanna triggered flooding after dumping over 15 inches of rain over Texas and the downpour's continuing overnight, the Washington Post notes. Meanwhile, a "dangerous Hurricane Douglas" was approaching the Hawaiian island of Kauai Monday morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Why it matters: Hanna lashed communities hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic when it hit as a Category 1 storm on Saturday. Hawaii has reported some of the lowest number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., but it has seen an uptick in cases in recent days, including 64 new infections on Sunday. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who issued a Disaster Declaration for 32 counties Saturday, said at a news briefing that any hurricane is an enormous challenge. "This challenge is complicated and made even more severe, seeing that it is sweeping through an area that is the most challenged area in the state for COVID-19," he added. What's happening: Douglas was packing maximum sustained winds of near 85 mph on Sunday night and it's expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of the main Hawaiian Islands through Monday, the NHC said. "Total rain accumulations of 3 to 6 inches with locally higher amounts are possible ... This rain may result in flash flooding and land slides, as well as rapid water level rises on small streams," the statement added. The Category 1 storm is expected to weaken within 48 hours. In Texas, the eye of the storm made landfall on Saturday evening as a Category 1 hurricane on Texas' Padre Island, packing maximum winds of 90 mph "just 6 mph shy of Category 2 status," the Texas Division of Emergency Management noted. Hanna the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season and the first to reach the Texas Gulf Coast since Harvey in 2017, moved into northeastern Mexico after being downgraded to a tropical storm Sunday. It became a tropical depression but continued to dump heavy rains over Texas and Mexico, causing "life-threatening flash flooding" in both places Sunday, per the NHC. A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. HMD Global is set to launch a bunch of smartphones in the coming months. Of the lot, the Nokia 2.4, Nokia 6.3, Nokia 7.3, and Nokia 8.3 have all been spotted on certification websites, with the first three likely slated to be launched in the US and Canada. 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 HMD Global seems to be having an uneasy time these days, with some of its phones facing what appear to be stumbling blocks on their journey towards launch. Last we heard, the Nokia 6.3, Nokia 7.3, and Nokia 9.3 PureView could potentially be delayed until Q1 2021, but new information has now surfaced about the first two. According to a new report by NokiaPowerUser, the Nokia 6.3 and Nokia 7.3 have now been certified. To be exact, the TA-1277 variants of the Nokia 6.3, Nokia 7.3, and Nokia 2.4 have been spotted on a Canadian certification website. This, of course, means the phones are getting closer to launch. It also implies a North American release, with Canada and the US likely to receive the new Nokia 5G phones. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us some important lessons, reminding us that our health, economy and way of life are built on a fragile foundation that is far too often taken for granted. Food security is a case in point. The pandemic effectively shuttered the global hospitality and restaurant sector, resulting in a staggering drop in the demand for potatoes and other food crops. Canadian farmers were left stranded with almost half of their inventories, risking financial ruin that would take farmland out of production for years. Fortunately for Canadians, our farmers and front-line workers have been able to persevere through this short-term crisis. But it is a stark reminder that our food supply is not nearly as secure as one might think. The demographic challenge alone is daunting. Over the next 30 years, feeding the worlds growing population will require an increase in global food production of more than 60 per cent. A report published by Springer Nature estimates that 67 per cent more habitable land will need to be dedicated to agriculture if we dont change the way we currently do things. If we remember that half of the Earths habitable land mass is dedicated to agriculture, this increase would drive deforestation at massive scale and further precipitate irreparable loss of biodiversity. Can you imagine the impact on our climate if we dont change how we do things? The food system is already responsible for about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and, without meaningful change, we can expect those emissions to grow by an additional 87 per cent by 2050. Climate change knows no borders, and as extreme weather events become more common, farmers face a generational threat from major disruption to growing seasons, soil erosion (not least from massive floods that repeat at an alarming rate in Canada) and pest behaviours. We need to confront the reality that the future of the global food supply is now in jeopardy. The good news is that we have an improving understanding of what it will take to safeguard our food supply. It will require a combination of technological innovation, a heightened commitment to sustainable practices, and structural change to the agriculture economy. It will require a shared resolve to embrace transformation on a massive scale. And Canada can lead the way. At McCain we recognize we have a special responsibility to embrace sustainability. One out of every four french fries sold around the world comes from one of our plants, supplied by one of our 3,500 farmers. If we want others to take the sustainability challenge seriously, we have to lead by example. It starts with putting an end to endemic food waste. The numbers are staggering. One third of all global food produced goes to waste. This represents 28 per cent of all agricultural land globally yes, you read this right, almost every third field we drive by is dedicated to producing waste. If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of GHG behind the U.S. and China. It is morally not acceptable to allow this systemic waste while so many go hungry. The solution to food waste is multi-faceted; it includes reducing waste on the farm and in storage, embracing new production methods, reducing food losses in retail, in food service and at home. It requires a broad-based collaboration among all actors of the food value chain. And in Canada, we can do much more. Technology is a key part of the solution. Agriculture has always been a beneficiary of technological change. Today, the combination of satellite and drone imagery, large quantities of data and machine learning technologies are helping farmers increase their yield while consuming far fewer resources, deploying fewer chemicals and reducing their GHG emissions. One such promising technology solution is vertical farming, like GoodLeaf in Canada, that allows larger yields in small areas, with no pesticide use and 95 per cent recycled water. Finally, it is essential that farming practices transform toward sustainable regenerative agriculture practices that protect soils, protect groundwater and restore biodiversity. Today, our reliance on chemicals to drive yield has left more than 30 per cent of all agricultural lands damaged. Rejuvenating this soil and finding ways to grow with less emissions will require a radical transformation in farming practices in Canada, and at a global scale. To do our part, our company has been promoting these agricultural techniques for years. To further accelerate, we are building three global Farms of the Future to showcase the innovations, technology and regenerative farming practices that will define sustainable agriculture in the future. One of these farms will be right here at home in New Brunswick, where the McCain family founded our company more than 60 years ago. Governments, families and businesses have shown a united resolve in facing the pandemic. We must all show the same resolve in protecting our food security and in transitioning to a truly sustainable food system. It will take meaningful support by Canadian food companies, retailers, food service players and governments to support the farmers who are at the forefront of the transition to a sustainable agriculture. All of our futures depend on it. CORNWALL In 1986, musician and entrepreneur Kevin Dolan started a small music education venture, providing lessons to children and adults. The venture became Musical Associates, owned and operated by Dolan and a staff of professional musician teachers. His wife, Josephine Cannella, taught music in the Avon Public Schools. Eventually, Musical Associates became the Village Music School. When Cannella retired in 2019, she joined her husband and became the schools director. Since the founding of the Village Music School, Dolans focus has always been simple: To provide music education to children in first and second grade using a system of letters, not notes, to encourge the child to become comfortable with the keys of piano or the strings of a guitar. They quickly learn simple tunes, like Mary Had a Little Lamb. By continuing lessons and practicing at home with their parents, by the time the children reach third grade, they are ready to learn to read music. Dolan has also established a Village Music School Foundation, to provide funding to children whose families cant afford lessons. Changing course Before the pandemic hit Connecticut, the school, which has no physical location, brought lessons to aftercare programs in local school districts. The business model we use is that we partner with aftercare programs, and provide group instruction into groups of four to eight children, Dolan said. School ends at 3 p.m., and if a mom works until 5 p.m., shes looking for vendors such as ourselves to provide enrichment programs. Dolan would sometimes partner with a parent-teacher organization, which would subsidize the music lessons for students; or directly with a school district. After the state closed public schools in March this year in response to the coronavirus, the Village Music School had to change its method of teaching, and chose a virtual format with the same teaching approach. With the pandemic, aftercare programs arent on the map anymore, Dolan said. This year, we also decided, since we have the foundation, to offer reduced cost lessons, recognizing that music classes might be a burden to families. This year the school is offering scholarships to families who are enrolled in the states free or reduced-cost lunch program for low-income families. We were going to partner with an educational program (like EdAdvance in Litchfield) but that didnt work out, so we decided to do it ourselves, Dolan said. The need-based scholarships come through the foundation. Scholarships are determined using a sliding scale to Litchfield County families who participate in free and reduced lunch programs. The Village Music School is now offering four-week, small group online summer music instruction sessions to beginner musicians, ages 5-12. Registration for the weekly lessons in guitar, violin and piano is now open. At the end of the session, students can participate in an informal virtual recital. The reduced-cost option for families on the states free or reduced-cost lunch program also applies to instrument rentals, Dolan said. So, if a family comes to us and says, Were on the lunch program, well have them sign a release to verify it with their school. Dolans system Teaching young children to play an instrument is a process Dolan has fine-tuned for the last 15 to 20 years. It is built on the idea of learning notes using the alphabet instead of reading the music itself. The most important thing we want to emphasize is that using our program, a child can go home after the first lesson, and play something for mommy, he said. With the piano, instead of using notes, we use the aphabet, and right away, they can play the first measure of Brother John or Mary Had a Little Lamb. Children come to us and want to play the piano, and were going to teach them to do that, but not to read music. That will come later. Dolan tells his instructors to remember how to teach a child. From the first lesson, they need to feel successful, and that will drive them to practice and become proficient, he said. I tell my (instructors) all the time; if youre teaching a one-on-one lesson, you have one job, and thats to figure out how the child learns. For group classes, its easier for a young child to learn, Dolan said. They can move around, listen to the teacher, and be with other children. And we can offer these lessons at a price point that shouldnt scare anybody. Weve made it very affordable. In-person classes are the most ideal way to teach, but Dolan is excited about the possibilities of using remote learning. At this point, with COVID-19, we can do this nationally, he said. We have a lesson group with two children from Goshen, starting next week, with three children from Washington, D.C. We can put groups together from all over the country. Its not the ideal way of delivery, to have virtual classes, but its the only way we can do it right now, the school founder said. Of course, its always better for children to be in the room with us. One of the biggest challenges for the school, Dolan said, is getting people to sign up. In this (pandemic) environment, our analysis is that people are just frightened about losing their jobs, about money. This summer, classes in guitar, violin and piano are now forming, and registration for a four-week lesson package is $99. Small group lessons are 30 to 45 minutes and rental instruments are available for $15 per 4-week session. In-person instruction in after-school programs will return this fall and students will have the option to continue virtual lessons. The faculty of The Village Music School, Dolan said, share both a profound knowledge of their art as well as a love of teaching. Instructors include Carter Huntley, who holds a masters degree in guitar from Yale University, and Patrick Dillery, a flutist who has played and taught around the world. Additional faculty members include saxophonist Gottfried Stoger, percussionist Bob Meyer, and Sarah Jane Cion, who was a first-place winner of the 17th annual Great American Jazz Piano Competition. To learn about the school, visit www.thevms.org and Facebook. For more information, registration and scholarship information, visit www.thevms.org/online-classes, or call Village Music School Director Josephine Cannella at 860-212-6990. By Patpicha Tanakasempipat BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of Thai protesters sang a Japanese cartoon jingle on Sunday with lyrics mocking the government as hungry hamsters feasting on taxpayer cash, part of a new protest movement by youth who say they are using whimsical tactics for serious ends. Thai youths have been defying a coronavirus ban on gatherings to hold rallies almost daily since last week. The first rally, by a group called the Free Youth Movement, drew more than 2,000 activists, one of the biggest anti-government protests since a coup in 2014. At Sunday's demonstration, protesters sang new lyrics to the theme song for "Hamtaro", a Japanese cartoon about a hamster who loves sunflower seeds. They ran in circles around Bangkok's Democracy Monument, like hamsters running in a wheel. "The most delicious food is taxpayers' money," they sang. "Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament! Dissolve the parliament!" Leaders of the Free Youth Movement have said they will return to the streets for another large-scale demonstration next week if their demands are not met, including dissolving parliament, revising a constitution written by the military and ending the harassment of government critics. Some of the protests have been whimsical in tone, but the protesters say their political aims are serious. "The adults may think because we're doing this, they can't take us seriously. But this is the way for the new generation," said a 20-year-old protester who gave her name as Fah. "We are doing this differently in hope that something will change." (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Additional reporting by Juarawee Kittisilpa; Editing by Kay Johnson and Peter Graff) The State Audit Office of Vietnam requested the police to investigate the case. Australia-based Global Vietnam Aluminum (GVA) is alleged of raising rental fees for storage by five to seven times and shifting profit worth VND337.6 billion (US$14.65 million) abroad, local media reported. GVA's storage of aluminum. Photo: Wall Street Journal. The act was identified by the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) during the agencys auditing of the management of provincial budget of Ba Ria Vung Tau province in 2019. The SAV has requested C03, the police department for corruption, economic crimes and smuggling, to investigate the case and possible act of income tax evasion from Nguyen Tai, director of PTL Logistics Company. According to the SAV, GVA signed a contract with PTL Logistics to rent a storage for aluminum in five years, with the average monthly price of US$7.2 per meter square, which is five to seven times higher than the price PTL is renting from other companies, ranging from US$1 1.53 per meter square. With unreasonable high storage rental fee, a profit of VND2.68 trillion (US$116.37 million) or 78.7% of total rental fees in the 2015 2019 period was not taxed in Vietnam, stated the SAV. Specifically, this would increase the GVAs expenses and subsequently reduce the companys corporate income tax, and avoid paying tax in Vietnam, the SAV added. Moreover, both GVA and PTL have involved in dubious acts rather than normal partners in signing a storage renting contract. By transferring shares at PTL, GVA has shifted VND388 billion (US$16.84 billion) abroad. Under the companys business registration license, PTL has registered capital of VND150 billion (US$6.51 million), of which Praise Trend company contributed 80% of the total capital and Nguyen Tai 20%, or VND30 billion (US$1.3 million). In January 2017, Nguyen Tai and Praise Trend sold 15% of PTL shares worth VND22.5 billion (US$976,980) to Praise Trend, allowing the latter to hold a 95% stake at PTL, or VND142.5 billion (US$6.18 million). On January 20, 2017, Nguyen Tai and Praise Trend signed a contract appendix to share the profits in 2015 and 2016 worth a combined of VND337.6 billion (US$14.65 million), with Tai taking 5% and Praise Trend 95%. Praise Trend had later transferred this amount abroad, while Jakky Cheung, legal representative of Praise Trend, is also GVA director. The SAV said the act of transfer pricing of GVA to PTL and Praise Trend receiving a 75% stake from Nguyen Tai were closely related, with the ultimate aim of transferring money from GVA abroad. GVA is also the owner of a storage of Chinese aluminum worth US$4.3 billion. Last year, Vietnamese and the US authorities suspected the firm was forging Vietnamese origin for these aluminum for later exporting to the US. However, local customs authority recently they had gathered insufficient evidence to conclude GVA had committed origin fraud. GVA was founded in August 2011 with the export capacity of 200,000 tons per year and invested US$250 million to build a production facility in Ba Ria Vung Tau. Under PCLs financial statement in 2016, the actual value of capital contribution as of December 31, 2016 was VND561 billion (US$24.35 million). The SAV said by transferring a 75% stake at PTL, Nguyen Tai committed the act of transferring shares with value 20 times lower than the actual value, or nearly VND421 billion (US$18.28 million). Therefore, Nguyen Tai is subject to pay VND80 billion (US$3.47 million) in income tax. As this individual has paid VND400 million (US$17,368), he is subject to pay an additional VND79.2 billion (US$3.43 million) in tax arrears. Hanoitimes Ngoc Thuy Tax inspectors detect 72 enterprises with suspected transfer pricing The General Department of Taxation inspected 72 enterprises suspected of indulging in transfer pricing, collecting taxes and imposing fines of VND212 billion, Somalia's Parliament Votes Out Prime Minister By Mohamed Olad Hassan July 25, 2020 Somalia's parliament has removed Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre in an unexpected vote of no-confidence, the speaker of parliament said. Holding a press conference Saturday after the voting, the speaker, Mohamed Mursal Abdurahman, accused the government of Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre of "ineffectiveness." "One hundred and seventy lawmakers favored the motion against the prime minister, and only 8 lawmakers opposed," the speaker of parliament, announced. "Therefore, the motion has passed, and we urge Somalia's president to appoint a new prime minister." The speaker has accused Prime Minister Khayre and his government of not fulfilling promises they made to the nation. "The government has failed to fulfill its national promises, including holding one man - one vote elections, and establishing a national security force capable of tightening the security," the speaker said. The unexpected vote came after what analysts have termed "the explosion of a long-awaited dispute" between the president and the prime minister on the model and the timing of the country's upcoming elections. Khayre, a dual Norwegian citizen and former Soma Oil Company executive, was not immediately available to respond to the action. He had been prime minister of the eastern African country since March 2017. Immediately after the voting, Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (also known as President Farmajo) said he accepted the decision by parliament to remove Khayre and that he will nominate a new prime minister. "Any rift between the parliament, which is the base of our government, and the cabinet of ministers will weaken the progress made so far; therefore, to save that progress, I have decided to respect and accept the decision of the parliament," the president said in a statement published on state radio's website. Members of Khayre's cabinet say they have rejected the parliament's decision and described it as a political conspiracy against the government. "The parliament members were meeting to debate an election law agenda when the speaker unexpectedly brought the issue of voting for a motion of no confidence against the government," said Somalia's minister of Internal Security, Mohamed Abukar Islow. "The vote did not go through legal parliamentary process and looked a conspiracy." Analysts say the action could be a big political setback for Somalia because it came a few months before the country's elections. "The voting was not timely and could derail the efforts to hold elections within the few remaining months," said Abdirashid Hashi, executive director of the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies, a Mogadishu based independent, nonprofit research group. "Now the ball is in the court of the president. He only has two options to appoint a prime minister within the short period, who will also lead the nation into elections on time, or work on establishing an all-inclusive national unity government to avoid a vacuum," Hashi said. Ousting prime minsters A Somali parliament firing a prime minister and differences between the president and the prime minister are nothing new in Somalia's political culture. Since the collapse of the former central military regime of Mohamed Siyad Barre, at least four presidents, going back to 2004, have had major problems with their prime ministers. Each president had three prime ministers in their respective single terms. Of the more than 10 prime ministers the country has had since 2000, only two were not dismissed. President Farmajo and former prime minister Hassan Ali Khayre were praised for avoiding such disputes for nearly four years now, but what seemed to be a minor difference between the two leaders escalated into an open feud this week when the two leaders attended a meeting in the central Somalia town of Dhusamareeb. In that meeting, the country's federal government leaders and leaders across the federal member states agreed to hold timely national elections, a move for which the prime minister campaigned. Although the president did not openly oppose the agreement, his supporters and the speaker of the parliament wanted any decisions relating to elections to be made by the parliament, not by the federal government and state leaders. The tenure of the incumbent president and the two houses of the parliament expires later this year. Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulle contributed this report from Mogadishu. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Florida has become the state with second-highest number of COVID-19 cases after it recorded more than 414,000 infections, surpassing New York, as President Donald Trump boasts that he saved 'tens of thousands of lives' by banning people from China earlier this year. The Florida Department of Health reported 12,199 new cases Saturday, bringing the state's total since March 1 to 414,511 cases. Florida surpassed New York State's 411,200 cases and is now trailing only California in having the nation's largest caseload. California has reported more than 448,000 cases and 8,429 deaths. Florida has become the state with second-highest number of COVID-19 cases after it recorded more than 414,000 infections, surpassing New York, as President Donald Trump boasts that he saved 'tens of thousands of lives' by banning people from China earlier this year The Florida Department of Health reported 12,199 new cases Saturday, bringing the state's total to 414,511 cases. Florida surpassed New York's 411,200 cases and is now trailing only California. A healthcare worker prepares to test a passenger for the virus in Miami Florida also reported 126 new deaths, raising that total since the start of the pandemic to 5,894 fatalities on Saturday. By comparison, New York State has had more than 25,100 deaths. Florida's health department has recorded 892 COVID-19 deaths over the past week, an average of 127 per day. The number of hospitalizations on Saturday was down slightly from the day before. Health officials reported 9,035 coronavirus hospitalizations in Florida, down about 2 per cent from Friday. According to the COVID Tracking Project, US coronavirus deaths have topped 1,000 for the fifth day in a row. The death toll reported Saturday was 1,037 and 1,019 Americans were killed by the virus on Friday. A total of 1,140 deaths were reported Thursday, 1,135 Wednesday and 1,141 Tuesday. Rising infections in the US have been driven by outbreaks across the south and west with Arizona, California, Florida and Texas especially hard-hit. More than 4.1 million people have been infected with the virus and more than 146,000 people have been killed. Despite these numbers, Trump tweeted on Sunday that his travel ban on China is what helped save tens of thousands of lives. More than 4.1 million people have been infected with the virus and more than 146,000 people have been killed. Despite these numbers, Trump tweeted on Sunday that his travel ban on China is what helped save tens of thousands of lives 'Crazy Nancy Pelosi said I made a mistake when I banned people from infected China from entering the U.S. in January,' the president wrote 'Crazy Nancy Pelosi said I made a mistake when I banned people from infected China from entering the U.S. in January,' the president wrote. 'Tens of thousands of lives were saved, as she danced in the Streets of Chinatown (SF) in late February. Biden agreed with her, but soon admitted that I was right!' Meanwhile, the nation's top infectious disease expert says that life may return to normal in 2021, as long as there is a coronavirus vaccine. Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN's David Axelrod last week that he's very hopeful about having millions of doses of an inoculation by early next year. 'The timetable you suggested of getting into 2021, well into the year, then I can think with a successful vaccine - if we could vaccinate the overwhelming majority of the population - we could start talking about real normality again,' Fauci said on Thursday. 'But it is going to be a gradual process.' Fauci said he was promised by vaccine companies 'they would have doses to the tunes of tens of millions early in the year, and up to hundreds of millions as we get well into 2021'. Rising infections in the US have been driven by outbreaks across the south and west with Arizona, California, Florida and Texas especially hard-hit Just a day before that statement, Fauci admitted to TB Alliance, a nonprofit that researches treatments for tuberculosis, that he doesn't see COVID-19 'disappearing the way SARS-1 did'. 'The reason I say that is it is so efficient in its ability to transmit from human to human that I think we ultimately will get control of it,' Fauci said. 'I don't really see us eradicating it.' Fauci then listed three things that he believes will help the US get a grip on the virus. 'I think with a combination of good public health measures, a degree of global herd immunity and a good vaccine which I do hope and feel cautiously optimistic that we will get I think when you put all three of those together, I think we will get very good control of this,' he said. As early as this week, the first possible US vaccine is set to begin final-stage testing in a study of 30,000 people to see if it really is safe and effective. 'The vaccines are coming, and they're coming a lot sooner than anybody thought possible,' Trump said earlier this week. A few other vaccines have begun smaller late-stage studies in other countries, and in the US a series of huge studies are planned to start each month through fall in hopes of, eventually, having several vaccines to use. Already, people can start signing up to volunteer for the different studies. Health authorities warn there's no guarantee - it's not unusual for vaccines to fail during this critical testing step. But vaccine makers and health officials are hopeful that at least one vaccine could prove to work by year's end. Companies already are taking the unusual step of brewing hundreds of millions of doses so that mass vaccinations could begin if the Food and Drug Administration signs off. Jaipur: The Rajasthan Congress called off its Monday (July 27) protest in front of the Raj Bhawan, hours after the party gave a nationwide call for agitation to protect the Constitution and democracy. State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said in a tweet, "Tomorrow, Congress workers will protest in front of Raj Bhawans as part of 'Save Democracy-Save Constitution' agitation call. But, in Rajasthan we will not do anything like that." Earlier in the day, Congress leader Ajay Maken said in a show of solidarity with the Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and for the protection of the Constitution and democracy, Congress workers will stage protests in a Gandhian way in front of Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday. The Congress government in Rajasthan is facing a political crisis after a rebellion by the now sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs. Dotasara said, "We have sent a revised note of the state cabinet to the Governor and hope that he will soon give approval to call a session of the Assembly." The Congress government says it wants to hold the session so its majority can be proved. On Friday, Governor Kalraj Mishra had sought clarifications on six points from the state government, after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan pressing for an Assembly session. The dharna was called off, according to the Congress, after Mishra said he would abide by the Constitution and not act under any pressure. The Governor asked Gehlot to submit again, with the clarifications, his recommendation for calling a session. Detroit Summer School to Resume After 2 Students Tested Positive for Covid-19 In-person summer learning in Detroits public schools will continue after court-ordered COVID-19 testing for students returned two positive results, the school district said. More than half of the 600 students participating in the Detroit Public Schools Community Districts (DPSCD) in-person summer program have been tested since a federal judges order on July 21. The order came after far-left activist group By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) filed a lawsuit against the DPSCD, in an ongoing effort to stop the district from reopening its school buildings amid the pandemic. Today, the Detroit Health Department tested an additional 57 DPSCD students with zero testing positive. With yesterdays count of 262 students tested (previously reported 274, which included family members), that brings the total to 319 students tested with two positive cases. That is less than a 1 percent infection rate, the citys chief health officer Denise Fair said in a July 24 statement. Parents of students who have tested positive and those who were in close proximity will be notified by the Detroit Health Department to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. The DPSCD is going to reopen summer classes on Monday to students who tested negative, reported Detroit Free Press. School buildings and buses are also to be disinfected as recommended in public health guidelines. We are committed to transparency and upholding the guidelines outlined by health authorities and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, DPSCD superintendent Nikolai Vitti said in a statement. We will continue to work closely with the Detroit Health Department as we complete summer school and prepare to reopen in the fall. Our priority is to meet the needs of our families as we navigate this pandemic. The DPSCD agreed earlier this week to comply with the court order, yet stating it was insulting to force parents to have their children tested for COVID-19 to receive public school services. We were never completely opposed to student testing but continue to question the legal authority to require parents to have their child tested to receive public school educational services, the inequity of requiring our students to test and other districts and schools not requiring the testing, and the burden it places on our parents who are already overwhelmed, the district said in a statement. BAMN protesters, among whom were a number of public school teachers, have been rallying outside the districts bus garage since July 13 to block buses from leaving to pick up students for summer school. The Detroit Police Department took no action against the protesters until July 16, when the protests extended to the garage of a private bus company. At least a dozen people have been arrested. Harry was offended by Williams words of caution about the speed his relationship was progressing, according to a new book (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The Duke of Cambridge feared his brother had been blindsided by lust in his haste to wed Meghan, according to a new book on the couple. In Finding Freedom, serialised by the Times and the Sunday Times, the authors claim the Duke of Sussex was angered by what he perceived as his brothers snobbish attitude to his bride. The books co-authors, Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, claim Harry was offended by Williams advice to take as much time as you need to get to know this girl. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stand behind the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey (Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stand behind the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey (Phil Harris/Daily Mirror) According to the pair, William was happy for his brother, but just wanted to make sure that Harry wasnt blindsided by lust. But his younger brother allegedly took offence to the phrase this girl, and interpreted it as snobbish and condescending. The rest of the royals were also apparently less than welcoming, with one senior royal allegedly referring to Meghan as Harrys showgirl and another saying she comes with a lot of baggage. Another senior courtier is said to have told a colleague: Theres just something about her I dont trust. Harrys belief that the palace was out to sabotage his relationship was the beginning of the rift with his brother. He is said to have felt unprotected by the institutions around the monarchy, and derided by the old guard for being too sensitive and outspoken. The Duchess of Cambridge apparently did little to bridge the divide and never really got to know Meghan. One source said of Harry: Hes extremely protective of Meghan. He understands that a lot of people are against them, and he will do everything he can to keep her safe and away from getting hurt even if that means distancing himself from those people. Another said the coolness between the princes was the reason for Harry and Meghans move to Windsor. Expand Close Harry and Meghan allegedly moved to Frogmore Cottage to escape the goldfish bowl of Kensington Palace (Steve Parsons/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry and Meghan allegedly moved to Frogmore Cottage to escape the goldfish bowl of Kensington Palace (Steve Parsons/PA) He wanted to get away from the goldfish bowl that was Kensington Palace, the said. Everywhere you turn, youre surrounded by staff and family. He was at a point in his life where he was working with his brother, doing the foundation with his brother and living by his brother. It was too much. Other claims include that The two couples hardly spoke at the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey in March, despite not having seen each other since January. The Sussexes felt their complaints were not taken seriously and believed other royal households were leaking stories about them to the press. Being told to operate under Buckingham Palaces umbrella after splitting their household from the Cambridges was a big disappointment to the Sussexes. The Sussexes even considered breaking protocol by springing a surprise visit on the Queen when they believed they were being blocked from seeing the monarch. A spokesman for Harry and Meghan said the couple did not contribute to the book, but he did not deny the content of The Timess extracts. The spokesman told the PA news agency: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom. This book is based on the authors own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting. The revelations come after the Sussexes launched legal action in Los Angeles after drones were allegedly used to take pictures of their 14-month-old son Archie. A complaint filed at the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday claims an unnamed individual photographed Archie at their home during lockdown. The lawsuit is the latest example of the couples war against what they describe as an intrusive tabloid media. Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, over articles which featured parts of a private and confidential letter from the duchess to her estranged father, Thomas Markle. North Korea has announced a state of emergency and a lockdown in a border town after someone with suspected coronavirus illegally crossed the border with South Korea, according to the countrys state media. Kim Jong-un has imposed a lockdown on the city of Kaesong which is close to the border with South Korea warning the vicious virus may now have infiltrated the secretive country, state media said on Sunday. The patient will be North Koreas first official coronavirus case if the authorities confirm they definitely have tested positive for the virus. North Korea, which is one of the most secretive and isolated countries in the world, has firmly stated it has had no cases of people with coronavirus but the claims have been challenged by experts. The so-called hermit kingdoms lockdown was announced on Friday afternoon with the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) saying the suspected virus patient was a runaway who fled to South Korea three years ago before illegally crossing the border back into the North early last week. KCNA said respiratory secretion and blood tests showed the person is suspected to have been infected with coronavirus. It said the person was placed under quarantine. People who had been in contact with the suspected patient and those who had been to Kaesong in the last five days were also quarantined. Describing its anti-virus efforts as a matter of national existence, North Korea earlier this year shut down nearly all cross-border traffic, banned foreign tourists and mobilised health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms. However, the Kaesong lockdown is the first known measure taken in a North Korean city to curb coronavirus spreading. Foreign experts say a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea could cause dire consequences because of its fragile public health care infrastructure and chronic lack of medical supplies. They are also sceptical about North Koreas claim of having had no infections because the country shares a long, porous border with China, its biggest trading partner, where the worlds first known virus cases were reported in December. Kaesong, a city with an estimated population of 200,000, is located just north of the heavily fortified land border with South Korea. It once hosted the Koreas jointly run industrial complex, which has been shut since 2016 amid nuclear tensions. Last month, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong to protest a campaign by South Korean activists who have been sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. During an emergency Politburo meeting on Saturday, Mr Jong-un also declared a state of emergency in the Kaesong area and clarified the determination of the Party Central Committee to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert, KCNA said. It quoted Mr Jong-un as saying there was a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country. Mr Jong-un said he took the preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City and isolating each district and region from the other on Friday afternoon after receiving the report on it, according to KCNA. Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea, said a comprehensive lockdown in Kaesong would make it difficult for a potential virus outbreak to spread beyond the city. But he said virus fears would engulf North Korean leaders. The anxiety and fears about Covid-19 spreading in the North Korean leadership would be much bigger than outsiders can roughly speculate because the country lacks test kits and has virtually no facilities to treat virus patients, Mr Seong-Chang said. North Korea cancelled some big events and introduced a border lockdown and quarantine rules in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus earlier in the public health emergency. Additional reporting by Associated Press Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu waits for a meeting of the Pobeda (Victory) Organizing Committee at the Kremlin in Moscow MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is holding military exercises to test its combat readiness amid clashes between its ally Azerbaijan and Armenian forces, Russia's defence minister told his Azeri counterpart on Saturday. The Defence Ministry described the exercises as a routine check of the army's capacity to ensure security in Russia's southwestern region and denied any links between the training and the fighting taking place in the Caucasus region, south of Russia. More than a dozen Armenian and Azeri soldiers have been killed in recent days in clashes between the two former Soviet republics which have long been at odds over Azerbaijan's breakaway, mainly ethnic Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia, which has a military base in Armenia, has urged the two sides to cease fire and show restraint. The Kremlin has said Moscow is ready to act as a mediator. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Azerbaijan's Sakir Hasanov discussed the clashes in a phone call on Saturday. The drills involve around 150,000 troops and 400 aircraft, according to the defence ministry. The two sides accuse each other of shelling military targets and villages, and Azerbaijan has warned Armenia it could strike the Metzamor nuclear power station if its Mingechavir reservoir or other strategic outlets were hit. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Saturday Azerbaijan posed a threat to his country and global security, saying the threat to attack one of its nuclear power stations amounted to "a threat to commit terrorism". Russia considers Armenia to be a strategic partner in the South Caucasus region and supplies it with weapons. "I categorically deny any link between the activities held by the armed forces of the Russian Federation and the escalation on the Armenian-Azeri border," deputy defence minister Alexander Fomin said in a separate statement, quoted by Russian news agencies. (Additional reporting by Nvard Hovhannisyan in Yerevan; Writing by Polina Ivanova; editing by Angus MacSwan) The United States has over four million confirmed coronavirus cases and since the pandemic started many scientists all over the world have been working on finding a vaccine for the virus. According to Dr Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, there are four pharmaceutical entities that are in stage 3 of clinical trials. They would have doses to the tunes of tens of millions early in the year, and up to hundreds of millions as we get well into 2021, and some companies say that even after a while, you could get as many as a billion doses," Fauci told CNNs David Axelrod on "The Axe Files" podcast. "The timetable you suggest of getting into 2021, well into the year, then I can think with a successful vaccine, if we could vaccinate the overwhelming majority of the population, we could start talking about real normality again. But it is going to be a gradual process." According to Dr. William Hildebrand, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Oklahoma's College of Medicine, in efforts that are worldwide, four entities are in phase 3, including pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and Moderna. When the vaccine will be available for widespread distribution depends on the company doing the testing and "we dont know about long-term effects". Americans are divided on the vaccine About half of Americans (49%) said they plan to get vaccinated if a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available, while 20% would refuse it and the rest were not sure, according to a recent poll carried out by the Associated Press. Among those who said they wouldnt get vaccinated, seven in 10 were worried about their safety. 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #30 Posted on 26 July 2020 by John Hartz Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... John Cook in the News... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Major new climate study rules out less severe global warming scenarios An analysis finds the most likely range of warming from doubling carbon dioxide to be between 4.1 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit Flames ripped through trees as the Hog Fire jumped Highway 36 about five miles from Susanville, Calif., on Monday. (Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images). The current pace of human-caused carbon emissions is increasingly likely to trigger irreversible damage to the planet, according to a comprehensive international study released Wednesday. Researchers studying one of the most important and vexing topics in climate science how sensitive the Earths climate is to a doubling of the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere found that warming is extremely unlikely to be on the low end of estimates. These scientists now say it is likely that if human activities such as burning oil, gas and coal along with deforestation push carbon dioxide to such levels, the Earths global average temperature will most likely increase between 4.1 and 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit (2.3 and 4.5 degrees Celsius). The previous and long-standing estimated range of climate sensitivity, as first laid out in a 1979 report, was 2.7 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 to 4.5 Celsius). If the warming reaches the midpoint of this new range, it would be extremely damaging, said Kate Marvel, a physicist at NASAs Goddard Institute of Space Studies and Columbia University, who called it the equivalent of a five-alarm fire for the planet. Click here to access the entire article originally posted on The Washington Post website. Major new climate study rules out less severe global warming scenarios by Andrew Freedman & Chris Mooney, Capital Weather Gang, Washington Post, July 22, 2020 Toon of the Week... Hat tip to the Stop Climate Science Denial Facebook page. John Cook in the News... John Cook is quoted extensively in this article: Everybodys entitled to their opinion - but not their own facts': The spread of climate denial on Facebook. 'The arguments are that people can't trust scientists, models, climate data. It's all about building doubt and undermining public trust in climate science' by Louise Boyle, The Independent (UK). July 24, 2020 Coming Soon on SkS... Wildfires off to slow start in much of the West, but trouble expected starting in mid-July (Jeff Masters) (Jeff Masters) Announcing a new partnership between SkS and Fakebook.eco.br (Baerbel) (Baerbel) SkS New Research for Week #30 (Doug Bostrom) (Doug Bostrom) The Trump EPA is vastly underestimating the cost of carbon dioxide pollution to society, new research finds (Dana) (Dana) Guest Post: Why low-end climate sensitivity can now be ruled out (Piers Forster, Zeke Hausfather, Gabi Hegerl, Steven Sherwood & Kyle Armour,) (Piers Forster, Zeke Hausfather, Gabi Hegerl, Steven Sherwood & Kyle Armour,) 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #31 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #31 (John Hartz) Climate Feedback Claim Review... Greenhouse gases cause global warming by trapping infra-red radiations, not by causing more holes in the ozone layer CLAIM: Greenhouse gases emitted into the ocean are causing more holes in the ozone layer the ozone layer has holes in it causing global temperature to rise VERDICT: SOURCE: Otis Holland, Instagram, July 11, 2020 KEY TAKE AWAY: It is a common misconception that Global Warming would be due to holes in the ozone layer caused by Greenhouse gases (GHG). Instead, GHGs warm the Earths surface by trapping infra-red radiations, limiting the natural process by which the Earths surface cools. Holes in the stratospheric ozone layer are caused by anthropogenic emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), halons, and other ozone-depleting substances. Reductions in ozone-depleting substances due to the Montreal Protocol have prevented the formation of more and deeper ozone holes. Greenhouse gases cause global warming by trapping infra-red radiations, not by causing more holes in the ozone layer by Nikki Forrester, Climate Feedback Review, July 21, 2020 SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Rioters shield themselves after toppling a fence as federal officers deploy tear gas at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 26, 2020. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo) Rioters Breach Fence Around US Courthouse in Portland, Provoking Federal Response Authorities declared a riot early Sunday in Portland after rioters breached a portion of fencing erected around a federal courthouse. The Portland Police Bureau said around 1:20 a.m. that the violent conduct of people downtown was creating grave risk of public alarm, prompting the riot declaration. Video footage showed federal officers responding forcefully after the barrier was taken down with a chain, firing tear gas and making arrests. Demonstrators try to topple a steel fence during a Black Lives Matter protest at the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse in Portland, Ore., on July 25, 2020, (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Photo) Portland police officers were also helping respond, a change from the bureaus extreme stand-off posture in recent days. Some arrests were made, though it wasnt clear how many. As officers moved to disperse the rioters, some hurled projectiles like bottles and paint balloons at the police while others shot mortar-style fireworks at them. Peaceful demonstrations have taken place on most days in Oregons largest city since late May. The protests devolve at night into rioting. Crowds use sophisticated tactics like formations, equipped with shields, lasers, and other tools. Now: Portland police have declared a riot. Warning siren tells rioters to leave the area. pic.twitter.com/ebb7jJt0i2 Bowen Xiao (@BowenXiao_) July 26, 2020 Rioters for the second consecutive night came equipped with electric saws and other items in their ongoing bid to take down the fence, which was placed around the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse last week to try to de-escalate tensions. Democratic city and state leaders claim federal forces are escalating the violence but the officers and agents appear to be reacting to criminal actions by the rioters, including damaging federal property and assaulting law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Billy Williams, who announced charges against 18 for allegedly committing crimes during the rioting, told reporters Saturday that it was inaccurate to blame federal officers, calling the notion an easy out for people who want to politicize this. This is just mindless violence and anyone who defends the violence is enabling this to continue, Williams told reporters while standing outside the building. These arent late night demonstrations. This is criminal activity, he added later. Law enforcement officials stand in a cloud of tear gas in Portland, Ore., early July 26, 2020. (Ankur Dholakia/AFP via Getty Images) The continued criminal acts came hours after Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell appealed to members of the public to stop for violence and work for peace. Police officers are prepared to respond to locations throughout the city to prevent intentional violence and destruction of property by people using the cover of large crowds, as we have witnessed nearly every night for the past two months, he said in a video message. A federal judge on Friday rejected a request by Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, to stop federal agents from making arrests. Rioters launched fireworks at the courthouse overnight on Friday and tried to take down the fencing. Federal officers launched tear gas and other crowd control munitions to disperse the crowd, and made multiple arrests. Six federal officers were injured during the rioting, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said on Saturday. To be clear, criminals assaulted FEDERAL officers on FEDERAL propertyand the city of Portland did nothing, he wrote on social media. Its time Portland join other responsible cities around the country to hold criminals accountable and protect federal property and officers. Bowen Xiao contributed to this report. WASHINGTON The loss likely wont be a trend. Too powerful, and too deep with talent around the field, a lot would have to go wrong for the Yankees not to contend for the World Series. But what about what happened moments before their 9-2 loss to the Nationals on Saturday night? Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and center fielder Aaron Hicks became the first Yankees to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice in America and in support of Black Lives Matter. With other stars around the sport including the Dodgers Mookie Betts and Giants manager Gabe Kapler kneeling for the anthem, will Stanton and Hicks continue? Or was the move, which President Donald Trump has repeatedly condemned, a one-time thing? As Stanton and Hicks knelt, just eight other Yankees were even on the field. Among those standing were manager Aaron Boone, second baseman DJ LeMahieu and center fielder Brett Gardner. Aaron Judge, who led off a video MLB stars made in support of Black Lives Matter in the wake of the George Floyd killing, wasnt on the field for the anthem. If it continues, will Trump throw out the first pitch at a Yankees game in the Bronx, like he said he plans? While the actions of Stanton and Hicks will certainly stick in the memories of Yankees fans, theyll want to forget about what happened after first pitch. Starting pitcher James Paxton looked anything but comfortable and was torched. His substitute, rookie Mike King, didnt fair much better. The Yankees were barely able to get anything going against Erick Fedde, the Nationals emergency replacement. A few hours before game time, Washington scratched co-ace Stephen Strasburg from his planned start with a nerve issue in his right throwing hand. While Giancarlo Stanton crushed a 483-foot solo home run in the third inning, they missed a bases-loaded opportunity later in the frame when LeMahieu grounded out. Stanton also doubled in the eighth. The Yankees fell to 1-1. They had beaten the Nationals, 4-1, in a rain-shortened Opening Day game Thursday. They couldnt make the Nationals pay for committing four errors before the first out in the third inning. Paxton was awful, lasting just one inning. He gave up three runs on five hits and a walk, striking out just one. His fastball, which averaged 96 mph last year, only touched 93.8 mph, according to MLBs Statcast. He seemed to have difficulty finishing his delivery, which wasnt a shock, considering he talked about having trouble with it earlier in the week. The Yankees have to wonder whether hes recovered from lower-back surgery. On Feb. 5, Paxton had a microscopic lumbar discectomy with removal of a peridiscal cyst. The procedure forced him to miss all of spring training, but hes said he feels healthy. Manager Aaron Boone must have been encouraged, however, by the return of LeMahieu. The second baseman didnt play Opening Day, Boone choosing to be careful with the 31-year-old after he missed nearly all of the rebooted spring training workouts due to a positive coronavirus test. He came out before the bottom of the sixth. LeMahieus RBI single in the third cut the Yankees deficit to 3-1. Paxton had coughed up runs on Victor Robles two-run double and Trea Turners RBI groundout in the second. King, Ben Heller and Luis Avilan each surrendered homers for the Yankees, who finish their series with the Nationals on Sunday before heading to Philadelphia on Monday. Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. John Saxon, star of Enter the Dragon and three Nightmare on Elm Street films, has died aged 83. The Italian-American actor died from pneumonia in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, his wife Gloria told The Hollywood Reporter. Born Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn on 5 August 1936, Saxon became known for his portrayals of police officers and detectives. He won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of a Mexican bandit opposite Marlon Brando in The Appaloosa (1966). He starred with Clint Eastwood in Joe Kidd (1972). In 1973, Saxon starred in Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee, in what would become the martial artists last film before his death, aged 32. While Saxons martial arts skills did not match those of Lee or their co-star, karate champion Jim Kelly, the actor told the Los Angeles Times in 2012 that Lee took me seriously. I would tell him I would rather do it this way, and he'd say, 'OK, try it that way,' he said. In Nightmare on Elm Street, Saxon played police officer Donald Thompson in the first and third films of the franchise. He played a version of himself in New Nightmare, in 1994. Saxon was married three times. His first marriages were to screenwriter Mary Ann Murphy, and flight attendant turned actor Elizabeth Saxon. He married cosmetician Gloria Martel in 2008, and is also survived by his son, Antonio, and his sister Dolores. People returning to the UK from Spain (including islands) from midnight tonight (25 July 2020) will need to self-isolate for 2 weeks, with the country removed from the travel corridors list. Following a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace of change in confirmed cases, Spain has been removed from the list of countries where people do not have to self-isolate when arriving into to the UK. People currently on holiday in Spain are encouraged to follow the local rules, return home as normal and check the FCOs travel advice pages on GOV.UKfor further information. FCO is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain this does not cover the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands because travel advice is based on the risk to the individual traveller and COVID-19 infection rates are lower there than mainland Spain. People will still need to self-isolate when returning from anywhere in Spain as well as the Canary and Balearic Islands because self-isolation arrangements are put in place on the basis of risk to the UK as a whole. A government spokesperson said: The Joint Biosecurity Centre together with Public Health England have updated their coronavirus assessments of Spain based on the latest data. As a result, Spain has been removed from the lists of countries from which passengers arriving in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are exempted from the need to self-isolate. Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK. Weve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary. Both our list of quarantine exemptions and the FCO travel advice are being updated to reflect these latest risk assessments. Changes to the exemption for people returning from Spain will take effect from midnight tonight, meaning anyone returning from midnight tonight will have to self-isolate. The government has made consistently clear it will take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus, including if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country and not self-isolating becomes too high. The devolved administrations have all taken the same decision today, so travellers arriving from Spain into all parts of the UK will need to self-isolate. The government is urging employers to be understanding of those returning from Spain who now will need to self-isolate. News desk enquiries Media enquiries 020 7944 3021 Out of hours media enquiries 020 7944 4292 Switchboard 0300 330 3000 https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain We have an unusual amount of Intel news to cover this weekend it seems; this one is interesting though. As recently, I wrote that aside from the IGP Xe implementations, things went silent on Intel's Xe graphics architecture. And I do mean that in relation to the desktop parts of course. The sharp eyes at videocardz noticed an interesting tweet from Intel though, but quickly after it was posted, it was removed, have a peek: So Yes, Intel assures to release more information on Xe Graphics in 20 days. Unfortunately, the week does not mention if this is concerning discrete graphics. Personally, we think it will be embedded mobile, aka Tiger Lake mobile processors featuring Xe Graphics. Twenty days from now would be August 14th. For Tiger lake itself, we'll likely hear more on September 2nd, that mobile series includes Xe architecture graphics cores. Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has asked film critics to make an exception for Sushant Singh Rajputs final film, Dil Bechara, which released on Disney+ Hotstar on Friday. The film has been positively received by both critics and fans. In a tweet, Nawaz wrote, I would request to all the respected film critics to kindly give an exception to #DilBechara & please consider this film as a tribute to #SushantSinghRajput and lets celebrate this together. I would request to all the respected film critics to kindly give an exception to #DilBechara & please consider this film as a tribute to #SushantSinghRajput and lets celebrate this together Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) July 25, 2020 On Saturday, less than 24 hours after the films release, the streaming service tweeted that Dil Bechara had registered platforms biggest opening. A film that will always be etched in the hearts of all Bollywood fans. Your love has made Dil Bechara the biggest movie opening. Ever, Disney+ Hotstar tweeted. Shortly after its release, the film became one of the top trends on Twitter, and for a brief time, boasted a perfect 10/10 score on IMDb. The rating has since fallen to 9.8, with over 50000 votes. Dil Bechara is an adaptation of John Greens 2012 novel The Fault in our Stars, about a young girl with cancer and the charismatic boy she meets while undergoing treatment. The book was previously adapted into a hit Hollywood film, directed by Josh Boone and starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort in lead roles. If The Fault in Our Stars was a YA cancer drama about two people who refuse to take any of the platitudes seriously, Dil Bechara is primarily a romance of two star-crossed lovers, the Hindustan Times review noted. Also read: Dil Bechara movie review: Sushant Singh Rajput, one last time Sushant plays Emmanuel Rajkumar Junior, also known as Manny, while newcomer Sanjana Sanghi plays Kizie Basu. Dil Bechara is directed by Mukesh Chhabra, who makes his directorial debut after many years as a successful casting director in Bollywood. The film features a soundtrack by Oscar-winner AR Rahman. Nawaz, meanwhile, will be seen in Netflixs murder mystery Raat Akeli Hai, on Friday. The film marks the directorial debut of another casting director, Honey Trehan. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (Natural News) For many years, the American foster care system in partnership with Child Protective Services (CPS) has been kidnapping children and, in many cases, handing them off to government swamp agencies that use these little ones as human guinea pigs to test experimental drugs and vaccines without consent. And all this time Anthony Fauci has been overseeing these heinous human rights abuses, allowing and even facilitating them to occur under his seemingly endless reign. An in-depth report put together by Brian Shilhavy from Medical Kidnap outlines the disgusting history of foster child experimentation in our country that has been taking place for at least the past four decades, revealing how Fauci and other prominent names, many of whom are still in their positions even under President Donald Trump, continue to abuse foster children left and right in the name of promoting public health. Because foster children do not have parents around to vie for them and protect their interests, evil entities in government see them as easy targets to be exploited for political and financial gain. In states where cannabis is still illegal, as one prominent example, children can be taken from their parents following drug charges, and given over to the state which does with them as it sees fit, often subjecting them to Big Pharma experimentation. Organizations that advocate for the rights of parents to make decisions regarding their childrens healthcare are finding that foster children in CPS custody are being enrolled in drug experiments without parental approval, Medical Kidnap reported back in 2015, linking what was brought to light back then to what is now occurring with the new experimental vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). State Child Protective Services are enrolling children in drug experiments without parental approval or court orders. However, those who conduct these drug experiments for pharmaceutical companies, and those who are charged with monitoring such research, do not see a problem with their recruitment methods. Faucis medical experiments on children are akin to Mengeles medical experiments on Nazi prisoners of war Back in 2005, a hearing was held by the U.S. House of Representatives entitled, Protections for Foster Children Enrolled in Clinical Trials, which looked at whether or not adequate safeguards were in place to protect foster children from being exploited in such a manner. They looked specifically at clinical trials on AIDS drugs that were conducted beginning as far back as the 1980s, and that lasted through at least 2001. What was uncovered, but not actually dealt with, included evidence of malfeasance against innocent children who were none the wiser as to what was going on, and powerless to defend themselves against it even if they did. How Fauci fits into all this is that he was in charge of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) back then just like he still is today. And the NIAID, in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry, was exposed as having exploited hundreds of foster children from the Incarnation Childrens Center (ICC) in New York City, as well as from elsewhere, by subjecting them to experimental AIDS vaccines that never actually came to market. Years later in separate investigations 13,878 children were discovered to have been made subject of the same fate during the 1980s and 1990s in six other states: Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Colorado and Texas, Medical Kidnap further reported about similar foster child experimentation rings that were uncovered elsewhere in the country. This type of thing is eerily similar to what took place back in Nazi Germany under Adolph Hitler and his Angel of Death officer and physician Josef Mengele who, just like Fauci is doing today, experimented on innocent children by giving them dangerous, untested drugs without consent. Same people who experimented on foster children with dangerous AIDS vaccines now being given money by Trump to develop coronavirus vaccines Investigative journalist Liam Scheff is credited with exposing much of this back in 2004, and more details have since come to light implicating the medical deep state for committing many other heinous atrocities against innocent children. And once again, Fauci has long overseen and allowed it to happen, just as he is still doing today with the push for new experimental Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. Some in Congress have tried to address the issue and supposedly root it out of the system, but to no avail. It still persists today, and the very same people who engaged in these crimes against humanity in the past are doing so once again thanks to large cash infusions from the Trump administration. The moral of the story is that, despite all of his drain the swamp rhetoric, Trump has done very little to put a stop to this madness. While he is limited by constitutional bounds that govern his role, he does have the power to get rid of these swamp creatures in his administration and stop hiring new ones, which begs the question: When will he finally start doing this? Having failed at their attempts to develop a DNA altering vaccine for HIV/AIDS, the same group of people are now collecting BILLIONS of dollars of U.S. funding to develop a COVID DNA altering vaccine, Shilhavy explains about how it is just more of the same under Trump. It looks a lot like the same play book, only this time it is on Warp Speed for fast-tracking, and instead of using fresh fetal tissue to create humanized mice they have the FDAs approval to conduct trials directly on humans, with no animal testing first What will be the results? More related news about the medical deep state is available at MedicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: MedicalKidnap.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: In a tragic turn of events, a 22-year-old COVID-19 patient killed himself by jumping from the third floor of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) building in Patna on Friday evening. According to police sources, the victim, identified as Rohit Kumar, resident of Mohammapur Bihta, had tested positive for the virus recently and was admitted in AIIMS on July 20. Confirming this, the SHO of Phulwari sharif police station, Rafikur Rahman said that investigation is on. Police said that details can be shared only after the investigation is completed. Up to seven people have lost their lives in the state, by what looks like a suicide, after being in quarantine. Earlier on June 23, another 30-year-old youth from Khagaul, who was under treatment after testing positive at AIIMS, had also died by suicide. In another incident, a 30-year-old Covid-19 positive migrant quarantined at Hajipur had committed suicide on May 21 in Bihar. Similarly, two migrant-labourers namely Pappu Ram, 30 and Md Tyab, 45, were found dead under mysterious circumstances at two quarantine centres on May 27 in East Champaran district of Bihar. Ram's body was spotted hanging with a tree near the quarantine centre at Shitalpur under Kakayanpur PS in East Champaran. Md Tyab's was recovered dead at another quarantine centre in Patahi block in the same district. A migrant named Birendra Yadav was also found dead in Buxar after he returned from Faridabad in Haryana and tested positive on May 28. On May 26, Md Shahid in Begusarai was found dead after he returned from Kolkata at the quarantine centre. Mohan Kumar Pal, 35, died in Rohtas district after he returned from Mumbai. Police are desperately urging the public to help them find a missing boy who vanished while riding his bike on a Sydney highway. Dhyey Patel, 14, was last seen riding a blue-and-grey bicycle on the Great Western Highway at Wentworthville in Sydney's western suburbs about 4.15pm on Saturday. Cumberland area police were contacted when the teenager failed to return home. Dhyey Patel, 14, has gone missing while riding his bike on the Great Western Highway at Wentworthville in Sydney's western suburbs. Police are desperately searching for him The Great Western Highway in Sydney's western suburbs. If you have any information about Dhyey Patel please call police on 1800 333 000 He has not been seen or heard from since. There are grave concerns for Dhyey's welfare because of his age and because his disappearance is out of character. Dhyey is described as of Indian appearance, about 165cm tall, with a slim build, short black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a grey jumper, navy coloured pants and white shoes. Anyone who sees Dhyey or knows of his whereabouts is urged to contact Merrylands Police Station: 02 98974199 or Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000. Police have said they will treat any information in strict confidence. Jennifer Carole, whose father was murdered by the Golden State Killer in 1980, is speaking out against several scenes in HBO's "I'll Be Gone in the Dark." Carole is the daughter of Lyman Smith, a 43-year-old attorney who was slain alongside his wife, Charlene, in their Ventura home. Joseph James DeAngelo confessed to the killings in a court appearance on June 29. The third episode of the HBO docuseries discusses the Smith murders and shows graphic photos from inside the home. Among the crime scene images shown on screen are the couple's blood-stained bed and the log used to bludgeon Charlene and Lyman to death, with what appears to be blood and human remains around it. Carole alleges that HBO told her graphic photos would be included in the show, but that they would be blurred out. "It's so upsetting to me," she said on her podcast "The Lawyer's Daughter." On that podcast, Carole shows an email exchange she alleges is between herself and an HBO producer. "Just so the team knows, this has wrecked me," Carole writes in one email. HBO allegedly told Carole that future episodes of the show will blur graphic images of her father's assault. Executive producer and director Liz Garbus told the Ventura County Star that they spoke with Carole and "took steps to address her concerns." "The thing that changed our lives forever was finding my dad dead in that bed. It changed our family. The idea that once again my brothers and frankly my uncle could be retraumatized by something they didnt expect is honestly something more than I can handle," Carole told the Ventura County Star. In addition, Carole, who appears on the docuseries, objects to one theory put forth by former Contra Costa Sheriff's Office investigator Paul Holes. Holes says on the show that it's possible Lyman Smith was forced to witness to his wife's rape before they were both killed. Carole says there is no evidence for this claim and asked HBO to remove that segment. "I don't want all of you guys to think that happened because my dad would have endured even more," Carole says on her podcast. "And it's just wrong." "I'll Be Gone in the Dark" focuses as much on the life and work of author Michelle McNamara as it does the Golden State Killer crimes. McNamara, who died in 2016, investigated the serial killer for her book "I'll Be Gone in the Dark." As part of that amateur investigation, McNamara obtained dozens of boxes of evidence from the Orange County Sheriff's Department, which has led to some controversy over whether the sheriff's department failed to protect the chain of custody by allowing a civilian to take case files. Carole says she is not sure where HBO obtained the Smith crime scene photos, as they have not been released to the public. "I'm so sorry that everybody wants to have this delusion that Michelle McNamara was going to solve this case. It's a shared delusion. It's magical thinking," Carole says on her podcast. "But it also led a lot of people to do a lot of really bad, negligent, risky things to put our whole case our whole case at risk because of this delusion." Katie Dowd is the SFGATE managing editor. Email her: katie.dowd@sfgate.com | Twitter: @katiedowd By Trend MPs and senators, serving as members of the France-Azerbaijan Friendship Group sent an appeal to French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the provocations committed by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan, Trend reports citing the State Committee on Affairs with Diaspora. "Armenia has been holding the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent regions of Azerbaijan under occupation for about 30 years," said the letter. "In recent days, the Armenian armed forces violated the ceasefire on the state border in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district. As a result of the Armenian provocation, 12 servicemen of the Azerbaijani army and one civilian were killed.". "France, together with Russia and the US, within the OSCE Minsk Group, participates in negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia is disregarding the resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the territories of Azerbaijan," said the letter. The authors of the appeal called on the international community, including France, to put pressure on Armenia in order to comply with the norms of international law, asked the French President, as the head of one of the co-chairing countries of the Minsk Group and a permanent member of the UNSC, to take urgent steps. Thirteen people were arrested in Vadodara in Gujarat on Sunday for stopping an ambulance with a seriously ill person from coming into an imaging centre located in a housing complex claiming it increased the risk of residents contracting COVID-19, police said. They were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly, act endangering life or personal safety of others, and wrongful restraint under sections 143, 336 and 341 of Indian Penal Code, and section 51 (A) of Disaster Management Act for refusing to comply with government directions, a Sayajigunj police station official said. As per the complaint by a doctor at Baroda Imaging Centre, at around 11 pm on Saturday, thirteen men and women, all residents of Sangeeta Apartment and nearby residential complexes, gathered outside the imaging centre and tried to block an ICU ambulance carrying a seriously ill patient for tests. "The residents claimed the imaging centre, located on the ground floor of the residential complex, was bringing coronavirus positive patients for tests, thereby risking them to COVID-19," an official said. "They stopped the ambulance and closed the main gate of the society. The vehicle could pass only after the police intervened. They were arrested on Sunday," the official added. Vietnam reported two locally-transmitted coronavirus cases after more than three months of no new infections of such, prompting authorities in the city of Danang to restrict activities to prevent a wider spread of the disease. One patient, a 57-year-old man, had been in Danang city for about a month and hadnt traveled to other provinces, the government said in a statement on Saturday. He had no communication with strangers, and was mostly in contact with family members and neighbors. He sought treatment at a hospital on July 20 for fever and cough. On Sunday, officials said a 61-year-old man also tested positive, without saying how he got the virus or if he had been in contact with the first case. The man had also been in Danang for about a month and hadnt traveled to other provinces, according to the health ministry. He went for treatment at a hospital on July 18. Danangs authorities locked down the hospitals where the two victims visited and ordered their patients, medical staff, caregivers and family members -- about 7,000 people in total -- to be quarantined for 14 days, local media reported. Authorities in Danang also requested people to adhere to social-distancing measures and not gather in public spaces where there are more than 30 people, apart from workplaces, schools and hospitals. There will also be a temporary suspension of festivals, religious ceremonies and operations of beauty spas, bars, massage parlors and dancing halls. Danang will also stop tourists from entering the city for 14 days starting Sunday, according to the citys authorities. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered authorities to tighten border and immigration controls to prevent foreigners from illegally entering the country, according to a separate statement Saturday. Vietnam had 418 Covid-19 infections and no deaths as of early Sunday. The case confirmed on Saturday was the first local transmission since April 16. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON New Delhi: India has begun its first human trials of a novel coronavirus vaccine candidate as the worlds second-most populous country recorded nearly 49,000 new cases. The additional infections took Indias total to more than 1.3 million on Saturday, with surges seen in a quarter of the countrys 36 states and union territories. India has recorded nearly 49,000 new cases of COVID-19. Credit:AP It has tallied 31,358 deaths, including 757 in the previous 24 hours. It has reported a much lower death rate than the worlds two other worst-hit countries, the United States and Brazil. Johns Hopkins University showed that the US has more than 4.1 million cases, while Brazil has a caseload of nearly 2.3 million. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, a premier teaching hospital in the capital of New Delhi, says it has administered the first dose of a trial COVID-19 vaccine on Friday. Asian Paints on July 24 reported a massive 66.7 percent year-on-year decline in net profit at Rs 218.45 crore for the quarter ended June 2020 due to lockdown, but overall earnings beat analyst estimates on business improvement in June. Revenue from operations in Q1 FY21 declined 42.7 percent to Rs 2,922.6 crore compared to the year-ago period. Paints revenue during the quarter declined 42.6 percent to Rs 2,871 crore compared to the year-ago period and the segment's EBIT was down 65 percent YoY to Rs 371.6 crore and margin contracted 840 bps to 12.9 percent. Here are the highlights from the company's Q1 FY21 earnings call, as compiled by Narnolia Financial Advisors Management Participants: Amit Syngle- MD and CEO The decorative business in India saw improvement in demand in May and June after complete washout in April. The Business picked up led by better demand conditions in Tier ll, Tier lll and Tier lV cities while urban and metros remained slow due to the higher impact of the pandemic. The companys business achieved 80 percent of the base volumes in May and managed to grow by more than 14 percent in June, the management said. At an overall level for the first quarter, the business was able to achieve 62 percent of the base of PY in volumes and 56 percent in value terms led by premium products and upgradations across markets and categories. The companys foray into health & health and hygiene segment with Viroprotekt has helped to push Royal health shield (new variant which offers all surface anti-bacterial protection). Introduction of new sanitizing service has added to the companys service brand, it said. The companys international business posted double-digit volume growth in June after negative growth in April and May. The companys units in UAE and Africa posted good traction as the lockdown in these countries were lifted in April while Asia remained the most affected with Nepal being severely impacted due to lockdown in April and May and Ethiopia posting a low single-digit growth. The automotive coating JV (PPG-AP) continues to be remain affected due to COVID-19 coupled with a slowdown in the domestic automotive industry while the industrial coatings JV (AP-PPG) also remained impacted due to COVID-19 but are witnessing improving trends in June in both protective coatings and powder coating segments, the management added. According to Asian Paints' management, both the segments in the Home Improvement category viz. the Kitchen (Sleek) and Bath business WAS impacted due to COVID-19 to the extent of 50 percent in terms of top-line versus previous corresponding quarter. Progress has been slower in this category. The softer material prices coupled with management's focus on cost-saving measures resulted in gross margin expansion for coating business in India as well in international markets. Employee cost increased on account of increase in retirement liabilities during the quarter which is one time. Dealer expansion happened in the month of May and June. As per management, the customers are moving towards premium and value for money in the interiors segment than the luxurious segment in exteriors. The management expects growth trajectory in waterproofing will be better than painting in coming times. The management does not expect much volatility in material prices in the next quarter. The company will focus on core strengths, cost rationalisation and cash conservation. The management expects demand from Tier ll, Tier lll and Tier IV cities to continue led by a good monsoon. Beneath our feet the Earth is constantly rumbling. Along with the seismic activity caused by enormous tectonic events such as earthquakes and volcanoes, there is also a perpetual reverberation caused by the percussion of human activity. But new seismic data studied by scientists reveals the impact of coronavirus lockdowns around the world reduced the human-linked earth vibrations by an unprecedented 50 per cent. Scientists at the Royal Observatory of Belgium and five other institutions around the world including Imperial College London, said this quiet period, likely caused by the total global effect of social distancing measures, closure of services and industry, and drops in tourism and travel, is the longest and most pronounced quiet period of seismic noise in recorded history. As a part of NASAs Mars 2020 Rover mission, a chunk of a Martian meteorite preserved at the Natural History Museum will be carried back by the US space agencys Perseverance robot. The piece of meteorite, originally from Mars, was discovered on the Earth in Oman in 1999 and will soon return home. In a press release, the Natural History Museum revealed that the sample, referred to as Sayh al Uhamiyr 008 or SaU 008, was under observation of the scientists since 2000. Head of Earth Sciences Collections at the Museum, Principal Curator of Meteorites, and member of the Mars 2020 Science Team, Prof Caroline Smith said, Every year, we provide hundreds of meteorite specimens to scientists all over the world to study. She added, But this is a first for us: sending one of our samples approximately 100 million km away back home, to further our knowledge of Mars. She further explained that the chunk had a huge role to play in being able to give a perspective and greater detail into the scientists quest for life elsewhere. Smith revealed that the rock formed about 450 million years ago, got blasted off Mars by an asteroid or comet roughly 600,000-700,000 years ago, and then landed on Earth. Read: COVID-19: Israeli Scientists To Arrive In India, Work On Breakthrough Rapid Diagnosis Tech Read: NASA To Broadcast Return Of SpaceX's Historic Crewed Mission SHERLOC would deploy chunk According to NASA, the Mars 2020 mission will focus on the evidence of ancient life on Mars by accumulating the rocks and regolith samples. In order to achieve the goal, the Mars 2020 rover Perseverance will make use of the advanced high-precision laser, camera and spectrometer instrument called SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals). Such technology would help the vehicle record the finest of the details on Mars surface. However, scientists note that there are extreme challenges as slight temperature fluctuation, or moving sands beneath the rover, might lead to misalignments. Explaining the role of meteorite in the mission, scientists wrote in the press release that when the rover lands on Mars Jezero Crater in February 2021, SHERLOC would deploy the chunk as a testing compound that would provide accuracy and precision in the mission. When you start work for the day, you need to measure materials you know very well and that you know the composition of. This allows you to be confident that the instrument is working properly before you start working with new samples, Smith said. Read: Alien Cube Ship Captured Near The Sun By NASA Is Ten Times Bigger Than Earth Read: COVID-19: Scientists Hail T-cells After Research Proves Antibiotics Might Disappear (Image Credit: AP) France has opened a probe into alleged crimes against humanity by a top former Rwandan military official, Aloys Ntiwiragabo, during the country's 1994 genocide which claimed 800,000 lives. Anti-terrorism prosecutors said Saturday that a preliminary investigation was opened after Ntiwiragabo was found hiding in the suburbs of the city of Orleans, about 100 kilometres south-west of Paris. French investigative news site Mediapart tracked down the former Rwandan spy chief, who was identified by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) as one of the architects of the genocide. Neither the ICTR, Interpol, France nor Rwanda were actively seeking him now and had dropped arrest warrants years ago. The revelation of his whereabouts comes barely two months after another suspected genocide architect, Felicien Kabuga, was arrested on the fringes of Paris. Kabuga, who evaded police in several countries for 25 years, is accused of financing the genocide. Kabuga had asked for a trial in France, citing frail health and claiming the United Nations court in Africa would be biased against him, and possibly hand him over to Rwandan authorities. France has long been known as a hiding place for wanted genocide suspects and French investigators currently have dozens of cases underway. A plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana, from Rwanda's Hutu majority, was shot down in Kigali on April 6, 1994, unleashing the killing spree that would leave mainly Tutsis but also moderate Hutus dead. (AFP) Athens, GA (30605) Today Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of rain late. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rob Lowe's son, John Owen Lowe, hilariously reacted to Gwyneth Paltrow's risque confession that his mother, Sheryl Berkoff, taught her how to perform oral sex, when she was a teenager. Upon seeing the racy headline, the 25-year-old shared the article on Twitter and addressed the Goop founder's recent comment she made on his father's podcast, Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast. '2020 has been a wild ride, but this has settled it for me. I choose death by murder hornets,' he tweeted, referring to the invasive insects that were spotted in the United States for the first time in May. Cringing: Rob Lowe's son, John Owen Lowe, hilariously reacted to Gwyneth Paltrow's risque confession that his mother, Sheryl Berkoff, taught her how to perform oral sex, when she was a teenager The Oscar winner's admission came up, while she was reminding Rob Lowe how she and his wife first connected. After the 47-year-old actress sang Sheryl's praises, Paltrow noted that they met when she was 15 or 16, while the makeup artist was working with her mother, Blythe Danner, on a TV movie. 'I met Sheryl and I was, like, immediately obsessed with her,' she confessed. 'First of all, she was dating Keanu Reeves, who was my celebrity crush. And she was so cool.' Open book: Upon seeing the racy headline, the 25-year-old shared the article on Twitter and addressed the Goop founder's recent comment on his father's podcast, Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast '2020 has been a wild ride, but this has settled it for me. I choose death by murder hornets,' he joked, referring to the invasive insects that were spotted in the United States for the first time in May She added: 'She knew that I was sneaking cigarettes, and she would come smoke with me behind the trailer. And, she taught me how to give a blow job, and you know, all the classic Sheryl stuff.' 'And I just worshipped her. I thought she was literally the coolest chick of all time. And she was so awesome to me!' Gwyneth gushed. 'The fact that she's loved me that much, before I was anyone, or anything,' she said, noting that others might not have given her the time of day because she was only in high school. 'My family doesn't listen or care about any content I produce, so I can say yes, I miss it, and my wife's not gonna give a s***,' Lowe joked about sleeping around before settling down; seen in 2016 The Royal Tenenbaums star also joked about how things didn't work out with Keanu, though Sheryl introduced Gwyneth to Rob once they started dating, and the three became fast friends. She kept up the raunchy streak when she asked the Brat Pack member if he missed 'those days of flinging your D all over town,' which got a hearty laugh out of him. 'My family doesn't listen or care about any content I produce, so I can say yes, I miss it, and my wife's not gonna give a s***. Taking their time: Rob and Sheryl met on a blind date in 1983, but didn't start dating until meeting again on his 1990 thriller Bad Influence. They married in 1991; pictured in June 2019 (seen in 2019) Rob and Sheryl first met in 1983 on a blind date, but the two didn't become intimate until reuniting on the set of his 1990 neo-noir thriller Bad Influence. The couple married in 1991, and they share two sons: Matthew, 27, and John, 25. Their courtship began shortly after the 9-1-1: Lone Star actor was embroiled in scandal for a sex tape he made with a 16-year-old girl in 1988. Though both were above the age of consent, she was under the legal age to be filmed having sex. No filter: Gwyneth's recent history of uncensored sharing has involved many of her Goop products, most infamously her 'This Smells Like My Vagina' candle Hint hint: She's also made a habit of posing in front of displays suspiciously labia-shaped displays while promoting her Netflix original series The Goop Lab Gwyneth's recent history of uncensored sharing has involved many of her Goop products, most infamously her 'This Smells Like My Vagina' candle. She followed it up with the 'This Smells Like My Orgasm' candle, which her website described as scented with 'tart grapefruit, neroli, and ripe cassis berries blended with gunpowder tea and Turkish rose absolutes.' She's also made a habit of posing in front of displays suspiciously labia-shaped displays while promoting her Netflix original series The Goop Lab, which premiered in January to mostly lackluster reviews from critics who derided its lack of strong science. Going strong: The actress is married to producer Brad Falchuk, whom she married in 2018 after first meeting him during her appearances on Glee in 2010 (pictured in September) The actress is married to producer Brad Falchuk, whom she married in 2018 after first meeting him during her appearances on Glee in 2010. She was previously married to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin from 20032016, before they chose to consciously uncouple. The former pair share a daughter, Apple, 16, and a 14-year-old son, Moses. Prolific US actor John Saxon, best known for Nightmare on Elm Street and Enter the Dragon, has died, aged 83. He died of pneumonia in Tennessee, according to reports. Saxons career spanned 60 years in film and television including as a police chief in the 1974 cult slasher film Black Christmas and later as police officer Donald Thompson in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. He also acted opposite Clint Eastwood in the western Joe Kidd, and opposite Marlon Brando in The Appaloosa, for which he won a Golden Globe nomination. His role in Enter the Dragon saw him fight alongside Bruce Lee in Lees last film before his death in 1973. Other films included The Last Samurai, From Dusk Till Dawn, Beverly Hills Cop III and Nightmare Beach. Saxon also had a prolific television career, appearing in Dynasty, Fantasy Island, The A-Team, CSI, California, Melrose Place, Murder She Wrote, In the Heat of the Night, Matlock, Falcon Crest, Hotel, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Magnum PI, Hardcastle and McCormick, Vega$, The Rockford Files, Petrocelli, Hawaii Five-O, Quincy ME, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Time Tunnel, Dr. Kildare, Police Story, The Rookies, Kung Fu, The Virginian, Starsky and Hutch, Wonder Woman, The Bionic Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man. Source: Vulture. FBI Says It Is Investigating Violent Crime, Not Ideology in Portland Protests The FBI issued a statement clarifying its role in the Portland, Oregon, protests, saying that it was there to investigate specific violations of federal law and that it will target violent acts and property destruction, not ideology. Portland, like many other U.S. cities, has seen nightly protests that began at the end of May in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in Minneapolis police custody. Many of those protests escalated into violence and rioting, with protesters sometimes hurling projectiles and fireworks toward a federal courthouse. The Trump administration has responded to the violence by surging federal law enforcement resources to the city to combat the violence and protect federal buildings and monuments. Renn Cannon, special agent in charge of Portlands FBI field office, clarified the bureaus role in the conflict on Friday, saying that it was assigned to investigate specific violations of federal law, such as arson, the use of improvised explosive devices, and interstate transportation of stolen goods. The FBIs role is to investigate violent crime and hold those accountable who are engaging in violent acts or significant destruction of property, Cannon said. Cannon added that their focus was not on membership in particular groups but on individuals who commit violence and criminal activity that constitutes a federal crime or poses a threat to national security. The FBI does not and will not police ideology, the agent said. The statement comes after President Donald Trump and his administration received backlash over allegations that the federal agents were engaged in unconstitutional tactics to arrest protesters. Many local and state officials, as well as congressional lawmakers, claim the deployment of the federal forces has escalated the unrest in Oregons largest city, saying that the decision was tantamount to federal overreach or a dictatorship. Protesters alleged that federal agents wearing camouflage and tactical gear without identifying insignia are detaining individuals and placing them into unmarked vehicles without stating the basis for an arrest, according to various accounts made to media outlets. The accuracy of these reports has been disputed by acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf, who says the federal officers wear multi-camouflage that have insignia that read Police and that the operations only target and arrest individuals who have been identified as committing criminal acts. Wolf on Saturday said that six DHS law enforcement officers were injured in the rioting in Portland. Its time Portland join other responsible cities around the country to hold criminals accountable and protect federal property and officers, he said. Israel said a military drone crashed in southern Lebanon on Sunday as regional tensions ran high, days after a series of cross-border exchanges between Israel and Syria and the killing of a Hezbollah militant in an Israeli airstrike near the Syrian capital. The Israeli military issued the statement shortly after Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with army brass near the countrys northern frontier. The military said the drone went down over Lebanese territory during operational activities along the border. Lebanons state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes and drones flew over southern Lebanon throughout Sunday. Israel has beefed up its troop presence along the borders with Lebanon and Syria since Friday's strikes on Syrian army positions. Israel says those strikes were in response to unspecified munitions fired on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The exchanges came after Monday's air raid on Damascus believed to have been carried out by Israel that killed five foreign fighters, including a member of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Gantz said in a statement that Israel has no interests in Syria or Lebanon, aside from security interests, and we will continue to protect them. We are not seeking unnecessary escalation, but if we are tested we have high operative capacity, which I hope we will not need to put to use, Gantz said. Israel and Hezbollah fought to a draw in a month-long war in Lebanon in 2006. Hezbollah has previously vowed to respond to the killing of its forces in Syria. Earlier Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was acting according to our consistent policy of not allowing Iran to entrench itself militarily on our northern border." He said Lebanon and Syria bear responsibility for any attack against Israel emanating from their territories. Israel has long considered Iran a regional nemesis because of its nuclear program which Iran insists is for peaceful purposes only as well as Iran's military presence in Syria supporting President Bashar Assad, and its backing of armed groups like Hezbollah. Israel has carried out scores of airstrikes in Syria in recent years targeting Iranian forces there, and has targeted what Israel says are weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Israeli military rarely comments on these strikes. Deputy Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem told the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV station that the group received a message through the United Nations representative in Lebanon after last weeks airstrike near the Syrian capital in which the Hezbollah operative was killed. We did not give an answer and we will not reveal the content of the message, Kassim said, without directly stating the message was from Israel. He declined to comment on whether Hezbollah is planning to carry out an attack in retaliation for the death of its operative in Syria last week. Kassim said he does not expect war with Israel in the coming months, but added that if Israel starts a war, Hezbollah is ready to fight back. (Image Credit PTI) (Representative Image) Sixty-eight prisoners broke out on Friday during routine physical exercise at the facility north of Cape Town. All 68 prisoners that escaped from a jail near Cape Town have been recaptured following a large-scale manhunt, a spokesman for the South African justice ministry has said. The prisoners, who were awaiting trial, escaped around noon from the facility, situated along the west coast some 66km (41 miles) from Cape Town, officials said. The escapees opened other cells before fleeing across the main entrance and roof. At the time, there were 451 inmates in the prison and 20 officials on duty. The escapees overpowered officials, took the keys and locked three officials in a cell and opened other cells before escaping through the main entrance and over the roof, said the department in a statement on Sunday. A video circulated on social media by well-known anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee showed a number of men running from the prison grounds. Prisoners escape Malmesbury. Some even hijacked a vehicle. pic.twitter.com/HqugqzLu5M Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) July 24, 2020 South African police had earlier said that 69 prisoners had escaped. Authorities later realised that one of them had in fact remained on the premises. Witness Justus Schoonraad, a high school principal, was quoted by local media on Friday as saying some prisoners made their way onto the school premises. I was sitting at my desk and then I heard a few shots from the vicinity of the prison and that is about 400m from the school, he said. I saw a lot of guys running around, and these guys were running all over the place. During the incident, nine officials sustained minor injuries and bruises. South Africas prisons are notorious for their entrenched gang culture, where overstretched staff are often targeted in overcrowded prisons and rehabilitation is difficult. 2 cops deputed for CM Bommai's security held for trying to 'extort' money from drug peddlers Karnataka court issues summon against CM Yediyurappa for violation of poll code India pti-PTI Bengaluru, July 26: A court in Karnataka's Belagavi district has issued summons to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa in connection with a case of alleged violation of model code of conduct during the by-elections held last year. The court also ordered registration of a criminal case and directed the Bengaluru police commissioner to issue summons against the Chief Minister 'returnable by September 1, 2020.' On November 23, during an election rally at Valmiki stadium in Gokak, Yediyurappa had while campaigning for the BJP candidate allegedly appealed to the Veerashaiva Lingayat community not to split votes. No mass prayers in Eidgah for Bakrid; Up to 50 allowed at a time in mosques: Karnataka govt PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News Subsequently, a case was registered. Though the police had filed a closure report, the Principal Judicial Magistrate First Class in Gokak, Veeresh Kumar C K rejected it. "In the present case, this court is very well convinced that there are sufficient materials in the 'B' final report to proceed against the accused and subject the accused for trial for the offence punishable under section 123(3) of Representation of People's Act and 171(F) of the IPC," it noted. The court took cognisance of the offence "against the accused by name B S Yediyurappa", the judge said rejecting the 'B' Report pertaining to the closure of the case. All the information Ive seen so far describes in-person, indoor worship services as a higher risk activity, he said. We would still not be able to sing, we still would not be able to shake hands, give hugs, or share fellowship after worship over coffee and treats. Wed have to block off every other pew and sit 6 feet apart from anyone outside of our household. We couldnt have Sunday school or gather the children up front. Our average worship participation is more than twice the limit of 50, so we would have to turn people away, and none of us wants to be the person to lock the door. An undercover investigation by the West Alabama Human Trafficking Task Force led to the rescue of several woman, authorities announced on Saturday night. Two Georgia man are in custody. Details about the women and their rescue havent yet been released, but they have been taken to a safe location and are receiving victims services. The task force is made up of Tuscaloosa, Northport and University of Alabama police, as well as the Tuscaloosa County Sheriffs Office. The operation was carried out Friday night at a hotel in the 3600 block of McFarland Boulevard East. Isaiah Rashaud Williams and Demetrius Lamonallen Wright, both 25 and from Cairo, Georgia, were charged with felony promoting prostitution. Williams was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and Wright was charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance. Williams bond was set at $30,000 and Wrights was set at $20,000. The I-20/59 Corridor continues to be a travel route for those engaged in this lucrative and heinous criminal enterprise, said Tuscaloosa police Lt. Darren Beams, task force commander. The ongoing investigation could result in federal charges. This task force,' he said, is committed to eradicating this criminal enterprise from Tuscaloosa County. Twelve suspected Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in Tripura and remanded to judicial custody on Saturday after BSF's two-week-long efforts to convince Bangladesh Border Guards (BGB) that they are illegal migrants from the neighbouring country yielded no result. The 12 suspected Bangladeshi nationals, including five children remained stranded on the zero line of India-Bangladesh border in Sipahijala district since July 11 as BGB did not accept BSF's claim that they are citizens of the neighbouring country. "We had handed over all details to BGB during a commander level flag meeting on July 21 including their home addresses in Commila district in Bangladesh. But the BGB refused to accept them saying they could not locate their home addresses there. So we handed over all 12 to police at Madhupur police station on Saturday for necessary action. They were produced in a court and were remanded to judicial custody," a BSF official posted in Tripura told DH on Sunday. The group, including five women and five children aged between two to 14 years, were caught by BSF personnel near the border at Miapara village in Sepahijala district, about 25kms from the state capital Agartala on July 11. The BSF personnel claimed that they had illegally crossed the border but the BGB personnel did not allow them to cross the border without documentary proof of their citizenship. BSF, however, provided them food and shelter in an abandoned house near the border. Police sources said they have been booked under sections of Indian Passport Act and Foreigners Act. They are now lodged in Bishalgarh central jail in Sipahijala, said the source. Tripura shares 856km border with Bangladesh of which nearly 67kms have remained unfenced. There is no no men's land in Tripura unlike other borders and zero line is considered as the border. Indian fencing has been erected 150 yards from the zero line. Similar "illegal migration" has caused tussles between BSF and BGB in the past too. An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibaba's UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a clash between the two countries' forces on their border. Following the ban, which China has criticized, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content or acted for any foreign government. In court filings dated July 20 and previously not reported, the former employee of Alibaba's UC Web, Pushpandra Singh Parmar, alleges the company used to censor content seen as unfavourable to China and its apps UC Browser and UC News showcased false news "to cause social and political turmoil". Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand of a district court in Gurugram, a satellite city of India's capital, New Delhi, has issued summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen individuals or company units, asking them to appear in court or through a lawyer on July 29, court documents showed. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons. UC India said in a statement it had been "unwavering in its commitment to the India market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation". Alibaba representatives did not respond to requests for comment from the Chinese company or on behalf of Jack Ma. Parmar, who worked as an associate director at the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017 and is seeking $268,000 in damages, referred Reuters queries to his lawyer, Atul Ahlawat, who declined to comment saying the matter was sub judice. The court case is the latest hurdle for Alibaba in India after the Indian government's app ban, following which UC Web has started laying off some staff in India. Before the apps were banned, the UC Browser had been downloaded at least 689 million times in India, while UC News had 79.8 million downloads, most during 2017 and 2018, data from analytics firm Sensor Tower showed. ALLEGATIONS IN COURT India has said it banned the 59 apps after it received "credible inputs" that such apps posed a threat to India's sovereignty. Its IT minister said the decision was taken to safeguard citizens' data and public order. In more than 200 pages of court filings, reviewed by Reuters, former employee Parmar included clippings of some posts showcased on the UC News app that he alleged were false. One post from 2017 was headlined in Hindi: "2,000-rupee notes to be banned from midnight today". Another headline of a 2018 post said: "Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan" and contained description of firing across the disputed border between the countries. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the claims in the court filing. India did not ban its 2,000-rupee currency note and no war occurred between India and Pakistan in 2018. The lawsuit also contains a "sensitive words list" with key words in Hindi and English like "India-China border" and "Sino-India war" that the court filing alleges were used by UC Web to censor content on its platforms in India. "In order to control any news related content to be published against China was automatically/manually rejected by an audit system evolved for this purpose," the filing said. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and China's foreign ministry in Beijing, as well as India's IT ministry in New Delhi, did not respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Gabriel Crossley in Beijing; Editing by Robert Birsel) ArcelorMittal ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd (AMNSIL) has filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court against the Government of Gujarat and Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd seeking transfer of Hazira port licence in its name. Within days of acquiring Essar Steel under an insolvency process, AMNSIL had made an application to the Gujarat Maritime Board requesting that the licence be transferred to them. While the government is yet to decide on the matter, the firm has approached the court stating that the Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd (EBTL) holds captive licence as a nominee or trustee, according to the petition filed under Article 226. ArcelorMittal did not respond to email and phone calls made for comments. Essar Steel owns a 10 million tonnes per annum steel plant at Hazira in Gujarat, which is serviced by a captive jetty constructed at port. "The petitioner is seeking the reversion of the captive jetty licenses," AMNSIL said in its petition, claiming it was a captive user of the jetty and intended beneficiary under all the licences and expansions. "EBTL is not an independent licensee... but merely a 'nominee' and 'trustee', holding the two licences on behalf of and in trust for petitioner's exclusive use and benefit," it said adding Essar Steel has ceased to be same group companies and therefore EBTL no longer stands eligible and does not possess any right as a license holder of the captive jetty. Essar Bulk Terminal Limited has denied this stating that it is an independent company and there exists no nominee or trustee relationship between the companies. In the Supreme Court approved resolution plan submitted by ArcelorMittal for Essar Steel under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, ArcelorMittal had asked for directions to be given to the Gujarat Maritime Board and Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd asking them to continue the port services at Hazira on the same terms and conditions. What has changed since then is not clear. When contacted, an Essar Ports executive said, "It is regrettable that ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel would pursue such a frivolous and legally untenable claim. ArcelorMittal has been doing this habitually but what is surprising to us is that Nippon Steel is also supporting such an approach. Their claim is in violation of the signed agreements between the parties and is also in violation of the Supreme Court approved resolution plan submitted by them. Their sole objective appears to be to profiteer unlawfully. We are confident that the judicial authorities will see through their malafides and deal with the petition accordingly." ArcelorMittal had earlier also opposed Essar Bulk Terminal Limited's decision to opt in under the new port policy of the Government of Gujarat. As per sources, the Gujarat Government has currently put the implementation of the new port policy in abeyance due to ArcelorMittal representations. Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd has also complained to the Government of Gujarat that ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel are defaulting on payments of over Rs 450 crore which are owed to the port. When asked, an Essar Ports executive confirmed that the Hazira port was not part of insolvency proceedings which was only for the steel plant. Investment of the steel company in the port was only Rs 1.3 crore of the total investment of Rs 3,200 crore, the executive said. According to the executive, 10 ports in Gujarat have opted in to the new port policy and not implementing the policy will cause the Gujarat government to lose potential revenue of more than Rs 2,000 crore from Essar Bulk Terminal Limited by way of additional wharfage and premium payments. The isolation can be terrifying and tragic. The stress can exacerbate mental illness and other health problems. Add the loss of mobility and independence, the disruption of routines: the beloved caregiver who doesn't come, the day program that doesn't open, the concern that lack of support will give families no choice but to institutionalize. In the hospital, people who can't speak are left with no one to communicate for them, vulnerable to the fear medical care will be rationed, given to someone deemed more worthy or valuable than themselves. Though everyone has been suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic, people with disabilities have perhaps been the most disadvantaged, their lives the most disrupted. German Parodi hasn't left the Philadelphia home he shares with his 76-year-old grandmother since March. Parodi, who uses a wheelchair, worries his loss of fitness opportunities will affect his cognitive abilities, so he's made sure to stay extra busy. He's on video chats and phone calls seven days a week, he said, working for a nonprofit group he co-runs to help others with disabilities. The situation would be far worse, he and other advocates said, without a law that turned 30 Sunday. The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush, guarantees equal protection for people with a wide range of disabilities, from mental health issues to physical challenges. It was modeled after the 1964 Civil Rights Act, providing equal access to government services, schools, buildings, private employers and commercial facilities. President George H. W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act during a ceremony July 26, 1990, on the South Lawn of the White House. Joining the president are, from left, Evan Kemp, chairman of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission; the Rev. Harold Wilke; Sandra Parrino, chairman of the National Council on Disability; and Justin Dart, chairman of The President's Council on Disabilities. "We are in a much better place in 2020 than we were in 1990. Dramatically better," said Michael Ashley Stein, co-founder and executive director of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability and a visiting professor at Harvard Law School. Although the ADA has made a profound difference, it hasn't removed all prejudice against people with disabilities any more than the Civil Rights Act resolved all bias against Black people. Story continues Other than rare instances of overt animus, most of the discrimination we see towards people with disabilities in this country tends to be from what we call malign neglect, Stein said. "It's not that we're trying to exclude them from opportunity, it's that we didn't even bother to consider them eligible or worthy of opportunities." The ADA, like other civil rights laws, Stein said, "puts the burden on the oppressed to make changes," requiring an endless fight to protect those rights. Some of those fights have garnered headlines during the COVID-19 outbreak, such as when treatment was stopped for a Texan named Michael Hickson, who was paralyzed for three years before catching the virus. Others have happened more quietly Parodi is helping one of his clients stay out of a nursing home. More than 1 in 4 adult Americans have some kind of disability that limits their daily functioning. Whatever helps them will probably help many more people, said Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami, an assistant professor of family medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan. Curb cuts at street corners, for instance, allow wheelchair users easier access to sidewalks and also help parents with strollers and those using dollies to make deliveries. There's a lot the "abled" community can learn from the disabled community during the pandemic, said Okanlami, who was an all-American varsity track athlete at Stanford University and an orthopedic resident at Yale before a diving accident seven years ago. People with disabilities are used to the uncertainty of medical challenges. They're used to having to ensure they'll be safe if they try a new restaurant or a new hotel. "We've had to do that," he said. The pandemic might help give people with disabilities a more even playing field, he said. A disability may be less evident via Zoom; many more people order food and get groceries delivered. Like anyone else, Okanlami said, people with disabilities can contribute to society if given the right tools. "We can do so much more to support people with disabilities than we are doing," he said. Calling on legal protections The ADA has been invoked repeatedly during the pandemic to protect people with disabilities. Early on, Alabama created a rationing system for ventilators used to treat people severely ill with COVID-19. Those with intellectual disabilities weren't eligible to be put on a ventilator, according to the state's rules. The federal Office of Civil Rights declared that a violation of the ADA, and the state revised its prioritization list. This is another example of a very powerful way that the ADA is an important tool to stop some of the most insidious discrimination literally discrimination that will have an impact on will you live or will you die, said Alison Barkoff, director of advocacy for the Center for Public Representation, a public-interest law firm that focuses on the disabled community. Barkoff said she's been working to change the no-visitors policy that many hospitals instituted in the early days of the U.S. outbreak. People who do not communicate through speaking, she said, need a caregiver in the hospital who can make sure they understand medical procedures and choices and help them make care decisions. Barkoff's organization filed complaints against hospital visitor policies, citing the ADA. Connecticut agreed that to provide equal access to treatment, hospitals in the state must allow in-person support for people with communication challenges. Barkoff said other states are following Connecticut's lead. "That's another place where we've been using the ADA to make sure people get what they need during the COVID crisis," she said. The ADA and subsequent legislation guarantee people with a disability a spot in a nursing home if they need substantial care. It doesn't guarantee aides for people who would rather live on their own or with family or friends with some support. Lack of funding for community services paying for aides and proper masks and gloves, for instance might deprive people of their rights under the ADA, Barkoff said. "If people are losing services, if states are not thinking about 'how do we make sure we're keeping people in their own communities,' and people are being forced into institutional settings, that's absolutely a violation of the Olmstead Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act," Barkoff said, referring to a follow-up law in 1999 that prohibited segregating people with disabilities from the community. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently reminded states of their obligation under the two laws, she said. Parodi, the Philadelphia advocate, said he counsels a California woman who moved out of a nursing home at the beginning of the pandemic, fearful of infection and the home's lack of protective gear. She hired workers and was living on her own but is losing access to them and may have to return to the nursing home. She fears that's akin to a death sentence, said Shaylin Sluzalis, co-executive director with Parodi of the nonprofit Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, which counsels people with disabilities coping with disasters or emergencies. More than 40% of the COVID-19-related deaths nationwide have occurred in nursing homes; Parodi said that in his home state of Pennsylvania, the figure is 77%. "We need the right community services to be able to fully enjoy the rights of the ADA," he said. Disability rights groups lobby Congress to include funding for community services in the next pandemic bill, which is slated to be made public Monday. Julia Bascom, executive director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, hopes the public mood is shifting in favor of community support. "Institutions have always been a form of discrimination and have always been dangerous, but the pandemic has really brought this to the forefront of the general public's mind in a way we haven't seen for a long time," she said. Law is to ensure access, education The ADA guarantees people equal access to public spaces such as school buildings, restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, health facilities and stores. Building design has changed over the decades since the passage of the act to incorporate ramps, wider doorways and elevators. Still, there are buildings where the only way in is up the stairs. "That is the height of feeling like you're not wanted, you're not seen, you're not valued," said Okanlami, who serves as a spokesperson for the Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America in its Equal & Able partnership. "There are so many places where individuals with disabilities are disadvantaged." Okanlami said that after his accident, when he started using a wheelchair, he felt unwanted and unseen. "I don't think that people are always intentionally putting up these barriers," he said. "Oftentimes, people just don't know that those barriers are there." Such environmental limitations have become even more problematic during the pandemic, he and others said, when people need safe access to buildings and opportunities to exercise. One of the transformative facets of the ADA was its requirement that children with disabilities be given an equal education. The pandemic has stretched every school in the country, and children miss out on academic progress and the social aspect of education. For children with disabilities, the problem is even more acute. Some depend on the consistency and schedule of the school day. Others need constant in-person attention to make progress. Aiden and Noa Fried, 5-year-old twins with the neurological disorder dyspraxia, will be a year behind when they start kindergarten. Twins Aiden and Noa Fried of Deerfield, Illinois, will have missed six months of the therapies they need and be more than a year behind their peers by the time they start kindergarten this fall. They have the neurological disorder dyspraxia, which affects motor skills, memory, processing and other cognitive skills. Their preschool social worker helped them play-act and memorize social situations, said their father, Warren Fried, who also has dyspraxia. That all stopped when schools shut down in March. Aiden can no longer name the foods in the refrigerator or describe whether he is hungry as opposed to thirsty. He will have to learn them all again, when he goes back to school, said Fried, founder of the Dyspraxia Foundation USA. There, each will have three therapists and one classmate buddy as part of individualized education plans. Thats if the classrooms open and those specialists are willing to show up. My kids cant work on Zoom, Fried said. Someone has to physically guide their movements. To praise and reward is great, but experiences and memorization to be a full-fledged member of society is vital. People with the disorder, including Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, often have depression and anxiety. The twins anxiety levels are going through the roof, Fried said. They both think they did something wrong to cause the social isolation, and this is the way life will always be. One day, COVID is going to be over, and everyone is going to be struggling to catch up, Fried said. Those in my community will have those struggles, but the lack of therapeutic supports (during the shutdowns) means we have to catch up even further. Stressing services COVID-19 put a tremendous strain on programs for people with disabilities. Day programs, shuttered in New York City in March, reopened last week, but only for people living at home, not for those in group homes. Shutting down completely wasn't an option for YAI, an organization that provides support for 20,000 people with intellectual or development disabilities in and around the city, including day programs and group homes. It was very difficult at first, said Tiffany Goldson, YAI regional support supervisor for the Bronx. "There were so many things being thrown at us and not enough support," she said. Goldson cited the lack of personal protective gear, the closure of employment and day programs, the end of family visits and big birthday celebrations, rescheduling mealtimes to allow for social distancing, citywide curfews and the need to teach residents to stand far apart, wear a mask and wash their hands for 20 seconds even if their sensory issues made that uncomfortable. Some residents and staff got sick; 20 YAI residents and two employees died. Gary Milchman, regional director of programs and services for YAI Manhattan, said it's tough to fill those 20 open slots in his residences. This poses an emotional challenge while residents and staff members grieve for their lost friends as well as a financial one: The government pays by the person, so an empty bed means less funding, although the other residents still need the same services. YAI is big enough and financially stable enough to weather such financial challenges, he said, but other social services agencies that cater to people with disabilities might not be. For YAI, the main goal remains "making sure every one of our individuals is treated as an individual ... so they can live the most independent, enjoyable, productive life possible," Milchman said. "To me, that's living up to the true spirit of the ADA." Contact Weintraub at kweintraub@usatoday.com Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As ADA turns 30, COVID-19 hits those with disabilities especially hard "If you believe the Confederate flag is and always was the symbol of slavery, show me," King wrote in a July 11 tweet. "Google 'slavery' & click 'images." I see Old Glory at the bottom of last page but not a glimpse of stars and bars.'" He linked to a page that showed up in his search, which showed dozens of black and white photos of black slaves from the 1800s. In another tweet that same day, King wrote, "If you don't believe the Confederate flag is & has long been a symbol of Southern Pride, Google 'Southern Pride.' Once you get past the BBQ grills, almost all the rest are stars & bars. Makes me want to put some ribs on my grill." On Thursday, the Democratic-controlled House voted to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol. It's not clear if the Senate will take up the measure. Some removals have taken place nationwide. On July 1, the mayor of Richmond, Virginia, the onetime capital of the Confederacy, ordered the immediate removal of all Confederate statues on city property. For King, such steps are misguided, as he has tweeted since mid-June that Black Lives Matter, with the shorthand of BLM, is off the mark with actions. FILE PHOTO: Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, speaks during the launch of Alibaba's office in Kuala Lumpur By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibaba's UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a border clash between the two countries' forces. Following the ban, which China has criticized, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content or acted for any foreign government. In court filings dated July 20 but not previously reported, the former employee of Alibaba's UC Web, Pushpandra Singh Parmar, alleges the company had censored content seen as unfavourable to China, and its apps UC Browser and UC News showcased false news "to cause social and political turmoil". Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand of a district court in Gurugram, a satellite city of India's capital New Delhi, has issued a summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen individuals or company units, asking them to appear in court in person or through a lawyer on July 29, court documents showed. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons. UC India said in a statement it had been "unwavering in its commitment to the India market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation". Alibaba representatives did not respond to requests for comment from the Chinese company or on behalf of Jack Ma. Parmar, who worked as an associate director at the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017 and is seeking $268,000 in damages, referred Reuters queries to his lawyer, Atul Ahlawat, who declined to comment saying the matter was sub judice. Story continues The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement the Chinese government has always requested Chinese companies to "carry out overseas cooperation on the basis of abiding by international rules and local laws. "The Indian side should also provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese companies' normal operations in India," the statement said. India's IT ministry in New Delhi did not respond to requests for comment. ALLEGATIONS IN COURT The court case is the latest hurdle for Alibaba in India after the Indian government's app ban, following which UC Web has started laying off some staff in India. Before the apps were banned, the UC Browser had been downloaded at least 689 million times in India, while UC News had 79.8 million downloads, most during 2017 and 2018, data from analytics firm Sensor Tower showed. India has said it banned the 59 apps after it received "credible inputs" that such apps posed a threat to India's sovereignty. Its IT minister said the decision was taken to safeguard citizens' data and public order. In more than 200 pages of court filings, reviewed by Reuters, former employee Parmar included clippings of some posts showcased on the UC News app that he alleged were false. One post from 2017 was headlined in Hindi: "2,000-rupee notes to be banned from midnight today". Another headline on a 2018 post said: "Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan", and contained a description of firing across the disputed border between the countries. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the claims in the filing. India did not ban its 2,000-rupee currency note and no war occurred between India and Pakistan in 2018. The lawsuit also contains a "sensitive words list" with key words in Hindi and English such as "India-China border" and "Sino-India war", that the court filing alleges were used by UC Web to censor content on its platforms in India. "In order to (exert) control, any news-related content to be published against China was automatically/manually rejected by an audit system evolved for this purpose," the filing said. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Additional reporting by Gabriel Crossley in Beijing; Editing by Robert Birsel and David Holmes) Hong Kong: Election nominations handled lawfully In accordance with the Legislative Council Ordinance and the Electoral Affairs Commission (Electoral Procedure) (Legislative Council) Regulation, the validity of a LegCo election candidates nomination is solely determined by the Returning Officer according to the legal requirements and relevant procedures. The Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau made the statement today in response to media enquiries regarding the handling of nominations for the LegCo poll by the Returning Officers. The bureau pointed out that people who intend to run for the election have already signed the nomination form and expressed consent to the Returning Officers to verify their eligibility to be nominated as a candidate and elected as a Legislative Council member. Depending on the circumstances of each case, the Returning Officer may seek advice from the Department of Justice and other relevant bodies including the bureau. The Returning Officer may, according to the above-mentioned regulation, request the candidate to provide additional information considered appropriate to satisfy the officer that the person concerned is eligible to be nominated or that nomination is valid. The bureau emphasised that the Returning Officers will make decisions on the validity of candidates' nominations in accordance with the relevant laws and information. It added that as a policy bureau in charge of election matters and the Basic Law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, it has the responsibility to fully support the Returning Officers to execute their duties within the legal framework. In accordance with section 40(1)(b)(i) of the Legislative Council Ordinance, a person intending to run in the LegCo election must, according to the statutory nomination procedure, include in the nomination form a signed declaration to the effect that the person will uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the Hong Kong SAR. Otherwise the person is not validly nominated as a candidate for the election. This story has been published on: 2020-07-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Kate Garraway has been pictured arriving home after she was left shaken when a tyre on her car blew out on the motorway while driving with her two children. The Good Morning Britain host, 53, was pictured heading into her north London house on Sunday in the rain carrying a large canvas bag and a takeaway coffee cup. A windswept Kate appeared glad to be home following the 'utterly terrifying' incident which was the first family trip without her husband Derek Draper, 52. Home at last: Kate Garraway, 53, was pictured heading into her north London house on Sunday in the rain carrying her belongings and a takeaway coffee cup Clad in a pretty butterfly print maxi skirt and a long sleeved white top, the mother-of-two traipsed back and fourth to ensure nothing was left in the taxi. Despite the arduous circumstances, the TV host managed to smile as she looked back over her shoulder to thank the driver. The presenter took to Instagram to update her followers about the terrifying ordeal during the taxi ride back to her house. Windswept: Clad in a pretty butterfly print maxi skirt and a long sleeved white top, the mother-of-two traipsed back and fourth to ensure nothing was left in the taxi Rainy Sunday: Kate arrived back at her North London home and appeared drenched as she stepped out of the taxi Kate thanked police for coming to the rescue after unveiling the alarming damage to the wheel of her Volvo which had been left in tatters. Sharing a photograph of herself standing with the police officers who'd rescued her - as well as her two children Darcey, 14, and Billy, 11 - Kate explained to her Instagram followers what had occurred. Kate wrote: 'Thanks to our amazing saviours Liz & Mark from @kentpoliceuk who rescued me after a full tyre blow out on the motorway!!! Never had one before - utterly terrifying. Smiles: Despite the arduous circumstances, the TV host managed to smile as she looked back over her shoulder to thank the driver Home sweet home: Kate lifted her skirt to miss the puddles and carried a large beige canvas bag Time to fix the damage: Kate's Volvo was eventually seen to by the AA who replaced the wheel 'Managed to keep control of car but couldn't get off motorway as no hard shoulder & when the AA said they couldn't come for an hour, then rang after half an hour to say might still be an hour had no choice but to call the police. 'They were so brilliant and got us to safety and we are now on way home in taxi, shaken but safe, tow truck on way to car. 'It's first time have taken kids out without Derek too, but we are safe and will update you fully on @gmb with @benshephardofficial tomorrow from 6 a.m.' MailOnline has contacted Kate Garraway's representatives for comment. Terrifying! Kate was left shaken after a tyre on her car blew out on the motorway, during her first family trip without husband Derek Draper, 52 Grateful: The GMB host took to Instagram on Sunday to thank police for coming to the rescue and branded the experience 'utterly terrifying' Tough times: Last week, Kate revealed nurses told her that her husband Derek looked 'focused and engaged' when they put GMB on for him as he recovers from COVID-19 in hospital The horrifying incident comes after Kate revealed nurses told her that her stricken husband Derek Draper looked 'focused and engaged' when they put Good Morning Britain on for him. Speaking on the breakfast show on Tuesday morning, the presenter gave the promising update about the former Blair lobbyist who was admitted to hospital in March after being diagnosed with coronavirus, and remains seriously ill. The TV host recently returned to GMB after taking time off while her husband was in intensive care and had told viewers that nurses had put the show on for him to try to stimulate a response. Speaking during the programme, Kate said: 'He is stable and actually yesterday I spoke to the nurses and they said they had put Good Morning Britain on. 'And they felt he looked, because his eyes are open, he looked focused... He looked focused and engaged on it.' While health experts and scientists reiterate the elderly populations vulnerability to Covid-19, incidents of strong-willed centenarian in India beating the deadly contagion has amazed the nation. A 100-year-old woman resident of Huvina Hadagali town in Bellary district, Karnataka is one such person who recently recovered from Covid-19 after testing positive for the virus earlier this month. The elderly lady described the infection nothing more than common cold. Speaking to news agency ANI, Hallamma said, doctors treated me well. Along with regular food, I was eating an apple a day. The doctors are giving me tablets and injection, and I am healthy now. Covid-19 is like a common cold. Earlier this month, 100-year-old Arjun Govind Naringrekar beat the contagious disease and was discharged from a hospital in Mumbai. Just hours before Naringrekar was to get discharged from the hospital, the staff surprised him by celebrating his birthday as he turned 100. Also read: Dont hide, get tested - Shivraj Singh Chouhans appeal after contracting Covid-19 Every time the Kandivali resident was asked about his health by the doctors, the jolly old man would respond saying all is good in Marathi. Naringrekar was admitted after he reported low-grade fever and suffered breathlessness along with urinary problems. He developed lung infection but responded well to the treatment and was shortly discharged. 106-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed from central Delhi contracted Covid-19 from his son but successfully beat the disease. Ahmed was getting treated at Delhis Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital and was discharged in May after getting admitted in mid-April. Ahmed, Naringrekar and Hallamma are some of the countrys exceptions where age defied the threat of Covid-19 infection. Scientists and experts are still trying to learn more about the coronavirus disease and the virus that poses such a severe threat to human health. Multiple studies have linked a patients immune response to the severity of Covid-19 symptoms. A study published earlier this year explored how the immune system responds to the virus. Researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity studied blood samples tested at four different time points from Covid-19 patients. We showed that even though Covid-19 is caused by a new virus, in an otherwise healthy person, a robust immune response across different cell types was associated with clinical recovery, similar to what we see in influenza, Professor Katherine Kedzierska said. Another study published in the scientific journal Nature stated that patients immune response, rather than the virus itself, to be largely responsible for death in Covid-19 patients. Numerous studies have suggested that the immune system contributes to the organ damage seen in some severe cases of Covid-19, the paper read. The study was conducted by experts at the University of Edinburgh, UK. Advertisement The body of the late House Rep. John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, for the final time Sunday as remembrances continue for the civil rights icon. A crowd began gathering near the bridge that became a landmark in the fight for racial justice when Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten there 55 years ago on 'Bloody Sunday,' a key event in the fight for voting rights for African Americans. A horse-drawn hearse retraced the route through Selma from Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the 1965 march began. The casket of Rep. John Lewis moves over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service for Lewis on Sunday in Selma, Alabama Lewis, who carried the struggle against racial discrimination from Southern battlegrounds of the 1960s to the halls of Congress, died on Friday, July 17 A crowd began gathering near the bridge that became a landmark in the fight for racial justice when Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten there 55 years ago on 'Bloody Sunday,' a key event in the fight for voting rights for African Americans As the wagon approached the bridge, members of the crowd shouted 'Thank you, John Lewis!' and 'Good trouble,' the phrase Lewis used to describe his tangles with white authorities during the civil rights movement. Some crowd members sang the gospel song 'Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus.' Later, some onlookers sang the civil rights anthem 'We Shall Overcome' and other gospel tunes. The hearse paused atop the bridge over the Alabama River as the cicadas sang in the summer heat. On the south side of the bridge, where Lewis was beaten by Alabama state troopers in 1965, family members placed roses that the carriage rolled over, marking the spot where Lewis spilled his blood and suffered a head injury. As a military honor guard lifted Lewis' casket from the horse-drawn wagon into an automobile hearse, state troopers saluted Lewis. Lewis body was then taken to the Alabama Capitol in the afternoon to lie in repose, retracing the route marchers took in the days after Bloody Sunday to demand justice from Alabama Governor George Wallace. Bertha Surles and Edna Goldsmith stood along the highway between Selma and Montgomery to pay their final respects. Both carried signs, reading 'Thank you.' Civil rights icon John Lewis died on July 17 at the age of 80 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer 'Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America,' Lewis said at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 1, 2020 John Lewis is pictured (left) with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (center) in this undated file photo taken in Nashville John Lewis looks over a section of 16th Street that's been renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington on June 7. The Washington Monument and the White House are visible behind 'He fought for rights up unto his death,' said Surles, 70. She was in high school on Bloody Sunday and remembered watching the news footage of Lewis being beaten with horror. 'They didnt give up and something good came from it. Still need some improvement, but something good came from it.' 'John was willing to sacrifice life so we can have the freedom to vote,' said Edna Goldsmith, who was wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt. 'We want to see him off with a bang.' A series of events began Saturday in Lewis hometown of Troy, Alabama, to pay tribute the late congressman and his legacy. John Lewis (in vest) joins Martin Luther King Jr and his wife, Coretta Scott King on the podium before the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March rally on the steps on the Alabama State Capitol Wilson Baker, left foreground, public safety director, warns of the dangers of night demonstrations at the start of a march in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Second from right foreground, is John Lewis of the Student Non-Violent Committee Seen at a march in Selma in 1965: an unidentified priest and man, John Lewis, an unidentified nun, Ralph Abernathy, Martin Luther King Jr, Ralph Bunche A state trooper swings a billy club at John Lewis, right foreground, then chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, to break up a civil rights voting march in Selma John Lewis, third from left, marches between President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in 2015 across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches in Selma, Alabama He will lie in state at the US Capitol next week before his private funeral Thursday at Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once led. A native of Pike County, Alabama, Lewis became involved in the civil rights movement as a young man. In 1965, he and other marchers were beaten in Selma. The news coverage of the event help galvanize support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Frank and Ellen Hill drove more that four hours from Monroe, Louisiana, to watch the procession. Frank Hill, 60, said he remembers, as an African American child, watching news footage of Lewis and other civil rights marchers being beaten by law enforcement officers. 'I had to come back and see John Lewis cross the bridge for the last time,' said Hill. Its funny to see the state troopers here to honor and respect him rather than beat the crap out of him,' Hill said. Lewis, 80, died July 17 several months after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Lewis was the youngest and last survivor of the Big Six civil rights activists, a group led by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that had the greatest impact on the movement. He was best known for leading some 600 protesters in the Bloody Sunday march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. At age 25 - walking at the head of the march with his hands tucked in the pockets of his tan overcoat - Lewis was knocked to the ground and beaten by police. His skull was fractured, and nationally televised images of the brutality forced the countrys attention on racial oppression in the South. Within days, King led more marches in the state, and President Lyndon Johnson soon was pressing Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act. As the wagon approached the bridge, members of the crowd shouted 'Thank you, John Lewis!' and 'Good trouble,' the phrase Lewis used to describe his tangles with white authorities during the civil rights movement Some crowd members sang the gospel song 'Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus.' Later, some onlookers sang the civil rights anthem 'We Shall Overcome' and other gospel tunes The casket of Rep. John Lewis moves over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service A man places flower petals on the Edmund Pettus Bridge ahead of Rep. John Lewis' casket crossing during a memorial service for Lewis on Sunday in Selma, Alabama Flower petals lie on the Edmund Pettus Bridge ahead of Rep. John Lewis' casket crossing during a memorial service The Edmund Pettus Bridge is seen as the horse-drawn carriage carrying the casket of Rep. John Lewis travels across it The casket of Rep. John Lewis moves over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service for Lewis The casket of Rep. John Lewis sits in a hearse during a memorial service for Lewis in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday Flowers are handed to mourners during a memorial service for Lewis in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday The events in Selma on Sunday kick off a six-day long period of national mourning for Lewis A U.S. Military honor guard moves the casket of Rep. John Lewis after the casket moved over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service for Lewis The casket of Rep. John Lewis was moved over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service for Lewis Soldiers from each branch of the US Armed Forces help in moving Lewis' casket in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday Mourners watch the casket of Rep. John Lewis move over the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage during a memorial service An Alabama State trooper salutes as the casket of Rep. John Lewis moves down the Edmund Pettus Bridge by horse drawn carriage in Selma The casket of Rep. John Lewis moves after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday The bill became law later that year, removing barriers that had barred blacks from voting. 'He loved this country so much that he risked his life and its blood so that it might live up to its promise,' President Barack Obama said after Lewis death. 'Early on, he embraced the principles of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience as the means to bring about real change in this country.' Lewis joined King and four other civil rights leaders in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. He spoke to the vast crowd just before King delivered his epochal 'I Have a Dream' speech. Bloody Sunday: The march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 Despite the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964, the legislation had done little in some parts of Alabama to ensure African Americans had the basic right to vote. At that time, black people accounted for just 2 per cent of registered voters despite them making up more the half of the population in Dallas County. Efforts to register black voters by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had been consistently thwarted. Peaceful protests resulted in the arrests of thousands of black people. Those arrests led to more deadly encounters with police, including the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, 26, who was killed on February 18, 1965, by white troopers. Jackson, who was protesting at the time, was trying to protect his mother from being struck by police when he was shot and killed. His death prompted civil rights leaders to take their cause directly to Alabama Gov George Wallace along a 54-mile stretch from Selma to Montgomery, the state's capital. On March 7, 1965, Rep John Lewis led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. Approximately 600 voting rights advocates had set out from the Brown Chapel AME Church. But Wallace had ordered state troopers to do whatever necessary to prevent the march. Marchers were brutally attacked by the troopers who knocked them to the ground, struck them with sticks and sprayed tear gas on them. Although forced back, the demonstration did not fight back. Advertisement A 23-year-old firebrand, Lewis toned down his intended remarks at the insistence of others, dropping a reference to a 'scorched earth' march through the South and scaling back criticisms of President John Kennedy. It was a potent speech nonetheless, in which he vowed: 'By the forces of our demands, our determination and our numbers, we shall splinter the segregated South into a thousand pieces and put them together in an image of God and democracy.' It was almost immediately, and forever, overshadowed by the words of King, the man who had inspired him to activism. Lewis was born on February 21, 1940, outside the town of Troy, in Pike County, Alabama. He grew up on his familys farm and attended segregated public schools. As a boy, he wanted to be a minister, and practiced his oratory on the family chickens. Denied a library card because of the color of his skin, he became an avid reader, and could cite obscure historical dates and details even in his later years. He was a teenager when he first heard King preaching on the radio. They met when Lewis was seeking support to become the first black student at Alabamas segregated Troy State University. He ultimately attended the American Baptist Theological Seminary and Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. He began organizing sit-in demonstrations at whites-only lunch counters and volunteering as a Freedom Rider, enduring beatings and arrests while traveling around the South to challenge segregation. Lewis helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was named its chairman in 1963, making him one of the Big Six at a tender age. The others, in addition to King, were Whitney Young of the National Urban League; A. Philip Randolph of the Negro American Labor Council; James L. Farmer Jr., of the Congress of Racial Equality; and Roy Wilkins of the NAACP. All six met at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York to plan and announce the March on Washington. The huge demonstration galvanized the movement, but success didnt come quickly. After extensive training in nonviolent protest, Lewis and the Rev. Hosea Williams led demonstrators on a planned march of more than 50 miles from Selma to Montgomery, Alabamas capital, on March 7, 1965. A phalanx of police blocked their exit from the Selma bridge. Authorities shoved, then swung their truncheons, fired tear gas and charged on horseback, sending many to the hospital and horrifying much of the nation. King returned with thousands, completing the march to Montgomery before the end of the month. Lewis turned to politics in 1981, when he was elected to the Atlanta City Council. He won his seat in Congress in 1986 and spent much of his career in the minority. After Democrats won control of the House in 2006, Lewis became his partys senior deputy whip, a behind-the-scenes leadership post in which he helped keep the party unified. In an early setback for Barack Obamas 2008 Democratic primary campaign, Lewis endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for the nomination. Lewis switched when it became clear Obama had overwhelming black support. Obama later honored Lewis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and they marched hand in hand in Selma on the 50th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday attack. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Lewis as a 'giant' who became 'the conscience of the nation.' Lewis also worked for 15 years to gain approval for the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture. Humble and unfailingly friendly, Lewis was revered on Capitol Hill - but as one of the most liberal members of Congress, he often lost policy battles, from his effort to stop the Iraq War to his defense of young immigrants. He met bipartisan success in Congress in 2006 when he led efforts to renew the Voting Rights Act, but the Supreme Court later invalidated much of the law, and it became once again what it was in his youth, a work in progress. People take a selfie near the Edmund Pettus Bridge, before the arrival of Lewis' casket near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on Sunday A man holds a poster near the Edmund Pettus Bridge, before the arrival of the casket of civil rights leader and Democratic Representative from Georgia John Lewis A woman holds a poster near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in honor of John Lewis in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday Mourners hold Black Lives Matter posters before the arrival of the casket of John Lewis in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday Flowers are placed at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge before the arrival of the casket of John Lewis on Sunday Later, when the presidency of Donald Trump challenged his civil rights legacy, Lewis made no effort to hide his pain. Lewis refused to attend Trumps inauguration, saying he didnt consider him a 'legitimate president' because Russians had conspired to get him elected. When Trump later complained about immigrants from 's---hole countries,' Lewis declared, 'I think he is a racist ... we have to try to stand up and speak up and not try to sweep it under the rug.' Lewis said hed been arrested 40 times in the 1960s, five more as a congressman. At 78, he told a rally hed do it again to help reunite immigrant families separated by the Trump administration. 'There cannot be any peace in America until these young children are returned to their parents and set all of our people free,' Lewis said in June, recalling the 'good trouble' he got into protesting segregation as a young man. 'If we fail to do it, history will not be kind to us,' he shouted. 'I will go to the border. Ill get arrested again.' In a speech the day of the House impeachment vote of Trump, Lewis explained the importance of that vote. 'When you see something that is not right, not just, not fair, you have a moral obligation to say something, to do something. Our children and their children will ask us "what did you do? what did you say?" 'While the vote would be hard for some, he said: We have a mission and a mandate to be on the right side of history. Lewis wife of four decades, Lillian Miles, died in 2012. They had one son, John Miles Lewis. Party workers demanded that the governor convene a session of the Assembly. In Jaipur, a demonstration was held at the Youth Congress office BJP delegation led by State Party President Satish Poonia and Leader of Opposition Gulab Chandra Kataria submit a memorandum with Governor Kalraj Mishra, at Raj Bhawan in Jaipur. PTI photo The Congress Party decided to make the Rajasthan crisis a fight to the finish and said on Saturday that it would hold protests in front of the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi and all Raj Bhawans across the country from Monday and launch an online campaign to protest against the BJPs conspiracy to topple its government in the state. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that the party might also approach President Ram Nath Kovind. We will sit on a dharna outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mr Gehlot said after a meeting of the state Cabinet, which had met to re-draft a proposal to governor Kalraj Mishra to call an emergency session of the state Assembly. Mr Gehlot also indicated that the MLAs in his camp, currently at Jaipurs Hotel Fairmont, might have to stay there for at least 21 days more. In Delhi, a senior Congress leader told this newspaper that MPs, MLAs and all other office bearers have been told to launch an online campaign against the BJP from Sunday. Congress workers staged demonstrations across Rajasthan, specially in Jaipur and other district headquarters, on Saturday after the Rajasthan governor refused to call an emergency Assembly session to let Mr Gehlot prove his majority on the floor of the House. Party workers demanded that the governor convene a session of the Assembly. In Jaipur, a demonstration was held at the Youth Congress office. The BJP is conspiring to topple our government and the public is watching this. Efforts are also being made by invisible powers sitting in Delhi to influence the governor. People want the elected government to complete its tenure, state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara said, giving a call for holding the agitation. The BJP on its part demanded the resignation of Mr Gehlot for protesting at the Raj Bhawan on Friday. BJP leader Gulab Chand Kataria said: We have demanded Presidents Rule in the state. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot should resign for the kind of language he used Friday. Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting discussed six points raised by governor Kalraj Mishra for calling an Assembly session, sources said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the governor has given a note to Mr Gehlot seeking clarifications. The governor informed that he will abide by the Constitution and will take a decision without being under any pressure, Mr Surjewala said. PC Harper, 28, was tragically killed just four weeks after the couple got married The widow wrote the letter on what would have been their first anniversary The widow of Andrew Harper has told of her 'endless sprawling dark' since her hero PC husband was dragged to his death by three smirking louts. Pouring her heart out in a letter to the brave constable to mark what would have been their first anniversary, Lissie Harper wrote: 'I will never again know love like that.' The 29-year-old posted it on Facebook just days before an Old Bailey jury cleared her husband's teenage killers of murder, but found them guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter sparking a public outcry. In the letter, Mrs Harper recalled the couple's idyllic wedding in the landscaped grounds of Ardington House, near Oxford. Lissie Harper, the widow of PC Andrew Harper, shared a heartbreaking letter of her 'endless sprawling dark' since her hero PC husband was dragged to his death by three smirking louts 'Twelve months since I walked down an aisle of incandescent light it feels only yesterday that I stood in front of a vision of hope and happiness and love,' she wrote. 'The tears in your eyes that only I could see and the sheer happiness radiating from mine. I will never again know love like that. No one will ever know a love like ours. A most perfect day that will swim in my mind forever.' PC Harper, 28, was killed just four weeks after the wedding, as the couple childhood sweethearts who lived near Oxford were making preparations for a honeymoon in the Maldives. Reflecting on what should have been a joyful landmark, his widow wrote: 'This day should have been wildly different, instead of celebrating with you on our first anniversary, I am alone in utter disbelief. How surreal it is that these days one year apart are at complete parallels, like a different world entirely. 'One of dazzling light and the other of endless sprawling dark. What I wouldn't give to be back on that beautiful sunny day, dressed in white with your hand in mine and a lifetime of happiness swirling around our minds.' PC Harper's killers Henry Long, 19, Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, both 18 showed no remorse throughout their trial. They cheered, punched the air and hugged each other when the verdict was delivered on Friday. Mrs Harper refers to their callousness, writing: 'I will spend the rest of my days never understanding the meaning of this cruelty, how the bad are allowed to live and the simply perfect souls are taken from this place of wondrous beauty. 'My heart belongs to you and my mind will forever remain the memory box that holds your smile, your laugh and every sweet second we had together. I will love you eternally my husband.' The 29-year-old posted the letter on Facebook just days before an Old Bailey jury cleared her husband's teenage killers of murder, but found them guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter sparking a public outcry Amid mounting anger at the verdict, former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett has urged the Government to appeal the decision at the High Court. He also questioned why a retrial was not ordered after one female juror had to be discharged after appearing to be 'too friendly' with the defendants. The peer said: 'The danger is if one person is on friendly terms with the defendants, it may well have affected the attitude of other jurors.' The trial heard how Long, Bowers and Cole, who are members of the traveller community, were trying to steal a 10,000 quad bike from a house in Berkshire when PC Harper answered a 999 call. When he tried to make an arrest, his legs became entangled in a tow rope and he was dragged behind the trio's Seat getaway car at speeds of up to 70mph for a mile, causing fatal injuries. Lord Blunkett said: 'The main issue is whether this event constituted murder in my view it did. Could they conceivably have known they were dragging a body behind them? The answer is yes. 'I think it would be appropriate for the Justice Secretary to talk to the Attorney General about considering to appeal the sentence to a higher court.' Andrew Ledbury, a family friend of the Harpers, said: 'To say I'm shocked and disappointed would be a huge understatement. 'For me it was never a question of whether it would be murder or manslaughter it was a question of how many of them would be prosecuted for murder.' Police worked to clear the crowd of a several hundred protesters late on Saturday and declared an unlawful assembly at around 11pm local time. What appeared to be tear gas was deployed to disperse the group. Protesters had been planning the demonstration called Richmond Stands With Portland for days, news outlets reported, in an apparent reaction to ongoing tensions between protesters and US agents at the federal courthouse in Oregons largest city. Weeks of nationwide unrest have struck several US cities since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Saturdays protest in Richmond started at a park and then demonstrators marched to police headquarters, according to news outlets. Police tweeted a photo of rocks, batteries and other items the department said were thrown at its officers during the protest. A video also showed an officer setting a mattress on fire in the middle of a road. Advertisement Glass windows were also shattered at a Chipotle restaurant and accommodation at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. Breast cancer rates among women globally are on the rise, but new research is uncovering trends related to age and where you live that could help target prevention measures to improve the situation. A new study published in The Lancet Global Health includes data on women from 41 countries and found that in higher income nations, including Canada, rates of breast cancer in premenopausal women are increasing, while postmenopausal breast cancer is increasing more rapidly in lower income countries. "To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the global rates and trends of pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer," says Dr. Miranda Fidler-Benaoudia, PhD, study principal investigator and member of the O'Brien Institute for Public Health at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM). "Distinguishing between pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer allowed us to uncover different trends, which could be important for tailoring prevention efforts and curbing the future breast cancer burden worldwide." Although the study provides evidence of an increase in breast cancer rates in women of all ages, the increase in premenopausal breast cancer in higher income countries is particularly concerning, says Fidler-Benaoudia, an adjunct assistant professor with the departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences at the CSM. Premenopausal breast cancer was significantly increasing in 20 out of 44 populations, each representing a country or an ethnic group, she studied. The risk of developing cancer increases as a woman ages, says Fidler-Benaoudia. Postmenopausal breast cancer risks, such as obesity and having children later in life are well studied, but risk factors for developing breast cancer when you're young are not as well known. advertisement "When young people get cancer, the impact on them is huge and it can lead to major repercussions later in life," says Fidler-Benaoudia. "For example, the current life expectancy in Canada is around 80 years, so when a person is diagnosed at 30, they could live another 50 years where they are more likely to experience major health, financial and career repercussions compared to the general population as a result of their treatment." Postmenopausal breast cancer is significantly increasing in 24 out of the 44 populations, most notably in countries undergoing transitions from lower to higher income status. Fidler-Benaoudia says this could be a result of these countries adopting a more Western lifestyle that includes unhealthy behaviours that increase breast cancer risk such as lower levels of physical activity and increased alcohol consumption. Adopting early screening procedures, which are common in higher income countries, could play a part as well, by identifying more cases early on. "The increasing rates of postmenopausal breast cancer in lower income countries highlights opportunities for prevention," says Dr. Hyuna Sung, PhD, a cancer epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society, and study co-author. "We know several well-established risk factors are modifiable, including excess body weight and physical inactivity, which is encouraging for prevention efforts." Measuring the global breast cancer burden Although breast cancer is thought to be a disease of the developed world, almost 50 per cent of breast cancer cases and 58 per cent of deaths occur in less developed countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The study highlights the inequities in cancer mortality worldwide, showing that about 47 per cent of women diagnosed with premenopausal breast cancer in less developed countries will die, compared to only 11 per cent per cent in the most developed countries. Postmenopausal breast cancer saw a fatality rate of 56 per cent in less developed nations compared to 21 per cent in their more developed counterparts. Fidler-Benaoudia says early diagnosis and access to treatment remain key to combating breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries, and that prevention efforts to decrease exposure to known risk factors for the disease must be increased globally. "The findings from this study shows important differences in the breast cancer burden by age and point to the need for prevention initiatives such as efforts to reduce obesity and alcohol consumption, increase physical activity and breastfeeding -- all of which reduce one's risk for developing breast cancer," says Fidler-Benaoudia. Dr. Miranda Fidler-Benaoudia, PhD, is an epidemiologist at CancerControl Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and adjunct assistant professor in the departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. She is a member of the O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute. Weve been arguing for weeks about whether its safer for kids to stay home or return to in-person classes with South Carolinas COVID-19 infections soaring. Thats the wrong question. Rather than whether, we need to be asking how. How can we make it safe enough for kids to return to the classroom five days a week? Recall, after all, that the American Pediatric Association didnt say send kids back to school no matter what. It said all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school. That is: Kids need to be in school. We have to do whatever it takes to make it safe enough to get them there. More and more school districts say its not safe to meet Gov. Henry McMasters request for five-day-a-week in-person classes after Labor Day. Weve got six weeks to change that. Depending on your age, six weeks is an eternity or the blink of an eye. But in six weeks, you can heal a broken bone. Train for a 5K. Lose 10 pounds. Get COVID-19 infections under control. Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association this month, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointed to studies showing the profound effect that wearing face coverings can have on infection rates, even acting like herd immunity to stop the spread. As Robert Redfield told a JAMA Live webcast: If we could get everybody to wear a mask right now, I really think in the next four, six, eight weeks, we could bring this epidemic under control. Were starting to see more mask wearing, as more governments and businesses require them and as public health officials make their case more forcefully and more politicians get on board. But were nowhere near Dr. Redfields everybody. When Columbia marketing company Chernoff Newman surveyed 500 South Carolinians in late June, only about half said they wear a mask all the time. But three-quarters said they believe it helps prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and 80% said they were fine with government and businesses telling them to wear one. Eighty percent isnt everybody, but it could make a big difference if we can translate acceptance into action. We welcome all the businesses that are requiring masks and urge more to do likewise. We welcome all the local governments that are requiring them, and urge more to follow suit. More than 70 cities and counties have issued mask ordinances, covering close to half of South Carolinas 5.1 million residents, but that still leaves more than half the state without such requirements. We again urge Gov. McMaster to impose a mask mandate, or at the least to stop spouting his nonsense about how we cant enforce a mandate, and to order DHEC to shut down businesses that host large gatherings and openly flout social-distancing guidelines. And we urge local governments to heed the reminder from Mr. McMasters office that they still have the power to break up gatherings of three or more people that pose a public health risk, and arrest anyone who refuses. They should start acting. And all of us should do our part: Wear a mask in public. Stay at least 6 feet away from other people. Dont touch your face. Wash your hands and clean frequently touched surfaces obsessively. Stay home as much as you can and always if youre not feeling well. Elected officials cant solve this problem alone. Neither can police or businesses. So, what are you doing to get the infections under control, and make it safe enough to send kids back to school in person? If your answer is nothing, you need to try harder. A macabre figure outside a wax museum seemed to set the tone for Clifton Hill on Sunday as a number of people wore masks but just not correctly. The tall figure outside the Haunted House had a surgical mask, but it sat under the chin. Groups of people appeared to follow suit Sunday, as they walked along the Niagara Falls tourist strip with masks pulled down under their chins. Its too hot right now, but if anyone comes close Ill pull it up, said a woman from Mississauga she said she supports wearing masks as crowds of people walked by. A teenager dishing out ice-cream treats at a booth, who did not want to be identified, said shes encountered too many customers with masks under their chin or wrapped around their wrists. I get it, its hot, but this impacts not only their safety, but mine as well, said the teen, the lower part of her face covered by a mask. Niagara was under a heat alert Sunday with temperatures rising to more than 35 C. Despite the heat, many people did wear masks, and face shields, correctly. Signs posted at several attractions recommend people wear masks and practise social distancing. A family of five from Vaughan said they made sure they were prepared for their visit to Niagara Falls. Its the new normal now when you plan a trip somewhere, said Mohammed Assaf. Wallet, hats, sunglasses and masks. If we didnt have masks, we wouldnt be walking down here because theres so many people and you cant really maintain proper social distancing. Boston Pizza and the Great Canadian Midway were among several attractions that were closed early Sunday afternoon. Niagara Speedway also remained closed. The popular go-kart track closed last week after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus. It was one of several attractions featured in a recent video widely shared on social media that showed massive crowds on Clifton Hill. The video prompted the business community to step up prevention measures. Mayor Jim Diodati announced Thursday the city would be proactive in wake of negative reaction to the video and implement an on-street campaign with Crush the Curve ambassadors in bright yellow shirts offering hand sanitizer and masks while encouraging people to maintain safe social distancing. Dr. Mustafa Hirji, acting medical officer of health for Niagara, said the fact the crowds were outdoors rather than inside does reduce the risk, but only by a little bit. It does mean its relatively lower risk, but there could be someone who is infected in that crowd spreading infection. But, of course, its not zero, so if there was someone, there is potential it could spread to quite a number of people. He cautioned people to always avoid crowds and gatherings to be ultra safe. From being in the low single digits for several weeks, Niagaras daily COVID-19 case count continued the uptick thats been reported for the past two weeks. The number of Niagaras active coronavirus cases has more than doubled in the past two weeks. As of Saturday, there were 55 active cases in the region, a figure not seen for more than a month. To date,at least 64 people have died. With files from Gord Howard Far-right activists held burning flares as they staged a racist demonstration outside the office of a black female politician in France. The demonstrators, who are from the Normandy offshoot of a far-right extremist group called Generation Identity, held racist signs and waved burning flares outside Sira Sylla's office. Five white men could be seen clutching placards and a banner that read Help the French, not the Africans in a photo of the protest shared by Ms Sylla. The placards called for forcibly making people go back to their countries of origin saying: Think about our jobs, not the diaspora. Ms Sylla, who has been a member of the French National Assembly since the 2017 elections, told demonstrators they will never affect her as she posted an image of the protest on Twitter. The MP is part of the Republic On the Move party the centrist liberal political party created by Emmanuel Macron in April 2016. Recommended Protests against abuse of police power spread through France Ms Sylla, a lawyer who lives in Rouen, the capital of the Normandy region, tweeted: I am very proud of the work that I have carried out with conviction as a French MP for three years, particularly for my constituency and African-French relations. I am more determined than ever! Prime Minister Jean Castex backed her as he called for condemnation of the protests outside her office. The unworthy attacks Sira Sylla demand unanimous and unambiguous condemnation, he said. I have sent her my support and the solidarity of the whole government. In the face of hatred, the Republic must unite and act. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin branded the treatment of Ms Sylla as vile saying France would not cede an iota to the hateful ideology of these extremist groups. Ms Sylla has asked government to lower in the amount it costs to transfer money to African nations with the signs explicitly referencing this policy proposal. The posters and the banner displayed the name Generation Identitaire referencing the far-right group which was set up in France around seven years ago before it expanded further afield. Internal conflict caused the pan-European groups UK branch to formally disband in January, with the group breaking apart from European leaders. Bihar on Sunday reported 2,605 new Covid-19 patients taking the eastern states coronavirus tally closer to the 40,000 mark, the state health department said. With the addition of the fresh cases, the states count has now touched 38,919. The state health department also informed that a total of 12,461 samples were tested on Saturday, and 24,520 patients have been cured and discharged till now. The recovery rate of coronavirus in the state stands at 67.52 per cent, which is slightly higher than the national average of 63.54 per cent. Capital city Patna has logged the maximum number of coronavirus cases till date. The AIIMS-Patna and the Nalanda Medical College Hospital (NMCH) are the two dedicated Covid-19 hospitals in Patna. Among Bihars districts hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, Patna district is the worst affected with the highest number of Covid-19 cases, followed by Bhagalpur, Gaya and East Champaran. ALSO READ | Indias Covid-19 recovery rate now at 63.54%, case fatality count marks sharp dip A two-member team of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is on a visit to the Muzaffarpur district to find a suitable location for setting up a 500-bed temporary Covid-19 hospital as Bihar reported a large number of coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day today. The hospital, to be built on the lines of another facility set up by the DRDO in Delhi, will be for coronavirus patients in north Bihar, a health department official said. The DRDO team, accompanied by district administration officials, explored four sites in Muzaffarpur on Saturday -- Chakkar Maidan, Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology (MIT), Patahi airport and CRPF camp at Jhapahan, District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said. The facility is likely to be operational in about 15 days, he said. Of the 500 beds at the hospital, at least 150 will be equipped with ventilators for critically ill Covid-19 patients. Begusarai, Jehanabad, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Khagaria and Nalanda are some of the districts which have reported the highest number of Covid-19 cases in Bihar. India reported a spike of 48,661 coronavirus cases and 705 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Sunday. A total of 9,46,777 tests have been done so far and the number of tests per million in the national capital stands at 49,830. In 1976, when a mysterious new flu began spreading in the north eastern United States, a few months before the presidential election, Gerald Ford, the then US president, raced ahead with a high-profile campaign to vaccinate the nation. The flu strain turned out to be rather mild and, worse still, the vaccine caused several hundred people to develop paralysing Guillain-Barre syndrome. That debacle is central to the story of why the American public has such an uneasy relationship with vaccines. It's also a precedent that worries the scientific community as they wrestle with how to deal with a hesitancy over vaccines and overblown expectations for a potential coronavirus vaccine. Even the smallest, unwarranted cause for doubt could deal a severe blow to the cause of global health. But so, too, could a failure to match unrealistic expectations. The process for ensuring vaccines are safe is well established and they are held to a much higher standard of safety than normal medicines, explains Dr Mike Turner, head of major science investments at the Wellcome Trust, a biomedical charity which funds global vaccine research. "Inevitably, the safety bar is higher for vaccines than for drugs, because drugs you give to people who are already ill, vaccines you give to healthy people". Many of the usual trial phases for vaccines are being run in parallel for Covid-19 candidates, but Dr Turner is adamant that what is taking place is not cutting corners. The most advanced vaccine projects are moving into large scale phase three trials in which any less common side effects or safety issues should become apparent. Side effects are common and can be wide-ranging, but not a significant barrier to receiving a jab. Some, however, might be so rare as to not emerge until there is population-scale deployment of a vaccine. Maurice Hilleman, an American microbiologist who developed more than 40 vaccines, is said to have claimed he relaxed only when the three-millionth dose of a new vaccine had been given. That wasn't without reason; these rare adverse effects can be serious. The 1976 case is one example, as is Pandemrix, a vaccine for swine flu that is alleged to have caused narcolepsy in some who received it. The classic example, says Prof Naor Bar-Zeev, an infectious diseases physician and statistical epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University's International Vaccine Access Center, is that of RotaShield, a vaccine against diarrhoea-causing rotaviruses released in the late 1990s. The vaccine was linked to a very small number of cases of intussusception, a life-threatening intestinal disorder, and was rapidly withdrawn. A replacement wasn't available for close to a decade and in that time, says Prof Bar-Zeev, "many hundreds of thousands of children died from diarrhoeal diseases that would have been averted had that so-called 'bad' vaccine been available". The key point, he says, is that, "despite their phenomenal contribution to health, all vaccines carry some risk and it's a societal, ethical and a political decision about what the right balances of risks are." Fake news is already out there, says Prof Beate Kampmann, director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: "There is already stuff on social media saying this vaccine was tested on children in Africa and they all died, it's presented in a very emotional way, and once that's out there, it's very difficult to fight that false information." Once a vaccine is actually deployed, the risk of scares will increase risk perception and not just from total fabrications. "Let's say there's a report of early pregnancy losses," says Prof Bar-Zeev, "it's totally coincidental to the vaccine, but it gets reported as 'this thing kills babies' and then people stop taking it". One of the most basic issues with Covid-19 is that, while early trials have delivered positive results, they are still very far from being guaranteed to work. Once those vaccines are tested on tens of thousands of people in phase three, there's plenty of potential for failure. One of the greatest setbacks could be caused by antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), also known as disease or immune enhancement. It's a rare phenomenon in which the presence of antibodies in an individual can trigger a worse infection. Efforts to develop vaccines for Sars and Mers found evidence of ADE in animals. In other cases, it has been a major setback. Prof Bar-Zeev says the case of a vaccine developed in the late 1960s for RSV, a common childhood illness, in which ADE is suspected as the cause of its failure. "The vaccine was withdrawn from the market 51 years ago and we still don't have a good RSV vaccine. The safety of a Covid-19 vaccine is essential." Even if phase three trials are passed, manufacturing to scale could take a long time and there is always the possibility of a RotaShield-type event which would call for a serious ethical debate. Just as concerning is the still unanswered question of efficacy. It may be that while vaccines turn out to be safe, they aren't anywhere near effective enough to be worth using. Vaccines can have the very useful effect of reducing the severity of infection, but the holy grail for a coronavirus vaccine would be to prevent transmission as well. Given the still uncertain nature of immunity to Covid-19 and how long lasting it is, that could be an unachievable goal. "If the immunity is short-lived, then it's a little bit futile because to mount a massive campaign every few months to vaccinate the world is not going to be sustainable", says Prof Kampmann. Such a vaccine would not be useless, as it would protect the individual, but it's a long way from the notion some seem to have that, as Prof Kampmann puts it, "all we need is this one vaccine and the show is over". More than just generating disappointment, scientists worry that over-hyped expectations for a vaccine risk creating serious problems. Public faith, too, is at stake. The public need to be made aware of the stringency with which vaccines are vetted. If the public isn't, and it turns out a Covid-19 vaccine can't be made to work, then "the credibility of immunisation systems as a whole could crash". Telegraph Bihars Covid-19 tally reached 36,314 on Saturday with over 2,500 more people testing positive for the disease in a day, while 11 new fatalities took the death toll to 232, the state health department said. The department, however, underscored that among the cases registered on Saturday, 1,782 were from tests which were conducted on or before July 23 and 1,021 were reported in the last 24 hours. Also read: Bihar Cabinet nod to special family pension for dependents of govt staff who die of Covid-19 Of the 11 deaths that occurred in the last 24 hours, three were from Munger, two each from Araria and Samastipur and one each from Bhagalpur, Nalanda, Rohtas and West Champaran. Patna district has reported the maximum number of 36 deaths, followed by Bhagalpur 20, Gaya 14, Rohtas 12, Muzaffarpur 11, and Nalanda and Darbhanga 10 each. Patnas Covid-19 tally has risen by more than 500 in a day. The district now has 2,165 active cases, just under 20 per cent of the statewide total. Click here for full Covid-19 coverage It also accounted for the highest number of confirmed cases at 5,894, followed by Bhagalpur 2,172, Muzaffarpur 1,568, Nalanda and Rohtas 1,425 each, Begusarai 1,334 and Siwan 1,219. Altogether, 24,520 people have recovered from the viral infection till date, with 1,688 of them in the last 24 hours, pushing the states recovery rate to 67.52 per cent. Bihar now has 11,562 active cases. In the last 24 hours, 12,461 samples were tested for Covid-19, the highest in a day. Efforts were on to meet the 20,000 tests daily target set by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar earlier this week. Altogether, 4.42 lakh tests have been conducted till date in the state where kits have now been made available across all 38 districts to facilitate aggressive testing and contact tracing to contain the spurt in cases which has led to a fortnight-long lockdown, in force since July 16. "Flooding could be the 'biggest story' of Hurricane Hanna," the American meteorologist Rick Reichmuth said in his interview on Cavuto LIVE with host, David Asman. The center of the storm is possibly around 70 miles off the coast, according to Reichmuth. Hanna made a landfall on Padre Island, Texas, at 5 PM CDT with 90 mph sustained winds and threats of storm surge. From a tropical storm, Hanna morphed into a hurricane on Saturday morning, according to MSN. The National Hurricane Center said that Hanna is expected to weaken quickly as it moves inland. Hurricane Hanna moved at seven mph (11 kph) and sustained winds of 8 mph (129 kph). It is already this year's eighth named storm and the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Far more from the normal of hurricanes start up around the second week of August through October, as per AP News. "And, somewhere around South Padre Island. but, once you go to the other side of that barrier island, there's a lot of population that's going to have some pretty big impacts from this," Reichmuth said. He added that it would be a significant total rainfall. Reichmuth also explained that the totals might go in some spots toward 15 inches of rain. What Reichmuth is worried about is that it will certainly cause a lot of flooding, which could be the biggest story. Forecasters said that isolated rainfall could reach up to 18-inches, according to The Associated Press. Reichmuth noted that Hurricane Hanna would move "pretty quickly" isolated along the River Valley of Rio Grande and expected to be done this afternoon. Reichmuth's main concern is the flooding from the rainfall but deadly swells and a storm surge of up to five feet and the possibility of tornadoes within the same area. "But, a lot of rain will have from this storm. And again, David, we are on our eighth storm," Rick said. "We have a lot of hurricane season ahead," he concluded. "This is also, by the way, a COVID hotspot across parts of South Texas. So, folks have to deal with that in addition to the storm," Reichmuth added. The officials assured that they are prepared for Hurricane Hanna as it marks the first test of storm season amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The local officials already have a battle against the growing threat of COVID-19 in the state, as per MSN. Joe McComb, the Corpus Christi Mayor, said on Friday that people must not worry if they have sufficient source in thave been fight COVID According to poweroutage.us, Hurricane Hanna knocked out power to tens of thousands of clients in counties along the coastline. Check these out: Hurricane Douglas, the Strongest Storm on the Planet, Moves Toward Hawaii McDonald's Pauses Reopening of Dining Rooms as COVID-19 Cases Grow Salmonella Bacteria Spreads: 23 States Already Affected An observatory associated with the quest of NASA to distinguish potentially hazardous asteroids detected something that was as fast but not as natural as an asteroid, what they have observed was a spacecraft heading for Mars. The vehicle that was sighted was Tianwen-1, owned by China and was bound for Mars mission, launched on Thursday, July 23, to start the seven-month-long journey to Mars. The spacecraft embodied an orbiter, a rover, and a lander, which were all packed together into what China desires to become the country's first victorious mission to Mars. According to Space.com, China's spacecraft, called Tianwen-1, or the "Quest for Heavenly Truth", was recently said to carry different scientific devices to scrutinize Mars from orbit and its surface. Tianwen-1 is expected to test and determine how water ice is circulated on Mars, and also the physical evolution of the planet and its suitability to support life over time. In a statement by John Logsdon, George Washington University space policy expert, China's mission to the Red Planet is the most ambitious thing that could be done during its first attempt as Tianwen-1 consists of an orbiter, a rover, and a lander. The chances of having a flawless mission in space are daunting. Only about half of the dozens of attempts to land or orbit Mars have succeeded. After encountering several problems, NASA has successfully deployed multiple orbiters, four rovers and five landers that brought the world to life for the boffins. But the spacefaring experience of China beyond the orbit of the Earth has been bounded to a number of robotic moon missions and an orbiter that was carried by a failed mission of Russia in 2011 to the Red Planet's moon Phobos. Read also: Potentially Hazardous Asteroid Hitting Earth: Will It Erase Mankind Like the Dinosaurs? The program ran by NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office that has the ability to scan large swaths of the sky intended for space rocks to gather adequate observations for astronomers to plot the path of each object in the event that one may come extremely close for comfort captured China's spacecraft heading to Mars. The new animation of China's Tianwen-1 driving away from Earth was from a facility at Mauna Loa on the Island of Hawaii that is one of a pair of Hawaiian observatories, which make up the ATLAS or also known as the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. The observatories of ATLAS regularly determine new celestial objects, for instance, the comet of the identical name that earlier this year dazzled sky watchers before it disappeared, Bloomberg reported. But in this present situation, the object that moved across ATLAS's view was not a celestial object, rather, it was the second in the trio of the highly foreseen spacecraft taking off to the Red Planet throughout this summer's three-week window of orbital alignment. China aims that the newly launched Tianwen-1 with its three robotic components will be able to send a bonus of science data about Mars. The launch came before that of the first interplanetary mission of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. Next Thursday, July 30, the own contribution of NASA to explore Mars is a massive rover that is named Perseverance, carrying Ingenuity, an experimental helicopter, is scheduled to take off. Related article: Could Future Pandemics Come From Space? @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China firmly opposes U.S. forcibly entering Chinese consulate general in Houston PLA Daily Source: Xinhuanet Editor: Li Wei 2020-07-25 22:17:53 BEIJING, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Saturday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to U.S. law enforcement officers' forced entry into the Chinese consulate general in Houston. U.S. law enforcement officers on Friday forcibly entered the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston. In response, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston are diplomatic and consular premises as well as China's national property. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the China-U.S. Consular Convention, the United States must not infringe on the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston in any way, he said. "China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to U.S. forced entry into the premises of the Chinese consulate general in Houston, and has lodged solemn representations. China will make a proper and necessary response in this regard," Wang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The last is yet to be heard on the brewing war of words over the on-going probe of the suspension of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trus... The last is yet to be heard on the brewing war of words over the on-going probe of the suspension of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) management, an agency under the ministry of Labour and Employment. The probe is being carried out by Nigerias House of Representatives. Ngiges outburst was in response to a question from Reps member, James Fakele. But Ngiges then commissioner for information, Chief Charles Amilo has now come out to debunk the stories, urging members of the public to disregard Akunnas claims. Speaking from his country home in Anambra State, Amilo brought a new twist to the report with another claim that Tinubu was taking wristwatches from former Vice President, Atiku Abubakars hands. According to him, while Dr Ngige did not move money in bullion vans, he was not poor before he became Governor in 2003. Amilo, popularly known as Ude Obodo, maintained that his former boss did not have to beg Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to ride or own a car when he had the wherewithal before he became Governor and owned fleet of exotic cars, including the sliding open roof Toyota Landcruiser used to ferry Dr Alex Ekwueme (of blessed memory) into the 1998 Jos Convention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), not to talk about when he was Governor. He claimed that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as Governor had the habit of taking wristwatches from Atikus hands, both at the VPs home or at meetings in the villa as a sign of friendship and affection. He added that Tinubu and Ibori sometimes did the same, but not that they could not afford it. Amilo said: I was among the aides who were with Ngige anytime he went to Abuja whether on official assignment or private function, and he never at any time begged his Lagos State counterpart for a car. It never happened. Whoever told you that story is lying. On the issue of car, I can remember that French President gave Asiwaju three old 2000 model 280s bullet proof. On a visit to Ngige at Abuja, Asiwaju dropped one for Ngige at his Abuja Governors Lodge for use when in Abuja in 2005 and kept one in Abuja, one in Lagos. Dr Ngige used it for five months before he brought it back to Tinubu to give to Olusegun Mimiko who just resigned from the Federal Executive Council ,(FEC) to join them in the Anti-Obasanjo third term struggle and had to run against PDP as the Labour Party governorship candidate in Ondo State, he said. Amilo said as Governor, Ngige used Mercedes G Wagon, not out of choice but as a result of the turbulent security situation created in Anambra State by Obasanjo and his cohorts. He recalled that prior to politics, Ngige owned a motor company in Victoria Island Lagos, known as ESS-DEE MOTORS, a flourishing Car company on highbrow St. Adetokumbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island (VI) in the 90s before their movement to Abuja. So, please they should stop talking about car, especially about one who owned latest Mercedes Fulltime and Fulltime Toyota. Those peddling the story should go and rest as Dr Ngige is not a car freak neither is he competing with anybody for who is richer, Amilo said. He insisted that Ngige before joining politics was already very wealthy both from medical practice, his motor company and vast quiet real estate business. According to Amilo, Ngige was a Governor at the same time as Tinubu with his security vote and monthly returns from Onitsha and Nnewi traders. He is a medical doctor with a practice in Lagos before he went into politics. Dr Ngige lived and practised in Victoria Island. He is a member of Ikoyi Club. He had a flourishing car shop and real estate businesses, apart from silent ownership and investment in about three of the highbrow Hospital-groups in Ikoyi and Victoria Island. He was either a Governor, a Senator and Federal Minister between 1999 and today. He always held elective or appointed political office. I know and we all know rich men take each others properties particularly cars and wristwatches. It was said Babangida when he was President saw cars in the VI home of his late friend, Dr Clarkson de Majomi, the Public Relations Guru. Babangida asked and got Majomis Jaguar car! It didnt mean Babaginda could not afford a Jaguar car at the time, Amilo said. The former spokesman of Anambra State government said it was sad for Tinubus group to portray Dr Ngige as one who was trekking all over Lagos (as Governor) and had to beg Tinubu for a car. He maintained that while Dr Ngige may not move his cash in bullion vans, he acquired wealth from his professions, (medicine and politics) to live in the comfort of a member of Nigerias Upper Class. Chief Amilo advised Akunna to be very careful with his fabricated lies. At a time when many people may be panicky over coronavirus spread, a 101-year-old woman in Andhra Pradesh has won the battle against the disease as her doctor asserted that her willpower made her survive the health ordeal. The centenarian has since become an inspiration for other patients infected by the dreaded virus. Her amazing recovery comes at a time when a spike in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the state has set alarm bells ringing. Palakuri Mangamma was discharged from the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS) in this temple town on Saturday. She is the oldest patient to recover from COVID-19 in the state. A resident of Tirupati, she was admitted to SVIMS, one of the state-level COVID hospitals, about 10 days ago after she tested positive. Despite being the most vulnerable, the woman showed remarkable recovery. "She responded well to the treatment. She could beat the disease with her willpower. This is definitely an inspiration for many," said SVIMS Medical Superintendent Dr R Ram. He hoped that her recovery will inspire many others. "Willpower is very important. Many people lose hope once they test corona positive. Mangamma is an example for all such people," said Dr Ram, who touched the feet of the centenarian to seek her blessings as she was leaving the hospital on a wheelchair. The MS said they took special care of Mangamma, considering her age. Her relatives also expressed gratitude to Dr Ram, SVIMS Director Dr B Vengamma and other staff for providing medical support and ensuring her recovery. In April, an 85-year-old woman had recovered from COVID-19 in another hospital in Tirupati. The woman had contracted the infection from her son, who died of COVID-19. Her grandson and three others who were caring for the man were also affected. She was however successfully treated at KIMS Saveera Hospital. Meanwhile, an 86-year-old woman was also discharged from a hospital in Vizianagaram district after she recovered from coronavirus infection. Vizianagaram Superintendent of Police B. Raja Kumari visited the woman's house. The police officer also appreciated woman Constable Dharmavarapu Radhika, who helped the octogenarian during her stay at the Maharajah Institute of Medical Sciences. In a heartwarming gesture, the Constable, who too had tested positive and was admitted in the same hospital, took care of the old woman in the isolation ward after noticing that she was struggling in chewing food served in the hospital. Radhika later started helping her with other chores as well. While the octogenarian has been discharged, Radhika is still in hospital. She had tested positive while serving as a member of COVID awareness team formed by the SP to educate people on preventive measures. "This gesture of our Constable will motivate others. Whatever may be the situation, kind hearts respond spontaneously, irrespective of their own pain. Salute to her," said SP Raja Kumari. The district police chief had also earned public appreciation for personally preparing food for hungry migrant workers in April. For clarifications/queries, please contact IANS NEWS DESK at +91-120-4822400 Mobile: +91-9873188969 or mail us at support@ians.in India-Abroad IANS Tweets Follow @iansnews.in for breaking news and top stories from around the globe Facebook Gangs of Wasseypur fans are going to love this. On Sunday, actor Manoj Bajpayee shared a photo of a keyholder with a scene from the iconic movie printed on it, and thanked the makers of the product. A fan of the movie had shared the photo originally and tagged Bajpayee after quoting the dialogue, "Chaabi kahan hai? (Where is the key?), which has now become synonymous with the actor himself. For those unaware, this is a reference to Bajpayee's scene in the movie where he asks about his car keys. Retweeting the fan's tweets, Bajpayee praised the person who designed the keyholder and spoke highly of their creativity. He wrote in the tweet, "I pay my respect to the original creator of this, you guys think of such things!" This is how people reacted to it: I need this yar All i need is..... (@FaithinRam) July 26, 2020 Chabi Kahan hai chabi Kahan hai........ Nirmal Charan Mallick (@mallick23434944) July 26, 2020 Mr. Bajpayee... I believe you are THE SUPER STAR of this generation. Your dialogues from movies are part of folklore... we use those dialogues in our daily life... well occasionally... not regularly. Krishna Mohan (@Krishna35887244) July 26, 2020 I saw this yesterday..and couldn't stop laughing immediately shared on my WhatsApp status Rajni Zamre (@RajniZamre) July 26, 2020 In the iconic scene, Sardar Khan (played by Bajpayee) is anxiously looking for his keys after his onscreen son, Danish Khan gets shot. Having put his son in the car, Sardar angrily shouts asking for the keys, whole simultaneously yelling expletives. The scene has now not just become iconic, but has prompted hundreds of memes. By Mauricio La Plante San Jose Spotlight A police officer involved with a traffic stop that ended with a woman being kicked and dragged through the parking lot of a San Jose McDonald's was put on administrative leave on Friday. San Jose resident Josh Gil shot the video Wednesday while picking up a DoorDash order. He said he was organizing the meals he picked up when he noticed police were in the parking lot. "I heard the cops pull up behind that woman. I think she was with a family member and two kids," Gil told San Jos Spotlight. "They pulled the guns out on them and demanded to get out of the car." The woman, who was identified Friday by police officials as Guadalupe Esperanza Marin, 39, was arrested for driving on a suspended license, possession of paraphernalia and resisting arrest. San Jose police spokesman Sgt. Enrique Garcia said one of the officers in the video was put on administrative leave, pending an internal investigation. He did not specify which one and did not release either of the officers' names. He said officers obtained a seizure warrant for the vehicle after it evaded officers on July 18 and July 22. It's unclear why officers initially pursued the vehicle. Gil said it appeared that Marin was in the driver's seat and was cooperating as one of the officers told her to get out of the car with her hands up and to kneel down. There were one other woman and two children in the car. The video then shows the officer kicking Marin while she was kneeling on the asphalt. "He gave her, like, a spartan kick, like an unnecessary spartan kick to the stomach," Gil said "You just see her wind get knocked out right off the bat." After Marin fell to the ground, the officer proceeded to handcuff her and drag her across the parking lot. It appeared officers believed Marin was driving a stolen vehicle, Gil said. In the video, the passenger is heard saying that they had just bought the car. San Jose Police Chief Eddie Garcia on Thursday confirmed that officers made a vehicle stop based on a seizure warrant and ultimately impounded the vehicle. Chief Garcia told San Jos Spotlight that regardless of the circumstances leading to Marin's arrest, he has initiated an internal investigation of the use of force caught on the video. "Even if she was guilty of the crime they suspected her of committing, they shouldn't have used that excessive force on her because she was being compliant," Gil said. Another officer in the parking lot had what appeared to be a gun raised toward the car, Gil said, as his partner kicked and dragged the driver from the car. The kids were in the backseat, he said. "They demanded the kids to settle down and one of the babies was in hysteria," Gil said. Both officers were white, according to Gil, and it appeared that the family was Latinx. He said the two children were old enough to walk. "The oldest one was comprehending everything that was going on, that's probably why there was so much hysteria and fear," Gil said. Gil said he had to leave to deliver his DoorDash food, and did not see how the confrontation ended. He added that neither of the officers gave their name or badge number when asked. Marin and the children were still being detained in the parking lot as he left. "I just feel that the police who use excessive force or more authority than they're allowed to should be fired and that shouldn't be in their line of occupation," Gil said. "They just feel like they have all of this authority they can use with no consequences." The incident Wednesday comes as San Jose police are under fire for excessive force in May during protests during protests of the death of George Floyd by police in Minnesota, and racist posts by current and former San Jose officers revealed in a secret Facebook page. City leaders, including Mayor Sam Liccardo, have proposed reforms such as banning the use of rubber bullets for crowd control, expanding the authority of the Independent Police Auditor and taking measures to prevent bad cops from getting jobs elsewhere. Contact Mauricio La Plante at mslaplante19@gmail.com or follow @mslaplantenews on Twitter. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. New Delhi: In another major development in late actor Sushant Singh Rajput suicide's case, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt has been summoned by the Mumbai Police on Sunday, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said. Mahesh Bhatt has been asked to record his statement at the Bandra police station on Monday afternoon. However, a reply from him or his team to the police awaited. Meanwhile, Anil Deshmukh also said that filmmaker Karan Johar can also be summoned if needed. Names of Mahesh Bhatt and Karan Johar have constantly popped up since Sushant's death. Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakbrorty is said to be close to Mahesh Bhatt while Karan Johar has been accused of being the "flag-bearer of nepotism". A section of the internet believes that Sushant was a victim of the industry's intolerant attitude towards outsiders. As of now, 37 people have been questioned by the Mumbai Police in the case. Sushant died by suicide on June 14 in Mumbai. He was said to be under stress and depression. Actress Kangana Ranaut, who has made explosive statements against Bollywood A-listers, was also summoned by the cops earlier. She responded to Mumbai police through her counsel Ishkaran Singh Bhandari as she is currently in Manali. Kangana has said that she is willing to help the Mumbai Police in the case but would also like to adhere to the lockdown guidelines amid the coronavirus outbreak. Her counsel stated that in case the cops want the actress' statement, they can send any official to Manali for quizzing Kangana or else Kangana can interact online with the officials. Malaysia's extraordinary 1MDB corruption scandal allegedly saw top officials loot billions from state coffers and go on a worldwide spending spree -- buying a $250 million yacht and a painting by Van Gogh, and financing a Hollywood blockbuster. Najib Razak, the then-prime minister, was accused of involvement in plundering the fund and the controversy helped sweep his long-ruling coalition from power in 2018. He is currently facing three court cases over the scandal. The verdict in his first trial, over allegations he pocketed around $10 million, will be handed down on Tuesday. Here is a look back at the saga: - What was 1MDB? - 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was a state investment fund which Najib launched in 2009 shortly after becoming prime minister. Its portfolio included power plants and other energy assets in Malaysia and the Middle East, as well as real estate in Kuala Lumpur. The fund was closely overseen by Najib. Whistleblowers say Low Taek Jho, a jet-setting Malaysian financier close to Najib but with no official position, helped set up 1MDB and made key financial decisions. Concerns escalated in 2014 as 1MDB slid into an $11-billion debt hole, and intensifying public scrutiny revealed missing funds. The scandal first came to light through the Sarawak Report news portal, and gained further traction in 2015 when The Wall Street Journal published documents showing Najib received at least $681 million in payments to his personal bank accounts. - Rich living - The US Justice Department launched its own probe after claims that stolen Malaysian public money was laundered through the US financial system, and has filed lawsuits seeking some $1.8 billion in assets allegedly purchased with the cash. The department said more than $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB between 2009 and 2015 by high-level officials at the fund and their associates. Tens of millions of dollars were used in 2012 by Najib's stepson Riza Aziz, an aspiring film producer, to fund the Hollywood film "The Wolf of Wall Street", starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Hundreds of millions were also used, mainly by Riza and Low, to purchase high-end real estate in Beverly Hills, New York and London. A Monet painting bought for $35 million, a Van Gogh for $5.5 million, a $35-million Bombardier jet, a $100-million stake in EMI Music Publishing, and a $250 million yacht were also ticked off the shopping list. - Political turbulence - Najib desperately sought to contain the scandal, targeting critics and introducing repressive laws, but the allegations hit the popularity of his long-ruling coalition and contributed to a shock election defeat in 2018. A new government headed by veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad, now aged 95, came to office on a wave of public anger, and re-opened investigations. Najib was hit with dozens of charges, and his first trial over the scandal finally started in April last year. But in February, the reformist alliance collapsed after bitter infighting, and a new coalition that included Najib's scandal-plagued party seized power. Some have raised concerns that the change of power could impact Najib's trials. Charges against Riza were unexpectedly dropped in May after he agreed to return assets to Malaysia. A month later, corruption and money-laundering charges against a key Najib ally, Musa Aman, were also dropped. - The trial - Najib's first trial linked to the 1MDB scandal centres on allegations that 42 million ringgit ($9.9 million) was transferred to his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of the fund. He is facing four charges of corruption and three of money-laundering in the case, and denies wrongdoing. His lawyers insist he had no knowledge of the transfers and have claimed that Low was the true mastermind behind the scam. It is not the most significant of the trials he is facing. That one began in August last year, with Najib accused of illicitly obtaining 2.28 billion ringgit ($535 million) from 1MDB. sr/gle/kaf BOMBARDIER Nurses find jobs in the Gulf more rewarding and fulfilling. And it doesn't rain there. (File photo: PTI) Hyderabad: Nearly 50 per cent of nurses graduating from nursing colleges in Hyderabad prefer to work abroad. The problems with working locally, as highlighted in the recent strike by nurses at government hospitals, are poor salaries, lousy working conditions. No, the situation is not better in private hospitals. According to Muppidi Rajeshwari, associate professor at the Apollo College of Nursing, apart from low wages and poor working conditions, there's lack of social recognition. Nurses with two years of experience stand to earn the equivalent of Rs 1 lakh to 1.2 lakh a month in some of the Gulf countries, incentives extra. Countries such as the USA, the UK, some European nations and New Zealand are among the destinations that nurses find attractive, according to Laxman Rudavath, working general secretary of the Nursing Officers Association of Telangana. However, one challenge for nurses migrating abroad is that of language. One way they improve their conversational English is by watching movies and serials in English, Rudavath said. It has also helped that occupational English test scores have been lowered by some countries, he said. Ch Vishalini, who moved to Chicago after completing her bachelors in nursing, told Deccan Chronicle that she plans to pursue her masters. "The health sector in Hyderabad failed to assure us of a good future. There are constant problems over salaries, which made me look for options abroad, she said. Bobby Ramesh, who has been a nursing administrator for 24 years, said the more nursing graduates leave for other countries, the deeper will be the healthcare crisis in hospitals here. The state is lagging behind in the nurse-patient ratio. According to WHO guidelines, developing countries should have a ratio of one nurse per two patients on ventilators and 1:5 for those not on ventilators. Such a ratio is a far cry here, Bobby Ramesh said. Anil Kumar Bojja, who works with the health ministry in Saudi Arabia, said he worked in Hyderabad for nine years before heading out. According to him, hospitals in Hyderabad lack proper working conditions, there is no fixed salary structure, and nurses are made to work for long hours. The problem, he said, could be that the policy-makers are not health professionals who understand the ground-level realities. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has confirmed in an interview with Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana that he will attend the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5. Thackeray said that he will his prayers at Ayodhya and will participate in 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony., "I went to Ayodhya, offered my prayers, I got respect even when I was not the Chief Minister. Now Im the CM of a state and I will go to Ayodhya to offer my prayers," he said. The Maharashtra CM spoke on some other issues too, including the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, India-China tensions and Rajasthan political crisis. In a direct attack on the BJP, the Shiv Sena supremo said that the future of Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra is not in the hands of the opposition and challenged them to topple his government if they can. "Those who say that this government will fall by August or September. I just want to say, those who want to bring down my government, do it right away. Bring it down today during my interview. Then I will look into it," he said in an interview with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut. "I know this government is running in a three-wheeler like an autorickshaw but for the poor people the steering is in my hand and the other two are sitting behind supporting. What about the Central government? How many wheels they have? Last time when I went for an NDA meeting, it got 30-35 wheels (parties) like a Train," he noted. CM Thackeray also talked about the ongoing tensions between India and China due to the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh and said that he had once suggested PM Modi to decide a policy of the country. "We have to take revenge as our 20 brave soldiers martyred. But if they are happy banning China App, then fine. What else I can say? Actually, whenever tension like situation comes, for example, if there is tension like situation between India and Pakistan, then one gives the slogan Pakistan Murdabad. No further relation with Pakistan is needed. Nothing this or that. But when the situation cooled down, then they change their role," he added. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here MUSC President David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, has announced the appointment of MUSC College of Medicine Dean Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., to the additional role as director for the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. Dean DuBois, an international leader in the cancer community, has led the College of Medicine for more than four years. He will assume the added leadership responsibilities effective Aug. 17. Hollings is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in South Carolina. Dean DuBois is a nationally recognized oncology leader with an outstanding reputation in cancer research both across the country and internationally, Cole said. He is a highly respected leader at MUSC and has been a senior leader at two previous cancer centers, Vanderbilt and MD Anderson. He understands the operation of a cancer center and knows what it takes to be successful. With dual training as an M.D. and Ph.D. researcher, he commands the insight and experience required to fully support both the clinical and academic missions of the Hollings Cancer Center, he added. DuBois brings more than 30 years of research experience to his new role at Hollings along with more than 20 years of concurrent experience in leadership at nationally renowned academic health systems. An MUSC Distinguished University Professor in the departments of biochemistry and medicine, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019, which places him in the company of an elite group of internationally renowned scientists and doctors, including members who are Nobel laureates. With only 75 members elected each year across a broad range of medical disciplines, becoming part of the 50-year-old organization is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. He is also a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). MUSC College of Medicine dean elected to National Academy of Medicine Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, has been elected to the National Ray is a great choice for the Director of the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, said Norman E. Ned Sharpless, M.D., Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI). I have worked with him closely during his service as chair of the NCI Board of Scientific Counselors and as a member of the Frederick National Laboratory Advisory Committee. He recognizes and promotes research excellence, has a proven track record, and strongly supports patient-centered cancer care. He will certainly elevate the Hollings Cancer Center as well as the whole cancer effort in the State of South Carolina. DuBois currently serves as chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Cancer Institute (Clinical Sciences and Epidemiology) and on the Scientific Advisory Board for the NCI Frederick National Laboratory. He is vice chair for the Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) Scientific Advisory Board and currently serves as chair of the SU2C Catalyst Program, where he oversees the selection and management of several early phase clinical cancer trials examining unique drug combinations in collaboration with the leadership from BMS, Genentech and Merck. We anticipate that Dean DuBois dual leadership roles will intentionally create a strong synergy between Hollings Cancer Center and the College of Medicine, said Lisa K. Saladin, PT, Ph.D., executive vice president for Academic Affairs and provost. The excellent, collaborative teams already in place in both the College of Medicine and Hollings Cancer Center are sure to enhance Rays ability to perform in these dual roles. Building a more integrated connection between Hollings and the College of Medicine is critical to realize optimal success and propel Hollings forward. Prior to being named dean of the MUSC College of Medicine in March 2016, DuBois served as executive director of the Biodesign Institute in Arizona (ASU) and as the Dalton Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry with a joint appointment as professor of Medicine in the Mayo College of Medicine and Investigator at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. From 2007 to 2012, he served as provost and executive vice president at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and held the Ellen Knisely Distinguished Chair in Colon Cancer Research. During his tenure at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (1991-2007), he served as director of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition as well as director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. He also was selected to hold three successive endowed chairs at Vanderbilt including the Mina Cobb Wallace Chair, the Hortense B. Ingram Chair and the Benjamin F. Byrd Chair. In 2015, DuBois was honored at Vanderbilt by inclusion as an honorary member in the Tinsley Harrison Society at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. DuBois is known for his research elucidating the role of inflammation and inflammatory mediators in the progression of cancer. His work and other studies led to a better understanding of the role of anti-inflammatory agents, like aspirin, in reducing cancer risk which led to clinical trials, showing how drugs that inhibit this pathway could prevent or intercept the process of cancer development. He currently serves as president of the AACR Foundation, Chair of the AACR Foundation Board and is a past president of AACR, the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, and the International Society for Gastrointestinal Cancer. He was named to the steering committee for the AACR Academy in 2018. In 2019, he was awarded the AACR Margaret Foti Award for Leadership and Extraordinary Achievements in Cancer Research. Other major awards for his cancer research include the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Research Award, the Dorothy P. Landon-AACR Cancer Prize and the Anthony Dipple Carcinogenesis Award. He is also a Fellow in the Royal College of Physicians, a member of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He also serves as an editor-in-chief for Cancer Prevention Research, published by AACR. As the Hollings director, DuBois will report to Saladin and Patrick J. Cawley, M.D., CEO, MUSC Health and vice president for Health Affairs, University. DuBois will take on his added role from the cancer centers interim director, Denis C. Guttridge, Ph.D., who has served in the role since mid-January. Guttridge accepted the interim position when the previous Hollings director, Gustavo Leone, announced his intention to become director of the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center. We want to thank Dr. Guttridge for his leadership, commitment and support of the Hollings mission and team, said Cawley. We appreciate all the insight and energy that Denis brought to this interim role and we know he will collaborate well with Dean DuBois as they execute a smooth transition. Guttridge will resume his dual role as director of the Charles P. Darby Childrens Research Institute in the MUSC College of Medicine, and associate director of translational sciences for Hollings. With its singular focus on cancer and multidisciplinary approaches to patient care and team science, Hollings is uniquely positioned to pioneer cutting-edge breakthroughs. The MUSC Hollings Cancer Center was formally established in 1993 and named for the former U.S. Senator and South Carolina Governor Ernest Fritz Hollings, without whose support the formation and ongoing success of the center would not have been possible. Hollings Cancer Center continues to honor Senator Hollings legacy of public service, serving the entire state of South Carolina. A New Mexico Hispanic leader upset about the removal of Spanish conquistador monuments is pushing for the state to end its support for Chicano and Native American studies. In a letter to University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes, New Mexico League of United Latin American Citizens Executive Director Ralph Arellanes wrote that the states largest university should dismantle both programs because they teach Latino students self-hate about their Spanish heritage. Arellanes, who signed that letter in his role as New Mexico LULAC executive director and chair of the Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico, said he has collected stories of Hispanic students leaving classrooms crying after being told by professors that Spanish conquistadors participated in genocide against Indigenous populations. The Hispano Roundtable of New Mexico, New Mexico LULAC and our many expert historians in New Mexico request a meeting with you to discuss our concerns, Arellanes wrote. We will be calling for the removal of these courses and programs that are teaching our New Mexico students this kind of hate and complete propaganda. Irene Vasquez, the director of the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department, said she has heard of no reports of students complaining about courses taught nor crying after classes. Its incredulous, Vasquez said. This is not a serious criticism. But we must be doing something right, because we are growing. According to university numbers, enrollment in Chicano studies classes on campus has jumped from 96 in 2011 to 707 last fall. UNM spokeswoman Cinnamon Blair said the school supports an environment of free and open inquiry and academic freedom for faculty and students. If we ignore pre-colonial, colonial, and postcolonial history and if we reject what careful peer-reviewed historical research tells us about the past, we abandon our opportunity to build better communities in the present, Blair said in a statement. Arellanes has previously called for the firing of Vasquez for overseeing a department that has taught courses looking at New Mexicos history critically. He also has attacked her for being from California. The demand comes as Albuquerque and the small community of Alcalde removed statues of Spanish conquistadors following racial injustice protests. Some Native Americans in New Mexico have long objected to the public glorification of Spanish conquistadors like Juan de Onate, whom they blamed for violence and enslavement of some Indigenous populations during the regions Spanish colonial period. But some Hispanic activists, such as Arellanes, who trace their family lineage to early Spanish settlers, regularly celebrate Onate and other similar figures. Arellanes suggestion drew sharp reactions from civil rights advocates. New Mexico LULAC State Director Juan Garcia said Arellanes demand was not the stand of the civil rights group in the state. Our desire is to have factual discussions, not (to) dismantle (programs) or fire individuals, Garcia said. State Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, D-Albuquerque, a former national LULAC board member, also said Arellanes did not represent the views of many civil rights advocates who pushed for the creation of Chicano and Native studies classes. Why would anyone who purports to support and be a member of a national civil rights Latino organization, LULAC, want to abolish this over 50-year effort? asked Roybal Caballero, who also has worked as an adjunct instructor. National LULAC Treasurer Pablo Martinez said Wednesday that Arellanes positions dont represent the opinions or position of NM LULAC or the National LULAC organizations. National LULAC supports promoting positive race relations at all levels within our American society, Martinez said. Ernesto Todd Mireles, a Rocky Mountain regional representative for the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies, called the demand an attack on academic freedom. Thats just stupid, said Mireles, a Chicano studies professor at Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona. Not being able to learn to think critically and ask questions is more self-hating. In one comment, a teacher told NSEA that a student with a mental disability and a history of hurting teachers attacked, causing the teacher to receive physical therapy. The teacher went on to say that school protocols had not been followed when the student was left alone with the teacher. There is no training set up for us to deal with students with severe disabilities and who are violent. This child has no business being in this environment. We do not have the resources to help him. All we do is babysit him, the teacher wrote to NSEA. While this is one of the more extreme anecdotes in the voluntary survey, there is no way of knowing how bad the problem of student-on-teacher violence is. Thats exactly the problem that NSEA President Jenni Benson said she hopes new legislation can address. Benson said the problem, as best it can be identified, is a lack of training and a lack of data on the issue of student-on-teacher violence. A bill to address the lack of data in Nebraska was introduced in 2019 Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne but wasnt passed. Some data does exist on another statistic regarding student discipline in the U.S. A very large crude carrier (VLCC) built by Hyundai Heavy Industries. / Courtesy of Hyundai Heavy Industries By Nam Hyun-woo The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said Sunday that it had imposed a 970 million won ($805,647) fine on Hyundai Heavy Industries for exploiting technology data on piston manufacturing owned by a contractor in order to diversify its suppliers and save costs. In 2000, Hyundai Heavy developed the HiMSEN diesel engine and asked Samyoung Machinery to produce pistons for it to replace imports. The latter began exclusively supplying pistons to the shipbuilder from 2005. But in March 2015, Hyundai Heavy tried to diversify its suppliers by giving an order to another piston-making company whose identity was withheld. As the quality of the pistons from the new company was unsatisfactory, Hyundai Heavy coerced Samyoung to give it the data on the pistons, such as assembly instructions and other standard procedures. Hyundai then promptly handed them to the other company, according to the FTC. After the other company managed to produce satisfactory pistons, in an abuse of power Hyundai Heavy then demanded that Samyoung cut its prices if it wanted to continue supplying its products. Samyoung reduced its prices by 11 percent from December 2015 to February 2016, but despite this, Hyundai Heavy "unilaterally" ended its contract at the end of 2016, the FTC said. The commission said Hyundai Heavy threatened Samyoung that it would cancel its contract if it refused to hand over the trade secrets. Hyundai Heavy claimed it did not give the data to the other company, but the FTC said it found identical mistakes multiple times in files belonging to Samyoung and the unidentified company for example writing "nut" instead of "bolt." The FTC transferred the case to the prosecution last October, following its audit at the National Assembly where it issued strong criticism of Hyundai Heavy. The prosecutors indicted Hyundai Heavy on some charges while dropping others. The fine against Hyundai Heavy is the largest the FTC has imposed for "exploiting trade secrets." Last year, Hyundai Heavy was fined 431 million won for exploited a contractors' technology data on construction equipment. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service In a rare incident the outlawed Maoists, apparently pushed on a back-foot by security forces across the major areas of the conflict-ridden Bastar zone in south Chhattisgarh, didnt spare their two cadres who took the side of the people instead of carrying out their commands and hacked them to death. Two jan-militia commanders were killed in full public view by the armed Maoists before the villagers at Potali village in strife-torn Dantewada district, for not obeying the given directive to blow up a small bridge over a rivulet and to dig up the interior roads that connects with the district headquarter. The rebels identified as Bajrang Vetti and Tindo Mandavi were assigned to execute the task. However, the duo, perceiving the annoyance prevailing among local villagers against destroying the bridge and the road, expressed their reluctance to carry out the order. This rare incident shows a sheer state of exasperation among the Maoists who killed their own cadres and later brutally thrashed the villagers who intervened to save Vetti and Mandavi voicing their protest. After getting the information the police force and ambulance were sent to the spot to assist in taking the injured persons to hospital said Sunderraj P, inspector general of police (Bastar Zone). As many 15 villagers were beaten by the armed Red brigade. The injured villagers elucidated that the Maoists had earlier organised a meeting of inhabitants from adjoining four villages at Potali and directed the two Maoist militia to dig up the road and demolish the small bridge taking the support of the locals. Owing to strong objection and protest conveyed by the villagers who claimed the roads and the bridge are beneficial for them led the two rebels left with little option except to stand in support of the local population. The enraged Maoist leaders Somaru and Jai Lal couldnt tolerate to see their order being defied by their own men who were murdered before the villagers to create an environment of terror in the region, the IG added. Dantewada continues to be among the worst Maoist-affected districts in Bastar. ALBANY Police fielded calls Sunday afternoon after a large group of bikers sped through Albany, temporarily halting traffic and allegedly bypassing traffic signals. The bikers headed west on Central Avenue around 1:30 p.m. and exited onto Western Avenue toward Guilderland, Albany Police spokesman Steve Smith said. In a 16-second video posted to Twitter Sunday afternoon, Glens Falls Post-Star reporter Chad G. Arnold captured at least 50 bikers speeding through traffic at the intersection of Western and Manning Boulevard. The bikers took up both lanes of traffic, popping wheelies as cars sat still at a green light. A few dirt bikes and four-wheelers were mixed in with many bikers, Arnold reported. They allegedly ran a red light at the intersection, though that incident was not included in the video. "Scary moment," Arnold wrote. Smith said Albany police were unable to safely stop any of the bikers, but officers alerted other local police as the group exited the city. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The city has dealt with problems with riders of non-traditional vehicles in recent years. In May, Albany police confiscated four all-terrain vehicles and three dirt bikes. The Times Union profiled the issue in 2017, as dirt bike and ATV riders were found in many Capital Region municipalities. There were also motorcycle riders in the Capital Region this weekend as a group of local enthusiasts planned a small-scale version of the annual Americade, which had been canceled this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. About 500 bikers had been expected to join in afternoon drives to Lake George on Saturday and Sunday. Law students, in a time before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, take a practice California state bar exam on the UC Berkeley campus. (Sam Deaner / Associated Press) For more than three decades, California has clung to one of the nation's toughest testing standards for law school students hoping to practice law in the most populous state in the country. But this month, the California Supreme Court, which oversees the state bar, agreed to lower the passing score for the exam, a victory for law school deans who have long hoped the change would raise the number of Black and Latino people practicing law. After holding virtual meetings with law school graduates and deans, the state's highest court this month permanently lowered the passing score, allowed for law school graduates to work temporarily under supervision with provisional licenses during the pandemic and permitted graduates to take the bar exam remotely in early October. "There is absolutely no evidence that shows having a higher score makes for better lawyers," said UCLA School of Law Dean Jennifer L. Mnookin, a longtime supporter of lowering the passing score. "There is significant evidence that it reduces the diversity of the bar." Forty percent of California's population is white, 60% are people of color. But 68% of California lawyers are white, and only 32% are people of color, according to a new report by the State Bar of California. UC Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky said the court's action would not have come now if it were not for the coronavirus outbreak. "I think they were trying to fashion a compromise that took into account the unique circumstances" of the health crisis, he said. The Black Lives Matter movement also might have influenced the court. "On the one hand, the pressure to lower the score has existed for some time," Chemerinsky said. "On the other hand, the racially disparate impact of the higher cut score may have had particular importance for the court in light of what has happened in the last few months." The court did not give the law deans and students what they asked for: a remote bar exam in September and the right to practice law permanently with a diploma but no test. Story continues Chemerinsky said he was not surprised the court refused to grant graduates a complete "diploma privilege." California, unlike other states, has law schools that are unaccredited or accredited only by the state. Some of those schools have a bar exam pass rate of less than 10%, the dean said. The spread of COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the July bar exam, and the court had to decide when the next exam would be held and whether it could be taken remotely. The court took that opportunity to address the bar exam score. "The cut score issue has been around a long time, and the court has never stopped thinking about it," said a source who was not authorized to speak publicly but was familiar with the decision-making process. Some speculated that the results of the February bar exam may also have influenced the court. In February, a time when many graduates who failed the bar the first time retake it, only 26.8% of all test takers passed. Of the first-time test takers from law schools accredited by the American Bar Assn., considered the top schools in the state, 51.7% of white graduates passed, compared with 5% of Black grads, 32.6% of Latinos and 42.2% of Asians. Whether the exam is culturally biased has been a question for law journals over the years, and critics have written that it fails to measure the real abilities required to be good lawyers. The average national bar exam passing score is 1350. New York's is 1330. California's was 1440 until the court permanently reduced it to 1390. Both Chemerinsky and Mnookin estimated that change will raise the pass rate by 10%. The court did not apply the new score retroactively. Victor D. Quintanilla, a professor at Indiana University's Maurer School of Law and an adjunct faculty member of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, said pass rates for the California bar have been falling for all applicants, but the effects of California's particularly high test score have disproportionately hurt racial and ethnic minorities. He is part of a foundation-funded team of law professors and social psychologists who have been studying California's bar exam results for the last 10 years. He said 19.5% of white test takers never pass the bar even after multiple attempts. By contrast, he added, 46.9% of Black test takers and 30.5% of Latinos never pass. Quintanilla, who also chairs the Assn. of American Law Schools section on the empirical study of legal education, said Black people and Latinos generally do worse than white counterparts on "high-stakes" standardized tests, such as the SAT. Studies attribute the differences to disparities in educational opportunities and other socioeconomic factors. Social psychologists also have found that people of color worry when taking standardized tests if the results might reinforce negative stereotypes, and that anxiety hurts their performance, Quintanilla said. "There is social psychological research that shows that even when people of color take an exam and do well, that exam may not reflect their true potential," said Quintanilla, who has a law degree and is getting his doctorate in social psychology. The team studying the bar, which includes faculty from Stanford University and USC, will deliver findings to the California Supreme Court next month. Quintanilla said he was glad that the court lowered the score, but added: "It is clear from the data that there are substantial benefits to be gained by moving further still." The seven-member state high court has two white justices, one Black justice, one Latino and three Asian Americans. Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye and Justices Goodwin H. Liu and Joshua P. Groban participated in a three-hour remote meeting with 2,700 law students and graduates. Liu, Groban and Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar joined a separate remote meeting with law school deans. The court refused three years ago to lower the passing score, the second highest in the nation after Delaware's. In a written decision, the court noted that the pass rate had risen and fallen over the decades, with periods of pass rates for first-time test takers ranging from the upper 60th to the middle 70th percentiles from 1989 to 1997, in 2001, and from 2006 to 2013. "The pass score did not appear a matter of controversy during these periods," the court said. It added that the data about the pass rate did not support adjusting the score but urged the state bar to continue to study the question. Janet L. Brewer, who was a bar trustee when the court first considered dropping the passing score, had expressed concern then that a large drop might lead to incompetent people practicing law. But the lawyer said the drop approved by the court was pretty inconsequential. In a letter to the bar this month calling for the score cut, the court spoke of trying to find "the safest, most humane and practical" options for licensing law graduates during the pandemic. "Some graduates have lost job offers," the court said. "Many are about to lose health insurance, cannot find a job to pay bills, or are in fear of deportation if they cannot enter the bar in time to retain job offers. Many more have student loan payments that become due in mid-November, but without a law license and the ability to work, they fear going into default." The justices also directed the bar to develop the provisional license program allowing 2020 California graduates to practice law under the supervision of licensed lawyers through February 2022. "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," the court said. The California bar is the regulatory arm of the California Supreme Court and submits professional rule changes and bar exam matters for the court to review. The court has the final say over bar exam scores, as do most state high courts across the country. Victoria Price, a reporter based in Tampa, Florida, shared her story about a viewer's email that potentially saved her life. Victoria Price/Twitter Victoria Price, a TV reporter in Florida, shared on Twitter that a viewer flagged to her what they thought appeared to be a cancerous growth in Price's neck. The viewer who said they had a similar-looking lump in their neck, and it turned out to be thyroid cancer flagged their concern in an email to Price. Price tweeted on Friday that she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and is having surgery on Monday to have the tumor removed. "Had I never received that email, I never would have called my doctor. The cancer would have continued to spread. It's a scary and humbling thought," Price wrote. "I will forever be thankful to the woman who went out of her way to email me, a total stranger." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Victoria Price, an investigative reporter for WFLA, an NBC-affiliate news network in Tampa, Florida, announced via Twitter on Friday that she has been diagnosed thyroid cancer and that she wouldn't have known of the tumor if it weren't for an email from a viewer. Price tweeted that last month, she received a message from an WFLA viewer, which read: "Hi, just saw your news report. What concerned me is the lump on your neck. Please have your thyroid checked. Reminds me of my neck. Mine turned out to be cancer. Take care of yourself." In a personal essay on WFLA's website, Price said that the viewer signed their name after the brief message, and that was the entire email. Price said that she was able to get the lump in her neck checked, and that earlier this week, she found out that it was cancerous, she said in a WFLA report. She said that she will have surgery on Monday to remove her thyroid, the tumor, and some lymph nodes. "Doctor says it's spreading, but not too much, and we're hopeful this will be my first and last procedure," Price wrote on Twitter. Story continues In her thread of tweets, Price shared a screenshot of a newscast where she's featured on the right-hand side and explained that although the lump in her neck was "not the easiest to see," the viewer was correct in pointing it out. The American Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, there are about 52,890 new cases of thyroid cancer with an estimate of 40,170 in women and 12,720 in men. The organization estimates that there will be 2,180 deaths from thyroid cancer this year. "Thyroid cancer is commonly diagnosed at a younger age than most other adult cancers. And women are 3 times more likely to develop thyroid cancer than men," according to the American Cancer Society. Price continued, thanking the stranger who emailed her. "As for the woman who emailed me, I've yet to connect with her. I sent an empathic thank you email earlier this week but never heard back," Price wrote for WFLA. "Maybe she was a guardian angel? Who knows. If you're reading this, don't feel obligated to write back. You've already done so much more than you may realize." "Had I never received that email, I never would have called my doctor. The cancer would have continued to spread. It's a scary and humbling thought," Price continued on Twitter. "I will forever be thankful to the woman who went out of her way to email me, a total stranger. She had zero obligation to, but she did anyway." "Talk about being on your side, huh?" Price wrote, referencing WFLA's motto, "On your side." Price and press representatives for WFLA did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Brazil is being battered by the coronavirus crisis, but the damage is uneven across the sprawling South American country, where experts say chaotic policy-making has only made a complicated situation worse. Like the United States -- the only country that has recorded more infections and deaths in the pandemic -- Brazil is a continent-sized giant with myriad regions and sub-regions, held together by a federal system that can breed a confusing cacophony of national, state and local policies even at the best of times. The national statistics on the new coronavirus -- more than 2.3 million infections and 85,000 deaths -- mask a varied panorama across the country of 212 million people. "It's very heterogeneous," said Marcelo Gomes, of leading public health research institute Fiocruz. Brazil's 27 states are all facing different epidemics. Even within states, "things can change a lot from one region to the next," he told AFP. Nationwide, the curve of daily COVID-19 deaths in Brazil has been in a long plateau since June, albeit in a very high range. At the state level, things are murkier. On average over the past seven days, four states posted declining daily death tolls, including once-devastated Amazonas in the north and Ceara in the northeast. Ten had rising numbers, including in the south and west-central regions, which had been less affected until recently. And 13 were basically stable, including Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the two hardest hit states. In some states, including Ceara and Rio de Janeiro, there is talk of a "second wave, even though the first wave never really tapered off," said Gomes. - Strategic mess - President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the pandemic, comparing the virus to a "little flu" and the reaction to it "hysteria." The far-right leader, who regularly defies social distancing guidelines, tested positive for the virus himself on July 7 after developing a fever and fatigue. On Saturday, after spending neraly three weeks in self-isolation at the presidential palace, he said he had tested negative for the virus -- crediting his controversial use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine, whose efficacy against COVID-19 has not been proven. Amid Bolsonaro's attacks on stay-at-home measures to contain the virus, the Supreme Court gave state and local authorities the final say in the matter. But states and municipalities have imposed an inelegant hodge-podge of quarantine measures, with little in the way of enforcement and a widespread lack of adherence. That has been followed, in some cases, by poorly designed policies to reopen the economy, which many experts have deemed premature. Brazilians are also split by huge socioeconomic and regional divides. Private hospitals in the wealthy industrial cities of the southeast look nothing like public ones in the poor north and northeast. - 'No light in tunnel' - The World Health Organization said last week Brazil finally appeared to have reached the plateau, urging it to use the occasion to take control. "We're still a long way from that. It's not that we're not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We can't even see the tunnel," said Jose David Urbaez, an infectious disease specialist at Asa Norte Regional Hospital in Brasilia. "If Bolsonaro's attitude were different, if there were a coordinated central response, the situation would be a lot different," he added. "This diversity of situations is more down to management chaos than the actual epidemiological picture. We could have had a single quarantine for everyone, with different layers and timing adapted to each region." A 65-year-old Indian national has become the latest victim to succumb to the coronavirus in Nepal, a day after he tested positive for the disease, a media report said on Sunday. The deceased, a businessman in Nepals Birgunj, was a patient of diabetes, cardiac ailment and tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, My Republica reported. He was tested positive for Covid-19 in the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) conducted earlier on Saturday. However, the result of an advanced test to diagnose the disease called Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) of the old man is still awaited, the report said. He was admitted to Narayani Hospital on Saturday afternoon as he complained of fever, cough and breathing difficulties. After collecting his swab samples for the PCR test, he was referred to Corona Hospital for further treatment. The old man was also suffering from heart disease and diabetes, Niraj Kumar Singh, a doctor at the hospital, was quoted as saying in the report. Nepal registered 130 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the nationwide Covid-19 tally to 18,613, the health ministry said on Sunday. The Himalayan nations coronavirus death toll stands at 45. New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, MoS Defence Shripad Naik and three service chiefs paid tribute to soldiers at the National War Memorial on the 21st anniversary of India's victory in the Kargil War. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid tribute to the soldiers on the occasion of 21st anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas. Taking to Twitter, he wrote,"Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of India`s proud, valor and steadfast leadership. I bow to the soldiers who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and waved the tricolor there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India, who are dedicated to protecting the motherland. The Indian Army on Saturday (July 25) tweeted a post telling the country what happened a day before the 'Operation Vijay' achieved ultimate success. On June 25, 1999, "The Indian Army launched a daring attack at Zulu Top in Muskoh Valley. Undaunted courage and unflinching determination of our troops led to successful capture of the objective": the army posted on Twitter. Kargil Vijay Diwas marks the victory of Indian soldiers in recapturing the mountain heights that were occupied by the Pakistani Army on July 26, 1999, known as the Kargil War. The Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999. Prince Andrew is preparing to fight back against the possible disclosure this week of further damaging allegations about his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. US District Judge Loretta Preska last week ordered the release of 80 secret legal documents, running to hundreds of pages, relating to Maxwell and Epstein. The publication of the vast tranche of papers would be a blow for Maxwell, 58, as they feature large sections of testimony she gave to lawyers in 2016, including what her legal team said was intrusive questioning about her sex life. Prince Andrew (pictured left with Virginia Roberts, centre, and Ghislaine Maxwell, right, in 2001) is preparing to fight against the possible disclosure of legal documents and further damaging allegations about his friendship with paedophile Jeffery Epstein They could also heap pressure on Prince Andrew because one of the documents includes communications between Maxwell and Epstein from January 2015, when Virginia Roberts, an alleged sex slave of the shamed US financier, claimed in court papers that she was forced to have sex with the Prince on three occasions. Andrew has repeatedly and strenuously denied the claims. A leaked email from 2015 that was revealed last year by the BBC appears to suggest that Andrew asked for Maxwells help in dealing with Ms Robertss claims. We have no doubt the Duke will be vindicated In it, he told the socialite: Let me know when we can talk. Got some specific questions to ask you about Virginia Roberts. Maxwell replied: Have some info. Call me when you have a moment. Last night, a source close to Andrew said: The Duke of York has done nothing wrong, so we are relaxed about the unsealing of any court documents. As the US courts have been at pains to point out, just because an allegation is included in court papers does not make them true. The US courts have urged the media and public to treat any allegations contained in court papers with extreme caution. We entirely concur. We have no doubt the Duke will be completely vindicated in the weeks ahead. Maxwell (pictured) - who is being held in a Manhattan jail - is awaiting trial for recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein. The documents that could be released includes communications between Maxwell and Epstein from January 2015, when Virginia Roberts, an alleged sex slave of the shamed US financier, claimed in court papers that she was forced to have sex with the Prince on three occasions Maxwell is being held in Manhattans Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial for recruiting and grooming some of Epsteins underage victims between 1994 and 1997. She is also accused of perjury for denying knowledge in legal depositions of his abuse. She denies all the allegations. Maxwell was interviewed by lawyers in April and July 2016 as part of a defamation lawsuit brought by Ms Roberts, who now goes by her married surname Giuffre. About 40 of 418 pages of that testimony were made public last year, but following last weeks ruling by Judge Preska in New York, further sections could be unsealed as early as Thursday. Maxwells lawyers were given a week to file an appeal. Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell last year while he was awaiting trial for sex offences. A former president of Iran, known in the West for speeches that assert the Holocaust was invented and that Israel should be erased from the map, has written a warm and friendly letter to his country's most ardent Arab foe: the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. So far, at least, it appears to be a one-way exchange. In 2010, then Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questioned whether the September 11 attacks on the US in 2001 were staged. Credit:AP Nonetheless, the letter by the former president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is striking in that Ahmadinejad wrote it at all. Other members of Iran's hierarchy, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have described the 34-year-old crown prince, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, as adventurous, brutal and immature. And for his part, the crown prince has compared Khamenei to Hitler and called any engagement with Iran useless. Flouting Iran's stated policy toward Saudi Arabia, Ahmadinejad sent the letter, filled with flattery and praise, to the crown prince this month, inviting him to join hands to end the Yemen war, according to a copy that Ahmadinejad's office provided to The New York Times. Our nations current sociopolitical climate brings to mind the words of Langston Hughes, I, too, sing AmericaI, too, am America. America's conscience has been stirred by recent events. Yet, for too many, such realities are not new. Most struggle to rationalize and reconcile the tragic, pointless deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Elijah McClain. These are just the latest, known victims of systemic and racial injustice. Any list of victimized or deceased persons of color can never be exhaustive. Countless others have experienced systemic injustice, racial hatred and varied forms of domestic terror in everyday life. It is easy to account for extreme macro-aggressions inflicted upon black, brown and other people. However, it is the accumulation of micro-aggressions daily impositions of systemic economic, social and political inequities that tell us we are less than. We must do better. Instead of attacking the other, we must embrace and celebrate the richness of true democracy and honor the voices that make us a choir. What will a multi-ethnic America look like? Or more important, feel like? We must consider a three-dimensional approach to reach a resilient and equitable state of democracy. First, we must acknowledge that in this moment, and in our historical record, there are things that are neither right nor righteous. Throughout the nation's history, full self-expression of citizenship has been discounted, challenged or not offered at all for some people. In setting that precedent and establishing systems based upon it, we justified and monetized the disenfranchisement of others. Protesters march outside the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, on July 23, 2020. Our assimilating of practices, attitudes and behaviors, whether knowingly or unknowingly, accidentally or with full permission, continues to perpetuate systems that are at times unjust, unhealthy and inequitable. So, while many of us aspire to represent a spirit that wants to advance opportunity for all, we are falling short. We desire the ability to have faithful, full and free participation in our democratic experiment. Yet, in our efforts to do better, we have been moribund by default in ascribing worthlessness to specific groups of people. Story continues Voting is still not fully accessible Second, we must affirm one anothers inalienable rightness. We, the people, are assigned rights as sacred beings and citizens of the cosmos. We must make note of where we are falling short. The events of recent weeks remind us that the vote is not free and is not fully accessible. Our current protests speak to the fact that many persons and their communities are often disregarded, dehumanized and damned by systems and practices that espouse to protect and to perpetuate their good; yet do the opposite. In 1957, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made a speech about give us the ballot, and yet, Stacey Abrams, Black Voters Matter and others are still making the demand for such an opportunity, more than 60 years later. Embrace acts of kindness Lastly, we must act. Those who have been historically privileged, in particular, must work toward the betterment of all. Acts that ensure that all eligible voters can cast their vote and have it counted. Acts of kindness toward our neighbors, regardless of race, class or creed. We can act by engaging in support of political reforms that empower all persons to participate. We can act by educating ourselves from diverse points of view. Remaining humble enough to consider that the histories we learned may not have been the whole story. They may even have been wrong, informed by prejudice and bias. This is our collective way to set a precedent for future generations, so that together we can say and sing, We too, are America. Rev. Dr. F. Willis Johnson is senior fellow with Bridge Alliance. Johnson is the author of "Holding Up Your Corner: Talking About Race in Your Community." You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3 ways to fight the systemic racism that still plagues America ALBANY In what may be the latest battlefront over potentially toxic PFAS chemicals in the environment, the state Legislature has approved a bill that would ban using the substances in food packaging. PFASs, or poly and perfluorooctanoic acids, are associated with health problems such as thyroid disorders and cancers. Discovery of the chemicals in the village of Hoosick Falls water supply several years ago prompted emergency measures followed by a planned rebuilding of the municipal system. There also has been a move to ban PFAS incineration amid worries about emissions such as those coming from the Cohoes Norlite aggregate plant, which had been burning firefighting foam made with the substance. PFAS substances, which are known for their sturdy chemical makeup, have long been used in food packaging such as bags for pastries and popcorn as well as pizza boxes. With that in mind, bills to ban PFAS used in food containers that were sponsored by Manhattan Sen. Brad Hoylman and Albany Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, both Democrats, were approved by lawmakers last week. It isnt yet clear if Gov. Andrew Cuomo will sign the bill. PFAS have been used in food containers due to their ability to resist grease, which might otherwise saturate the bag or box in question. Environmentalists, though, say there are alternatives for this. Passage of the measure was hailed by environmentalists who viewed it as a public health measure. New Yorkers shouldnt have to worry about being exposed to harmful chemicals from handling everyday items like pizza boxes or milk cartons. Getting PFAS out of our food supply is a no-brainer, said Rich Schrader, New York Policy Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Removing these toxic chemicals, especially from our food system, where alternatives are readily available, is common-sense policy, added Kate Kurera, deputy director at Environmental Advocates NY. The bill was one of several pieces of legislation that has drawn praise from environmentalists during this spring and summers COVID-shortened state legislative sessions. Lawmakers earlier passed a bill that would ban incineration of PFAS-laden Aqueous Film Forming Foam or AFFF, which had been burned at the Norlite plant. The city had initially imposed a one-year ban on the incineration but state lawmakers opted for a permanent ban. It wasnt known if Cuomo would sign that measure. Norlite is the only facility in the state and one of a handful nationwide that had been incinerating AFFF, which fire departments had long used as a fire suppressant. Work on PFAS control has also been ongoing in Congress. Recently, the Democratic-led House of Representatives approved a number of measures in the proposed 2021 budget. Those include more than $100 million in defense appropriations to clean up PFAS at active military installations and to expand studies of those affected by the chemical, according to the Environmental Working Group. The House also wants to appropriate more than $50 million on research and development funding for PFAS remediation and disposal. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU China is a unique country of the world where freedom of speech of its people is taken away. Someone has rightly stated freedom of expression in China is a privilege, not a right. According to Qianfan Zhang (The constitution of China: a analysis-2012), Chinese constitution states that its citizens have freedom of speech and also freedom of press. Strangely, the same is not institutionally protected. It is also argued that even language used is vague. This gives government to use arbitrary and unilateral judgments. Citizens giving public speeches of wider impact on forbidden subjects are liable to severe punishments and warning. Furthermore, Benjamin Carlson (Global Post -2013) posited that Chinese people cannot talk 7 things in China. These are: judicial independence, crony capitalism, the historical errors of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), civil rights, civil society, freedom of speech, and universal values. Experts on Chinese affairs argued that Chinese government has made technology central to its repression. In fact, China uses a combination of growing economical means technical capacity for mass surveillance on its people. When Chinese people step out from their houses, their actions and moves are recorded into the central control room. Through powerful videos which are placed in streets and all over the cities, government officials collect tremendous amount of data. If any citizen commits any type of crime, it uses recognition algorithms and match video footage of criminals with photo in a national identification database system. Additionally, Chinese government is also known for scrutinizing individual citizens as evidence of disloyalty to the government. Now it started developing a powerful and comprehensive database on its citizens. It is also reported in media that China's government has been evolving algorithmic surveillance system on citizens. They are developing Artificial Intelligence to monitor control the activities of it citizens. This has been severely criticized by several scholars. The situation has been worst ever since Coronavirus started in Wuhan. During February 2020 (Zhong, R., NYT, 6 Feb, 2020) when the case of Coronavirus infections continued to surge, the Chinese government clamped down on news and controlled the Internet. It is also widely reported that China suppressed coverage of Coronavirus cases and thousands of deaths. Additionally, Chinese authorities have strictly censored what its people read and say online about the virus. It was also reported that local officials were cracked down for online rumours about Coronavirus. Chinese government has been accused for human abuses when Coronavirus situation deepened. Therefore, it looks that in their public life, Chinese people are forced to remain by and large in silence mode. In this photo provided by the Tunisian Presidency, Tunisian president Kais Saied, right, appoints Interior Minister Hichem Mechichi as the new prime minister to form the country's government at the Carthage Palace outside the capital Tunis, Saturday. AP-Yonhap TUNIS (AFP) - Tunisia's interior minister Hichem Mechichi has been appointed to form the next government, the president's office said, amid political tensions among major parties in the North African country. The 46-year-old lawyer succeeds Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned as prime minister earlier this month but Mechichi was not one of the names proposed by the ruling political parties to President Kais Saied. In a statement following Saturday's announcement, Mechichi said he would "work to form a government that meets the expectations of all Tunisians". Tunisia has been praised as a rare success story for democratic transition after the Arab Spring regional uprisings sparked by its 2011 revolution. But its leaders have struggled to meet the expectations of the Tunisian people and the already fragile economy has been battered by the closure of the country's borders because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The disease has claimed around 50 lives and infected more than 1,400 people in Tunisia. As well as being interior minister in the outgoing government, Mechichi has been a counsellor to President Saied, handling legal matters. He has previously been chief of staff at the transport ministry and also served in the social affairs ministry. He now has a month to form a government. At that point his choice will be put to a parliamentary vote of confidence and will need an absolute majority to succeed. Failing that, parliament will be dissolved and new elections organized within three months. In the last elections held in October the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party came top but fell far short of a majority and eventually agreed to join a coalition government. Fakhfakh's resignation on July 15 after less than five months in office threatened fresh political deadlock in the nation as it struggles with the economic fallout of the pandemic. And it came as a political row deepened with Ennahdha over allegations against Fakhfakh of conflicts of interest. Relations between the 47-year-old outgoing premier and Ennahdha have been strained since the October legislative elections. Fakhfakh stepped down the same day the party filed a no-confidence motion against him. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: TDP supremo and leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has called for effective use of technology and virtual office platforms to minimise physical interaction in the wake of increasing coronavirus cases. India, especially, needs to be on high alert as it is in the third place in total confirmed COVID cases, next only to the US and Brazil, he observed, and underscored the need for greater preventive measures and yoga to stay healthy. Naidu interacted with frontline workers for more than three hours through video conference on Saturday. To the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff who took part in the meet, he said recommendations from such meetings were included in reports sent to the Centre by Global Forum for Sustainable Transformation every Sunday. The former chief minister said it was every individuals responsibility to sanitise their houses, common areas and offices regularly. Standard operating procedures regarding testing, quarantine and testing should be streamlined. It is painful to see many panicking to verify if their test reports are correct. Earthmovers are used to carry victims bodies to burial grounds. In such cases, SOPs are a must to avoid confusion and inform people that there is no danger in the conduct of a victims last rites. Stating that yoga was crucial for infected persons as well, he said immunity building should be encouraged among all sections of population. Thirty-one more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, taking the Union Territorys caseload to 290 on Sunday, a senior health official said. One of the new patients had recently returned to the Union Territory while 30 fresh cases were detected during local contact tracing, Health Department Deputy Director Dr Avijit Roy said. The fresh infections have taken the number of active cases in the Union Territory to 114 while 176 people have recovered from Covid-19 so far, he said. BJPs Andaman and Nicobar Islands unit president Ajay Bairagi and a few other party leaders have quarantined themselves after coming in contact with a Covid-19 patient, sources said. The Covid-19 patient, son of a BJP councillor of the Port Blair Municipal Council and a pilot by profession, has a travel history, they said. He had recently attended a party meeting here along with his father and other BJP leaders including Bairagi, the sources said. A total of 21,965 samples have been tested for Covid- 19 so far, of which 21,612 reports have been received and 353 are awaited, officials said. By Holger Hansen BERLIN (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz on Friday proposed to toughen financial oversight of companies, seeking to pre-empt an expected parliamentary backlash over the failure of regulators to spot the huge fraud that obliterated Wirecard . Scholz rushed out a reform agenda that would give financial watchdog BaFin greater investigative and enforcement powers, broaden its mandate to cover non-banking financial institutions and toughen penalties against lax auditors. "We need to trust balance sheets," Scholz said. "That's why we're working on an action plan to put a stop to this kind of balance sheet trickery." Payment services company Wirecard filed for insolvency a month ago after admitting that 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion) supposedly held in trustee accounts by overseas partners probably did not exist. Prosecutors this week arrested former Wirecard Chief Executive Markus Braun and two other former executives on suspicion of orchestrating a years-long criminal racket to inflate revenue and balances to hide losses dating back to 2015. This enabled the company to borrow 3.2 billion euros by deception, prosecutors allege. That money is now almost certainly lost, making the collapse of Wirecard Germany's biggest accounting scandal. The Scholz plan was released ahead of a closed-door hearing of parliament's finance committee next Wednesday. Opposition lawmakers are expected to grill Scholz and Economy Minister Peter Altmaier over the German establishment's failure for years to heed warnings from journalists and market sceptics that Wirecard was cooking the books. 'TOTAL DISASTER' Some are demanding a full-blown parliamentary inquiry. Katja Hessel, the finance committee chair who represents the opposition Free Democrats, called for BaFin chief Felix Hufeld to resign. She told Wirtschaftswoche magazine that Hufeld had failed to make full use of BaFin's powers. Story continues Hufeld has described Wirecard's collapse as a "total disaster" but rejected accusations of bungling, saying BaFin lacked the power to intervene because it could only do so if called on by a separate accounting oversight board. The Finance Ministry, which oversees BaFin, wants to empower the regulator to intervene directly if it suspects wrongdoing, as well as to undertake or commission forensic audits. In Wirecard's case, in-house auditor EY gave Wirecard a clean bill of health for more than a decade. Evidence of fraud was only uncovered by a separate forensic audit by KPMG that was commissioned by the company itself. The Justice Ministry backs proposals to increase penalties - now capped at a paltry 4 million euros - if auditors fail to fulfil their duty of care and also supports plans that would prevent auditors from handling a company's books for more than 10 years running. But not all ministries are on board with the plan championed by Scholz, who is also vice chancellor and a senior figure in the Social Democrats, the junior coalition partner to Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU). "There is absolutely no need for a government action plan," said a source from a CDU-led department. "What the Finance Ministry needs to do is clean up this mess and get its house in order." (Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by David Goodman) Area rains did not keep local officials and members of the community from coming together to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the historic civil rights march known as "Bloody Sunday." Coordinators of the march, District 27 state Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, and Clarence "Doc" Holliday, president of the Missouri City and Vicinity Branch of the NAACP, joined with local officials and members of the community in a symbolic march from Glenn Lakes Community Park to the Freedom Tree in Missouri City on March 8. Local marchers paid tribute to the historic civil rights march that took place at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965 in Selma, Alabama, and also championed the need for continued civil rights legislation to protect the rights of all citizens. On Bloody Sunday, a racially diverse group of civil rights activists were lashed with whips, bludgeoned with billy clubs and sprayed with tear gas by state troopers and deputies as they gathered on the bridge to protest restrictions that kept African-Americans from voting. Viewed on television screens across the country, the brutal attacks sparked national outrage and motivated thousands to join forces with the marchers. Reynolds, who led passage of House Resolution 647 to commemorate the historic Selma, Alabama, march, commended local marchers for braving local rains to remember "Bloody Sunday." "I think this reflects the great spirit of Selma 50 years ago, because those people were willing to march, they knew that their lives would be in danger, they knew that some would not ever return, they knew that they would be beaten, some would lose their jobs, but they were fighting for a big cause, they were fighting for freedom. Your commitment here today says that you care a lot about your forefathers, those people that paved the way for us, those shoulders we still stand on today," said Reynolds. Several Missouri City council members, including Chris Preston, Yolanda Ford, Don Smith and Jerry Wyatt along with Fort Bend County District Attorney John Healey were on hand to share their remarks at the foot of the Freedom Tree, the site where local slaves learned of their freedom two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. "I pray that someday soon in my lifetime, we can return to this consecrated place and declare to those who suffered and perished, we heard your cry, we continued your fight and now you can rest and be at peace, for all is well," said Smith. Healey noted the importance of remembering "all of our history." "If we don't know where we have been, we don't know where we need to go. So I ask you to remember history, recent history especially, as we continue the progress in so many different areas, in so many different causes and ideas, here in the United States of America, the greatest country in the world," said Healey. Ten-year-old Daizha Moton, a fourth-grader from Edgar Glover Elementary, performed a Black History speech, poem and song honoring past and present African-Americans, including Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. The tribute concluded with a dance performance by members of the Fort Bend Dance and Arts Academy set to the tune of the Oscar-winning song "Glory" from the movie "Selma" and a prayer by local pastor, Chris Hartwell of Cross Roads Community Church. Holliday urged the crowd to remember the Emancipation Proclamation, calling it the greatest executive legislation passed, and emphasized the continuing need to support voters' rights, a sentiment Reynolds echoed. "Our struggle to preserve what these marchers worked hard to obtain is not over. We must honor the legacy of Selma by continuing the fight for the right to vote," he said. Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday said the Centre should reconsider its policy on containment zones. Currently, the guidelines of the Union health ministry ask states to implement sealing of areas that record a cluster of Covid-19 cases, and containment efforts can be scaled down only after no fresh case is recorded in the sealed area for at least 21 consecutive days, irrespective of the time when the concerned area is notified as a containment zone. I feel the Centre needs to review its containment zone policy. The latest sero survey showed around 24% people of Delhi may have already contracted the virus and recovered. Its already been a month since that survey. In the next survey (scheduled between August 1 and 5), it may touch 35-40%, he said, suggesting the Centre explore the possibility of allowing scaling down containment measures after 15 days of notifying a containment zone. It is difficult to implement a uniform policy across the country. That is what the central government should re-consider... Separate sets of containment policies should be drafted for states and cities, with due consideration to factors such as results of sero survey, prevalence rate, average daily cases and deaths, said Jain, citing examples of pockets and lanes in the city that have been such zones for over three months. The health ministry has given states the right to tweak containment zones based on the situation on the ground, as long as they adhere to broader guidelines, said a central government official. I believe Ray. I mean, look at what Whedon did to Charisma Carpenter. He's a fucking asshole who's head is stuck in his ass. He thinks his shit is made out of gold. I just hope that Ray's own career isn't negatively impacted by speaking out. Reply Thread Link look what he did to his own wife Reply Parent Thread Link But how does he really feel? Reply Thread Link it begins i literally made a "heeheehee" sound oops Reply Thread Link Damn. I 100% believe Ray. Unfortunately, I don't think anything will happen to Johns and Berg, but I hope that at least it brings Whedon down. I wish his co-stars showed support Reply Thread Link "Its taken me two and a half years to get all the information I need to be able to build that something thats strong enough so people cant dismiss it." Welp he was at least smart to prepare to back up his statements. On one hand good for him for standing up to abuses. On the other hand I worry for him cause I don't think he has much clout and Joss is the bigger person here. Hopefully it doesn't affect too much. Reply Thread Link I mean, given how he treated Charisma Carpenter I do believe Ray. Reply Thread Link That's the tip of the iceberg. - His mistreatment of Black Widow storylines in Avengers. - Throwing a fit cause he wanted Chloe Bennet to be a girly character with flower dresses in Agents of SHIELD. - Introducing Buffy's rape even when SMG protested. - James Marsters recently told a story too. - His wife has mentioned he slept with actresses he had some power over. - His chauvinistic take at Wonder Woman (and Batgirl). Also, fuck him for Age of Ultron. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'll never not be pissed about him making Natasha go "I'm a monster too, Hulk - I was forcibly sterilized and can't have children." Reply Parent Thread Link i'm sure the age of ultron backlash took him by surprise because it's all over buffy and went completely unchecked. Reply Parent Thread Link James marsters was actually also against the rape scene. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Plus the Inarra r*pe storyline he wanted to do on Firefly. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link that wonder woman script makes me hurl just thinking about it Reply Parent Thread Link yass get his ass!!!!! Reply Thread Link I need more ppl to back him up. His only future credit on imdb is Snyder's justic league so im worried for his career now that's he's bravely spoken up :( Reply Thread Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lMIZmmYkH8&feature=youtu.be He also mentions he has been very advocate about unionizing people and stepping up for labor rights within the industry so i wouldn't be shocked at all if they shut all the doors on him. Now i just want this mess to be successful just so he can get more films. He makes some nice points here:He also mentions he has been very advocate about unionizing people and stepping up for labor rights within the industry so i wouldn't be shocked at all if they shut all the doors on him.Now i just want this mess to be successful just so he can get more films. Reply Parent Thread Link He deserves better Reply Parent Thread Link he hasnt had a career since jl, its sad he deserves so much better. when john boyega gave his speech at the BLM protest about how hell probably be blacklisted, all i could think of was ray, how outspoken hes been about everything before and how he literally has no other acting work lined up. i really hope that changes for him and the ones who stepped up and said theyll still hire john will do the same for him after lockdown Reply Parent Thread Link Just submitted this. SHIT GOT REAL. Reply Thread Link Yeah thats what I want to know, OP. What is he saying went on exactly? Reply Thread Link Get 'em, Ray! Reply Thread Link Cool story about ray is one of my friends has known him for a long time and she commissioned me for a painting of him as cyborg to give him after JL came out, so he has a piece of my art lmao Anyway i 10000% believe him Reply Thread Link I wasn't a fan of his Cyborg but it's sad that this dude's career is going to be over before it ever really got started. Whedon is a known douchebag (Buffy stan here). The comments about inviting Whedon to sue him seem odd (for lack of a better word) to me but still, I absolutely believe Whedon was a pos to him. Reply Thread Link Love it! Have any of his co-stars in the movie openly supported him with this whole thing? Reply Thread Link There was some speculation that gal gadot was going to say something because there were credible rumors that gal hated joss on set I do wish his co-stars would openly support him, but the fact that the ONLY person who has caped for joss Is his buddy Alan tudyk speaks volumes Reply Parent Thread Link A double had to do the falling-on-a-female-superheros-chest-jo ke between WW and The Flash, because Gal Gadot refused to do it. It was already dumb and sexist when he did it with ScarJo in the second Avengers movie but for it to come after her own solo movie was so wonderful was just insulting Reply Parent Thread Link Gal is a woman and Jason is a POC and neither of them seem to have a prolific career outside of their superhero roles so I doubt either of them feel in a position to risk their necks. Henry Cavill, as a white man with the most high profile career should support him, but he would NEVER EVER go against a director, he's too much of a fake ass and bootlicker to get involved in something like this. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Tbf i imagine its difficult to support someone when they still havent disclosed any specific details about it. I suspect that everyones waiting for him to make his case first and go public with it before they can confirm or deny having witnessed it. Reply Parent Thread Link A book titled, The GNAT Standpoint on Education, was on Thursday, launched by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in Accra, yesterday. The 55-page book outlines GNATs plans on school environment and infrastructure, provision of teaching learning resources, pedagogical issues, learner support, teacher support, mentoring and many others. Launching the book, the National President of GNAT, Mrs Philippa Larsen, said the lack of supply of teaching and learning materials to public schools, were affecting education in the country, adding that, it has been inadequate and inconsistent over the years. Mrs Larsen said: What is more burdensome is the fact that teaching and learning resources supplied to the schools have either been woefully inadequate, not delivered on time, or not given at all. He called on government to release funds without delay to affected schools, especially for the conduct of the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) practical examinations, as the practical tests were as important as written tests. Mrs Larsem urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to recruit more teachers to the various public schools, to reduce pressure on the current teachers, to increase the quality of academic work. The Deputy Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Education, Mr Kwasi Obeng Fosu, stated that a tour to the various senior high schools (SHS) in the country showed that some teachers were satisfied with the provision of Personal Protective Equipment, and monies they received from the government. It is proper to note that from the supervision of the WASSCE from the various schools, most teachers were happy with the financial support and PPEs that theyve received, Mr Fosu said. The General Secretary of GNAT, Mr Thomas Tanko Musa, said, The GNAT Standpoint on Education, would serve as a blueprint for members of the association, and to help the country initiate social dialogue, and expand dialogue on education beyond politics in the country. He said the book would also give GNAT the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the various stakeholders in education to make Ghanas education better. Mr Musa said the book highlights and offers suggestions to the various existing problems the association faced in order to involve stakeholders in mitigating the problems. 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 Click here to read the full article. Jamie Salter has made another bold move in his quest to buy Brooks Brothers. The chief executive officer of Authentic Brands Group has stepped forward with a $305 million stalking horse bid to purchase the venerable retailer. More from WWD Thursday night, Brooks Brothers revealed that it filed a motion in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware to obtain court approval of an asset purchase agreement with Sparc Group LLC, a company backed by ABG with its partner Simon Property Group. The bid is to purchase substantially all of Brooks Brothers global business operations as a going concern and includes a commitment to acquire at least 125 of the companys retail locations. The agreement is subject to court approval and any higher or better offers as part of the retailers ongoing auction process. A court hearing to approve the stalking horse bid will take place on Aug. 3. Brooks Brothers is requesting that the deadline for competing offers be set for Aug. 5 and that a hearing to approve the sale take place on Aug. 11. But Sparc wont be without competition. WHP Global, the new brand management firm that has so far purchased Anne Klein and Joseph Abboud, is still hot on owning Brooks Brothers. On Thursday night, Yehuda Shmidman, chairman and chief executives officer of WHP, said: Its early innings in the Brooks Brothers bankruptcy sale process. The next key date is the auction. Our company, WHP Global, backed by Oaktree Capital and BlackRock, is a bidder. We are big believers in the power of the Brooks Brothers brand, the global footprint and the management team. Were looking forward to competing at the auction thats when the future of Brooks Brothers will be determined. WHP had initially agreed to provide Brooks Brothers with debtor-in-possession financing when the company filed Chapter 11 in early July, effectively positioning itself as the unofficial stalking horse. But a few days later, ABG and Simon swooped in with a slightly larger DIP package, elbowing WHP into the back seat. Story continues Also interested in acquiring the brand is a group of Italian investors, Club Deal 8, spearheaded by entrepreneur Luciano Donatelli and including online retailer Giglio Group, the Biella-based Gruppo Verzoletto, and a silk group from Como that has requested anonymity for the time being. In each case, the potential acquirers point to Brooks Brothers long history 202 years and American roots as among its key attributes. And although most believe the company needs to be modernized and increase its online presence, its heritage is undeniable. Sparc operates over 2,600 stores and shop-in-shops in in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. It is the dedicated operating partner for the Aeropostale and Nautica brands and oversees businesses with more than $2.7 billion in annual global retail sales. Disclaimer The results here are provided for general informational purposes from the CMLviz Trade Machine Stock Option Backtester as a convenience to the readers. The materials are not a substitute for obtaining professional advice from a qualified person, firm or corporation. Preface There is a trigger in Banco Santander Chile (NYSE:BSAC) that has preceded a large stock move and that move has created a powerful option trading opportunity in the past. The Short-term Option Volatility Trade in Banco Santander Chile RESULTS BSAC: Long 40 Delta Strangle % Wins: 57% Wins: 16 Losses: 12 % Return: 606% Tap Here to See the Back-test Setting Expectations Checking the Moving Average Back-testing More Time Periods in Banco Santander Chile BSAC: Long 40 Delta Strangle % Wins: 100.00% Wins: 1 Losses: 0 % Return: 96.8% Tap Here to See the Back-test WHAT HAPPENED The strategy won't work forever, but for now it is a volatility back-test that has not only returned 606%, but has also shown a win-rate of 57% while taking no stock direction risk.Simply owning puts and calls together, like a straddle or a strangle, can be a huge winner, as it was at the end of 2018. But, equally, it has been a huge losing strategy outside of that time frame. So, the need has arisen -- an empirical and structured trigger that indicates when a large stock move is coming so owning a strangle has a higher probability of succeeding.There is such a technical condition, and we will review it, right now.Here is a quick 3 minute video that demonstrates the back-test:It's time to take advantage of volatility. Fear, uncertainty, doubt, unclear news headlines -- these are all trade-able events. Today we look at exactly what has worked in BSAC, and the special technical trigger that starts it off.We will examine the outcome of going long a short-term out-of-the-money (40 delta) strangle (buying an out of the money call and buying an out of the money put), in options that are the closest to 14-days from expiration. But we follow three rules:Let's not worry about stock direction or earnings, let's try to find a back-test that benefits from volatility. Here it is, first, we enter the long strangle.Wait until the day that the stock price crosses below the 200-day moving averagethe stock price is below the 10-day moving average. Here is a nice simple image of the technical requirement:* Use a 20% limit* Close the trade after 10 days, if the limit has not been hit.At the end of each day, the back-tester checks to see if the long strangle is up 20%. If it is, it closes the position. If after 10-days the limit has not been hit, the strangle is closed so not to suffer total time decay.Here are the results over the last five-years in Banco Santander Chile:The mechanics of the TradeMachine stock option backtester are that it uses end of day prices for every back-test entry and exit (every trigger).We can also see that this strategy hasn't been a winner all the time, rather it has won 16 times and lost 12 times, for a 57% win-rate and again, that 606% return in less than six-full months of trading.While this strategy had an overall return of%, the trade details keep us in bounds with expectations:The average percent returnwas 115.23%.You can check to see the moment a stock dips below the 200-day MA for BSAC on the Pivot Points tab on www.CMLviz.com Now we can look at just the last year as well:We're now looking at 96.8% returns, on 1 winning trades and 0 losing trades.The average percent return over the last yearwas 97.58%.This is how people profit from the option market, its empirical testing, not luck. Trade Machine gives you the capacity to trade beyond luck. This is just one example of what has become a tradable phenomenon in Banco Santander Chile. Thousands in Khabarovsk, Russia, Protest Replacement of Popular Regional Governor By VOA News July 25, 2020 Huge crowds took to the streets of the Russian city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, angered by the arrest of the region's popular governor, replaced this week by a Kremlin appointee who had never lived in the region. Protesters were holding posters reading "Give us back Sergei Furgal, people's governor" during an unsanctioned protest in the Far East city near the border with China, 6,100 kilometers east of Russian capital, Moscow. Journalists reporting from Khabarovsk, seven time zones east of Moscow, said Saturday's rally was the largest since the demonstrations began this month. The governor was arrested by federal law enforcement earlier this month on charges related to multiple murders in 2004 and 2005. He was flown to Moscow, where he was ordered jailed for two months. Furgal, a member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, has denied the charges. Russia's Investigative Committee has said Furgal was suspected of involvement in several murders of businessmen before his political career began. The protesters, however, believe the charges leveled against him are politically motivated. Furgal was elected governor in 2018. His unexpected victory was seen as a challenge to President Vladimir Putin's policies and the main Kremlin party, United Russia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press Release July 26, 2020 E-governance to cut red tape and corruption, improve government productivity and efficiency, says Bong Go Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go reiterated and further endorsed the benefits of prioritizing the transition to e-governance platforms, saying that they will reduce red tape and corruption, and improve efficiency and productivity of government processes. "Having a transparent, efficient and responsive delivery of government services is key to reducing corruption and empowering the people to exact accountability from public servants," he emphasized. Go explained that due to the electronic nature of e-governance, service delivery to citizens will be facilitated in a more timely, cost effective and efficient manner. Filipinos will also be empowered through better access to government information with less bureaucratic delays. "Hindi lamang po malaki ang magiging papel ng e-governance na maka-adapt ang bansa sa pagdating ng 'new normal', mas mapapabilis din po nito ang mga proseso at transaksyon sa gobyerno towards a 'better normal' when it comes to government service delivery," Go said. "Dahil dito, mas magiging efficient ang paghahatid natin ng serbisyo sa mga tao at mas magiging komportable po ang kanilang mga pang-araw araw na transaksyon sa gobyerno," he added. According to Go, e-governance will help address issues such as red tape and corruption, brought about by a convoluted bureaucracy and the need for more transparency in government services. "Kung may e-governance, mas magiging mabilis ang daloy ng proseso dahil sa paggamit natin ng makabagong teknolohiya. Maiiwasan din ang korapsyon dahil mas magiging transparent ang proseso at mababawasan ang face-to-face transactions," Go mentioned. "Bukod sa iniiwasan natin ang face-to-face transactions ngayon dahil COVID-19, mababawasan rin ang personal interaction na madalas nagiging sanhi ng red tape at korapsyon sa gobyerno," he added. Go said that through e-governance, he envisions a government that is fully transparent. "You will be able to know exactly how the entire process works. You would be able to know the officials who are handling your request, the total amount of time they are spending handling it, and what exactly they are doing---all in real time and in the comforts of their homes." Go also said that the public can more effectively demand accountability from negligent or erring public officials, especially those who handle the delivery of frontline public services. "This, in the long run, will effectively deter public officials from corruption," the Senator stressed. In support of this endeavor, Go earlier said that he will file a bill mandating the transition of government transactions and processes into the digital sphere and further empowering the Department of Information and Communications Technology to take the lead in this initiative. According to Go, the proposed measure will help the government mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic on the lives of ordinary citizens through the use of ICT for a more efficient, cost-effective government system that is responsive and attuned to the changing times. "Because of COVID-19, we need to evolve -- businesses are already transitioning to E-commerce and online transactions. Our education system is also championing blended learning. It is important for the government as a whole to expedite its transition as well," he said. "May mga proseso sa gobyerno na pwedeng mas maisaayos gamit ang makabagong teknolohiya. Mas nakita po natin ito ngayon dahil sa COVID-19 crisis kung saan karamihan ng ating pang-araw araw na transaksyon ay kinailangang mag-evolve,'' he added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 13:52:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- China's Mars spacecraft has embarked on a long journey with great risks and challenges to the Earth's neighbor. China's first Mars exploration mission, Tianwen-1 (meaning Questions to Heaven) aims to orbit, land on and rove Mars in one mission, an unprecedented achievement. Mars will be a focus of China's deep space exploration, and the Mars mission has a higher starting point because China laid good foundations and accumulated experience in its lunar exploration program, said Geng Yan, an official at the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration. China is a latecomer in planetary exploration. Chinese space experts believe that the goal of exploration should be reachable, but not too easy. "We hope the mission will be innovative and help push forward scientific and technological development," Geng said. However, the challenges are also unprecedented. Although China has achieved a series of successes in lunar exploration with four probes sent to the moon, Mars poses new difficulties for Chinese spacecraft designers. One of the biggest differences between the moon and Mars is that the moon has no atmosphere, while Mars has a thin atmosphere. Landing on the moon requires no aerodynamic shape or parachute. The engineers want to use the atmosphere of Mars to help slow the spacecraft, but have only a limited understanding of the unstable atmosphere, Geng said. The difference in gravity also calls for differences in the design of Mars and lunar rovers. The solar panels of Mars probe are unlike those of lunar probes due to the different light intensity. The probe designers also worry about the sandstorms on Mars, and have tried to minimize the risk of damage by sand and dust. The average Earth-Moon distance is about 380,000 km, while the distance to Mars is up to 400 million km, which is a major challenge for communication and control, Geng said. "China's Tianwen-1 mission includes an orbiter and a rover, so actually we're sending two probes to Mars together," said Geng. The designers of the spacecraft had to take into account all aspects of orbiting, landing and roving in one mission. More than 40 Mars missions have been launched since the 1960s, but only about half have succeeded. The success rate for landing is even lower, and only the United States has succeeded in soft landing on Mars. "We only have a limited understanding of Mars. There are still many uncertainties about the environment and great risks," said Geng. The design of the aerodynamic shape and the parachute of the Mars probe are quite different from those of the return capsule of a manned spacecraft on Earth, said Geng. There are many key steps requiring the spacecraft to be highly reliable. The team had a short research and development time and challenges in testing the spacecraft on Earth. "It's immensely difficult to simulate the environment of Mars, and we conducted many special tests of the parachute of the entry capsule and the rover," said Geng. If China can succeed in orbiting, landing and roving on the red planet in Tianwen-1, it will take the challenge of collecting and bringing back samples in the next Mars mission, as well as exploring asteroids and the Jovian system, Geng added. Enditem Update: The missing girl was found safe on Tuesday, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said. A 16-year-old girl is missing after she was last seen getting off a MAX train at the Oregon Zoo/Washington Park stop Friday afternoon. Jane Tesch, the girls mother, said her daughter is medically fragile and has likely not had anything to eat or drink since Friday afternoon. Shes severely ill, her mother said. If my daughter is not found soon, I think theres a likely chance that were not going to find her alive. Emmeline Tesch told her parents she was going to read a book near Ridgewood View Park in the Cedar Mill/West Slope area of Beaverton on Friday afternoon at around 11:30 a.m. When she didnt come home, her family filed a missing person report, Jane said. Now on the third day since her daughter disappeared, Jane is worried that increasing temperatures make the situation even more dire. The time element here is really crucial, she said. We need to find her quickly and bring her home safely. Emmeline is 5 feet, 3 inches tall with light brown hair, blue eyes and a thin build. She was wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants with a gray sweatshirt tied around her waist. She also wore black shoes and carried a purple backpack. Teschs family said they believe their daughter is in the Washington Park area or around Council Crest. Between 20 to 40 family, friends and volunteers are involved in a search through the wooded trails of the park. Police are also involved in the search. The family is urging anybody who has seen their daughter to immediately call 911. -- Bryce Dole; bdole@oregonian.com; 541-660-9844; @DoleBryce Sophia Antipolis, 27 July 2020: Working men with higher incomes are more likely to develop high blood pressure, reports a study presented at the 84th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS 2020). JCS 2020 takes place online from 27 July to 2 August in conjunction with the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology Congress 2020 (APSC 2020). Joint scientific sessions are being held by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and JCS as part of the ESC Global Activities programme.1 "Men with higher incomes need to improve their lifestyles to prevent high blood pressure," said study author Dr. Shingo Yanagiya of the Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. "Steps include eating healthily, exercising, and controlling weight. Alcohol should be kept to moderate levels and binge drinking avoided." More than one billion people have high blood pressure worldwide.2 Around 30-45% of adults are affected, rising to more than 60% of people over 60 years of age. High blood pressure is the leading global cause of premature death, accounting for almost 10 million deaths in 2015. Of those, 4.9 million were due to ischaemic heart disease and 3.5 million were due to stroke. Japan alone has more than 10 million people with high blood pressure, and the number continues to rise. Dr. Yanagiya said: "High blood pressure is a lifestyle-related disease. As a physician seeing these patients I wanted to know if risk varies with socioeconomic class, to help us focus our prevention efforts." This analysis of the J-HOPE3 study examined the relationship between household income and high blood pressure in Japanese employees. A total of 4,314 staff (3,153 men and 1,161 women) with daytime jobs and normal blood pressure were enrolled in 2012 from 12 workplaces. Workers were divided into four groups according to annual household income: less than 5 million, 5 to 7.9 million, 8 to 9.9 million, and 10 million or more Japanese yen per year. The researchers investigated the association between income and developing high blood pressure over a two-year period. Compared to men in the lowest income category, men in the highest income group were nearly twice as likely to develop high blood pressure. Men in the 5 to 7.9 million and 8 to 9.9 million groups had a 50% higher risk of developing high blood pressure compared to men with the lowest incomes, although the positive association did not reach statistical significance in the 8 to 9.9 million group. The findings were consistent regardless of age, and were independent of baseline blood pressure, worksite, occupation, number of family members, and smoking. The relationships were slightly weakened after accounting for alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI; kg/m2), both of which were higher for men in the higher income groups. In women, there was no significant link between income and blood pressure. However, women with higher household income tended to have a lower risk of developing high blood pressure. "Some previous Japanese surveys have reported that higher household income is associated with more undesirable lifestyles in men, but not in women," said Dr. Yanagiya. "Our study supports this: men, but not women, with higher household incomes were more likely to be obese and drink alcohol every day. Both behaviours are major risk factors for hypertension." He concluded: "Men with high-paying daytime jobs are at particular risk of high blood pressure. This applies to men of all ages, who can greatly decrease their chance of a heart attack or stroke by improving their health behaviours." Dr. Yusuke Yoshikawa, public relations coordinator for JCS 2020, said: "Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors of cardiovascular disease in Japan, because the average daily salt intake in Japan (approx. 10 g/day) is much higher than desired. As the current guidelines2 strongly recommend healthy lifestyle to control high blood pressure, this study suggests a potential key to successful intervention for those who are at risk of heart disease and stroke." Professor Michel Komajda, a Past President of the ESC and course director of the ESC programme at JCS 2020, said: "The ESC is delighted to be part of JCS 2020 in Kyoto. We value our special partnership with JCS and the high quality of Japanese research. Japan is among the top submitters of abstracts to ESC Congress." ENDS ### Authors: ESC Press Office Tel: +33 (0)4 89 87 20 85 Mobile: +33 (0)7 8531 2036 Email: press@escardio.org Follow us on Twitter @ESCardioNews Notes References and notes 1Details of sessions with ESC faculty are here. 2Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W, et al. 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Eur Heart J. 2018;39:3021-3104. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehy339. 3J-HOPE: Japanese study of Health, Occupation and Psychosocial factors related Equity. About the European Society of Cardiology The European Society of Cardiology brings together health care professionals from more than 150 countries, working to advance cardiovascular medicine and help people lead longer, healthier lives. About ESC Global Activities ESC Global Activities are extending the ESC mission beyond European borders. ESC Global Affairs is a programme of international ESC educational courses built around a global network of international partnerships. Jaipur, Jul 26 (UNI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sent a fresh proposal to Governor Kalraj Mishra, urging the latter to convene the Assembly session from July 31, albeit, without the mentioning the Floor Test, which the Congress has been demanding for quite some time, party sources told UNI on Sunday. The proposal was sent in response to the six points demanded by the Governor. Though the Gehlot side is seeking an immediate Floor Test to prove their majority in the House, yet, the latest proposal reached the Raj Bhawan with seven days notice without any mention about conducting a floor test. According to sources, Mr Gehlot has asked the Governor to convene the Assembly session from July 31 and introduce six Bills. The Gehlot Cabinet had earlier sent a proposal to the Governor, requesting to call the Assembly session from July 27, but the Governor rejected it outrightly, stating that it lacked the date and reason for calling the session. The Governor demanded answer on six points. After this, Congress MLAs gheraoed the Governor's House on Friday and staged a sit-in for over five hours. The MLAs of the grand-old-party ended their protest, after the Governor gave them the assurance to call the Assembly Session soon. The ball is in the court of Mr Mishra now. UNI JAL RJ 1948 The incoming president of the United Nations General Assembly has announced that he is postponing a scheduled visit to Pakistan due to some technical flight problems." Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir was elected president of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly last month and was scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on July 26. But in a Twitter post, he said the visit to Pakistan's capital would have to wait. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted in response to Bozkir that I look forward to welcoming you to Pakistan soon for a constructive and fruitful visit. In announcing the visit on July 25, Qureshi had said he hoped to discuss a range of issues with Bozkir, including the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and neighboring India and claimed by both in its entirety. The two sides often exchange fire in Kashmir, causing troop and civilian casualties. Pakistans military on July 26 said it had shot down a small Indian drone that flew 200 meters into Pakistani-administered Kashmir. It was the the 10th such downing of an Indian drone this year. In a statement, the military released photos of the drone downed near the Pandu border village. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over the disputed region since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Based on reporting by AP The U.S. decision to close the Chinese Consulate General in Houston is a "baseless aggression," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on social media Saturday to voice his support for China. "The political, ideological, diplomatic, economic and media escalation of the U.S. government against the People's Republic of China constitutes a baseless aggression against a sovereign country," Arreaza said on his Twitter account. "Crafting lies to attack China is part of (U.S. President Donald) Trump's electoral despair," Arreaza said. On Tuesday, the United States abruptly demanded that China close its Consulate General in Houston, the first consulate set up by China in the United States after the establishment of their diplomatic ties. Following my recent publication requesting the Ghanaian public to enlighten me about the functions of a Reconciliation Chief ("Nkabomuhene"), I have decided to put out this publication. I have waited for days without reading or hearing from anyone. Subsequently, it is just about right to publish what is on my mind about an ongoing, but seemingly abrogated attempts, by Kumawu "Nkabomuhene" to resolve the divisions among the people in Kumawuman. The marked divisions have come about as a result of the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy dispute dating from year 2007, immediately after the demise of Barima Asumadu Sakyi II, the paramount chief of Kumawu traditional area. It was during the reign of Barima Asumadu Sakyi II that Kumawuman ever heard about, and enstooled, someone as, "Nkabomuhene" in the person of the late Nana Boamah Agyei, who although hailed from Kumawu Temaate, he resided in London (United Kingdom). A replacement "Nkabomuhene" has been enstooled. While Nana Boamah Agyei completely failed to initiate any process to resolve the ongoing devastating chieftaincy dispute, the new one by the definition and understanding of his traditional office, has started a process of mediation to resolve the problem. Let me give him the thumbs up for his farsightedness. As said, a bad decision taken is better than no decision taken at all. He has been consulting with some Kumawu stakeholders regarding the dispute with the ultimate objective of reconciling the opposing factions in the best interest of Kumawuman. Once reconciliation succeeds, needed essential developments can come to Kumawuman. Nevertheless, his approach is prejudicial. He lacks fairness and sense of clarity. His methodology or modus operandi is fraught with insincerity to not only a party in the dispute but to Kumawuman as a people and a community. How on earth could you be a credible arbiter when you approach resolving a dispute between two litigants with a pre-determined motive or conclusion? How can you be an honest person to be trusted if you approach arbitration with a snake-like "split tongue, saying one thing here and another there? Again, is it sensible to approach one party, saying you are seeking to resolve the dispute but they should bear in mind that it is not about the chieftaincy since a chief has already been enstooled? This makes the new "Nkabomuhene" a complete quack from my perspective. If he is not prepared to listen to the underlying problems that brought about the dispute and the subsequent divisions among the people in Kumawuman, to address them, then how can he resolve the divisions in Kumawuman? He is not serious and in my opinion, people must ignore him without spending their precious time giving him a hearing. His attempt is just a waste of anyone serious persons time. Does he know how Kumawu installs her paramount chief? He had better go and learn about the traditional procedures in place for nominating, selecting and enstooling a Kumawu paramount chief. Is Kumawu paramount chief chosen by Asantehene and in Kumasi? Is Kumawu paramount chief enstooled in the absence of the two principal war lieutenants, thus the Kontre and Akwamu? The "Nkabomuhene" may be accused of being irrelevant, if not irresponsible, by some astute historians considering his decision taken prior to setting things in motion. His initiative taken is highly commendable but the direction of his focus as dictated by his prejudice indicates his bad faith towards the people of Kumawuman. He is more interested in seeking fame and/or propping his position by appeasing the Asante overlord and his Kumawu overlord and colleagues. He does not care one bit about what Kumawuman is losing and stands to lose should the illegalities that brought about the dispute and the divisions be allowed to prevail as it is his objective. I am sure he does not know the Kumawu history very well. If he knew, he will realise what Kumawuman stands to lose should his prejudicial position on the reconciliation prevail. I am ready to provide him with authentic documents, some being rare books published in years 1921 and 1950 to help him become conversant with Kumawu history and what is at stake in the ongoing Kumawu chieftaincy dispute. On the other hand, he had better go and read my publications on the Kumawu chieftaincy dispute. This is just a quick one to alert him to the fact that although he has taken the right step, his direction towards a pre-determined final decision is incongruous with Kumawu history. Rockson Adofo Sunday, 26 July 2020 Barpeta: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams deployed in the Assam flood-hit areas rescued 85 villagers and 20 livestock in Dighirpam of the Barpeta district on Sunday (July 26, 2020). There were 26 men, 29 women along with 30 children who were rescued in Dighirpam. The NDRF teams have so far rescued and evacuated around 2600 people during the floods that have affected over 25 lakh lives across Assam. More than 100 people have also lost their lives in the flood-related incidents in Assam to date. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the nation through Mann Ki Baat said that the whole country stands by those affected by this disaster. "Friends, during this rainy season, there is a large part of the country that is grappling with floods. Many areas of states like Bihar and Assam are having to deal with a series of difficulties due to floods. On the one hand, we have Corona and on the other we have this challenge." He added, "In such a scenario, all Governments, NDRF teams, Disaster response teams, Self help groups are working in tandem to provide relief and rescue in all possible ways. The whole country stands by those affected by this disaster." Notably, Assam districts have been hit by floods for the fourth time in 2020. Earlier on July 25, President Ram Nath Kovind called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and took stock of the flood situation. President Kovind expressed his solidarity with the distressed people of the state and said that the entire nation stands with the people of Assam. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), around 2,543 villages reportedly are underwater and over 1,22,573.16 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam. Authorities are running 496 relief camps and distribution centres across 22 districts, where 50,136 people are taking shelter currently. The Brahmaputra river is flowing above the danger mark at Guwahati, Dhubri and Goalpara cities, besides at Nimatighat in Jorhat and Tezpur in Sonitpur districts. Goalpara is the worst-hit district followed by Barpeta and Morigaon. After admiring the designs of the U.S. Postal Services Forever stamps for years, Richmond native Cade Martin got the opportunity to work on a stamp collection himself. The Postal Services latest commemorative stamp collection, released July 1, celebrates hip-hop and features Martins photographs. The images taken by the Virginia Commonwealth University graduate depict four scenes featuring a different element of hip-hop rappers, break dancers, DJs and graffiti artists. It was one of those life comes at you fast moments, Martin said. Like Id seen in the Star Trek [commemorative] stamps, I feel like we were able to capture and translate a beloved cultural phenomenon in this unique medium. Martin took photos of four hip-hop artists from the Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia areas. These images were meant to appear in motion, Martin said. The stamp opportunity came about after Martin had reached out in 2016 to Antonio Alcala, co-owner of Studio A in Alexandria who has worked on more than a dozen stamp projects with the Postal Service. Martin had complimented his work on the Star Trek Forever stamp collection. Martin, who owns a photography studio on Clay Street in Richmond, never expected a few months later he and Alcala would begin working together to create four stamps that represent the hip-hop genre. The Postal Service conducts two stamp programs each year. One is the program for stamps with generic designs, like flags and flowers, intended for everyday use. The other program is for commemorative stamps. Every year, the Postal Service issues about 20 commemorative stamps and each collection has between 16 and 60 million stamps that are printed only once. The commemorative program, which is where hip-hop falls, is part of the storytelling of our nation in stamps, said Bill Gicker, the Postal Services director of stamp services. You can certainly use them for mail use, but the overarching intention is to portray the best of America. The citizen stamp advisory committee receives about 30,000 suggestions each year for the commemorative stamp collections, then makes recommendations to the postmaster general. Hip-hop has been suggested to the committee many times, but this is the first stamp collection honoring the genre, he said. Its really an American creation that has gone all around the world, Gicker said. It incorporates music and fashion and art and so many different elements of life and culture. Hip-hop has had a global impact since it emerged in the 1970s in African American and Caribbean American neighborhoods in New York City. The hip-hop stamp collection took nearly five years to develop. Figuring out exactly how to represent that and do justice to the topic actually took quite a while because youre trying to boil down a huge concept into a one-inch by one-inch visual square, Gicker said. We need to be able to convey something quickly and succinctly and to capture such a huge topic like hip-hop was a challenge. Each of the four stamps features a different element of hip-hop. [Alcala] highlighted the motion-filled images with bright colors, each representing a different pillar of hip-hop. The color helps lend to the feeling of movement, Martin said. Martin said he couldnt show the artists faces in the photos, but he still wanted the photos to be grounded in authenticity. He lit the photos in a way that obscured their faces and would invoke curiosity in the viewer. Once on set, we had them do their thing lets really spin and break dance, lets really rap, lets really DJ, Martin said. My job was to be a fly on the wall making images of them while they created their craft. He hopes the stamps remind viewers of their own personal experiences with hip-hop. I like the thought that these images might bring forth a feeling tied to hip-hop music for the viewer, that they draw to mind an experience, a time or a song that has meaning, Martin said. Music is both universal and personal, and these images allow the viewer to see who they want in these representations. A pane of 20 hip-hop Forever stamps can be purchased from the Postal Service for $11. Food, Wine, & Dining, Local News By Long Island Published: July 26 2020 Today marks National Bagelfest Day to honor New Yorks most iconic snack. Sixth-generation Long Island bagel legends Bagel Boss recently launched its Bagel of the Month Club to ship fresh bagels nationwide in honor of National Bagelfest Day. A taste of authentic New York style bagels is now possible in all 50 states! Founded in 1970, Bagel Boss uses traditional Polish recipes with a twist, offering flavors like the Black Russian, Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl, and Chocolate Chip. Bagel Boss is also home to the Flagel, a brother to the bagel and the cousin to the bialy. In addition, the company makes everything bagel-related including the literal Everything Bagel seasoning, bagel chips, and the Original Bagel Guillotine. Bagel Boss remains one of the only family-owned bagel businesses in New York, with over a dozen locations throughout Long Island, Queens, and Manhattan. This year marks its 50th anniversary, and coupled with COVID-19, prompted General Manager Alex Rosner to explore shipping options through Bagel of the Month Club. Bagels are packed and shipped the same morning they are baked, making delivery almost akin to visiting the shop itself. This summer, celebrate National Bagelfest Day with Bagel Boss Bagel of the Month Club to keep the NYC classic always nearby. Television actor Karishma Tanna edged out television actor Karan Patel and actor-choreographer Dharmesh Yelande to win the popular adventure reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi 10 hosted by filmmaker Rohit Shetty. Karan and Dharmesh were adjudged the first and second runners-up, respectively. After winning Khatron Ke Khiladi 10, Karishma said that the show helped her conquer her fears and was a memorable experience for her. Khatron Ke Khiladi has been an incredible journey for me, and I have never experienced so much adventure and thrill in my life. As I lifted the coveted trophy, the extraordinary journey and our good times spent in Bulgaria flashed in front of my eyes. I would like to thank my co-contestants and Rohit Shetty for giving me strength and motivating me to overcome my fears. Khatron Ke Khiladi has taught me a lot, and this experience will stay with me forever, she added. Karishma not only grabbed eyeballs for fearlessly performing the stunts but also for her chemistry with a gorilla. In the finale, she aced the Wrecking Ball task to emerge as the ultimate champion. Also see: Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic cradle her baby bump in loving snap from maternity shoot Comedian Balraj Syal, television actors Shivin Narang, Tejasswi Prakash and Adaa Khan, RJ Malishka, actor Amruta Khanvilkar and Bhojpuri actor Rani Chatterjee also participated in Khatron Ke Khiladi this season. The show was filmed in Bulgaria and premiered in February. The finale of Khatron Ke Khiladi Season 10 was a grand affair, with the contestants sharing their lockdown experiences and performing some interesting tasks. Karan demonstrated his diaper changing skills and Tejasswi cooked, while Dharmesh was pranked when he boasted about his newfound hairstyling skills. In addition, the contestants were given quirky awards. Karishma Tanna was awarded Student No 1, Karan was given a special award for ditching the maximum stunts and Tejasswi was given an award for her charm. Follow @htshowbiz for more Human resources may not be a field thats on your radar for Nathan Christensen, it wasnt either, initially. After graduating from law school in 2008, Christensen worked as an attorney at a large Portland law firm. But in 2013, when his mother-in-law got sick and his father-in-law needed help running his company, Mammoth, Christensen joined the family business to start his first official job in the human resources field. Now, hes the CEO. I hadnt intended to be a CEO, and I consider myself an accidental CEO. But I agreed to do it, Christensen said. Mammoth, founded in 2001 and recently merged with Think HR, works with businesses to help solve their human resources problems, answer questions and ensure that theyre complying with relevant laws. The companys fourth Top Workplaces win comes in the ninth year of The Oregonian/OregonLives annual competition. The company has previously won in 2016, 2017 and 2019. The company has nearly 200 employees and grew its revenue by 20% over the last year. A Mammoth spokesperson declined to be more specific about finances. Mammoth is a winner in The Oregonian/OregonLive's 2020 Top Workplaces competition. While working from home, CEO Nathan Christensen holds a walking meeting with Suzame Tong, vice president of marketing communications, on July 9, 2020.Randy L. Rasmussen/For The Oregonian/OregonLive Christensen had told his law firm hed return after a year or so, but after a few weeks of working at Mammoth, he saw both a huge market opportunity in the company as well as all the good it was doing to help other companies, and hes stayed ever since. Since the coronavirus pandemic threw the world into disarray, Christensen said that Mammoth has been handling flurries of questions from business owners asking for guidance on what they can and cant do. Questions like Can I take my employees temperatures at work? (Yes, but dont reuse thermometers) and Whats the difference between a furlough and a layoff? (The former allows someone to continue working under fewer hours or is a temporary layoff, while the latter is not) are common, Christensen said. Esosa Ojomo works in Mammoths finance department. Ojomo and his wife moved from California to Portland for her new biotechnology job, and he left his job at a large accounting firm and began to look for other jobs in finance. Ojomo said that what brought him to Mammoth was a conversation he had with the companys chief finance officer, who said Mammoths smaller culture would let him be involved in everyday decision-making. Now, six months into his role as a financial planning manager, he gets to give his input to the CFO and CEO in almost-daily conversations. Thats kind of the most fun part of my job, Ojomo said. You get to see the impact of what it is that you were thinking about and that you were doing. What has Mammoth done to help its own employees in response to the pandemic? Christensen said the company gave its employees an extra $250 on their paychecks to go toward incidental expenses. The company asked employees to spend whatever was leftover on supporting local small businesses. Mammoth also allotted $10,000 for a program that gave employees an extra $50 on their paychecks to spend with Black-owned businesses and nonprofits on Juneteenth, Christensen said. Weve learned in the COVID crisis that the most important human resource we have is trust, Christensen said. We wanted to entrust our employees to figure out the best ways to spend that money. I have every confidence that they did it well. The company has also created guides for employers on laws against racial discrimination and harassment, and its also begun implementing a new diversity and inclusion strategy. Celine Bledsoe, a frontline manager and human resources specialist, said that the company culture values the impact that it can have on the small businesses it consults. Something that everyone there agrees on is that HR can be transformational, Bledsoe, who recently celebrated her fifth anniversary at Mammoth, said. It doesnt have to just be a transactional job thats looking at compliance. Ryan Nguyen; rnguyen@oregonian.com; @ryanjjnguyen Correction: Nathan Christensen worked for a consulting firm before attending law school, not after. Christensen returned to work for the family business at Mammoth. The definition of furlough refers to both cut hours and temporary layoffs. Both Mammoth and Think HR are still known under their separate brand names. An earlier version of this post misstated these facts. Read more Top Workplaces stories at oregonlive.com/topworkplaces. Keep up with Oregon business and economic news by subscribing to our Oregon Business Insights newsletter. Travellers were last night warned they face a summer of uncertainty, as ministers said the Spanish quarantine chaos could be extended to other destinations. A shock decision to enforce a 14-day quarantine for those returning from Spain has wrecked the travel plans of millions and triggered confusion over refunds. Many are now unable to travel and some will have no recourse to compensation. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, pictured, removed the air bridge with Spain with no advance notice, causing massive disruption for tens of thousands of Britons Britons arriving back from Spain face 1,000 fines if they breach the quarantine Tens of thousands of Britons holidaying in Spain were last night warned they will not even be eligible for statutory sick pay. Ministers urged employers to be flexible, but legal experts warned some workers could lose pay or even face the sack. The decision to take Spain off the safe list of quarantine-free destinations followed a surge in cases last week. The move, which came barely two weeks after quarantine restrictions were lifted on Spain, left the travel industry in shock. The prospect of travellers to France suffering the same fate was raised yesterday when the countrys prime minister said localised lockdowns may be imposed if infections continue to rise. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said there was an element of uncertainty this summer as people go abroad with rules potentially changing at very short notice. He acknowledged this would be inconvenient, but said it was essential to prevent a second wave of coronavirus being imported. Britons forced into quarantine will not be eligible for statutory sick pay despite being ordered to stay at home by the government He told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: We cant make apologies for doing so. We must be able to take swift, decisive action. Transport secretary faces quarantine after Spanish visit Transport Secretary Grant Shapps went ahead with a two-week family holiday in Spain despite being warned that a surge in cases meant he might have to quarantine on return, friends said last night. He flew to southern Spain on Saturday morning, later dialling in to the meeting where ministers agreed to reimpose quarantine restrictions on Spain barely a fortnight after they were lifted. Mr Shapps was among a small group of ministers shown new Spanish data late on Friday night suggesting the number of cases had doubled in just two days. A friend said: If he had cancelled while letting others travel, people would rightly have said he was acting on inside information. He felt he didnt have much choice but to press ahead. Advertisement Mr Raab urged employers to respond flexibly and in an understanding way. He said the public cannot be penalised in this country lawfully for following the rules. But lawyers warned that some workers could be punished. Employment barrister Grahame Anderson said: If you come back from Spain today and your boss says you have to be in work on Monday, theres not a great deal you can do if they say well if you dont come, in Im not going to pay you. And if you havent been there for two years, youve got very little protection against being dismissed as well. Spain is Britains top holiday destination the quarantine rule will hit an estimated 2.2 million travellers who have holiday or flight bookings. Their rights to a refund are now mired in confusion. This stems from fact the Government has decided to treat travel to mainland Spain differently to the Balearic and Canary islands. The situation is complicated by the fact that refund rights are different for package holidays versus trips that travellers put together themselves. Official advice governs legal rights to a refund. Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the handling of the decision was frankly shambolic, and called for financial help for those affected. The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: Many holidaymakers will be deeply angry that the government didnt make this decision 48 hours ago, before tens of thousands of them flew off for their summer holidays in Spain. Yesterday, Spains foreign minister said she was in talks with Britain to create an air corridor for the Balearics and Canaries. Your travel questions answered What is the new travel advice? The Foreign & Commonwealth Office advises against all non-essential travel such as holidays to mainland Spain. This does not apply to the Canary Islands or Balearic Islands, writes Sean Poulter, Consumer Affairs Editor. What about quarantine? Those returning from mainland Spain, plus the Canary Islands and Balearics, are now required to go into 14-day quarantine on return to the UK. Why have the rules changed? There has been a spike in cases around Barcelona, Zaragoza and Madrid. Why are the Spanish islands included in the isolation rules? It is not clear. The Spanish government and Britains travel trade body, ABTA, argues it is not necessary. They point out that infection rates on these islands are low. However, one British tourist tested positive in Lanzarote last week. British officials are concerned that if the islands were exempt, a loophole would allow Britons in Spain to fly home via Majorca and escape quarantine. Will restrictions now be applied to other countries? Fears of a second wave in Europe have created a risk of further restrictions. France, Belgium, Germany and Croatia have seen increases, but ministers say rule changes are not imminent. Sources said Belgium and Croatia are on the watch list. Hong Kong saw the highest daily new infections on Saturday about 130. Other countries such as India, Romania and Bulgaria, where restrictions are already in place, are also seeing increases. What are my refund rights? If you have booked a package holiday in mainland Spain, your tour operator should cancel the holiday. You can then claim a full refund. There are no automatic cancellation and refund policies for the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands and some operators may not cancel. In these circumstances, families who choose to cancel will not be legally entitled to a refund. Some tour operators have suggested they may allow cancellations and refunds. What if you book flights and accommodation separately? There is no right to cancel and claim a refund when elements of holiday are booked separately, rather than as a package. Can travellers cancel or get a refund on flights? There is no automatic right to a cash refund. Ryanair, BA, easyJet, and Jet2 will continue to run their flights to Spanish airports. Travellers may be offered a voucher to the value of the ticket or a chance to rebook if they wish to cancel. What about accommodation? If a hotel or villa remains open and available, there is no legal right to cancel and get a refund. Some booking websites, such as Airbnb and Booking.com, do offer last-minute cancellation on some listings. Will insurance policies cover flights and accommodation? These are unlikely to be covered by travel insurance if the policy was bought after March 10, when most insurers removed cover for Covid-19-related cancellations. What happens if Spain announces local lockdowns? Tour operators will cancel holidays and you will be entitled to a full refund. What are the rules for those returning from Spain? Travellers arriving into England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must all go into quarantine. They must fill in a form to provide an address where they will self-isolate for 14 days. They can be fined 100 for failing to fill in the form. One in five eligible passengers will be called or texted to check they are following the rules. What are the penalties for those who ignore the rules? A fine of up to 1,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 480 in Scotland. Fines can rise to 5,000 for persistent offenders. Are those in quarantine entitled to financial support? No, they arent, and there is no automatic eligibility to statutory sick pay, unless they meet the conditions for example, if they are displaying coronavirus symptoms. Advertisement Why did they leave it so late, travellers ask? Holiday makers returning from Spain yesterday told of their frustration at having to quarantine. One doctor learnt of the new rules three minutes after touching down in Malaga on Saturday and opted to fly straight home yesterday because he couldnt afford a fortnight off work on top of the holiday time he had booked. Dr Andras Szigeti, who spent 600 on the trip to Malaga with his partner, had been looking forward to a break after working throughout lockdown. Instead after one night there he will have to self-isolate at home in Chelmsford, Essex, and return to work in two weeks. Becki Gorman, 36, right from Blackley, Manchester, pictured with Keeley Gorman, left, and baby Mia, ought to have been returning to her job as a store manager today after 12 days in Benidorm but will now be at home on unpaid leave for a fortnight. Since I am a private doctor and I am the main bread winner in the family, I cannot allow myself to lose half of my monthly salary, he told the BBC. Dr Szigeti, whose LinkedIn profile says he is an optometrist for a high street optician, and his partner booked the trip as an alternative to visiting family in Hungary, which has imposed entry requirements for those arriving from the UK. NHS worker Peter Anderson, 49, returning from Marbella, believes he would be eligible to go straight back to work but instead faces taking two weeks off because of his wife Gaynors home-based job. My wife works for a self-catering holiday firm, he said ahead of flying from Malaga to Liverpool with his wife and son Thomas, six, before returning home to Windermere, Cumbria. She wont be in a position to do her job properly and keep an eye on a six-year-old running around the house. Im going to have to take time off work to look after him. Our son was supposed to be going to a kids club for three days this week and wont be able to now. British travellers expressed their disappointment because of the government's decision to reintroduce quarantine NHS worker Peter Anderson, 49, returning from Marbella, believes he would be eligible to go straight back to work but instead faces taking two weeks off because of his wife Gaynors home-based job Mrs Anderson, 47, said: We should have got more notice, 24 to 48 hours at least, so we could have had more time to sort out alternatives. Veterinary nurse Gemma Vilanova, 28, from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, was due to start a new job at a surgery today after visiting family near Barcelona. Instead, after flying back yesterday, she faces having to tell her employer that she cant start for another fortnight. Because Im not a key worker, Im going to have to quarantine, she said. It is just unnecessary hassle. She said she saw little evidence that immigration staff were checking that arriving passengers had complied with the requirement to register where they planned to self-isolate, adding: The safety measures arent very strict. Becki Gorman, 36, from Blackley, Manchester, ought to have been returning to her job as a store manager today after 12 days in Benidorm but will now be at home on unpaid leave for a fortnight. We were having a meal in a restaurant when we found out, she said. I tried to change the flights but the only one I could find landed just after midnight so it was pointless. There is no way wed have gone if we then had to spend 14 days at home. This doesnt help anyone. Advertisement Summer 2020 is turning into a chilling one BY MARK PALMER, TRAVEL EDITOR Thats it for holidays abroad this summer. The sorry truth is that the Governments decision to advise against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain and re-impose a two-week quarantine will have a dramatic knock-on effect, as millions of families rethink their travel plans. And all this just when it seemed like overseas travel was finally struggling back onto its feet. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab made clear yesterday that other countries could be next. Refusing to apologise, he said he and his Cabinet colleagues must be able to take swift, decisive action. Yet such swift action was sadly lacking back in April, when people were still pouring into Britain from all over the world, bringing the virus with them, without going into quarantine. Since then, theres been hardly any action at all on testing arrivals at airports. Instead, we now have a blanket rule for Spain the most popular destination for British tourists which could affect up to two million people in the coming months. The decision was taken late on Saturday after ministers discussed rates of infection in Spain. But the data was available on Friday, meaning the announcement could have been made more than 24 hours earlier, before thousands had set off for the airport, and giving those in Spain time to change their plans. True decisive action surely would have made a clear distinction between mainland Spain, which has seen a surge in infections, and the Canary Islands, Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza, where there have been fewer cases. Yes, the Foreign Office has said that we can visit the Canaries and Balearics. But we will still have to quarantine for 14 days on our return. Its increasingly difficult to track and trace the Governments thinking on travel, whether its the air bridges debacle, which cruises to avoid, the continued red-listing of Portugal and now a blanket ban on travel to mainland Spain with hardly any warning. Thousands will now have to start the grim process of seeking refunds from holiday companies and airlines, or accept vouchers, while travel firms who had hoped to claw back some money in August will find themselves plunged back into crisis. The summer of 2020 is turning out to be a chilling one. (Reuters) - Moderna Inc said on Sunday it has received an additional $472 million from the U.S. government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support development of its novel coronavirus vaccine. The U.S.-based drug maker said the additional funding will support its late-stage clinical development including the expanded Phase 3 study of Moderna's vaccine candidate. In April, Moderna had received $483 million from the U.S. federal agency that funds disease-fighting technology, when the experimental vaccine was in an early-stage trial conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. "Encouraged by the Phase 1 data, we believe that our mRNA vaccine may aid in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and preventing future outbreaks," Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said in a press release. BARDA's total funding for the experimental vaccine of Moderna, the first in the United States to begin human trials of a coronavirus vaccine, is now about $955 million. The vaccine uses synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) to inoculate against the coronavirus. Such treatments help the body immunize against a virus and can potentially be developed and manufactured more quickly than traditional vaccines. A Phase 3 study, conducted in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will begin on July 27 and involve about 30,000 participants, according to the company. Moderna said it remains on track to be able to deliver about 500 million doses per year, and possibly up to 1 billion doses per year, beginning in 2021. The announcement about further funding came two days after the drug developer said its formula used in developing the vaccine was not covered under patents owned by Arbutus Biopharma Pfizer Inc, Novavax Inc, Britian's AstraZeneca Plc are other few drug makers that received funding from BARDA for coronavirus vaccine development. (Reporting by Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Editing by Will Dunham) A sign at a Barnes & Noble requesting exact change on July 24. Aylin Woodward/Business Insider The US Mint and Federal Reserve have linked the coronavirus pandemic to a national coin shortage. During lockdowns, people shopped less and hesitated to use coins, opting for touchless payment options. That led Americans to hoard coins, sparking a shortage. The risk of catching the coronavirus from money is low. In a Thursday statement, the US Mint pleaded with Americans to "start spending their coins, depositing them, or exchanging them" at banks. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Clinking sounds are conspicuously absent from tills across the US. The country's coin supply has become an unexpected victim of the coronavirus pandemic, which has led businesses to ask for exact change or cashless payments. "The impact of COVID-19 has resulted in the disruption of the supply channels of circulating coinage the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters that the American people and businesses use in their day-to-day transactions," the US Mint said in a Thursday statement. Despite the Mint's efforts to produce more coins to meet growing demand (in June, Mint workers produced 1.65 billion coins more than a 50% increase from its monthly production average in 2019), the reality is that many Americans have become unintentional coin hoarders. "Simply put, there is an adequate amount of coins in the economy, but the slowed pace of circulation has meant that sufficient quantities of coins are sometimes not readily available where needed," the Mint's statement said, adding, "We ask that the American public start spending their coins, depositing them, or exchanging them for currency at financial institutions or taking them to a coin redemption kiosk." The pandemic decreased retail opportunities as well as shoppers' willingness to touch cash and coins In-person shopping mostly stopped during COVID-19 lockdowns, and fewer Americans ventured out to do laundry, take public transit, or park at meters: all coin-heavy activities. Story continues "With establishments like retail shops, bank branches, transit authorities, and laundromats closed, the typical places where coin enters our society have slowed or even stopped the normal circulation," the US Federal Reserve, which controls the Mint, said in a June statement. The empty change drawer of the cash register at Symbiote Collectibles in West Reading, Pennsylvania, on July 9. Ben Hasty/Getty Augmenting the problem, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that even essential businesses "encourage customers to use touchless payment options, when available" and "minimize handling cash, credit cards, reward cards, and mobile devices, where possible." That's because cash and coin transactions tend to require direct, close physical contact between shoppers and cashiers an outcome at odds with social-distancing recommendations from public-health experts. Lingering reluctance to exchange money means the pennies and dimes that normally bounce from store to store, or from people to banks, are staying home. Virus particles can live on coins, but they're unlikely to make you sick A person can get the coronavirus if they touch a surface or object that has viral particles on it and then touch their mouth, nose, or eyes. But the life span of the virus on objects depends on the type of surface. Rachel Graham, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina, previously told Business Insider that smooth, nonporous surfaces like doorknobs and tabletops are better at carrying viruses in general. Porous surfaces like money, hair, and cloth fabric don't allow viruses to survive as long because the small spaces or holes in them can trap the virus and prevent its transfer. "Coins will transmit a virus better than cash, but this shouldn't be a huge concern," she said. "Basic rule of thumb should be to consider money dirty anyway, because it is. It goes through too many hands not to be." A man holds coins collected from the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Marco Di Lauro/Getty One study suggested the virus could live up to four hours on copper (today's pennies are made of copper and zinc), while research published in The Lancet showed it took four days for the virus to leave paper money. That being said, the virus "does not spread easily" from contaminated surfaces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus," the agency said. Still, the CDC recommends that people "routinely clean and disinfect" high-touch surfaces just in case. Aine Cain and Anna Medaris Miller contributed reporting to this story. Read the original article on Business Insider NEW DELHI - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend a groundbreaking ceremony next week for a Hindu temple on a disputed site in northern India where a 16th century mosque was torn down by Hindu hard-liners in 1992, according to the trust overseeing the temple construction. The ceremony is set for Aug. 5, a date organizers said was astrologically auspicious for Hindus but that also marks a year since the Indian Parliament revoked the semi-autonomous status of its only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir. The symbolism was impossible to miss for both supporters and opponents of Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, whose manifesto had for decades included pledges to strip restive Kashmirs autonomy and to build a temple to the Hindu god Ram where the Mughal-era mosque once stood, a site in the city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh state that devotees believe to be Rams birthplace. Because the coronavirus is still rampaging across India, which has reported the worlds third-highest caseload, the ceremony will be broadcast live on state television and the number of participants and spectators will be limited, according to Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or the World Hindu Organization, a Hindu nationalist group allied with the BJP. The temple will serve as an enduring and immortal beaming centre of social harmony, national unity and integration and awakening of the feeling of Hindutva, or Hindu way of life, the organizations spokesperson Vinod Bansal said in a news release Saturday. A century-long dispute over the site was resolved last year following the BJPs landslide election victory. In November, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the temple trust, saying that Muslim petitions would be given five acres at an alternative site. Hindus hard-liners have long contended Mughal Muslim invaders built a mosque on top of an existing temple in the ancient city of Ayodya. A December 1992 riot following the destruction of the mosque sparked communal violence in which about 2,000 people were killed, mostly Muslims. Meanwhile, the trial in the demolition court case continues to be heard in a special court. An architect from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Modis home state, has proposed a towering sandstone structure 161 feet (49 metres) high with five domes. Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradeshs chief minister and a Hindu monk, requested that Ayodhya hold a special cleaning and purification ceremony and for all of the citys temples to light oil lamps ahead of Modis visit, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. Adityanath said the occasion marked the end of a 500-year struggle, PTI reported. The Bombay high court bench in Goa has asked the state government and Dr Edwin Gomes, who pioneered the states battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, to amicably settle the issue the issue of his pending leaves. The court made the remark while hearing a petition filed by the wife of Dr Gomes where she claimed that he was not being granted leave nor being relieved from duties. Dr Gomes, who helped set up the states dedicated Covid-19 facility at the ESI Hospital in Margao in South Goa and headed the hospital for close to three months, was granted three weeks time off but urged to resume after the time elapsed. [The parties agree that] it will be in public interest if the Secretary, Health and Dr Edwin Gomes have a meeting by video conference to discuss certain issues relating to Covid-19 situation including the issues raised. We also feel that these matters can be best sorted out at the earliest, so that the focus is not shifted and continues to be on combating the unfortunate situation we all are in, on account of the pandemic, the bench of Justices M S Sonak and M S Jawalkar said. We trust that both Dr Gomes as well as the health cecretary will approach this matter from this perspective and refrain from treating this matter as some adversarial litigation. Taking into consideration the yeoman services rendered by Dr Gomes during this difficult period and the valuable experience he has gained, we are sure that his suggestions will be most valuable to the state administration, which is also engaged very actively in combating this unfortunate situation, the court said. Dr Gomes returned home on July 4 after completing 98 days of uninterrupted duty. He was given a heros welcome by the locals near his home on the outskirts of Panaji. Dr.Edwin Gomes went #home after 96 days. He received a warm welcome by the members of the Society where he lives #CoronaWarriors #GoaFightsCovid19 pic.twitter.com/eXsYSzTr8a DIP Goa (@dip_goa) July 4, 2020 A few days later, he tested positive for the novel coronavirus forcing the state to grant him more time off. However, having subsequently recovered, the state has been urging him to rejoin the duty. His wife, in the petition before the court, claimed that the health minister made a statement that Dr Edwin will be kept for Covid-19 duties until the pandemic is over as he is doing a good job. We will appreciate it if the meeting between Dr Gomes and the health secretary is held at the earliest and in any case, within a period of one week from today. We are sure that the initiative for this meeting will be taken by the health secretary and necessary intimation will be given to Dr Gomes and further, all assistance will also be rendered to Dr Gomes to attend this meeting through video conferencing, the court said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 14:32:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's highly provocative China-smearing speech at the Presidential Library of Richard Nixon was "primitive and ineffective," a former U.S. diplomat has said. Pompeo's "angry lament" and "extended ideological rant" will achieve an opposite effect, Daniel Russel, former U.S. assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told CNBC on Friday. The speech will only deepen anger at the United States, Russel said. Speaking at the Presidential Library of Richard Nixon, the former U.S. president who pressed the start button to normalize relations with China about five decades ago, Pompeo on Thursday urged an end to the long-held engagement approach towards China and called for "a new alliance" to force China to change according to Washington's wishes. "Complaining is not fixing and denouncing is not diplomacy," Russel said, adding Pompeo's remarks could worsen bilateral relations. Enditem Catholic student ousted from FSU student gov't over criticisms of BLM org. appeals removal Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Catholic student who was removed from his student government position at Florida State University for scrutinizing the views of the Black Lives Matter organization is now appealing the student senate's decision to oust him. Last month, Jack Denton, who was president of the FSU senate and a member of the FSU class of 2021, was in a private group text message chat with the FSU Catholic Student Union when he criticized, from a Catholic perspective, the beliefs of BLM and other groups like Reclaim the Block and the ACLU, arguing that their positions were not in keeping with the Church's teachings. His comments were later made public when a fellow student posted screenshots of his comments on social media. While an initial motion to bring up a no-confidence vote in the student senate failed on June 3, two days later, under duress, the student senate summarily voted to remove him from his office. The Alliance Defending Freedom is representing Denton and sent a letter to university administrators Wednesday appealing the student government's decision. The letter notes that the FSU junior appealed his removal to the student supreme court in mid-June but that the senate refused to confirm a temporary chief justice before its regular session concluded, which then prevented Dentons complaint from being adjudicated in timely fashion. According to the letter, student senators also vetted a potential nominee for chief justice by asking the nominee how she would rule on hot-button cases centering on LGBT issues such as Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, and Bostock v. Clayton County, which was decided in June in favor of LGBT-identified employees. The Bostock ruling held that legal definition of sex discrimination in the workplace extends to both sexual orientation and transgender status. The senators vetting the nominee also reportedly expressed concern and frustration over her limited knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community, in light of the "sensitive case on the docket, referring to Bostock. ADF Senior Counsel Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, said in a statement on Wednesday that No student should fear retaliation for peacefully sharing his personal convictions. Public universities should be fostering real diversity of thought, not discriminating against individuals based on their religious convictions or political beliefs. Under the guise of creating a safe space, FSU students banded together to cancel Jacks First Amendment freedoms and silence Jack because of his religion, in violation of the schools SGA Ethics Code and the Student Body Constitution," he continued. "A university that promotes true diversity allows students to wrestle with differing viewpoints, instead of smashing dissent. The SGA student senate has failed to respect Jacks freedoms; thats why were asking school administrators to step in and correct this constitutional violation. Since the student senate refused to fill the court vacancy in time to hear Denton's case, ADF attorneys are requesting that the FSU Vice President for Student Affairs schedule a hearing to consider Dentons appeal by July 29. Chandigarh/Amritsar The Punjab State Committee of All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), along with 10 constituent organisations, will hold a protest rally of farmers across the state on Monday. AIKSCC is the largest confederation of farmers and farm-worker organisations of India, with more than 250 constituent members. AIKSCC Punjab chapter convener Darshan Pal said, Farmers shall march towards the offices of the elected representatives and prominent leaders of the BJP and the Akali Dal, who are partners in the NDA government at the Centre, in protest against their general anti-farmer policies, and also against the three recent ordinances. He added 10,000 tractors would be out on the states roads in protest. On Monday, ten local organisations like Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), Bhartiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) and Bhartiya Kisan Union (Sidhuwal) will participate. Meanwhile, in Amritsar, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), Punjab, on Sunday said it would launch a Jail Bharo stir in the state from September 7 against three agriculture-related ordinances. Representatives of 13 districts of the KMSC met at Amritsars Chaba village. The ordinances are neither in the interest of farmers nor of arhtiyas and labourers of Punjab and Haryana and must be revoked. The Centre says these ordinances have been introduced to increase income of farmers, but in reality they benefit the corporate sector, the farm leaders said. KMSC general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said, The preparation for Jail Bharo will start from July 31 by holding district-level awareness meetings. With the assistance of a helper, Pamela Vest had eased her daughter into a pool, making sure to keep her head above the water. Her daughter, Katie, splashed and squealed in the water. Vest had made it a point to take her out of the house because she had lived so much of her life in a bed. For Katie and her other children, adopted and foster, Vest wanted to let them see Gods creation. It was just like you were supposed to keep them at home, Vest said. It was hard to get into buildings. You just didnt get to do what the rest of the world got to do. Vest adopted Katie when she was about 15 years old. Katie had been born to a sex worker, and she was born with a sexually transmitted infection. She developed cerebral palsy around birth. Katie had a litany of health and developmental issues, and she lived until she was almost 20 years old, Vest said. She would just stare past people when I adopted her, Vest said. I took her out in the world, and she was so happy. The film is made by the Godus brothers, best known for their Telfaz 11 internet production Saudi feature film Shams Al-Maaref will premiere in cinemas across the kingdom starting this weekend, as Muslims celebrate the Eid Al-Adha holiday. Directed by Faris Godus and produced by his brother Suhaib Godus, the film is set in 2010. It explores the story of high school senior Husam (Baraa Alem) who becomes interested in video production at the same time as the internet is creating social change. The Godus brothers are best known for their success in internet video production projects such as Telfaz 11, as well as for creating the short film Depressing Scene (2016) and the Saudi Ramadan TV series Another Planet. Shams Al-Maaref was supposed to premier in March at the first edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The film received a $500,000 grant from the festivals Tamheed Fund, a one-time award for emerging Saudi filmmakers. Eid Al-Adha begins on Thursday and concludes on Monday. The holiday is a major date in the movie-release calendar. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: A multi-agency team probing the Kerala gold smuggling case has said one of the accused, K T Ramees, was the key link in diverting proceeds of smuggling to fund anti-national activities in south India. In its petition seeking the remand extension of Ramees, who is in customs custody, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said he seemed to be the kingpin and was in constant touch with some fringe elements working against the interests of the country. He used to insist other accused to make use of the situation and bring maximum gold from the middle-east. He wants to weaken financial position of the country. He was also close to many who indulged in unlawful activities and he made frequent trips to abroad, the NIA said in the custody report. Ramees was arrested by customs officials from his house in Malappuram after the NIA detained two other accused, Swapna Suresh and her accomplice Sandip Nair, from their hideout in Bengaluru on July 10, five days after 30kg gold was seized from a consignment that came in the name of an employee of the United Arab Emirates consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. He made several trips to the UAE and other countries in five years. When asked about this, he said he runs a hotel in Dubai. But later we found that it was incorrect. We have information that a good portion of the smuggling proceeds was used to fund fringe elements, said a senior official familiar with the probe. Customs officials said Ramees (28) was first booked in 2014 in connection with the smuggling of 15kg gold through cargo in Kozhikode. But he got away by paying fines. In 2016 the forest department had booked him for hunting a deer. But he was not convicted in that case. Another case was registered against him after he tried to smuggle six rifles through the Kochi airport. We will also inquire how such a history- sheeter got away and who all helped him, said the senior official cited above, adding he used to fund various political parties and was engaged in social activities to dodge suspicion. The multi-agency team headed by the NIA and assisted by customs, DRI, enforcement directorate and income tax department officials is also investigating a possible nexus involving hawala transactions and smuggling. Meanwhile, the NIA has summoned M Sivasankar, former principal secretary to the chief minister, for questioning in Kochi. He was earlier questioned by customs for nine hours and the NIA for four hours. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A protester wears a mask and googles outside the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse during a Black Lives Matter protest. (AP) Los Angeles: For Portland, social conflict and street clashes are nothing new. The Oregon city has a long history of pro-labor militancy coupled with an anti-fascist culture and defiance of authorities -- but also, further back, a dark segregationist history. So Portland, despite its small black population, was not entirely a surprising venue for the weeks of anti-racism protests that have drawn national attention, prompting President Donald Trump to send in federal agents in a highly controversial move. Protesters have mobilized almost nightly since the death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, a black man, under the knee of a white police officer. But the city of 650,000 began forging its reputation for far-left militancy years ago, during the ferment and unrest of the 1960s, much like Seattle to the north and San Francisco farther to the south. And since the 2016 presidential election, the city has come to symbolize virulent opposition to Trump and his Republican Party. "Anti-authoritarian leftist politics... have been present in Portland's true protest culture for the last 30 years or so," said Joe Lowndes, a political science professor at the University of Oregon. 'Little Beirut' The city earned the nickname of "Little Beirut," a reference to the years-long war in Lebanon, after then-President George H.W. Bush was met there with barricades, burning tires and hostile slogans. "More recently, there's been a lot of kind of anti-fascist work which has been done on the streets of Portland," pushing back against far-right and white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer, Lowndes said. Protests and "violent attacks" on Portland residents by such far-right groups after Trump's political emergence in 2016, he added, spurred the development of "an active network of anti-fascist activists, who have grown over the last few years." In November 2016, a demonstration against Trump's election degenerated into three days of rioting and clashes with police. The emergence early this year of the COVID-19 pandemic initially helped restore calm on the streets. But by then scenes of shaven-headed white supremacists and neo-Nazis clashing with hooded and black-garbed "antifa" anarchists had become commonplace. "It is kind of a battleground for extremism," Lowndes said. Feedback loops "Because Portland has gained this reputation as kind of liberal, radical (and) progressive, that draws people in who share those views, and it becomes ... almost a feedback loop," making the city ever more radical, said Steven Beda, a specialist in the region's history at the University of Oregon. A mirror-image feedback loop in some rural parts of eastern Oregon, Beda said, attracted far-right militias and communities starting in the 1960s. Despite Portland's current reputation as a leftist haven, the city and state were the product of fundamentally racist institutions, Beda pointed out. The Ku Klux Klan "had a huge presence in Oregon in the 1920s. It actually had the highest per capita membership numbers... and there was a very, very close relationship throughout the 1920s between the political system and the Klan," he said. As recently as 1926, local laws forbade black people from entering the state under pain of whipping -- a punishment to be repeated every six months if they remained. A history of racism So in Beda's view, "Any conversation about Portland's radicalism, I think, has to exist alongside this other conversation about the history of exclusion and racism in Portland," where only six percent of the population is black. Further fueling the recent tension is the long-strained relationship between some residents and Portland law enforcement, Lowndes said, which contributed to the locals' strong pushback against the federal agents sent by Trump into the city in recent weeks. "The previous two or three years of protest policing in Portland have created a fracture with the community," said Michael German, a former FBI agent now with the Brennan Center for Justice, in New York. "The more aggression the police gave, the more aggression was returned," he told the Washington Post. Lithia Motors, Inc. (NYSE:LAD) just released its quarterly report and things are looking bullish. It was overall a positive result, with revenues beating expectations by 4.1% to hit US$2.8b. Lithia Motors also reported a statutory profit of US$3.38, which was an impressive 116% above what the analysts had forecast. This is an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance in its report, look at what experts are forecasting for next year, and see if there has been any change to expectations for the business. We thought readers would find it interesting to see the analysts latest (statutory) post-earnings forecasts for next year. See our latest analysis for Lithia Motors After the latest results, the nine analysts covering Lithia Motors are now predicting revenues of US$12.4b in 2020. If met, this would reflect a credible 2.1% improvement in sales compared to the last 12 months. Per-share earnings are expected to swell 11% to US$13.29. Before this earnings report, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$11.9b and earnings per share (EPS) of US$9.21 in 2020. There's been a pretty noticeable increase in sentiment, with the analysts upgrading revenues and making a very substantial lift in earnings per share in particular. With these upgrades, we're not surprised to see that the analysts have lifted their price target 45% to US$225per share. There's another way to think about price targets though, and that's to look at the range of price targets put forward by analysts, because a wide range of estimates could suggest a diverse view on possible outcomes for the business. There are some variant perceptions on Lithia Motors, with the most bullish analyst valuing it at US$284 and the most bearish at US$130 per share. This is a fairly broad spread of estimates, suggesting that analysts are forecasting a wide range of possible outcomes for the business. One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that Lithia Motors' revenue growth is expected to slow, with forecast 2.1% increase next year well below the historical 12%p.a. growth over the last five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 9.8% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Lithia Motors is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants. Story continues The Bottom Line The most important thing here is that the analysts upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards Lithia Motors following these results. Fortunately, they also upgraded their revenue estimates, although our data indicates sales are expected to perform worse than the wider industry. There was also a nice increase in the price target, with the analysts clearly feeling that the intrinsic value of the business is improving. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have estimates - from multiple Lithia Motors analysts - going out to 2022, and you can see them free on our platform here. That said, it's still necessary to consider the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Lithia Motors , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. 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. One of the biggest achievements of Luck by Chance is the way it depicts nepotism in the film industry, probably the only mainstream Hindi movie to do so. When Vikram reaches the office, the dingy-looking room is full of actors. Men from all over India occupy the room, their desperation, ambition, hopes and passion fill up the space. Shankar Mahadevans voice sings: 'Sapnon se bhare naina,' as the actors size each other up, fill up forms, rehearse lines. Someone turns to Vikram, and with an embarrassed expression, asks him for help to fill up the form its in English. When Vikram asks, we realise its a form with basic details- name, age, etc. It cuts to the auditions. One actor is asked to leave, and he desperately asks for another chance. I will do Maam, better than this he says. I dare you to watch this song without your heart breaking. When I watch Luck By Chance now and I watch it all the time, on good days, on bad days, during extended lunch breaks and when I cant sleep at night I always, always skip this song. I love the song, its on all my Songs to Listen to While Doing Bartan playlists, but I cant watch the video. Its too powerful and too sad. In another scene from the film, during the of launch Niki Walia (Isha Sharvani), daughter of yesteryear superstar Nina Walia (Dimple Kapadia), Niki tells the media, I never thought Id become an actress. I wanted to be a vet, animals ki doctor. When mom told me Romy uncle wanted to sign me, I said, What are you saying? Main itni nervous thi, itni nervous thi But then I said Why not? The difference between the star kid and the struggling actor is startling, and you feel disgusted, much like Sona (Konkona Sen Sharma) who is watching the interview on television. But one of the biggest achievements of Luck by Chance is the way it depicts nepotism in the film industry, probably the only mainstream Hindi movie to do so. Niki Walia gets her launch handed to her on a platter, with superstar Zafar Khan (played by Hrithik Roshan) even though she has no experience acting; she's a bad actor, and cant even perform her dialogues properly. (The scene where Anurag Kashyap, who plays the scriptwriter, tries to teach her how to say "khoon" and then replaces the word with murder, is one of my favourites.) Luck By Chance also compares this privilege with struggling actors, Sona, Vikram (Farhan Akhtar) and Abhi (Arjun Mathur). The film is filled with contrasting ironies: when the film shows Nina Walia calling the shots for her daughter, demanding branded clothes and Louis Vuitton bags, when Sona has had to sleep with a producer for years, hoping to play second lead in a movie, Vikram has to find a grandfather clock just to get on a movie set, and Abhi has to do theatre night after night for an uncaring audience, all in the hope that they would land one movie, somehow. The film takes its time to show that Niki seems to belong to that world, as she casually attends film premieres and strolls into Kareena Kapoors house for a party. The party is also where one of the most significant conversations take place, in the context of outsiders and stars, between Zafar and Karan Johar. Karan Johar says, "this is how outsiders enter the industry. A big star refuses a role and a newcomer gets a break," citing Shahrukh Khan who got Darr and Baazigar after many people had said no to the roles, and of course, Amitabh Bachchan who got his first big hit Zanjeer, after seven heroes had said no to the film. But the film doesnt stop there. It refuses to deal with nepotism in such simplistic terms, opting, much like Zoya Akhtar always does, to go for the nuance. And Luck By Chance is filled with subtle nuance. It does a good job of highlighting Nikis insecurities and the pressure on her, so that as a viewer, you cant hate her even as it recognises her privilege. In a scene, shes standing in front of this huge blow-up of her mothers face, showing the comparisons that are inevitable. You feel her humiliation as her mother tells her to work out, reminding her that a lot of money is riding on that waistline. And in contrast, Vikram is ultimately shown to be shrewd and manipulative. He manipulates his competition to act in a way he knows the director will hate. He is shrewd in the way he charms both Nina and Niki Walia, he takes advantage of his friends and acquaintances and everyone he knows. The narrative never faults him for it, and while all these machinations might make one uncomfortable, you cant help but feel for Vikram when he breaks down because his friend tells him he wont make it. He's merely doing whatever he needs to, to make it. Enter Romy Roli (Rishi Kapoor), a successful film producer whos been making films for decades. Hes hilarious, complete with superstitions, the insistence to work with one star (Zafar mera beta jaisa hai) and the obsession with making a commercially-successful movie (when there is news that someone got stabbed in a queue for a movie he produced, he says Cheers to that). Rishi Kapoor is obviously fantastic in this role, but Akhtar doesnt make Romy Roli a character you can just laugh at. She shows his powerlessness too the struggle to get an investor for a film without a big star, the pain as star-after-star rejects the role, and when he finally breaks down because Zafar wont return his calls, and he feels disrespected and rejected, you realise how each individual in this system is just a cog-in-the-wheel, whether it is the successful producer or star kid, or struggling actor. The film also comments on power structures in the industry and no, it isnt always the producer with the power. Its telling how quickly the film theyre making, Dil Ki Aag, falls apart when Zafar leaves the film. Investors back out. Other leading actors wont touch the film, and come up with all kinds of excuses for it. Abhishek Bachchan, in a cameo, says he doesnt want the controversy that will start if he replaces a leading actor in a movie. The producer is powerless here. Luck By Chance reminds us that its not a simple battle of outsiders versus star kids. There are many deep problems in how the industry functions, that people dont want to address. Luck by Chance is an important reminder that movies too are made by humans. Humans with their own passions, own motivations and own failings. And that the world isnt divided into good people and Bollywood producers. Recently, a group of people in Australia were caught at a birthday party in violation of new lockdown orders amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Police issued fines to 16 people, totaling more than $18,000. The fines might seem steep, but they serve a purpose in encouraging people who should know better to follow the rules and take the coronavirus pandemic seriously. And as the coronavirus continues to spread across much of the United States, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont should put in place stronger enforcement of simple coronavirus protections such as wearing masks and quarantining. So far, we've relied on the good graces of our fellow Nutmeggers to choose to wear masks, keep their distance and wash their hands. For the most part, we've agreed to take those steps, and the result is clear: Connecticut's COVID-19 transmission rate is among the lowest in the nation. But how long can we continue to rely on good intentions, especially when it comes to travelers from states where masks are optional or scorned and the virus is spreading out of control? In recent weeks, Gov. Lamont has steadily added to the list of states from which travelers are asked to quarantine nearly half of the nation is included. Air travelers from those states will be asked to fill out a form and quarantine for two weeks. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is taking a harder line. All air travelers coming into New York must give contact and itinerary information or face a $2,000 fine. Courts can even order that a person be quarantined. Connecticut should go that route as well. Tougher enforcement is needed. Travelers from high-risk states must be required to register and quarantine upon arrival, and there should be spot checks to ensure compliance. Mask-wearing in public should be a law enforceable with fines. The coronavirus is slippery. Outbreaks are difficult to control and impossible to predict. But we know that mask-wearing and social distancing works, combined with rigorous testing. We rarely see people in Connecticut without masks in public. For the most part, we have agreed to take care of each other, and nonsensical complaints that masks somehow violate our "freedoms" don't gain much traction. In that, we are fortunate. But since we know that mask-wearing and social distancing is so effective, why are we hesitating to enforce it? We have hundreds of laws on the books that are there only for health and safety, to allow society to function in an orderly way. We stop at traffic lights, drive on the right and wear seat belts. We agree to background checks before buying guns. We immunize our children (for the most part). It's possible that we would choose to adhere to this cooperative system without laws, but the laws help encourage us to do the right thing for the good of all of our friends and neighbors. The coronavirus is one of the greatest threats society has ever faced. Why not enforce the rules that we know greatly reduce the risk of spread? Other countries have figured it out. Governments have the right to enforce mask-wearing, and while Gov. Lamont has so far relied on trust to make it happen, the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases across the country raises the question of whether trust is enough. If everyone in the country adhered to mask-wearing and social-distancing standards, the virus could be brought well under control, quickly, and the economy could begin to recover, schools could resume, and our lives could come back to some kind of new normal. What are we waiting for? The editorial appeared at the Hartford Courant. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency. Offices will be reimagined as a social hub to provide a culture that cant be replicated via remote working and serves as a social hub for employees to connect on common goals, purpose and vision Employees across Asia Pacific have adapted to extensive work from home arrangements, but most are eager to return to the office. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic across Asia Pacific, an average of 68% of employees surveyed regionally worked from home. According to JLL, 61% of the same respondents working remotely said they missed going to the office and would favor a hybrid model combining more flexible work arrangements in the future. offices (Image credit: Pixabay) JLLs new Asia Pacific report Home and away: the new hybrid workplace argues that employees consistently believed they while they enjoy the freedom of working from home, they miss the human interaction and face-to-face collaboration that working in a professional office environment provides. In Singapore, 54% of local respondents missed the office while working from home, citing the lack of social interactions as the biggest factor. Millennials in Asia Pacific said they missed the office more than other age groups at 66% and highlighted the office experiences benefits: human interactions, professional environment, and place for focused work. Furthermore, 81% of Millennials strongly agreed that they felt technology ready, and 52% said they were more productive working from home. However, some could not afford accommodation with space and amenities vital for successful homeworking. Employees across Asia Pacific have successfully transitioned to remote working, but our interactions also suggest that many now crave the office environments cultural and human experience. It is becoming clearer that the office is here to stay, but greater acceptance of remote working will force a new workplace model for many corporations regionally, says Anthony Couse, CEO, Asia Pacific, JLL. Story continues The evolving expectations of employees for hybrid work arrangements will have clear implications for corporate real estate in establishing a shared purpose and culture, says JLL. Respondents surveyed revealed that 29% of employees in the region are very confident about their companys future, and 27% were very confident in their own prospects. Millennials were even more optimistic on both counts (35% and 34%, respectively). As a result, respondents believe that employers have a responsibility to foster this sense of optimism, whether their teams are working from home or in the office and as businesses, enhance human performance and productivity wherever their workers are. Key considerations for employers exploring a hybrid offices model include: Office space is here to stay : Higher acceptance of remote working will lead to a more distributed and diverse workforce but this will come with its own challenges on productivity and efficiency. Office space will continue to hold its importance, in most instances as the optimal working environment. Offices will be reimagined as social hubs : The office provides a culture that cant be replicated via remote working and serves as a social hub for employees to connect on common goals, purpose and vision. Repurposed or redesigned work areas will be required to provide infrastructure for collaboration among the split teams of remote and on-site staff. Future footprint will facilitate choices and flexibility: Work from home saw many employees enjoy greater flexibility and control on their personal and professional lives. Corporates will have to redefine their real estate footprint, leveraging distributed and liquid spaces. Home offices, co-working places, satellite offices and the office HQ will all have to co-exist leading to a truly hybrid office model. Offices will continue to play a central role in defining company culture, creating a shared purpose, and meeting employee needs for personal and professional fulfilment. However, COVID-19 will impact how the office looks and feels, as hybrid models comprising flexible work arrangements become mainstream, says Chris Archibold, Head of Leasing, JLL Singapore. Traditional offices will have to reinvent themselves to stay relevant. This could drive redevelopment of ageing office assets in the CBD and help shift Singapores office landscape towards further decentralisation. JLLs Home and away: the new hybrid workplace was based on the views of 1,500 employees from five countries across Asia Pacific. Respondents were asked about the impact of extended periods of remote work, access to technology, and which changes in professional behaviour will become permanent. An earlier report by JLL said that new offices demand will require companies to focus on design and decentralisation as they prepare for re-entry. As organisations prepare to return to the office amid an easing of lockdown restrictions across Asia Pacific, many are considering how their corporate real estate portfolios should look in the next normal. According to a survey by JLL, more than 80% of its clients have started to explore alternatives to keep their business operational or carry out certain modifications to their offices. The real estate firms latest Guide for Workplace Design Considerations outlines some short- to long-term priorities, including space planning solutions, tech-enabled experiences and operational functions that help corporates navigate the complex re-entry journey. The guide also highlights how companies can re-assess their office footprint with decentralization scenarios or re-designs that can protect their businesses and people in the long run. Office re-entry will be a gradual and multi-phased journey that is likely to evolve as economies open up again, says Martin Hinge, Executive Managing Director, Project & Development Services, JLL Asia Pacific. As people head back to the office, our clients number one priority is to ensure that theyre welcoming people back to a safe and healthy environment. This office demand includes setting up private, enclosed workstations, fitting social and break-out spaces with labels or physical dividers, or even installing thermal imaging technology in the building lobby and reception areas. The post Offices will be reimagined as a social hub suggests new research appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources. I have always believed that fashion is the window to the soul. As a Black disabled woman with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects movement on the right side of my body, I have gone through what I call the stages of fashion grief. First, there was denial, which led to pretending fashion did not matter to me. Anger, depression, bargaining and acceptance came when I realized that I was no longer going to deny myself the things that allowed me the opportunity to share myself with the world. Especially when I realized just how much fashion was a part of my story. In The Pretty One, my collection of essays published last year, I talk about my journey to see my self-worth and how it led to my Twitter hashtag #disabledandcute, used by like-minded people to share pictures of ourselves and to declare that we are just as cute and worthy as anyone else. A team of officers with sniffer dogs stormed the home of Kai Agyepong in Camden, north London, on the evening of July 17 after a call from a member of the public claiming to have seen a black male holding a firearm. In reality, it was a BB pellet gun that had been fitted with a blue slider to distinguish it from the real thing. Kais mother Alice criticised the police, saying her family felt utterly violated by the incident. Ms Agyepong, who also has two daughters living at home aged 16 and 23, told the PA news agency: In my mind there was no question they were going to shoot us. Their guns were drawn in such a way they were aiming their rifles at me and my kids. It was very, very humiliating but more than that, for me and my kids it was terrifying She said the Met had thrown every single resource except a helicopter at the incident, adding that in addition to the armed officers and dog unit, there were two vans of ordinary PCs and an ambulance. Advertisement Even after being shown the BB gun, the police still conducted a full search of the premises lasting more than an hour. Ms Agyepong said her son had undoubtedly been racially profiled. She said the Met had explained the incident by saying senior gang members often leave knives and firearms with younger boys in the hope they will be less likely to be discovered. Commander Kyle Gordon, the Mets lead for firearms, said: There have been a number of well-publicised shootings in London in recent months where members of the public have been injured. As the public would rightly expect, we take every report of a firearm seriously in order to protect our communities. Officers attending reports such as this must treat them as genuine until they can verify whether or not an actual firearm is present. Based on the information at hand, the officers acted in line with their training and my expectations, enabling the incident to be concluded as quickly and safely as possible. Commander Gordon said he had watched the body-worn video of the incident and said he was content with the officers professionalism and how they had explained to residents what was going on. The reporting member of the public was right to call us and we would encourage others who see similar weapons to do the same, he said. We are committed to bearing down on violence and we rely on our communities to help us do this. He added that Kai had been immediately dearrested as soon as officers had established the only weapon in the house was the BB gun. Ms Agyepong said Kai had been left traumatised by the incident, becoming anxious if she even leaves him just to nip to the shops. It was very, very humiliating but more than that, for me and my kids it was terrifying. By Online Desk India's COVID tally crossed 14 lakh-mark on Monday with 708 deaths and highest single-day spike of 49,931 cases in last 24-hours. According to the Health Ministry, the total coronavirus positive cases now stand at 14,35,453 including 4,85,114 active cases, 9,17,568 cured/discharged/migrated and 32,771 deaths.Meanwhile, The New Indian Express analysed if the relock had paid dividends, studying data of fresh daily cases, active cases and deaths during the relock period and the days preceding it. The biggest finding from the relock is that states, cities and districts that augmented testing by over 20 per cent were able to control casualty figures. Seventy-five Senior High School (SHS) students in the Western Region have tested positive to COVID-19, which has affected 14 educational institutions in the region. The students, who tested positive for the disease, form part of 324 students, whose samples have been collected for testing by health authorities. Nsein SHS in the Nzema East municipality has the highest of 26 positive cases, followed by Shama SHS, 19, Adiembra and Asankragwa Nursing and Midwifery Training School, six each, Archbishop Porter, four and St Augustines SHS, Bogoso, three. Others are Ahantaman SHS, St Johns, and Sekondi College, two each, while, Fijai SHS, Prestea SHS, Fiaseman SHS, Huni Valley SHS and the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) had one each. Nsein SHS recorded the highest negative cases of 56 out of the 82 samples collected at the school, Archbishop Porter recorded 23 negative cases with 72 pending results out of the 99 samples collected. The Western Regional Director of Health Service, Dr Jacob Mahama, released the report on COVID-19, at a media encounter held in Sekondi. He said the Tarkwa -Nsuaem municipality, during the period, recorded 566 suspected cases, 639 positive cases with 4,627 negative cases while 1,342 cases were pending out of the 6,608 samples collected. Dr Mahama said Sekondi -Takoradi recorded 1,682 suspected cases, 1,860 negatives, 632 positives, with 992 cases pending out of the 3,414 samples taken. Wassa Amenfi West recorded 387 suspected cases, 370 negatives, 442 positives with 102 pending out of the 914 samples taken while Effia- Kwesimintsim also had 255 suspected cases, 431, negatives, 275 positives, while 151 cases are pending out of the 857 sample taken, he said. Dr Mahama said the report showed that there were 4,474 suspected cases, 8,994 negatives, 2,467 positives with 4,330 cases pending, while 11,317 contacts had been traced out of the 11,399 listed. For the regional summary as at June 30, he, said, the Regional Situational Reported (SITREP) showed 1,556 confirmed cases, 1,464 discharged and with three dead. Dr Mahama indicated that the directorate will continue to operate in order to render our invaluable healthcare services to all and sundry in our dear region and country. He said, The health sector has been badly affected by the restrictive nature of the preventive protocols that we all need to observe to survive the pandemic and stop the spread to others that have not been affected. Dr Mahama said the Ghana Health Service had put in place measures to protect its workers, including a shift system for non-clinical and administrative staff, holding of meetings by ZOOM and teams, training of staff in Infection prevention and control protocol, and strictly adhering to the Presidents preventive protocol on the disease. Caption: Dr Mahama (middle) addressing journalists at the media encounter, flanked (left) by Deputy Director, Clinical Care Dr Atsu Dodor, and ( right) Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Kofi Asemanyi-Mensah 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 Hawaii prepared for the onslaught of Hurricane Douglas on Sunday, with predictions of high winds, rain and storm surge. 'It's definitely going to be a triple threat,' said National Weather Service meteorologist Vanessa Almanza said. Rainfall from the storm will be anywhere from 5 to 15 inches. It's 'probably not a good day to go to the beach,' Almanza said. Douglas weakened Saturday to a Category 1 hurricane as it approached Hawaii, but officials warned people should not be lulled into complacency. A Starbucks shop is pictured boarded up in preparation for Hurricane Douglas in Honolulu on Sunday Local residents of Honolulu board up their home in preparation for Hurricane Douglas on Saturday A surfer leaves the water in Honolulu on Saturday as Hurricane Douglas approaches The National Weather Service said Douglas should remain a hurricane as it moves through the islands Sunday. 'Douglas is continuing a gradual, slow, weakening trend, which in itself is good news, but the bad news is that this hurricane is going to come very close to the islands even as its weakening,' said Robert Ballard, the science and operations officer at the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. 'And we do expect significant impacts as it makes its point of closest approach or possible landfall as it comes through.' Oahu, home to the state's largest city, Honolulu, was placed under a hurricane warning with the storm beginning to impact the island as early as late morning. Kauai and Maui were also placed under warning status Sunday, while a hurricane watch was canceled for the Big Island. Maximum sustained winds decreased to about 90 mph Saturday and remained at that level Sunday. 'We know that it is weakening as it approaches, but it still will have significant impact on each island,' Hawaii Governor David Ige said at a news conference. State health department officials contacted each of the 625 people who were currently in isolation or quarantine as of Friday because they are either COVID-19 positive or have been in contact with someone who is. The hurricane is expected to make landfall sometime early on Sunday evening All of the islands are under either a hurricane warning or a tropical storm warning The storm is likely to bring up to 15 inches of rain to Hawaii, according to meteorologists Several inches of rain are expected to accumulate throughout the Hawaiian islands The storm is also expected to bring strong wind gusts of up to 90mph Every one of those indicated they would shelter-in-place and not seek refuge at a hurricane shelter. 'That gives a sigh of relief,' said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell. Hawaii has some of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the nation, but COVID-19 numbers have been rising in recent weeks. Every day since Thursday, Hawaii has reported record highs of newly confirmed cases, including 73 on Saturday. Caldwell said at the same news conference that 13 shelters were to open at 9am on Sunday around Oahu, well ahead of the hurricane impacting the island, anywhere from midday into the evening. People will have to wear face coverings to be admitted, and will have to wear them unless they are eating, drinking or sleeping. The storm was about 235 miles east of Honolulu early Sunday, moving west-northwest at 16 mph. President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for Hawaii because of the hurricane, directing federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts. Hawaiian Airlines canceled all Sunday flights between Hawaii and the US mainland and also between the other islands. Ige said residents should already have their 14-day emergency supply kit in place, but because of COVID-19, he encouraged people to add masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. Honolulu resident Scott Silva had supplies in hand. 'Just make sure I had enough food, you know, enough extra water, which I usually do anyway, so thats about it,' he said. 'Not expecting too much trouble from this one.' A worker puts reinforcements on boarded storefront windows in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu on Saturday New Delhi: The government plans to tie up with leading digital wallet firms Paytm and Oxigen Wallet to help digitise cash transactions in rural India. As per report in leading financial journal Economic Times, the rural development ministry wants to rope in digital wallet firms to make the Rs 40,000 crore turnover of womens self-help groups (SHGs) cashless and broaden financial inclusion. The ministry has tied up with banks to smoothen the transfer of money given through welfare schemes following the demonetisation of high-denomination currency notes. Apart from scheduling special time slots for women beneficiaries and getting bank branch managers to travel to villages, the ministry is also warning villagers to stay away from unscrupulous elements in these times. The November 9 currency demonetisation has taken a toll on liquidity, especially in the rural areas. The sister of a university student killed alongside three mates in a horror car crash has urged friends and family to cherish every moment together as she revealed her last moments with her sibling. Lochlan Parker, 20, Katrina McKeogh, 21, Courtney Smith, 20, and Kirsten Van Gorp were sightseeing in a sedan when they collided with a ute at a sweeping bend in Advancetown in the Gold Coast hinterland just after 1pm on Saturday. Paramedics desperately tried to revive them, but all four died at the scene. Ms McKeogh's sister Andrea penned a heartbreaking Facebook tribute hours after the tragedy, along with a desperate plea to other motorists. Andrea McKeogh (right) posted a heartfelt Facebook tribute to her sister Katrina (left) after she died in a horror car crash on Saturday 'I'm completely and utterly at a loss for words. Today around 1pm, my sister Katrina McKeough and three of our close friends were involved in a horrific car crash in the Gold Coast and were killed almost instantly,' she wrote on Saturday night. 'I don't even know how to begin to process this. I loved my sister so much and I feel wretched knowing that the last time we spoke, we fought. Badly. 'We never made peace with the argument, and now we never will. All I can say is to keep your loved ones close and to cherish every moment. 'Don't let pride get in the way of love. I never imagined that this would happen, but it has and I would give anything to have seen her one last time to make it right.' She urged the friends and families of the other three victims to reach out. 'I loved them all more than I can say and they all had such bright futures ahead of them. Again, I'm in shock and I don't even know what to say,' Ms McKeough wrote. Ms McKeogh's (Andrea pictured left, Katrina pictured centre) tribute read to 'keep your loved ones close and to cherish every moment' Police and emergency response vehicles at the scene after the crash on Saturday, which occurred after wet weather in the region 'Take care everyone and please, please f*****g drive safely.' One of the victims' families reached out to Ms McKeough's heartbroken sister. 'We feel your loss as we too have lost our beautiful Courtney and I dont know how we are going to walk through life without her. My love and condolences to everyone,' Anne Smith commented on the post. 'Andrea your sister would not want you to grieve on any argument you may have had she would want you to remember her love for you.' Andrea replied: 'I loved Courtney like my own sister and I'm so sorry for your loss as well. She was such a beautiful, kind and loyal girl and she was finally getting the happiness she deserved after years of missing it. Their lives were all just starting and for it to end the way it did is unspeakably tragic.' Originally from Nuhlunbuy in the Northern Territory, Ms McKeough moved to Townsville to study engineering at James Cook University. Katrina McKeough (left) and Lochlan Parker (right) were among the four victims who died Courtney Smith (left) and Kirsten Van Gorp (right) were also killed in the horror crash Mr Parker was also studying engineering after he grew up in Townsville. 'Roboclub simply wouldn't have existed as it does without Kat and Lochlan's contributions, and I personally owe both of them so much,' one shattered friend posted on Facebook. Ms Smith graduated from James Cook University last year before commencing study at Queensland University of Technology and had living living in Emerald in the Queensland's Central Highlands. Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia the sedan driver lost control and smashed into the oncoming ute. The male driver of the ute, aged in his early 20s, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition with minor injuries. The bend was just west of an intersection between Nerang-Murwillumbah Road and Beechmont Road and the area had received heavy rainfall in the previous hours. Queensland Ambulance Service acting senior operations supervisor, Bill Houghton, said it was one of the worst crashes he has ever seen, The Courier Mail reported. Emergency services were out in force to pick up the pieces after the fatal accident 'It was a horrific scene,' he said. 'It's probably one of the worst crashes I have been to.' He said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. 'There is a lot of work to be done in relation to the accident in terms of identifying these persons and advising next of kin, which has not been done at this stage,' he told the Gold Coast Bulletin. Acting Operations Supervisor, Jay Nevins said the stretch of road is notorious for traffic accidents. 'Nerrang-Murwillumbah road is known for road traffic collisions,' he explained. 'It was 'a tragic scene.' More than $30 million was recently allocated to upgrade Nerang-Murwillumbah Road. Police on scene said the horror crash on Saturday was one of the worst they had attended 'I think for many years now, it has been identified that the road is due for some significant safety upgrades, particularly in the wet, rainy weather,' Gold Coast City councillor Glenn Tozer told the ABC. 'It's just terribly sad that this tragedy has occurred before that funding could materialise into the construction of safety improvement.' It's been a horror 24 hours for the state's road toll after an international tourist died when the four-wheel-drive they were travelling in rolled over on 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island on Sunday. Three others travelling in the vehicle were also taken to hospital. A male cyclist, 42, hit by a ute on a early morning ride in Brisbane's south last week also lost his fight for life on Saturday. Queensland's road toll in 2020 now stands at 134, almost 20 more than this time last year. Revelation is not only for investigative journalists. Artists have a crucial role in bringing buried emotions to the surface by engaging with contemporary society. Hidden Thoughts II: Return to Sender by Melbourne composer Katy Abbott is a telling example of such engagement. In 2013, Australians sent some 2000 letters to asylum seekers detained in Nauru. Practically all were returned unopened. By bringing to light the letters expressions of compassion, shame and sadness, and by highlighting this act of government suppression, Abbott questions our national conscience. Dr Katy Abbott has composed a powerful new work for Flinders Quartet. Credit:Chris Hopkins Throughout this hour-long work for string quartet, mezzo-soprano and narrator, Abbott asserts the primacy of the heartfelt words. The minimalist-style score, in which musical ideas are scattered and coalesce, is not so much a setting of the texts as an emotional framework on which to hang a variety of sung and spoken textures. The final, simple phrase we welcome you here, intended to be sung by performers and audience, grows into a powerful mantra of hope beyond reach. Two young missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are serving in the Hixson area. They have been called to serve 24-month missions. Elder Ludlow was called to serve his entire time in the Tennessee Knoxville mission, which includes the greater Chattanooga area, while Elder Burk was called to serve in the Chile Santiago West Mission prior to being sent home for two months during the COVID crisis and later reassigned to Tennessee. They are volunteers who leave behind family, home, and friends to declare the good news of Jesus Christ with all who are seeking to know more about the Son of God and Savior and Redeemer of the world." Elder Ludlow is from Sandy, Utah, and is one of five children in his family - three of whom have similarly served missions in Charlotte, N.C.; Cusco, Peru; and Sacramento, Calif. Elder Ludlow has previously served in Cleveland, Tn.; Cherokee, N.C.; and now in Hixson for 3+ months. When Elder Ludlow returns home, he plans to enroll in Salt Lake Community College, then later transfer to Utah Valley University as an undergraduate. At some point, he plans to attend dental school in pursuit of becoming an orthodontist. In the course of serving his mission, Elder Ludlow often draws upon the scripture found in 1 Nephi 18:3 in the Book of Mormon (another testament of Jesus Christ): And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things. "This verse helped me to gain a testimony of the power of prayer, Elder Ludlow said. It teaches that God is there and that He hears and answers our prayers. While on my mission, I learned that the Book of Mormon (a companion to not a replacement for the Holy Bible) truly is the word of God and has the power to change lives for the good. The following statement from the introduction is very true. I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book (Introduction Paragraph 6). I have seen it in my life and have seen it firsthand in the lives of others, as the Book of Mormon stands as another witness of Jesus Christ. Elder Burk is from Herriman, Utah, and one of three children, having two younger sisters. After previously serving in Chile, he has been in Hixson for a little over a month. After completing his mission, Elder Burk plans on returning home and continuing EMT training, and teaching KungFu. His college plans include enrolling in Salt Lake Community College for a period of time, then transferring to a university to finish his undergraduate degree, which is still undecided. Elder Burk likes to reflect upon Mosiah 4:9 in the Book of Mormon: Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. I love how this verse plainly states the omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence of God in such a simple way, Elder Burk said. In my mission, I have learned that miracles are real, and that God is just as involved today as he was in scriptural times." In this picture taken Thursday, July 2, 2020, show Steven Gan, left, editor-in-chief of Malaysiakini online news portal arrive at court in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Monday, July 13, 2020. Attorney General Idrus Harun, who was appointed by a new government that took power in March, filed contempt proceedings against Malaysiakini and Gan over comments made by five readers on its portal last month that allegedly tarnished the judiciary. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian) KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) Malaysia made an embarrassing U-turn on Friday after a minister sparked a furor over his announcement that all video production, including those on social media, must be licensed amid a row with news broadcaster Al-Jazeera. Communications Minister Saifuddin Abdullah sparked confusion Thursday after saying in parliament that every film and video, including those produced by media groups and social media users, must comply with a 1981 Film Act that requires licensing. Applicants must also to have a registered company with a 50,000 ringgit ($11,700) paid-up capital. But he backtracked in a statement Friday, saying that social media users are exempted. The government of Malaysia stresses that it stands by the principle of media independence and individual freedom on social media, Saifuddin said. Social media users are free to use platforms such as Tik Tok, YouTube and others to produce and upload videos without the need to apply for a license or worry that they will be charged. However, he didnt make clear whether media organizations would need a license to produce news documentaries or online content. Saifuddin's comments in parliament came after Al-Jazeera refuted claims it needed a license to produce a July 3 news documentary on the treatment of undocumented immigrants. Police have opened an investigation after officials complained the documentary was inaccurate and biased. Many Malaysians and opposition lawmakers have slammed Saifuddin's announcement as affecting videos produced on social media. Over 80% of Malaysias 32 million people are social media users. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has said the licensing rule was an alarming development amid attacks and harassment on media including Al-Jazeera under new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who took power in March. He alleged it was a bid to stifle dissent. The Centre for Independent Journalism has also said the government should counter the Al-Jazeera documentary with facts, instead of using a police investigation and licensing requirement to retaliate against the broadcaster. Story continues Saifuddin said the government has no intention of using the act to stifle online freedom of expression. He acknowledged that the act was outdated and would be fine-tuned but didnt elaborate. Rights activists have already voiced concern over freedom of speech and media independence under the new government. Satellite television provider Astro was recently fined by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission for airing an Al-Jazeera documentary in 2015 over the 2006 murder of a Mongolian woman that allegedly contained offensive content." Former Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose long-ruling party was ousted in 2018 polls but made a comeback as part of the new government, was implicated in the murder. He is currently on trial on corruption charges. Popular online news portal Malaysiakini and its editor face rare contempt proceedings from the attorney-general over comments posted by readers against the judiciary. Police also questioned an activist about a social media post alleging mistreatment of refugees at immigration detention centers. A journalist from the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post was also questioned earlier about her reporting on migrant arrests. Flood, arising from a downpour on Saturday, has submerged more than 20 buildings in Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The flood caused by rain that started from Friday night to early hours of Saturday also submerged Gwagwalada bridge and a hotel. A NAN correspondent, who visited the flooded areas, observed that the flood had taken over Gwagwalada bridge linking Abuja to Lokoja. Some motorists detoured while others parked for the water to subside. Some residents were forced to either remain indoors or sail to safety. Some of the residents, who spoke with NAN, said that flooding was a common occurrence in the community because of its proximity to a riverine area. Yunusa Dogo, whose house collapsed, told NAN that he was asleep when water submerged his house. The level of destruction is devastating; it is quite unfortunate that the flood has affected many people in this community. READ ALSO: I was asleep when water submerged my house. I had to quickly move my children to a neighbours house, the father of six children said. One of the residents of the area, Sarah Luka, said: As you can see no way for the water to flow down to the stream in the whole community. Gwagwalada flood We have lost so many of our goods to the flood. I and my children couldnt sleep all through the night because of the flood. Sunday Kaka, a motorist, who parked his car before the flooded bridge, waiting for the water to subside, said he could not risk the danger of crossing the bridge. Abuja-Lokoja road close to the flooded bridge Many of the residents and motorists blamed the government for failing to put in place measures to handle emergencies. (NAN) Protesters in California set fire to a courthouse, damaged a police station and assaulted officers after a peaceful demonstration intensified late on Saturday, police in Oakland said. Demonstrators broke windows, spray-painted graffiti, set off fireworks and pointed lasers at officers, the Oakland department said on Twitter. We continue to ask the crowd to disperse because of an unlawful assembly. Some in the crowd are throwing projectiles and pointing illegal lasers at officers. We are using signs and giving vocal commands to the crowd if the assaults continue chemicals will be deployed. pic.twitter.com/Un1Ndrs0AQ Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) July 26, 2020 Several tweets called for peace and asked organisers to help us provide safe spaces and safe places for demonstrators. The protest began earlier on Saturday evening with groups such as the Wall Of Moms, similar to a group that formed in Portland, Oregon, as protesters faced off with US agents deployed to that city to guard a federal courthouse. This video shows a person knocking down the barricades in front of Police Headquarters after officers called for an unlawful assembly and asked the crowd to disperse. pic.twitter.com/08S5b7IDLo Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) July 26, 2020 President Donald Trump had sent the federal agents to clamp down on protests that have occurred nightly since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. The protest in Oakland began peacefully, but turned violent later into the night. An unlawful assembly was declared by police at around 11.30pm local time and officers asked the crowd to disperse. Police chase after protesters who refused to disperse in Oakland, California (Christian Monterrosa/AP) The fire broke out at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse and was contained a short time later, news outlets reported. Police said protesters at one point were breaking windows and chanting racial slurs at residents. Photos tweeted by the department showed broken glass and paint splattered at a police building. 'Her shoes told me a lot about the woman," Jacqueline Quinn says. "Everything about her was very practical in her approach - her shoes were very practical and comfortable. She was like the Queen: she never wore a glamorous heel. She never wore high heels, because she would be taller than her husband." Quinn is an Irish fashion designer who has lived in New York for 25 years. As well as her design work, she is in the process of completing a master's in visual arts at Harvard. Much of her time is spent at the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, undertaking research work. The woman in the comfortable shoes she's referring to is, of course, former US First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy - whom she is named after. Mrs Kennedy has been a lifelong source of inspiration for Quinn, but her latest collection, named Jackie, was inspired by something quite specific: sketches by the legendary fashion designer Oleg Cassini of outfits Jackie Kennedy wore when she was First Lady. Expand Close First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, wearing a red wool suit and beret by designer Oleg Cassini, during a state visit to Canada / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, wearing a red wool suit and beret by designer Oleg Cassini, during a state visit to Canada "I got really interested in the history of Jackie Kennedy from the angle of the colours that she wore," explains Quinn, who also teaches at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). "I wanted to do a colour history of Jacqueline Kennedy's clothing, which had never been done. And a colour log, because the fabrics are fading, even though they are keeping them in the right packaging and storage. Jim Wagner, the curator of Jacqueline's dresses, is the only one at the JFK library who can actually handle the dresses. He and I developed a huge relationship." Last summer, Quinn was in a friend's house in Boston when, on a Friday night, she got the call from Jim to say that Oleg Cassini's estate was coming up for sale. Cassini, who had died in 2006, had designed for the biggest film, TV and theatre stars of the post-war era and became Jackie Kennedy's personal designer, referred to as her 'Secretary of Style'. Expand Close Jackie Kennedy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jackie Kennedy "I took out my platinum card, which I am always hesitant to use; it's my back-up," Quinn says. "I watched the sale live; I was on the phone, bidding - it felt like a movie. My biggest fear was that I would go over my budget, because you get caught up. That I'd end up losing my house, and my daughter wouldn't be able to go to college," she laughs. Her initial plan had been to bid on swatches, but Jim advised her to instead go after Cassini's sketches. She bought a set of 16 - 14 Cassini had made for Kennedy, two for Grace Kelly, to whom he was engaged for a time. The entire lot cost $5,500. The collection includes a drawing for the dress the First Lady wore to her husband's inauguration ball, a gown later termed one of the '50 dresses that changed the world' by London's Design Museum. Quinn has loaned the sketch of this particular look to the museum. Expand Close Irish-born, New York-based fashion designer Jacqueline Quinn / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Irish-born, New York-based fashion designer Jacqueline Quinn The drawings also provided ample inspiration for her own designs. "I didn't want to copy Jacqueline Kennedy exactly, but I was influenced by the make of the dresses. I felt that she had an approach of sustainability, so I wanted to emanate that back into my collection. It's basically done through very good, sustainable, natural fabrics that will last in the wardrobe for a very long time. And the art of tailoring, the way the garments were cut. There were a lot of sheath dresses, and a lot of A-line dresses, so perspiration was kept away from the body. She was aware of how she had to look - never did you see a sweaty arm patch on Jackie Kennedy." Expand Close Original fashion sketches forJacqueline Kennedy by Oleg Cassini, purchased by Irish designer Jacqueline Quinn / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Original fashion sketches forJacqueline Kennedy by Oleg Cassini, purchased by Irish designer Jacqueline Quinn Video of the Day Quinn's own love of design was sparked on a family holiday in Achill in the 1970s. "I was 12 or 13, and like a lot of Irish holidays, it was pouring down with rain. My dad went out and bought sketch pads and colouring pencils. We're stuck in Achill Island - it's rain, sheep, and that's it. And my parents had five children. I drew this woman who was wearing a lime-green pantsuit. And then I said, 'Oh, this is amazing, you can actually design clothing'. I spent the day drawing, and I thought, 'Oh, I could do this, this could be fun'. I think that was the moment the light bulb went off." After graduating from the Grafton Academy of Fashion Design, Quinn moved to New York where she worked for New Balance, DKNY, Jessica Simpson and Guess, and did a stint as creative director for Betsey Johnson. Expand Close The Jackie collection by Jacqueline Quinn Photography by Ashley Bravick / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Jackie collection by Jacqueline Quinn Photography by Ashley Bravick As part of her master's, Quinn is writing a dissertation on the influence Jacqueline Kennedy had on Irish fashion when she and her husband visited here in 1963. "I'm interviewing women on the difference between the parochial 1950s style of dressing, where a woman had two sweaters and two or three skirts, and then how things began to change in 1959-60, when the Kennedys started to come on the scene. It was actually the beginning of modern Ireland. With [Taoiseach Sean] Lemass, we began to come out of parochial Ireland; women were trying to emulate glamour in their own way." Their own way was, she points out, clothes made from patterns bought for about 75p, and shared among women, often at coffee mornings. Clothes that were the very epitome of sustainability. Expand Close Jackie collection jacquard dress, 175; heart-shaped glasses, 25, all omdivaboutique.com / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jackie collection jacquard dress, 175; heart-shaped glasses, 25, all omdivaboutique.com "We didn't have high-street retail like we do today. You had Switzers; Burgess in Athlone. People had one coat, one good pair of shoes, and then an everyday pair. What I've got from my interviews, and what is now a huge influence on this collection, is the simplicity of everything. Fine lines, simplicity, wearability and sustainability. People just got on with it - it was a different mindset." While drawing on these key pointers for her Jackie collection, Quinn has also modernised things somewhat: lowering necklines, changing the cut of the bustline to avoid the more pointed look that was popular in the 1960s. Expand Close The Jackie collection by Jacqueline Quinn Photography by Ashley Bravick / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Jackie collection by Jacqueline Quinn Photography by Ashley Bravick Comfort is key, she says, another trait she saw in the First Lady, whose shoes, as mentioned, prioritised comfort. "She wore a kitten heel. I found out from the JFK library that she bought a Chanel shoe, but they were a very practical walking shoe. Because I'm in my mid-50s, I want a comfort level, and I want the women I design for to be comfortable." So what is it that made Jacqueline Kennedy such an enduring touchstone for Jacqueline Quinn? "I think it's her simplicity. For me, she's the epitome of class." The Jackie collection is now available from Om Diva, 27 Drury St, D2, tel: (01) 679-1211, or see omdivaboutique.com and jacquelinequinn.com Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray dared the Opposition to pull down his government and said that he was at the helm of the three-party Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state. In the last of the Shiv Sena chiefs two-part interview, which appeared in the party mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, Thackeray said the fate of his government was not in the hands of the Opposition. Some people get pleasure in constructive work, while some are happy with destructive work. They should go ahead and topple the government, I do not care, he said. Thackeray also called for an e-bhoomipujan of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya on August 5 to avoid crowding at the actual site. Instead of putting so many lives in danger [owing to Covid-19], the laying of the foundation stone could be done online, Thackeray said. Speaking about the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, which has been a bone of contention between the state and Central government, the chief minister said that he would prefer to have the train running between Mumbai and Nagpur as it would be a more beneficial route, but the decision would be made on the basis of peoples mandate. My individual opinion or that of my party [on bullet train] could be different, but as a state, the government will take its decision at an appropriate time. The government decision will be based on the peoples mandate about the project and after discussing it with all stakeholders. If the people are against it, I will scrap the project, he said. About the Oppositions criticism that his government is a three-wheeled vehicle, Thackeray said his government represents poor people. If the choice is between bullet train and a three-wheeler, I will choose the latter, as it is the travelling mode of the poor people. It is a strong government and I am at the steering wheel with two other partners. The ones who have been raising questions about our three-wheeler should look at the government at the Centre, he said. How many parties are there as coalition partners? When I attended the NDA meeting last time, there were 30-35 leaders representing ruling parties. It should be called a train government then, said Thackeray. He said there were no differences between the three parties although there was a lack of continuous dialogue owing to the Covid-19 outbreak. Congress had some issues related to matters on public policies. After our meeting, they have been resolved. We have better co-ordination between us. I take guidance regularly from NCP chief Sharad Pawarsaheb and occasionally speak to Soniaji Gandhi, said the chief minister. Thackeray said it was not correct to say that the decision making is driven by bureaucracy. Our handling of Covid-19 pandemic, especially in Dharavi, has been applauded at the international level. I was chosen among popular chief ministers. If the bureaucracy was in the driving seat, why was the government praised and was it done by the bureaucracy without any control from the government? The government policies are after all implemented by officers and bureaucracy, and it is the governments duty to stand firmly by efficient officers. I will support such officers, he said. Thackeray also took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their alleged attempt to topple the Rajasthan government. He said Operation Lotus would not reap any success in Maharashtra. It is strange that the use of money for political gain is not a crime and opponents are targeted using the central agencies. But this would not last for too long. They should also keep in mind that days keep passing by. They tried to topple the Rajasthan government, perhaps because there is no pandemic spread in that state or in Madhya Pradesh. The leader of Opposition [Devendra Fadnavis] criticised the Maharashtra government over the handling of Covid-19 during his Delhi visit, perhaps because the pandemic exists only in our state and not in Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, he said. Thackeray said he has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a uniform decision over the policy related to China. Our policies related to China should not be deviating like they differ in case of Pakistan. During troubled times, we boycott these countries and later after a few days extend an olive branch. During one of our interactions, I have requested Modiji to take a firm stand on China. Decide finally on trade with Chinese companies. We have put our memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with them [Chinese companies] on hold, the CM said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Afghanistan Frees Further 50 Talibs in Push for Peace Talks - Reports Sputnik News 20:42 GMT 25.07.2020 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Afghan government released another 50 Taliban* inmates on Saturday in the hope of starting long-awaited peace negotiations, media reported. Among those freed were militants detained for serious crimes, the Afghan news channel TOLOnews cited a source with the National Security Council as saying. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen tweeted Thursday that the Islamist militant group was ready to free all remaining prisoners before the Muslim sacrifice festival of Eid al-Adha if the Afghan government did the same. Shaheen also said that Talibs would sit down at the negotiating table after Eid al-Adha, provided that the prisoner swap was completed by then. The festival begins on 30 July and ends on 3 August. The Taliban reached a deal with the United States in February that Kabul would allow 5,000 militants to walk free in return for 1,000 captives held by the insurgency, paving the way for intra-Afghan reconciliation talks. *Taliban is a terrorist group banned in Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has begun a well-publicised live-fire drill in the southern Guangdong provinces Leizhou Peninsula, considered to be the doorstep of the South China Sea (SCS), official media reported on Sunday. The week-long drills, which will include anti-ship and anti-aircraft exercises by the PLA air force with the PLAs navy and rocket forces joining in, are being held in the backdrop of rising tension with the US over, among other issues, the SCS disputes and Washingtons sale of arms to Taiwan. Last week, for the first time, Washington rejected Chinas maritime claims in the SCS, large parts of which are also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. Also read: China tried to jab India with a new claim on Bhutan. Why it has boomeranged The messaging behind the PLAs latest drill is directed at the US, which had also, earlier this month, deployed two of its frontline aircraft carriers and their strike groups comprising more battleships, in the SCS besides flying reconnaissance aircraft in the region. The PLA, however, did not share the specifics of the exercise. Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, told the nationalistic Global Times tabloid that maritime live-fire drills by the air force usually include shooting aircraft and surface vessels. Such drills could train to secure air superiority and target hostile warships in the SCS, Song said. In a potential anti-ship exercise featuring the PLAs Rocket Force, ballistic missiles can target large surface vessels and heavy anti-ship cruise missiles could also conduct long-range strike from 300 to 400 kilometres away, Song told the tabloid. Earlier in the month, Chinas air force held live-fire drills and sent more fighter jets to one of its bases in the SCS, official media reported. A brigade under the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy aviation forces based in south Chinas Hainan Province held live-fire maritime target attack drills with JH-7 fighter bombers, China National Radio (CNR) reported. More than 100 high-profile parents from tech entrepreneur Martha Lane-Fox to fashion designer Vivienne Westwood urged Britains government on Sunday to ensure economic recovery from the pandemic tackles climate change and puts children at its centre. The 115 business leaders, musicians, scientists, actors and campaigners used an open letter to urge Britains Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to build our way out of one disaster by super-charging the next. Actress Julie Walters, who was among the signatories, said governments should ramp up their efforts to tackle climate change, in the same way they have responded to protect people from Covid-19. For the sake of our children, we need governments to put the same energy and investment into preventing an even greater climate catastrophe from unfolding across the globe, she said. If planet-warming emissions rebound to pre-pandemic levels, it would have catastrophic consequences for childrens lives and livelihoods, the letter warned, with those from the poorest and most disadvantaged communities being hit hardest. Spending on green measures - like boosting renewable energy, insulating homes, installing electric vehicle charging points and re-establishing woodlands - would create more and better jobs than rebuilding a fossil-fuel economy, it said. Young people have been most likely to lose their jobs or see their income drop during the virus lockdown, it noted. Investing in a low-carbon recovery makes sense whether you are worried about the economy or the environment. The two are inextricably linked, said the former chief executive of Unilever Paul Polman, who signed the letter. Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, who has campaigned to have the 2013 death of her nine-year-old daughter from asthma officially linked to illegal levels of air pollution, said she hoped that as a father with a baby, Johnson would understand the impact. This is not an elitist conversation, air pollution affects the poorest and vulnerable the most, and we need to continue the fight, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Every time the prime minister goes build, build, build, I worry theres nothing green about the initiatives, said Kissi-Debrah, who is the World Health Organizations advocate for health and air quality. Parents plan to gather outside the prime ministers residence in Downing Street on Sunday to coincide with the letter, coordinated by climate activist groups Mothers Rise Up and Parents for Future UK. The parents, standing a metre apart, will carry hand-held wind turbines to symbolise the need for low-carbon investment. The British government has a binding target to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. In June, Britains independent Committee on Climate Change said the country would have to move faster to achieve that goal. Its chairman John Gummer emphasised the need to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by the pandemic to shift the economy onto a greener path. San Francisco, July 26 : Nurses, doctors and supervisors at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital are protesting to remove the name of Facebook CEO from the hospital, as advertisers leave the social network owing to its inaction over the spread of hate speech on its platforms. The medical fraternity is the new addition to the ongoing #StopHateforProfit campaign against Facebook that has witnessed over 400 subscribers leaving the platform and employees staging walkouts. According to a report in sfist.com this week, hospital supervisors Gordon Mar and Matt Haney have revived a 2018 proposal to remove the name "Zuckerberg" from the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. "As advertisers leave Facebook in droves due to inaction in the face of hate speech, and employees stage walkouts, it frankly does not make sense for San Francisco's public hospital to continue to hold Mr. Zuckerberg's name," Haney said in a statement to KPIX. "We deeply appreciate the original donation, but it shouldn't have ever come with permanent advertising rights on this public hospital that belongs to the people of San Francisco," Haney added. In 2015, the hospital added Zuckerberg's name following a $75 million donation from Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician who used to work at the hospital. Technically, its full name is Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, but Chan's name has mostly been dropped. "Whether we like it or not, Zuckerberg's name is attached to our institution. Looking into a future desperate for institutional funding, our leaders are unlikely to support any effort to change the official name back to San Francisco General Hospital. But that doesn't mean we, who work here, have to use the Z name or letter," hospital physician Robert Brody wrote to staff in an email obtained by Stat News. Several top-notch brands like Disney, Coca Cola, adidas, Walgreens and Starbucks have already pulled out their ads from the social network. Microsoft has suspended its advertising on Facebook and Instagram through August. Earlier this month, civil right group leaders in the US were left disappointed after meeting Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook, over their concerns related to the spread of hateful content on their platforms. Sandberg, Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives had met online racial justice group Color of Change, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others who started the #StopHateforProfit campaign in June. Hong Kong: Govt reports COVID-19 cases The Highways Department today said that a consultant's resident site engineer working under the Central Kowloon Route - Yau Ma Tei East contract tested positive for COVID-19. The engineer last worked on July 24. Being a close contact of a COVID-19 patient, he underwent testing and was notified that he tested positive for the virus. He is in hospital for isolated treatment and in a stable condition. Meanwhile, a customs officer and a Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse worker have preliminarily tested positive for the virus. The infected customs officer, posted to the Customs Marine Base on Stonecutters Island who mainly performs logistic duties, last worked from July 19 to 20, the Customs & Excise Department said. The infected slaughterhouse worker, handling livestock sundry duties at the lairage area there, last performed duties on July 23, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said. The three departments said the patients had worn surgical masks when performing their tasks. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the places involved have been arranged. The slaughterhouse, attaching great importance to meeting biosecurity requirements and ensuring good indoor ventilation, has conducted regular thorough cleaning and disinfection every day according to the daily clearance arrangement, the FEHD added. This story has been published on: 2020-07-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. WASHINGTON - With days to go before enhanced jobless benefits expire, the White House and Senate Republicans are struggling to design a way to scale back the program without overwhelming state unemployment agencies and imperiling aid to more than 20 million Americans. The hangup has led to an abrupt delay in the introduction of the GOP's $1 trillion stimulus package. The White House and Democrats have said they want a deal by the end of the month, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., suggested Friday it could take several weeks to reach an agreement, a timeline that could leave many unemployed Americans severely exposed. "Hopefully we can come together behind some package we can agree on in the next few weeks," McConnell said at an event in Ashland, Ky. Part of the hangup stems from a push by administration officials and GOP lawmakers to cut - but not completely eliminate - a $600 weekly payment of enhanced federal unemployment benefits. The White House and GOP are not in agreement about how to do this and talks remain highly contentious. They are hoping to release a proposal early next week. "We realize there are a lot of hard-working Americans because of covid [who] still won't have jobs," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters on Thursday. After convulsing in March and April when the pandemic shut down large parts of the United States, the economy showed signs of regaining its footing before sliding again in recent weeks. Numerous stimulus programs appear to be wearing off and the pace of layoffs has picked up again. Layoffs that many Americans thought would be temporary have dragged on and become permanent particularly as new cases of the virus spike across the United States. This has put enormous pressure on state unemployment programs, which typically pay out about 45% of a worker's prior wages. In March, Congress approved the $600-per-week emergency bonus for every unemployed worker on top of that traditional payment, funneling hundreds of billions of dollars to newly jobless Americans as the novel coronavirus pandemic hit the country. That federal benefit, currently being received by more than 20 million people, is set to expire at the end of this month. And it comes at a time when a federal eviction moratorium is also ending, a dynamic that could put enormous pressure on cash-strapped families. In practice, the jobless benefit lapse means that millions of workers are seeing their last enhanced benefit payment this week. In recent days, senior congressional Republicans and Mnuchin have discussed replacing this universal federal bonus with one tied to workers' income before their job was lost. Instead of sending a $600-per-week bonus to every unemployed person, under this plan the federal government would provide a bonus amounting to about half of the existing state bonus, according to three senior GOP officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe fast-moving and internal deliberations. Mnuchin and President Donald Trump have said publicly that they want to have the new payments replace roughly "70%" of a worker's prior income. This would represent a combination of the nearly 50% state contribution of a worker's prior income plus an additional 25% kicked in by the federal government. Republican lawmakers have discussed extending the flat payment at about $200-per-week instead of $600 to give the states time to adjust to the new formula and system. "We are going to extend it on the basis of wage replacement - it's approximately at 70% of wage replacement," Mnuchin told reporters on Thursday about the GOP's proposed plan. Other leading Republican lawmakers have argued for cutting the $600-per-week bonus down to $200-per-week, these people said, with one possibility being that this amount slowly phases out over time. These GOP officials have insisted that targeted wage replacement could prove too difficult for the states to implement. One Senate Republican aide close to the negotiations, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said that a $200 flat payment represented the party's "default" position, with additional funding included to help states upgrade their unemployment systems. The aide downplayed the odds of the GOP approving the more complicated replacement instead of the $200-per-week extension. The issue has helped delay the introduction of the $1 trillion stimulus package McConnell had planned to release earlier this week. Republicans debated last-minute changes to the unemployment insurance section of the proposal, according to the three people aware of the deliberations. The proposed legislation could now come on Monday, a lag that has prompted scorching criticism from congressional Democrats who have been demanding action for months. Congress has not passed any coronavirus relief legislation since approving four bipartisan bills in March and April that pumped around $3 trillion into the economy. McConnell wanted to wait and see how the unemployment benefits and other programs approved in that unprecedented stimulus effort played out before taking additional action. "This weekend, millions of Americans will lose their unemployment insurance, will be at risk of being evicted from their homes, and could be laid off by state and local government, and there is only one reason: Republicans have been dithering for months while America's crisis deepens," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement Friday. If adopted, the new unemployment plan could complicate negotiations with congressional Democrats, who favor extending the $600 weekly payment through January. And it's unclear if balky state processing systems would have the bandwidth to implement a complicated new formula on such short notice. "We're dealing with the mechanical issues associated with that," Mnuchin told reporters about the wage replacement plan. The proposal would, in key respects, meet the conflicting political and economic pressures bearing down on the GOP and White House as the unemployment deadline looms for millions of Americans months away from Election Day. Senate Republicans and White House officials have been clear that they are not willing to extend the $600-per-week benefit, which conservatives and many business organizations say encourages people to stay home rather than work. Many economists dispute this notion. Senior Republicans have also said they do not want additional federal unemployment benefits to go away entirely, acknowledging that some additional federal help should still be provided to those made jobless during the pandemic. The benefits are politically popular, with a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll finding close to 60% of Americans supporting their extension. "We need to make sure unemployment insurance is continued," McConnell said Friday. "There is a controversy, however, over whether the provision in the previous measure that allowed people to make more money staying at home than going back to work was a good idea. That's not going to be our recommendation. But I do think basic unemployment insurance - fundamentally handled by the states but backed up by us - will be a part of" the GOP package. Trump and Mnuchin have characterized their proposed solution, replacing "70%" of a worker's prior income, as a reasonable middle ground. At his White House news briefing on Tuesday, Trump expressed ambivalence about the benefit but said it would be partially extended. "The employers are having a hard time getting [employees] back to work ... I was against that original decision, but they did that. It still worked out well because it gave people a lifeline, a real lifeline. Now we're doing it again," the president said. "They're thinking about doing 70% of the amount. The amount would be the same, but doing it in a little bit smaller initial amounts." Congressional Democrats and many economists say the current benefit should be extended in full to prevent a crucial source of economic stimulus from disappearing from an already wobbly economic recovery. Given the difficulty of reaching a deal with Democrats before the existing benefits expire, Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Thursday floated a stand-alone extension of unemployment provisions as part of a package with school funding and a type of lawsuit shield to make it harder for employees to sue their employers if they become sick. Senior lawmakers in both parties oppose this piecemeal approach, but if they are unable to reach a deal, they might be forced to pass some type of stand-alone benefit extension next week. In March, lawmakers initially discussed increasing unemployment benefits so they would represent 100% of a worker's prior income. Congress ultimately abandoned the idea in favor of the universal $600 bonus in part because Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia warned that the nation's unemployment systems could not handle the complexity of matching every individual's unemployment benefits to his or her prior income, according to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who led those negotiations. "Scalia said, 'It can't be done,' " Wyden said in an interview. "We have not seen a single piece of paper describing how this would be administered without the downsides Scalia pointed out months ago." Mnuchin acknowledged the technical challenges posed by converting from one system to another when addressing reporters on Thursday. He said the matter was being discussed with state unemployment offices. "Let me just say, different states are in different places," Mnuchin said. "Some states can implement this quickly. Some states will take time." Some experts are skeptical. State unemployment offices have been badly overwhelmed by the unprecedented surge in claims, and there were another 1.4 million claims last week. Thousands of the newly jobless have struggled for months to obtain their benefits, and in some states, have camped outside unemployment offices overnight to be first in line for help. The $600-per-week bonus was chosen for its simplicity compared to targeted, individual wage replacement - but it has proven tremendously difficult for states to implement as the nation's unemployment rate spiked to 15% before falling slightly to 11%. "You're asking states to overhaul their insurance systems in the middle of a pandemic, when they're already overloaded. What happens if states shift to a new system and they dump beneficiaries and miss payments because of an error?" said Ernie Tedeschi, who served as an economist in the Treasury Department under the Obama administration. "It's too complicated." Andrew Stettner, senior fellow at the Century Foundation, said states would do their best but that many would struggle to pull off the change. "The state [unemployment insurance] systems are like a house built on sticks and you're throwing a match onto them," he said. Stettner added it could prove difficult for the Labor Department to figure out how to target payments for every state to reflect 70% of wages for every person. White House and GOP officials have discussed a transition period that would give states time to figure out how to implement the reduction in benefits. Under this scenario, Republicans could first extend the benefit at a lower amount of around $200-per-week instead of $600, continuing the existing flat payment at a reduced level. Democrats would be sure to demand a higher figure. The $200 bonus, combined with state benefits, would amount to close to 70% of a typical worker's prior income, although under the flat amount there would be significant variation, as some would receive more than prior income and some would receive less. "There's a way to extend this so the majority of people will get paid the 70% immediately," Mnuchin said. Meadows added that the $1,200 stimulus payments expected to be included in the package would help make up the difference for Americans for whom the extension does not amount to 70% of prior income. At the end of a period that may last two months, one senior GOP congressional official said, the automatic payment would go away and be replaced by the more targeted benefit. "After two months, the states say - at least most states; I think pretty much all states - say they could convert to the feds doing a%age of the state benefit," said the GOP official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. "Do your state calculation, and then the [federal government] will do 50% on top of that." Whether the states will be able to pull off the change in a way that protects beneficiaries remains to be seen. The National Association of State Workforce Agencies recently said that it would take one to four weeks for most states even to change the bonus amount from $600 to some other amount, according to Wyden's office. International students have fallen victim to a 'virtual' kidnapping scheme which has cost their families more than $3million in ransom payments. Eight Chinese students living in Sydney were convinced to fake their own abductions and demand money from their family for their 'safe release'. Ransom payments ranging between $20,000 to $2million have been paid this year alone. NSW Police is working alongside the Chinese government to track down the gangs responsible. International students have fallen victim to a 'virtual' kidnapping scheme robbing their families of more than $3 million in ransom payments (one of the fake abduction pictures) Over eight instances this year, ransom payments ranging between $20,000 to $2 million have been paid to the scammers Head of the NSW Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, Detective Superintendent Grant Taylor, said criminals contact their victims and convince them to fake their own abductions. 'It almost exclusively involves someone speaking in Mandarin claiming to be a representative of Chinese authority, such as the Chinese Embassy, consulate or police and convinces them they have been implicated in a crime in China and they must make payments to avoid being deported, their visa cancelled or other threats of possible arrest,' he said, The Daily Telegraph reported. 'The scenarios are varied but the motive is to instil fear in the victim that they face the prospect of having to return home and abandon their education.' Victims are convinced to book themselves into a hotel before sending a message to their families saying they have been kidnapped. They are then told not to use social media or their phone after sending the message. The victim is told to send a picture to their parents of them tied up and blindfolded, or alternatively a voice recording of them begging for help. Eight Chinese students living in Sydney have been convinced to fake their own abductions (pictured) and demand ransom payments from their family for their 'safe release' Family members of the victims are then ordered to transfer large sums of money into unknown bank accounts. When they are successful, they coerce victims into giving them more money as they continue the extortion. Supt Taylor said the victim is never in physical danger as the entire scam is operated over the phone through encrypted applications such as WeChat or WhatsApp. 'We normally are notified because the victims literally have no money left or they may confide in another member of the community who conveys to them that it is most likely a hoax and they should contact police,' he said. NSW Police is working alongside the Chinese government in an attempt to warn the community of the sophisticated scheme known as 'virtual kidnapping' (pictured) NSW Police discovered one case this year where a victim had paid scammers $2 million because they thought their daughter was kidnapped. State Crime Command Director, Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett, said officers are working with the Chinese Consulate in Sydney to spread the warning. Det-Chief Supt Bennett said scammers are purposely targeting vulnerable members of the Chinese-Australian community. In May the Australian Federal Police first warned the public about the complex international scam. The scams rely on victims maintaining contact with the scammers as ongoing contact makes it seem legitimate. Naas General Hospital has recently launched a new initiative, Blood Exchange to Improve Blood Stock Management, in collaboration with the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital. Blood Exchange to Improve Blood Stock Management required the introduction and management of a system which optimises blood usage in the three hospitals with a special focus on O Negative usage. Vital blood type O Negative blood can be given to virtually any patient regardless of their blood group which makes it invaluable in emergency situations. However, only 8% of the population is O Negative and so donors are scarce and stocks are frequently low. This initiative has seen an overall reduction in blood ordering, especially O Negative, across the three sites. Expiry rates are down to 1.1% overall and 0.4% if rare blood groups are excluded. This resulted in savings in excess of 30,000 in 2019. Medical scientists in Naas General Hospital, the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital worked with the HSE, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and First Direct Medical to implement this very successful initiative. The success of this initiative has been recognised via shortlisting for the 2020 Health Service Excellence Awards and most recently as team winners in the Dublin region of the Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) Spark Ignite Awards. The national finals will be held shortly. Alice Kinsella, general manager, Naas General Hospital, said: An informative and engaging presentation was delivered to Spark Ignite Award judges by Helena Begley, senior medical scientist here at Naas General Hospital, on behalf the team including colleagues Fergus Guilfoyle, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and Alison Harper, Tallaght University Hospital. A professional passion for quality improvement in our Blood Transfusion Services was complemented by Helenas own poignant previous personal experience of requiring Blood Transfusion services to save the life of her new born daughter Chloe. Congratulations to Helena, Fergus and Alison on their success, we wish them well in the finals, she concluded. French police have taken into custody and charged a volunteer worker who confessed to carrying out last weeks arson attack on a 15th-century cathedral in the western city of Nantes. The man, a 39-year-old refugee from Rwanda, had been released earlier in the week after being questioned by police over the 18 July fire that badly damaged the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral. According to his lawyer, the man was remanded in custody Saturday night after confessing before an examining magistrate to lighting three fires that destroyed the cathedrals signature 17th-century organ and shattered many of its stained glass windows. "My client cooperated He bitterly regrets his actions and confession has been a relief for him, lawyer Quentin Chabert told the local daily Presse Ocean. He is consumed by remorse and is overwhelmed by the magnitude of the events. The man had lived in Nantes for several years after arriving in France in 2012. As part of a team of parish volunteers, it was his responsibility to close the cathedral building on 17 July - the day before the fire. A police source told the media the man had lied about his schedule. According to several testimonies, the man was facing an order to leave French territory. The Nantes prosecutor's office has opened a judicial investigation for arson. As the bridal industry responds to changing restrictions because of the pandemic, there is one element enjoying a sentimental shift: the wedding dress. Renewed interest in incorporating "something old" has led to brides opting for a more considered approach, either by looking for a gown that has a story behind it or choosing to rewear or take inspiration from a family heirloom. Bridal designer Gwendolynne Burkin in her atelier in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Credit:Simon Schluter Gwendolynne Burkin, who specialises in bridal couture at her namesake atelier in Melbourne, believes couples will make more conservative choices when it comes to their wedding as a result of COVID-19, starting with the dress. The next wave of brides wont want to appear as showy, says Burkin. They may have family and friends who have lost a lot of money or lost their jobs and they might feel self-conscious about putting something on when theres been so much loss and hardship. Houston brothers from Christian family lose both parents weeks apart after battles with COVID-19 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Over $60,000 has been raised to benefit two young Houston brothers, both under the age of 15, who are now grieving the loss of both parents who died two weeks apart after battling COVID-19. Carlos Garcia, 44, and his wife of 24 years, Naomi Esquivel, 39, died just two weeks apart after battling COVID-19 this month. They leave behind their sons Nathan, 11, and Isaiah, 14. "I didn't get to say goodbye to my mom or my dad now, and that's what hurt me the most right now," Isaiah Garcia told ABC13. Rita Marquez-Mendoza, their maternal grandmother, told the outlet that her daughter died from COVID-19 on July 2. She said that her son-in-law, who was recovering from the coronavirus, died last Friday, July 17. "We hadn't even begun to grieve my daughter and now we have to bury Carlos and the grandchildren are left without a mom and a dad," said Marquez-Mendoza. "This disease is just horrible." Marquez-Mendoza also lamented how her daughter and son-in-law had to die alone during the pandemic as many hospitals nationwide have restricted visitor access to patients. "Dying now is more tragic than it was before because you die alone, she grieved. You die alone without your family members. Marquez-Mendoza explained in an interview with KTRK that faced with the pain of the loss, the Christian family will lean on God. "We have no words, no words to describe it, no words. We are Christian people and we accept the will of God and we know if this is His will, he's going to guide us through it, she said. Garcia, who was hospitalized for kidney failure while recovering from the virus, was found unresponsive on July 17. He died from oxygen deprivation, according to the mother-in-law. She explained that both he and her daughter died quickly. Jacob Mendoza, the boy's maternal uncle, said that Garcia had spoken with his one of his sons a little over an hour before he was pronounced dead. Mendoza says he will now raise his nephews because he believes its what their parents would want. "I love them with all my heart, Mendoza said. I know this is what their parents would've wanted was for me take them in. That is something that Isaiah Garcia says he is thankful for. "At least, since he [my father] passed, we get to be with our family," the 11-year-old said. "We don't have to go to an orphanage or anything. I'd rather be here than anywhere else right now." Garcia's funeral will be held next Wednesday at The Promise Church of Houston. The family is raising money through a GoFundMe campaign to help provide for the brothers. As of Thursday, nearly $61,000 has been donated to the fundraiser by nearly 1,400 people. The money being raised will be for their living expenses and anything they may need, organizer Daniel Esquivel wrote on the fundraising webpage. He noted that the family initially tried to raise money to help pay for Garcias funeral but a very generous donor offered to cover all funeral expenses. At the last minute we received a very generous donation that helped pay for all Funeral Expenses! Thank God! Esquivel explained. I just want to thank each and every one of you in advance and tell you that the family greatly appreciates you in our time of sorrow. Shopian: Terrorists ambushed a joint patrol party of CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday (July 26). According to reports, the incident took place on Sunday afternoon. Terrorists managed to flee from the spot after opening fire at forces. The area was immediately cordoned off and a search operation was launched to nab the terrorists. Fortunately, no injury or casualty was reported. The incident comes a day after top Lashkar commander Ishfaq Rashid Khan and his associate Aijaz Ahmad Bhat were killed in a joint encounter carried out by Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu Kashmir Police, the Army and CRPF in Jammu and Kashmirs Ranbirgarh. As per reports, the slain terrorists were active in the Kashmir Valley for quite some time and involved in several terror-related incidents. At least 143 terrorists have been neutralised by forces in Kashmir this year. Over 150 years ago a group of anonymous artists created a 34-ft long scroll titled He-Gassen (aa), literally: 'Fart Battle.' The scroll, created during the Edo Period (probably around 1846) in Japan, consists of roughly 15 different scenes depicting people directing their farts at other people or objects. Itas kind of like Hieronymus Bosch, but after a night on the sauce and a morning with a kebab. There are people farting at each other. There are people farting through objects. There are people combating farts with fans. There are bags of farts being released. Trees and cats get blown away by farts. And the scroll culminates with a divine gust of flatulence knocking over a ceremony and causing complete and utter chaos. So why, Lord why? One theory believes the aarta to be a social jab at the anti-foreigner sentiment that washed over Japan as it emerged from isolation. Iam unsure if that makes us the farts, the smell or the conflict, but thereas a message in there somewhere. Perhaps because art is art and farts are funny. Russian special forces on July 25 raided the headquarters of the United Democrats movement in the Tatarstan capital Kazan during a seminar on corruption. The movement, which aims to help independent candidates in municipal elections, said masked police with machine guns stormed its headquarters in the city. In total, 16 detainees were taken to a police station. Among them was Yekaterina Petrova, the head of the Yekaterinburg branch of the Berlin-based corruption watchdog Transparency International. Petrova had been giving a seminar on how to investigate corruption in public and municipal procurement. Transparency International said the detainees were interrogated and questioned about knowingly false reporting about an act of terrorism. After the interrogation, all the detainees were released. United Democrats was formed to provide assistance to independent candidates in local elections, where the movement believes the best impact on citizens lives can be made. This September they aim to have candidates for municipal elections in four Russian regions, including Tatarstan. Earlier in July, police in Kazan detained six people at the headquarters of the United Democrats and took them to a police station for drug and alcohol testing. With reporting by AFP and Meduza Hong Kong: Sea, air crew measures tightened The Government today announced that crew change arrangements for passenger vessels and goods vessels without a cargo operation in Hong Kong would be suspended from July 29 until the local epidemic situation is contained. For goods vessels coming to Hong Kong for cargo operations, new exemption conditions will be imposed and the existing requirements will be tightened, also effective from July 29, it added. All crew members coming to Hong Kong for cargo operations should remain onboard during their vessel's stay in Hong Kong waters and should not go ashore. Outgoing crew members of these vessels who have completed their service onboard will be required to remain on the vessels during their stay in Hong Kong until transport is arranged for them to travel directly to the airport to board flights for repatriation to their home countries to avoid contact with the local community. Incoming crew members arriving at the airport on flights from other places should possess a negative nucleic acid test result for COVID-19 conducted at an ISO 15189-accredited laboratory or one recognised by the government where the laboratory is located, with the specimen collected within 48 hours before they depart their places of origin for entering Hong Kong. Crew members who do not possess the test results will be denied entry. They should also board the vessels immediately and directly upon arrival in Hong Kong and should not stay in public places. Point-to-point transfers should be arranged by the shipping companies/agents for crew members to travel to and from the vessels. Use of public transport which will serve the general public at the same time is prohibited, and crew members should wear masks during the entire journey. Shipping companies/agents which fail to comply with these conditions will be denied crew change arrangements in Hong Kong. For air crew travelling between Hong Kong and the Mainland, Macau, Taiwan or foreign places, they all must have a negative nucleic acid test result for COVID-19 done at an ISO 15189-accredited laboratory or one recognised by the government where the laboratory is located, with the specimen collected within 48 hours prior to boarding the flight to Hong Kong. Otherwise, the air crew must take a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC) upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and wait for the test results there or at any other designated location. Airlines must arrange point-to-point transport for the air crew to travel between the HKIA and their place of accommodation and prohibit their use of public transport which serves the general public at the same time. Airlines should also ensure their air crew will self-isolate at a designated location in accordance with Department of Health's requirements. Air crew should strictly observe the principle of minimising contact with the local community during their stay in Hong Kong. Other exempted people arriving in Hong Kong at the HKIA will also be subject to the tightened testing and quarantine arrangements. All exempted people must have a negative nucleic acid test result for COVID-19 done at an ISO15189-accredited laboratory or one recognised by the government where the laboratory is located, with the specimen collected within 48 hours prior to boarding the flight to Hong Kong. Otherwise, they must take a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 at the TSCC upon arrival at the airport and wait for the results there, or self-isolate at a designated location for 48 hours. The Government said goods vessels coming to Hong Kong for the loading and unloading of cargo are essential for the supply of daily necessities and services to the city to maintain its smooth operation. As such, crew members of these vessels should be exempted from compulsory quarantine to allow them to undergo a crew change in Hong Kong, the Government noted, adding that tightening the relevant conditions can suitably address public concerns about health risks. The Government will closely monitor the latest situation of the epidemic around the world and review the quarantine and testing arrangements for inbound travellers entering Hong Kong from other control points including exempted people. This story has been published on: 2020-07-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The portrait was the 13th the monarch has sat for since 2010. (Getty Images) Its been a busy month for the Queen from launching her own gin, to playing a starring role at the wedding of granddaughter Princess Beatrice. Now, the monarch, 94, has attended the first ever virtual unveiling of her new portrait at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The painting of Her Majesty was revealed in a post on the royal familys official Instagram account. During a video call for the remote unveiling ceremony, she spoke with the artist, Miriam Escofet, who was commissioned by the FCO. The portrait depicts the Queen sitting in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, wearing a blue dress, a pearl necklace, earrings and drop brooch. Escofet, who is also a winner of the BP Portrait Award, was given two half-hour sittings with the Queen, one at Windsor Castle and another at Buckingham Palace. The painting took seven months to complete, with the final touches executed in lockdown, and will be hung in the reception of the FCOs new London headquarters when it is completed next year. The artist revealed that when Her Majesty first saw the portrait, she joked that the teacup pictured on the table beside her was empty. Read more: Princess Beatrice and Edo release wedding photos with Queen after secret ceremony Escofet explained that she had hidden the insignia of the FCO onto the side of the teacup, inspired by a Renaissance technique used by the likes of Holbein. She added that it had been a challenge to capture the Queens aura of regalness in the portrait, which is the 13th the monarch has sat for since 2010. Buckingham Palace said the FCO commissioned the artwork to pay tribute to their longstanding relationship with the Queen, and the contribution Her Majesty has made to UK diplomacy throughout her reign. Since being posted on Instagram, the portrait has received more than 270,000 likes. Story continues Read more: Princess Beatrice stuns in vintage wedding dress as she borrows Queen's tiara One person commented: Her Majesty is still a very beautiful woman and has aged very gracefully! Another wrote: Such a lovely smile. A third shared: So beautiful. In portrait and life. Incredible woman. And a fourth added: Stunning portrait. New Delhi: Four soldiers have been injured in heavy Pakistan firing in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian troops is responding to the ceasefire violation by Pakistan. Earlier, a woman was injured and two houses damaged when Pakistani troops on Saturday targeted Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Nowshera and Sunderbani sectors of Rajouri district with mortar bombs and small arms fire. The firing in Sunderbani sector was the second ceasefire violation by the Pakistani side in less than six hours on Saturday. He said the injured lady has been shifted to the Sub District Hospital Nowshera for treatment. Earlier on Saturday morning, Pakistan army resorted to ceasefire violation in the Nowshera sector and in the afternoon they started firing in the Sunderbani sector targeting Indian posts and civilian areas. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Kehinde Omotosho, a trader in Gbagi market, Ibadan, Oyo State capital, has died in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police, PREMIUM TIMES learnt The police team stormed Mr Omotoshos neighbourhood around Agugu area at about midnight of July 16. The 49-year-old was arrested alongside some persons in the area by the operatives, who reportedly came to arrest his nephew, Kabir. Kabir was allegedly involved in a fight that led to the killing of an individual in the area. The officers of the CID, Iyaganku, who came to make the arrest, were led by an operative of Agugu Police division identified as SOJ. Mr Omotosho was later remanded in the CID office at Iyaganku, for six days, as against the 48 hours ultimatum stipulated in the Nigerian law. According to one of those arrested, Jelili Rasak, Mr Omotosho died in the cell on July 21 as a result of torture. He could not sleep because they were standing all night, day after day, inside this dingy cell. By Monday night, four days after our arrest, Mr Omotosho had developed so much discomfort that he became very ill, Mr Rasak told PREMIUM TIMES. This paper learnt that rather than have him access medical treatment, the police authorities at Iyaganku tied him with ropes and made him lie face down all through the night. By 5 a.m., Tuesday, 21st day of July, Mr Omotosho gave up the ghost in the cell, Mr Rasak said. He said before Mr Omotosho died, he screamed for help but was ignored until other inmates joined in the scream. He was eventually taken to a clinic where he died. Defence When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, Olugbenga Fadeyi, denied that the man died in the police cell. In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, he stated that the man was amongst those randomly picked by the operatives on that fateful day. There was a fight between OPC (vigilante) and some cultists and it resulted in the death of an individual. Police went to that place to randomly pick some individuals for interrogation with the aim of getting the culprit. The man took ill while at the cell and was taken to the police clinic where he eventually died. Police called the family members and informed them, the police spokesperson narrated. READ ALSO: He said the corpse has not been released because the police want to carry out an autopsy to ascertain the cause of his death. When asked for the dates of these incidents and the duration of detention, he declined comments. Discrepancy This paper learnt that in order to cover up the case, the police officers at Iyaganku made a relative of the deceased identified as Sekinat, to swear to a no-case affidavit, stating that the corpse should be released for burial without an autopsy. However, the first daughter of Mr Omotosho, Khadijat Omotosho, has vehemently kicked against the decision, calling for justice. Speaking with our reporter on Friday evening, Ms Omotosho said she wants the police authorities to investigate her fathers death and bring the perpetrators to book. In his reaction, Festus Ogun, a lawyer and activist, said the police should be held responsible for the death of Mr Omotosho. The position of the law is that someone who is arrested should not be in detention for more than 48 hours. It is either he is charged to court for trial or the person is released through administrative bail. It is a constitutional aberration for them to keep anyone in custody for more than 48 hours for no reason whatsoever. The police should be held responsible because the man wouldnt have died if the deceased was not in their custody. Advertisements Group Kicks Akin Fadeyi Foundation, an advocacy group, has announced its readiness to take up the case until justice is achieved. Akin Fadeyi, the founder of the group, told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident was first reported via Flag It, a mobile application through which Nigerians can report corrupt practices. Mr Fadeyi, in a press statement, condemned the police actions and the attempts to cover up. I was curious that the Nigerian Police with all its exposure to professional capacity strengthening and best global practices, would even conjecture cajoling an uneducated family into picking up the corpse of an illegally detained man without (an) autopsy. We have a handwritten letter of Khadijat sent to our organization. Needless to say that Khadijat, her siblings and other members of the family have remained inconsolable, traumatized, horrified and in a state of shock. The foundation called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate thoroughly and bring to book all those responsible for the victims incarceration and death. We have put processes in place to ensure justice for Mr Kehinde Omotosho and shall make our approach known in a few days, Mr Fadeyi said. The 17 economies determine 90 percent of Vietnams foreign investment, 80 percent of international trade and 80 percent of foreign travelers to Vietnam. HCM City Party Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan has pointed out that Vietnam has successfully controlled COVID-19, and its great achievement has been recognized by the world. The total number of infections in Vietnam has never reached 1,000. Nhan said it is necessary to draw up a roadmap for opening the economy to 17 countries which are the most important partners of Vietnam. The opening will be implemented in accordance with the agreements between the parties. According to Nhan, from May-August 5, ten out of the 17 economies could be relatively free of COVID, if referring to the criterion that requires fewer than 10,000 people out of every 1 million are under treatment for the disease. The 17 economies determine 90 percent of Vietnams foreign investment, 80 percent of international trade and 80 percent of foreign travelers to Vietnam. These economies include Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Germany and Australia. Vietnam needs to figure out detailed opening plans to these economies. As for the remaining seven economies, including India, the US and Singapore, Vietnam needs to keep a close watch over the epidemic performance in the countries and resume economic exchanges with them after they can meet the requirements, he said. Nhan mentioned a forecast which is not very good news but 'worthy of consideration: foreign investment in Vietnam in 2020 may decrease by 30 percent compared with last year, while international trade may decrease by 18 percent and tourism by 50 percent. He thinks policymakers need to consider this prediction to make reasonable adjustments. To prepare for international tourism resumption, the Tourism Advisory Board has proposed taking a series of measures. It emphasized that Vietnam needs to be one step ahead of regional rivals in the time for opening. First of all, Vietnam needs to create a set of market opening procedures. Vietnam needs to resume air routes and be sure that only non-stop flights will be provided (allowing chartered flights to markets where there are no routine flights). The other things that need to be done include: exempting tourism visas; requesting travelers entering Vietnam to make medical declarations; and discussing agreements on coronavirus testing and installation of apps among travelers during their stay in Vietnam. It is also necessary to ensure safety and prepare measures to close the market if there is risk of infection in the community. TAB believes that Vietnam needs to first negotiate with countries in Asia and Oceania. To attract more tourists, TAB said it is necessary to implement a promotion program, positioning Vietnam as a safe paradise for tourists. Le Ha Vietnam helps boost ASEAN's economy amid COVID-19: Malaysian press Amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair, has managed to formulate a regional comprehensive economic recovery plan, the New Straits Times of Malaysia reported. The government has been urged to open fresh investigation to unravel the truth surrounding the alleged gruesome murder of 44 Ghanaians, by Gambian soldiers, following orders from the then President Yahya Jammeh. Speaking at the 15 years commemoration of the massacre of Ghanaians in Gambia, Professor Kwame Karikari, lead campaigner of Justice for GH44 in July, 2005, asked the government to take advantage of the confessions by two Gambian soldiers about their participation in the execution of the Ghanaian nationals, and open fresh probe into the case. About two years ago, at the Gambia Reconciliation and Reparations sitting, two military persons -Lieutenant Malick Jatta and Corporal Omar Jallow, confessed some Ghanaian migrants were murdered by the Junglers Squad following the order of Yahya Jammeh, Prof. Karikari said. He said it was time President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo requested trial of Yahya Jammeh in Ghana since this was permitted under international law. When leaders commit crime, they must be brought to book, therefore, our President, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs during that era must request for the trial of Jammeh on our soil because international laws permit that, Prof. Karikari said. He expressed worry that some African leaders remained silent on the murder of their citizens without any sight of justice, adding that 15 years without justice was pathetic. Prof. Karikari indicated that in Africa, our governments are the last and also not interested in seeking needed justice for victims, who suffered from offenders such as Yahya Jammeh. Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Ranking Member of Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, said there was the need for African leaders to rise and seek justice. We are not only here to remember the horrific story. 15 years now, justice has eluded us. We shall not accept the silence or lack of prosecution and actions from our leaders, he said. Mr Ablakwa, however, commended the role of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who promptly sent a high-powered delegation to The Gambia, led by then Foreign Affairs Minister, now President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as well as the efforts of former President John Dramani Mahama. 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 New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday spoke to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi and reiterated cooperation between the two countries in combatting the coronavirus challenge. "Pleasure to hear from FM @Gabi_Ashkenazi of Israel. The India-Israel partnership is currently focused on combating the #COVID challenge. Even as it does, the larger agenda of cooperation continues to move forward," Jaishankar wrote on Twitter. On Friday, the Israeli Embassy in India said Tel Aviv has decided to send India this week a team of scientists working to develop a rapid testing kit for coronavirus. The Israeli team will work in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. The testing of the first phase was already done in Israel and the last stage will now be carried out in India for the testing kit which can give results within a minute, according to a statement by the embassy. It also said Israel's ministries of foreign affairs, defence and health will lead an unprecedented anti-COVID-19 cooperation operation between India and Israel. The infection tally in India is around 1.3 million on Sunday with 48,661 fresh cases reported within the last 24 hours, according to government data. Meanwhile, 705 more deaths reported during this time took the total to 32,063. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics SK Bioscience, the South Korean pharmaceutical company backed by Bill Gates, may be capable of producing 200 million coronavirus vaccine kits by next June, the Microsoft Corp. co-founder said in a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Gates is seeking to cooperate closely with South Korea, the presidential office in Seoul said Sunday, citing the July 20 letter. The US billionaire and Moon spoke by phone in April about teaming up to fight the virus and develop a vaccine, the Blue House said in a text message. Follow latest updates on coronavirus here The world is in a race to develop a vaccine that could protect masses against a virus that has wreaked havoc on the global economy. Gates has said investment in factories across the world can ensure regions beyond the US wont be left behind in the rush for Covid-19 vaccines. Xi inspects PLA aviation university ahead of Army Day EditorLi Wei Time2020-07-23 19:38:50 Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), inspects the teaching facilities for drone operating systems and learns about the training of drone operators at the Aviation University of the Air Force in northeast China's Jilin Province, July 23, 2020. Xi inspected the Aviation University of the Air Force in Jilin on Thursday, in the run-up to China's Army Day. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, Xi extended Army Day greetings to the personnel of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Armed Police Force, the militia, and the reserve force. China's Army Day falls on Aug. 1. (Xinhua/Li Gang) CHANGCHUN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected the Aviation University of the Air Force in the northeastern province of Jilin on Thursday, in the run-up to China's Army Day. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), stressed further reform and innovation, as well as continuous efforts to improve teaching. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC, Xi extended Army Day greetings to the personnel of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Armed Police Force, the militia, and the reserve force. China's Army Day falls on Aug. 1. After a visit to the university's aviation museum, he went on to watch a training course of student pilots and talked with them. At the university's laboratory for drone technology, Xi inspected teaching facilities for drone operating systems and learned about the training of drone operators. He said with the emergence of a large number of drones of different kinds, unmanned combat has brought about profound changes in warfare. Xi stressed strengthening research into unmanned combat, enhancing drone education as a discipline, stepping up training in real combat conditions, and cultivating professionals who can use drones and take command in such warfare. He stressed the need to transform the strategy of "strengthening the military through talent cultivation" into development plans and practical measures. Highlighting the strong connection between military education and the battlefield, Xi demanded the bolstering of research on modern warfare, especially modern air combat, and upgrading education and training as a whole. He stressed the need to keep up with the global trends of a new military revolution, be better prepared for emerging fields, conduct work in frontier disciplines and the training of new types of talent, while accelerating the incubation and generation of new combat capabilities. Xi also spoke of the need to adhere to the correct political orientation in every aspect of school work. Home > Archives (2006 on) > 2020 > Theja Gunawardana a leading pioneer in Sri Lankas left movement | (...) by Kalyananda Tiranagama The 25th anniversary of the death of Mrs. Theja Gunawardana, a great personality and an indefatigable fighter for social justice who played an indelible role in the Left Movement in Sri Lanka falls on July 17, 2020. Most of the people belonging to the present generations may not be aware of the role Theja has played and the contributions she has made in the early stages of the Left Movement in our country and for the anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist struggle in the Afro-Asian Region. While reading the proceedings of the famous Trine Case reported in the daily newspapers, as a student of 14 years of age living in Galle, I came to know of Theja for the first time in 1954. She had published a news item in Trine, a weekly tabloid newspaper published by her, stating that Minister of Finance Oliver Goonetilake had committed an act of corruption by receiving a commission while negotiating a loan one month prior to his appointment as the Governor General. Theja had been tried at a Trial-at-Bar before three Judges of the Supreme Court on the charges of criminally defaming Sir Oliver Goonetilake, the newly appointed Governor General and thereby creating civil commotion. It was the first Trial-at-Bar ever held in Sri Lanka and Theja was defended by the well-known British Queens Counsel D. N. Pritt who had conducted the defence in several politically sensational cases cases against Jomo Kenyata of Kenya and Lee Kuan Yu of Singapore. Wide publicity was given to the proceedings of the Trine Case in local newspapers which left an undelible mark in my memory of Theja as a heroic woman who had the courage and audacity to challenge any authority. In his autobiography titled The Defence Accuses, D. N. Pritt who defended Theja has paid high tribute to her as a remarkable personality with a high moral character. This is what Pritt has said about Theja: they (the Government) certainly regarded this fearless, critical and incorruptible woman as a great thorn in their flesh. I was, she told me, never to apologise for a syllable or comma, nor to express regret, or anything but a determination to prove up to the hilt the charges she had made; and I was not to worry for an instant about the risk she was running of imprisonment, and in particular of imprisonment for a much longer term than would be imposed if she did not justify. The case against Theja was a land mark in the history of the left movement of the country. It not only aroused much public interest, but ultimately turned out to be an indictment against the Government. She was acquitted of all charges and carried in a huge procession from the Court to Pettah. Theja came from a very rich family. Her father Manage Piyadasa was a member of the Ceylon National Congress, Mahabodhi Society and the Buddhist Theosophical Society. He was a philanthropist who built four educational institutions. Her mother Elizabeth Ponweera was an educationist. Theja was well-versed in several languages. She had offered English, French, Latin, Geography and Mathematics for London Matriculation in 1935. She got her Bachelor of Arts in English Honours in 1939. She had studied Spanish to write on Cuban Revolution. Instead of pursuing personal goals, immediately after completing her University education, Theja became an active social worker devoting her time, energy and wealth for the upliftment of rural women through Lanka Mahila Samiti. From 1939 1945 Theja was the Secretary of Lanka Mahila Samiti and from 1948 1958 she was the Chief Organizer (All-island) and Vice President of Lanka Mahila Samiti. In recognition of her service, on the recommendation of Mr. D. S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Theja had been selected by the State Department of the United States for a study tour covering rural welfare, education, cultural and sociological fields under its Exchange of Persons Programme in 1950. Immediately after her return from the Study Tour in the USA, Theja realized that she has to play a more dynamic role in the progressive movement in Sri Lanka, if she were to make a greater contribution to the progress of the people. She made a pioneering role to promote friendship between socialist countries and the people of Sri Lanka and to educate Sri Lankan people of the vast achievements made by the people in socialist countries then. She was the Founder President of the CeylonChina Friendship Association in 1950. For 10 years from 1950 1959 as President and for another 16 years from 1959-1975 as Vice-President of the CeylonChina Friendship Association she devoted her time and energy for promoting friendship between the people of Sri Lanka and China. From 1970 1974 she functioned as the Vice-President of the Ceylo North Vietnam and Ceylon-North Korea Friendship Associations and Sri Lanka Cambodia Cultural Parishad. Theja played a key role in the World Peace Council. From 19521962 she functioned as the Secretary of Ceylon Peace Council. She was elected a Bureau Member of the World Peace Council in Vienna in 1955. From 19551962 she led the Sri Lanka delegation to five World Conferences against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During the same period she was the World Peace Council Bureau Secretary in Delhi, Stockholm, Vienna and Tokyo. Theja was a leading figure in the Afro-Asian Solidarity Movement against colonialism and imperialism. She was a Founder Member of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Secretariat in Cairo, Egypt in 1956. She was the President of the Afro-Asian Solidarity Association of Ceylon from 1958 1965. She was a delegate to the Afro-Asian Womens Conference held in Cairo in 1961. She made a valuable contribution to Afro-Asian Solidarity against colonialism and imperialism at the Afro-Asian Solidarity Conferences held in Cairo, Moshi (Tanzania) and Cyprus during the period 1958 64. She was the Chairperson of the Asian Economic Seminar held in Colombo and of the Second Asian Economic Seminar held in Pyongyang in 1963. She also played a key role at the Afro-Asian Writers Conference held in Peking in 1966. Theja was the live wire of the Lanka Kantha Peramuna, the Womens Front of the Communist Party. I met Theja for the first time in 1963 when I visited Colombo to attend the Congress of the Ceylon Communist Party representingthe Peradeniya University Party group. That was the time Sino-Soviet split was emerging. She took a principled stand in every split that occurred in the Left Movement of Sri Lanka. She always took the side of the weak, the poor, the radical and emerging groups as against the strong, the rich and the reformist and established groups. She generously supported them all. Her house was open to every radical group that was fighting for social justice, for creating a better world. I made it a point to visit her whenever I came to Colombo and seek her advice and support for our activities as young radicals. Theja Gunawardane is linked to one of the most memorable incidents in my life. During the Youth Uprising of 1971 the Criminal Investigation Department of Sri Lanka Police arrested me on April 12, 1971 at Thejas house at Temple Road, Maradana. At that time I was practicing as a lawyer in Ratnapura and Avissawella courts. While I was there, Thejas house was surrounded and searched by the Police. The Police identified me. I was manacled and assaulted then and there. Theja, her daughter Shanthi and I were brought to the notorious Fourth Floor of the CID. I was badly assaulted and tortured and taken to the Welikada Prison on the following night. I spent two years and eight months at Welikada and Jaffna Prisons, detained under the Emergency Regulations as a security risk. Theja Gunawardana was such a giant in our own circumstances, a great multifaceted personality with varied talents and skills who was destined to play a significant role and make a valuable contribution to the peoples movement in the era of anti-imperialist struggle not only in Sri Lanka, but also in the Asia-Africa Region. Theja shined in a number of fields. Theja was - a dedicated social worker, a pioneer leader in the womens movement in Sri Lanka, the auther of a number of publications dealing with different subjects, a historian par excellence, a talented artist who not only brought out artistic creations of high quality of her own but also generously supported other artists in their efforts to create peoples oriented productions of high quality, a journalist who edited several newspapers and journals, a person with a wide knowledge and understanding of different religious doctrines and philosophies, and a fearless researcher who never hesitated to boldly examine and subject to review any established practice or view. There were a number of works written by her dealing with world peace, anti-imperialist struggles, socialist gains and the split in the socialist camp. Among her publications are Never Again Wills Japan (against the threats of nuclear war), Venceremos (We Shall Win on the triumph of Cuban Revolution), Congo Survives Operation Great Devide (revealing imperialist plot against Patrice Lumumba), Whither India China Relations, White Heat for Green Carpet (on Peoples Communes in China), Khruschevism (Revisionism in action in the USSR) and Chinas cultural Revolution. All these were in-depth studies on contemporary issues discussed in them. She took much effort to bring forward traditional dancers in the country and took the initiative to set up Jathika Kala Peramuna (National Arts Front). She made an important contribution to the development of the cultural life of this country when she served as a member of the Commission for organizing the College of Fine Arts, Oriental Dancing and Music (popularly known as Heywood Institute). Kohomba Kankariya (Dance Drama of Ravana Dynasty) published in 1975 in Sinhala and English languages is the culmination of her 42 years of research in the cultural and anthropological fields. It is a great work of art. Theja has done vast research on early history of Sri Lanka. Much of her research still remains in the form of manuscripts. Some of her studies on history have seen the light in the form of articles written to Journals and papers presented at Seminars. Light on Sri Lankas Pre-history from Ceremonials is One such paper presented at the Museum Anthropological Association in 1978. Window on Advent of Buddhism was the theme of the lecture she delivered at the Royal Asiatic Society in 1987. Theja never hesitated to express controversial views based on her findings in her research and studies. She has done deep studies on comparative religion. She remained a member of Theosophical Society for a long time. She has written a large number of articles and presented papers at Inter Religion Seminars held in Bangalore, China, London, Islamabad, Lahore, Hawaii and Puerto Rico during the period 1969 - 1983. She has written extensively on Islam, Christianity and Buddhism. Theja Gunawardana never sought power, fame or position in her career. She was a good friend of both Prime Ministers Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. The only position she held in her life time was the Post of Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Pakistan and Iran from 1974 1977. Theja played a historic role in the anti-imperialist, anti-colonialist struggles in the last half century. She devoted all her time, energy and wealth for the service of the people not only of Sri Lanka, but also of other countries struggling against colonialism and for economic, cultural and social independence. Great personalities like Theja are rarely born in the world. The Two Holy Mosques and Holy Sites: Development and Care Since King Abdulaziz's Reign Saudi Press Agency Saturday 1441/12/4 - 2020/07/25 Riyadh, July 25, 2020, SPA -- Since the reign of late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud until the current prosperous era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has paid great attention and care for the Two Holy Mosques and Holy Sites to accommodate the increasing numbers of pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has harnessed all potentials for the construction and development of the Two Holy Mosques and Holy Sites and providing pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Prophet's Mosque in Madinah with top-level modern services emanating from its responsibility and great honor bestowed by Allah Almighty upon the Kingdom to take care of the Two Holy Mosques. The service of the Two Holy Mosques is considered as one of the most important priorities for the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whose Kings have been honored to perform this religious duty for the sake of Allah and for their pioneering roles in the service of Islam and Muslims. Throughout the successive eras, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Kings have also sought to provide all means of comfort, facilitate affairs of Hajj and visit of the Two Holy Mosques as well as all procedures and provide the best services so that pilgrims can perform their rituals in a spiritual atmosphere, comfort, security and safety. Late King Abdulaziz initiated, since entering Makkah and assuming the affair of the Two Holy Mosques, with all interest and determination for the construction of the Two Holy Mosques and serving their visitors. One of the key accomplishments of late King Abdulaziz in 1344 AH was to entirely restore and renovate the colors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. He also instructed in 1370 AH to decorate the facades overlooking the Grand Mosque and its courtyards with marble. In 1345 AH, late King Abdulaziz ordered to install marquees in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque to protect worshipers from the heat of the sun; and in 1346 AH, he also ordered to repair the canopy of the Prophet Abraham, the dome of Zamzam and the base of the Holy Kaabah. The late founder King Abdulaziz also ordered the installation of marquees at the piazza of the Holy Kaaba and fixed umbrellas at the sides of the piazza, attached to porticos which were spread and folded when needed, and they remained for many years and had been renewed continuously. In 1346 AH, the late King Abdulaziz also ordered the establishment of the first factory for Kaabah Kiswah (Cover) in Makkah, and Masa'a (Running path) be paved with square granite stones and with reflected lights for the first time in history. He also ordered the establishment of the Security Department with its headquarters in Makkah for enhancing security. He directed to remove the outposts of shops that narrowed Masa'a which became very straight and good-looking. The late King ordered the establishment of two standpipes for Zamzam water with the restoration of the old one and the repair of the stones spread throughout the piazza's path and the corridors' floors. In 1354 AH, late King Abdulaziz also ordered the removal of the old gravel and replaced it with new ones. He ordered in 1366 AH to renew the ceiling of Masa'a and a new door be established for the Holy Kaabah covered with finest pure silver plates embroidered with Quranic verses engraved in different calligraphic forms in threads of pure gold. After that, the sons of late King Abdulaziz continued to take care of the service of the Two Holy Mosques. Late King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud directed the installation of a pump to raise the water of Zamzam in 1373 AH, the construction of a building for Zamzam water in front of Zamzam Well in 1374 AH, building Masa'a with its two floors, the expansion of piazza; and Zamzam Well became in the basement provided by water spouts and a course for the used water. He also ordered the restoration of the Holy Kaabah in 1377 AH, when the upper and lower Kaabah roofs were completely replaced, and the Kaabah stones that were exposed to cracks and dust accumulation were treated. During the reign of late King Faisal bin Abdulaziz, he continued the expansion of the Grand Mosque that began during the reign of late King Saud. And what had been implemented during his reign was the removal of the building based on the shrine of the Prophet Abraham as an expansion for worshipers circumambulating the Holy Kaabah, and covered the shrine with a crystal cover in 1387 AH. He also directed the construction of a library for the Grand Mosque in 1391 AH and a factory for Kaabah Kiswah (Cover) in its new location in Umm Al-Joud along with expanding its works. The factory of Kaabah Kiswah was opened after the completion of construction and furnishing in 1397 AH. In 1398 AH, the piazza was expanded, its floor was furnished with heat-resistant marble and the pulpit was transferred while the basement of Zamzam was expanded, making its entrance close to the edge of the old mosque in the direction of Masa'a. In 1399 AH, during the reign of late King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the door of the holy Kaabah was changed into a door of pure gold, made by Ahmed bin Ibrahim Badr, Sheikh of goldsmiths at that time. He used 280 kg of pure gold in manufacturing the door. Some considered it the largest gold block in the world, which is the current existing door, and a door was made inside the holy Kaaba for ascending, which is called the door of repentance. In 1417 AH, during the reign of late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, comprehensive restoration of Kaabah at the highest modern architectural specifications was carried out, where it stayed about 375 years without comprehensive restoration; yet in this current prosperous Saudi era, the Grand Mosque was reconstructed three times along with historical architectural expansions that have never been seen in history. Late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz ordered the second Saudi expansion, which its implementation being witnessed right now by the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The first reconstruction of the Grand Mosque was directed by late King Abdulaziz who ordered its implementation; however, the reconstruction was implemented during the reign of late King Saud bin Abdulaziz and ended in the era of late King Faisal bin Abdulaziz. The second expansion was implemented in the era of late King Fahd bin Abdulaziz. The third Saudi expansion began during the reign of late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and still continues by order, directive, follow-up and care of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud approved changing the name of the factory of the holy Kaabah Kiswah (Cover) to King Abdulaziz Complex for holy Kaabah Kiswah in 1439 AH. In the reign of late King Fahd, the Grand Mosque was largely expanded in 1403 AH, where the real estate of the small market (west of the Mosque) was dispossessed to facilitate the expansion as the King ordered. The dispossessed land was 30,000 square meters and was allocated as a temporary prayer area before construction. In 1406 AH, the late King Fahd ordered to pave the ground with temperature-proof marble, and to construct five escalators and five bridges for first floor entry. In 1409 AH, King Fahd laid the foundation stone for a large second expansion. In the reign of the late King Abdullah, the third expansion was launched to become the greatest of all times including the Grand Mosque to accommodate 2 million worshippers. The outer yard expansion includes lavatories, corridors, tunnels and other supporting facilities to facilitate entry and exit of worshippers. The service area includes air conditioner, power and water stations. The Kings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have also developed the Holy Sites in Makkah including Namira Mosque in Arafat, the Holy Mosque in Muzdalifah, and Al-Khaif Mosque in Mina, as well as the provision of infrastructure and service facilities for health, environment, security, transport, telecommunication, road network between the Holy Sites and Makkah, fireproof tents in Mina, Jamarat (Throwing Pebbles) Bridge and Train of the Holy Sites. In the reign of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Holy Sites in Makkah are still being developed and maintained. He ordered to continue with the third expansion of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, and to follow up on the development projects of Makkah, Madinah and the Holy Sites, in order to improve the services being provided to citizens of the two holy cities and visitors of the Two Holy Mosques. The security and custody of Islamic sanctities have been a priority to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as well as the leaders of the Kingdom since the reign of late King Abdulaziz and his successors, until the current prosperous era where the services of the Two Holy Mosques are unprecedented, including establishing the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, Holy Sites Company, Train of the Two Holy Mosques, new Taif Airport, a new gate for pilgrims, and continuation of development projects in both holy cities. His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and President of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has inspected the Holy Kaaba, and the projects of Makkah, Madinah and the Grand Mosque. He is keen on developing and maintaining the Two Holy Mosques to improve the services and facilities of Makkah and Madinah in accordance with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. --SPA 23:04 LOCAL TIME 20:04 GMT 0022 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The nations oldest Latino civil rights organization said Friday that it strongly supports ethnic studies programs in colleges and wont participate in the glorification of historical figures or defend monuments that eulogize violence like those around Spanish conquistadors. The League of United Latin American Citizens said ethnic studies programs in universities across the U.S. should be defended and vowed to celebrate Indo-Latinx-Afro history after a member publicly called for some programs at the University of New Mexico to be censored. LULAC supports the growth and establishment of Ethnic Studies programs and departments especially those that address the hidden, suppressed and silenced voices of our Latinx, Chicanx and Indigenous ancestors, past and future, the group said in a statement. A central component of Ethnic Studies is the story of survival and resistance against colonialism in the Americas a story that includes the destruction, suppression, and marginalization of the original peoples of the Americas. The statement came after New Mexico LULAC Executive Director Ralph Arellanes wrote to the president of the states largest university that the school should dismantle some ethnic studies programs and censor classes as they teach Latino students self-hate about their Spanish heritage. Arellanes had been upset about the recent removals of Spanish conquistador monuments in New Mexico. After The Associated Press reported his demands, Arellanes denied on social media that he was referring to Chicano studies and Native American studies but declined to say what programs or classes he wanted dismantled. Arellanes letter drew strong condemnation from LULAC members around the country and from some UNM graduates. It is painfully obvious to anyone reading his letter that he is referencing Chicano studies and Native American studies classes, said alumnus Kurly Tlapoyawa, a senior archaeologist. Or are we to believe he was talking about intro to landscaping? New Mexico LULAC, the civil rights groups state arm, said in a statement it regrets that the letter by Arellanes was interpreted as a stance by the organization. Mr. Arellanes opinions expressed in this letter are solely his own, and his writing as a LULAC representative was not an authorized action, the group said. His letter is NOT endorsed by this organization. LULAC officials said they are looking into possible disciplinary actions against Arellanes. Chicano studies programs around the U.S. have faced efforts to disband them. Arizona enacted a law in 2010 eliminating Mexican American studies in schools over charges that they promote(d) the overthrow of the United States government. In 2017, A federal judge in Arizona ruled that the state violated the constitutional rights of Mexican American students by eliminating a Mexican American studies program. The number of people with coronavirus antibodies in the UK is a third lower than previously believed, official figures show. Public Health England data suggests just one in 10 people have the protective proteins in London when one in six did during the peak of the epidemic. And less than 5 per cent of the population in the North East have the antibodies needed to battle the killer virus. Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance previously said to achieve 'herd immunity' about 60 per cent of the population needs to have been infected. The Government had also touted the idea of 'immunity passports' for those who had battled the virus if scientists prove antibodies will stop a person catching it again. Yet these plans appear to have been dashed due to such low numbers testing positive for the antibodies. Public Health England data suggests just one in 10 people have the protective proteins in London when one in six did during the peak of the epidemic (file photo) PHE's results were from blood samples taken from donors in different areas of the country, according to the Sunday Telegraph. It said earlier findings did not include tests on people over 70, who were not allowed to give blood during lockdown. This appears to have caused the original figures to be misleading when used to represent the whole country. The new data shows that about 6.5 per cent of England has the antibodies in their blood. London had the highest figure - 9.9 per cent - with donors in the Midlands having 6.5 per cent and only 4.7 per cent in the North East. PHE's results match the Office for National Statistics' findings, which said on June 29 the proportion of people with the proteins in the country was 6.3 per cent. Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance previously said to achieve 'herd immunity' about 60 per cent of the population needs to have been infected PHE Medical Director Yvonne Doyle said last week: 'We reckon that over the peak we had in London about 16 per cent of the population were showing that they had antibodies. 'This is dropping off now and it's now much lower than that. Overall between six and 10 per cent of the population are showing those kind of antibodies, as we do our regular seroprevalence testing.' PHE said 'waning immunity' might be a 'contributory factor' in the fall in positive antibody tests, but it was 'likely to play a relatively small role in the overall trends observed to date'. It said: 'In more recent sampling periods, prevalence estimates are lower and this is likely to be largely driven by changes in the precise locations of sampling over time and potential demographic differences in the donor population as lockdown measures are relaxed.' It comes after scientists claimed they had found the most potent antibodies yet in the blood of Covid-19 patients. The antibodies were taken from the blood of several Covid-19 survivors and can neutralise the coronavirus, stopping it from entering cells. These antibodies are cloned and scaled up in large quantities in the laboratory before being injected as a treatment. Experts discovered a cocktail of the extremely strong antibodies protected hamsters from Covid-19 when exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is only early findings, but the scientists say the antibodies - proteins used by the immune system to destroy viruses - are 'ready to be developed into treatments'. Despite seemingly having shut out the virus, London has still suffered the highest Covid-19 death rate of any area in the UK due to how hard it was hit by the disease early on in the crisis. The capital recorded 141.8 Covid-19 deaths per 100,000 people between march and June. The North West has been the second worst-hit area in the UK, recording 108.9 deaths per capita, closely followed by the North East (104.9) and West Midlands (100.2) The most deprived areas in England had a mortality rate of of 139 Covid deaths per 100,000 people, more than twice as high as in the least deprived areas (63.4) Administered in doses like a vaccine, scientists say antibodies could give humans the ability to avoid being struck down by the disease. Antibodies made in the laboratory to mimic natural antibodies have been used in the treatment of a huge range of conditions, including arthritis, Crohn's and Ebola. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to the presence of a foreign substance, like the coronavirus. The role of antibodies is to latch on to foreign substances like the coronavirus and mark it for other immune cells, such as T-cells, to kill. Neutralising antibodies are able to kill the virus themselves, rather than just tagging it for other immune cells to attack. David Ho, scientific director of the Aaron Diamond Aids Research Centre and professor of medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, directed the study. WHAT IS MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY? Monoclonal antibody therapy is a form of immunotherapy that uses monoclonal antibodies (mAb). It's given as an injection under the skin or through a drip into a vein. The treatment works in many different ways. It can work in a vaccine-like way, protecting a patient from severe disease, or can help to stimulate the patient's immune system to attack antigens. Hybridoma technology is one method for producing large numbers of monoclonal antibodies - identical antibodies that are clones of a unique parent cell. The process starts by injecting an animal, such as a mouse, with an antigen that provokes an immune response. B cells produces antibodies that bind to the antigen. These antibody producing B-cells are then harvested and used to culture more antibodies. The monoclonal antibodies are screened against their ability to work, with initial experiments in animals. Major technological advances have made the discovery and development of mAb therapies quicker and more efficient, deriving the antibodies from humans and not animals. Scientists can create a mAb that is specific to almost any antigen, and are working on one for the coronavirus. The spike protein on the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the primary target being explored for potential Covid-19 monoclonal antibodies. The aim is that by targeting the spike protein, the antibody will be able to neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus, therefore stopping it from infecting healthy cells. A particularly interesting avenue is giving them to people who aren't infected yet as a preventative tool. If the antibodies are potent and long-lasting enough, they could provide sufficient protection for a period of time before a vaccine is found. Research and development is underway to create antibodies for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and different types of cancers. But many are already in use both in the US and UK. Since 2008, 48 new mAbs have been approved, contributing to a total global market of 61 mAbs in clinical use at the end of 2017, according to the US FDA. Advertisement He said: 'We now have a collection of antibodies that's more potent and diverse compared to other antibodies that have been found so far, and they are ready to be developed into treatments.' Forty Covid-19 patients who were treated at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York City, but had since recovered were enrolled for the research. Blood samples from all were first tested for neutralising activity against the virus. Scientists put their blood in a petri dish to see if antibodies attack or bind to the virus. The team saw a wide range of neutralising antibodies, but focused on five patients whose plasma showed the highest levels of neutralising antibodies. The five patients were all hospitalised for Covid-19, suggesting those with severe disease requiring mechanical ventilation produce the best neutralising antibodies. Among them, 19 neutralising antibodies which 'exhibited exquisite potency' were discovered, according to the findings published in the journal Nature. Professor Ho said: 'We think that the sicker patients saw more virus and for a longer period of time, which allowed their immune system to mount a more robust response. 'This is similar to what we have learned from the HIV experience.' The research team found a more diverse variety of antibodies than previous efforts, including new, unique antibodies that were not reported earlier. The findings also revealed which sites on the viruses outer 'spike' are most vulnerable. Professor Ho said: 'Using a cocktail of different antibodies that are directed to different sites in spike will help prevent the virus becoming resistant to the treatment.' The researchers took the neutralising antibodies and engineered them in the laboratory to create monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) - clones that work in the same way as the natural antibodies. To assess if they worked, the researchers exposed hamsters to the coronavirus after an injection of the mAbs. The hamster's lung tissues were harvested to quantify the viral load four days later. Hamsters given a higher dose of mAbs had considerably less viral particles than those given a low dose as a control group. The researchers said there was 'complete elimination of infectious SARS-CoV-2 at a relatively modest antibody dose'. Professor Ho is hopeful the findings will lead to treatment in people, which would first require clinical trials to ensure safety. It's not clear how long this would take, but it may be quicker than a number of drugs and vaccines in development for Covid-19. The development and approval of antibodies for use as a treatment usually takes less time than conventional drugs. Scientists all over the world are looking at monoclonal antibody therapy for the new coronavirus but there are few currently in clinical trials. Last month, researchers at Scripps Research, in San Diego, also claimed to have discovered super-potent antibodies which protected animals from severe illness. Drug giant AstraZeneca also revealed it was working on an injection with cloned antibodies that could be ready next year. Chief executive Pascal Soriot told the Sunday Telegraph the therapy being made is 'a combination of two antibodies' in an injected dose. The discovery of super potent antibodies also bodes well for vaccine development, too, scientists say. If the immune system can generate such strong antibodies, vaccines that do the same 'should provide robust protection against the virus,' Professor Ho said. However, questions remain over whether Covid-19 survivors develop any immunity once they recover from the disease. Therefore, it will not be clear how long antibodies produced triggered by a vaccine would protect a person. Bengaluru: I will provide better governance was the promise made by B S Yediyurappa (BSY) when he returned to the chair of chief minister of Karnataka after dethroning the JD (S)-Congress coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy. Today, July 26, he completes a year in office. The Lingayat strongman's second stint as chief minister has been one of crisis after crisis, starting with devastating floods in the initial days and now the Covid-19 pandemic. Development has taken a back seat. Since Covid-19 broke out in the state in mid-March, , government machinery has been exclusively focused on managing the pandemic. The virus struck just as the BSY government was settling down after weathering floods and political turbulence. His newly appointed ministers, most of them defectors from the JD(S) and Congress who had helped him topple the Kumaraswamy government, were still gloating in their felicitations and admiring their lal batti cars when the coronavirus epidemic flared up. It has been a frantic year for BSY. Barely had he taken oath when unprecedented floods occurred in the state. He was the only minister in the government. And the central leadership of the party made him wait on cabinet expansion and then forced him to accept not one but three deputy chief ministers -- obviously, a ploy to make the CM not to comfortable in his seat. Then the usual issues kicked in: tensions wrought by accepting lateral entris from other parties, a scrum for plum portfolios, lack of coordination among ministers, etc. When the coronavirus challenged the administration in Karnataka, the lack on control over the bureaucracy was exposed. The pandemic has been managed on a day-to-day basis, and major developmental projects or infrastructure projects have all had to be kept on the back burner. Notwithstanding his advanced age, Yediyurappa has monitored the Covid crisis actively, and the state's administration successfully kept the virus in check initially. Even the central government acknowledged the hard work. Unfortunately those efforts proved to be in vain when the nationwide lockdown was lifted and viral cases came flooding in from other states, mainly from Maharashtra. Today Karnataka is the fourth worst corona-affected state the country. Within the span of one month, it jumped to fourth place from 11th on the Covid table. Internal fighting among ministers, lack of commitment in the bureaucracy has made matters worse. In the last two months, the government's Covid responsne has lost it initial coherence. Frequent change of Covid in-charge ministers has created confusion to the bureaucracy. Too many ministers were appointed to handle the pandemic. Senior IAS officers have grown to avoiding responsibility. This has given an opportunity for the opposition Congress to find its voice This it has done by hurling allegations of aRs 2000 crore scam in procuring medical equipment for Covid response . These charges have made severe dent on the image of BSY government. The government's defence has not been convincing. Financial health The Covid pandemic has had an adverse impact on the state's financial health. Karnatakas GSDP growth rate is down to 6.8% as against 7.8% previous fiscal. Though the agriculture sector has shown recovery with 3.9% growth, it cannot offset the losses in other sectors. Horticulture, floriculture and related economic activities have suffered huge losses. The service sector has been hit badly by the series of lockdowns. Recruitment has completely stalled and the displacement of guest workers has had a huge impact. The manufacturing sector is suffering due to disruption in supply of raw materials. In particular, Bangalore Urban, which contributes more than 25% to the state's GDP, has ground to a standstill. Karnataka has announced a Rs 1610 crore package for flower and vegetable growers, trade-based groups such as barbers, laundry workers, weavers, auto rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers. The tourism industry has incurred unprecedented losses due to the Covid pandemic. Revenue collections by commercial taxes, motor vehicle tax, stamps and registration and excise have been severely hit. Though the state has ordered an unlock proramme in many sectors, tax generation has hit an all-time low. Challenge ahead for BSY Several more challengers await Yediyurappa. There has to be a cabinet expansion at some point with six vacancies left. He has to accommodate at least four rebel MLAs of both Congress and JD(S) into the Cabinet. Former MLA Munirathna Naidu, R. Shankar, M.T.B. Nagaraj, H. Vishwanth are putting pressure on the Chief Minister to induct them to the Cabinet. Meanwhile, party disgruntled MLAs are waiting for Cabinet expansion. Senior legislators, Umesh Katti, Basanagowda Patil Yatnal, Murugesh Nirani and others, definitely bring headache to the CM if he moves plans for Cabinet expansion. Harmful algal blooms may be even more harmful than we thought. They have already been shown to kill the fish that swim in the water they infest or the animals that drink from it. Now, new research indicates they could even poison the air. In a study published in Lake and Reservoir Management this month, scientists for the first time detected an airborne instance of the algal toxin anatoxin-a (ATX), also known as very fast death factor. ATX is one of the more dangerous cyanotoxins produced by harmful algal blooms, which are becoming more predominant in lakes and ponds worldwide due to global warming and climate change, study lead author Dr. James Sutherland of the Nantucket Land Council said in a press release. ATX is a toxin made by cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae. Despite their name, these single-celled organisms are not plants but rather bacteria that can photosynthesize. The toxin can cause loss of coordination, muscular twitching and respiratory paralysis. It has been known to kill livestock, pets and other animals that drink contaminated water. Although no previous studies have documented the capture of airborne ATX molecules or cyanobacteria cells containing ATX, we hypothesized that ATX could become airborne under certain environmental conditions, the study authors wrote. To test this idea, the scientists devised a way to sample the air above a pond in Nantucket, Massachusetts dealing with a harmful algal bloom (HAB). They brought an air sampling device to the shore on windy days and collected airborne particles on filters. They also tested the water for the presence of the toxin. The scientists collected their samples between July and October of 2019. They detected ATX in the water at concentrations as high as 21 nanograms per milliliter, Science Alert reported. And, on one foggy and windy day in September, they detected it in the air also. They recorded an average of 0.87 nanograms per filter on their air sampling device, which would equal an airborne exposure of 0.16 nanograms per meter squared. The researchers are not sure how the toxin ended up in the air, but think the wind might have blown it in small droplets from the pond, and then the fog allowed it to persist for longer than usual. In any case, it is a problem worth investigating further. These findings indicate that emission of ATX molecules, or cyanobacteria containing ATX, during HABs presents a potential human health exposure not previously examined, the researchers wrote. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday remembered brave soldiers of the armed forces who fought Pakistani troops and intruders during the Kargil War 21 years ago. The minister laid a wreath and paid homage to the martyred soldiers at the National War Memorial. India observed the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 and remembered its brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives to uphold and safeguard the integrity of the nation. On the occasion, the minister said, "On the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay, I would like to salute the brave soldiers of the Indian armed forces who fought the enemy under the most challenging conditions that the world had witnessed in recent history." This day commemorates the success of Operation Vijay which was launched by the armed forces to recapture Indian territories occupied by Pakistani intruders in the Kargil-Drass sector in 1999. The minister paid gratitude to those who laid down their lives in the service of the nation and bowed to their families, who despite losing their loved ones, remained steadfast in their support of the national resolve in driving out the enemies from Indian territory. "I am also grateful to those who despite becoming disabled in battle, continue to serve the country in their own ways and have set examples worthy of emulation by the nation," Rajnath Singh said. He also said that Kargil Vijay Diwas is indeed a celebration of India's proud tradition of outstanding military service, exemplary valour and sacrifice. "The unwavering courage and patriotism of our armed forces has ensured that India is safe and secure," said the minister. Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- The fight against corruption in Vietnam has been increasingly drastic and effective in recent times, Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong said at the 18th session of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption in Hanoi on Saturday. Society -- A 61-year-old Vietnamese man in the central city of Da Nang was confirmed as Vietnams 418th novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patient on Sunday morning. The source of infection is still unknown. -- The Ministry of Health has established three special teams to assist authorities in Da Nang in COVID-19 prevention and control efforts after two community infections were recently recorded in the city. -- A total of 17 people at a pagoda in the southern province of Long An have been quarantined after having contact with a man who had entered Vietnam illegally from Cambodia. -- Police in the northern province of Quang Ninh have arrested six suspects for organizing the illegally entry of six Chinese nationals into Vietnam on June 9 and 10. -- Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Saturday requested the health sector to closely monitor and screen all people who have respiratory disease symptoms for COVID-19 to promptly detect any infection in the community. -- More than 340 Vietnamese citizens were repatriated on Friday and Saturday after being stranded in Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. -- Two people were killed and two others hospitalized after a passenger bus was hit by a trailer truck at an intersection in the northern province of Hung Yen on Saturday afternoon. Business -- Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh attended the 2020 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting (MRT) on Saturday. World news -- Over 16.1 million people have been infected with the new coronavirus around the world while more than 648,300 have lost their lives, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health's statistics. Above 9.9 million patients have recovered. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Weekly Technical USD/MXN Rate Forecast: Neutral USD /MXN rates are testing critical near-term support, which very well could be the determining factor in the predominant trading trend through the end of the year. While other currencies are benefiting from the US Dollar s (via the DXY Index) weakness, the reliance the Mexican economy has on the United States has left the Peso struggling relative to other global growth-sensitive currencies. As a close proxy to USD/MXN rates, we can examine t he IG Client Sentiment Index for USD/CAD rates to gain intuition on how traders are positioning in the Peso. Mexican Peso Week in Review The Mexican Peso proved stronger versus the US Dollar last week, with USD/MXN rates dropping by -1.15%, marking just the second time in seven weeks that the pair retreated. But limited gains over the past near-two months have left the pair vulnerable for a significant technical breakdown. Outside of USD/MXN, the Pesos prospects appear limited: CAD/MXN rates continue to press higher, while other MXN-crosses against the majors are decidedly moving against the Pesos favor. Heading South of the Border? Theres an argument to be made that USD/MXN rates have been consolidating in a symmetrical triangle since the end of February, contextually proving to have a bullish bias given the preceding directional move. Yet price action in recent weeks has been discouragingly weak, with no follow-through to the topside at a critical moment: just as price action moved into the terminal vertex of the triangle. USD/MXN Rate Technical Analysis: Daily Chart (July 2019 to July 2020) (Chart 1) To this end, given that trading is a function of both price and time, USD/MXN rates have continued to move sideways, but in context of respecting resistance within said triangle all the while breaching triangle support. The bearish outside engulfing bar on the daily chart to end the week, occurring as a failed attempt to retake triangle support, is a bearish omen for USD/MXN rates. Concurrently, bearish momentum is starting to accelerate. USD/MXN rates are fully below their daily 5-, 8-, 13-, and 21-EMA, which is in bearish sequential order. Daily MACD is turning lower just below its signal line, while Slow Stochastics have started to decline again towards oversold territory. The path of least resistance is emerging to the downside in the short-term. USD/MXN Rate Technical Analysis: Weekly Chart (July 2019 to July 2020) (Chart 2) The prospective triangle failure warrants a review of longer-term timeframes. The 2017 high comes in at 22.0385, coinciding neatly with the weekly 26-EMA, equivalent to a six month moving average. Ultimate failure below this area would bring into focus the June lows once more at 21.459. Using a Proxy to Track USD/MXN Retail Positioning With respect to the difference in performance between USD/CAD and USD/MXN rates in recent weeks, it should be noted that the Canadian economy is more independent from the US economy than is the Mexican economy. While the United States is both countries largest trading partner, over 80% of Mexicos exports go to the United States (compared to near 70% for Canada), while 30% of Mexicos GDP is derived from economic activities involving the United States (compared to 20% for Canada). That said, the close proximity of both countries given their trade relationship with the United States also means that their currencies tend to trade in a similar fashion as well. To this end, the 20-day correlation between USD/CAD and USD/MXN rates is currently 0.65; one week ago, the 20-day correlation was 0.68. IG CLIENT SENTIMENT INDEX: USD/CADRATE FORECAST (JULY 26, 2020) (CHART 4) USD/CAD: Retail trader data shows 67.02% of traders are net-long with the ratio of traders long to short at 2.03 to 1. The number of traders net-long is 20.52% higher than yesterday and 39.44% higher from last week, while the number of traders net-short is 16.22% lower than yesterday and 27.60% lower from last week. We typically take a contrarian view to crowd sentiment, and the fact traders are net-long suggests USD/CAD prices may continue to fall. Traders are further net-long than yesterday and last week, and the combination of current sentiment and recent changes gives us a stronger USD/CAD-bearish contrarian trading bias. --- Written by Christopher Vecchio, CFA, Senior Currency Strategist On July 25 evening, in the latest youth protests, demanding the government to step down, hundreds of Thai LGBTQ activists raised rainbow flags as they demanded democracy and equal rights. This is not the first such protest. Various such protests have taken place since last week. The activists staged one of the largest street rallies since a 2014 military coup, completely defying the social distancing measures and coronavirus ban on gatherings. The activists sang, danced, and performed stand-up comedy, taking a jibe at the Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha. Pride flags were raised as a part of these demonstrations. Read: Thailand: Thais Defy Warnings To Mark Anniversary Of 1932 Revolution People demand democracy in Thailand A 21-year-old activist, who went by a made up name, Viktorious Nighttime, said that people have gathered here to demand democracy. Once democracy prevails, equal rights will automatically fall in place. He added that the LGBTQ community has been suffering ever since and also lacks equal rights. That is why people are demanding democracy as well as equal rights, he added. A 22-year-old protester who gave her name as Yaya said, the people are not going to go anywhere and continue to protest even if the government does not step down. People are going to protest till democracy prevails. Read: Thailand: Thousands Of Protesters Take To Streets To Protest Against Government The protests started when earlier this month, Thailand's cabinet backed a civil partnership bill that would recognise same-sex unions with almost the same rights as married couples. The protests are happening under the Free Youth Movement. The gathering that took place on Saturday was the latest in the series. The Free Youth Movement issued three demands: an end to harassment of government critics, dissolution of the parliament, and amendments to the military-written constitution. Read: As Thailand Eases COVID-19 Restrictions, Bars And Nightclubs In Pattaya Welcome Visitors Also Read: Thailand: Researchers Plan To Begin Human Trials Of Potential COVID-19 Vaccine (Image Credits: Unsplash) Great growth prospects might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coronavirus stocks. And several companies with COVID-19 programs certainly do have strong growth opportunities. On the other hand, it's likely that dividends wouldn't be the first thought on most investors' minds when the topic of coronavirus stocks arises. But there actually are quite a few companies focused on developing COVID-19 tests, therapies, and vaccines that offer attractive dividends. Here are three coronavirus stocks with the highest dividend yields. 1. Takeda Pharmaceutical Takeda Pharmaceutical (NYSE:TAK) ranks at the top of the list of high-yielding coronavirus stocks with a dividend yield of 4.83%. However, the Japanese drugmaker's dividend track record isn't as impressive. Takeda's dividend has fallen more than 20% over the last 10 years. The company's efforts to fight COVID-19 don't get as much attention as some of its rivals. Takeda is collaborating with other companies to develop a hyperimmune globulin (H-IG) candidate targeting COVID-19. H-IGs are plasma-derived therapies that have demonstrated efficacy in treating other severe viral infections. Takeda's lineup includes several drugs that should continue to drive growth. These include inflammatory bowel disease drug Entyvio and antidepressant Trintellix. The company also anticipates a significant expansion in China with prospects of more than 15 drug approvals over the next five years. Some investors might be concerned that Takeda's debt could impact the company's ability to keep its dividend at current levels. However, Takeda is quickly paying down its debt. Chief Financial Officer Costa Saroukos stated in the company's quarterly conference call in May that Takeda has "great confidence in our ability to maintain the dividend at this level." 2. AbbVie AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) runs neck-and-neck with Takeda. The big drugmaker's dividend currently yields 4.81%. In addition, AbbVie is a Dividend Aristocrat with 47 consecutive years of dividend increases. The company's HIV drug Kaletra flopped in a clinical study targeting COVID-19 earlier this year. However, AbbVie is evaluating Imbruvica in a phase 2 study to see if its cancer drug can reduce severe immune responses known as cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients. It also teamed up with Harbour BioMed, Utrecht University, and Erasmus Medical Center to develop an antibody therapy candidate to prevent and treat COVID-19. AbbVie might not be able to deliver exceptional earnings growth over the next few years to go along with its attractive dividend. The company's top-selling drug, Humira, faces competition from biosimilars in the U.S. beginning in 2023. Still, though, AbbVie shouldn't have any problems keeping the dividends flowing. Its lineup includes several other drugs for which sales are growing briskly, notably including blood cancer drugs Imbruvica and Venclexta and new autoimmune-disease drugs Rinvoq and Skyrizi. AbbVie's recent acquisition of Allergan will also reduce its dependence on Humira. 3. GlaxoSmithKline GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) comes in third place after AbbVie. The London-based pharmaceutical company offers a dividend that currently yields 4.59%. Two of the 24 or counting COVID-19 vaccine candidates in clinical testing have direct connections with GSK. Clover Pharmaceuticals and Medicago each have candidates in phase 1 clinical trials that use GSK's adjuvant technology. GSK also partnered with Sanofi to develop a COVID-19 vaccine candidate that's expected to begin clinical testing this year. GSK faces several headwinds. Sales for older products, particularly respiratory drug Advair, continue to weigh on the company's growth. HIV drugs Tivicay and Triumeq are also losing market share. The company expects its earnings to decline year over year in 2020. Analysts project low single-digit-percentage earnings growth over the next five years. The good news is that GSK's dividend doesn't appear to be in jeopardy. The company has several products for which sales are soaring, including respiratory drug Trelegy Ellipta, HIV drugs Juluca and Dovato, and shingles vaccine Shingrix. Momentum for these and some of GSK's other products should generate sufficient cash flow to keep the dividend yield relatively high. President Xi Jinpings strategy to expand its territorial dispute with Bhutan to needle India appears to have brought the tiny kingdom nestled in the Himalayas closer to New Delhi. Thimphu, which had last found itself caught in the crossfire between India and China during the 2017 Doklam standoff appeared to have had second thoughts about its proximity to India vis-a-vis China, people familiar with the developments told Hindustan Times. There was lately, an emerging view in Bhutan, wedged geographically between India and China, that the kingdom should perhaps balance its ties with its two neighbours so that Thimphu isnt squeezed between the giants again. It was never spelt out in black and white but this view was gaining ground over the last two-three years, people in New Delhi and Thimphu said. But there has been a change in Thimpus approach over the last one month after Beijing stunned Bhutan at the June meeting of the US-based multinational fund, Global Environment Facility, when Thimphu was seeking funds for the Sakteng wildlife sanctuary. The Chinese representative objected, claiming that there was a dispute between China and Bhutan over part of the sanctuary spread across 650 sq km. Also Watch | Trumps minister warns world against China, calls India ties all-important The Chinese move to make new territorial claims in Bhutan has convinced Thimpu that it should not hang to any hopes that its northern neighbour, 250 times bigger, would be fair. That if it cedes any ground to appease Beijing, it would only end up fueling its territorial ambitions, the people mentioned above said. Thimphu formally protested the China claim, issuing a demarche to the Chinese mission in Delhi. Bhutan and Beijing use their missions in Delhi to communicate. It also issued a rare statement earlier this month, underlining that disputes relating to the undemarcated border would be discussed at the next round of border talks. Bhutan and China have held 24 rounds of talks since 1984 to settle their border issue, the last in 2016. Beijing has been pressuring Bhutan to accept a package deal for nearly 20 years that would let it take over Bhutanese territory of Doklam, Sinchulung, Dramana, and Shakhatoe spread across 269 sq km in the western sector. In exchange, China would give up its claim over Bhutans Pasamlung and Jakarlung valleys in the north. Chinas claim over the nature preserve spread across 650 sq km in eastern Bhutans Trashigang district almost doubles the area of the disputed territories between the two countries from the existing 764 sq km. Bhutan is yet to decide on an Indian proposal to build a road through the sanctuary that would sharply reduce the 450 km long distance between Guwahati and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh by one-third. New Delhi is expected to take up the proposal with Thimphu as part of Indias hard push to border infrastructure. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, July 27 2020 If it werent for the pandemic, French photographer Marius Moragues would still be in Indonesia, discovering new stories by the day. While he was more than happy to return to France and see his family after more than two years, Moragues said that he would rather be back in Indonesia to continue his exploration. Moragues is working on Imperfect Frame, a project that involves him exploring and documenting Indonesia by motorcycle over a period of 10 years. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login At a triangular park in a tranquil Alexandria, Va., neighborhood, a group of about 30 gathered Sunday morning and awaited directions for a disruptive mission. They would protest the detaining and removal of demonstrators in Portland, Ore., by federal officers last week, and they would do it outside the home of acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. "A block and a half together, everyone," Jeff Ordower, an organizer said, as he led the group up a street. Together they went, in bicycle jerseys and tie-dyed shirts, chanting Black Lives Matter protest slogans as well as a specific message for their target. The group was mostly white people, young and old, walking uphill as the temperature climbed into the humid 90s. Some huffed and puffed behind face masks, which everyone wore to ward off the novel coronavirus. "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?" protesters shouted. "We're not afraid of the big bad wolf." A single Alexandria police patrol car escorted them. The commotion drew curious residents out of their homes. One woman on her front lawn held a Black Lives Matter sign as the group marched past - coffee cup in her other hand. Passing drivers honked horns in support. Three law enforcement officers stood in the side yard of Wolf's house, on a quiet street. Another sat in a blue SUV in the driveway. No one could be seen inside the house during the 90-minute protest. The demonstrators stood in a circle, listening to a range of speakers decry DHS's involvement in separating immigrant families, deporting longtime U.S. residents for immigration violations and for what many termed the "kidnapping" of Portland protesters during the recent demonstrations calling for racial justice. "It was an escalation," said Jonathan Krall, 60, a leader of Grassroots Alexandria, which he said has long opposed increasing unconstitutional enforcement actions of local and federal officers. "It's worrisome because people might be afraid to protest, and I'm glad people have responded the opposite way." Rebecca Loesberg, Wolf's neighbor, set out a folding table with snacks and water she said she had ordered from Costco on Instacart as soon as she learned of the demonstration. "I think it's an embarrassment and terrorism in this country at the hands of the government," said Loesberg, 31, who described her relationship with Wolf as cordial but not close. Loesberg's husband offered water to Secret Service members, and one speaker sincerely thanked the Alexandria police for protection, which drew a Bronx cheer from the crowd. "We are not an angry mob, are we?" shouted one speaker. "We are angry neighbors. And this man lives among us." Hours later, another group of neighbors showed up to Wolf's home to let him know the sentiment was not universal. They lined his lawn with tiny American flags and planted handmade signs that said, "Thank you for your service" and "Thank you for protecting the United States of America, and thank you DHS." Prime Ministers latest edition of his monthly radio address, Mann ki Baat, was dedicated to remembering the indelible sacrifice made by the Indian Army soldiers who lost their lives fighting the Kargil War. The prime minister dedicated his Sundays address to Kargil Vijay Diwas as the nation marked the 21st anniversary of the victory in the Kargil War on Sunday. He also lauded the selfless fight of corona warriors against the Covid-19 pandemic. The prime minister reiterated the importance of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing amid the Covid-19 pandemic and applauded the efforts of groups in various states including Bihar, Jharkhand and northeast to promote local products amid the pandemic. He said this years Independence Day will be celebrated amid the pandemic and urged the youth to resolve to make India Atmanirbhar (self-reliant). The prime minister also expressed solidarity with those affected by floods across India. Also read: Tired of wearing masks, think of corona warriors - PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat Here are PM Modis top quotes from the 67th edition of Mann Ki Baat Today is Kargil Vijay Diwas. 21 years ago, on this day our Army won the Kargil war. India can never forget circumstances under which the war was fought. Pakistan undertook this misadventure with sinister plans to capture Indias land and to divert its ongoing internal conflicts. You can imagine, the enemy was perched high on the mountains while our forces were fighting them. But the high morale and true of our forces won against mountains. Today, the Covid-19 recovery rate in our country is better compared to other countries; the mortality rate in the context of corona in our country is much less as well, compared to most countries, of course, the loss of even one life is saddening, but India has also succeeded in saving the lives of millions of her people. At many places, Covid-19 is spreading fast. We need to be extra vigilant. We have to bear in mind that corona is as fatal today as it was in the beginning - thats why we have to be cautious. Wearing a face mask, using a gamchcha or a light towel to cover, two-yard distancing, frequently washing hands, avoiding spitting anywhere, taking full care of hygiene and sanitation- these are our weapons to protect us from corona. There are times when masks cause inconvenience, one feels like removing them from the face- especially during a conversation. When a mask is required the most, we tend to remove it. At such times, I urge you that whenever you feel your mask is bothersome and you want to remove it, spare a thought for those doctors, those nurses; think of our corona warriors. You will find them wearing masks for hours together, diligently working to save our lives- sometimes wearing masks for a span of eight to ten hours. Doesnt that discomfort them? Just think about them... you too will feel that as citizens, we should not be negligent at all; nor let others be so. I urge the youth, the people of my country to take a pledge of freedom from the pandemic this Independence Day. Take a resolve for a self-reliant India, a resolve to learn and teach something new and a resolve to earnestly carry out our duties. The festival of Raksha Bandhan is approaching. I have seen that many people and organisations are running initiatives to celebrate the festival in a different manner. Many are linking it to Vocal for Local which is a step in the right direction. The Chase star Shaun Wallace has defended his nickname on the show, 'The Dark Destroyer', after Australia and New Zealand TV networks changed it due to racial undertones. Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, the 60-year-old quiz-show favourite and barrister, from London, insisted he isn't offended by the title, explaining that it was coined by his good friend and host Bradley Walsh. TV bosses Down Under dropped Dark from the TV personality's name, instead labelling him just 'The Destroyer' over fears of racial implications, according to the publication. But while ITV may follow suit amid mounting pressure to appear more politically correct, Shaun himself has suggested it remains unchanged in the next series. Scroll down for video The Chase star Shaun Wallace (above) has defended his nickname on the show, 'The Dark Destroyer', after Australia and New Zealand TV networks changed it due to racial concerns 'It was actually Bradley who started to call me the Dark Destroyer, and there was absolutely no side or sinister reason behind it,' the talented Chaser revealed. 'So no, Britain may be less PC, but guess what? I am proud to be black. If ITV were to ask me, or consider changing it, then I would tell them this, "I am proud to be black, I am proud to be dark. I want the name to stay as it is". 'And because of my intellect and I destroy people because of my intellect then so be it. Thats the way I use the term the Dark Destroyer, and I am not offended. And I hope other people arent offended either.' The 60-year-old quiz-show favourite and barrister (pictured in September 2019), from London, insisted he isn't offended by the title, explaining that it was coined by his good friend and host Bradley Walsh Other Chaser nicknames on the show - including Anne Hegerty's 'The Governess', Mark Labbett's 'The Beast', Paul Sinha's 'The Sinnerman' and Jenny Ryan's 'The Vixen' all remain the same in both Australia and New Zealand. But Shaun is simply referred to as The Destroyer - and while ITV is thought to have briefly considered following the move, it has decided against such action, the publication reported. The news comes after Shaun revealed he's been stopped and searched twice by police near courts where he was acting as a barrister. The news comes after Shaun (pictured) revealed he's been stopped and searched twice by police near courts where he was acting as a barrister He was stopped on his way to Liverpool Crown Court and while leaving Kingston Crown Court, on both occasions because he 'fit the profile' of a man who committed a robbery nearby. Appearing on Good Morning Britain last month, he explained that he was 'astonished' by the searches - but insisted that he makes a point of remaining 'dignified', because he will 'never give a police officer an excuse to arrest him'. He said: 'I was coming out of Kingston crown court with a solicitor who happened to be white, and I was approached by two plain clothes police officers. They said "You fit the profile of someone who just took place in a robbery". The quizzer (seen in December 2019) is a part-time lecturer and visits schools, colleges and other institutions to educate students on law 'I was simply taken aback and startled, he said "Where were you?" and I said "Kingston Crown Court". He said, "What were you doing?". 'I said, "If you look in my bag you'll see my robes", and they were completely astonished.' He explained that on another occasion he was stopped leaving a train in Liverpool, once again by plain clothed officers who said he was stopped because he fitted the profile of a suspect. The quizzer, who is a part-time lecturer and visits schools, colleges and other institutions to educate students on law, explained that while advising young black men on unlawful searches, he reminds them to 'respond in a dignified manner'. Mangrove forests are a kind of magical phytocoenosium. They mostly grow on tropical and subtropical intertidal zones and are immersed in periodical tidewater. They are called forests on the sea as they are sometimes buried in the sea water and only have the crowns above the surface, and sometimes they are completely submerged in the water so they are also nicknamed underwater forests. Mangrove forests, just like coral reefs, salt marsh, and seagrass beds, belong to the marine ecosystem, but are more magical than them. Photo taken in June shows the Shankou mangrove forest nature reserve in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo by Zhao Min/ Peoples Daily Online) The devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami happened on Dec.26. However, 172 households in a village in Indias Tamil Nadu state survived the deadly disaster, because of the luxuriant mangrove forests there. Mangrove forests are also heaven for birds. According to statistics, around 100,000 migratory and transient birds of more than 190 species would winter in the Shenzhen Mangrove Nature Reserve in the northeastern coast of Shenzhen Bay, South Chinas Guangdong Province every year. In a national nature reserve in Beilun Estuary, South Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 283 bird species are recorded, including those under key protection in China such as egret, peregrine falcon, spoon-billed sandpiper and black-faced spoonbill. The latest study suggests that the carbon storage in the mangrove forest per acre could be as much as 10 times more than that in forest, and carbon is sealed in the underwater soil. Thanks to the well-developed roots of mangrove plants, mangrove forests are able to resist the impacts of tides and waves, so as to protect farmland and reduce salt injury. They are a natural perimeter of the inland. Besides, mangrove forests are also a paradise for fish and shrimps as the plants roots, which are sticking underwater, offering favorable place for these little creatures to stay on and forage. Staff members plant mangrove plants on a mud flat in Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve, South Chinas Hainan Province on July 11. (Photo by Meng Zhongde/ Peoples Daily Online) China has 37 kinds of mangrove plants, and they are mainly distributed in Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Fujian and the southern coast of Zhejiang. This years World Oceans Day also held a series of activities to promote the protection of mangrove forests, as these plants might be extinct given the pressure from both climate change and human activities. Between 1980 and 2000, 35 percent of the worlds mangrove forests disappeared, or nearly 150,000 hectares each year, four times the amount of the global forest loss. And they are still decreasing every year at a speed of 1 to 2 percent. In the 1950s, China was still home to 50,000 hectares of mangrove forests, but the figure plunged to 22,000 hectares in 2000. According to Li Wuzheng, director of a mangrove reserve in Guangxi, the invasion of alien species, activities of peripheral residents, and insect pests are major threats for the plants, but human activities remain the largest one. The land reclamation, industrial construction, pollutant discharge and seaside aquaculture in coastal cites over the recent years have caused fatal damages to the existence of mangrove forests. For some residents living by the sea, mangrove forests are like supermarkets, as when the tides are low, they would always flock to the beach for beachcombing. Some of them even shock the fish with electricity. When humans find more food in the sea, the number of fish lowers, and so does the food for birds. Picking the fruits of avicennia marina, a species of mangrove plant, is a tradition for people in coastal Guangxi. However, such practice almost once wiped out the species. Fortunately, more and more people are realizing that to protect the mangrove forests is to protect their home. Mo Jirui, a 65-year-old forest ranger in Shankou mangrove forest nature reserve in Guangxi, is still walking in the forest every day to stop uncivilized behaviors and monitor insect pests. Chen Yuechao, another forest ranger in a nature reserve in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, was once threatened by some tourists as he tried to persuade them out of damaging the mangrove plants. However, he kept explaining again and again, saying that what the reserve does is to create a better environment, for now and for the future. Under the guidance of forest rangers, more and more people gradually came to realize that the mangrove forests not only offer abundant materials, but also are a natural defense. More of them are joining the protection of the plants. An egret forages in a mangrove forest park in Shenzhen, South Chinas Guangdong Province on Feb. 27, 2011. (Photo by Dong Yuren/ Peoples Daily Online) In the recent 20 years, as local authorities enhanced efforts to protect and restore environment, the total area of Chinas mangrove forests bounced back to around 29,000 hectares, and the country has established 52 nature reserves. China is also one of the very few countries that witnessed increasing area of mangrove plants. Over half of the mangrove wetlands are protected, way above the world average of 25 percent. A total of 7,000 hectares of mangrove plants were newly added in the recent 20 years. As ecology gets better, mangrove forests once again become a paradise for wildlife. In the mud flat of Zhangjiangkou National Mangrove Nature Reserve in East Chinas Fujian Province, there are over 150 bird species, 240 aquatic animal species and nearly 400 kinds of aquatic lives. Kanye West has publicly apologised to his wife, Kim Kardashian West, for announcing they had considered aborting their first child. He has since described the subject as a private matter. At a rally in South Carolina, the rapper revealed the couple had considered a termination of Kardashian West's pregnancy during an emotional speech. The event had been billed as a rally for his 2020 presidential campaign. Now West has publicly asked for Kardashian Wests forgiveness for bringing the matter into the public eye. He wrote on Twitter: I would like to apologise to my wife Kim for going public with something that was a private matter. I did not cover her like she has covered me. To Kim I want to say I know I hurt you. Please forgive me. Thank you for always being there for me. West had also previously tweeted, then quickly deleted, a series of claims about his family, including one alleging Kardashian West had called a doctor to come and lock [him] up. In response his wife wrote in a statement to Instagram: As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand. Noting that she had not previously spoken publicly on the matter, she said West was a brilliant but complicated person and said his words sometimes do not align with his intentions. Living with bipolar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams or creative ideas, she wrote. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Show all 10 1 /10 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I was the best new artist this year" Kanye asserted this after losing the New Artist of the Year award at the 2004 American Music Awards Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I am the number one human being in music. That means any person that's living or breathing is number two. Kanye made this claim while appearing on the Wendy Williams show in 2007. He had recently released the album 'Graduation' to critical acclaim Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time! In arguably the most famous incident of his career, Kanye bravely stole the microphone from then 19 year old Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for the Female Music Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards REUTERS 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I walk through the hotel and I walk down the street and people look at me... like I'm Hitler" Kanye said this during a mid-set rant while on stage at the Big Chill festival in 2011. Despite releasing the acclaimed 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in 2010, he was still widely disliked following the Taylor Swift incident PA Archive/PA Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I am Picasso. I am Michelangelo. I am Basquiat. I am Walt Disney. I am Steve Jobs" Kanye compared himself to these visionaries in a mid-set rant on stage in Paris, 2013 AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live. In 2013, Kanye opened up to reveal more Kanye. His pain is understandable, considering such performances as his at the BRITs in 2015, where he came on stage with an entourage of flamethrower wielding grime artists (pictured) Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I have to dress Kim everyday so she doesnt embarrass me. Kanye tweeted this in 2014, around the time that he was designing the first Yeezy range AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes By 50 percent [I am more influential than] Stanley Kubrick, Apostle Paul, Picasso f***ing Picasso and Escobar. By 50 per cent more influential than any other human being. Kanye made this claim backstage after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 2016, he did not show his working out Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself." This quote followed Kanye's recent expression of love for Donald Trump on Twitter, in which he claimed that he and Trump were "dragon energy" Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice." Kanye made this comment in a May 2018 interview with TMZ. He later clarified that, in saying slavery was a choice, he meant "we can make our own reality" PA Wire/PA Images It comes as West seeks to drum up interest around a 2020 presidential bid. While the legitimacy of his campaign has been questioned, the rapper has filed to get on the November ballot in Oklahoma and Illinois. On Saturday 25 July, West had shared a photo that revealed singer Justin Bieber had visited him at his ranch in Wyoming. The pop star was seen sitting in a warehouse on West's property, where he looked deep in conversation with music executive Damon Dash. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in the UK and are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. Parents have thanked a mother for 'blowing their minds' with a little-known trick that transforms a McDonald's Happy Meal box into a disposable plate in seconds. British woman Rebecca Maufe shared a clip on her TikTok profile 'Mum Life My Life', revealing a hidden tab on one side of the children's takeaway box. When pulled, the tab separates the cardboard folds of the bottom, causing the box to collapse. The top can then be discarded and the base used as a disposable plate. The video has racked up almost one million views from Macca's fans who say they are astounded by the revelation that will save countless households time washing up after. 'Eating my happy meal in the car as a kid could've been so much easier if I knew this back then,' one person said. Screenshots from British mother Rebecca Maufe's viral TikTok video shows the 'secret' tab on the side of a McDonald's Happy Meal box (left) which can be pulled to dismantle the top and turn the base into a plate (right) Another said: 'This mum thanks you for blowing her mind.' A woman who worked at McDonald's for years said she had never seen or heard of the trick until watching Ms Maufe's video, which is the latest clip to go viral on TikTok. Last week, Australian mother Emily Rumbold was shocked when footage of her wearing a packet of wet wipes as a makeshift face mask spread like wildfire online. Wearing a pair of over-sized sunglasses, the 36-year-old opens the flip-top lid and takes a sip from a glass of white wine before pressing it shut again. 'Doing my bit to stop the spread [of coronavirus],' the mum-of-seven from Gippsland, country Victoria, wrote in the bottom corner of the video. Having fashioned the DIY face-covering from empty Aldi baby wipes, Ms Rumbold posted the footage in a Facebook group dedicated to the German discount supermarket. She was quickly inundated with thousands of likes and shares from members who said she had brightened their day with the lighthearted clip. Victorian mum-of-seven Emily Rumbold (left and right) wears a makeshift face mask fashioned from a packet of Aldi wet wipes in a video that's gone viral Ms Rumbold told Daily Mail Australia she had joined TikTok during the first lockdown in March 'for a bit of fun' and never expected her videos to be seen by such a large audience. 'Without trying to take away the seriousness [of the second wave of infections] I just wanted t'o have a bit of fun with it,' she said. 'There's been lot of mask videos going around and I thought I'd join in.' A naval helicopter rescued a capsized fishing boat near Manali Island situated in South of the Pamban Bridge, near Rameshwaram on Sunday morning. Naval helicopter from INS Parundu was immediately taken to the spot to carry on the rescue operation. The army statement said, ''At about 0605 hrs this morning, a message was received from Coast Guard Station Mandapam regarding a capsized fishing boat near Manali Island South of the Pamban Bridge, near Rameshwaram. A Naval helicopter from INS Parundu was immediately launched for Search & Rescue(SAR) Operation.'' The naval helicopter was successful in sighting the fishing trawler on a coral reef about 8 miles from the coast. The boat was found to sinking due to possible damage to hull and bad sea conditions. Four of the eight fishermen were winched up by the helicopter in two batches and evacuated to Mandapam helipad, 15 miles away and handed over to Coast Guard representatives, informed the army. However, the remaining four fishermen were rescued by another fishing boat which reached the area subsequently. The credit for the sucessful evacuation of the fisherman was given to the timely information provided from Coast Guard and swift action by the Indian Navy. The launch of the Galaxy Note 20 series is almost upon us, with Samsung having teased that it will unveil its next flagship smartphones on August 5 at a virtual Galaxy Unpacked event . Plenty of aspects about the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra have already been revealed, including their designs, as we have previously reported . Samsung has done a share of leaking itself, with the company having "accidentally" published renders of the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra on a Russian product page for the Galaxy Note 8 . Based on multiple renders, the two Galaxy Note 20 devices have three rear-facing cameras along with a single front-facing sensor. Now, we have the specifics of the three rear-facing cameras for both devices, courtesy of Roland Quandt. The same 12 MP ultra-wide-angle sensor will be present on both devices, which has a pixel size of 1.4 m and an aperture of f/2.2. The 1/2.55-inch sensor also has a 120 field of view (FoV). The similarities end there, though. According to Quandt, Samsung has gone with a 12 MP primary camera for the Note 20 that has an f/1.8 aperture, a 1/1/72-inch sensor size, a pixel size of 1.8 m and OIS. If those specifications sound similar, then it is because Samsung is re-using the 12 MP sensor that it used in the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus . Similarly, the Note 20 Ultra will have the 108 MP camera from the Galaxy S20 Ultra, which supports OIS and has a pixel size of 0.8 m. The Note 20 Ultra has a 12 MP telephoto sensor too , which does not support optical zoom that has an f/3.0 aperture, OIS and a pixel size of 1.0 m. Quandt has not revealed the zoom capabilities of the 1/3.6-inch sensor, though. However, it is clear that the Note 20 Ultra will have a different telephoto sensor than the one Samsung used in the Galaxy S20 Ultra. Hence, the Note 20 Ultra will probably use the same "fake zoom" tricks that the Galaxy S20 Ultra does. In comparison, the Note 20 will have a 64 MP telephoto sensor that supports 3x zoom. Quandt also mentions that the sensor has an f/2.0 aperture and a pixel size of 0.8 m, Additionally, the sensor will be optically stabilised and a 76 field of view. These specifications sound similar to the 64 MP telephoto sensor that Samsung used in the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus. It remains to be seen whether the 3x zoom will be optical or hybrid. The Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus only support 1.06x optical zoom and crop 64 MP images to create a zoom effect, which is inferior to the 4x optical zoom that the Galaxy S20 Ultra offers. If the Note 20 has the same telephoto sensor as the Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S20 Plus, then it may also use their "fake zoom" tricks on which we have previously reported. Vietnam announced the second locally-transmitted case of COVID-19 in two days on Sunday morning, with the source of infection unknown and contact tracing underway. The patient comes from Da Nang, a beach city in central Vietnam, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control said. The new case is a 61-year-old man living in Thanh Binh Ward, Hai Chau District. His conclusive test returned positive for the virus on Saturday evening. He is on mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit of Da Nang Hospital. The source of infection is now unknown and Da Nang authorities are conducting extensive contact tracing. On Saturday, another 57-year-old patient from the city was confirmed to catch the new coronavirus from an unkown source after undergoing five tests, all coming back positive. Vietnam had gone 99 days without a single local infection before this case, now subject to outside-the-body life support, was recorded. The Ministry of Health has sent three special task forces to help Da Nang fight the virus insurgence. Vietnam has recorded 418 coronavirus infections as of Sunday morning, with 276 imported cases. A total of 365 have beaten the virus while zero deaths have been documented in the country. Fifty-four patients are being treated for COVID-19, eight having tested negative for the novel coronavirus at least once. At the time of writing, the Southeast Asian country is quarantining 11,187 people who had close contact with confirmed patients or made an entry from outbreak-hit regions, according to the health ministry. Vietnam is still closing its borders to foreigners but foreign experts and skilled workers are allowed to enter the country, subject to government approval and compulsory quarantine on arrival. The government has also sent planes to other countries to repatriate Vietnamese citizens, also quarantined upon landing. Authorities in Da Nang and neighboring Quang Nam Province have discovered dozens of Chinese illegally entering Vietnam and staying in local lodging facilities this month. Police in Da Nang have arrested three people on charges of working for a ring to unlawfully take Chinese across the border to Vietnam, according to local media. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Brisbane City Council is facing calls to purchase nearly three hectares of bushland in Bridgeman Downs, the site of a contentious multi-stage development application for a service station, child carecentre and townhouses. In June 2019, urban planners DTS Group, on behalf of 427 Beckett Road Pty Ltd, lodged a development application for the large site about 15 kilometres north of the Brisbane CBD. The proposed Beckett Place development at Bridgeman Downs in Brisbane's north. Credit:Adpen Investment Firm The development is backed by global investment firm Adpen, which is pitching the site as a prime mixed-use development named Beckett Place. The council last month rejected the application for 415 and 427 Beckett Road on multiple grounds, including plans to clear existing bushland. A program giving military surplus to local police departments and other agencies across the country is facing renewed calls for its end as part of a wave of advocacy to change community policing. The Department of Defense 1033 program, run by the Defense Logistics Agency, gives away items from filing cabinets and coffee makers to weapons and armored vehicles. Departments and agencies pay to get the items delivered, or in some cases pick up the items themselves. Editors and account managers at the Time & Life Building in Midtown Manhattan could once walk out through the modernist lobby and into a thriving ecosystem that existed in support of the offices above. They could shop for designer shirts or shoes, slide into a steakhouse corner booth for lunch and then return to their desks without ever crossing the street. To approach this block today is like visiting a relative in the hospital. The building, rebranded a few years ago and renovated to fit 8,000 workers, now has just 500 a day showing up. The steakhouse dining rooms are dark. On a sidewalk once lined with food carts, a lone hot-dog vendor stood one recent Friday on a corner below the building. His name is Ahmed Ahmed, and he said he used to sell 400 hot dogs a day. How many now? Maybe 10. Midtown Manhattan, the muscular power center of New York City for a century, faces an economic catastrophe, a cascade of loss upon loss that threatens to alter the very identity of the citys corporate base. The coronaviruss toll of lost professions, lost professionals and untold billions of lost income and tax revenue may take years to understand and resolve. Rana Daggubati is a household name across the country, thanks to Baahubali's humongous success. As the mighty Bhallaladeva and the clever Arjun Prasad, Rana has done diverse roles that explored his prowess. Before becoming an actor, he was a visual effects producer and even won the Nandi Award for Best Special Effects in 2006. On India Today's e-Mind Rocks 2020, Rana Daggubati spoke about his wedding with Miheeka Bajaj, his upcoming animation talk show, and his love for playing negative roles. Excerpts from the conversation: Can you tell us about your fiancee Miheeka Bajaj and your wedding? I think I am growing up and it's time to get married. My fiancee Miheeka lives 3 kms away from my house and we're in the same vicinity. Sometimes, you know when things are going smoothly. And I don't question it when things are going correctly. She's lovely and we make a great pair. We draw positive energy from one another. I am getting married on August 8. On the personal front, it's been the best time of my life, getting married to Miheeka. It's been pretty awesome. Have you been working on an animation talk show during the lockdown? Can you elaborate? The situation is quite uncertain and it's time we can do what we do best. We can develop the right content and discover new formats of storytelling. I have an animation talk show called Why are you? which will be available on an OTT platform soon. For the next year, in realistic timelines, we cannot start or complete a big project quickly. So, the priority has shifted to what we can do. As actors and producers, there are different ways of storytelling and we can explore them. Animation is something I am fond of since I am 16 years old and it's my first job before I became an actor. Recently, Krishna and his Leela released and did extremely well on the OTT. For a film of that nature with a relatively new cast, it received national recognition. Coming to the controversy surrounding the film, I can pick 10 other Telugu films that are titled Krishna. The reach of OTT is much bigger and that's why it got noticed. If you've watched the film, the film doesn't offend anyone. I'm probably the biggest fan of mythology and historical stories and I do far more films in the space than any other actors. So, I'd be the last person to hurt people's sentiments with the films that I am associated with. What are your thoughts on the OTT vs theatre debate? Every time a new platform emerges, it's a treasure trove of talents. OTT is a democratic space for an artist as it gives you the freedom to tell stories that you like. It gives flexibility to talents and filmmakers. It's here to stay and we will get to see some interesting content. In terms of big-budget flicks, theatres will be their exhibit because it becomes an experience on the whole. So, we will get to see more big films in theatres and films that are drama-driven. Do you love playing negative roles in films? I enjoy playing negative roles. Being good comes with restrictions and being bad gives you a lot of freedom. That's the part of playing the bad guy. I can do things that I won't be able to do in real life. It's a good way to live an alter-ego. It's from character to character and hard to pinpoint what I like and not like in them. How are you handling your family production house? My grandfather and father are producers and we run studios in Hyderabad. We've been making content and finding talents for years now. At that point, all privileges go down the window. Because we have to get to work. The talk of nepotism doesn't work here as we are working overtime now. When you have a responsibility to run a huge organisation, it is different. The large part of the revenue comes from theatrical business and now that's not going to open any soon. There's a world out there and we have to make sure that the talent we have is delivering stuff. That's our job. The nepotism debate is ongoing. Can you tell us about your thoughts? Without the skill, you cannot last in any industry. Nepotism comes from an Indian understanding of what a family is. If you have a father who has worked very hard, he will provide it to his family in the means they understand, which is through capital and knowledge. So, we will be part of the privileged people. I can't take that away. That comes with greater responsibility. In lockdown, we have to run a company with over 600 employees and pay them a salary. We have to make sure that the organisation is back to its feet soon. There's always a responsibility attached to it. Also, there's no option of giving up and you've got to keep getting better. What is your advice for aspiring actors? Be observant of people. It comes from understanding life and people. Also, you have to figure out if you can resonate with their emotions. The more you do that, the more you become a better actor. You have transcended borders and stepped into Bollywood successfully. Is there a tried and tested formula for it? First, I never found the difference in watching a film, be it Hindi, Telugu or Tamil films. When I started acting, the language didn't matter. I chose the content that I connected with. My first Telugu film was a political thriller titled Leader. And another film was about drug peddling in Goa, which is Dum Maaro Dum. One, I could tell in Telugu and the other in Hindi. It's about understanding that stories can travel and the entire world can watch if it's right. What would you call the best moment in life? The biggest moment in life would be Baahubali. It's been about six years and we were able to understand and learn so much. The knowledge we gained, the popularity it has given us, and the licence it has given us to make our own decisions are outstanding. We understood that if the content is right there is no reason that there won't be an auditorium for it. Can you tell us a bit about your family and your fitness plan during the lockdown? This is the longest I have been home and it is fun. It's quite special. Coming to fitness, it's governed by a character I play. This is the only time that nothing governs me and it has been basic. I would say, this is my easier time where there's no certain way I have to look. I can look the way I want to. What do you think about social media hate? It's a place where a lot of people make comments on anything and everything. The fundamental is that it costs nobody anything to say something hurtful. One should not take this quite seriously and there should be a certain discipline. The lesser we focus on how social media governs your life, the better it is to do our job and be creatively inclined. That's what I follow. Also Read: Samantha Akkineni Hits 11M Followers On Instagram, Says 'The Best Journey With The Best People' Allu Arjun To Portray Two Different Shades In Pushpa! Thrill-seekers must be delighted that theme parks have re-opened. But those who like investing and are looking for a rollercoaster ride should eye up opportunities in emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil. Equities across these have recovered dramatically from the initial coronavirus hit. According to investment house Lazard: 'The Covid-19 chapter of the 2020 book certainly isn't finished yet, but the fall and recovery in emerging markets equities has been a very sharp V.' It says: 'As we enter the third quarter, we have identified several catalysts that would point to an uptick in global growth, which would in turn indicate the potential for a further rerating.' Most investment experts believe that in the short term, world economic recovery is likely to be led by China and other Asian nations, but a potential spoiler is what happens with Covid-19 But with the spread of coronavirus continuing in many developing economies and strained tensions between China and the UK, China and the US and now the UK and Russia, is investing in emerging markets too much of a risky proposition? Most investment experts believe that in the short term, world economic recovery is likely to be led by China and other Asian nations. Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney, says: 'Asia was the first region to experience the pandemic and the first to come out of lockdown. 'While developed market economies are predicted to contract by around 5.6 per cent this year, the equivalent contraction in emerging economies is expected to be around 1.6 per cent, followed by 6.5 per cent growth next year. Furthermore, a key positive from an investment point of view is that equity prices in emerging markets look reasonable compared to developed markets.' So, shares that comprise the MSCI Emerging Markets Index the benchmark for emerging markets currently trade at around 14 times the forecast earnings for the year ahead. By way of comparison, this compares to 19 times for global equities overall and nearly 22 times for the tech-heavy US S&P 500 Index. In other words, emerging market shares are trading at a discount to shares on developed markets. A potential spoiler is what happens with Covid-19 further down the line especially the possible impact of a second wave. Infection rates in emerging economies remain a big concern and are running particularly high in Latin America, most notably Brazil. Infection rates in emerging economies remain a big concern and are running particularly high in Latin America, most notably Brazil (pictured) Ayesha Akbar is a multi-asset portfolio manager at Fidelity International. She says: 'While the coronavirus response has varied across emerging market economies, with some countries and regions handling it well (Vietnam, South East Asia), and others struggling (Brazil, India), lockdowns have now eased and economic activity has resumed. As long as recovery doesn't stall, I expect emerging market assets to continue to do well.' Emma Wall, head of investment analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, says: 'Looking at historical valuations, emerging markets look good value right now and there are plenty of benefits that they can offer a portfolio. With economic growth comes investment opportunities, and the chance for UK investors to add diversification to home-grown investments. 'There are world leaders to be found in emerging markets across all sectors; technology, consumer staples, pharmaceuticals and auto-manufacturers. Often, they are on cheaper valuations than their developed market peers.' Ben Yearsley, a director of Shore Financial Planning, is a buyer of emerging markets. 'Yes, they are riskier,' he says, 'but generally such markets are cheaper than developed markets and they offer better growth potential.' Yearsley recently topped up his personal holdings in emerging market funds with the purchase of shares in investment trust JPM Emerging Markets. He likes the idea of pairing a stake in a general emerging markets fund with a holding in a specialist fund such as Matthews China Small Companies which aims to find the next Tencent or Alibaba-style success story. Teodor Dilov, at wealth manager Interactive Investor, also rates JPM Emerging Markets as well as M&G Emerging Markets Bond fund managed by Claudia Calich. Together they went, in bicycle jerseys and tie-dyed shirts, chanting Black Lives Matter protest slogans as well as a specific message for their target. The group was mostly white people, young and old, walking uphill as the temperature climbed into the humid 90s. Some huffed and puffed behind face masks, which everyone wore to ward off the novel coronavirus. By PTI JAIPUR: The Rajasthan governor has received a revised proposal from the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot requesting that a session of the assembly be called on July 31, Raj Bhawan sources said on Sunday. The proposal was received late on Saturday night, they said. Governor Kalraj Mishra had on Friday sought clarifications on six points from the state government, after Congress MLAs held a five-hour dharna on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan pressing for a Vidhan Sabha session. The dharna was called off, according to the Congress, after Mishra said he will abide by the Constitution but not act under any pressure. The governor asked Gehlot to submit again, with the clarifications, his recommendation for calling a session. ALSO READ | Congress launches digital campaign, accuses BJP of violating democratic traditions A statement from the governor included queries on the free movement of MLAs and the reason why the session needed to be called urgently. After a late night sitting, the Cabinet met again at Gehlot's home on Saturday, approving the new draft. The Congress government, which is facing a political crisis after a rebellion by the now sacked deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident MLAs, says it wants to hold the session so its majority can be proved. The governor had on Friday asked the government why it wanted to call an assembly session to prove its majority if it already has one. ALSO READ | Instead of fighting COVID-19 and China, Centre conspiring to topple Congress governments: Maken In his note to the state government, Governor Mishra said "no one is above Constitutional dignity and no pressure politics should be resorted to". He said no date had been mentioned in the Cabinet note, annexed with the government's request. The government had also not given any reason for calling the session at such short notice, the governor had said. Inside, the COVID-19 testing site had some of the usual features: doctors in gowns and masks, piles of swabs, directional stickers on the floor to maintain safe distancing. But the decor was very different from the typical sterility of a hospital. The sites front window was hand-painted in a vibrant stained glass pattern. Other walls were canary yellow and grey, and the room could be divided by the type of folding partitions usually seen in kids rec centres. Thats because the space is a kids rec centre. Usually, its a hub for youth in Thorncliffe Park; for four weeks in June and July, it operated as a pop-up COVID-19 testing site. After doctors at nearby Michael Garron Hospital noticed that many people testing positive at their assessment centre came from a few distinct pockets of the neighbourhood, they worked with community health partners and a network of family physicians to set up a temporary, easy-to-access assessment centre amid the hot spot. Theres only so much you can do inside your doors, right? Jennifer Sampson, the hospitals special projects manager and COVID-19 assessment centre lead, said outside the pop-up site on a blazing June day. You really have to get outside your doors and work in partnership to really make a sustainable change. When standalone COVID-19 assessment centres opened in March, they were a novel strategy an attempt to ease pressure and infection risk in busy emergency rooms. Ontarians continue to flock to them by the thousands. But testing has continued to shift even further afield from hospitals and other health-care settings, with swabs ferried to people and places where targeted action is deemed necessary. Mobile testing has taken various forms, including dedicated tactical teams, community pop-ups, and roving, retrofitted TTC buses. With bars, gyms and schools reopening or preparing to reopen, and amid fears of a possible pandemic second wave, experts say testing will need to be even nimbler. Its naive to think that as we escalate the activity and risk in the population, there will not be clusters and outbreaks, said Dr. Jeff Powis, Michael Garrons medical director of infection prevention and control. We need to make sure that funders appreciate that we need to continue to have the capacity to do mobile testing in order to address hot spots as they occur. So we can get in there really quickly, and put out the embers before they become big fires. Ontario Health, the provincial agency that co-ordinates COVID-19 testing, now has regional integrated response tables across the province to co-ordinate mobile testing and other outbreak-related efforts with public health units, hospitals and other local health-care providers. Those involved say planning is underway for how the testing strategy should evolve in the coming months. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach; an outbreak at a farm in Windsor, a factory in Peel Region or a mall in Toronto would require unique responses. It really is defined by what is the moment and what are the circumstances, says Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontarios chief coroner, who has been working with Ontario Health on mobile and targeted testing efforts. Each week we learn a little bit more about how to do things more effectively. At Womens College Hospital, it became evident very early that testing would have to move beyond the building: just four weeks after its assessment centre opened in mid-March, the hospital sent out its first mobile testing team. We rapidly realized that theres going to be a lot of vulnerable people that are not going to be able to come to a hospital site like ours, said Darryl Yates, vice-president of patient care and ambulatory innovation. The hospital started getting calls for help from shelters, long-term-care homes, and other organizations it had relationships with, and felt an obligation to contain or prevent outbreaks in these places, Yates said. Co-ordinating it all, however, was a major challenge. It was awful at the beginning, said Yates. We felt like we were like, I dont know, pioneers cutting your way through the forest Nobody nobody was ready for this. As the mobile testing requests piled up, Yates and another hospital executive contacted the Toronto region of Ontario Health to seek a co-ordinated approach. The response table that resulted organized smaller teams to respond to different parts of Toronto; Womens College works with The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre. Worried about the pace of bureaucratic decision-making, however, Yates said the hospital continued its own mobile testing efforts in parallel with that table; they have become more integrated over time. Their mobile teams have carried out 56 visits to 38 sites. Similarly, at North York General Hospital, long-term-care homes started reaching out early on for help, and our team just said, OK, well go, and we just went. We didnt think about process, said Dr. Rebecca Stoller, family physician with the North York Family Health Team and physician lead for the Branson Assessment Centre. In addition to requests through the Ontario Health response table, the hospital continues to manage requests for mobile testing independently, including those beyond its official catchment area. Both Womens College and North York General say they also help educate their partners on infection prevention and control, and are working toward shifting testing capacity into their community partners hands. Pop-up testing sites embedded in communities are an even more recent development. Michael Garrons Thorncliffe Park pop-up was its second, after one in Taylor-Massey. The hospital and its partners wound down the Thorncliffe pop-up when test positivity rates started dropping off: after completing 1,300 swabs, the mission had been accomplished. Powis said two factors made that effort successful: strong pre-existing relationships with community health partners, since its very difficult to build those amid a crisis, and acting quickly, without an official provincial directive. At the beginning of this, we often said: Do the right thing and answer questions later, Powis said. Speed, not perfection, is the solution to a pandemic. Scarborough Health Network (SHN) believes it was also among the first hospitals in Ontario to bring testing into the community after data showed the virus starting to take hold in some Scarborough neighbourhoods, including Woburn, Guildwood and Malvern. Glyn Boatswain, director of SHNs Women and Childrens program and interim director of professional practice, says SHNs leadership team moved quickly to expand its testing into the community after seeing which neighbourhoods were at highest risk. We looked at this as our duty: how do we get into high-density areas with high levels of positives (tests) and bring the testing into the community? Though SHN has two hospital assessment centres at its Centenary and Birchmount sites it was clear some Scarborough residents couldnt easily access them, Boatswain said. As well, she said, health workers were hearing some people were reluctant to go to the hospital assessment centres, fearing infection. We thought: If we go directly to the community, we might get a bigger and better uptake of the testing. And that is exactly what occurred. SHN held five pop-up assessment centres from May 29 to June 8, each in a different area of Scarborough. Anyone in the community was welcome, including those without OHIP cards, and each saw a steady stream, said Boatswain, who led the team in charge of the pop-ups in partnership with Toronto Public Health and the Health Ministry. Leigh Duncan, SHNs executive director of communications and public affairs, said data shows that Scarborough residents access hospital services at a lower rate than any other community in Canada, a fact that informs all aspects of patient care. That more than half of Scarboroughs population are newcomers to Canada, many without English as a first or second language, is one reason SHN believes residents may only visit a hospital for emergencies, rather than for ongoing care, she said. These successes raise questions about access and equity, however. Residents and organizations that have a relationship with creative health-care providers have benefited from early and innovative solutions, while others have waited: though the northwest corner of Toronto has the heaviest burden of COVID-19, mobile testing only materialized this past week. The pop-up at the Christian Centre Church on Jane Street saw 90 visitors on its first day. Two extra days were added at off-hours, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Were learning more and more (that) someone whose work is not as secure as someone else there are various reasons that happens to overlap with the groups most vulnerable to COVID even to take a half-day off to get tested (is difficult), said Dr. Vanessa Allen, chief of medical microbiology at Public Health Ontario and a provincial leader on testing strategy. We really need to think through the economic advantages of getting testing more quickly to people. Boatswain said the SHN pop-ups were a success in identifying COVID-19 cases and in connecting with residents. Of the 1,787 people tested, 19 were positive. Boatswain said SHN will consider offering additional pop-ups, should the need arise. Marsha Escalliere learned she would be laid off from her job as a childrens counselor at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care in Essex County about three months after her father died from the coronavirus. I had to work with the community and children in crisis and then I also had to deal with my own crisis with my dad passing in April, said Escalliere, who responds to the homes of children and young adults if theyre experiencing a mental health episode. And now to receive a layoff notice at this time, its disappointing. She is one of the dozens of mental health employees the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) union says received notices Thursday informing them their last day of work would be Aug. 22. Rutgers says they are eliminating 62 University Behavioral Health Care employees due to an anticipated $260 million shortfall caused by COVID-19. The difficult decision was taken to lay off 62 University Behavioral Health Care employees to mitigate the severe financial challenges we are facing, caused by a sharp decline in patient volume, demand for services, and a reduction of state funding, said Zach Hosseini, a Rutgers spokesman. Because of the uncertainty due to the pandemic, we will continue to monitor patient volume and capacity and adjust our staffing as appropriate. It was not immediately clear which areas the layoffs would impact. The union said at least eight mental health employees received layoff notices in Cherry Hill, 19 worked out of Newark and 29 were in Piscataway, although Rutgers said the affected employees did not work out of Cherry Hill, but do maintain services based in Newark for Essex County. HPAE Local 5094 Co-President Justin OHea said the union attempted to bargain in April for a work-share furlough program that could have spared jobs and saved Rutgers up to $100 million. These immoral and callous decisions are harming vulnerable populations in some of the most deeply traumatized and poverty stricken cities in a time where these services are needed the most, OHea said in a statement. Rutgers is perpetuating the same kind of social inequity and harm that is in the national spotlight at this moment. The layoffs are not part of a proposal that was reported by NJ Spotlight this week to reorganize Rutgers medical schools, the university told NJ Advance Media. Rutgers said it is working with the affected employees to help them find other employment opportunities within the university. As patient volumes return, we will evaluate recalling to work these affected employees, Hosseini said. Though we face fiscal uncertainty, we are confident that we can continue to serve the behavioral health needs of the residents of New Jersey. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 23:10:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi health authorities on Sunday decided to impose full curfew during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, while the Health Ministry reported 2,459 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total nationwide infections to 110,032. The Higher Committee for Health and National Safety, headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, decided in a statement to extend the weekly full curfew from July 30 to Aug. 9, including the Eid al-Adha holiday. The committee also decided to discuss the curfew situation after the holiday, the statement said. It also decided to reopen the private clinics, provided that they abide by the Health Ministry's preventive measures and instructions, according to the statement. The committee's decisions came as the Health Ministry reported 2,459 new COVID-19 cases nationwide. It also reported 78 fatalities during the day, raising the death toll to 4,362, while 1,900 more patients recovered, bringing the total number of recoveries to 75,217. The new cases were recorded after 17,511 testing kits were used across the country during the day, and a total of 912,698 tests have been carried out since the outbreak of the disease, according to the statement. On July 16, the committee decided to reduce the hours of the partial curfew to start from 9:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) to 5:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) every week except for the full curfew on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. China has been helping Iraq fight the COVID-19 pandemic. From March 7 to April 26, a Chinese team of seven medical experts spent 50 days in Iraq to help contain the disease, during which they helped build a PCR lab and install an advanced CT scanner in Baghdad. Since March 7, China has also sent three batches of medical aid to Iraq. Enditem Wallace said she never came across a judge who abused the recusal authority in her many years as a law clerk, but nevertheless believes there is a need for reform. This is not the first time a DiPizio lawsuit has had trouble finding a judge. At last count, eight of them three in U.S. District Court, five in State Supreme Court have either recused themselves or been taken off her cases. The company fought its removal in state court but also filed a civil racketeering lawsuit in federal court accusing state officials of creating a false paper trial to oust DiPizio and bring in a favored firm. In federal court, the case is being handled by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr., but only because three other judges recused themselves. The judges did not offer a reason, but lawyers believe it's because they know someone involved in the case. I dont know if its who the defendants are, DiPizio said. I dont know if its politics. I dont know if its the complications of the case. I do know Ive been denied justice for more than seven years. Thane: A private hospital in Bhiwandi township of Maharashtra's Thane district has been stripped of its status as a COVID-19 treatment facility after several lapses were found in its functioning, a civic official said on Monday. It was observed that the COVID-19 death rate at the hospital was high. The facility, located in Kamatghar area, also did not have specialist doctors to treat the patients and lacked physicians, Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation's medical officer of health Dr Nitin Mokashi said. It did not follow treatment protocols of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), hence it was decided to strip the hospital of its status as a COVID-19 treatment facility, he said. Patients currently undergoing treatment at the facility will be immediately shifted to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Bhiwandi for further treatment, he said. Officials who had classified the hospital as a COVID-19 facility without due diligence will also face action, he added. On Saturday, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) suspended the licence of a city-based private hospital and cancelled its classification as a COVID-19 facility after it allegedly overcharged patients. The decision was welcomed by local leaders and social activists. They were of the view that the TMC should take over the facility and some other big hospitals in the city and use them for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Till Sunday, Thane district reported 78,567 COVID-19 cases and 2,153 deaths due to the disease. Ajitesh Mullick Profit-booking towards the end of the week limited the uptrend for Agri prices even as sentiments remained firm. Markets are expected to show recovery in the coming week also as Festive season domestic demand supports prices. Pick up in export demand too is expected to prevent prices from falling much from these levels. Lack of rains in the critical Kharif growing areas of North-West is keeping apprehensions of fall in sowing after the initial favourable reports. This too is supporting prices for the counters that are now trading on the lower side. Jeera Jeera maintained the uptrend in prices on rise in export and festive season domestic demand. For the last few days, lack of trading activities in mandis kept sentiments sideways. But as demand on the export front starts rising, markets are likely to show strong recovery for the commodity. Rains in Gujarat at this time will not have any impact since sowing is still far away for Jeera. However, aided by a firm Dollar versus Rupee, a rise in exports could support prices. The recent lack of export demand due to the spread of COVID-19 globally remained a concern with new crop arrivals with better production prospects keeping uptrend limited. Once the coronavirus panic gets over, traders expect exports will start rising from India only. New crop arrivals too are limiting strong 1-sided upside movement in prices at these lower levels. Improved sowing activities have been reported from the recent rains in Gujarat and Rajasthan after the initial delay. Lower arrivals amidst reports of delayed sowing, however, are likely to be supporting factors. Traders, however, expected rise in production by 9 percent at 4.16 lakh tonnes (as per Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders and APMC) reported. As per latest reports from Gujarat agriculture department, Jeera acreage has risen by 1.41 lakh hectare to 4.87 lakh hectare as on January 13. Traders estimate a crop of 5 lakh tonnes this year versus 4.10 lakh tonnes last year in 2018-19, due to 25-30 percent higher yield in Rajasthan and Gujarat. As per Spices Board data, India's output for the year 2017-18 was estimated at about 5 lakh tonnes, including 2.91 lakh tonnes from Gujarat and 2.06 lakh tonnes from Rajasthan. Trade estimates suggest about 10 percent carry-over stock. Government has reported exports during FY 2018-19 (April-March) at 1.81 lakh tonnes, up 13 percent in quantity. As per Federation of Indian Spice Stakeholders, Gujarat and Rajasthan production is estimated at 97.36 lakh bags (of 55 kg each) versus 75.74 lakh bags in 2019. Sowing area and yield have reportedly risen 25 percent and 3 percent (combined) - versus last year. The August contract trading at Rs 14,350 per quintal mark may well shoot to the Rs 15,000 per quintal mark in coming week as Festive season domestic demand and a rise in export demand are expected to lend support to the prices. The author is VP - Retail Research at Religare Broking. : The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Former U.S. diplomat says Pompeo's anti-China speech "primitive and ineffective" U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's highly provocative China-smearing speech at the Presidential Library of Richard Nixon was "primitive and ineffective," a former U.S. diplomat has said. Pompeo's "angry lament" and "extended ideological rant" will achieve an opposite effect, Daniel Russel, former U.S. assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told CNBC on Friday. The speech will only deepen anger at the United States, Russel said. Speaking at the Presidential Library of Richard Nixon, the former U.S. president who pressed the start button to normalize relations with China about five decades ago, Pompeo on Thursday urged an end to the long-held engagement approach towards China and called for "a new alliance" to force China to change according to Washington's wishes. "Complaining is not fixing and denouncing is not diplomacy," Russel said, adding Pompeo's remarks could worsen bilateral relations. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has dared the opposition to topple his government and said though it is a three-wheeler government, he is firmly in control of its steering wheel. Thackeray, who is also president of the Shiv Sena, said his alliance partners - NCP and Congress - are positive and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is benefitting from their experience. He also took an aim at the Centres ambitious Mumbai- Ahmedabad bullet train project, saying he would rather prefer such a high speed link between the state capital and Nagpur. The future of my government is not in the hands of the opposition. The steering is in my hands. A three-wheeler (auto-rickshaw) is a vehicle of poor people. The other two are sitting behind, Thackeray said in the second and last part of his interview published in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, ahead of his 60th birthday on Monday. Why wait for September-October as is being speculated. Topple the government right now since you get pleasure in toppling. Some people derive pleasure in constructive work while some are happy in destruction. If you feel happy in destruction, go ahead, he said. You say the MVA government is formed against the democratic principles but when you topple it, is it democracy? the chief minister asked. Notably, his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis earlier compared the ruling MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena and its ideological opponents Congress and NCP, with a three-wheeler, auto-rickshaw, and raised doubts over its stability. To a question, Thackeray said he hadnt switched sides, but only entered into an alliance. I did this because the purpose with which I had joined hands earlier turned out to be hollow, he said. Asserting that the party ideology is important, he said, Show me one leader who has reached the top position in the party which he has defected to. It is all use and throw policy. Targeting the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, he said, A three-wheeler is a vehicle of poor people. If I have to choose between a bullet train and an auto-rickshaw,I will chose the auto-rickshaw. If people dont want a bullet train, then it will not happen, he said. If my government is a three-wheeler, it is moving in a proper direction, why should you have stomachache? he said in a veiled attack at the opposition BJP. Thackeray said when he attended the NDA meeting last time, there were 30 to 35 wheels like a railway train. The chief minister said he would scrap projects which people feel are unwanted. He said MoUs worth Rs 16,000 crore signed recently are in initial stages and more investments are on the anvil. If the state requires a bullet train, I would demand a bullet train to connect Mumbai and Nagpur. I would like a bullet train which connects my state capital and the second capital. The feeling of neglect among people of Vidarbha would be wiped out. Just like the Mumbai Nagpur Samruddhi corridor, I would be happy with a bullet train, he said. He also said the Congresss grievance of being neglected in the three-party alliance government was resolved after his meeting with the state Congress leaders. I have good coordination with (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar. I make a phone call to (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi some times, he said. Thackeray asserted that the tripartite MVA government was functioning well. I admit that in the last few months, face-to-face meetings havent happened. One more minister is coronavirus positive now after Jitendra Awhad, Ashok Chavan and Dhananjay Munde. All ministers are in touch with each other over phone or through video conferencing, he said. Thackeray admitted the states economy is not in good shape, but noted the entire world is facing such a crisis. He said Prime MinisterNarendra Modi has asked all chief ministers not to announce any waivers or subsidies as populist measures due to which the economy would be further burdened. In an apparent reference to his criticism over not moving out during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thackeray said discussions and deliberations as well as signing of MoUs were being done by him sitting at home. Asked about the participation of Chinese firms in investing in the state, he said more than the presence of Chinese firms in the recent MoUs, what is important is whether Chinese investments should remain in the country or not. During a video conference meeting with the prime minister, I had requested him to frame a national policy on doing business with China, he said. Thackeray also said his government had kept the MoUs with Chinese firms on hold. There should be a policy on whether Chinese companies should be allowed to do business in the country. If tomorrow, the situation improves and the Chinese prime minister is welcomed in India, why should we miss the business opportunities now? he asked. The chief minister also rejected criticism that bureaucracy has an upper hand in his government. The government is the decision-maker and bureaucracy implements the decisions, he added. Two TV giants are once more at loggerheads over channel rates, and this time it might significantly hurt your access to local news. Local Scripps-owned stations in 42 markets (including New York City and San Diego) have gone dark on Dish Network after the companies failed to reach a deal on carriage rates. Scripps had been asking for higher rates, although it wont surprise you to hear that each company is spinning the issue to portray the other side as the villain. Scripps accused Dish of refusing to strike a fair agreement after five months of talks, and noting that it had never gone dark with a pay TV distributor until now. Dish, however, claimed that Scripps had ignored offers to extend channel access during the dispute to get negotiation leverage, and had turned down an offer to match the rates offered to other TV providers. Both companies accused the other of depriving customers of vital news during a pandemic. As with many of these disputes, theres a good chance Dish and Scripps will reach a deal in the days ahead and pretend they werent embroiled in a bitter fight. However, its the latest in a relatively recent flurry of incidents where broadcasters wanted higher rates. And unfortunately, the impact is familiar. While you might keep most or all of the affected channels, theres a good chance your own rates will go up including on streaming TV services. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Nepotism is in every field and sometimes, many of us, without understanding what we are doing, also help in its growth, feels Vatsal Sheth. While its natural for parents to support their kids, the actor adds that people who dont have godfathers in the industry shouldnt get consumed in the debate as that might affect their work. Just like a politicians son or daughter joins politics, it happens in our industry, too. As kids, we want to ape our parents. Thats why most industry kids want to do this as theyve grown up watching their parents and lived that life, reasons the actor, who is an outsider himself. More than anything, Sheth adds, its the also the audience who wants to see star kids turn actors once they grow up. Taimur (Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khans son) is a kid. See how people go crazy around him. Uska photo dikhao, video dikhao. If youre so keen on seeing Taimur right now, obviously you want to see him on big screen, too. Then if he becomes an actor, you cant cry nepotism, he says. The Malang actor also points out that nepotism cannot make anyone a big star and everyone needs to work hard. Look at Kartik Aaryan, Ayushmann Khurrana they arent from the industry, they worked very hard. Varun Dhawan is a great actor. I know how hard he works on his craft and even in the gym, so you cant ignore that and just talk about him being a directors son, he maintains. The 39-year-old, however, doesnt deny the fact that if one hails from a film family, they have an easy access over others in Bollywood. For an outsider, it might be difficult but not impossible, says Sheth, who is quite actor Ajay Devgn and consider each other, family. Ask about the support he receives from the senior actor, and he adds, I met him during Taarzan: The Wonder Car (2004). Since then, he has been there to guide me. Theres no nepotism here. Even Salman (Khan) bhai, Sohail (Khan) bhai support many youngsters saying that from personal experience. Honestly, people who shout nepotism on Twitter dont know whats actually happening. Talking social media, so much is being said about the toxicity that prevails on these platforms. While Sheth agrees, he says it doesnt take it all seriously. These trolls dont have face or followers. Theres no actual conversation happening there with them. So why give them importance, he ends. Follow @htshowbiz for more Author tweets @Shreya_MJ SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The woman who threw black paint on the Black Lives Matter mural at Trump Tower announced she has teamed up with lawyers to go after the activist group. Were going to hit em where it hurts, in their pockets, Bevelyn Beatty from Atwell Ministries in a video on Instagram. The street preacher then posted a message on Twitter asking members of the public who have suffered at the hands of BLM to contact her for help offering free legal services. Working with lawyers across the country to file lawsuits against BLM for the damage and destruction theyve caused to persons and property, Beatty wrote. If you or someone you know has been injured or their property destroyed because of the riots incited by BLM, please reachout! Looters emerge from an Urban Outfitters store with merchandise during a riot on May 30, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Karen Ducey/Getty Images) In her Instagram video posted a day earlier, Beatty offered to help anyone who has proof they are a victim of BLM get in touch with a lawyer, at no charge, and vowed to bring the organization to justice. Ive been praying for ways to fight back, she said in the video. Painting that mural was a symbolic way to express our freedom of speech. But regardless of that, BLM still has to come down. If any of you of any stateIm talking to the small business owners, Im talking to people whose family members have died in the middle of being in Black Lives Matter riotsif you have in any way, shape, or form been directly affected by Black Lives Matter, contact me at Bevelyn@atwellministries.org. And we are going to file a class-action lawsuit against Black Lives Matter. But we cannot do it alone. Beatty also issued a warning for members of Anti members to lay low or they would sue the bejesus out of you, too. She added, And we dont care whatever Antifa people are watching this and feel they want to come against it; it doesnt make a difference; you cannot stop God. A man holds a Black Lives Matter sign as a police car burns during a protest on May 29, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) At the time of writing, over 11k Twitter users responded to the post, with some offering advice and encouragement. See if you can reach out to the lawyers, the married couple who were charged for protecting their homes with guns outside their property, suggested @VinceCarter717, apparently referring to the McCloskeys who stood in front of their homes with guns drawn while rioters broke into their gated community. Looks like their charges will be dropped. Theyve definitely suffered damage. @JosieLe62818667 wrote: Literally anyone in cities effected by the rioters has a stake in this. Thats a huge lawsuit waiting to take BLM down. Its a home run waiting to happen!!! NYPD officers attempt to detain Bevelyn Beatty, 29, who poured black paint on the Black Lives Matter mural outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Saturday, July 18, 2020. (Yuki Iwamura/AP Photo) The street preachers Twitter page @BevelynZBeatty was started in July 2020, and it quickly attracted nearly 66k followers, to date. Beatty went viral on social media for throwing black paint on the BLM mural on 5th Avenue on July 18 and two other murals in Harlem and Brooklyn. Beatty and one other person were arrested for criminal mischief but were released. The 5th Avenue mural was also defaced at least two other times that same week. Advertisement The secret lover of notorious mobster Meyer Lansky has revealed details of her 12-year affair with kingpin for the first time, describing him gentle soul who could be moved to tears by lifes injustices in spite of his infamous criminal exploits. Lansky was one of the wealthiest and most feared mobsters in America for more than four decades, ruthlessly controlling and investing the mafias sordidly-sourced funds amassed from loan-sharking, robberies and murder. Known as the Mobs Accountant, Lansky also co-founded Murder Inc. in the 1930s, a contract-killing syndicate responsible for some 1,000 whackings across the country. But to Zali de Toledo, the Mafioso was a caring, tender lover 40 years her senior, with whom she shared a years-long affair that she's disclosing for the first time in her new book, My Secret Life with Meyer Lansky, the Financial Genius Behind the Mafia. 'The man I got to know was completely different from what everyone else thought,' she told Haarertz. 'A man who was sensitive to the point of tears.' Zali de Toledo is pictured with infamous mobster Meyer Lansky. According to the Turkish-native, he wasn't the menacing figure he was often portrayed as in the press Lansky was one of the wealthiest and most feared mobsters in America for more than four decades, ruthlessly controlling and investing the mafias sordidly-sourced funds amassed from loan-sharking, robberies and murder Meyer Lansky's lost $300M fortune Meyer Lansky was, in life, one of the gangster era's most notorious figures, a diminutive Jewish immigrant who became known as the 'mob's accountant', and linked to death after death. After Prohibition ended in 1933, Lansky successfully parlayed his fortune into gambling interests around the United States and ultimately internationally. He encouraged other mobsters to invest in Cuba, where eventually he owned or had financial interest in at least three casinos. However, operations ran into a multimillion-dollar disaster with the Cuban Revolution of 1959. Rebel leader Fidel Castro nationalized all of Lanskys casino interests on the island. The jewel in the crown was Havana's most prestigious hotel and casino, the Havana Riviera, and the Marina Hemingway - which according to his family, he jointly owned with Frank Sinatra. In 2010, Lansky's daughter Sandra publicly stated that her father had transferred some $15 million to his brother's account sometime in the early 1970s, when Lansky was having problems with the IRS. How much money Lansky was really worth will probably never be known. Since the warming of relations between the United States and Cuba in 2015, Lansky's grandson, Gary Rapoport, has been asking the Cuban government to compensate him for the confiscation of the Riviera hotel that his grandfather built in Havana. At the time of his death, Lansky had only $52,000 to his name. The FBI believes he may have left behind over $300 million in hidden bank accounts however they never found any money. Advertisement De Toledo was a 26-year-old waitress at the Dan hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1969 when she says she was struck down by a thunderbolt of attraction as she locked eyes with the 67-year-old, 5ft 4in kingpin from across the dining room. Meyer told me that the first time we met he gave me his loveliest smile, so I wouldnt be scared, she said. He wore a bow tie and smiled at me with mischievous eyes. Not a funny person, but someone who makes you happy. I fell in love with him at that moment. This man had reputedly done terrible things and yet I didnt care. But what was it attracting me the man or the danger? In the twelve years that would follow, Toledo says she came to see Lansky as the world never could, as a gentle, funny and warm soul a far cry from the ruthless and dangerous criminal he was so often dubbed in the press. I saw the Meyer Lansky nobody else knew, she told the Express newspaper. I loved Meyer, and he loved me even more. We completed each other. In some ways he was a father figure to me, but at the same time he would draw strength from me. Meyer would often rest his head on my shoulder, and we would sit silently just holding each other, safe from the world, sheltered within our cocoon of our love.' The tender lover described by de Toledo was in fact a kingpin of organized crime in the US from the 1930s right up until his death in 1983, amassing a personal fortune of a rumored $300million. For decades, the stoic, sharply dressed Belarus-native, was one of the most powerful individuals in America. Along with his associates Charles Lucky Luciano and Bugsy Seigel, Meyer was instrumental in the 1934 gathering of rival Mafia gangs across the US which later became known as the National Crime Syndicate. Associated with the Jewish Mob, Lansky and Luciano developed a gambling empire that stretched across the world, owning stakes in casinos from Las Vegas, to Cuba, the Bahamas and London. He was known to have traded illicit booze with Joe Kennedy, father of assassinated President John F. Kennedy, during the Prohibition and is even credited with blackmailing former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover with compromising pictures of him with his longtime aide Clyde Tolson. In the late 1960s, fearing prosecution over federal tax evasion charges, Lansky tried to immigrate to Israel where he crossed paths with de Toledo. Despite their four-decade difference in age, de Toledo said it made no difference and the couple became romantically involved the day after their first meeting, when Lansky turned up at her apartment the following morning. I threw my arms around him, de Toledo, now 78 remembered. I threw my arms around him and held him as tightly as I possibly could, pressing him into my body. I felt so secure, so protected, as if nothing on earth could ever harm me as long as I remained in this mans embrace. Lansky would lavish de Toledo with gold jewelry, diamond earrings, Cartier bracelets, and even bought her a luxury apartment on upscale Weizmann Street in Tel Aviv, which would become their love nest. De Toledo (left) was a 26-year-old waitress at the Dan hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1969 when she says she was struck down by a thunderbolt of attraction as she locked eyes with the 67-year-old, 5ft 4in kingpin from across the dining room. Along with his associate Charles Lucky Luciano (left), Meyer was instrumental in the 1934 gathering of rival Mafia gangs across the US which later became known as the National Crime Syndicate For decades, the stoic, sharply dressed Belarus-native, was one of the most powerful individuals in America Less than half a year into their secret courtship, de Toledo discovered she was pregnant. I was 27, she recalled to Haaertz. He wanted to keep the baby, but he left the decision to me. We didnt know whether Meyer would stay in the country, we didnt know what would happen in the [immigration] trial. We didnt know what would be with me, we thought that if his wife found out there would be a scandal. I had a serious problem. I had an abortion, and years later he would ask me, How old would he have been today? I dont know why he thought it would be a boy, but he did. Lansky was deported back to the US in 1972. He was arrested on arrival in Miami on tax evasion charges, but later acquitted of all counts in 1974. Despite the thousands of miles separating them, de Toledo says she and Lansky stayed in frequent contact, with the mafia mob penning her more than 350 letters gushing over his love for her. The letters he wrote me were like a diary, she says. One time he would write about politics, another time about pain, about what he felt, or about Israel. Sometimes I got two letters in one day. Lansky would always sign off his heart-felt notes with Always remember I love you, de Toledo said. She also revealed how Lansky would opt to keep his work life separate from his love life, never revealing details of his criminal enterprise to her, assuring de Toledo, 'the less you known the better.' Lansky was deported back to the US in 1972. He was arrested on arrival in Miami on tax evasion charges, but later acquitted of all counts in 1974 Despite the thousands of miles separating them, De Toledo says she and Lansky stayed in frequent contact, with the mafia mob penning her more than 350 letters gushing over his love for her He would also pay for her to visit him in Miami around twice a year, even renting a home for her to stay in, close to where he was living with his wife (right) and three children '[He said] if tomorrow or the next day you are summoned to testify against me, I want you to take the oath wholeheartedly. 'So he didnt tell me much, only things that I got out of him here and there, about Cuba and gambling. Sometimes he also wrote to me about things Id asked. He explained to me about gambling in the United States, about what he thought of gambling.' He would also pay for her to visit him in Miami around twice a year, even renting a home for her to stay in, close to where he was living with his wife and three children. Meyer was such fun to be with. Id cook for him and hed be so happy he would pick me up dancing in the kitchen, and would sing to me You Are Always In My Heart. He had a lovely singing voice, de Toledo remembered. The surreptitious visits continued right up until the year before his death from lung cancer in 1983, aged 81, at his Miami home At the time of his death, on paper, Lansky was officially worth almost nothing and his family were left to fend for themselves. The FBI believed he left behind over $300 million in hidden bank accounts however they never found any money The surreptitious visits continued right up until the year before his death from lung cancer in 1983, aged 81, at his Miami home. De Toledo said she hadnt visited the mobster for some ten months before his passing, as the Lebanon War had broken out and my son-in-law was mobilized, so I couldnt leave the country. I had promised him that I would never call or write him at home. I didnt want to call him with his wife sitting by his side. Gradually I accustomed myself to his not being around. So, when he died it didnt come as a surprise. De Toledo remembers the day of his death vividly. It was January 15, 1983. My sister woke me up at a quarter to three in the afternoon. She told me that Meyer was dead. I turned on the news at 3 and they said he had died. I had to go to work. I always wear black. On that day I wore light-colored clothes to counteract the pain. At the time of his death, on paper, Lansky was officially worth almost nothing and his family were left to fend for themselves. The FBI believed he left behind over $300 million in hidden bank accounts however they never found any money. The U.S. Justice Department never found Lansky guilty of anything more serious than illegal gambling. Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor (LG) Girish Chandra Murmu has assured of releasing all political detainees, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti, detained in the aftermath of the nullification of Article 370 in the coming days, Apni Party leader Altaf Bukhari said on Sunday. When HT reached out for a response, Jagdish Singh, director, public relations, Raj Bhavan, said the LG was in Jammu and only he will be in a position to comment on the issue. A delegation of the fledgling Apni Party led by Bukhari, a former PDP leader, met Murmu on Tuesday. I...discussed many things with him including the restoration of statehood and the polls. The lieutenant governor assured that in the coming days, all political leaders who are still detained, including former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, will be released by the government, Bukhari told HT over phone from Delhi. He said he expected that the leaders will be released on or before Eid. The government nullified Article 370, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, on August 5, 2019, and also bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union territories Jammu and Kashmir with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one. The government has said it will work towards restoring J&Ks special status at an early opportunity. As protests erupted in the wake of the August 5 announcement, several political leaders and activists including former chief ministers were detained as a preventive measure. While prominent politicians such as ex-CMs Farooq and Omar Abdullah have been released, over 25 leaders, including Mufti, are still in detention. Last week, National Conference (NC) president and Srinagar parliamentarian Farooq Abdullah and his son, Omar Abdullah, filed a petition in the Jammu and Kashmir high court, challenging the detention of 16 senior NC leaders. We are even hopeful that leaders will be released before Eid, Bukhari, who formed the Apni Party in March, said. Bukhari said he wanted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah to know status of a memorandum, which he, along with other party leaders, had submitted to them in March. I am in Delhi today and will seek an appointment with the PM and the home minister. Bukhari earlier met them on March 13, and demanded the restoration of statehood, protection of domicile rights and job reservation, besides the release of political leaders. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSE:CTC.A) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next three days. Ex-dividend means that investors that purchase the stock on or after the 30th of July will not receive this dividend, which will be paid on the 1st of September. Canadian Tire Corporation's upcoming dividend is CA$1.14 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of CA$4.55 per share to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Canadian Tire Corporation has a trailing yield of 3.8% on the current share price of CA$119.92. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! As a result, readers should always check whether Canadian Tire Corporation has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut. Check out our latest analysis for Canadian Tire Corporation Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. That's why it's good to see Canadian Tire Corporation paying out a modest 38% of its earnings. Yet cash flow is typically more important than profit for assessing dividend sustainability, so we should always check if the company generated enough cash to afford its dividend. Thankfully its dividend payments took up just 30% of the free cash flow it generated, which is a comfortable payout ratio. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Canadian Tire Corporation, with earnings per share up 8.1% on average over the last five years. The company is retaining more than half of its earnings within the business, and it has been growing earnings at a decent rate. We think this is generally an attractive combination, as dividends can grow through a combination of earnings growth and or a higher payout ratio over time. Story continues Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Canadian Tire Corporation has lifted its dividend by approximately 18% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders. Final Takeaway Is Canadian Tire Corporation an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share growth has been growing somewhat, and Canadian Tire Corporation is paying out less than half its earnings and cash flow as dividends. This is interesting for a few reasons, as it suggests management may be reinvesting heavily in the business, but it also provides room to increase the dividend in time. It might be nice to see earnings growing faster, but Canadian Tire Corporation is being conservative with its dividend payouts and could still perform reasonably over the long run. Overall we think this is an attractive combination and worthy of further research. While it's tempting to invest in Canadian Tire Corporation for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. To help with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Canadian Tire Corporation that you should be aware of before investing in their shares. We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend. 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. After Armenia provoked artillery battles at the border with Azerbaijan on July 12, Azerbaijanis held demonstrations all over the world, calling to end the occupation policy of Yerevan and restore the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In a number of western cities, peaceful protests were met with aggression from the radical part of the Armenian diaspora. Many demonstrators - who proclaimed the universally recognized truth that Karabakh is Azerbaijan! - were hospitalized with injuries. Vestnik Kavkaza spoke to the American political analyst Peter Tase about why supporters of the occupation of Karabakh did not find other arguments than violence. - In your opinion, why were Azerbaijanis, who demanded just solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, attacked in Los Angeles, Brussels and other cities? - Everything that happens in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan continues to be implemented by the Armenian diaspora abroad, whether they are in London, Los Angeles, Paris, Germany and other countries. The Armenian vandals, the Armenian violent vandals and terrorists in Los Angeles are pretty much the stretched arm of the Armenian government in Yerevan. Why they commit these acts of violence? It is practically the core of their ideology, is practically the core of their philosophy, to cause violence, harm and destruction to innocent civilians, to the Azerbaijani territory and to the environmental resources of Azerbaijan. It is terrible, it should be condemned. it is appalling to see that innocent Azerbaijani civilians were violated and were hit very hard and made to go to the hospital. They were hit so hard that they had to go to the hospital to get proper medical treatment in the hospital. So these are acts of violence that should not be tolerated. And at the same time, the state of California is known to be very liberal state, and the police departments in the state of California, are very weak, especially now, after month and a half after George Floyds assassination. I noticed in the video that the police force, first of all, was totally absent, when people were burning Azerbaijani flag and Armenian aggressors were vandalising Azerbaijani civilians. The police force appeared in the scene only twenty minutes later after the clashes were taking place between the Armenian terrorists and innocent Azerbaijani civilians in Los Angeles. - How do you asses the participation of the ASALA terrorist organisation members in the attack on Azerbaijanis in Los Angeles? - The participation of the members of the ASALA terrorist organisation in this violent crime against innocent Azerbaijanis is once again the attempt of Armenia to add fuel to fire, to increase at the maximum height the level of conflict, the level of animosity and the level of belligerence of Azerbaijan. The July 12 attacks were not an accident - Armenia commits and implements this armed brutal attacks for only reason - they are prone and support the current status quo, and they are not willing to negotiate. That is the main problem. The international community is at fault because they are not acting accordingly to the international law. The international community is not fulfilling the implementation of four UN Security Councils resolutions. A peace-loving country like Azerbaijan and other countries that go through similar challenges are having a hard time because we have terrorists spread all over the place. Sadly enough, The Republic of Azerbaijan is fighting three wars at the same time: the war with Armenia at the interstate border; the war with Armenian propaganda machine that is manipulating the entire world community; the war that the whole world is also facing is the war against the virus. - Experts link these attacks to the amendments that obligate the Department of State and Pentagon to produce a survey and report on Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan territory, murders and deportation of Azerbaijani people that happened during the occupation. In your opinion, does the acceptance of these amendments speak about the activation of the US in the process of Karabakh peaceful resolution? - These amendments were promoted by Congressman Chabot. Congressman Chabot is a distinguished member of the Congress, he has been a US Representative for a long time. He is the member of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and member of the Committee on the Judiciary. The Department of State has been pretty much silent when it comes to the conflict in Azerbaijan. I have to remind you, that on July 15, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a press-conference and at that press-conference was not mentioned at all the conflict that was started by Armenia on July 12. So, I strongly believe that the Department of State needs to keep a closer eye towards the Southern Caucasus region because the Southern Caucasus region is the main source of stability or instability in Europe. If we have the Southern Caucasus region stable and free of conflicts, free of armed aggressions committed by Armenia, the safer will be the European continent. This instability, this chaos in the Southern Caucasus is causing great economic impact to Europe, which is larger, the economic impact to Europe caused by the armed conflicts provide by Armenia in the Southern Caucasus has proved to be much more economically harmful than the coronavirus. I strongly believe that the EU, NATO, European Council and European Commission leadership should lead in the ground of peaceful negotiations with Armenia. Armenians are not willing to negotiate, the Armenian government is run by a bunch of terrorists that are not willing to negotiate. - Why did Armenia make a provocation and attack the state border of Azerbaijan in the Tovuz region on July 12? In your opinion, why did the provocation take place right now and far from the conflict zone in Karabakh? - It took place in Tovuz because Tovuz is located nearby the location where the pipelines are crossing to Georgia. The Armenian attack has direct implications and direct impact on the economic progress of the Southern Caucasus, and thus a direct negative consequences for the security and economic progress of Europe. Armenia through the July 12 attacks tried to break that paradigm of security in Azerbaijan, they tried to breach the international law, they violated the international law, they breached the resolutions approved by the European Parliament and European Commission. They made an attempt to show to the world that Armenia continues to play the role in the region. However, Armenia is isolated. This is the fact that Armenia is isolated over the last decades and is dependent on Russia. BGR Our Sun isnt quite as old as other stars out there. However, scientists are already trying to pinpoint exactly when the Sun will die. Of course, it isnt as simple as throwing out a date. After all, were working with a massive ball of energy that weve still barely managed to scratch the surface of The post Scientists think they figured out when the Sun will explode and kill us all appeared first on BGR. Fifteen Japanese firms chose Vietnam as the destination for their production expansion within the Japanese governments programme to support Japanese firms to diversify their value chains in foreign countries, according to JETRO. The Japan-invested Honda Viet Nam plant in Vinh Phuc Province. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday about the programme, Takeo Nakajima, chief representative of JETRO in Ha Noi, said that among 30 Japanese firms selected by Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) from 124 applicants to provide supports to expand production in ASEAN, 15 selected Viet Nam. This demonstrated the huge attractiveness and positive prospects of the Vietnamese economy, he said, adding that the successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic was an important factor that drew Japanese investors to Viet Nam. In the long term, the expansion into Viet Nam also aims to help the Japanese firms take opportunities from origin rules of free trade agreements in which Viet Nam is a member. Within the Japanese governments support programme, each Japanese firms would receive financial assistance from 1 million yen (US$9,400) to 5 billion yen, depending on their project scale. Takeo noted that this unprecedented programme was an effort to expand production and diversify value chains, not a production shift out of China. Products would be made in both Viet Nam and China to reduce risks when any value chains were disrupted by COVID-19, he said. Takeo said the process of diversifying value chains by the Japanese enterprises was occurring earlier, adding that the pandemic was requiring firms to expand their production to two to three destinations to avoid disruption in supply chains despite higher production costs. Viet Nam was among their top choices, given the countrys success in containing the virus, improving investment climate, low production costs and export tariff incentives to major markets. Race for FDI Half of the METI-supported firms chose Viet Nam as a destination for expansion, a figure that would shock other countries in the region, forcing them to strive to improve the investment climate to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), Takeo said. He said there was a race to attract FDI among ASEAN countries, with countries with high productions costs like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand part of it. Although Viet Nam has lower production costs, labour and land costs are rising and low production costs could no longer be the country's competitive advantage, he said. Viet Nam needs to create other competitive advantages rather than low production cost, he added. Takeo also pointed out problems in Viet Nam such as low local procurement rates, and poorly-developed supporting industries, which must be tackled in the race to attract FDI. There was also a risk of labour shortage when a wave of foreign companies invested in the country. Takeo also urged Vietnamese firms to strive to meet Japanese firms requirements to participate in supply chains. Currently, restrictions in travelling between Viet Nam and Japan are also affecting expansion projects from Japanese firms. Economist Nguyen Duc Thanh said the race to attract FDI was becoming fiercer and Viet Nam still needed to make efforts to resolve a number of problems to attract investors, including improving labour quality and the infrastructure system as well as hastening administrative reforms and tackling corruption. VNS 0 Tags production expansion Vietnam Japan External Trade Organisation Japanese firms COMMENTS (0) Send OTHER NEWS Farm produce needs to meet tough EU standards under EVFTA Most enterprises applying CSI have sustainable governance: survey Achieving financial autonomy through part-time work Pandemic ravages household businesses and MSMEs: survey European business leaders confidence in VN returning after COVID-19 Vietnamese firms increase overseas investment Dong Thap authorities seek ways to develop e-commerce Issuance of legal documents to implement FTA must be hastened VN and New Zealand strengthen financial co-operation Facebook launches We Think Digital" programme for Vietnamese young generation Diversified activities to be held in ASEAN 2020 TRENDING STORIES Chubb Life Vietnam named among best companies to work for in Asia Foreign investors request prosecution of Nha Hang Mon Hue chain founder Low economic outlook drags on local shares Tra Vinh District gets brand certifications for specialty agricultural products A promising future for Viet Nam after COVID-19 CORPORATE NEWS JCB, Shopee unveil Southeast Asia collaboration E-Commerce platform Shopee on Thursday announced a tie-up with JCB International Company Ltd (JCBI) that will offer online merchants and shoppers enhanced payment options. Vietjet honoured as the most impactful Vietnamese brand worldwide Emirates covers customers from COVID-19 expenses PepsiCo Vietnam aids local hospitals in COVID-19 fight SPONSORED LINKS Events Top Thai Brands 2020 reboots business connection between VN, Thailand after pandemic Viet Nam Grand Sale 2020 to open next month Ha Noi Gift Show 2020 to open in October Vietnam ICTComm 2020 slated for September Vietbuild expo in HCM City to feature nearly 1,800 booths Copyrights 2012 Viet Nam News, All rights reserved. Add:79 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. Editor_In_Chief: Trinh Thanh Thuy Tel: 84-24-39332320; 84-24-39332314;Fax: 84-24-39332311; E-mail: bizhub@vnsmail.com Publication Permit: 599/GP-INTER. web design by: VGroup.vn Image: ANI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to armed forces to mark the 21st anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war, saying their valour continues to inspire generations. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory. "On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations," Modi tweeted, adding that he would speak more about it in his Mann Ki Baat address. The prime minister used the hashtag #CourageInKargil. For five years enthusiastic crowds of about 1,000 supporters gathered for breakfast under the Colorado Avenue bridge. Tens of thousands of students are scheduled to return to Penn States main campus in central Pennsylvania next month, swelling its host countys population by more than a third. And during a historic public health crisis, thats a research opportunity. Students will come from many states experiencing varying levels of the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps even from other countries depending on travel restrictions. How will that affect the virus spread? Will it change perceptions of risk among Centre County residents? And what about the economic impact of the students who do or dont come? A Penn State team has begun collecting baseline data for a research project that will track those elements and more. The project will allow the university to study itself and its wider community, with the hope of gathering information that will help inform decisions during this and future pandemics. As part of it, Penn State plans to begin testing local residents for antibodies to the virus by Aug. 1. Many of us spend our research careers thinking about problems away from campus, said Matthew Ferrari, an associate professor and infectious-disease expert. Now is the time when we really are all uniquely focused on the needs of our neighbors and community. And what they learn could be important to university communities throughout the country. The effort, co-led by Ferrari, is one of more than 150 coronavirus-related research projects going on at Pennsylvanias flagship state university, which enrolls more than 96,000 students about 47,000 of them at the University Park campus. READ MORE: Thousands of students back in Happy Valley? Penn State is planning for it One team is studying whether nose and mouth washes can help reduce virus transmission. Another is looking at developing an intranasal vaccine. Others are exploring antiviral treatments. Another is looking at the impact of COVID-19 infection on babies during pregnancy. Some are doing work in a containment lab where live virus is stored and tested. It takes up to 45 minutes just to prepare to enter the lab, and researchers must take extensive training and undergo an FBI background check before they can work there. Other research will focus on behavioral and social aspects, such as how empathy may drive choices around social distancing and how the economic impact on restaurants and the food chain might be minimized. Penn State was one of the first universities in the country in March to solicit coronavirus project proposals from its faculty and offer seed grants to encourage interdisciplinary research. Many colleges throughout the region are engaged in coronavirus-related research. Penn State offers a window into such work. When something like this happens, it allows all of your people to rapidly pivot and take all of their experience that relates to a discipline and apply it to this new question, said Elizabeth McGraw, a professor of entomology and director of Penn States Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics. Penn State researchers were watching from the outbreaks earliest days. By February, they were strategizing a massive effort, said Andrew Read, director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, which spearheaded the grant program. Weve always wondered if a pandemic were coming, what would be the steps? How could we move on it? said Read, an infectious-disease expert. In early March, the university put out the call for projects, looking for ones that could have an impact quickly and needed money to get started. Forty-eight projects involving more than 130 faculty members were selected to share $2.4 million in grants. Several of the projects have since attracted outside funding, too, from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, McGraw said. We discovered overwhelming interest from researchers across the university and across the spectrum of disciplines, all wanting to try in their own way to produce solutions, McGraw said. Researchers have been rotating into labs to allow for social distancing, McGraw said, while some work from home. The projects are expected to yield at least preliminary results over the next six months to a year. READ MORE: What if students wont wear masks in class? Professors want assurances that universities will enforce a mandate Some larger projects, such as Ferraris, could go on for years. His was among 100 or so projects that are proceeding outside of the university grant program. Researchers working with him conducted an anonymous survey of Centre County residents this spring. Almost 6,000 of the approximately 115,000 residents (not including students) responded, Ferrari said. They were asked about 20 questions, such as whether they had been sick or knew someone who was, and if they lost their job. About 1,700 have agreed to participate in future studies aimed at measuring the health, economic, educational, and social impacts of the coronavirus for at least the next two years. Researchers plan to test participants for antibodies to the virus over time, he said, and to look for differences among groups, such as those who work on campus compared with those who dont. The goal is to begin the antibody testing by Aug. 1, Ferrari said. Students and residents will both be surveyed to track changes in perceptions and experiences, Ferrari said. The team enlisted the support of borough and county officials and tapped experts on staff, including Nita Bharti, an interdisciplinary scientist who studies how large-scale movement affects disease transmission. This is an opportunity for local communities to have conversations about how they want their communities to go onward during this difficult time, said Michael Pipe, chair of the Centre County Board of Commissioners and a 2009 Penn State graduate. There may be no other community in Pennsylvania, he said, where the population is as greatly affected by the reopening of a university than Centre County. Residents are concerned about a potential increase in cases when students return, given the high level of interaction with the community, he said. Penn State largely shut down its campus and sent students home in March, and Centre County has had fewer than 300 confirmed coronavirus cases. HELP US REPORT: Are you a health care worker, medical provider, government worker, patient, frontline worker or other expert? We want to hear from you. At a State College borough council meeting this week, several council members voiced concern about the health impact of students return, including the move-in process. Were going to have 40,000 kids suddenly descending on the town, and as far as I know, the university has not laid out any really cogent plan for how were going to deal with it, council member Janet Engeman said. Another member, Theresa Lafer, said it takes only a few virus carriers moving into each apartment building to cause major problems. I see this as the beginning of a pandemic in more than one building, she said. READ MORE: Nearly three-quarters of Pa. state university faculty would not feel safe teaching students face-to-face this fall, survey shows Penn State for months has been planning for students return, and next week will offer more details on that planning, including testing, a university spokesperson said. The university also has said it is prepared to pivot and move all instruction online if problems occur. Local officials had questions about that, too. When is it going to be bad enough to pivot? council member Peter Marshall asked. But residents, Pipe said, also see another side to the students return. They understand the economic impact it could have on the communitys long-term viability if students dont return. Its about balancing those two things, I believe, he said. The running mate to NDCs flabearer John Dramani Mahama, Professor Jana Naana Opoku-Agyemang has condemned the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in the Savannah Region. The incident happened on Thursday, July 23, 2020 in the East Gonja Municipality. In a Facebook post, Professor Opoku-Agyemang said the elderly in Ghanaian society deserve love and protection, "not this level of unspeakable cruelty". "Old age cannot be synonymous to witchcraft. It is time to build a fair, just and gender sensitive society that respects and values everyone, no matter their age". She was also hopeful that the security agencies will swiftly investigate and bring the culprits to justice. What happened? The Savannah Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Enoch Adutwum Bediako told Graphic Online that at about 4pm on Thursday, July 23, 2020, Mahama Salami aged 60 years of Mempeasem, a suburb of Salaga reported to the police that he had received information at 11 am from his sister, Mahama Memuna that his mother, Akua Denteh aged 90 had been accused of being a witch. This was because a certain fetish priest in the area had said so. DCOP Bediako said based on that the old woman was subjected to severe beatings by Tanko and his accomplices until she became unconscious and died. He said when the matter was reported to the Salaga Police they proceeded to the scene at Kafaba, which is about 21 kilometres from Salaga and saw the lifeless body of the victim. He said an inspection conducted on the body of the victim revealed a cut on the forehead and bruises on the right arm. After processing the scene as part of investigations, the body was sent to the TTH mortuary for preservation. DCOP Bediako said the police are on the heels of those who perpetrated the act for the law to deal with them. The issue of witchcraft allegations, especially against old women are widespread in the northern part of Ghana. Read her entire post below; My attention has been drawn to the most despicable act of lynching of a 90-year-old-woman at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savanna Region. I condemn in the strongest terms this barbaric act which has left me, like many I can imagine, deeply sad, indeed. The elderly in our society rather deserve our love and protection, not this level of unspeakable cruelty. Old age cannot be synonymous to witchcraft. It is time to build a fair, just and gender sensitive society that respects and values everyone, no matter their age. It is my expectation that the security agencies will swiftly investigate and bring the culprits to justice. Moving forward, I hope we shall all work together to raise the level of public education to forestall such tragic occurrences. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and may the soul of this unfortunate victim rest in peace. Source: Graphiconline.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 Now that the Homeland series finale has come and gone, co-creator, Alex Gansa, revealed a few behind-the-scenes secrets. There are some things dedicated viewers may not even know. Fans likely know that Homeland utilized experts to advise, but theres one asset thats proven an MVP. Criticism of Homeland was as expected Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Rupert Friend, executive producer Alex Gansa and executive producer Howard Gordon | Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images RELATED: Homeland: Why Claire Danes Blew Up at Damian Lewis While Shooting the Cabin Scene The Showtime hit series, Homeland, wrapped after eight seasons. When creators first began, Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon had a few absolute ideas for the story. Most of which, revolved around Sergeant Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis). We had decided that we wanted to tell the last story in Afghanistan, and we already knew two big things, Gansa told the New York Times. He added that they knew the conclusion would ultimately put Carrie Mathison in Nicholas Brodys shoes. That said, everything between the first and final seasons became affected by criticism, according to Gansa. First and foremost, I think both the praise and the criticism were overblown. We were taking shots from the left for being Islamophobic and shots from the right for being soft on terrorism, he said. At the beginning of Season 5, Peter Quinn is sitting in a C.I.A. briefing room and telling people what it looks like on the ground in Syria. Our intention in that scene was to portray Quinn as somebody who had seen too much battle and whose judgment was impaired. The media outlets, he said, took one side or the other and ran with it. There was a moment toward the end of Season 5 where we all just looked at ourselves in the mirror. We were telling a story about an impending attack in Berlin, and four days before we shot the scene, the Paris attacks happened, he said. We found ourselves on the set saying, What are we doing? What is the value of telling these stories in a world that felt like it had gone a little crazy? That definitely affected Homeland in Seasons 6, 7, and 8. Those changes came due to a larger vow. The team would no longer dramatize threats that didnt exist in the real world. We were very careful in these remaining seasons that we were not going to be sensational. We were trying to not make it worse, he said. Who became an important asset for Homeland writers? You too can get access to the "100s of petabytes of data"perfect records of our private livesthat the NSA routinely ingests about people who have never been suspected of any wrongdoing. They'll tell you this is legal. They'll say it's constitutional. But you'll know better. https://t.co/VKD6rWkttG Edward Snowden (@Snowden) June 29, 2020 RELATED: Homeland: Peter Quinns Death Really Rankled Some of the Shows Fans With a show that focuses on fictionalized real-world events, experts are a necessity. In Homelands case, Gansa said they had something called Spy Camp. This was a series of brainstorming sessions the cast and creative staff did each season with intelligence and national security experts. The experts included a former C.I.A. director and a rather infamous whistle-blower: Edward Snowden. Thats why Season 5 was all about the surveillance state, hacking and civil liberties. Bart Gellman, a former Washington Post reporter, told me he was bringing a special guest to Spy Camp, and the next thing you know, were Skyping with Snowden in Moscow, Gansa said. This was about six months before Snowden was Skyping with other people, so all of the intelligence consultants we had in the room sat up in their seats, like, Oh my God!' He continued: We had a two- or three-hour conversation with him. He was an interesting cat, for sure. When somebody constantly refers to themselves in the third person, its always odd. But he made a compelling case that if he had gone through the normal channels, none of this would have become public. The biggest Homeland regrets RELATED: Why Homeland Lost So Much Momentum in Season 3 With Homeland over, the team has time to mull over the finished product. After Brody was falsely implicated in the C.I.A. bombing, I wish that we had found a better way to dramatize the impact of that upon his family in Season 3, he said. I just think that if we had been thinking more clearly, we could have devised a better story around how that affected and impacted their lives. Another change theyd make had to do with travel. A lot of the show was filmed overseas in places like Berlin and South Africa. Gansa said the actors were tired of the travel. That said, star, Claire Danes (who played Carrie Mathison), wouldnt change a thing in the final season. I was really happy with the shape of the final season, she said via Deadlines Contenders Television virtual event. I thought it was really smart to have Carrie so directly aligned with Brody in this final season for her to be unsure of herself if she is a traitor or not. However fans felt about any of Homelands eight seasons, not many can say theyve had Snowden or Spy Camp to thank. The show is a multi-award winner and nominee in nearly every category for good reason. It told stories similar to what viewers already know, both satisfying and terrifying all at once. Those travelling from Spain and its islands into the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, will now be required to quarantine for 14 days. The government said the decision to introduce a quarantine period has been taken following medical and scientific advice. The new regulations took effect from midnight last night. Therefore anyone arriving after that time must self-isolate. Speaking about the changes, Health Minister Robin Swann said: The decision to remove Spain from the exempt list was not taken lightly. "I have always said I will move swiftly and take the necessary action to ensure our citizens are protected. "I have spoken with my counterparts across the UK today and we agree that the recent upsurge in new positive cases in different parts of Spain are a cause for concern. Anyone returning or visiting Northern Ireland from Spain, including its islands will be required to quarantine for 14 days. "I will continue to monitor the situation in Spain and other countries and make the changes to the regulations when necessary. Further information is available on nidirect https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-countries-and-territories-exemptions It was a violent weekend in Philadelphia with at least 12 people shot, four of whom have died. It started around 10:20 p.m. Friday, when two 24-year-old men were fatally shot multiple times at 6th Street and Snyder Avenue, NBC 10 is reporting. Around 11:13 p.m., a 37-year-old man was shot in the foot, seven minutes later, an 18-year-old was shot in the knee, and around 11:32 p.m., a 32-year-old man was shot in the ankle and a 25-year-old man was shot in the knee, reports indicate. All are in stable condition. An 18-year-old man was shot and killed around 11:55 p.m. near 23rd and McClellan streets and was pronounced dead about a half hour later, NBC 10 reports. Another man was shot at the scene, but drove himself to the hospital, where he is in critical condition, reports indicate. Early Saturday shootings left a 19-year-old man in critical condition and a 21-year-old man in stable condition, reports indicate. A 31-year-old man was injured in a shooting around 5:30 p.m. A 31-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene of a shooting Saturday on the 6700 block of Chew Avenue, reports indicate. And a woman was injured when a gunman opened fire on a large crowd early Sunday in Southwest Philadelphia, Action News 6 ABC is reporting. The shooting occurred where hundreds had gathered outside of a popular racing spot at 67th and Passyunk Avenue, reports indicate. An argument broke out between two groups when a man pulled out a gun and fired at least 16 shots into the crowd, leaving a 31-year-old woman in serious condition, according to reports. 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. Ramu Patil By Express News Service BENGALURU: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa will complete one year in office on Sunday. From devastating floods to the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been a year of crises management for the BJP veteran, even as his administration grapples with multiple challenges. Karnataka was staring at a drought when Yediyurappa took over as CM for the record fourth time on July 26, 2019. In a few days, several districts were hit by devastating floods. Responding to the situation, the CM visited most of the flood-hit districts to oversee relief works. It was followed by ministry formation and the by-polls that ensured stability of the government formed with the support of leaders who switched sides, and also helped reassert his authority over the government and the party to some extent. As chief minister, Yediyurappa seems to have managed the crises well, but his development agenda did not get the required push, even though he attempted to take it to the next level. He visited Davos to woo investors, and looked forward to implement announcements made in the budget. But mobilisation of resources became a big challenge. After the pandemic broke out, he made it clear that the focus would only be on fighting the dreaded disease, but the fiscal situation was not that bright. BJP state unit general secretary and MLC N Ravi Kumar said that despite many challenges, the government had done well on all fronts. From releasing funds to help those hit by devastating floods to announcing the Rs 2,200 crore special package during the pandemic, the government has done well, he said. However, the governments has come under fire for taking the ordinance route to amend the Land Reforms Act, labour and industrial laws, and its handling of the Covid-19 situation -- especially in the last few weeks. He came to power through baptism by fire, and has remained in power through baptism by fire, said political analyst Prof Sandeep Shastri. Covid overtook everything. There was some success initially, as the CM put his faith in the bureaucracy and experts, and did not allow too much space for political interference. It also saw several hiccups, and there was a rift within the government. There is a feeling that the government has not been able to come to grips with the problem. Those working closely with the CM said that Yediyurappa has worked very hard to overcome all the challenges and crises. Once the state manages to overcome the pandemic, the focus will only be on development, they said. Speaker slams US' fighter jets threatening Iran's passenger plane IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, July 25, IRNA -- Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Friday that the Americans are lying that they flew in the standard routine, while the pilot received two TCAS warnings due to the too much approach of two fighters at the top and bottom of the aircraft. "In contact with the person in charge of Operation of Mahan Airline, I followed up on the details of the American terrorists' adventure last night, because the American terrorists tried to achieve the sinister pre-planned goals by preparing the ground for a possible error," Qalibaf tweeted late on Friday. Any US crime will undoubtedly accelerate the humiliating destruction of the arrogant powers in the region, especially the notorious Zionist regime, he reiterated. Mahan Air passenger plane was en route to Beirut, Lebanon when it was threatened by two military jets. The pilot of the Iranian plane said when he was talking to the pilots of the fighter jets to ask them to keep distance they had said that they were American. Although the Iranian plane finally landed in Beirut Airport, some of its passengers were immediately taken to hospital. 8072**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK - Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that the states COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU patients were at a new low since mid-March, and urged its residents to continue following the protocols that fueled New Yorks declining coronavirus numbers. The latest statewide figures indicated hospitalizations on Friday were down to 646, the lowest figure since March 18, while the number of patients in intensive care units stood at 149 _ the least since March 15. "It's essential that we stay vigilant by social distancing, wearing masks and washing our hands as this pandemic is far from over," said the governor, sounding a cautionary note despite the decline. "I urge everyone to stay New York tough and New York smart." While the news was heartening, Cuomo said this was no time for New Yorkers to become overconfident in the war against the lethal virus. The latest New York state death toll stood at 25,103 with the latest 10 victims included in Saturday's numbers. The figures for New Yorkers testing positive also remained low, with slightly more than 1% of the 71,466 tests returned Friday indicating coronavirus infection. "New York's numbers continue to show progress in the midst of alarming increased in COVID-19 cases throughout the country and a renewed need to ensure compliance with state guidance here at home," said Cuomo. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the number of U.S. cases broke the 4 million mark on Friday, with 143,868 deaths linked to coronavirus. In Texas, where there are 361,125 positive cases, hundreds of local bar owners said they would defy Gov. Greg Abbott's order to shut down after a surge in coronavirus cases. The death toll in Florida, another hotspot state, climbed above 5,500 amid the 385,091 people diagnosed with COVID-19. Nigeria and the rest of the world continued last week to battle the coronavirus pandemic which has infected over 16 million people and caused at least 648,863 deaths globally. Nigeria has recorded almost 40,000 infections and over 856 deaths from the disease. Healthcare workers, who are first responders to patients are amongst those infected with the World Health Organisation reporting that over 100,000 of them had been infected in Africa. The pandemic has disrupted human activities and plans and overshadowed other health issues across the world. Here is a round-up of some of the health stories which made headlines: Coronavirus: Nigeria records 438 new cases, total nears 40,000 Nigeria on Saturday recorded 438 new cases of coronavirus with the total confirmed cases now 39,977. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in a post early Sunday said the new cases were recorded in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). 438 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-123 Kaduna-50 Rivers-40 Edo-37 Adamawa-25 Oyo-20 Nasarawa-16 Osun-15 Enugu-15 FCT-14 Ekiti-13 Ondo-13 Ebonyi-11 Katsina-10 Abia-9 Delta-8 Kwara-4 Ogun-3 Cross River-3 Kano-3 Bauchi-3 Yobe-2 Sokoto-1 Niger-1, the agency wrote in a post on Twitter. Global Fund: Nigeria receives $890m to tackle HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria Nigeria has received $890 million grant from Global Fund to reduce the burden of HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria over an implementation period of three years, 2021 to 2023. Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, announced the receipt of the grant at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja. The Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF) is an innovative international financing mechanism established by the United Nations in 2002, with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It is a global partnership of governments, civil society and private donors. It was established for the purpose of attracting, leveraging and investing resources to fund public health interventions to accelerate the eradication of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in affected high burden countries, towards Sustainable Development Goals. Over 10, 000 health workers in Africa infected with COVID-19 WHO World Health Organisation (WHO) says no fewer than 10,000 health workers in the 40 countries battling the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Africa are infected. The organisations Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, stated this in a statement posted on its website on Friday. The UN health agency, which warned of the threat posed by COVID-19 to health workers across Africa, added that this is a huge challenge medical staff on the frontlines of the outbreak face. More than 10,000 health workers in the 40 countries which have reported on such infections have been infected with COVID-19 so far. This comes as COVID-19 cases in Africa appear to be gathering pace. There are now more than 750,000 cases, with over 15,000 deaths. Pakistan resumes anti-polio campaign as COVID-19 infections decline Pakistan on Monday resumed vaccinations against polio to protect tens of thousands of children from the crippling disease after months of suspension due to coronavirus outbreak. The door-to-door campaign to vaccinate 800,000 children under the age of five is scheduled to last three days in polio hot spots. Around 32,000 health workers who were trained on preventive measures and safe handling of a child while administering a vaccine will take part in the campaign, an official said. At least 40 million children had missed the periodic vaccinations since March that widened immunity gap among vulnerable children raising fears that more children may contract the disease. Africa records 23% increase in COVID-19 cases WHO World Health Organisation (WHO) says there is a 23 per cent increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Africa in the past week. Advertisements WHO disclosed this in a weekly COVID-19 Situation update for WHO Africa Region, External Situation Report 21, posted on WHO Africa twitter account @WHOAFRO. According to the report, COVID-19 outbreak has continued to evolve in the WHO African Region since it was first detected in Algeria on Feb. 25, 2020. Nigeria has 59 labs for COVID-19 test NCDC The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says there are now 59 laboratories with the capacity to test for COVID-19 across 29 states and the FCT, while two rapid diagnostic are in the pipeline for validation. Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General, NCDC, made this known during the Presidential Tasks Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Ihekweazu said that the centre was working to ensure that testing capacity was available in remaining states across the country. He stated that the NCDC teams were currently in Zamfara, Kebbi, Gombe, and Taraba states. Norway contributes N420 m to Nigerias One UN COVID-19 response The Government of Norway is the latest contributor to the One United Nations COVID-19 response with a donation of 9.9 million Norwegian Kroner (420 million Naira) in support of the Nigerian Government. The UN made this known in a statement jointly issued by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian government on Wednesday in Abuja. The statement said the donation would bolster support to the Nigeria COVID-19 Multi-Sectoral Pandemic Response Plan and help the government to sustain its efforts in addressing critical issues of the on-going pandemic. Expect spike in Covid-19 cases in August There will be a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in Lagos next month (August), Akin Abayomi, the state commissioner for health has hinted. Mr Abayomi told reporters at Alausa, Ikeja, that the expected rise would be as a result of modelling carried out on the pandemic in the state. Modelling is not always accurate. So, this is just a postulation and I hope Lagos State will soon flatten the curve. We are refining the model so that we can get a better grasp when the cases will peak and when we are likely to experience the downward trend of the outbreak, he said. Nigerians dying quietly from toxic preservatives in foods Scientists FOOD processors and sellers across Nigeria are using toxic chemicals to improve the look of many food items, including cassava flour, beans and fish, scientists have said. The experts explained that with the practice, millions of people are subjected to the risk of experiencing kidney problems and cancer. They claim that weak government testing capacities and informal food supply chains leave traders and fishermen with little oversight and offer almost no protection to unwary consumers. Patients groan as LUTH makes them buy medical supplies for surgery Patients who are billed to undergo surgical procedures at the Federal Government-owned Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, are being mandated to equip their surgeons before they can be scheduled for their surgeries. The patients are required to buy disposable goggles, face masks, disposable gowns, polypropylene mesh and Home Medical Equipment a category of devices used for patients whose care is being managed from home or other private facility managed by a nonprofessional caregiver or family member. This is separate from the charges they will still pay for the surgery, PUNCH HealthWise reported. What does the decision to add Spain to the quarantine list mean for British holidaymakers? (Getty) The government has removed Spain from its list of safe countries, meaning holidaymakers returning from the country, including its islands, will have to self-isolate for two weeks then they get back to the UK. The move comes amid concerns that Spain is experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections. On Sunday Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stood by the sudden decision to reimpose strict quarantine rules at short notice on travellers returning from Spain, calling the measures absolutely necessary. But the government has been urged to take a more targeted approach to quarantine rules after holidaymakers were left shocked and confused by the decision. So what do the changes mean for holidaymakers? What do the changes mean? The changes, which came into effect from midnight on Saturday, mean that from Sunday all returning travellers will have to quarantine themselves for 14 days. It applies to people returning to any of the four nations of the UK England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Quarantine measures will apply to those returning from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa) and the Balearic Islands, such as Majorca and Ibiza. However, Spain has said it is in conversation with the UK about exempting the Canary and Balearic islands from the requirement. The decision to introduce quarantine measures was made after Spain recorded more than 900 fresh daily coronavirus cases for two days running. (PA) Why have the measures been brought in now? The Government said the move followed a significant change over the previous week in the level and pace of change in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Spain, which has reported more than 900 new daily infections for the past two days. Catalonia has become the latest region to crack down on nightlife as it tries to limit new infection clusters, ordering all nightclubs to close for 15 days and puting a midnight curfew on bars in the greater Barcelona area and other towns around Lleida. What should people do if they are already in Spain? Story continues People who are currently on holiday in Spain are encouraged to follow local rules, return home as normal and check the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices (FCO) travel advice pages on gov.uk for further information. The FCO is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave. Abta the UKs travel trade association advised customers in the country to continue their holidays and return as normal. What should you go do if you have a trip to Spain booked? The FCO is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. Holiday operator Tui has said it will cancel all planned holidays to Spain customers will be contacted to discuss options. Abta has advised customers due to travel to the country imminently to contact their travel provider. However, budget airline easyJet said it planned to operate its full schedule in the coming days. What about my travel insurance? The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has said it was likely that travel insurance will remain in place for holidaymakers already in Spain until they return home. However, those attempting to travel to countries against FCO advice would invalidate their travel insurance. The ABI said people who booked a trip or took out travel insurance after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic may not be covered for travel disruption or cancellation. In either case, travellers should check with their insurer. Will I get penalised by my employer if I have to go into quarantine? Dominic Raab said no worker following quarantine guidance should be penalised by employers, including by being put onto sick pay. The conciliation service Acas advised employees returning from Spain to talk to their employer as soon as possible. It said unless employees are actually ill, they are unlikely to qualify for statutory sick pay although an employer could still offer to pay this if it wanted to. If they have previously been furloughed, they could agree to a further period of furlough to cover the isolation period. Or they could agree a further period of annual leave, a period of unpaid leave or a mix of the two. Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter The Dehradun police on Sunday arrested a 38-year-old man for allegedly masterminding the abduction of a prominent construction trader in Odishas Sambalpur district and carrying out the kidnapping along with three others on July 10, police said. The police swung into action after getting an input from the Sambalpur police on Saturday stating that the accused Rajiv Dua, a resident of Dehradun has been hiding in the city after committing the crime. Following the input, we immediately formed a police team and mobilized our informers to nab him. With the help of electronic surveillance, we got to know about his location in citys Raipur area. He was finally caught this afternoon from there, said Arun Mohan Joshi, deputy inspector general, Dehradun. Joshi said that during the interrogation he confessed to the crime and said, He used to run a cloth business in Dehraduns Paltan Bazar but after he ran into heavy losses, he shut down the business in 2018 and went to his maternal uncle living in Sambalpur. There again he started his cloth business and opened a garment shop. But as his business was not running well, he fell under heavy debt. There in his shop he met two of accomplices who too were under heavy debt. The three of them decided to abduct the construction trader Naresh Agrawal who used to live in the same neighborhood as Duas uncle, Joshi said. According to the plan hatched by Dua, the three along with one other person, abducted Agrawal on July 10 while he was out on work. Joshi said, After abducting him in Duas car, they had planned to call his family for ransom. But, before they could make the ransom call, police got to know about it and started searching for him. Scared, they all then dropped him near his house and fled. Dua then came to Dehradun by car on July 18. After his arrest, police have also seized his car and mobile phone used in the crime. A probe is on, he said. A belligerent truck driver has needlessly got himself arrested by refusing to give his name to police at a border checkpoint. Adam Thurrowgood apparently blasted through the NSW-Queensland border before finally being stopped on the other side. The tattooed truckie filmed himself interacting with a fed-up policeman and a short segment of the 50-minute video was posted online to mock him. The cop told him he had failed to provide ID at the border stop, to which the driver insisted he was never asked. The video snippets showed the cop telling the driver he needed to give his details, and then trying to drag him out of the cabin after we refused numerous times When the policeman told him 'well I'm asking for you [to] now', a bizarre exchange followed as the cop got increasingly sick of the driver's nonsense. 'You work for the corporation known as the Queensland Police... Am I a man?' the truckie asked. 'Well, what do you identify as?' the policeman responded. 'No, it's a yes or no question, am I a man?' 'It's 2020, mate. What do you identify as?' A second snippet of the video jumped to the policeman attempting to drag the driver out of his cabin and place him under arrest. 'For what crime?' the driver demanded. 'You've been told 20 times, I'm hanging off the side of a truck,' the exasperated policeman responded as he wrestled with his arm through the window. 'Yes, and I have not committed a crime. You're acting as an armed civilian outside your authority,' was the truckie's bizarre response. Adam Thurrowgood apparently blasted through the NSW-Queensland border before finally being stopped on the other side Another policeman identifying himself as a senior constable showed up and coaxed the driver out of his truck Soon after, another policeman identifying himself as a senior constable showed up and coaxed the driver out of his truck. The first policeman explained that the driver failed to state his full and correct name several times and wouldn't get out of the truck. The second cop told him he was being detained for a possible traffic breach, failing to stop at the border, and failing to provide details. Queensland's border has been open to the rest of the country since July 17 after months of closure, but anyone entering must sign a border declaration. The border declaration pass, which can be issued in advance or at the border, states that the traveller has not been to a coronavirus hotspot, and that if they develop symptoms they will report for testing immediately. Queensland's border has been open to the rest of the country since July 17 after months of closure, but anyone entering must sign a border declaration The border declaration pass, which can be issued in advance or at the border, states that the traveller has not been to a coronavirus hotspot, and that if they develop symptoms they will report for testing immediately Anyone who has been in a hotspot, which includes all of Victoria, in the previous 14 days can't enter unless they have an exemption. Truck drivers usually fall under an exemption as essential services, but still have to fill out the border declaration. The Twitter user who uploaded the snippets from the video said in the longer version the first cop explained how easy the process was. 'The cop actually says to him, you can get on your phone right now and get a border pass, it only takes a minute,' he wrote. What happened to the truck driver afterwards is unclear. There is rarely a dull day in Iowa politics, and the next 100 will be no exception. Today marks 100 days until the 2020 general election, which in Iowa will feature competitive races up and down the ballot. So its a good time to take stock of everything worth watching in the days and weeks leading up to November 3. ERNST VS. GREENFIELD There is a race one spot higher on the ballot, but this is the one Iowans should be watching just as closely. Republican freshman U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst is facing Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield. This race will determine who holds this seat the next six years. That alone should be sufficient reason to pay attention. But it also figures to play prominently in which party controls the U.S. Senate. Thats some seriously thick icing on an already-rich election cake. Speaking of which, re-election will be no cake walk for Ernst. A Selzer & Company/Des Moines Register poll in June actually showed Greenfield with a 3-point lead. And a more recent AARP-commissioned survey of Iowa voters 50 or older also conducted by Selzer showed Ernsts job approval numbers underwater, with 42% approving and 53% disapproving. The national parties and interest groups also are all over this race because of its implications for control of the U.S. Senate. Their ads are all over TV and it wont stop until Nov. 3. CONGRESSIONAL INTRIGUE Iowa is typically good for two congressional races each cycle. But how about four? Each race promises to be competitive, or at least intriguing. Eastern Iowas 1st District and central Iowas 3rd District are almost always close contests. This year is no different. A pair of Democratic freshman incumbents, Abby Finkenauer in the 1st and Cindy Axne in the 3rd, are facing tough re-election battles against the GOPs Ashley Hinson and David Young, respectively. Meanwhile, the 2nd District is an open-seat race where Democrats are trying to maintain a seat in the eastern Iowa district that President Donald Trump carried in 2016. Like the 1st, the 2nd District race features a pair of former state legislators: Democrat Rita Hart and Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks. As for the 4th District, it promises to be worth watching, too, if for no other reason than the decided lack of Steve King. The 9-term incumbent Republicans incendiary comments finally caught up to him. He lost a GOP primary to state legislator Randy Feenstra in June. Feenstra will face Democrat J.D. Scholten, who came within an eyelash of upsetting King in 2018. Running against Feenstra, instead of King, will be more difficult for Scholten. But the Democrat made noteworthy gains in 2018 and comes into this race with more name recognition. Maybe this will be another close one on Election night. STATEHOUSE CONTROL Iowa House races will be worth watching as Democrats try to take out one of the three legs of the Republicans complete control of the Iowa Capitol. The GOP has just a 53-47 edge in the Iowa House, and Democrats believe they can flip enough seats to regain a majority. If Democrats can flip the chamber, they stop the GOPs ability to pass laws without the Democrats approval. Democrats maxed out their victories in the suburbs in 2018. So, to flip the chamber, they must protect those wins and pick up more seats, most likely in Iowas Mississippi River border counties. POTUS Trump won Iowa by nearly 10 points in 2016, but early polls show a close contest between the president and Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden. What is still unclear: To what extent the Trump and Biden campaigns see Iowa as vital to their pursuit of 270 electoral votes. That will determine whether they plan to campaign here. Iowa may not receive as much attention as in previous elections. Most pundits see states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida and Arizona, among a few others, as more important to the campaigns political calculus. Still, Iowa is important enough for Trump to run TV ads here, so well see. EARLY VOTING A backdrop to all these races is the intrigue over how Iowans will actually vote. With the pandemic still a very real threat, voters may be motivated to vote via absentee ballot, as a record number did during the June primary. The question is, which party has the advantage in absentee and early voting. Democrats typically do better with early voting and Republicans make up the ground on Election Day. But if this year has taught us anything, its that predictions are chancy; answers will have to wait 100 days. Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government for Lee Enterprises. His email address is erin.murphy@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter at @ErinDMurphy. The Rotorua superstock team whose use of the Confederate battle flag drew criticism from the race relations conciliator has announced it is time for a change. The Rotorua Rebels Superstock team came under fire for their use of the flag as racial tensions rose in the wake of the killing in the United States of George Floyd, and a decision from NASCAR to ban the use of the controversial flag at its race meets. The flag, carried by the slavery supporting armies of the Confederacy in the US Civil War, has long appeared alongside Nascar and other originally dirt-track based motor racing which sprang out of the US South in the early 20th century. However, in banning it Nascar says it "runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans". In a statement posted to social media the Rotorua Rebels team say that they had used the flag for 35 years to acknowledge the battles that come with teams racing. Although the club only ever used the flag to recognise the courageous efforts of their drivers, recent events in America have reignited the original meaning to the flag. Therefore, the club have decided it is time for a change and are in the process of designing a new flag that will continue to reflect the pride and honour that past and present teams and supporters will use to help show their support for the Rotorua Stockcar Club Inc. An announcement will be made in due course, once the new flag has been finalised. Race relations conciliator Meng Foon had earlier told Stuff that he believed it would be "provocative to continue to use the Confederate flag in a sports club setting". He cited the recent NASCAR decision and says the flag was "politically loaded and has been known to be used by white supremacist groups". University of Auckland senior history lecturer Paul Taillon says it was important to view the flag in the original context of the American Civil War "and understand that the Confederacy seceded to protect slavery and to maintain a society based in white supremacy". -Stuff/Benn Bathgate By Lisa Shumaker and Dan Whitcomb (Reuters) - The United States recorded more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 for the fourth straight day on Friday but a top White House advisor on the pandemic said she saw signs that the worst could be past in hard-hit southern and western states. At least 1,019 fatalities due to COVID-19 were confirmed nationwide on Friday, following 1,140 on Thursday, 1,135 on Wednesday and 1,141 on Tuesday. Total cases across the United States rose by at least 68,800 on Friday to over 4 million. The numbers have been driven in large part by a surge in infections in Arizona, California, Florida, Texas and California. "We're already starting to see some plateauing in these critically four states that have really suffered under the last four weeks, so Texas, California, Arizona and Florida, those major metros and throughout their counties," Dr Deborah Birx told NBC news in an interview. Birx's comments came as federal health and education officials stressed the need for children to return to in-class instruction. The American public and its leaders have been sharply divided over whether students should return to school for the fall term during the pandemic. Birx said children under the age of 18 are typically less sick than older adults from the sometimes deadly illness but called it an "open question" how readily those under 10 can spread the virus. U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for schools to reopen, saying that it was critical to the mental and emotional well-being of children and the ability of their parents to work. Business closures and "stay-at-home" orders imposed by governors and local officials have badly damaged the nation's economy and thrown millions of Americans out of work. Graphic: Tracking the novel coronavirus in the U.S. https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS-USA/0100B5K8423/index.html 'BAD OPTIONS' The CDC issued a call to reopen schools in a statement posted on its website that listed the benefits of being in school and downplayed health risks, although it said exceptions should be made for so-called virus "hot spots." Story continues The guidance does not carry the force of law, and it is unclear how much weight it will carry with school districts. Most teachers unions, which in some states and cities have an outsized political influence especially among Democrats, have fought hard against reopenings. The guidelines were "all put out with the intent to help facilitate, as was mentioned earlier, the full reopening of schools for face-to-face learning," said Dr Robert Redfield, the CDC's director. The CDC, the nation's health protection agency posted the documents after Trump called earlier recommendations too tough, impractical and expensive. The Republican president has been increasingly critical of health experts as the surge in cases interferes with his efforts to reopen the economy. While the risk of severe COVID-19 is seen as relatively low for children, there is fear they could infect teachers and other employees. Schools across the country are opening on different dates, with different modes of teaching - virtual instruction, in-person in classrooms, or a hybrid of both - and different or unclear expectations of how long each stage will last. In-person classes in metropolitan Houston, which has been hard-hit by the virus in recent weeks, have been delayed until at least Sept. 8, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said. Graphic: Where coronavirus cases are rising in the United States https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/USA-TRENDS/dgkvlgkrkpb/index.html New Jersey on Friday issued guidelines allowing parents to choose all-remote learning after receiving feedback from many who "wanted a greater voice in the decision-making process." Heather Mellet, 42, has two children in Florida's Orange County Public Schools system, which is starting classes on Aug. 24. Parents can choose online, in-person, or a hybrid, she said. Mellet is keeping both her children home and opting for online learning only. "We're choosing the best of the bad options," she said. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Jason Lange in Washington, Rich McKay in Atlanta, Brad Brooks in Austin, Maria Caspani and Barbara Goldberg in New York; Writing by Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Daniel Wallis) Less than three weeks before the fentanyl made by a company based in London was used to carry out an execution in Nebraska in 2018, its top executive fired off a letter to Gov. Pete Ricketts, Attorney General Doug Peterson and Corrections Director Scott Frakes. The letter was to "remind you again" on Hikma's position on the misuse of their products. "We object in the strongest possible terms to the use of any of our products for the purpose of capital punishment," said Daniel Motto, executive vice president of Hikma/West-Ward Pharmaceuticals. He said it was the company's understanding the Nebraska Department of Corrections may possess fentanyl made by Hikma and it that may be used in a pending execution. He asked for the immediate return of the drugs "unless the State of Nebraska is prepared to provide to us an original raised-seal copy of an affidavit signed by the governor or attorney general certifying it would only be used for patient care. "The use of these products in executions would represent a serious misuse of life saving medicines," Motto said. And he wasn't alone. Records released Thursday, as the result of three lawsuits filed by the Lincoln Journal Star, Omaha World-Herald and the ACLU of Nebraska, revealed the manufacturers of each of the drugs in the state's unique four-drug cocktail used Aug. 14, 2018, to execute Carey Dean Moore. The records also showed that Community Pharmacy in Gretna, which had a contract with the Department of Corrections to manage its pharmacy, purchased the drugs for the state. The department paid Community Pharmacy $492,000 for the two-year contract that ran from Oct, 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2018, plus $400 for temporary staffing by a pharmacy technician in August 2017, the contract showed. All of the manufacturers for those drugs have objected to them being used in executions. One of the companies, Fresenius Kabi, had sued in 2018 to delay Moore's execution because it believed its drugs were to be used, but was turned down by both a federal district court and appeals court. The records request revealed that two of its drugs, cisatracurium, a muscle relaxant, and potassium chloride, which stops the heart, were used in Moore's death. The company's position is that it does not allow the sale of certain drugs to correctional facilities. For its products made in Europe, the unauthorized use of them for lethal injection could also lead to sanctions by the European Union and could threaten the U.S. supply of important drugs, potentially putting patients at risk. Reached Friday, two others Hikma and Pfizer both said they also asked the state to return their drugs, which didn't happen. Pfizer said in a statement Friday it makes its products to enhance and save the lives of the patients it serves. "We strongly object to the use of any of our products in the lethal injection process for capital punishment," said Pfizer spokeswoman Sally Beatty. "Since 2016, we have informed the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services on multiple occasions that Pfizer strongly objects to the use of its products as lethal injections for capital punishment." She said the company asked the department to return any Hospira or Pfizer manufactured restricted product in their possession and provided them with procedures to follow to return for a full refund. Teva, which manufactured the hydromorphone, a strong opioid painkiller purchased by the state initially for use as a lethal injection drug but not used, took a stand in 2013 that its drug propofol not be used in executions. It wanted to limit its sale and distribution to customers who agreed to use best efforts not to sell or distribute it to correctional facilities. Laura Strimple, Corrections Department chief of staff, was asked whether the department has purchased lethal injection drugs since those purchased for the Moore execution have expired, or how actively the department is attempting to purchase drugs. "It is the responsibility of NDCS to carry out the order of the court, which includes continuing to pursue procuring the necessary substances," Strimple said. Gov. Pete Ricketts said Friday at a news conference his administration will continue to carry out the sentences the court ordered and the people of Nebraska support using the current execution protocol. The protocol, created in 2016, says the director will determine which drugs and their quantities would be used for lethal injection. The drugs can be directly purchased or obtained through the pharmacy department or other sources, including pharmaceutical or chemical compounding. Death row inmate Jose Sandoval was notified in late 2017 of the lethal injection drugs that would be administered in his death if an execution takes place. Those drugs were to be the same as those used in Moore's execution. Community Pharmacy, which contracted with the Department of Corrections leading up to and during the time of Moore's execution, would not answer questions on whether it violated the policies of drug manufacturers by purchasing the drugs for purposes of lethal injection, or whether it could be held liable or sued for those purchases. "The statement from Dr. Kyle Janssen (Thursday) is our only statement," the pharmacy responded. With the contract, Community Pharmacy had oversight of 10 facilities, including managing and reviewing medications, records inventory, logs, quality control checks and prescriptions. Strimple said the department now oversees its pharmacy. The Gretna company posted its statement regarding its involvement with supplying the lethal injection drugs on its website, Facebook and Twitter. Comments on Facebook ranged from defending the company for simply fulfilling a contract to shaming it and asking if the company would refund the money if it really regretted its decision to supply those drugs. Reach the writer at 402-473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSLegislature Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 2 Sad 1 Angry 8 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JoAnne Young State government reporter JoAnne Young covers state government, including the Legislature and state agencies, and the people they serve. Follow JoAnne Young Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today More than 100 people have had their social welfare payments cut for going on holidays during the coronavirus pandemic. Gardai and social welfare officers are checking the names of people flying out of the country to see if they are receiving unemployment payments. Those that are travelling abroad, against public health advice, are having their benefits cut off as part of a crackdown. The Business Post reports that in the last 14 days, 104 people have had their pandemic unemployment payment cut off because they were found to be boarding a flight abroad in breach of rules. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett says the policy is inconsistent. He said: So they say you cant go. Then they say you can go to some countries. And now theyre saying well financially punish you if go, if youve lost your job because of Covid, but if you havent lost your job you can go. I mean, its just unbelievable inconsistent, contradictory and just shows what a shambles the whole travel policy is around Covid-19. Last week, the Government published a green list of 15 countries last night which are deemed safe for travel. People can travel to those countries without having to restrict their movements for 14 days when they return. Public advice remains to avoid all non-essential travel. Meanwhile, holidaymakers returning from Spain to Northern Ireland on Sunday morning will have to quarantine for 14 days over fears of a second wave in Covid cases. The so-called travel corridor with Spain was closed from midnight by the British government. The decision comes after Spain reported more than 900 new daily infections for the past two days. The decision means those coming back from the popular holiday destination, including its islands, will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to Northern Ireland. I will not be sending my son Aarav to school till the time a vaccine is made available in the market. I would rather prefer that he sits at home than risk his life for some grades, says Gurugram-based Shruti Kakar, an MNC employee, who is certain that schooling has taken a back seat as the world deals with the pandemic. From commuting to school to being in the classroom, each step is dangerous, and Im not willing to gamble our lives, adds Kakar. And, she isnt alone as parents across Delhi-NCR are concerned about how to make up their mind to send their kids to school, whenever they reopen. We were anyway worried about sending our daughters to school. My business of organising events has suffered massive losses, and with the school not giving a waiver on the fees, we had no choice but to plan to teach our kids at home, for this entire year. Noida-based, Akanksha Arora For some, the bigger question is about affording their childs education amid major salary cuts that have already hit the budget of most households. Noida-based Akanksha Arora whose husband lost his job due to coronavirus leading to an economic slowdown says they have had to withdraw their kids from a private school in Noida. We were anyway worried about sending our daughters to school. My business of organising events has suffered massive losses, and with the school not giving a waiver on the fees, we had no choice but to plan to teach our kids at home, for this entire year. Its not a bad idea to teach kids at home, but this decision has been forced upon us by the circumstances. Most parents have already doubled up as teachers since the schools had closed for lockdown. As classes continue online, and teachers struggle to adapt to virtual teaching, Deepika Pawra, a sales manager, who is helping her 7-year-old son Unnat with online classes, says, Till the time the pandemic dies down completely, the idea of schools reopening seems misplaced. Its very hard to ensure safe social distancing among children. With the general school strength, how will they be seated? How will they interact with each other? A lot of questions need to be answered if the schools mull on reopening. Im trying to understand the curriculum, to make my son adjust to it when I teach him at home. The present Work From Home scenario might become a permanent feature of my job. Aditi Jain, a Gurugram resident In fact, parents are now widely discussing the idea of schooling their kids at home to keep them safe. They have been asking for study material online as well as guidance from parents who have been homeschooling their children for years now. Aditi Jain, a Gurugram resident, is one such parent who says, Im trying to understand the curriculum, to make my son adjust to it when I teach him at home. The present Work From Home scenario might become a permanent feature of my job, and since coronavirus has put a big question mark on the safety of public spaces including schools, I felt its better if I take things in my hand and keep my kid safe! Author tweets @bhagat_mallika For more stories follow Facebook and Twitter CHRISTIANSBURG A protesters unintentional kick to a Virginia state trooper and anothers chaining of himself to a helicopter were among the charges resolved last week in Montgomery County as the courts cleared another set of cases tied to ongoing opposition to the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The regions courts have seen dozens of such cases in the past two years as protesters try to block the West Virginia-to-Pittsylvania County route of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. On Tuesday in Montgomery County General District Court, Maura Elizabeth Finn, 24, of Alexandria, faced charges of assaulting a Virginia state trooper, fleeing from police, and obstructing a right-of-way, all stemming from a July 2019 incident in Montgomery County. A plea agreement amended the obstruction charge to trespassing, and the assault and flight charges were dropped. After Finn pleaded not guilty to trespassing but agreed there was enough evidence to convict her, Judge Randal Duncan convicted her of the misdemeanor and imposed a $150 fine. The judge then ordered that Finn stay off Mountain Valley Pipeline property for 12 months and also stay out of Montgomery County for the same time period. After the hearing, attorney Chris Tuck of Blacksburg, who represented Finn, said the most serious charge against his client, assaulting an officer, came from an accidental act. Maura very much believes in non-violent protest, Tuck said. When officers told protesters to leave a pipeline access right-of-way, Finn went limp so that officers had to carry her out, Tuck said. When a trooper shifted his grip on Finns leg, it brought her foot up to hit the officer, who was not injured, Tuck said. Finn had not even realized what occurred until being shown an officers body-cam video, Tuck added. She maintains it was not intentional, he said. On Thursday in Montgomery County Circuit Court, it was the turn of Galen Sol Shireman-Grabowski, 24, of Tucson, Arizona. In October 2019, Shireman-Grabowski locked himself to a helicopter used by pipeline crews, according to a prosecution summary of the case. He attached himself to the rotor atop the helicopter and eventually was cut free by police officers. The helicopters pitch link was damaged during the incident, the prosecution said. In a plea agreement worked out with Shireman-Grabowskis attorney, Dennis Nagel of Christiansburg, three charges were dropped: interfering with operation of an aircraft, obstructing free passage, and wearing a mask in public. Shireman-Grabowski pleaded guilty to felony destruction of property, obstruction of justice, tampering with a vehicle, and entering someone elses property to cause damage. Judge Mike Fleenor took the four charges under advisement for a year and ordered Shireman-Grabowski to pay $14,030.41 for repairs to the helicopter, finish 50 hours of community service and generally be of good behavior. If Shireman-Grabowski completes the requirements, the felony destruction of property charge is to be reduced to a misdemeanor, Commonwealths Attorney Mary Pettitt wrote in an email after the hearing. The case of another protester, Emma Howell of Elliston, who was 22 when she was arrested in February, was continued until Sept. 14 after a Tuesday hearing in the countys General District Court. Howell faces three counts of assault and battery of pipeline workers. One resulted from a struggle over a rope leading to a tree stand that protesters have occupied for more than 600 days to block timber-cutting for pipeline construction near Yellow Finch Lane in Montgomery County. Her attorney, Ryan Hamrick of Christiansburg, said he had only just received pipeline security workers body-cam footage and needed time to go through it. Other protest cases recently in the regions courts included that of Danika R. Padilla, 23, of Whitesville, W.Va. Padilla had two charges of fleeing from officers dismissed after witnesses did not show up at a July 13 hearing in Montgomery County General District Court. Two years ago, Padilla, known as Nutty, blocked pipeline work by occupying a platform in the trees in the Jefferson National Forest in Giles County. The charges in Montgomery County came from the same July 2019 incident in which Finn was arrested. And last month in Franklin County General District Court, protester Amory Lei Zhou-Kourvo wrapped up a case that began last August when he locked himself to pipeline construction equipment. Prosecutors said the disruption lasted a little over four hours. Zhou-Kourvo, 21, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, spent nine days in jail after his arrest. At a June 17 hearing, Zhou-Kourvom was convicted of tampering with a vehicle and fined $100. A trespassing charge was dropped. A Worchester, Massachusetts, woman, Melissa Dubois, was charged alongside Zhou-Kourvom, also with trespassing and vehicle tampering, but her case has seen multiple continuances and now has a Sept. 9 court date. Staff writer Neil Harvey contributed to this article. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. South Carolina school districts are working against the clock to finalize plans for reopening school this fall amid the global pandemic. Rapidly changing COVID-19 conditions have caused many districts to delay announcing any official decisions until the last possible minute, sparking frustration from some educators and parents desperate for answers. Recent requirements from the state's education agency and controversial statements from the governor haven't made the process any easier, forcing school districts to readjust their plans and present parents with options before time runs out. Here are some answers about school reopening plans: Who makes the final decision on school districts plans for fall reopening? State Superintendent Molly Spearman has the sole authority to approve or reject school districts' reopening plans for this fall. Lawmakers gave her that authority in the temporary budget they passed earlier this year to keep the government operating past July 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Henry McMaster has strongly urged school districts and local leaders to fully reopen this fall. The governor does not have any real authority here, other than his ability to use his influence to urge lawmakers to intervene. Lawmakers have a great deal of power, if they can agree on a course of action. They could theoretically pressure Spearman or individual school districts into taking some sort of action, in part because they control K-12 funding in South Carolina and can threaten to withhold money if school districts aren't doing what they want. But that approach would be difficult to pull off given the level of division in the General Assembly already over McMaster's back-to-school plan. Could McMaster mandate in-person instruction five days a week or use an executive order to override what the state education agency approves or rejects? Experts say its highly unlikely. The pandemic has given McMaster more power than he would have otherwise, perhaps more than any other S.C. governor in generations. But he still has limits. Its worth noting that McMaster strongly suggested schools reopen five days a week but did not mandate it or issue an official executive order requiring it. If he had the power to mandate schools follow his advice, its likely he would have done so already. Spearman is the states highest official when it comes to overseeing the public school system. As a result, it would be difficult for McMaster to successfully force his hand in the states educational arena. What are the criteria Spearman is using to approve or reject plans? Typically, district leaders work to formulate specific fall reopening plans before bringing them before the school board for a vote. But all plans need final approval from the S.C. Department of Education and Spearman before they become official. On July 17, just two days after McMaster called for five-day-a-week instruction, Spearman released guidance to school districts outlining the main criteria they would need to meet when submitting fall reopening plans. The four key things shes looking for: A virtual option for all students: Some parents do not feel comfortable sending their children back for any form of in-person education. Under Spearmans guidance, all school districts should have an online-only option available for those parents. An in-person option for all students: In order to get official signoff from the state education agency, districts must include some form of in-person learning option for students next year. So-called blended or hybrid models will be considered an in-person option, according to Spearmans guidance. Schools are encouraged to open five days a week if COVID conditions permit. Its unlikely that a plan will be approved if it doesnt include at least one day of in-person instruction, according to S.C. Department of Education spokesman Ryan Brown. A time frame: Districts need to include an estimated time frame of when theyll reevaluate their plans and procedures to determine when a full-time face-to-face instruction model might be possible. A plan for student services: Regardless of the model school districts choose to use, theyll need to provide clear examples of how they plan to deliver high-quality lessons for all students. Theyll also need to include plans for how a broad range of student services will be provided, such as mental health resources or additional support for students with disabilities. Will a plan that starts the school year with virtual instruction be rejected by the Education Department? Ultimately, Spearman and other officials at the agency are looking for plans that include a minimum of one day of classroom instruction for students each week. It is unlikely but not impossible that Spearman will approve a plan that features an online-only start date. For example, in one rural Midlands school district students will start virtually in mid-August as originally planned. After two weeks, students will start returning to the classroom in phases as the district moves toward eventually offering in-person instruction five days a week. This type of plan would likely be approved, Brown said, because it quickly shifts from online to in-person learning and provides clear, specific details on how and when the district will make the switch. It really depends on how that transition is happening, he said. If its a wait and see, 30-day, two-month, three-month type of deal, no, thats not going to suffice. When will I know what plan my school district is using? It depends. Spearman's office said it's planning to release the first round of approved plans to the public by July 31. Some plans will take longer than others to approve, depending on the level of detail included and whether they meet all of the requirements spelled out in the July 17 memo. Some school districts have delayed making a final decision until the last possible moment with the hope that disease activity will slow over the course of the next month. Many, including the states largest school district, have built multiple different options into their reopening plans that are contingent upon the level of COVID-19 spread. Districts will need to select a specific model before the Education Department will grant them final approval, Brown said. The major tenants of each approved plan will be posted on ed.sc.gov, along with links that redirect users to the full documents as posted on school districts' websites. A prominent Melbourne lawyer has been accused in court of pressuring a witness and threatening the man's elderly mother in profane text messages that have been referred to police and the Legal Services Commissioner following a complaint. The County Court heard of the alleged threat from one lawyer to another. Credit:Penny Stephens Lennon Lawyers director Pat Lennon, who has represented underworld figure Mick Gatto and jockey Danny Nikolic, admitted in the County Court to sending the hostile messages on July 10. However, Mr Lennon denied it was an attempt to intimidate a witness or influence evidence presented in court. "U at ur mums fat c---?" Mr Lennon asked another lawyer, James Podaridis, during the Friday night exchange that was described by County Court judge Aileen Ryan as "disgraceful conduct". "U will probably leave her alone like the fat weak c--- u r," Mr Lennon said in a text message. It's quite unlikely that the Hindujas have not heard of the old American proverb, "Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations". If not the exact words, they would certainly have come across some variant of it, found across cultures, describing the inability of the third generation to manage the wealth passed down to them by their grandparents and parents. Certainly, as with many family businesses before them that have thrived before splitting, the Hindujas, modern-day torchbearers of Indias family business legacy, thought it wouldnt befall them. For over five decades, Srichand Hinduja, and his three younger brothers, Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok, had built up an empirealmost equivalent to the GDP of Mongoliacutting their teeth across continents, hobnobbing with politicians, film stars, and royalty. All through that time, the brothers painted a unified front, often comparing themselves to the righteous brothers of the Ramayana, with different bodies and one soul. They share a mansion with four inter-connected houses spread over 67,000 sq ft in Londons upmarket neighbourhood of Westminster and are neighbours to the British Queen. Today, however, the fab four, as they have been known for long, are a divided house and three of the brothers are busy firefighting to douse a dispute involving the heirs of the patriarch. As Srichand fights dementia, something insiders say has been ongoing for three to four years, his daughters, Vinoo and Shanu, have stepped forward to challenge an accord reportedly signed by the brothers on the ways to split the family empire. There is some serious mediation going on at the moment between Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok with Vinoo, says a person who has worked closely with the group. They would prefer that the issue is sorted out amicably and not be discussed in public. Srichands daughter must feel that her uncles arent being fair to her. Its also possible that there are properties in his name and they are using this opportunity to take over those. For the close-knit Hinduja family group, whose businesses span some 48 countries, the ongoing feud will have serious repercussions, including a split in fortunes. Their empire is worth $13 billion (as on July 10), spread across automobiles, telecommunications, health care, defence, and financial services among others, and employs some 150,000 people. The group controls companies such as Ashok Leyland, Gulf Oil, IndusInd Bank, and Hinduja Healthcare. At the heart of the dispute is a 2014 agreement signed by the four brothers, which said that the assets held by one brother belong to all and that each will appoint the others as their executors. It is very unfortunate that these proceedings are taking place, as they go against our founders and familys values and principles that have stood for many decades, especially everything belongs to everyone and nothing belongs to anyone. We intend to defend the claim to uphold these dearly held family values, Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok said in a statement in late June. The Hinduja group has not responded to a questionnaire from Forbes India till the time of writing. That means a long-standing legal tussle, unless the rather reticent group decides to sort out the mess sitting across their dining table. An all-out war could involve mudslinging and digging up of business deals that have always been shrouded in secrecy. What you are seeing about the group in public is only half of what they have, claims an executive who has worked for the group. A bulk of their business is in trading, and their assets far exceed what is known in the public. From Iran to Sudan, trading has always been their primary interest. So, the best option would be mediation and amicably solving the differences. They were the last standing bastions of the family business." Building a legacy At the root of the ongoing trouble in the Hinduja family is the unwritten guiding principle for many family-run businesses in India. That everything belongs to everyone. "That's the basic principle across family businesses in India," says Kavil Ramachandran, executive director at the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at the Indian School of Business (ISB). "There are also no governance policies or clear ownership rights in place, as they dont think beyond one generation. Ideally, the Hindujas should have constituted shareholder agreements and policies that were legally vetted. They have clearly failed in putting that together." In India, family businesses like the GMR Group, the Burmans of Dabur, and Murugappa Group have formal family constitutions. For over five decades, since their father Parmanand passed away, the Hinduja brothers had rallied behind Srichand, the group chairman. Between them, they had demarcated their businesses, and passed that along to their next generation. While Srichand looked after operations in London, Gopichand was co-chairman and the man many reckon to be the mastermind behind the groups phenomenal growth. Prakash looks after the Europe business based out of Monaco, while Ashok looks after the India business. Parmanand was a trader who moved from Shikarpur in the Sindh province of Pakistan (then undivided India) to Mumbai in 1914 to become a moneylender, before venturing into importing and exporting dried fruit and tea to Iran. Soon, he diversified into jute and distributing Indian films, dubbed into Farsi. The brothers joined the business one by one from 1952 onwards after completing their education. They also had an elder brother, Girdhar, who passed away in 1962. Over the next few decades, Iran became the group's base, even as allegations grew that the Hindujas were dealing in arms for the Iranian government, though they were never proven. Whats known, however, is that during their time in Iran, they owned land and were deeply trusted by the administration, which had even tasked the group with procuring potatoes and onions from India, transiting them through Pakistan, as the oil-rich nation went through a food shortage. In 1971, Parmanand passed away, reportedly leaving behind some $1 million, and Srichand took over the reins. By 1979, the group had moved base from Iran, following the Iranian revolution, to London, where it continues to be headquartered. Around the same time, the group established a finance company in Switzerland called the Hinduja Bank. While the group continued to focus on trade, it also planned to diversify and conquer new frontiers. This meant mopping up assets across sectors, and through the 1980s the group went on to acquire Ashok Leyland, the truck manufacturer headquartered in Chennai, and Gulf Oils business outside of the US from Chevron. They have always been a conservative group, says the executive who had worked at Hinduja. Thats quite evident in the choices they have made. They have avoided a lot of business because they look for stable returns. If you look at many groups and their investment decisions, they have 40 percent success and 60 percent chance of failure. With the Hindujas, it is 70 percent success and 30 percent failure. But these forays were also to take the light away from many of their undisclosed businesses, and give credibility to the group. Also read: What is behind the cracks in the Hinduja Undivided Family? Over the next few years, the Hinduja empire would go on to expand into areas, mostly within India, such as banking, with the launch of IndusInd bank, health care, information technology and defence. But there were also deals that didnt work out. In 2007, the group made a $20-billion bid for 100 percent of Hutchinson Essar, before Vodafone eventually bagged it. Along the way, the brothers also courted controversies, including alleged kickbacks from the sale of Bofors weapons, which they have denied and were later acquitted for. It was alleged that the Hindujas were paid a commission to swing the deal in the Swedish companys favour. They were acquitted by the Delhi High court in 2005 although allegations of arms deals have followed the group for decades, within India and outside. Ashok Leyland is among the largest suppliers to the military and had a rich British heritage. That was the thinking behind the Ashok Leyland purchase, the former executive says. Everything for everyone Amid all the success, the group had always echoed the sentiment of collective ownership. In fact, they were so close that three of the brothers sons had their weddings on the same day in Mumbai, with many guests being flown in from London and Geneva on private aircraft. The brothers have also been rather similar in their sartorial styles, down to their spectacles. They are devout Hindus, abstaining from meat and alcohol. They have counted among their friends global leaders including Tony Blair, George H Bush and Margaret Thatcher. All the houses belong to everybody; all the cars belong to everybody. There is no this is mine and this is yours. All the children belong to everyone. We have kept one kitty. Everyone works as a duty. There are no wills, Srichand had said in an interview to Financial Times in 1994. This is corroborated by the former executive who worked with the Hindujas for over two decades. As far as I know, between the brothers, there were no problems, he says. They have always stood by the belief that everything belongs to everyone. In fact, Srichand Hinduja had been advocating that for very long and the pact was his brainchild. So, knowing Srichand the man, it is unlikely that he would go back on this philosophy. In that context, what is happening in London is just the tip of the iceberg. The trouble in the family seems to have begun sometime in 2015, when Srichand told his brothers that the letter signed by them in July 2014 appointing each other as their executors be cancelled. In 2018, the three brothers reportedly tried to wrest control over Hinduja Bank, which is in Srichands name, on the grounds that he lacked capacity. Hinduja Bank is a private bank focussed on wealth management and private banking, trade finance, corporate advisory services and global investment solutions. In November 2019, Srichand approached the Business and Property Court in London seeking a declaration that the 2014 letter was revocable. The three brothers contested that Vinoo, Srichands daughter, shouldnt be representing her father in the proceedings. The court, however, confirmed Vinoos appointment. What happened in the bank case is that existing rules required a single promotor, since accountability cannot be passed on to others. Naturally, as the patriarch, Srichand became the promoter, the former executive says. The understanding was that the bank did not belong to him alone. Srichand has also been incommunicado since 2017. The Hinduja Bank currently has a presence in Dubai, London, Paris, New York, Chennai, Mumbai, Mauritius and Cayman Islands, and reportedly manages assets of about $365 million according to TheBanks.eu, a directory of banks in Europe. In 2011, the bank had assets of over $1 billion, which have since been declining. Over the past few years, there has also been a move to rewrite the banks legacy, with very little reference to the other brothers contributions. Srichand has broken barriers to bring cultures together in truly unique ways by advising world leaders, bringing Indian culture to the world through cinema, and creating unprecedented gateways between the US, the UK and India, the bank says about its founder, Srichand Hinduja. It is this legacy that is supported by his wife Madhu, and is upheld by his daughters, Shanu and Vinoo, and his grandchildren Karam and Lavanya, who work to uphold his principles and extend his purpose to new frontiers. In May 2020, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority revoked the banking licence of the bank for reasons including contravening anti-money laundering regulations and failing to seek their approval for the issue, transfer or disposal of shares relating to the alleged sale of the bank, and for repeatedly failing to maintain a net worth of not less than $400,000. The authority also pulled up the Cayman Islands subsidiary for not submitting audited accounts for 2018 and 2019 while noting that the CEO Gilbert Pfaeffli was no longer a fit and proper individual to continue. Around the same time, the bank appointed Shanus son Karam as CEO. Shanu is chairperson of the bank, and has been vocal about the toxic culture for women in the banking sector, and has repeatedly questioned the bias against them. But the issue is deeper than just the fight for control of the bank, the former executive adds. The bank is not even 10 percent of the wealth of the Hindujas and is probably worth $2 billion or $3 billion. What happens to the rest of the wealth, assuming it is likely to be a four-way split? The whole issue over the bank is only an excuse and the problems are far deeper. So, what's at stake? The groups publicly listed companies in India have a combined market capitalisation of over 67,000 crore. Thats barely much by any standards. But there are also numerous ventures that arent listed. At the helm of all those businesses are mostly the third generation of the Hinduja family, including Vinoo who is contesting the agreement between her father and his brothers. All the next generation children were given choices on what they wanted to do, says one of the former executives. Regardless of their gender, they were free to pick what suited them. While Srichands daughter Shanu is chairperson of Hinduja Bank, with her son as the CEO, Vinoo looks after the health care business. Srichands son Dharam passed away in 1992, reportedly by suicide, after his parents objected to him marrying a Roman Catholic woman. Gopichand is actually the brain, the philosopher, and the mastermind behind many things, says the former executive. His children, Dheeraj and Sanjay, have also come into their own, and are among the brightest minds in the group. That certainly means there is a lot of friction among the third generation, and a fear that the others could lose out. Sanjay is chairman of Gulf Oil, while Dheeraj is chairman at Ashok Leyland, two flagship companies of the group. They are seen as a natural threat. Prakashs son Ajay looks after GOCL, which has interests in real estate, land development, infrastructure contracts and commercial explosives, among others. His brother Ramkrishan, often called Remi, used to look after Hinduja Global Solutions. Ashoks son Shome is expanding the groups foray into renewable energy and is on the board of Gulf Oil. The next generation is protected by a layer of the four brothers, says the former executive. If they fail in a venture or cant find much success in a particular direction, they are brought back into the fold, and are then handheld till they find success. The Hindujas have also always given importance to professional management and given them a free rein, particularly CEOs. They dont like letting go of people, the former executive says. When you join the group, they may not pay industry standards. But they offer you a safe job, and even if you are incompetent, they dont let go except under exceptional cases. And with the top management, they always give a free hand. This was visible at Ashok Leyland, where the company gave a free hand to R Seshasayee in running the company. During his time at the automaker, Ashok Leylands turnover increased five times from 2,045 crore to 12,093 crore, net profit rose 30 times and market capitalisation grew 14 times. Ashok Leyland has always had a very important and strategic role in the country, says Vinay Piparsania, consulting directorautomotive, at Counterpoint Technology Market Research. As a public transport provider that also has crucial roles in defence and exports, it is very important that the company continues to be seen as professional in every aspect. The group has always ensured that the professional management has a free hand. For now, the brothers maintain that the feud has no impact on business at the group companies. We would stress that this litigation will not have any impact on our global businesses, which will continue to function as they have been, they said in their June statement. So, what happens now? The best option right now is to sit and discuss the issue and come to a solution. If there is need, then use professional mediators, says Ramachandran of ISB. The cost of litigation is massive and there is often no end to such cases. Already the UK court, where Srichand had challenged the July 2014 letter, had ruled that there was evidence that Srichand himself sought to disavow the letter. It also suggested that Prakash too had earlier sided with Srichand before choosing to jump sides. It was Srichand, not Vinoo, who originally instructed Clifford Chance [law firm] in 2015. Mr Koskys evidence explains that Srichand organised for him and one of his partners to meet the brothers on May 2, 2015, that at that stage it was thought that Gopichand, Ashok and Prakash would agree to whatever Srichand proposed, but that shortly after the meeting Gopichand and Ashok referred to the July letter and sought to rely on it, the court order says. As a result, Clifford Chance sent an email on May 25, saying Srichand and even Prakash did not consider themselves legally or morally bound by the letter. "There have been murmurs [of unsatisfaction and disagreements] between the brothers for long, says the executive quoted earlier. But they have always found a way and reached an understanding." But the discord between the third generation is coming into the open. Last September, the third-generation members on the board of Hinduja Global Solutions resigned, following differences between them. Ramkrishan was the chairman, Shanu the co-chairperson, and Vinoo was a director. "Vinoo and Shanu have taken the call to go public," the executive says. "That means it's not murmurs anymore. Egos across the next generation are hurt, and in the longer term, it is irreparable." With mediation underway, it's probably time for the Hindujas to go back to the drawing board to hold the family together. They have managed to sail through rough waters in the past. Its time for them to do that once again. This article was first published on Forbes India website In the 67th edition 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the armed forces and marked the 21st anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war, saying their valour continues to inspire generations. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory. Prime Minister Modi said that he is elated to see #CourageInKargil trending on social media. PM Modi slammed Pakistan and exposed its misadventures. He said: "21 yrs ago on this day, our army won the Kargil war. India was then trying to have cordial relations with Pakistan but is said that it is in the nature of the wicked to have enmity with everyone for no reason. Pakistan undertook this misadventure with sinister plans to capture India's land and to divert attention from its internal conflicts." In a rare example of his naming Pakistan directly, PM Modi said that 'bad people' will always find a way to fight irrespective of friendship. India wanted peace but bad people have always betrayed, he said. He extended his gratitude to the mothers of the martyrs who laid down their lives for the nation. The Prime Minister also recalled the iconic speech of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee after Kargil victory. The PM also said that no words should be uttered that demeans the courage and sacrifice of the Indian Army. Today, 26th July is a very special day for every Indian. #CourageInKargil pic.twitter.com/pSXmuddxjt PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 26, 2020 PM @narendramodi recalls his own visit to Kargil. He also highlights how people have been talking about the courage of the Indian forces. #CourageInKargil #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/sS3SJ1iUe5 PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 26, 2020 As the COVID cases zoomed passed 13 lakhs, PM Modi said that it is more dangerous now and therefore precautions should be followed - Mask, 6-feet distance, washing hands should be made a habit, he added. PM Modi also shared stories wherein people are making efforts for local for vocal, and also finding innovative ways to contain the Coronavirus by maintaining social distancing. He hailed efforts of groups in various states including Bihar, Jharkhand and northeast to promote local products during COVID-19 pandemic. Here is the full speech: Britain will boost its ability to handle threats posed by Russia and China in space as part of a foreign, security and defence policy review being conducted by the UK government, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said late on Saturday. On Thursday, Britain said it was concerned about a Russian satellite test which involved the launch of a projectile with the characteristics of a weapon. This week we have been reminded of the threat Russia poses to our national security with the provocative test of a weapon-like projectile from a satellite threatening the peaceful use of space, Wallace wrote in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, adding that China also posed a threat. China, too, is developing offensive space weapons and both nations are upgrading their capabilities. Such behaviour only underlines the importance of the review the (UK) government is currently conducting, he added. Tensions between Britain and Russia have been high in recent weeks, as Britain has targeted Russians with new sanctions, accused Russian actors of trying to meddle in last years election and said Moscow has tried to hack into vaccine research. Separately, Britain announced on Monday it would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in an escalation of a dispute with China over its introduction of a national security law for the former British colony. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered equipment from Chinas Huawei Technologies to be purged completely from Britains 5G network by the end of 2027. China - once courted as the prime source of investment in British infrastructure projects - has accused Britain of pandering to the United States. The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that Johnson was also set to overhaul the United Kingdoms treason laws to counter threats posed by China and Russia, with the step likely to see a new Treason Act, a new Espionage Act and a rewriting of the Official Secrets Act. Sydney families are among a group of former Fogo Brazilia franchisees seeking millions of dollars in compensation from the fast-food franchisor. The lawyer representing the franchisees said they had each invested up to $1.2 million including labour in their respective Fogo businesses before the franchisor company went into liquidation in 2018. Former Fogo Brazilia franchisees, Amelia and Luis Dominguez. Credit:Rhett Wyman One of the franchisees has lodged a statement of claim against Fogo Brazilia Franchise Holdings in the Supreme Court of NSW which is listed for a directions hearing next month. Luis and Amelia Dominguez are among the franchisees seeking compensation. New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated Agra-Lucknow Expressway on Monday, wherein fighter planes touched down to mark its grand opening ceremony. Agra-Lucknow Expressway, which stretch 302-km, is the most ambitious project of Akhilesh Yadav. It has been completed in a record time of 22 month and has cost of Rs 13,200 crore. A It will be open for public in December this year. Fighter jets touched Agra-Lucknow expressway on its inauguration on Monday, a day chosen to commemorate the birthday of ruling Samajwadi Party patriarchas 78th birthday on Tuesday.A Watch:Air Force jets touch down on Lucknow-Agra Expressway A A #WATCH Unnao: IAF Mirage 2000 jets touch down on Agra-Lucknow expressway pic.twitter.com/xiZtjzZzHy a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 21, 2016 Generally a grand fiesta for party workers, Mulayam Singh Yadav has cancelled all other birthday celebrations in view of the Kanpur train tragedy which claimed at least 133 lives on Sunday.A According to reports, 11 Indian Air Force (IAF) jets will land and take-off from the expressway to test the quality of build. These jet fighters will release tri-coloured smoke. The government is looking to build highways across the country that can also serve as landing strips or runways for aircraft, both civil and military. Road and Transport minister Nitin Gadkari has spoken of the governmentas plan to come up with an aairporta, in which the highway can be used both by vehicles and airplanes. The aairporta is reportedly being built in Rajasthan. A A The Agra-Lucknow expressway will pass through Unnao, Kannauj, Etawah, Mainpuri and Firozabad. It will also shrink the travel time between Agra and Lucknow to just four hours. Akhilesh Yadav speech during inauguration:A #Request people to stay within safe limits and not go beyond 100kmphA #The expressway has become reality only with the blessings of Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) #Ballia-Ghazipur expressway now on cards #This is first expressway where airplanes can do landing and takeoff during emergency too #People will remember Samajwadi Party for its work For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: India's new High Commissioner to Britain Gayatri Issar Kumar has said that India and the United Kingdom are working on a free trade agreement that will be beneficial for both countries. Talking to a private news channel, Gayatri Issar Kumar said that this turning point is special for the global economy, because this is a time when most countries of the world think about reviving their economy and bringing it to recovery mode. are doing. He said that both India and Britain have an opportunity at this point. This was the first interview of Gayatri Issar Kumar after taking over as the new High Commissioner in London. He said that after Breguit Britain will set independent policies of its trade, new trade agreements will be done, during which time India's role will be very important. He said that at a time when India is welcoming foreign investment, the UK is keenly watching the activities happening in India. The new High Commissioner of India said that this is an occasion when the relationship between Britain and China is going down due to the National Security Act being brought in Hong Kong. During this period, increasing economic relations with India will be a profitable decision for both Britain and India. Both India and the UK are working on a trade agreement so that both countries can take advantage of this agreement. Also Read: Corona trial started in France without prescription and fees Atrocities on minorities in Pak continue, now miscreants claims Bhai Taru Singh martyr place as masjid America captures Chinese embassy, Chinese flags removed WHO warns, 'Corona breaking records across the world' A new book claims that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex embarrassed Prince Harry when she announced her pregnancy on an important occasion Princess Eugenies wedding day. The timing reportedly didnt go over well with other royal members of the royal family either, with the book claiming that Eugenies mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, was furious. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images Prince Harry was reportedly embarrassed In the book Royals At War, authors Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett claim that Meghan shared that she was pregnant during Princess Eugenies wedding day and its common knowledge that nothing should detract from the bride or her big day. Meghan reportedly spilled the beans about their pregnancy on October 12, 2018 while the family was celebrating Eugenie and Jack Brooksbanks wedding. Later on at the reception Meghan put her foot in it when she decided that it would be the ideal moment to announce that she and Harry were expecting their first child, the authors explained. This was a huge social gaffe, even if you were not a royal stealing the limelight from Eugenie, who was furious, as was her mother, Sarah. Harry would have been only too painfully aware just how big a no-no this would be, yet he went along with Meghans wishes, the authors wrote. The authors also claimed that Meghans poor etiquette left Prince Harry embarrassed. Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. pic.twitter.com/Ut9C0RagLk The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2018 RELATED: Prince Harry and Meghan Markles Increased Tension With Royal Family Is Putting a Strain on Them; Meghans Family Is Worried Prince Harry and Meghan made an official announcement Of course, royal fans heard the happy news of Meghans pregnancy when she and Prince Harry were set to embark on a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand on October 15, 2018. Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019, their announcement read. Some fans were a bit hard on the couple for making their public announcement so close to Eugenies wedding, however. If Harry and Meghan did actually tell the royal family about their baby at Eugenies wedding on Friday, thats pretty shady, one person tweeted. Its unclear if the book authors claims are correct about the timing of the announcement, but a source told BAZAAR.com that the Sussexes did not make the announcement at the wedding. The insider shared that members of the royal family, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Eugenie and Jack knew of the pregnancy ahead of the wedding and it was the first occasion that they could congratulate the Sussexes in person. So proud of Eugenie and Jack #wedding pic.twitter.com/HOS0oazLhz Sarah Ferguson (@SarahTheDuchess) October 15, 2018 Was Sarah upset? Rumors swirled when Sarah, Duchess of York tweeted a photo of her wedding outfit at the same time that Prince Harry and Meghan formally announced to the world that they were expecting. Was she upset with the timing of their announcement? Sarahs tweet included a thank you to the designer of the outfit she wore to her daughters wedding as well as other tweets that day about Eugenie and Jack. She did not mention Prince Harry and Meghans baby news, however. People walking in Singapore's central business district. (PHOTO: Reuters/Edgar Su) SINGAPORE The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 202 more COVID-19 cases on Saturday (18 July) afternoon, bringing the total to 47,655. Of them, seven are classified as cases in the community, while eight are imported cases who had been placed on stay-home notice or isolated upon their arrival in Singapore. The remaining are foreign workers residing in dormitories. Among the eight imported cases, two (Cases 47649 and 47721) are residents who returned to Singapore from India on 6 July and from Pakistan on 4 July. Four cases (Cases 47697, 47698, 47699 and 47715) are work pass holders who are currently employed in Singapore. Another case (Case 47685) is a Dependants Pass holder. They arrived in Singapore from India between 6 July and 15 July. All seven of them had been placed on 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN) upon arrival in Singapore, and had been tested while serving their SHN. The remaining case (Case 47613) had arrived in Singapore from the Philippines on 16 July, and was conveyed directly to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases as he was symptomatic. The 40-year-old Filipino is a sailor currently holding a Special Pass, and he will eventually join a vessel that called at the port. As for the community cases, the MOH said, Of the seven cases in the community, three were picked up as a result of our proactive surveillance and screening, and one had already been placed on quarantine earlier. Four of the cases are asymptomatic, and were detected through our proactive testing. Three of the community cases announced on Saturday are linked to previous cases or clusters. Of these, one (Case 47686) had been identified as a contact of previously confirmed cases, and had been placed on quarantine earlier. The six-year-old boy, who is an Indian national, was tested during quarantine to determine his status, even though he is asymptomatic. Another case (Case 47655) is also asymptomatic, and was identified from our periodic testing of individuals working in essential services. The 52-year-old permanent resident had gone to work at Excelitas Technologies Pte Ltd. Story continues The remaining case (Case 47632) was tested for COVID-19 under our enhanced community testing. He is a family contact of two other cases announced yesterday, and all three were confirmed to have COVID-19 on the same day, the ministry said. He is a 64-year-old Singaporean man who had gone to work at Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub. Currently, four of the community cases are unlinked. Of these, two cases (Cases 47541 and 47723) had been detected as a result the ministrys screening of workers in essential services who are living outside the dormitories. The remaining two cases (Cases 47544 and 47654) were swabbed under the enhanced community testing regime to test all individuals aged 13 and above who are diagnosed with acute respiratory infection at first presentation to a doctor. Case 47544 is a 55-year-old Singaporean man who had gone to work at Lee Hung Test Services Pte Ltd and Yale-NUS Research Laboratory, and Case 47654 is a 22-year-old Singaporean man who had gone to work at Adventure Plus Pte Ltd. Overall, the MOH said, the number of new cases in the community has decreased, from an average of 18 cases per day in the week before, to an average of nine per day in the past week. The number of unlinked cases in the community has also decreased, from an average of nine cases per day in the week before, to an average of five per day in the past week. Details of cases on 18 July 2020. (Table: Ministry of Health) Two new dormitory clusters were announced: a dormitory at 72 Tagore Lane and another at 54 Tech Park Crescent. As there have been no more cases linked to the clusters at Changi Lodge II (80 Tanah Merah Coast Road) and Sungei Tengah Lodge (500 Old Choa Chu Kang Road) for the past two incubation periods (28 days), the MOH have closed the clusters. National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said in a virtual press conference on Friday 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. Around 230,000 workers have either recovered or have tested to be free from the virus to date, said Wong, who is the multi-ministry COVID-19 taskforce co-chairman. This figure comprises over two-thirds of those living in dorms. Over 43,800 cases recovered, zero in ICU With 256 more patients discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities on Friday, 43,833 cases have fully recovered from the infection. Most of the 169 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 3,626 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 6 July, the ministry has conducted 866,414 swab tests, of which 467,008 were done on unique individuals. This translates to around 152,000 swabs conducted per 1 million total population, and about 81,900 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: COVID-19: Election Night crowds will potentially have 'consequence', says Lawrence Wong Singaporean woman tested positive for COVID-19 after dying of 'intracerebral haemorrhage' Travellers with travel history to Australia's Victoria state, Japan, Hong Kong to serve SHN at dedicated facilities NUS dental student who strangled ex-girlfriend given 12 days' detention, no criminal record Climate and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has two chiefs of staff and will have up to six more special advisers, some of whom can earn salaries of up to 101,000, the Sunday Independent can reveal. Mr Ryan has made the unusual move of creating the roles of joint chiefs of staff in the new Green Party leader's office - based in the Department of the Taoiseach - where he is entitled to up to five special advisers. In addition to this, Mr Ryan, who was narrowly re-elected as Green Party leader last Thursday, has also already hired three special advisers to assist him in his role as climate action and transport minister. The role of special adviser to a Cabinet member commands a salary of between 87,325 and 101,114. Cabinet ministers are normally entitled to only two Spads but Mr Ryan's responsibility for two departments has seen him expand his coterie of aides. The move has prompted unease in the Green Party in recent weeks, with concerns expressed privately by some TDs and members that Mr Ryan has not been transparent about his appointments. "People within the parliamentary party and staff have asked questions and are confused about what's going on," said a senior Green Party source. One of Mr Ryan's joint chiefs of staff is Donall Geoghegan, who, as a special adviser to Independent ministers in the last government, earned over 94,000 a year. Mr Geoghegan was also programme manager for the Greens when they were in Government with Fianna Fail between 2007 and 2011. The other joint chief of staff is Anna Conlan, the party's widely respected political manager in the last Dail, who was a central figure in the programme for government talks with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. It is unclear if Ms Conlan and Mr Geoghegan are sharing one salary or if Mr Geoghegan is retaining his 94,000 salary. A spokesman for Mr Ryan said: "This information is not yet available while appointments are being finalised." Mr Geoghegan's LinkedIn profile lists him as joint chief of staff in the office of the Green Party leader. Ms Conlan's email signature lists her as joint chief of staff in the Department of the Taoiseach. Mr Ryan also appointed Ian Carey, a Green Party councillor in Swords and ex-press officer, as deputy government press secretary. According to the Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Dail earlier this month, Mr Ryan's office will consist of "approximately four or five special advisers". Mr Ryan's spokesman said: "It is proposed that positions within the leader's office will be similar to other parties in this Government, and indeed to the arrangements of parties in previous Coalition governments." Mr Ryan confirmed in response to a parliamentary question from SocDem co-leader Catherine Murphy that he had assigned John McDonald, Paul Kenny and Margaret Ward to work as his special advisers in his role as minister for climate action and communications networks and transport minister. Mr McDonald is a former parliamentary assistant to Mr Ryan. Mr Kenny was chief executive of the Tipperary Energy Agency, a not-for-profit organisation focused on delivering sustainable energy solutions. Ms Ward is a former journalist who was foreign editor for RTE News. Mr Ryan's spokesman said the three advisers "reflect the significant and varied responsibilities of minister Ryan across two government departments" and added: "Appointments to the leader's office have not yet been finalised. The function of the office is to work across all government departments to ensure oversight and implementation of the programme for government. The advisers attached to minister Ryan in his capacity of minister for two government departments are entirely separate." Olivia de Haviland has died aged 104. The 'Gone with the Wind' star passed away from natural causes at her home in Paris on Saturday (25.07.20). Her former lawyer Suzelle M. Smith said: "Last night, the world lost an international treasure, and I lost a dear friend and beloved client. She died peacefully in Paris." Olivia was born in Tokyo in 1916, before moving to California with her family where she found fame. It was 'Captain Blood' that helped her make her name. But her most famous role was as Melanie in David O Selznick's 'Gone with the Wind'. Whilst she lost the Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Hattie McDaniel - who also starred in the movie - she did manage to win a Best Actress Oscar in 1946 for her role in 'To Each His Own', and once again for 'The Heiress' three years later. Fans rushed to social media to pay tribute to Olivia. One wrote: "Let us be nothing but thankful that we had her for this long ... Well-deserved peace and rest to the most glorious link to the past, Miss Olivia De Havilland (1916 - 2020) ... Heartbroken ... #oliviadehavilland (sic)" Whilst another shared: "RIP, #oliviadehavilland ... A true Hollywood legend. I was introduced to her through GONE WITH THE WIND but my fave performance of hers wa sin THE HEIRESS. I was lucky enough to interview her for my Vivien Leigh book and she was so gracious, even on paper. 104, man. What a life! (sic)" A third wrote: "Without #OliviaDeHavilland, actors would have remained exploited pawns at the mercy of film producers. She fought Jack Warner for three years in court over an unfavorable contract and changed contract law forever. (sic)" Union chiefs were last night accused of wanting staff to stay at home forever after defying Boris Johnsons clarion call for workers to get back to the office. Tory MPs reacted with anger after the Public and Commercial Services Union told their members to challenge bosses who ordered them back to their desks. Former Minister Andrew Percy said it was unacceptable that vital public-sector work such as issuing passports was going undone while private employees had toiled to keep the country going during the coronavirus crisis. Its unacceptable for them to refuse to come back to work while people in distribution centres and factories around the country have continued to go to work to feed civil servants during this period, he said. Union chiefs were last night accused of wanting staff to stay at home forever after defying Boris Johnsons clarion call for workers to get back to the office Many of those workers would now like a holiday and cant have one because of this refusal to go back to work in offices which can be achieved safely. The union chiefs cannot have a policy of stay at home forever especially not now that we know people can return to work safely. Following the Prime Ministers call, Alex Chisholm, the Civil Services new chief operating officer, last week told all ministries that it was time to change the default that civil servants should work from home and accelerate the return to the workplace from August 1. But the Public and Commercial Services Union told its 200,000 members they did not have to accept that guidance, claiming it was a political issue. A spokesman for the PCS, Britains largest civil service union, said the back-to-the-office demand is not based on our members health and safety, or on helping our economy. It is based entirely on political pressure being exerted by some Tory MPs who are demanding that the Civil Service is used as an example to get everybody back to work. Former Minister Andrew Percy said it was unacceptable that vital public-sector work was going undone while private employees had toiled to keep the country going Our advice to members is clear: if you are working from home and you get approached by anyone in your department asking you to now go back to work, dont just accept thats what you have to do. The dispute comes amid growing concerns over delays to passports caused by home-working, with more than 400,000 people now said to be waiting for their applications to be processed. The Home Office has now said it will seek to expedite applications from Britons due to travel within the next 14 days and who have been waiting on the Passport Office for more than four weeks. The PCS has admitted that some people are having to wait for as long as 143 days for passports but insists that small and often cramped offices make social distancing difficult for the Passport Offices 4,000 staff. Former Cabinet Minister David Davis urged civil service union chiefs to behave responsibly and work with the Government to find way of getting people back to their workplaces. He added that if he was in Government, he would be asking union leaders: What are you suggesting? That you stay [at home] all summer? However, Mr Johnsons plea to get people back to their offices has also gone unheeded by some of Britains top firms. A study of big employers with a total of 400,000 staff between them found that only about 40,000 of them have returned to the workplace. Getty Images A car ploughed into a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators protesting against systemic racism and police brutality and a protester has been shot in Colorado. The Aurora Police Department said the demonstrator who was shot was rushed to hospital in stable condition adding that a protester shot a weapon which hit at least one person. Demonstrators were walking on Interstate 225 in the Denver suburb of Aurora on Saturday when a vehicle drove through the crowd, police said. Authorities said the vehicle was towed and they are investigating. Protesters also broke windows to the courthouse and a fire was started in an office, police said, with demonstrators ordered to leave after an unlawful assembly was declared. Tensions have been heightened at recent protests against racial injustice after federal agents were sent to quell demonstrations in Portland, Oregon. Thousands of protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Portland into the early hours of Saturday. Protests against police brutality have spread around the world following the 25 May death of George Floyd, a black man in Minnesota who died after a white officer held him to the ground with a knee to his neck. In Colorado, protesters have been drawing attention to the death of Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old black man who was stopped by police while walking down an Aurora street in August 2019 after a 911 caller reported him as suspicious. Police placed him in a chokehold, and paramedics administered 500 milligrams of ketamine, a sedative, to calm him down. Mr McClain went into cardiac arrest, was later declared brain dead and taken off life support. His death has become a rallying point as outrage over police brutality and racism in the US has grown in recent weeks. Additional reporting by Associated Press Read more Elijah McClain: Three police officers sacked over chokehold photos The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Bangladesh reached 221,178 on Saturday as about 2,500 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours. Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana said in a briefing that "2,520 new coronavirus positive cases and 38 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across Bangladesh", Xinhua reported. "The number of confirmed infections in the country totaled 221,178, while fatalities stood at 2,874," she said. According to the official, 10,446 samples were tested in the last 24 hours in labs across the country. She said the total number of recovered patients in the country now stands at 122,090 including 1,114 on Saturday. According to the official, the coronavirus fatality rate in Bangladesh stands at 1.30 per cent. She also said that the current recovery rate is 55.20 per cent in the country. Bangladesh recorded the highest 4,019 cases in a 24-hour period on July 2. The country reported the highest 64 deaths of coronavirus patients in a day on June 30. Protest organisers are expected to appeal against a NSW Supreme Court ruling that the Black Lives Matter rally planned for inner Sydney on Tuesday is prohibited. Police took court action seeking a prohibition order for the rally organised by the family of David Dungay jnr, a Dunghutti man who died in custody in 2015 after he was held down by Corrective Services officers while gasping "I can't breathe". A plan submitted to police by organiser Paddy Gibson said an estimated 500 people would walk from Town Hall to Parliament House to present a petition calling for the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions to consider criminal charges against the prison guards who restrained Mr Dungay. Inquest findings last year did not recommend criminal charges. Tuesday's rally is planned to coincide with the first sitting day of the NSW lower house. French police will start hitting users of illicit drugs, especially cannabis, with on-the-spot fines starting in September, Prime Minister Jean Castex said. Spot fines of 200 have already been tested in several French cities in recent weeks and will now be applied nationwide. A French law dating back to 1970 allows for illicit drug use to be punished with up to a year in prison and fined with up to 3,750, but few users actually do jail time. French people are Europe's leading consumers of cannabis and hold the number three spot for cocaine use. The new measure would simplify police procedures by "inflicting punishment without delay", Castex said during a visit to the southern port city of Nice, and would be an efficient tool against sale points run by drug dealers "which are eating away at neighbourhoods". If paid within two weeks the fine will be reduced to 150, but will rise to 450 unless settled within 45 days. Shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday Chicago police were called to the 400 block of East Ontario Street, where they found an unresponsive man who had been shot multiple times. He was taken to nearby Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was in critical condition, police said. The US on July 21 launched a unilateral provocation by abruptly demanding that China close its Consulate General in Houston. The US move seriously breached international law, the basic norms of international relations, and the terms of the China-US Consular Convention. It gravely harmed China-US relations. Its impolite not to make a return for what one receives. On the morning of July 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China informed the US Embassy in China of its decision to withdraw its consent for the establishment and operation of the US Consulate General in Chengdu. The Ministry also made specific requirements on the ceasing of all operations and events by the Consulate General. The measure taken by China is a legitimate and necessary response to the unjustified act by the US. It conforms with international law, the basic norms of international relations, and customary diplomatic practices. The crazy McCarthyism acted by the U.S. has led the country farther and farther on the wrong path of seeking confrontation. For some time, the US government has been shifting the blame to China with stigmatization and unwarranted attacks against Chinas social system, harassing Chinese diplomatic and consular staff in the US, intimidating and interrogating Chinese students and seizing their personal electronic devices, even detaining them without cause. The unilateral closure of Chinas consulate general in Houston on short notice is an unprecedented escalation of its recent actions against China. The international community believes that the U.S. practices to worsen its relationship with China will bring serious impacts on world politics and economy. China is committed to the principle of non-interference in other countries domestic affairs. Infiltration and interference is never in the genes and tradition of Chinas foreign policy. Chinese diplomatic missions in the US are dedicated to advancing the two peoples mutual understanding and friendship. Pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, China provides convenience for US diplomatic missions and personnel in China. The U.S. accusations on China are totally groundless. However, the US has imposed restrictions on Chinese diplomatic personnel in the US twice without cause, in last October and this June respectively. It opened without permission Chinese diplomatic pouches multiple times, and seized Chinese items for official use. As the US flagrantly drums up stigmatization and fans hatred against China, the Chinese Embassy in the US recently has even received bomb and death threats on Chinese diplomatic missions and personnel in the US. And the US embassy constantly publishes on its website articles smearing China. If we compare the two, it is only too evident which is engaged in interference, infiltration and confrontation. The US claims lack of reciprocity in relations with China. This is just its old ploy thats completely unjustified. As a matter of fact, the US far outnumbers China when it comes to diplomatic missions and staff in each others country. The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires to see, and the US is responsible for all this. Any provocation that runs counter to justice is doomed to come to an ugly end. The US shall immediately retract its wrong decision and create necessary conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track. Amaravati, July 26 : With 56 deaths getting reported in the course of the last 24 hours, the cumulative death toll in Andhra Pradesh crossed the 1,000-mark on Sunday. Fifty-six deaths were reported on Sunday in comparison to the all-time high of 61 reported on Thursday. With this, the overall death toll in Andhra Pradesh has breached the 1,000-mark to settle at 1,041. State health officials also said that 7,627 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours ending 9 a.m. on Sunday. The single day high of 8,147 cases was recorded on Friday. The positive cases were detected from a sample size of 47,645 tests, including 28,853 rapid antigen tests. Andhra Pradesh stands out among the states with the highest number of tests conducted, with a total of 16,43,319 samples. The state's cumulative tally stood at 96,298 cases as on Sunday. Two districts reported fresh cases in four-digit figures, while the remaining 12 districts reported figures in triple digits. East Godavari topped the list with 1,095 new cases, followed by Kurnool with 1,213 cases. West Godavari, Visakhapatnam and Anantapur also reported moderately high numbers with 859, 784, 734 new cases, respectively. In all, 3,041 persons have been discharged from different hospitals and covid treatment centres in the last 24 hours. As on date, there are 48,596 active cases in the state, while 46,301 persons have been declared as cured and discharged. Meanwhile, there have been no new additions to the covid tally from returnees to the state. Till date, 2,461 cases have been identified as covid positive among persons who returned from other states. The active cases tally in this category currently stands at 39, while 2,422 persons have been declared as recovered till Sunday. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The nation is observing the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on Sunday (July 26), remembering its brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives to uphold and safeguard the integrity of the nation. This day commemorates the success of ''Operation Vijay'' which was launched by the Indian Army to recapture the Indian territories captured by the Pakistani intruders in the Kargil-Drass sector in 1999. Kargil war took place from May 3 to July 26, 1999 after Pakistani troops were detected on top of the Kargil ridges. Pakistan had started planning the attack in 1998 itself. It is also believed that the proposal for such an attack was given by previous Pakistan Army chiefs to Pakistani leaders but the proposals had then been shelved fearing an all-out war. Even the then Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif claimed that he had no knowledge of such an attack till he got a call from his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Indian Army on Saturday (July 25) tweeted a post telling the country what happened a day before the 'Operation Vijay' achieved ultimate success. On June 25, 1999, "The Indian Army launched a daring attack at Zulu Top in Muskoh Valley. Undaunted courage and unflinching determination of our troops led to successful capture of the objective": the army posted on Twitter. 25 July 1999 Operation Vijay#IndianArmy launched a daring attack at Zulu Top in #Muskohvalley. Undaunted #courage and unflinching #determination of our troops led to successful capture of the objective.#21YearsOfKargil pic.twitter.com/74o8KRgBQm ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) July 25, 2020 July 26 is dedicated to the Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice to uphold and safeguard the integrity of the nation. The soldiers fought legendary battles in Dras, Kaksar, Batalik and Turtuk sectors at heights above 12,000 feet. The war resulted resulted in the loss of several lives on both the sides but India emerged victorious in this unofficial war by regaining control of all the previously held territory, re-establishing the status quo. Notably, the violent armed conflict between Indian and Pakistani troops in Kargil and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC) took place just months after then PM Vajpayee and his then Pakistani counterpart signed the Lahore Declaration in February 1999. The February conference was aimed at deescalating the tensions that had existed since May 1998 over the Kashmir issue, but the issue further flared up after with the Kargil war. The three phases of the Kargil War included infiltration by Pakistan with an aim to occupy strategic locations in order to seize the control of National Highway One. In the second phase, Indian forces identified the infiltration by Pakistani intruders and responding to it while the third phase saw major battles between Indian and Pakistani forces. Indian Army in close coordination with the Indian Air Force launched its final attacks in the last week of July clearing all of Pakistani forces from the area. The fighting ended on 26 July which has since been celebrated as Kargil Vijay Diwas. The Indian Army on Saturday (July 25) tweeted a post telling the country what happened a day before the 'Operation Vijay' achieved ultimate success. On June 25, 1999, "The Indian Army launched a daring attack at Zulu Top in Muskoh Valley. Undaunted courage and unflinching determination of our troops led to successful capture of the objective": the army posted on Twitter. The nation will always remember the valour, sacrifice and exemplary courage of our soldiers. President Akufo-Addo will address Ghanaians tonight on the COVID-19 situation in the country. President Akufo-Addos 14th address on the governments management of pandemic in Ghana will air at 8 pm, according to a notice from the Presidency. The last time the President addressed the country on the pandemic was on June 28. In that address, he told Ghanaians about the reopening of schools for final year Junior High School students and measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus in educational institutions. At the time, the COVID-19 cumulative figure stood at 17,351 and 112 deaths. But almost a month down the line, the total figure currently [July 26, 2020] stands at 31,851 with the death toll at 161. The current active cases, however, stand at 3,252 following the discharge of 28,438 persons noted to be clinically recovered. There have been complaints about the lack of adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols leading to the upsurge of the cases. The Greater Accra Region is still leading the chart with 16,426 cases followed by the Ashanti Region with 7,646 cases. ---citinewsroom Ex-President, Jerry John Rawlings, says there should be thorough investigations into the killing of an elderly woman suspected of witchcraft in the Savannah Region. Akua Denteh, a 90-year-old woman was beaten to death by residents of Kafaba after being accused of being a witch on Thursday, July 23. Many have called on security agencies to quicken probes into the incident to bring the perpetrators to book. Joining these calls is Jerry John Rawlings. In a statement posted on his Facebook page, he said, The police and other investigative agencies, as well as the Attorney-General's Department, must ensure that this matter is thoroughly investigated and appropriate charges and prosecution brought against the perpetrators to serve as a deterrent. Find below the publication: RAWLINGS CALLS FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO LYNCHING OF 90-YEAR-OLD WOMAN Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called for a serious investigation and arrest of all who were involved in the cruel and barbaric lynching of a 90-year-old woman accused of being a witch, in Kafaba, near Salaga. The former President said he was appalled by the violence meted out to frail Akua Denteh, who was accused in an uncivilized manner of being a witch by a fetish priestess and subsequently subjected to lashes and beatings on Thursday, July 23. In a statement issued on Sunday, the former President said all the security agencies should take the matter seriously and ensure that it is thoroughly investigated, all the assailants apprehended and prosecuted and the appropriate judicial punishment meted out to them. The police and other investigative agencies as well as the Attorney-General's Department must ensure that this matter is thoroughly investigated and appropriate charges and prosecution brought against the perpetrators to serve as a deterrent, the former President stated. Former President Rawlings said: We are in 2020 and such brutal abuse, especially of women should not be countenanced in Ghana. We rose up in unison when George Floyd cruelly lost his life in the United States. We cannot look on and allow something more callous to happen in Ghana. A little more attention, Flt Lt Rawlings stated, must be paid to domestic violence. He said too many people, especially women are being physically abused in their marriages and relationships and the strong hand of the law must be brought down hard against such culprits. While commending the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service (DOVVSU), he urged them to act more swiftly to prosecute those who abuse and terrorize their partners in marriage and other relationships. The former President said people have become brazen in their use of violence and a lot of more effort has to be employed not only by DOVVSU, but by the prosecuting authority and the judiciary to ensure that violence is not perpetrated on any individual. The body of the late Akua Denteh has been deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital Mortuary while the Savannah Regional Police work to apprehend the culprits. citinewsroom Becoming a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has brought about great benefits to Vietnam in various fields, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung. Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung (Photo: VNA) Dung, who is head of Vietnams SOM ASEAN, granted an interview to the media on the occasion of the 25-year ASEAN membership of Vietnam and important benefits that Vietnam has enjoyed from the ASEAN Community. First of all, the ASEAN membership makes it possible for Vietnam to boost fast and sustainable growth thanks to a peaceful and stable environment for development, while helping Vietnam expand partnerships with more countries and territories in the word, widening the market and attracting more resources, he said. Secondly, Vietnam has been supported to enhance its capacity to better integrate into the bloc and the world, as well as boost its reform and institution perfection towards the regional and international standards. Thirdly, becoming an ASEAN member has increased the position and role that Vietnam plays in the international arena, while helping the country become more confident to join international playgrounds, he said. Vietnam has become an active member of not only ASEAN but also the international community, he said, adding that from mere participation, Vietnam has been strong and confident enough to engage in international integration, making practical contributions to common work of the globe. The Deputy FM said that the past 25 years witnessed great changes of ASEAN and Vietnam. The association has become a successful, dynamic and creative organisation and the fifth largest economy of the world. Meanwhile, Vietnam, from a backward and subsidy economy has turned into a middle-income country with dynamic market economy and active regional and international integration. Flourish logoA Flourish data visualisation Vietnam has been an active and responsible member of ASEAN with close coordination with other members to deal with emerging challenges as well as strategic issues related to peace, development and prosperity of the grouping, thus enhancing the position of both the association and Vietnam in the region and the world. Regarding major contributions that Vietnam has made to the bloc, Dung said that Vietnam, ranking third in population and fourth in area in the Southeast Asian region, has helped ASEAN become stronger in resources, scale and organisation, contributing to putting an end to skeptics and conflicts, and opening a new development era of peace, stability, cooperation and development. Moreover, Vietnam has actively engaged in and contributed to the building of growth orientation and major decisions of the ASEAN, including the ASEAN Charter, the ASEAN Community 2025 Vision and Master Plans, as well as the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity, and Initiative of ASEAN Integration, stated the Deputy FM. He held that Vietnam has also made active and responsible engagement in the implementation of joint decisions of ASEAN. Vietnam has fully and intensively rolled out cooperation activities in politics-security, culture-society and economy, while chairing many events. Vietnam is among countries with a high ratio of realising economic connection programmes and measures, noted the diplomat. He said that after only three years of joining the association, Vietnam successfully organized the sixth ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in 1998 and showed good performance as ASEAN Chair in 2010. Besides, the country has also contributed to shaping, reinforcing and developing ASEAN-formed and -led institutions, including the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus. Vietnam also campaigned to become a representative of ASEAN at the G-20 Summits in the Republic of Korea and Canada. Deputy FM Dung asserted that factors that lead to ASEANs success include consensus among members without interfering in each others internal affairs, along with mutual respect, and firm steps suitable to the capacity, ensuring the equality in both interest and obligation, and making sure that all members feel their voice in the decision-making process with no one left behind. He highlighted the geo-strategic location of ASEAN at the centre of a massive region connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, which gives the grouping an important position in international relations in close connection with interests of many world powers. With a population of over 650 million, ASEAN is a potential market and a bright spot in the world economic picture, he said, adding that in 2050, the association is forecast to become the fourth largest economy in the world. The third factor for the associations success is its aspirations and efforts to build a neutral and peaceful region where all countries with different political systems, development levels, cultures and religions can cooperate with each other, ensuring security, stability and maintenance of economic growth, said Dung. He also underscored the significance of the groupings success in building mechanisms and playgrounds that draw active engagement of countries, especially major ones, thus forming and sharing the regional architecture. More and more outside partners have shown their hope to establish partnership with ASEAN and join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), he added. Mentioning the orientations for ASEAN development until 2025 and beyond, Deputy FM Dung said that amidst rapid, complex and unpredicted changes of the region and the world, ASEAN must be succeed in building a cohesive, self-resilient and strong community. To this end, the grouping should enhance intra-bloc connections through common interests, renovation and reinforcement of current cooperation foundations and institutions. ASEAN should reinforce and promote its central role in the region. An association with solidarity and unity is a key factor helping it maintain the role as well as balance its relationship with partners, said Dung. He stressed that ASEANs development orientations are suitable to Vietnams policy. ASEAN is always among top priorities in Vietnams external policy, he stated, adding that Vietnam will enjoy benefits from the grouping and continue to give initiatives and orientations to contribute to the community building at the same time. A strong and self-resilient ASEAN Community will be a firm back for Vietnam to overcome difficulties in the future, he concluded./.VNA U.S. attempt to reverse history doomed to failure: spokesperson People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:36, July 25, 2020 BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Any attempt to reverse the historical trend against the Chinese and American people's aspiration for greater exchange and cooperation will never succeed, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made remarks when responding to a query about a speech by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying that the United States should abandon its past policy of blindly engaging with China. In his speech, Pompeo maliciously attacked the Communist Party of China and China's social system, and wantonly criticized China's domestic and foreign policies. His baseless, fact-distorting speech is full of ideological prejudice and a Cold-War mindset, a hodgepodge of China-related political lies recently fabricated by senior U.S. politicians, said Wang at a press briefing. "China expresses indignation and firm opposition to it," said Wang. "We have lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side." For some time, in order to deflect attention with slanders against and oppression of China and score some political gains, several U.S. politicians have been drumming up ideological rivalry, blabbering about changing China, rejecting China-U.S. relations and driving a wedge between China and other countries, said the spokesperson. "Their petty tricks will not fool the American people and the international community," he said. China noticed that Pompeo chose the Richard Nixon Presidential Library as the venue to deliver his speech. President Richard Nixon started the process of normalizing China-U.S. relations and made contributions to the development of bilateral relationship. "But for those U.S. politicians who fabricate China-related lies and spread anti-China fallacies, we believe that history is just and any attempt to reverse history will not succeed if it goes against the wishes of the Chinese and American people to strengthen exchanges and cooperation," the spokesperson said. China's foreign policy on the United States is consistent and clear, said Wang. "We are committed to developing a China-U.S. relationship featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. In the meantime, we firmly uphold our sovereignty, security and development interests." "We urge the United States to reject its Cold War mindset and ideological bias, view China and China-U.S. relations in a fair manner, refrain from those negative words and deeds, and create conditions for bringing the bilateral relationship back on track," Wang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) walks through Statuary Hall to the House Chamber for President Donald Trump's State of the Union address in the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 4, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Pelosi Suggests House Could Stay in Session Longer for Pandemic Relief Bill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced the House could stay in session longer to come to a deal with the Senate for a new pandemic relief bill. We have been ready for two months and 10 days, she said on CBS Face the Nation, making reference to the $3 trillion HEROES Act, which was passed in May. We cant go home without an agreement on the bill, she added. But its so sad that people should have this uncertainty in their life. Pelosi said she disagrees with the Republicans proposal to have liability protection for businesses as part of the next deal. What we will not support is what theyre saying to essential workers, you have to go to work because youre essential, we place no responsibility on your employer to make that workplace safe and if you get sick you have no recourse because weve given your employer protection and if you dont go to work because youre afraid of getting sick you dont get unemployment insurance, she added. Her comments came after extra unemployment benefits for millions of people are slated to expire at the end of the month. The $600-per-week measure would be extended for several more months until January 2021 under the HEROES Act. Over the weekend, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows made visits to Capitol Hill to meet with Republican Senate leaders on the legislation. The bill will be introduced Monday and were prepared to act quickly. This is all about kids and jobs. This is our focus, and we want to make sure something gets passed quickly so that we deal with the unemployment and all the other issues, Mnuchin told the Fox News Sunday program. Republicans say they are looking at an extension of unemployment benefits that replace 70 percent of a persons wages before they lost their job. Mnuchin said on Saturday the Trump administration supports extending enhanced unemployment benefits until the end of the year, but at a reduced level. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic has dampened the U.S. economy and caused large increases in unemployment claims. Congress is now working toward passing the latest in a series of bills in response to the pandemic. The Senate got back from a three-week break last week, but another recess is scheduled for early August. We can move very quickly with the Democrats on these issues. Weve moved quickly before, and I see no reason why we cant move quickly again, Mnuchin added. And if there are issues that take longer, well deal with those as well. Reuters contributed to this report. Legalizing Euthanasia Opens Door to Nihilism Commentary In the spring of 2002 (April Fools Day, as it happens), it was reported that the Netherlands had voted to legalize euthanasia. Euthanasiasometimes called mercy killinghas long been practiced in the Netherlands. The practice of euthanasia doesnt distinguish the Netherlands from other places. Euthanasiaetymologically, the word means good deathis more or less surreptitiously practiced the world over in cases where patients are terminally ill, in extreme suffering, and no longer wish to live. Doctors have often colluded with death by silently upping the dosage of morphine or some other sedative. But by legalizing euthanasia, the Netherlands became the first country to grant the sanction of the law to a practice that has always been hedged with grave ethical questions. What should we think of the decision in the Netherlands to legalize euthanasia? I believe we should think badly of it. Morally Fraught Its easy, of course, to imagine plenty of circumstances in which we would rather die than be allowed to linger. And its because we can easily imagine ourselves or someone we love in a hopeless condition of unbearable pain or degeneration that wemost of us, anywayare reluctant to be too severe about the unofficial euthanasia that has always been practiced. But granting euthanasia the patent of legality is very different from tolerating a practice we know to be ethically questionable. In the one case, we make due allowance for human frailty and the weakness of the flesh. In the other, we arrogate to ourselvesor to a medical bureaucracythe right to end life when its deemed to be inconvenient. Almost everyone has at least an intuitive grasp of this distinction. Even the Dutch appear to have some qualms about the step they took in voting to legalize euthanasia. Consider the vague and somewhat tortuous language in which they set forth the conditions under which it will be legal for a doctor to kill a patient. According to a news report, patients must face a future of unbearable, interminable suffering and must make a voluntary, well-considered request to die. Doctor and patient must be convinced that there is no other solution, another physician must be consulted, and life must be ended in a medically appropriate way. Anyone can see that this list begs as many questions as it answers. Who is to say what is unbearable suffering? What counts as a well-considered request to die? How can we tell if doctor and patient are convinced that there is no other solution? (Ominous word, solution.) What is a medically appropriate way to end life? (Presumably, the patient would not be shot with a gun, but with a hypodermic.) The fuzzy language surrounding the law does tell us something. In part, perhaps, it is simply a way of insulating the medical establishment from legal redress by aggrieved family members. But I also suspect that the tortuous language points to a recognition, however partial, that when we talk about power over life and death we are talking about a morally fraught issue. What Makes Us Human Whenever the topic of euthanasia is broached, someone is sure to bring in the Nazis and their practice of killing the old, the mentally ill, the disabled. That abuse was indeed horrific. But there is an important sense in which the whole question of the abuse of euthanasia is a red herring. Its a red herring because it distracts us from the deeper issue: namely that the problem with euthanasia isnt its abuse but its use. What I mean is this: By legally sanctioning euthanasia, we at the same time sanction a view of human life that is superficial at best and morally repugnant at worst. At bottom, it is a view of life that reduces the good to a calculus of pain and pleasure. Life is held to be worth living to the extent that its pleasures outweigh its pains. One problem with this philosophy of life is that it erases the claims of everything whose reality isnt susceptible to the pleasure-pain calculus. Considerations of honor, of virtue, of patriotism, of the sanctity of life: such values are what make us human. And all such things are either ruled irrelevant or are redefined in such a way that they no longer exhibit their original weight and density. (If we try to define honor in terms of pleasure and pain, as some philosophers have done, we wind up with someone that has precious little to do with honor as traditionally conceived. See James Bowmans fine book Honor: A History for more.) I would hesitate to prosecute a doctor who, with the collusion of a dying patient, prescribed somewhat generous doses of morphine. But by legalizing euthanasia, we have taken a step down the road toward moral nihilism. We have given aid and comfort to those for whom the sanctity of life is an empty phrase and who regard questions of honor and virtue as negotiable conventions, without intrinsic worth. There is much in our culture that conspires to encourage this dark and superficial view of humanity. It behooves us to resist the inroads of nihilism by withholding the sanction of the law from practices that, however exigent, are never less than morally problematic. By legalizing euthanasia, the Dutch have given a hostage to the very force they had hoped to placate: death. Roger Kimball is the editor and publisher of The New Criterion and publisher of Encounter Books. His most recent book is The Fortunes of Permanence: Culture and Anarchy in an Age of Amnesia. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. CSU Dominguez Hills to Receive Mayme Agnew Clayton Collection of African American History and Culture California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) signed a historic agreement with the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Museum (MCLM) board of directors to house the Mayme A. Clayton Collection of African American History and Culture on campus in the Gerth Archives and Special Collections. The university intends to begin immediately cataloguing and archiving the collection so that it is more visible and accessible to the public. The collection contains more than 2 million rare books, films, documents, photographs, artifacts, and works of art related to the history and culture of African Americans in the United States, with a significant focus on Southern California and the American West. It had been housed since 2006 in the former Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse in Culver City. CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham said, Anchoring the collection at the CSUDH campus is a profound statement regarding the ability of a community entity to entrust a valued family heirloom to an institution of higher education. We are honored to announce this historic partnership, and look forward to collaborating with the MCLM board of directors to provide the public one of the most important collections of materials by and about Americans of African descent, continued Parham. Owing to the social justice roots of the campus and its demographic makeup, we believe that there could be no better place or steward for the collection than this university. The MCLM was originally founded by Mayme Agnew Clayton, Ph.D., (1923-2006) in 1975 as the Western States Black Research Center, which she had set up as a library for local residents in a renovated three-room garage at the rear of her home in the Los Angeles community of West Adams. Claytona university librarian, collector, and historianamassed the collection over 40 years. Clayton was prescient in her view of the importance of collecting and preserving African American history and culture. At a young age, she recognized how critical the contributions of African Americans were in forming the tapestry of what would become American history, says MCLM Interim Executive Director Steven Fisher. However, she also understood that these stories and records were vulnerable to being lost, destroyed, or retold in a way that did not attribute the appropriate credits to where they belonged. In times like now, when we are reminded that Black lives can still be easily marginalized and under-valued, we are also reminded of the work of organizations that seek to preserve this information and inform the public of these histories, and seek to educate in a comprehensive and truthful way, Fisher added. CSUDH and MCLM both believe in the power of education and its transformative ability to inspire and change trajectories in life. Our partnership will only enhance what we would have been able to accomplish alone to the benefit of everyone. ADVERTISEMENT Parham envisions CSUDH as a model urban university where the issues of race and culture become topics of critical discourse and analysis. Among the other collections at CSUDH highlighting the cultural heritage of African Americans, elevating the visibility of this collection will be an important institutional anchor that helps to crystallize our vision, and enables the MCLM to more broadly share the critical knowledge and lessons contained within, Parham said. Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas was a champion for the preservation of the collection by facilitating and supporting the agreement with CSUDH. This collection of African American history and culture is a vital thread in the fabric of Los Angeles County and our nation as whole, Supervisor Ridley-Thomas said. With Cal State Dominguez Hills serving as a responsible steward for the collection, future generations will be able to know the joy, excitement and inspiration of seeing these artifacts and learning from them, he added. I cannot think of a better way to honor Dr. Mayme Claytons vision and legacywho I had the pleasure of knowingthan to return her collection to their university roots. Commenting on the importance of this collection, CSUDHs University Library Dean Stephanie Brasley explained, The Mayme A. Clayton Collection is particularly noteworthy in this current climate. When individuals have access to materials that invite them to challenge their biases and assumptions and enables them to enhance their knowledge base about people of different cultures, the collection then serves as an empowering community asset. Charles Eze, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), said the institution had promoted 11 of its lecturers, who had been associate professors to the rank of professors. The vice-chancellor disclosed this in Enugu on Sunday while speaking with journalists during a programme tagged: Celebration of Excellent Leadership. Mr Eze also said that 31 other lecturers were also promoted to the position of associate professors. The event was organised by the MSc and PhD students of the universitys Institute for Peace, Conflict and Development Studies in honour of its Director, Felix Asogwa. The vice-chancellor explained that the newly-elevated professors and associate professors were people who were overdue for the promotion since 2015, 2016, 2017, among other years but were stagnated for quite a long time by successive administrations in the university. According to him, stagnating workers for a long time is not the best in any system, whether academic or non-academic environment, because it affects productivity adversely. As the Acting vice-chancellor of ESUT, I found myself as a wheeling tool to do the needful and give them what they merited and deserve and today, the beneficiaries are happy for it, he said. Mr Eze, who was also conferred with the award of Pragmatic and Excellent Leadership, expressed satisfaction with activities of the institute which he said, was barely a year old. The vice-chancellor noted that as a university under his watch for now, the authorities would not hesitate to always assist the institute from the available little resources. He said that the institute had a great role to play in tackling conflicts in parts of the country via its products (graduates) and called on all and sundry to always give the management the necessary support. In his remark, Mr Asogwa appreciated the organisers, particularly the Institutes Coordinator, Researchers Forum, Chiedozie Nwafor, a PhD student, for packaging the ceremony in his honour, in spite of the challenges posed by COVID-19. He noted that no nation, be it developed or developing, including Nigeria could make any meaningful headway or development in an atmosphere of crisis. According to him, peace should always remain paramount in all we do as a people. Other speakers, who were mainly professors and facilitators at the institute, applauded the organisers and urged the university management to take the issue of adequate funding of the institute seriously, as it was the only way it could achieve desired results. Mr Nwafor said: It is not contestable that the institute is first of its kind in the South East, and it will continue to produce worthy ambassadors that will keep exporting the excellence the university is known for. Other award recipients at the ceremony included Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdurrahman, who is also a PhD student of the institute; Baywood Foundation and the Executive Director, West Africa Network for Peace Building, Dr Chukwuemeka Eze, among others. (NAN) (Newser) The late US Rep. John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, for the final time Sunday as remembrances continue for the civil rights icon, the AP reports. A crowd began gathering near the bridge that became a landmark in the fight for racial justice when Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten there 55 years ago on "Bloody Sunday," a key event in the fight for voting rights for African Americans. Lewis' body will be brought to the Alabama Capitol in the afternoon to lie in repose. A series of events began Saturday in Lewis' hometown of Troy, Alabama, to pay tribute the late congressman and his legacy. He will lie in state at the US Capitol next week before his private funeral Thursday at Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once led. story continues below A native of Pike County, Alabama, Lewis became involved in the civil rights movement as a young man. In 1965, he and other marchers were beaten in Selma. The news coverage of the event helped galvanize support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Frank and Ellen Hill drove more that four hours from Monroe, Louisiana, to watch the procession. Frank Hill, 60, said he remembers, as an African American child, watching news footage of Lewis and other civil rights marchers being beaten by law enforcement officers. "I had to come back and see John Lewis cross the bridge for the last time," said Hill. "It's funny to see the state troopers here to honor and respect him rather than beat the crap out of him." Lewis, 80, died July 17 several months after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. (Read more John Lewis stories.) The announcement reached many British tourists in the evening in the beach bar. When you return from Mallorca and other Spanish vacation spots to at home, so the decision of the government in London, now two weeks in quarantine. Reportedly, several British government were surprised by members of the Spain holiday a short-term measure. Hans-Christian Roler Political correspondent for the Iberian Peninsula and the Maghreb, with its headquarters in Madrid. F. A. Z. Among British holidaymakers popular seaside resorts, such as Magaluf in Majorca had already been compensated for previously Ghost towns. Slowly at first, the British again began to return to Spain, which they had held in spite of the Brexit Loyalty. Not only in the Balearic Islands, it is reacted with horror to the news. The British in the summer, it could mean the death knell for the current season, and the pandemic caused the economy to exacerbate the crisis a dangerous one. In the past year, 18 million Britons were the largest group among the travelers. The tour operator TUI continued on Sunday its flights from UK airports on the Spanish mainland to the 9. August. You've responded with the short-term decision on a "large increase in Covid-19-cases," on the Spanish mainland, said the British foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab on Sunday, the news channel Sky News. The Spanish foreign Minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya stressed the fact that Spain is still a safe country to Travel in. The most recent coronavirus outbreaks in Barcelona, Lleida and Zaragoza are under control. It was with the British government to find an exception for the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The Balearic regional government at the weekend, a "safe corridor" for British holidaymakers into the conversation; in Mallorca, the infection numbers are even lower than in Germany. Also, other countries have responded to the increase of cases in Spain; on Friday, more than 900 infections were reported within 24 hours. Norway ordered for Spain, returning to a ten-day quarantine. Belgium to ban its citizens to travel in several Spanish regions with particularly high infection numbers. The French Prime Minister, Jean Castex recommended to avoid the neighboring Catalonia. The Catalan regional government ordered on the weekend, close to Bars, Restaurants, game halls and casinos around midnight. Also, for the Region of Madrid are expected in this week's new restrictions. Updated Date: 26 July 2020, 11:19 Vladimir Putin has said Russias navy will be equipped with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater drones implying the country was drawing close to deploying the technologies. The Russian premier has repeatedly spoken of his wish to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons that can be targeted anywhere on the planet. While western experts have questioned just how advanced Moscows military developments are, the nations defence ministry has said the weaponry is now in its final testing phase. The weapons include the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone, designed to be carried by submarines, and the Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, which can be deployed on surface ships. The manoeuvrability of hypersonic missiles, which travel at five times the speed of sound, make them difficult to trace and intercept. 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 Speaking in St Petersburg at an annual naval event, Mr Putin said the fleet would be bolstered by 40 new vessels in the coming year. And while he did not make clear when the military would receive its new hypersonic weapons, he suggested that day was drawing closer. The widespread deployment of advanced digital technologies that have no equals in the world, including hypersonic strike systems and underwater drones, will give the fleet unique advantages and increased combat capabilities, Mr Putin said. In a separate statement published through Russian news agencies, the defence ministry added that testing was underway for its Belgorod submarines, the first with the capacity to carry Poseidon drones. Recommended Thousands demonstrate against Putin in Russia for third weekend The test cycle was nearly complete, the ministry said. Work is being successfully completed to create modern weapons systems for the vavy, the statement reportedly said. The Kremlin announced its first regiment of Avangard hypersonic missiles was put into service two days after Christmas 2019. At the time Mr Putin said the development of the technology meant the West was playing catch-up, adding: Not a single country possesses hypersonic weapons, let alone continental-range hypersonic weapons. Additional reporting by agencies Gordi and her band performed a livestreamed show from the Sydney Opera House on July 25, 2020. Credit:Daniel Boud On the downside, the room was nearly empty. On the upside, Gordi - known as Sophie Payten to her parents back in Canowindra - had the material to suit the desolate circumstances of her Opera House debut. In an uncanny premonition of COVID-19 quarantine, Gordi's new album Our Two Skins was recorded on her family's farm last year, in an isolated cottage with no internet or running water. Intense, introspective songs were the result, and Gordi started this livestreamed show with the two most emotionally heightened of the lot - Aeroplane Bathroom and Volcanic. Both evoke attacks of anxiety over brooding piano and simmering folktronica, the first climaxing with Gordi keening at the top of her range, the second with her almost primal screaming. Gordi bore her soul at the piano. Credit:Daniel Boud The silence at the end of each felt respectful and right. A latecomer shuffling past and spilling his drink on you would have spoilt the haunting effect. The coronavirus pandemic has created a new reality for post-secondary students myself included. Students are now being given the opportunity to study from home, as universities and colleges shift many courses online. And so, my friends and I are facing the ultimatum of moving back to our five-bedroom rental in London, Ont., or staying in our rural township. But even though paying for rent, groceries and transit is daunting when I could live expense-free with my parents, Ive made the decision to move back. London is where I can focus on work, have freedom away from my family and have a reliable internet connection. I have two years left of my undergraduate degree, and Im going to salvage what I can even if I have to wear a mask, and stand two metres away. Come September, I will have a full course load, complete with essays, projects, exams and everything in between. I need to be able to focus, to sit down, breathe and write, and with a hectic family, that can be hard to accomplish. London gives me the time and peace I need, but it also gives me something else a sense of familiarity. When Im driving down the highway and the land begins to roll, my heart clenches a little bit. London hones my academic purpose its where my routine is. Being in the city puts me in the mindset to do work. My home is many wonderful things, but its not the place I should be this fall. Moving back to London also means reliable internet access something that my parents house has always struggled with. For many, living in a rural area means good internet access is more expensive. Ive spent many hours this summer sitting in the library parking lot, computer on my lap, rotating the air conditioning on and off to save the car battery, attempting to load my political science lecture. And thats just for one class, a full course load would be completely unmanageable. Im in a position where bad internet connection isnt just an inconvenience its debilitating. Moving back to my university town means freedom. Going away for university was supposed to be the jumping-off point for becoming independent. Living with my parents for my third year feels like a step in the wrong direction. Although COVID-19 has ensured many aspects of being a traditional student are forfeit this year, I can still have late nights with my roommates, grocery shop on my own and live on my own schedule. Living with my parents, while the cheaper route, doesnt give me the space to grow. I have the privilege of being able to move back: many students do not have the funds. Even still, I cant help being sad our once-in-a-lifetime adventure, our chance of living our parents stories, is being replaced by a screen. One of the great mysteries of the coronavirus is how quickly it rocketed around the world. It first flared in central China and, within three months, was on every continent but Antarctica, shutting down daily life for millions. Behind the rapid spread was something that initially caught scientists off guard, baffled health authorities and undermined early containment efforts the virus could be spread by seemingly healthy people. As workers return to offices, children prepare to return to schools and those desperate for normalcy again visit malls and restaurants, the emerging science points to a menacing reality: If people who appear healthy can transmit the illness, it may be impossible to contain. "It can be a killer and then 40 percent of people don't even know they have it," said Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute. "We have to get out of the denial mode, because it's real." Researchers have exposed the frightening likelihood of silent spread of the virus by asymptomatic and presymptomatic carriers. But how major a role seemingly healthy people play in swelling the ranks of those infected remains unanswered and at the top of the scientific agenda. The small but mighty coronavirus can unlock a human cell, set up shop and mass produce tens of thousands of copies of itself in a single day. Virus levels skyrocket before the first cough, if one ever arrives. And astonishing to scientists, an estimated 4 in 10 infected people don't ever have symptoms. "For control, to actually keep the virus from coming back, we're going to have to deal with this issue," said Rein Houben, a disease tracker at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The dire toll of more than 580,000 worldwide deaths from the coronavirus has faded to the background as cities lift restrictions. But the slyness of the virus remains on the minds of many scientists, who are watching societies reopen, wondering what happens if silent spreaders aren't detected until it's too late. Travelers with no coughs can slip past airport screens. Workers without fevers won't be caught by temperature checks. People who don't feel tired and achy will attend business meetings. And outbreaks could begin anew. THE FIRST HINTS As early as January, there were signs people could harbor the virus without showing symptoms. A 10-year-old boy in China who traveled to Wuhan had no symptoms but tested positive along with six others in his family who had coughs and fevers. More troubling was a report out of Germany: A business traveler from China spread the virus to colleagues in Munich, even though she appeared healthy. Still, many scientists remained unconvinced. Some questioned whether the Chinese businesswoman truly didn't have symptoms. They suggested she might have had mild ones she attributed to jet lag. The concept of people unwittingly spreading disease has never been an easy one to grasp, from the polio epidemic of mid-century America to the spread of HIV decades later. At the turn of the 20th century, a seemingly healthy New York cook named Mary Mallon left a deadly trail of typhoid infections that captivated the public and led to her being forced into quarantine on an East River island. "Typhoid Mary" remains a haunting symbol of silent spread. As COVID-19 emerged, health officials believed it would be like other coronaviruses and that people were most infectious when showing symptoms like cough and fever, with transmission rare otherwise. "We were thinking this thing is going to look like SARS: a long incubation period and no transmission during the incubation period," said Lauren Ancel Meyers, a disease modeler at the University of Texas at Austin. At U.S. airports around the country, travelers returning from hot spots including China who didn't have symptoms were allowed to go on their way. "We were reassuring ourselves and the public that contact with an asymptomatic person was not a risk," said Dr. Jeff Duchin of King County, Washington, where the first major U.S. cluster of coronavirus cases broke out at the Life Care nursing home. Behind the scenes, scientists like Meyers were sharing their alarming finding with health officials. Meyers had assembled a team of students who scoured websites of Chinese health departments looking for dates of symptom onset in situations where there was enough information to figure out who infected whom. Between Jan. 21 and Feb. 8, they found several cases where the person who brought the virus home didn't develop symptoms until after infecting a family member. For example, a woman in a Chinese city with few cases got sick after her husband returned from a trip to a city with a large outbreak. He didn't get sick until later. "When we looked at the data, we said, 'Oh no, this can't be true,'" Meyers said. "It was shocking." Finding more than 50 such cases, Meyers immediately shared the analysis with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Feb. 20 at precisely 1:18 a.m., according to her records. The agency responded a few hours later with questions. Meyers and the CDC exchanged extensive emails, going over what could be behind the numbers. Was the virus really spreading that fast and before people felt sick? Rebecca Frasure was diagnosed with the new coronavirus while on a cruise ship in Japan. She recovered from the disease after a nearly month-long stay in a hospital in Tokyo. She and her husband, Kent Frasure, came back to their Forest Grove home on Tuesday, March 10. SPREAD AT A COCKTAIL PARTY Rebecca Frasure, who contracted the virus while aboard the Diamond Princess cruise, sat in bed in Japan in late February, frustrated to be kept hospitalized even though she didn't have any symptoms. "I'm perfectly healthy except having this virus in my body," Frasure said while waiting for her release. Without widespread and frequent testing, it's impossible to know how many people without symptoms might carry it. The Diamond Princess, which idled in the Port of Yokohama, Japan, while the virus exploded onboard, enticed researchers. After an ill passenger tested positive, only those with symptoms initially got tests. Houben and his London research team set out to build a mathematical model to estimate how many infected people without symptoms were being missed. After four weeks, their model indicated a startling three-quarters of infected people on the Princess were asymptomatic. Could that really be right? At first, the researchers worried they might have done something wrong. They continued fine-tuning the model, directing a post-graduate student to locate any error. "Check for this, check for that," Houben said. "That wasn't it. That wasn't it. That wasn't it." They spent weeks making sure it was foolproof. It indeed was right. They had their answer: Asymptomatic carriers "may contribute substantially to transmission." An entrance sign is shown Thursday, April 2, 2020, at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash. Federal authorities on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, proposed a fine of more than $600,000 for the Seattle-area nursing home connected to at least 40 deaths from the new coronavirus. State regulators and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services conducted an inspection of the facility on March 16, 2020, and found serious infractions that they said placed residents in immediate danger, but a follow-up inspection found that Life Care had at least partially fixed the most serious problems, and Wednesday's announcement said the fine could be adjusted up or down based on how Life Care continues to correct the remaining problems. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP In Washington state, similar clues emerged for Duchin as a team of investigators probed the Life Care outbreak and found health care workers were spreading the virus to other elder care facilities. They believed at least some of them were working while infected but before feeling symptoms. Then in March, at another nursing home, more than half the residents who tested positive didn't have symptoms, though most would go on to develop them. "This disease is going to be extremely hard to control," Duchin recalled thinking. That underscored the need to shift gears and acknowledge the virus couldn't be totally stopped. About the same time, Washington state officials had become aware of a cocktail party at a Seattle apartment where about 40% of the guests they later interviewed became sick with the virus, even though nobody seemed sick at the time. Elizabeth Schneider, who was among the 30 or so attendees, recalled it as a low-key evening themed around a coconut-lime cocktail, with some guests getting in the spirit with Hawaiian shirts or other tropical attire. The host had hired a bartender to serve drinks and keep an eye on the food. "We never really figured out who it was at the party," said Schneider, who fell ill three days later, after continuing to socialize through the weekend. "I definitely could've spread it." That same week, Kenneth Hunt fell ill and was hospitalized with the virus. His friend and neighbor, Jessie Cornwell, thought back to how she had watched the Democratic debates with Hunt at Ida Culver House, their assisted living facility in Seattle, and how they had eaten meals together in the dining room. Not long after, a second resident who, like Hunt and Cornwell, lived on Culver House's second floor also became sick and went to the hospital, prompting the facility to beg health officials to test all residents and staff. Hunt died March 9, becoming one of the first American casualties of COVID-19. A day later, 82-year-old Cornwell tested positive, along with two other residents, all of whom were put into isolation. None of them showed any symptoms. Elsewhere, as testing efforts have widened, huge proportions of asymptomatic people have shown up, from a neighborhood in San Francisco to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. An outbreak linked to a South Korean nightclub showed more than 30% of cases were asymptomatic. At one New York maternity ward, some 88% of those who tested positive had no symptoms. When Cornwell learned she was positive, her thoughts immediately turned to her pastor, the Rev. Jane Pauw, who had driven her to a Bible study meeting. Pauw lost her sense of taste and smell, came down with a high fever and was out of breath after walking a few steps. Cornwell wondered if she could have been the one to infect Pauw. She alerted her pastor, who made calls to clinics until she found one that would give her a virus test. It came back with the answer she feared: She was positive, too. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS The nose and mouth are convenient entryways for the coronavirus. Once inside, the virus commandeers the cell's machinery to copy itself, while fending off the body's immune defenses. Virus levels skyrocket in the upper airway, all without symptoms in the early days of an infection. Many scientists believe that during these days, people can spread virus by talking, breathing, singing or touching surfaces. In the truly asymptomatic, the immune system wins the battle before they ever feel sick. As it became clearer that healthy people could spread the virus, U.S. health authorities opted not to wait for scientific certainty. During a meeting in early March, top U.S. health officials said they believed transmission could be occurring before people displayed symptoms, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press. A few weeks later, the CDC recommended people cover their nose and mouth in public with masks, bandannas, even T-shirts. Days later, Chinese researchers published a paper saying patients are most infectious two to three days before developing symptoms. Evidence continues to accumulate, and the CDC now estimates 40% of transmission is occurring before people feel sick. The agency is telling public health officials in states that rely on mathematical models to use that number in their calculations. A small Chinese study published May 27 found infected patients without symptoms shed virus, on average, for fewer days than those with symptoms, nine days vs. 15 days. But they do shed virus. Still, doubts remain among scientists, most notably among the World Health Organization, which has discounted the importance of asymptomatic infection. For months, WHO maintained that asymptomatic spread was not a driver of the pandemic but recently began to acknowledge the possibility and advised people to wear masks. U.S. health officials blame China for delays in sharing information on silent spread. But Topol contends the U.S. could have mounted its own testing program with viral genome sequencing. That's no small matter: Gaining scientific clarity earlier would have saved lives. "We've been slow on everything in the United States," Topol said. "And I have to say it's shameful." China Successfully Launches 3 Non-Military Satellites in Earth's Orbit - CASC Sputnik News 08:45 GMT 25.07.2020 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - China on Saturday successfully launched three non-military satellites into orbit using the Long March 4B launch vehicle, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said on Saturday. The launch took place on Saturday morning at 11:13 am local time (03:13 GMT) from the Taiyuan launch site in Shanxi province in northern China. Within minutes, all three satellites entered the assigned orbit. The Ziyuan-III is one of a series of Chinese-developed stereoscopic satellites for mapping activities. The satellite will be used by China's Ministry of Natural Resources. The Ziyuan-3 satellite will work together with the two satellites of the same series and the Gaofeng-7 satellite that were previously launched into orbit, CASC said. The second satellite is the so-called Lobster Eye satellite, equipped with an X-ray detector and will carry out cosmological research. The third will become part of China's network of satellites powering the internet of things, CASC explained in a detailed statement. The corporation added that this was the 341 launch for the Long March class of vehicles. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Ayya Lmahamad Radical Armenian groups in Los Angeles, California have launched a campaign to target Azerbaijanis and Turks living in that city. Social media campaigns managed by these groups are asking for information that reveals the home addresses of Azerbaijanis and Turks living in the area. One Instagram account armo_bountyhunters with Armenian flag offered Bitcoin payment of $500 for information on the whereabouts of local Azerbaijanis and Turks in Los Angeles. The post comes after a large group of Armenian nationalists backed by Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) assaulted some 70 Azerbaijanis during the rally outside of the Azerbaijani Consulate General in Los Angeles on July 21. Seven Azerbaijanis were injured and four of them were hospitalized. In addition, a police officer of Los Angeles Police Department received head injury while trying to protect the Azerbaijani woman from Armenian attackers. Los Angeles Police Department announced that three of the assaults during a large demonstrations staged by an Armenian group near the Azerbaijani Consulate in Brentwood were being investigated as hate crimes. Armenian social media users have praised the attack on Azerbaijanis in Los Angeles. One Armenian Facebook user praised the attack, saying: "Death toll of Aziks will rise soon in LA. Good job brothers!!!" The Azerbaijani Consulate in Los Angeles posted a hotline in its Twitter page on 23 April, saying: "This might be part of an intimidation campaign by some radical and aggressive Armenian groups. We call on all of you to be careful and be alert for any provocation from such groups." Belgium has been another venue of aggression by Armenian nationalist groups against Azerbaijani civilians in the past week. Police in Belgium has so far arrested 17 Armenians following violent attack on Azerbaijanis outside of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Belgium on July 22. Six members of the Azerbaijani diaspora were attacked by Armenians who threw stones, sharp cutting tools and explosives at them outside of the embassy building. Apart from attacking diplomatic missions, groups of Armenians also targeted individual Azerbaijanis. A video circulated in social media on July 23 showed a group of up to ten Armenians violently beating an Azerbaijani man covered in blood and verbally insulting him. Protests rallies against Armenias military provocation on the Azerbaijani- Armenian state border were held by Azerbaijanis in various European countries such as The Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Lithuania, Germany etc, as well as in United Kingdom, U.S., Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Israel. The rallies are taking place following several days of gross ceasefire violations by Armenian armed forces in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz region. The attacks killed 12 Azerbaijani servicemen including an army general and a civilian. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz But Lexington is no longer a bastion of conservatism. It is a liberal college town of about 7,000 people that voted 60 percent for Hillary Clinton four years ago, and in 2018 gave 70 percent of its vote to the Democratic Senate candidate, Tim Kaine. Black Lives Matter signs dot the windows of downtown stores, and residents havent backed a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan. These dueling sensibilities place Lexington at particularly delicate intersection of the national debate over Confederate monuments and emblems. As Americans protesting racial injustice have torn down statues and memorials to Confederates, the town finds itself reassessing its identity, divided between the growing imperative to eradicate symbols of slavery and decades of cultural and economic ties to the Confederates who fought to preserve it. When youre surrounded by all of the symbols, it just is a way of life, said Marylin Alexander, 67, the lone Black member of the City Council. It was not until recently that there was a realization for me that there was such an outcry from the community, that felt these symbols and signs needed to come down or be changed. City Council meetings in July have been almost entirely devoted to the question of the city-owned cemetery named for Jackson; one session lasted five hours, ending with a unanimous after-midnight vote to remove signs bearing Jacksons name. A second meeting began with pleas from residents to put the signs back up. The council plans a session on Friday to discuss new names, with a vote possible in September. We can support black lives matter and not have to vilify all police officers. We can support our men and women in blue, and not have that mean we support any police racism, brutality or corruption. We dont have to choose between lending our compassion to one group or the other. We are putting an unnecessary pressure on those who dont easily succumb to black-and-white thinking, people who may end up standing for nothing because they cant choose. More Americans are pessimistic about the direction of their country than at any point during Donald Trump's presidency, as the nation continues to struggle with the coronavirus, protests against police brutality that have at times turned violent, and a venomous presidential election that has exposed deep political divides. Roughly eight in 10 Americans say the country is going in the wrong direction, according to a new poll from the Associated Press and the NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research. Just 38 per cent of those polled said the state of the national economy is good, down nearly half from 67 per cent in January, before Covid-19 was known to have reached US shores. The numbers do not portend well for Mr Trump, whose handling of the coronavirus pandemic received support from just 32 per cent of respondents to the AP poll. With just 100 days before the election on 3 November, the president appears to be taking several steps to shore up political excitement among his most loyal base of supporters. He has deployed federal law enforcement units to cities such as Portland, Oregon, and Chicago to underscore his image as a law-and-order president. He has recently adopted a new, more sombre tone on the coronavirus pandemic, wearing a mask and calling himself "patriotic" for doing so. "It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better," Mr Trump told reporters at the White House last week, shedding his Covid-19 happy talk before minutes later offering a piece of advice: "Get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not, get a mask. They have an effect." The president has, of course, demonstrated renewed focus on weighty issues before, only to revert back to his combative brand of politics that often sidetracks the national discussion away from such issues. It has not been a good summer for Mr Trump in either national polling or among swing-state voters. He trails his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, by double-digits nationally in some polls, and faces big margins in key swing states such as Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. The president still holds an edge over Mr Biden in how confident voters are in each candidate's ability to shepherd the economy, those polls have found. Mr Trump's top advisers have also tried to hammer that advantage, going on the Sunday morning shows this week talking about, as White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow calls it, the "boom" of the post-Covid economy. Mr Biden is more than happy to keep the attention on Mr Trump and not himself as the campaign hits the stretch run. People are sick and tired of a government that is divided and broken and unable to get things done. What people feel like theyre getting from Trump right now is a hodgepodge mess of self-interested political talk, Mr Biden's deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement to the AP. Wives and girlfriends of men in jail for crimes including bashing police and manslaughter have slammed prisons for banning visits due to coronavirus. Leni Cormack, 30, is urging the New South Wales government to let her see her husband, who she and their five children haven't been able to visit since March. She says the lifting of tough lockdown measures across the state should be extended to the prison system. 'This is not about the crime or the fact these men and women are convicted criminals,' Ms Cormack told Daily Mail Australia. 'This is about the fact visits are not reinstated in NSW.' Ms Cormack's husband, Jason, was sentenced to four years and ten months behind bars in May 2018 for assaulting a police officer who was conducting a check on his property. Inmate wife Leni Cormack, 30, is urging the New South Wales government to let her see her husband Jason (pictured together) Wife of a man in jail for bashing a cop has slammed prisons for banning visits due to coronavirus Senior Constable Danny Poole was inspecting an unregistered car following reports of burnouts nearby. The 55-year-old suffered a fractured eye and jaw in the ensuing attack. Cormack pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years at Mid North Coast Correctional Centre. While Ms Cormack isn't proud of her husband's actions or criminal behaviour, the 30-year-old wants her five children to be able to visit their father. 'Temporarily suspending contact visits has stripped inmates of family support,' Ms Cormack said. 'This is detrimental to both the prisoner and the family of the inmate, especially the children.' The self-described 'jail wife' is calling on NSW Corrections to reinstate visits, saying she and her family are already facing a hard time during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Banning visits is going to push his recovery back for those who are using the time to better themselves like my husband,' the mother-of-five said. Ms Cormack has only been able to talk to her husband via video calls since March due to coronavirus While Ms Cormack isn't proud of her husbands actions or criminal behaviour, the 29-year-old wants her five children to be able to visit their father The 30-year-old has questioned why restrictions can ease for restaurants, pubs, and cafes, but she has no idea when she can see her husband again. 'NSW Department of Justice has not given families of prisoners any indication as to when they will be able to see their loved ones again,' she said. 'I see daily interactions at coffee shops, nightclubs, play-centres, pubs and classrooms full of children not social distancing yet the correctives services have not thought of reinstating visits. 'They could implement social distancing guidelines and limit visitors like every other business is doing.' Meanwhile, Wagga woman Tiffany, 21, said her husband is yet to meet his newborn daughter after being locked up for manslaughter in February. Court documents state Joshua Aaron Byrne was charged with manslaughter after he was involved in a street race travelling at more than 140km/h in a 50km/h zone. His Holden Commodore veered onto the wrong side of the road and smashed into a ute, killing a 53-year-old in October 2017. 'It was one silly mistake. He really regrets it. He would do anything to take it back,' Tiffany told the Daily Telegraph. The 21-year-old said she has only been able to video-call her husband since June and claims it is unfair to ban visits. 'My two-year-old son won't sit still for video visits. When we're face-to-face at least they can play games. The guards can just as easily take COVID in. It's so unfair,' she said. The 30-year-old has questioned why restrictions can ease for restaurants, pubs, and cafes, but she has no idea when she can see her husband again (Three of Ms Cormack's children pictured) The self-confessed 'jail wife' is calling on NSW Corrections to reinstate visits as both she and her family are already facing a hard time during the COVID-19 pandemic Advocates from SHINE for Kids and Deadly Connections, organisations aimed at supporting people with loved ones in the criminal justice system, are working to find solutions. There are also countless petitions online demanding change, but Ms Cormack is still wondering when she can hug her husband again. Ms Cormack said her husband was more motivated when he was receiving visits from his children as it was rewarding for him. 'Having time to physically bond with his boys would boost his determination to continue to recover and work towards his rehabilitation,' she said. 'He has completed courses inside the facility and is using this time as a opportunity to mature. 'I am worried the longer this continues, the longer these men and women aren't receiving contact visits the more their rehabilitation goes backwards.' While Ms Cormack understands that social distancing is critical to stop the spread of the virus, she claims inmates have been frowned upon and disregarded. 'Yes, they broke the law but they weren't sentenced to time without family contact and support,' she said. Ms Cormack's husband, Jason, was sentenced to four years and ten months behind bars in May 2018 for assaulting a police officer (pictured) who was conducting a check on his property During her time alone she has also formed a 'jail wives club' and seeks to help other women in the same boat - on top of caring for five young children. 'There are many women like me and there's no support,' she said. Her husband is just half-way through his sentence and the young mother agrees that he needs to pay the consequences for his actions. 'We as WAGS are not our partners or their crime,' she said. 'Yet we are subject to hate for having a voice regarding a issue we are all going through.' Ms Cormack has continued to support other women by giving advice, blogging and using platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to share her story. The young mother is brutally honest about her life in the hopes of encouraging other women not to feel ashamed. Her blog, jailwifelife, was first started as a way to work through her emotions while her husband was locked away, but her following quickly grew. Zareen Khan says people still assume Salman Khan helps her find work: "I cannot be a monkey on his back" London: They are the four-legged, mostly forgotten victims of the pandemic the animals admired, used and sometimes abused for tourists' delight. As citizens around the world were ordered indoors, aeroplanes grounded and tourists kept at bay a question mostly overlooked is just who will look after the world's street animals after metropolises are left deserted? It is a quest that Melbourne-based Lyn White, from Animals Australia, has undertaken. "This virus not only has broad human implications, there are dire impacts for animals as well," White said. "In many countries, the absence of tourists has led to an inability to feed animals used in tourism-related enterprises. Mr Kojo Poku, the Vice President of the Events and Meeting Professionals Association of Ghana (EMPAG), says the nations improved technical capacity for business events, has set the industry on the right path for growth. The technical capacity for business events is also known in the tourism industry as Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions/Events (MICE). He said this at a webinar session organised as part of the Graphic Do Ghana Travel Festival with support from EMPAG, says a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency by EMPAG. The event which was organized on the theme Think MICE, Think Business Events brought together some key individuals within the events industry in Ghana to share key insights on their industry. Mr Poku noted that many companies in the events industry had invested in their equipment and human resource, which led to the attraction of more conferences to Ghana and a growing interest in MICE locally. Over the years, investments made by companies by means of staff training, and the procurement of modern equipment has led to an improvement in the technical aspects in the organisation of our events. Our institutions have continuously trained people over the years and this has reflected in their work. It is, therefore, not a coincidence that Ghana has one of the largest capacities in terms of translators, who play a critical role at many functions, he said. Mrs Theresa Ayoade, EMPAG President and Chief Executive Officer for Charterhouse Productions, speaking on the need for collaborations said: Ghana is privileged to be positioned as a MICE Hub in West Africa. However, there is the need for stronger collaborations between the private and public sector to increase the market confidence reposed in Ghanas MICE industry by many people. These collaborations, she explained, would go a long way to turn around the fortunes of MICE in Ghana. On his part, Pa John Dadson, Curator of Do Ghana Festival cited data collection to be a major setback within the tourism industry. Many event practitioners or companies, she said, were not keen on sharing data pertaining to their businesses for a variety of reasons. Data collection is a difficult conversation in the tourism industry as many event practitioners and companies feel that their information would be shared with government or their competitor. This sometimes poses challenges in the bid to get a true representation of our industry, in terms of capacity, for presentation to government and sometimes investors, she added. The Events and Meeting Professionals Association of Ghana (EMPAG) is a coalition of Event Management practitioners and is noted for its advocacy for protection and growth of the events management industry in Ghana. It supported the Graphic Communications Group to host the 2nd Graphic 'Do Ghana' Travel Festival webinar with focus on MICE sector, the statement said. Other supporters were; Asaase Radio, Ghana Tourism Authority, Bentsifi, Grand Arena, Roam Ghana, Oxygen and the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management, University of Cape Coast. 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 Two runaway robbery suspects declared wanted by the police in Ogun State about a week ago have been arrested in Lokoja, Kogi State. The police spokesperson in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Sunday, said the suspects had escaped after a gun duel with the police during a robbery on Lagos-Ibadan expressway in which three of their accomplices were arrested. Mr Oyeyemi said the apprehended suspects identified as Yinusa Isah and Ibrahim Muhammed were traced to Lokoja by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Ogun State Police Command The remaining two members of robbery syndicate operating on Lagos-Ibadan expressway have been arrested by operatives of Ogun State special anti-robbery squads SARS .The two suspects, Yinusa Isah and Ibrahim Muhammed, were traced to Lokoja in kogi State by the CSP Tijani Muhammed-led SARS who took over the case from Owode Egba division where three members of the gang were earlier arrested, he said. He said the gang had on July 17 blocked the Alapako end of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and stopped a Mazda commercial bus with two occupants and dispossessed the occupants of a cash sum of N545,000 and an Itel phone after beating them mercilessly with cutlasses. Mr Oyeyemi said a distress call drew the divisional police officer of Owode Egba division to the scene with his officers and they were able to apprehend three suspects. The case was transferred to SARS where the suspects made useful statements that led the operatives to Lokoja where the remaining two members of the gang were apprehended on the 24th of July 2020.Recovered from them are three cutlasses and a wood crafted to look like a gun. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Edward Ajogun, has ordered his officers to ensure a 24-hour physical police presence on the highway to rid the entire stretch of the expressway of criminal elements. Beijing: China's ruling Communist Party has asked its 88.75 million members to address each other as "comrades", the quintessential greeting used by Communist doctrine prevalent during Mao Zedong era which was discarded for its dubious linkages to gay community. "All cadres should now greet each other as comrades within the Party," the written guideline stated. The greeting which was used by the Communist parties all over the world and widely prevalent during Mao Zedong era was discarded in China for its dubious linkages to gay community. A written guideline requiring members of the Communist Party China (CPC) to address each other as "comrades" was issued by the Party, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported. In modern times, however, such outdated greetings could lead to confusion, since the term comrade, or "tongzhi" in Chinese, is also used to refer to homosexuals," the Post report said. The new directive followed as Chinese President Xi Jingping has been declared "core leader" in the last months's plenary meeting of the CPC which would make him even powerful leader putting him on par with Mao and reformist leader, Deg Xiaoping and his successor Jiang Zemin. The directive to address each others as "comrade", however drew criticism by analysts who termed it as an outdated resurrection of Maoist rhetoric and unworkable intoday's world. Politically, the revival of the term was just another sign of Xi's continued push to centralise his authority, Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based historian and political analyst said. Xi calls for 'staunch' belief in communism to ensure national rejuvenation as China marks 80th anniversary of Long March. "It's a retreat to stressing faith in Communism, going back to Chairman Mao's era of unified thinking and control," Zhang said. 'Comrade' means that Party members have the same faith and interests, so that's a reinforcement of Communism. "But we can't simply go back to that period given the current age of diversity," he said. "Only Lenin would use such greetings. Only those from secret societies would address each other that way. No modern political party would do this today". An article published on the Party's website early this month said that reviving the term comrade would "set things right from disorder", in which cadres address each other by their titles or work relationships, such as "boss" and "build an atmosphere of equality". For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mohawk College has laid off as many as 200 full and part-time staff in the wake of a projected $50 million revenue shortfall caused by a reduction in enrolment due to the coronavirus pandemic. College chief operating officer Paul Armstrong said they were finalizing their 2020-21 budget in March when the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing college officials to drastically revise their spending plan. All departments were asked for ways to save money. Sixty-four full-time positions have been eliminated including 18 faculty and academic staff, 31 support staff and 15 administrative staff. In addition, 120-150 part-time/contract staff are being laid off temporarily. The staff reductions are expected to save $15 million. There are about 1,000 full-time faculty and other staff at Mohawk. Armstrong said no college courses have been cancelled due to the cuts. The college expects to save another $15 million by delaying dozens of initiatives including the three-year plan to install LED lighting at the Fennell and Stoney Creek campuses for a savings of $2.5 million and improvements to classrooms, fleet vehicle purchases and other capital improvements for a savings of $2 million. Other projects not moving forward include: some IT projects and requests, global travel for students and the research skills development program for a total savings of $700,000. When we looked collegewide at proposed new capital expenditures, new investments, new positions, new hires, we basically held all of those, Armstrong said. Our key principle was that whatever we do, we need to ensure that were investing to educate and support students because that is our key business. Not all projects are on hold. Armstrong said the $8 million, 70,000-square-foot Aviation Training Centre of Excellence they are building at the John C. Munro-Hamilton International Airport in partnership with KF Aerospace is moving ahead with occupancy by the end of October. Armstrong said the college had originally forecast revenue of more than $276 million based on tuitions, parking, rentals and other student-related income and 15,000 full-time first year students. While enrolment numbers are still being calculated, the pandemic is expected to decrease first year enrolment to about 13,000 including a 75 per cent drop in international students who pay $16,000 per year. First-year domestic student numbers are expected to drop by 10 per cent. Domestic students typically pay $4,000 to $5,000 a year in tuition Even with all the cuts and delays, Armstrong said Mohawks budget will still be in the red. We are anticipating a $6 million deficit for 2021, he said. Armstrong said while colleges are supposed to run balanced budgets, the province does allow them to run a deficit if they have the reserves to cover it. According to the colleges 2018-19 financial statement, Mohawk had internally restricted assets or reserves of nearly $49 million. The 2019-20 financial statement is expected to be made public in September. Mohawks deficit will also be affected by the colleges efforts to provide personal protective equipment and other measures for students attending the Fennell and Stoney Creek campuses for practical instruction or lab work. Armstrong said providing PPE, protective barriers and in some cases the need to provide extra labs to limit student numbers could add $2 million to $10 million to their budget. He noted Mohawks challenges are not unique and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities is aware of challenges and deficit issues the provinces community colleges are facing. We are hopeful that there will be some emergency funding that will support us for some of our additional costs, Armstrong said. Mohawk will continue to run student labs on campus while lecture-based programming will continue to be done online. The layoffs and cutbacks are a concern for faculty at Mohawk, said Geoff Ondercin-Bourne, president of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 240 that represents more than 400 full-time faculty at the college. Theres a lot of uneasiness of course, he said. Ondercin-Bourne noted teaching contracts are not being renewed and the union is working with the college to see if layoffs can be mitigated through early retirements and redeployment. Tracey-Ann Prokipczuk, president of OPSEU Local 241, which represents support staff at Mohawk, said the union is bound by their collective agreement and cannot comment at this time. Police at roadblocks will now be seeking more detailed documentation signed by an employees chief executive officer or general manager so that those legitimately going to work in an essential service or an exempted business can pass with the minimum of fuss. While no regulations have been gazetted detailing any requirements to pass through a roadblock, only the lists of those who are allowed to go to and from work, the police as the enforcement arm of the lockdown regulations have been accepting letters from employers as proof that a person is working in an essential service or an exempted business and have been allowing them through without further follow-ups. However, the police suspect that forged letters have been used and that some of those with genuine letters have been using them for social purposes as well. So they now want more details, including contact numbers and details of shift work, to allow people to pass through a roadblock without further investigations. The police have a legal duty to enforce the lockdown regulations but to minimise inconvenience to the exempted members of the public have put in place procedures from the very beginning of the lockdown, so only those against whom there is strong suspicion of breaching the rules face long delays or charges. Zimbabwes Covid-19 confirmed total hit 2 434 on Saturday with another 138 confirmed cases, 128 of them infections within Zimbabwe, with two further deaths taking the toll of fatalities to 34. The daily report from the Ministry of Health and Child Care said the two fatalities were institutional deaths in Bulawayo and Mashonaland Central. To balance this, so far 518 of Zimbabwes confirmed patients have fully recovered. Bulawayo is still the most heavily hit province with 587 local infections and 16 deaths, but Harare is catching up with 488 local infections and 10 deaths. Midlands now has 147 local infections and three deaths. South Africa now has now recorded 6 655 deaths from 434 200 confirmed cases. In listing required documents, police have said journalists are allowed to pass through the checkpoints using their Zimbabwe Media Commission press cards, with the 2019 ones still valid. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said yesterday that if journalists encounter any problems they should get in touch with the officers commanding provinces or the Police General Headquarters. For those in the health sector, he said, they should be in uniform with their identity cards on them while those in civilian attire should have a letter from their medical superintendent or chief executive officer stating place, dates and times of reporting on and off duty. The contact details of the chief executive officer should also be indicated on the letter. For companies or organisations, employees should have letters from the chief executives or general managers stating the place, days and times of reporting on and off duty. The contact details of the chief executive officer should also be indicated on the letter. Ministries and parastatals at national level need an exemption letter from directors and above stating the duty, place, days and times of reporting. At provincial level, an exemption letter from the provincial head stating the duty, place, days and times of reporting. The letter should also indicate contact details of the responsible person, Asst Comm Nyathi said. Commercial farmers should have an offer letter or lease agreement and an exemption letter certificate from their local police officer in charge while communal farmers should have a supporting letter from the headman or village head stating the business to be done, the date, time, place and an exemption letter from the officer in charge. The contact details of headman or village head to be indicated, Asst Comm Nyathi said. Food retailers and sole traders should have certified copies of a shop licence and an exemption letter from the police. Those in private security services should have uniforms, company IDs and letter from management. People seeking medicines and medical supplies should have medical cards or prescriptions and, if possible, contact details of the doctor responsible. For those intending to attend funerals, the concerned relatives should produce a copy of a burial order to a local police station and the officers in charge, officer commanding district and officers commanding provinces should issue exemption letters showing destination and dates of movement to those who intend to bury relatives in other towns and rural areas. Right from the beginning of the lockdown at the end of March, members of the public were expected to travel no more than 5km to buy basic necessities like food, gas and medicine. They can travel further if the required goods are not within 5km, under the lockdown regulations. The public should also make prior arrangements to obtain assistance for themselves or someone to whom they are related or have a duty of caring for. This includes an ill person whom they are related to or care for for purposes of rendering medical assistance or provide for, said Asst Comm Nyathi. The police reminded the public that there is a 6pm to 6am curfew and so they should conduct permitted activities between the hours of 6am to 6pm. Workers in essential services, but not exempted ordinary businesses, are allowed to travel to and from work and home during the curfew and deliveries of essential goods are permitted at night. Asst Comm Nyathi added: The observance of the national lockdown measures will promote the effective maintenance of law and order by police and other security services. Last Friday, police commanders countrywide were directed to intensify the enforcement of lockdown regulations, resulting in a number of people being turned away from Harare city centre if they failed to present employment exemption letters or medical documents to warrant being outdoors. Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga said the intensification of enforcement was designed to protect people from Covid-19 and warned that those who wilfully breached the regulations would face the wrath of the law. He said citizens were reminded to be home by 6pm, adding that there would be no excuses for non-compliance, except for those who will be providing essential services. He reminded exempted businesses that they should only operate between 8am and 3pm and made it clear that commuter omnibus operators, bottle stores, shebeen operators and anyone else who violates the regulations will be arrested. Private transporters, especially those that own kombis, have been removing registration numbers or putting private registration number plates so that they carry passengers early morning and in the evening, in contravention of lockdown regulations, which indicate that only Zupco buses are allowed to carry fare-paying passengers. Said Comm-Gen Matanga: Kombis, which are removing number plates and carrying passengers in violation of Covid-19 regulations will be impounded, with the owners facing stern action. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, July 26, 2020 14:00 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066950ba8 1 Books #author,#photographer,#Indonesia,#literature,#literary,#book,#travel Free If it werent for the pandemic, French photographer Marius Moragues would still be in Indonesia, discovering new stories by the day. While he was more than happy to return to France and see his family after more than two years, Moragues said that he would rather be back in Indonesia to continue his exploration. Moragues is working on Imperfect Frame, a project that involves him exploring and documenting Indonesia by motorcycle over a period of 10 years. Working title: French photographer Marius Morangues upcoming title,' BEYOND: Java', is the first volume in his 'BEYOND' series that attempts to capture his decade-long Indonesian journey. (Courtesy of Marius Moragues/-) The project will be published in the BEYOND series of photography books, with the first volume, BEYOND: Java, slated for release sometime this year. The book features 150 photographs from Moragues two-year journey around the island. I always tell everyone that I didnt choose Indonesia, but [that] Indonesia chose me, he told The Jakarta Post from France by videoconference. Moragues first visited Indonesia as a backpacker in 2015, armed with his adventurous spirit and a list of countries he wanted to visit and do volunteer work. His travels brought him to Southeast Asia, and Indonesia was last on his list. When I arrived here it was in Jambi it was such a nice experience because I got directly thrown by peoples kindness and warmth. It doesnt mean that other countries are not kind and warm, but Indonesia was the top of the list, something Ive never experienced before. It really changed my life, he recalled After spending a month teaching English, Moragues had made so many friends that they were reluctant to see him leave. That convinced him to extend his visit by one month, then two and then three, and he eventually ended up extending his stay by five years. Cultural locks: Two girls sport 'gimbal' (dreadlocks), the iconic hairstyle of the Dieng people in Wonosobo regency, Central Java. (Courtesy of Marius Moragues/-) A landscape photographer by trade, Moragues is a self-described perfectionist, adjusting lighting and composition to frame the perfect shot. But when he came to Indonesia, he became dissatisfied with his approach. The philosophy behind Imperfect Frame is that I engage with the people. Behind every imperfection, there is strength and inspiration, he said. Everyone has a story, something to say, something to [tell]. When he hit the cross-Java roads on his motorcycle in 2018, the connections he made the people became the most cherished memento of his journey. He found that everywhere he went, he felt right at home. Traveling to remote villages where, more often than not, the inhabitants had never seen a foreigner before, Moragues noted their shyness as well as their inherent curiosity that was sparked immediately when he spoke to them in Indonesian. No matter the subject, I always try to build the connection. I always try to smile thats the number-one key that you always have to do and [immersing myself] in the middle of the action, he said. Welcoming smile: Ninih Marsih, an 80-year-old farmer, met Marius Morangues in the highlands of Sukabumi, West Java, and was instrumental to him getting back on his motorcycle. (Courtesy of Marius Moragues/-) One of the most memorable moments of his journey so far was when he set out from Jakarta on his motorcycle. Heading to Ciptagelar village in Sukabumi regency, West Java, the roads were twisting and slippery, and at some point, he fell off his motorcycle. This is where I lost my trust, because I was uncomfortable and I was actually scared, so I decided to leave my motorcycle and continue my journey on foot. I knew that the village was pretty far, like seven kilometers. Right when I fell off and continued on foot, it took me five minutes to meet a woman from afar. Her name was Ninih Marsih and she was a farmer. She was dressed in this traditional dress and caping, he recalled, referring to the saucer-like bamboo cap typically worn by farmers. After greeting Ninih, Moragues made small talk and discovered that the 80-year-old was actually from Ciptagelar. When he told her that he was walking to the village, she reacted in surprise and told him it was better to go by motorcycle. At some point, she gave me some bright inspiration and motivation, and told me something like how I can do it and it wasnt that far. So in a way, this encounter was a sign to help me trust in myself. So I took some steps backwards and continued my journey by motorcycle, all thanks to Ninih Marsih, he said. Marius Moragues (Courtesy of Marius Moragues/-) Much of Moragues journey is focused on areas outside of metropolises, as he said that he was averse to skyscrapers and concrete. Its like in France, its like in the United States. All you see are people who are modern-minded. You can see bars and clubs every day. There is no difference with the mindset I can find in the people of France, for instance, he said. While he conceded that the urban lifestyle had its merits, which he enjoyed on occasion, it wasnt for him. After all, life outside of the Big Durian is what attracted Moragues to Indonesia in the first place. The people live in such a relaxed vibe. They dont have to think about their meetings tomorrow, the rent, the lease. They just grow their own rice outside their own homes, cultivate their own vegetables, go to the market to buy their meats, he observed, pointing out the high desirability of a stress-free lifestyle. Going forward, he plans to expand his journey to other islands in the archipelago for the successive volumes in his photographic series. Bali, the Island of the Gods, would be his next destination in 2021, followed by Nusa Tenggara (2022), Kalimantan (2023), Sumatra (2024), Sulawesi (2025) and then Maluku (2026), before ending his journey in Papua in 2027. While his photographic travel chronicle which is supported by the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is intended to draw tourism to the country, Moragues wants potential visitors to avoid sticking to the usual destinations like Bali and Lombok. I want them to go beyond, and this is part of the philosophy. Thats why I named [the series] BEYOND. This is what I try to do myself. I try to go beyond the borders of what people would see, and I want to present Indonesia from my own eyes, he said. This is important, because I want to show [foreign visitors] that Indonesia is not just Bali, is not [just] about beaches and bars and resorts. Lets face it, Indonesia wouldnt be so very enjoyable if it wasnt for the people. (ste) SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Ah, yoga. Even the word itself makes you want to get more still and find a way to recharge, doesnt it? Mindful breathing is integral to the process. Most of us are doing a lot of shallow breathing, especially now with the pandemic, said Registered Yoga Teacher and a member of the Yoga Alliance, Linda Solomon. She will bring her gifts to inspire well-being to an outdoor yoga class planned for Saturday, Aug. 15, at the historic Greenwood Farm, 264 Richmond Road in Richmond Heights. The class will run from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Over time, the experienced practitioner strives to align the breath to poses or postures, called asanas, for deepened well-being. I love to share my passion and my love of life, said Solomon. This was evident even in a phone conversation, where she is full of praise for her students and full of wonder for whatever may be next on the horizon. A student of Jeff Masters, Solomon emphasized that everyones physical body is different. She aims to accommodate each persons body in class. Its their practice, not mine, she said. In her previous career as special education teacher of preschoolers to 10-year-olds, she likewise shared optimism and a sense of possibility, responding to each childs potential. And in a career before that, she was a dental hygienist, serving and educating people in that role, too. Whether seeking stress relief, better balance, improved mobility or that elusive state called peace of mind, students come with the desire to learn. In fact, it was a student, Fred Cash, that alerted Solomon to the possibility of teaching at Greenwood Farm -- a hidden gem, as she put it. Cash is the former president of the Greenwood Farm Association, a nonprofit group. Solomon has taught at the farm two times before, and the current vice president of the association, Chris Dolinar, urged her to return. Because Solomon knows the beauty of the historical site, she predicted of the upcoming class: The birds will be serenading us. She is no stranger to teaching outside, as other classes have included walks in the South Chagrin reservation and stretches on the patio at the Solon Community Center. She appreciates natural beauty, mentioning Acacia Reservation in Lyndhurst, the heart of the Hillcrest area. Cultivation of the land eventually called Greenwood Farm extends back to the early 19th century. In 1908, George and Maude Phypers left East Cleveland to acquire the property in what was then Euclid Township and overlooking Euclid Creek. The couple named the estate after Thomas Smith Greenwood, Maudes maternal grandfather, who owned a sizable farm in Massachusetts. They built a three-story brick house in 1917, which is still standing, and raised six children, who probably delighted in the cows, chickens and Tamworth boars that graced the property. Greenwood Farm is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Though retired from the special education field, Solomon teaches yoga five days a week, online and in person, and is a regular instructor for the Solon Community Center, Silver Sneakers and more. She is involved with Village in the Heights, a nonprofit group for adults staying at home in retirement, does some private instruction and is grateful to be able to teach yoga virtually during this trying time. She mentioned InMotion, a nonprofit serving people who have Parkinsons disease, and indicated that chair yoga is an option for some practitioners who have balance issues. An innovator, she has sparked fun classes such as Chocolate, Wine, and Yoga. Though busy, Solomon does not neglect her own self-care, having studied meditation in North Carolina and yoga in Sedona, Ariz. There are physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions in yoga, for those who seek them out. I took up yoga because 15 years ago I had an injury, she shared. Solomon strives for optimism in our challenging times, and urges her students not to lose touch with nature, saying: There is so much to see: Just open your eyes and look! Contact Solomon at 440-382-4635 to register for the Greenwood Farm class and for more information. Class size is limited, and there is a rain date of Saturday Aug. 22 at 9 a.m. Participants are asked to bring a bottle of water for hydration, a mat, a folding chair and a face mask. Social distancing protocol will be followed for the protection of all. Wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows for movement and wear sturdy shoes. A donation of $10 is asked in order to participate, with proceeds going to Greenwood Farm Historical, Cultural and Arts Association Inc. Silver Sneakers members are invited -- as are practitioners of all levels. Submissions wanted. Notify me, Sun Messenger readers, of events, opportunities and achievements of interest to Hillcrest residents of the seven-city area. This is your column! Write to mariashinestewart@gmail.com For more Hillcrest-area news, click on Sun Messenger. When she was heavily pregnant with her son, Arthur, during the first coronavirus lockdown, Mollie Tregillis had a persistent fear that stood out from the other unknowns of being a first time mum. "I was so worried my stress would cause him to be overdue because I really did not feel like it was a safe environment to give birth, the 34-year-old Flemington mother said. There was so much uncertainty. We didnt know if the cases were about to explode here like they had everywhere else. Mollie Tregillis with three month-old baby Arthur and her partner Andrew McRobert. Credit:Penny Stephens A reported dramatic drop in the number of early pre-term babies born during COVID-19 lockdown has doctors all over the world pondering: how big a factor is stress on the timing of births? In Ireland and Denmark, doctors have observed that the number of babies born prematurely plummeted during the coronavirus lockdown in April and March, but the reasons remain a curious mystery. The UFCs month on Fight Island closed with a compelling scrap between former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Darren Till, which Whittaker won by unanimous decision. Once again, though, a UFC newcomer stole the show. Khamzat Chimaev opened the main card with a spectacular first-round victory over Rhys McKee, earning him his second win in 10 days in Abu Dhabi. Its the shortest period of time in which any UFC fighter has won two fights in the modern era. And UFC president Dana White told Yahoo Sports that Chimaev will be back on Aug. 15 at UFC 252 in Las Vegas. The guy is unbelievable; just incredible, White said. Any guy who wants to stay active, who wants to keep fighting, I love that. I just love it. Hes a guy who wants to fight and doesnt care who it is. He just wants to stay active and to me, thats the way guys should think. Hes special. Hes a super talented guy and his confidence is through the roof. He truly believes hes the best in the world. His quote tonight, literally, was Give me whoever, Ill smash everybody. I love that mentality. Chimaev made his UFC debut on July 15 in a middleweight bout against John Phillips. He dominated that from the opening seconds and went on to submit Phillips in the second with a DArce choke. On Saturday, he grabbed McKee at the bell of their welterweight fight, walked to his corner, took him down and mauled him. In his two UFC bouts, Chimaev has outlanded his opponents by a combined 192-2. Khamzat Chimaev of Czechia celebrates after his TKO victory over Rhys McKee of Northern Ireland in their welterweight fight during UFC Fight Night inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 26, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) There was a lot more drama in the main event. Whittaker was dropped by a Till elbow in the first round of his first fight since losing the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya last year. He turned down a fight against Jared Cannonier, citing burnout, but looked in good form on Saturday. It was a far more tactical fight than expected. Whitakers calf kick and his ability to control the distance, to get to a range where it was hard for Till to get his big shots off, probably won him the fight. Story continues All three judges had it 48-47 for Whittaker, as did Yahoo Sports. White said, That was not the fight I was expecting. I kind of expected there would be more action. But Whittaker, one of the shrewdest fighters in the sport, was able to adapt to Tills early strategy. But it wasnt easy and Whittaker spent much of the final round fending off Tills attacks. He breathed a sigh of relief when it was over, not because he was physically worn out but because it was such a chess match that required so much concentration he was mentally drained. My brain is on overload, Whittaker said, chuckling. Ill tell you what: That fight was so stressful. I hope the fans and everybody could appreciate it. It was as much of a technical fight as Ive ever had. Till caught Whittaker leaning in and dropped him with an elbow to the chin in the first, but Whittaker took over from there and was the far busier fighter. It could have been his activity that was the difference in the judges minds. In total strikes, Whittaker landed 100 of 188 punches, including 69 of 157 significant strikes. Till had 50 of 108 total strikes including 41 of 99 significant strikes. Whittaker also had the only two knockdowns of the fight so his activity was a huge point in his favor. Till landed just 17 significant strikes in Rounds 2, 3 and 4 combined, a period in which Whittaker connected on 41 significant strikes. White said he felt Whittaker would probably need to fight at least one more time. At first he said, Cannonier is next after Adesanya and Paolo Costa fight at UFC 252. But then he said he wasnt sure. He noted that Cannonier, Whittaker and Jack Hermansson were in the mix and said only that he felt Whittaker would need to fight again before getting a title shot. But weve got a lot of time before we have to worry about that, White said. We will, however, see Chimaev again very soon, much to the Russian-born fighter who now lives in Swedens delight. I said to myself, Lets go relax then come back and smash somebody like I did [tonight] and like I did 10 days before, Chimaev said. I like this. I want to do more. Its too easy for me. Im too fast. I want to be there more. It didnt feel like a fight; it felt like one second, but I needed this. I want to fight. More from Yahoo Sports: US-led forces withdraw from Iraqi military base near Baghdad Iran Press TV Saturday, 25 July 2020 7:50 AM The US-led military coalition, purportedly formed to fight the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, has officially handed over a military base south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad to the country's security forces. "Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTFOIR) turned over its facilities in Besmaya Range Complex to Iraqi security forces, thanks to the successes achieved by the troops in the campaign against ISIS (Daesh)," the official Iraqi News Agency quoted Major General Gerald Strickland, the Deputy Commander-Strategy of CJTF-OIR, as saying in a press release on Saturday. Strickland said he is "working to re-position his forces inside Iraq," noting that "these military moves were planned long ago in coordination with the government of Iraq." The statement said the coalition was "handing over the seventh site this year to Iraqi security forces, as part of an ongoing partnership between the Iraqi forces and the international coalition against ISIS (Daesh," praising the crucial role of Iraqi soldiers in the liberation of the strategic northern city of Mosul three years ago. On Friday afternoon, four Katyusha rockets struck Besmaya base, where Spain had led the training of Iraqi security forces since 2015. Iraq's Security Media Cell announced in a statement published on its official Twitter page that one of the projectiles landed on a warehouse, while another hit caravans belonging to the protection regiment of the base. The other two rockets fell in an open area. The rockets only caused some material damage, and there was no mention of casualties. No group claimed immediate responsibility for the rocket attack. On July 22, a convoy carrying logistical support for American troops was struck by two roadside bombs on the al-Bathaa road in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar. Turkey's official Anadolu news agency, citing an unnamed Iraqi security source, reported at the time that the explosive devices had damaged some of the trucks and their consignments. A week earlier, the Lebanese Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network, citing Iraqi tribal sources, reported that an explosion had targeted a US convoy carrying logistic supplies in Iraq's north-central province of Salahuddin. It was not immediately known if the attack had resulted in any casualties. The resistance group Ashab al-Kahf later claimed responsibility in a statement, saying, "We confirm the destruction of a large logistical support convoy with its materials in Salahuddin." Anti-US sentiment has been running high in Iraq following the assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and his Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the PMU, and their companions in a US assassination drone airstrike authorized by President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport on January 3. Iraqi lawmakers approved a bill two days later, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign military forces led by the United States from the country. The US responded to the move by threatening crippling sanctions against the Arab country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hoteliers have expressed serious concerns about the stimulus package announced by the Government, which does not go far enough to support Irish tourism and safeguard the livelihoods of the 270,000 employed by the industry, including the 4,300 jobs supported locally by tourism in Kilkenny. Colm Neville, chair of the South East Branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, states: We are disappointed that the Government failed to deliver a reduction in tourism VAT. This is a missed opportunity given how highly effective the previous reduced VAT rate was in promoting increased employment. We now have a higher rate of VAT than 30 other European countries with which we compete." Mr Neville says this is untenable from a competitiveness point of view and puts them at a serious disadvantage, particularly when considering Northern Ireland and Britain now have a tourism VAT rate of 5%. "We will be engaging further with the Government on this critical issues as part of the October National Economic Plan," he continues. Mr Neville says while measures to stimulate consumer demand are welcome, the Irish Hotels Federation has serious doubts about how effective the Stay and Spend tax credit scheme will be in stimulating consumer demand. "It seems overly cumbersome and convoluted, and we are urgently seeking further clarification from the Government on how the measure will operate," he says. Mr Neville acknowledges the measures announced to address liquidity and investment as vital for the survival of many tourism businesses. However, he says they do not go far enough to secure the long-term stability of the industry. He says the new wage support scheme is welcome and will help hospitality businesses to keep their teams together until tourism and the overseas market recovers. He notes that the inclusion of seasonal workers and new hires is especially important. Other measures such as the rates waiver and reopening grants could give businesses much needed breathing space as they work to stabilise their businesses for the future and we look forward to seeing the details there. There is a concern that the rates waiver does not going far enough and we hope that this is addressed as part of the National Economic Plan in line with what is being done in the UK. We also welcome the additional supports being put in place for training, which is hugely important as we build capability and our skills base for the future. He says tourism has proven itself as a successful engine for economic growth. "Over 90,000 jobs were created following the last recession, with tourism supporting almost 270,000 jobs before the current crisis. Hotels and guesthouses not only provide local employment opportunities, they buy local services, source locally produced food and provide a vital infrastructure in support of local business and communities so the ramifications will be felt far and wide. Outstanding challenges for our sector include the requirement for an urgent review of the Governments current travel restrictions, which are putting tourism jobs further at risk. We are calling for the green list to be extended in line with the approach taken by our European partners. This should be supported by a comprehensive testing regime for visitors from countries not on the list. In addition, clarity is required for the reopening of the remaining facilities in hotels and guesthouses including the size of indoor gatherings, which should be linked to the capacity of venues. Hotels and guesthouses have been open over three weeks and have demonstrated safe practice across all aspects of their businesses through the adoption of guidelines and training endorsed by the HSE, HSA, HPSC and the FSAI," he adds. The complainant said the student linked operations against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir to the RSS and termed the outfit anti-national New Delhi: Delhi Police started investigation into a complaint filed against a student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for allegedly posting offensive comment against the Indian Army, officials said Saturday. Tajinder Yadav, a social worker, filed an FIR at Kapashera police station on 8 July, claiming that the JNU student posted on Twitter that the Indian Army operation against terrorists in Kashmir was "wrong and against the country". "The person has termed the action by the army against terrorists as wrong and against the country. He has also linked this to the RSS and the termed the outfit as anti-national. This is an insult to the Indian Army and the RSS, said Yadav, who claimed to be associated with the Mehrauli unit of the BJP's Yuva Morcha. Accordingly, an FIR has been registered against the student under the Indian Penal Code Sections 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 153 (persons who indulge in wanton vilification or attacks upon the religion, race, place of birth, residence, language). "We have received a written complaint and registered a case under sections 153 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code," a senior police officer said. The Big Picture Heat and humidity start a slow comeback today as they both peak out tomorrow. We'll add to our 90s tally for the year and with dewpoints back in the 70s tomorrow, heat index values will be way up. After a cold front swings through without a whole lot of fanfare, we'll drop both air and dewpoint temperatures from the middle of the week on. Today Another gorgeous start to a day! There are some high clouds from the Champlain Valley and points north, temperatures up that way as a result are in the 60s and low 70s. Just outside the reaches of those clouds, the Adirondacks are sitting in the mid 50s as are a few other spots on the NYS Mesonet map. Everyone else is kicking the day off in the low and middle 60s. As we head through the day, it'll be an overall quiet one with some high clouds and a southwest breeze. What you'll notice is an increase in the humidity levels: dewpoints are sitting in the 50s and low 60s at the moment, but they'll be rising into the upper 60s through the late afternoon and into tonight. Highs today will be a few degrees warmer than yesterday too, as we top out in the 80s with a few low 90s around. With the higher humidity tonight, some clouds and a breeze sticking around, it'll be warmer than it's been of late with lows in the mid 60s to the low 70s. Tomorrow into Tuesday Tomorrow will be the pinnacle of heat and humidity. Dewpoint temperatures will hit 70 before noontime, with sunshine heating things up as well. It'll be a breezy day with a mix of sun and clouds as highs top out in the upper 80s to the middle 90s. With the high humidity in place, it'll feel even hotter with heat indices hitting 100 down the Hudson Valley. Later in the day as cold front makes its way into northern New York, a few showers and storms may fire up as you head north and west of Albany. Humidity will continue to pool up ahead of that front as we get into the night. It'll be a warm one with lows in the upper 60s to the middle 70s. All the while, that front will slowly be on the move toward the Capital District, which will keep showers and a few storms in the forecast overnight. Some rain will be locally heavy. Getting into Tuesday, the front will continue to push south and east, which will bring a few showers and storms as it goes. Not expecting anything too gnarly, but some areas to the southeast of Albany may have a bit of wind in a stronger storm or 2. Clouds will hold the line through the early afternoon, which will keep our temps in the 80s. Dewpoint temperatures will fall off later in the day as that drier air filters in behind the front. Wednesday and Beyond A pretty quiet stretch with a few spotty showers Wednesday and Thursday. We'll have a mix of clouds and sun with highs in the 70s to the mid 80s Wednesday, much the same on Thursday with temps a couple of degrees lower. Albany will keep its consecutive streak of 80-degrees-plus days going! Starting Friday, the last day of July (!), we'll start to bounce those temps back up to the mid 80s with a warm weekend to follow. Have a great day! JasonsWeather The Forecast You Want Jason Gough Jasonsweather.com LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Lang Holland, the chief of police in tiny Marshall, Arkansas, said he thinks the threat of the coronavirus has been overstated and only wears a face mask if hes inside a business that requires them. He doesnt make his officers wear them either. So the day after Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed an order requiring masks to be worn in public throughout Arkansas, Holland made it clear his department wasnt going to enforce the mandate in the Ozarks town of about 1,300, calling it an unconstitutional overreach. All Im saying is if you want to wear a mask, you have the freedom to choose that, said Holland, who said he supports President Donald Trump. It should not be dictated by the nanny state. Holland is among a number of police chiefs and sheriffs in Arkansas and elsewhere who say they wont enforce statewide mask requirements, even within their departments. Some say they dont have the manpower to respond to every mask complaint, treating violations of the requirement as they would oft-ignored minor offences such as jaywalking. Others, including Holland, reject the legal validity of mask requirements. The pushback is concerning to health officials, who say a lack of enforcement could undermine what they say is a much-needed and simple step that can be taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus. If people undermine that mandate, they undermine the public health benefits of masking in the setting of this pandemic, and that just doesnt make any sense to me, said Dr. Cam Patterson, the chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who had called for a statewide requirement. More than half the states have issued orders to wear masks in most public settings, with virus cases and hospitalizations on the rise. Polling shows overwhelming public support for such requirements, and even Trump, who had long been dismissive of wearing masks, last week said it was patriotic to wear one. The most vocal police pushback to mask requirements is coming from Republican-led states that aggressively reopened businesses or previously opposed stricter measures such as mask requirements. Hutchinson, who was among a handful of governors who didnt issue a stay-at-home order, long resisted issuing a mask mandate in Arkansas, but he relented in the face of the states worsening numbers. Arkansas active virus cases, meaning those excluding people who have died or recovered from COVID-19, have nearly quadrupled since Memorial Day. The number of people hospitalized with the disease in the state is almost five times higher than it was that day. This is a way to enlist the support of everyone in this fight, Hutchinson said before signing the order, which took effect Monday. Several police chiefs and sheriffs immediately said they wouldnt enforce Hutchinsons order, which prohibits people from being jailed for violations and only imposes fines for repeat offenders. The Texarkana Police Department said it wouldnt enforce the order, saying its primary responsibility was fighting crime and providing police services. John Staley, the sheriff of Lonoke County in central Arkansas, said he agrees with the need for masks and his deputies wear them when in contact with the public. But he said his department doesnt have the manpower to respond to complaints about them. I support the governors position and his decision, but were not going to be out writing tickets for masks, Staley said. None of the resistant law enforcement agencies are refusing to respond to disturbances related to masks, which have turned violent or deadly in some incidents. Staley and officials from several other law enforcement agencies have said they would respond if businesses complain about people refusing to wear masks or to leave the premises. Several sheriffs in neighbouring Texas have also said they wouldnt enforce a mask requirement issued by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. And a group of 38 sheriffs in Montana signed an op-ed this months saying they believe that the mask requirement issued by the states Democratic governor this month is not a mandate for law enforcement to issue citations and arrest violators. Enforcement of Alabamas mask rule, which took effect this month, has also varied. Some police said they would provide masks to those not wearing them in public, and others said they didnt plan to ticket people for violations. We as law enforcement are NOT the social distancing police OR the face mask police. Just be responsible, thats all, and be safe, the Bay Minette Police Department announced in a Facebook post. In New York City, which was at the heart of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak early on in the pandemic, the nations largest police department has struggled with how to enforce mask mandates. Police initially assigned 1,000 officers this spring to enforce mask wearing and social distancing rules, but they backed off after some violent arrests were caught on video. Now, the city relies chiefly on civilian workers and community group members to hand out masks and encourage people to wear them. Hutchinson said he would defer to local police and sheriffs on how to enforce his order, saying it was their prerogative on how to prioritize offences. But he also said police dont pick and choose which laws they enforce. The difficulty of enforcing a mandate in a rural state like Arkansas was one of the reasons Hutchinson gave for resisting the requirement until recently. Not all police departments are resistant to enforcing mask mandates, though theyre hoping to avoid the need to write anyone up for not complying. I am confident that the overwhelming majority of Fort Smith residents and visitors care about each other and will choose to help us through personal accountability, making the need for enforcement action non-existent, Danny Baker, the chief of police in Fort Smith, an Arkansas city along the Oklahoma border, said in a statement. Supporters of mask mandates say penalties were never their goal and that they never envisioned police having to respond to every complaint about someone not wearing one. Nobodys asking for a masking gestapo, Patterson said. Were just asking for good behaviour and support from our local communities. ___ Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz in New York contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 23:25:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KITALE, Kenya, July 26 (Xinhua) -- A police officer and two civilians were arrested on Sunday in Endebess, Trans Nzoia County after being found with elephant tusks weighing 1.5 kilograms. The suspects, including an administration police officer, were nabbed with the tusk valued at about 800,000 shillings (about 7,400 U.S. dollars). Police said detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) intelligence officers posed as buyers before pouncing on the suspects. According to Endebess sub-county DCI chief Peter Ochieng, the suspects were on police radar and his officers laid a trap to arrest them. "The three had been on our radar and we dispatched officers to pose as buyers and caught them ferrying the tusk on a motorcycle," said Ochieng. He said the trio are key players in poaching activities at Mt Elgon National Park who have been put under custody before arraigned in court. "We are holding them in custody before we present them to court. We are also pursuing other suspects linked to the crime," he said. The arrest comes barely a week after KWS launched a manhunt for six dangerous suspected poachers blamed for rampant poaching of antelopes and buffalos for meat at Mt Elgon National Park. Senior warden Josephat Wambua said they are on high alert on armed poachers trapping and killing wild animals at the park. Wambua said KWS rangers are tracking down armed men blamed for poaching of wild animals especially buffalos and antelopes. Enditem Nicholas Barboussas received a call on Saturday afternoon telling him that his father was comfortably sitting in his room at St Basils Homes for the Aged in Melbourne, isolated from the major coronavirus outbreak gripping the facility. In reality, 79-year-old Paul Barboussas was gravely unwell at the Northern Hospital. Nicholas Barboussas (right) with his 79-year-old father, Paul. Credit:Nine News He died on Sunday afternoon from suspected COVID-19, according to his family. It is one of a number of upsetting communication failures to have been reported by families associated with the beleaguered facility in Fawkner, which has now seen 78 cases of COVID-19. Consumer rights and travel groups have criticised the Government after it moved suddenly to re-impose quarantine restrictions on those returning from Spain. Ministers announced on Saturday that holidaymakers who had not returned from Spain and its islands by midnight would be forced to quarantine for 14 days after Covid-19 second wave fears saw the European country struck off the UKs safe list. But questions have been asked about why the so-called travel corridor with the UKs most popular holiday destination was suspended with little notice, with the sudden turn of events catching out even Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is currently in Spain for his summer break. According to The Sunday Times, Mr Shapps, whose department formally announced the rule change, had to dial in from Spain to discuss altering the guidance with Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove. In Scotland, Spain had only last week been added to its safe list of countries before Saturday evenings dramatic U-turn. Northern Ireland and Wales have also followed suit in suspending the travel corridor. London-based World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) said the decision to remove Spain from the travel corridor exemption list was disastrous for the travel and tourism industry, both in Spain and the UK. Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and chief executive, said: While the health and safety of travellers as well as those who work within the travel and tourism industry is paramount, this move will be a bitter blow for those holidaymakers already in Spain who will now be forced into isolation when they return home. Rory Boland, editor of consumer rights magazine Which? Travel, said: Many holidaymakers will be deeply angry that the Government didnt make this decision 48 hours ago, before tens of thousands of them flew off for their summer holidays in Spain. Story continues Many would not have travelled if they had known theyd face 14 days of quarantine on their return. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps flew to Spain for his holiday on Saturday morning (Jonathan Brady/PA) Tui, the UKs biggest tour operator, said it had cancelled all flights due to depart to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands on Sunday. Managing director Andrew Flintham confirmed the company would contact customers to arrange refunds or rebookings, but added: Were incredibly disappointed that we didnt get more notice of this announcement, or that this decision wasnt made yesterday, as many Brits travel on holiday at the weekend. But Government sources said the fast moving picture regarding Spains coronavirus cases meant ministers had to act immediately. A UK Government spokesman said: The Joint Biosecurity Centre together with Public Health England have updated their coronavirus assessments of Spain based on the latest data. As a result, Spain has been removed from the lists of countries from which passengers arriving in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are exempted from the need to self-isolate. Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK. Weve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary. The reintroduction of quarantine measures will apply to those returning from mainland Spain, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, such as Mallorca and Ibiza, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed. The Foreign Office is now advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. Labours shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the news would be deeply concerning for families currently in Spain or who were planning a trip, and called for ministers to release details explaining how people affected would be supported. Employers are being urged by the DfT to be understanding of those returning from Spain who now will need to self-isolate following the sudden advice change. But the move is likely to cast doubt on thousands of holiday plans as would-be jet setters weigh up the risk of travelling to Spain and the requirement to stay home for two weeks upon arriving back in Britain. Passengers returning to England from holidays in Spain are set to be asked to quarantine (Steve Parsons/PA) Neil Hunter, 45, from Sittingbourne in Kent, booked a 10-day break to Lanzarote last December. Due to leave on Tuesday, he told the PA news agency: We were going as a family, my wife Amanda, and teenage daughter Bethany but to be honest, since this announcement, Im unsure whats going to happen as I work as a train driver, and I dont think my employer will accept me having to isolate due to going on holiday. Authorities in Spain warned the country that lost 28,000 lives before getting its outbreak under control could be facing the start of a second major outbreak. On Thursday, the Spanish health ministry reported 971 new daily infections, the biggest daily increase since Spains lockdown ended. Catalonia became the latest region to crack down on nightlife, trying to halt new infection clusters. The Catalonia regional government has shut nightlife venues in Barcelona, and on Friday officials in Madrid said they were considering a similar step (Manu Fernandez/AP) The wealthy north-east region home to Barcelona ordered all nightclubs to close for 15 days and put a midnight curfew on bars in the greater Barcelona area and other towns around Lleida that have become contagion hot zones. The quarantine imposition came as PHE, which was involved in the Spain decision, found itself under-fire from senior Tories for its failure to own up to leadership mistakes during the handling of the pandemic, according to a Sunday Telegraph report. The paper claimed the Government was considering a radical overhaul of the health body after chief executive Duncan Selbie, during an appearance in front of PHEs advisory board last week, was said to have defended the decision to stop contact tracing during the Covid-19 peak. Twenty-one years ago, Indias victory at Kargil was written in the blood, sweat, and courage of our armed forces. One such tale of bravery and gusto that blazes right through our hearts is of flight lieutenants Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajanthe first women warriors of the Kargil warwho flew Indian fighter jets in the Kashmir war zone to rescue our injured soldiers and casualty evacuations. Back then women were not officially inducted into combat roles in the Army. Gunjan and Srividya not only did the unthinkable for that time but also charted history by breaking the glass ceiling in a then male bastion. Inducted into IAFs first batch of 25 female pilots in 1994, the two went down in history as first women pilots to fly in a combat zone. Gunjan is the first woman to receive the Shaurya Vir Award from the Army. It was May 1999, the war between India and Pakistan was growing tough and Indian Army called in all IAF pilots to join the war efforts. Twenty-five-year-old flying officer Gunjan Saxena, who was posted at Udhampur with 132 Forward Area Control (FAC) Flight, received her order to report to Srinagar Air Field with immediate effect.For Gunjan, serving the nation just like her father was her life goal. And when she got a chance to serve the nation during one of its most tumultuous times, the first person she wanted to relay this new was her father Lt Col. (retd), A.K. Saxena. Before leaving for Srinagar, she called her home in Lucknow to tell her parents that she wont be able to call for some time and that she is being deployed in the war. Like a true Army man, the proud father wished her well. When Gunjan joined the Srinagar base, the war was on its onset and its magnitude was yet unknown. Even Gunjan believed that it was a minor incursion from Mujahideen. Soon, the situation catapulted into more than just a threat to a full-blown war. While assigning roles, when her detachment commander asked her if she had any issues operating in the area, her answer was as bold and clear as her determination, No, sir. Gunjan and Srividya were not fighter jet pilots, but they flew out soldiers from the Kashmiri areas where the Pakistani Army would fire bullets and missiles at any Indian aircraft in the horizon. Though their initial job was to survey the area and report any activity they spot, as the war progressed, Pakistan assault enraged and casualties started being reported after intermittent enemy shelling kept the skies bustling, they were assigned the job of casualty evacuation. But the simple-sounding job of lifting off wounded soldiers didnt come without danger. One time Gunjans Cheetah had a close shave with a Pakistani missile right before take-off from Kargil airstrip. However, these heavy encounters never scared the braveheart. As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Gunjan carried a loaded INSAS assault rifle and a revolver with her for the situation of a capture or crash landing in the enemy base. With a fearless disregard for her assault from across the border, Gunjan operated in KargilTololing Batalik region and conducted over 10 sorties over a period of 20 days. Her operation was stalled after the Army decided to withdraw small helicopters to launch a full-scale attack. After the war, she moved back to Udhampur. "I think it is the ultimate feeling that you can ever have as a helicopter pilot. That was one of our main roles there - casualty evacuation. I would say it's a very satisfying feeling when you save a life because that is what you're there for," she had told NDTV in an old interview. Owing to previous discriminatory rule that didnt allow permanent commission of women in the Army, Gunjans tenure ended in 2004 after seven years of service. Also Read: The app is also being investigated by the Trump administration, with a decision expected within weeks on a US ban, while the Indian government blocked the platform this month. Such moves come at a time of growing anti-Chinese sentiment, from the US-China trade war to Australia's sanctions on Huawei and a recent spate of cyber attacks blamed on the Asian superpower. TikTok has been fiercely campaigning to fix its reputation, with media advertising and letters sent to federal MPs from TikTok Australia's general manager, Lee Hunter. TikTok does not share information of our users in Australia with any foreign government, including the Chinese government, and would not do so if asked, Hunter wrote. TikTok Australia user data is stored in Singapore. 'Its not just a bunch of kids dancing on an app' Caught in the middle of this geopolitical clash are the young users. Trans advocate and model AJ Clementine, 24, is sceptical and cant see how TikTok's data collection could be any worse than Facebook's or Instagram's. Its no different to other platforms, she says. I feel like everyone is pointing fingers at TikTok just because its a Gen Z-based app and there are kids on the app and thats the scary part of it for the older generation. Melbourne-based model and trans advocate AJ Clementine says TikTok is a place where young people feel safe. Credit:Johnny Diaz Nicolaidis AJ's following surged last year when she began posting about her experience of gender correction surgery, with each video getting millions of views. She says if TikTok goes, shell just move her content elsewhere, but not without regret. She explains that for her generation, the app is a powerful educational tool that celebrates diversity and inclusivity and it has been a lifeline for many people grappling with loneliness and mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its not just a bunch of kids dancing on an app its much deeper than that, she says. But even that in itself, the dances make people feel good and help young people feel like theyre part of something. TikToks algorithm works by learning what your interests are and showing you more videos of that nature, made by anyone from anywhere. [So] a LGBTI kid will scroll and feel theyre reaching so many people in their community and its really special. It will be hard for another platform to create that, AJ says. Its a place where lots of young people can feel safe If it does go, its been taken way too soon. Zachery Dereniowski, 27, is a medical student in Sydney who uses his TikTok account, @mdmotivator, to advocate for mental health. He worries what losing TikTok would mean for those who feel seen on the app. Some messages or comments I see are literally you saved my life or Ive been battling with this for years and Im finally seeking support, he says. I think no other platform can provide this kind of community and love. Loading 'There needs to be a better conversation taking place' Swinburne University senior lecturer Dr Belinda Barnet says the value TikTok holds for young people should not be dismissed. She says while its similar to how previous generations have valued Facebook or MySpace, the way TikTok is used to engage with current events is unique. There are a lot of videos by young people on TikTok commenting on what lockdown is like or how they feel about the Premier and Trump, Barnet says. Its a platform for their voice, which we may not always understand given we have grown up using different platforms. She says governments and businesses need to be clearer on communicating the importance of privacy and how data is used in a way that makes sense to teenagers. Theyre not understanding the fury over it and I suspect theyre not understanding why the Chinese Communist Party would care why theyve watched 50 Katy Perry spoofs, she says. Musician Abbey Hansen, who went viral on TikTok when she recreated Julia Gillards infamous 2012 misogyny speech, believes the messaging around the app's issues has been poor. If they could actually explain to us, talk to the Australian public about why its dangerous, then maybe it wouldnt come across as so racist [against China], says Hansen, also known as Minorfauna. The 17-year-old high school kid doing the savage dance isnt going to understand why their content is a security breach. There needs to be a better conversation taking place. We all signed up to Facebook over a decade ago and have been giving away our information for years now. Explain to us why its OK for Mark Zuckerberg to have our information [and not TikTok]. TikTok creators 'concerned and confused' Clare Winterbourn is the founder of agency Born Bred Talent and represents about 70 TikTok influencers, many of whom were panicked by the recent news. Loading There was a flurry of really concerned and confused young content creators, Winterbourn says. There were also huge amounts of concerns from parents and from brands. She says her business is working off the information provided by TikTok. I have no immediate concerns. Winterbourn says TikTok is an income source for some young people, with creators able to earn $1000-$5000 per sponsored post. However she says she continues to encourage influencers to diversify and not rely on one platform. Twenty-one-year-old Jasmine TXO has turned her full attention to her TikTok career since graduating from RMIT last year. She now has 1.4 million followers on her account, where she makes comedy and dance videos. But on Instagram, she has 20,000. For her, the thought of a TikTok ban was upsetting. When I first heard the news, I was pretty shocked and nervous, she says. The 'extra layer of concern' with TikTok ANU National Security College senior adviser Katherine Mansted acknowledges that a lot of the conversation about the app has been happening at a really abstract level by a bunch of adults who have never used TikTok and the people affected by this are the creators. But Mansted stresses there are several reasons to be concerned, the first being that all social media companies treat their users as products and collect huge amounts of data from their devices. Loading She adds that platforms can be exploited by certain groups for unethical purposes. She points to the Cambridge Analytica data breach, which led to private information being used to influence votes in the 2016 US election. Data is so precious. Economically, its the new oil ... And you dont want [social media] manipulating you in dark and silent ways we dont understand. Mansted warns that TikToks Chinese ownership makes these issues more problematic. The extra layer of concern with TikTok is that China views its tech platforms as a way to get control and advance political objectives. The Chinese version of TikTok, called Douyin, is also owned by ByteDance. It regularly censors content in accordance with Chinese Communist Party regulations. Mansted says the Chinese government can compel their nations social media companies to provide data for political reasons and without legal oversight. TikTok is the first Chinese tech giant to have a truly international user base. Mansted believes the Australian government needs to be clearer with the public on what the perceived threats are, and she says reform of the social media industry is long overdue. Now, as some TikTok users dabble with other video-based apps such as DubSmash and Byte (made by a Vine creator), Mansted says the problem of privacy and data protection needs to be fixed at its root. Netflixs reality series, Indian Matchmaking, follows Mumbai matchmaker Sima Taparia as she travels between the United States and India to help singles find love. The show has become a huge hit for Netflix, and fans are naturally wondering if the streamer will bring it back for another season. Sima Tapria in Indian Matchmaking Yash Ruparelia/Netlfix What is Indian Matchmaking about? Unlike typical dating shows, Indian Matchmaking is centered around Indian and Indian-American singles who elicit the help of a matchmaker to find them a potential spouse. Most of them have successful careers and are just looking for a partner that would fit in with their family and lifestyles. Taparia, who has decades of experience matching Indian couples, flies all over the world to meet her clients. She assesses their personalities and requirements and records them in a database that she then uses to make her matches. RELATED: Is Indian Matchmaking Star Aparna Shewakramani Still Single? Who are the stars of Indian Matchmaking? Through Taparia, Indian Matchmaking follows a number of different singles from all over the world. The series starts with Aparna Shewakramani, a successful Houston based attorney who knows exactly what she wants in a man. You dont pick your family, Aparna says on the show. Not your parents or your kids. The only family you can choose is your spouse make that choice the best possible. Aparna from Indian Matchmaking | Netflix The series also follows New Jersey wedding planner Nadia Jagessar, who ends up dating one of Taparias matches, but is then heartbroken when he stands her up. Vyasar Ganesan, a Texas teacher and college counselor, also ends up liking one of his matches, but she ultimately backs out of their arrangement. The shows India based singles include jewelry designer Pradhyuman Maloo, mamas boy Akshay Jakhete, and business owner Ankita Bansal. Will the Netflix series return for Season 2? With fascinating and entertaining personalities like Aparna and Vyasar, fans are hoping to see the Indian Matchmaking return for a second season. As of now, Netflix has not announced an official renewal. But if the series does well in terms of viewership, there is a good chance the streamer will bring it back for another installment. But the good news is that showrunner Smriti Mundhra is ready to move on Season 2 as soon as Netflix gives her the green light. In an interview with Oprah Mag, the Academy Award-nominated series creator said she purposely ended the show on a cliffhanger so she could carry it on to a second season. Thats our little wink to Netflix to give us another season, please, Mundhra said. This is an ongoing cycle of life for our community and for Sima, specifically. Shes going to continue doing this work, on camera and off. The story continues I truly hope that were lucky enough to get a second season. Even if the show is renewed, its unclear when production would begin. The number of COVID-19 cases is growing around the world, especially in India. So, showrunners would likely have to wait until the situation is more manageable to film. For now, fans can tune into the first season of Indian Matchmaking, which is currently streaming on Netflix. Government's spokesperson on Finance, Hon. Daniel Okyem Aboagye has cautioned Ghanaians not to allow members of the NDC take advantage of the good living they are enjoying today. According to him, members of the largest opposion NDC have no campaign message but are only creating an unpleasant atmosphere to their own benefit. " . . Don't let members of the NDC take advantage of your good living, indeed let me remind you of how you constantly suffered from power outages also known as 'dumsor' during former President John Dramani Mahama administration. Also, remember how badly they misused state funds to better their lives but were never called to order or faced any law per their corrupt act," the Bantama Member of Parliament (MP) said on UTV's Mpu ne Mpu special Friday discussion segment. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi, 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 Scheana Shay has memorialized her miscarriage earlier this summer by getting a poppy flower tattoo on her inner arm. The Vanderpump Rules star discussed her array of 21 tattoos, as well as the emotional meaning behind her latest addition, in a video uploaded to her YouTube channel this past Wednesday. 'The last one I got most recently was to symbolize the baby we just lost,' Shay explained about the body art, while referencing boyfriend Brock Davies. Memorialized: Scheana Shay, 35, revealed that she got a tattoo in memory of the pregnancy she lost in a miscarriage earlier this summer Emotional: The Vanderpump Rules star shared that she got a poppy flower tattoo 'to symbolize the baby we just lost' in a video she posted on her YouTube channel '[The doctors] said it was the size of a poppy seed, and I really like poppy flowers,' she added. 'And I decided to get one right here to remember. I think its probably my favorite one.' In the video, Shay also showed off all 21 of her tattoos and the story behind each one of them. 'Some of them have meaning, some of them were just a fun memory but overall I dont regret any of them,' she wrote in the description box of the post. Working through the pain: The reality star revealed that she got that particular body art because doctors told her the fetus was 'the size of a poppy seed' when she miscarried In action: Shay shared clips of the tattoo artist working on her tattoo No. 1: Shay said the poppy flower piece is probably her favorite out of her 21 tattoos The reality star, who has been open about having eggs from her ovaries frozen (oocyte cryopreservation) for future fertility treatments, first opened up about the heartbreaking miscarriage on her Scheananigans podcast in late June. She shared about how she and Davies learned of her 'miracle' pregnancy 'a few weeks ago' and how they were surprised, considering doctors had previously revealed that 'it would be close to impossible' for her to get pregnant on her own. The couple became concerned when Shay started 'bleeding all weekend' during a trip to San Diego with Davies. They held on 'to a little bit of hope' when the bleeding subsided after she went on progesterone supplements. But that hope was shattered when a subsequent ultrasound revealed 'there was no heartbeat' and 'nothing progressing' or 'growing inside' her uterus. Coping with the loss: The West Covina, California native broke into tears when she talked about the process of learning her pregnancy had been lost in a video posted on July 1 Open book: Shay first shared about the heartbreaking miscarriage on her Scheananigans podcast in late June In a video posted on July 1, the West Covina, California native broke into tears when she talked about the process of learning her pregnancy had been lost, and how it's been 'really, really hard' being surrounded by loved ones who are expecting babies. 'Seeing a few of my friends pregnant right now and knowing I was going to be there with them and now I'm not,' she confessed in the video. 'I didn't know how bad I wanted this until I had a little taste of it and now it's gone too soon,' she added. Shay and Davies have reportedly been dating for more than nine months. As the U.S. continues to hold the dubious distinction of leading the world in number COVID-19 cases, Houston infectious disease expert, Dr. Peter Hotez has unveiled a national plan that he hopes will stem the tide of the coronavirus spread. In an interview with Chron.com, Hotez explained that he sent the national, unifed plan, entitled COVID in America: An October Plan,to colleagues in the White House. It's a strategy that says could actually get the nation back on track, to some level of normalcy by beginning of October. Hotez is proposing a national containment goal with certain benchmarks in place. QUESTION: The U.S. now leads the world by far with 4,073,243 COVID-19 cases. Why do you think your plan will work? HOTEZ: Other countries have been able to get to the plan I'm proposing. They're in a much better place than we are here. In many places in Canada and Europe, schools are open. People have some semblance of normal life. It's so much better than what we have in the U.S. now. We've never shaped a national strategy around the control and prevention for COVID-19. The epidemic has spiraled out of control in the U.S. We now have a quarter of the world's cases. We're approaching the case where COVID-19 is the leading cause of daily death. We don't have to do this anymore. The problem is that we never had an effective national strategy. EXHAUSTED DOCTORS: Houston ICU doc says caregivers are exhausted, describes long-lasting effects of COVID-19 QUESTION: In your opinion, why do you think the current U.S. approach has failed? HOTEZ: We've always insisted that the states take the lead. It was doomed to fail from the very beginning. The states never had the epidemiological horsepower to know how to contain the virus. There has also been a political problem. The states, governors needed the approval of CDC. They're under pressure from various groups. They need the help and coverage of the federal government. The consequences of that fragmented strategy have led to the disaster that we have now. QUESTION: With your plan in place, when do you think life will get back to normal in Houston? HOTEZ: It's not too late. We still have the ability to bring the whole nation to containment mode, by October 1. But we have to do the hard work now. If we act now, a sense of normalcy could be reached by October. It's doable. We need to act soon. QUESTION: Could you explain the benchmarks that we need to meet in order to reopen schools? Experts assert that it should be one new COVID-19 case per million residents per day. In Texas, that would mean no more than 29 new coronavirus cases a day. Do you think those are achievable containment benchmarks before reopening schools or businesses? HOTEZ: It's an example of agreed upon benchmark that the states need to set. It may not have to be that we don't have to go to that extreme level, but that's an example of an agreed-upon benchmark that the states have to set. I don't want dictate too much how far we have to go down, but something along those lines we have to get to. Then, we can open up the whole country. 'WE'RE SEEING WORST OF THE WORST': Houston ICU nurse describes dire situation in ICU surge QUESTION: What's the worst-case scenario if we don't put a national plan in place? HOTEZ: We're failing to contain this epidemic. We don't have a choice. We just cannot go in this trajectory. Now we're in disaster mode. Rather, than just continually accurately predicting the apocalypse, I'd rather do something constructive, and suggest some concrete plan. Now I put that plan out there. The longer we let this go, the more demoralized our nation becomes, and the greater the threat to homeland security. If we want to make the October deadline, we've got to follow a unified plan quickly. QUESTION: What do you think about the possibility of vaccines rolling out by possibly December, as Dr. Fauci suggested? HOTEZ: I don't see vaccines coming out until the middle of next year. Third-quarter or second-quarter next year. alison.medley@chron.com South Koreas military said later Sunday that its investigation into who crossed the border into North Korea was being narrowed down to a single, unidentified person. A military statement said authorities were examining footage recorded by front-line surveillance equipment, but it gave no further details. Some observers said authorities likely tried to determine who has been missing since last week among North Korean refugees in South Korea, especially among those originally from Kaesong. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) Navotas City will be conducting free RT-PCR tests for public utility vehicle drivers, public market and grocery store employees, as well as fisherfolk from July 27 to July 31. In an executive order signed by Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco Sunday, the local government cited the public transport system and the market as among the high-risk environments for COVID-19 infection. It said PUV drivers are more likely to contract the viral disease due to the signifcant number of people they interact with in a confined space and with limited ventilation. Also in the priority list for COVID-19 testing are market vendors, fish brokers, and their employees, as well as grocery store employees, who are likewise at high risk of being infected due to the common surfaces and goods they touch while at work. Meanwhile, the city government included fisherfolk, saying, by the very nature of the operations of fisherfolks, social distancing on board fishing vessels would not be possible. In order to manage the COVID-19 virus, it is crucial to conduct testing and maximize the city government of Navotas' access to free RT-PCR testing at the community level, in order to trace and identify potentially sick persons from high risk environments and treat them accordingly, the executive order read. As of July 26, Navotas City has recorded a total of 1,452 COVID-19 cases. Of this number, 672 are currently ill patients after 693 recovered and 87 died. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon has a message for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: We need help. McConnell and Senate Republicans must answer that call by sending aid from its next coronavirus relief package to state and local governments the units of government actually leading the public health response to this global health crisis. So far, Congress has pumped $3 trillion into the economy to cushion the severe impact of the pandemic. Lawmakers sent payments directly to Americans, expanded unemployment benefits, awarded grants and loans to large and small businesses, and aided airlines and hospitals. Some local governments got federal aid, but Syracuse and Onondaga County were passed over. That cant happen again. To leave local governments (and local taxpayers) holding the bag is shortsighted. Unlike the federal government, local governments have to balance their budgets. To cover the shortfalls in revenue and increases in expenses, local governments will have to slash jobs and essential services. That would deepen the economic downturn, slow the recovery and weaken the on-the-ground response if (when) another wave of the virus hits. McMahon figures Covid-19 has had a $100 million impact on county finances, when you add up the cost of the public health response to the pandemic, a $40 million to $65 million drop in sales tax revenue due to business closures, and $5 million in lost hotel tax revenue due to travel restrictions. He already has cut $50 million, through 225 furloughs, a hiring freeze affecting more than 200 positions, and an early retirement incentive. If federal aid is not forthcoming, McMahon warns the county will have to make painful budget cuts in areas that directly affect public health and public safety. This is no joke, he said during a briefing Thursday. The City of Syracuse also is preparing to cut everything that isnt tied down to close a $25 million budget gap. Already, Mayor Ben Walsh furloughed 104 employees, froze hiring and cut city parks and pools. It could get even worse for both the county and the city if Gov. Andrew Cuomo follows through on proposed cuts in state aid to municipalities. The House of Representatives already passed a $3 trillion aid package that includes $1 trillion in aid to state and local governments. Onondaga County would be in line for $172.6 million this year and $86.3 million next year. Syracuse would get $242 million this year and $121 million next year. Senate Republicans are expected to unveil their $1 trillion aid package on Monday, the opening bid in negotiations with House Democrats. It is unlikely to include money for state and local governments. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, continues to press for it. McConnell has said the Senate bill will include more than $100 billion in funding for reopening schools under new safety protocols. The House bill includes $430 billion for schools to reopen. The Trump administration wants to condition federal school aid on schools reopening this fall. As the virus surges in parts of the country and the presidents poll numbers sink, that seems to be more of a political calculation than a public health one. It would be a mistake to incentivize schools to open if local conditions are unsafe for students and staff. As Congress hashes out the next coronavirus relief package, it should hear the pleas of local government officials from both parties. As our Republican county executive said last week, Theres no time for politics in pandemics. Loading About Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our mission statement. Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Trish LaMonte, Jason Murray and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Submit a comment through the Google form above, or submit a letter or commentary to letters@syracuse.com. Read our submission guidelines. If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at mmorelli@syracuse.com Rapper Kwaw Kese has advised his colleague musicians and Ghanaians to stop buying luxury things, paricularly cars but rather invest wisely. According to the rapper, buying expensive cars is a waste of money. In a video captured on social media, Kwaw Kese alluded to his extravagant lifestyle in his heydays saying he spent his money on luxurious cars but has today woken to the reality that it's all worthless. ''It was Cadillac CTS. I bought it for $20000 in 2008. I bought it from Kwame Fakye. Go and ask him; 20000 dollars in 2008. If I had saved that money or invested that 20000 dollars from 2008, right now that money would have been a lot. I bought my Mustang for $35000 in 2013. If I had saved that $35000 and used it for business, right now it would have been hundreds of thousands of dollars. It went to waste...I bought three cars; ask me where the cars dey? They're are waste of money'', he insisted. He stressed he has learned lessons from his mistakes and therefore taken the opportunity to share with others how to build a subtantial lifetime fortune. ''...now we invest our money in something lucrative; something that will bring us money back in the future. So, I don't believe in cars...I don't fancy going to buy this designer, going to buy this car...No! If you buy a car today, tomorrow, the value goes down but if you buy a house, you can resell it and make more money. And that is what we're investing our money in, something that will bring us back something lucrative. Something that, in the next 10 years, if I am not able to do music, it can support me.'' Video below: Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Britains government is set to announce all travellers from Spain arriving after midnight (2300 GMT) on Saturday will need to spend two weeks in quarantine in case they are infected with coronavirus, the Sunday Times newspaper reported. Second wave of Covid-19 there has prompted decision to kick Spain off the safe country list, the newspapers political editor, Tim Shipman, said on Twitter. Britains health ministry had no immediate comment on the report. If true, the reported announcement would deal a heavy blow to Spain, which is trying to recoup its tourism season after the sector took a battering from coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions earlier in the year. There was no immediate comment from Spanish government officials. Cases of coronavirus have been on the rise again in recent weeks in Spain, prompting concern in several European countries. Spain had been on a list of countries that the British government had said were safe for travellers to visit - meaning tourists returning home would not have to go into quarantine. On Friday Norway said it will re-impose a 10-day quarantine requirement for people arriving from Spain from Saturday, while France advised people not to travel to the Spanish region of Catalonia. The Catalonia region reported 1,493 new coronavirus cases and three deaths on Saturday. The regional government has urged residents of Barcelona to stay at home, and ordered all discos to shut from Saturday for the next 15 days. The safe country list referred to by Shipman is a list of countries that the UK government has said are safe for travellers to visit - meaning people do not have to go into quarantine on return home. Such quarantines are likely to put people off taking a holiday in non-safe countries. The rules apply to travellers arriving in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own quarantine rules. Britons make a big contribution to Spains tourism sector. The British move will affect not just Spains tourism sector but airlines and travel companies struggling to get back to business. Last year 83.7 million tourists travelled to Spain, of which 18.08 million were British, making them the largest group by nationality, according to Spanish National Statistics Office. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter As I sit home writing this, there are a confirmed 3,370,000 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., plus an addition 60,719 today. As I sit home writing this, there are a confirmed 137,000 deaths from COVID-19, plus 482 more today. As I sit home writing this, there are 335,000 confirmed cases in California. As I sit home writing this, there are 7,076 confirmed COVID-9 deaths in California. As I sit home writing this, therere 518 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Napa County. As I sit home writing this, there are four confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in Napa County. As I sit home writing this, I am recalling that today, (07/13/2020) I made a necessary trip to my bank across town. I live on East Imola and make the trip via Shurtleff to Coombsville Road, to Silverado Trail to Trancas and then west to my bank. During this trip past Philips School and Tulocay Cemetery I saw dozens of people, some alone or in couples, some in groups. None of these folks wore masks. Noticing drivers passing me in either direction, only four or five wore masks. My bank requires masks to enter, and employees were wearing masks. On the way home, I chose to drive through down town. Maybe 30-35% masked. The rest, not so much. On any given day out in the community, it frequently seems like there is no pandemic at all. Frequently, face masks are not visible at all, and social distancing is but a definition rather than a safety rule or guideline applicable to a world-wide pandemic. As progressive as California is as a state, and Napa is as a large small town, the bulk of the visible public on any given day or evening, appears without masks and hobnobbing mere inches apart amongst family and friends. I saw this just today driving through town. The Napa Valley Register is doing a good job of chronicling the statistics and warnings but the Registers paid circulation is as low today as it has been in probably 50 years. Most subscribers are likely older people like myself who grew up reading and trusting newspapers, a trust that has eroded thanks to the ubiquitous internet which does not have to support, as a newspaper does, its claims. The president of the United States has. not helped by calling the news media the Enemy of the People, a phrase uttered by dictators, autocrats, and despots against any perceived enemy if the shoe fits. But thats a different issue. A pandemic is capable of causing a major shift in world-wide economics, civil rights, political realignment and millions of deaths. Anyone 65-plus will remember the stark fear the spread of Poliomyelitis, aka infantile paralysis, aka polio engendered. The New York Department Health identifies polio as: a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis. The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person. Polio is more common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene. Paralysis is more common and more severe when infection occurs in older individuals. As bad as the polio epidemic was, it was nowhere near what we are experiencing today with COVID-19. If the mayor of my town had said Wear masks, wash your hand frequently, and stay six feet apart, and stay home if you can, that would have been done without question. People today are whining over restrictions; the governor is being sued for doing his job by trying to provide safety in accordance to science. Science eradicated polio, smallpox, and many other diseases. The president denies the science and some people listen because he says what they want to hear. The states, towns and cities that have not listened are now leading the country in the spread of COVID-19 cases, and subsequent deaths. Alas, Napa seems bent on doing the same thing. Hoc est bellum! This is war. If we do not unite in common cause, this pandemic is going to devastate the country in a way that no previous disease or war has done outside of the Civil War which is still being fought. I am scared. Climate Change has all but been forgotten, but its still happening. The government is actually trying to undermine the Constitution, and P45 favors Russia over the Constitution. Medical experts are being ignored by millions who should know better. Im afraid because so many of my fellow Napans seem oblivious to the risk they pose to others by finding it unnecessary to abide by safety protocols. Richard Bruns Napa He is the son of a banker and lives in a gated mansion but Timothy Stokely did not make his money from any ordinary means. Mr Stokely, 37, is the founder of London-based OnlyFans, the online adult service booming in popularity where 'creators' share content for a subscription fee. OnlyFans has only been in existence for four years but it has already been credited with revolutionising the adult industry, but some performers have claimed they feel pimped by the service. Fans pay anywhere from 3.90 to 39 a month for pictures from their favourite creators, while the site takes 20 per cent commission. Timothy Stokely, 37, is the founder of London-based adult content-sharing site OnlyFans, which has seen a surge in popularity during lockdown The banker's son has bought a 2.4million mansion in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, with the profits made from the site, which has more than 50million users worldwide Lily Adrianne, 27, from Auckland, New Zealand, earns more than 78,000 a month on the site Since appearing on Love Island in 2018, Megan Barton Hanson (left) has joined OnlyFans. During lockdown British glamour model Dannii Harwood (right) became the first Briton to make 1million from the website since joining in 2019 OnlyFans has only been in existence for four years but it has already been credited with revolutionising the adult industry, but some performers have claimed they feel pimped by the service The site has boomed during the coronavirus lockdown, with a 42 per cent increase in new accounts being made during the period, taking the total to nearly 100,000 Britons. Worldwide there are 660,00 creator accounts with 50million users and OnlyFans boasts it has paid creators more than 956m. This would mean Mr Stokely has seen the company draw in revenues of more than more than 1.2bn. Former skint student, 23, travels the world and bought a house outright thanks to earning 30,000 a month by selling racy snaps of herself online Kaya Corbridge (pictured), 23, from Colne, Lancashire, earns 30,420 a month by selling pictures of herself, the equivalent of the average yearly salary, and holidays in far flung destinations such as Bali, Barcelona and Australia A global jetsetter has revealed how she went from being a 'skint student' to earning over 30,000 a month virtually overnight, by quitting her degree in international relations to sell nude pictures and saucy videos of herself online. Making the average yearly UK salary of about 30,420 a month, at just 23, singleton Kaya Corbridge owns her house in Colne, Lancashire, outright and holidays in far flung destinations such as Bali, Barcelona and Australia. Her luxury lifestyle became possible after she quit her degree course in international relations and global development at Leeds Beckett University in September 2017, after just four weeks, to focus on her OnlyFans account. Kaya explained how her content can range from naked pictures to videos of her feet, saying: 'I set-up my OnlyFans account on a bit of whim. 'I just thought Id give it a go I never thought it would change my life in the way it has. 'In my first year I made 255,000 and now I earn about 30,000 every month Im in the top one per cent of OnlyFans earners in the world.' Advertisement These no doubt helped the entrepreneur afford his 2.4million mansion in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, complete with a cinema and sauna. Since appearing on Love Island in 2018, Megan Barton Hanson has joined X-rated subscription site, building up a huge following. During lockdown British glamour model Dannii Harwood became the first Briton to make 1million from the website since joining in 2019. Ms Harwood told the New York Times: 'You can get porn for free. Guys dont want to pay for that. 'They want the opportunity to get to know somebody theyve seen in a magazine or on social media. Im like their online girlfriend'. But not everyone has had such a positive experience creating content for the site. OnlyFans content creator Ana, 25, from the northwest, told The Sunday Times she felt weird selling her body online. She said: 'Its almost like theyre pimping us out and taking their cut.' Another creator added 'it just feels like virtual prostitution' but Stokely insists creators chose to be on the site themselves. He said: 'All the creators have joined the platform by choice, and create content as they choose.' Lexi, a 36-year-old pole dancer from Manchester, made about 1,000 in the first month, which she used to pay her rent and bills. She said: 'You're basically working as a commission-only salesperson. If you don't do the work, you don't get paid. 'If you're going to set up a subscription site for a bit of fun - please don't. There are people who are using it to try and survive at the moment. 'Set your boundaries before you make your content. Remember that it is out there forever.' Teela Sanders, a criminology professor at the University of Leicester, said those setting up profiles must be properly protected. She said: 'There certainly is a lot more that needs to be done, especially as we see new platforms popping up all of the time, which don't necessarily have the awareness that they need to be responsible platforms.' Mr Stokely built OnlyFans after previously starting BDSM and fetish site GlamWorship.com in 2011. He noticed a demand for customisable content from fans leading to his next venture Customs4U.com, where users could pay to ask porn stars for content they desired. Cutting the cost of studios for traditional porn and a huge demand for more personalised content led to large profits and the site was sold in 2019. Mr Stokely said he 'stumbled across the appeal of fetish movies' while studying at Anglia Ruskin University in a 2014 Reddit post. He also admitted to having watched more than a million porn videos, becoming 'immune to weirdness'. In the post he said: 'I have seen a million and one. You sort of become immune to weirdness. A hazard of the job.' Kaya Corbridge, 33, revealed she sold saucy pictures and other cam services to her horde of fans on a cam model platform, which allowed her to buy her own house at 125,000 The voluptuous model said her earnings allowed her to travel the world with her family, buy a house and donate to charity Model and Playboy star Tahlia Paris Polan, 23, who splits her time between Los Angeles and Las Vegas also uses the site to supplement her income After an OnlyFans was last year, the spotlight has been on the platform to prioritise the privacy of their members. Screenshots with an iOS or Android device now a black screen rather than allowing users to save the picture Users can be banned from OnlyFans if youre caught trying to take recordings or screenshots. A statement on the website reads: OnlyFans takes content piracy very seriously and has a designated DMCA team that issue formal takedown notices against all reported copyright violations.' Our DMCA team issue notice on all illicit target websites, hosting services and domain registrars, whilst also notifying all major search engines of these infringements. LOCAL government and business leaders expect President Rodrigo Duterte to lay out his recovery plan for the economy when he delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, July 27, 2020. Many businesses have been forced to close due to the effects of the lockdowns implemented to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, which struck the country in March. With most major urban centers in the country still under some sort of community quarantine, including Cebu City which is the only local government unit to be on modified enhanced community quarantine, establishments that are open are not operating in full capacity. Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said small and medium enterprises have been particularly affected by the impact of the health crisis. Labella hopes the President has plans to prevent mass unemployment. The Mandaue City Government echoed the mayors sentiment, saying it expects Duterte to tackle economic revival. John Eddu Ibanez, Mayor Jonas Cortes executive secretary, said many residents have already lost their jobs as a result of closures of some companies in the city. Ibanez hopes the National Government will continue to provide assistance to local chief executives to jumpstart the citys economy, He also hopes the City will get help in securing vaccines for Covid-19 in the future. Unlike Cebu City, Mandaue City is on general community quarantine (GCQ), which has more relaxed quarantine measures. Selected establishments have been allowed to resume limited operations provided minimum health standards are in place. Ibanez said the City Government would rather remain on GCQ after July 31. The local business sector is also optimistic that Dutertes Sona will provide more insight into economic issues the country is facing amid the pandemic. We are hoping we can get more government support for our distressed micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which are the main economic drivers of Cebu and also pump priming the tourism sector to create more jobs, said Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Felix Taguiam. Story continues Steven Yu, his counterpart at the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said they expect the President to report on the economic status of the country and the plans and programs for recovery to pre-Covid levels. Yu said they look forward to hearing about the Bayanihan to Recover as One bill that will authorize the President to realign funds for the countrys coronavirus response and the national identification system that will establish a single national identification system for all citizens and resident aliens of the Philippines. The MCCI also wants to hear about the Accelerated Recovery and Investments Stimulus for the Economy of the Philippines bill that will pump P1.3 trillion to the economy as a stimulus package in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Rey Calooy, president of Filipino-Cebuano Business Club, hopes the National Government will focus on helping MSMEs. We expect more on how we revive the shattered economy. MSMEs are now still quandering on a winning strategy against Covid-19, he said. The countrys second quarter gross domestic product (GDP) performance is expected to be worse than the first quarter, considering that the economy was almost at a standstill during the implementation of complete lockdowns in key cities across the country in April and May. Philippine GDP, or the sum of goods and services produced in the country, fell by 0.2 percent in the first quarter, the first contraction since the 1998 Asian financial crisis. However, in a virtual forum early this month, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in his presentation that signs of recovery are emerging. He cited Bureau of Customs (BOC) revenues that surpassed the collection target for June and an uptick in manufacturing output. Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the economy still contracted in May, but there was an improvement from the deepest contraction in April. Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio Lambino II, in a press conference following the forum, said the BOC collected P42.54 billion in June, exceeding by 4.4 percent the P40.74-billion target for the month. Aside from the increase in BOC collection, the purchasing managers index (PMI) also improved to more normal territories in June, according to Chua. The PMI rose to 49.7 in June from 40.1 in May. How fast the economy will rebound to positive territory is dependent on the implementation of a recovery program and the citizenrys cooperation in maintaining minimum health standards, Chua said. The executive branch is talking with Congress ahead of Dutertes Sona for the approval of a fiscal and financial stimulus program under the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. Dominguez also cited the manufacturing uptick in his presentation. He noted that overall manufacturing capacity utilization increased to 73.4 percent in May compared to 71.2 percent in April. Dominguez said government initiatives, such as providing loans for start-up businesses might help the country cope with the effects of the Covid-19 crisis. He reported that the Department of Trade and Industry and the Small Business Corp. provided P1 billion to businesses affected by the lockdown. Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police is yet to monitor any threat against Dutertes fifth Sona on Monday. Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, deputy chief for operations, said Sona-related protest actions will be held inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman as the Quezon City government did not issue a permit to militant groups to gather along Commonwealth Ave., the usual venue for Sona rallies. This was in line with the directive issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government prohibiting mass gatherings to prevent the spread of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. (JJL, KFD, JOB, SunStar Philippines) North Korean authorities have imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong after discovering what they called the country's first suspected case of the novel coronavirus, state media reported Sunday. Leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting on Saturday to implement a "maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert" to contain the virus, official news agency KCNA said. If confirmed, it would be the first officially recognised COVID-19 case in the North where medical infrastructure is seen as woefully inadequate for dealing with any epidemic. KCNA said a defector who had left for the South three years ago returned on July 19 after "illegally crossing" the heavily fortified border dividing the countries. But there have been no reports in the South of anyone leaving through what is one of the world's most secure borders, replete with minefields and guard posts. Pyongyang has previously insisted not a single case of the coronavirus had been seen in the North despite the illness having swept the globe, and the country's borders remain closed. The patient was found in Kaesong City, which borders the South, and "was put under strict quarantine", as would anybody who had come in close contact, state media said. It was a "dangerous situation... that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster", the media outlet added. Kim was quoted as saying "the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country", and officials on Friday took the "preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City". The nuclear-armed North closed its borders in late January as the virus spread in neighbouring China and imposed tough restrictions that put thousands of its people into isolation, but analysts say the North is unlikely to have avoided the contagion. South Korea is currently recording around 40 to 60 cases a day. Earlier this month Kim warned against any "hasty" relaxation of anti-coronavirus measures, indicating the country will keep its borders closed for the foreseeable future. Priti Patel has questioned why social media firms did not act immediately to remove antisemitic tweets posted by grime artist Wiley, in which he shared conspiracy theories and insulted Jewish people on both his Twitter and Instagram accounts. The Home Secretary said she has asked for a full explanation from Twitter and Instagram about why the rappers offensive comments were allowed to remain on his accounts for 12 hours after they were first posted. Ms Patel said in a tweet on Sunday: The antisemitic posts from Wiley are abhorrent. They should not have been able to remain on Twitter and Instagram for so long, and I have asked them for a full explanation. Social media companies must act much faster to remove such appalling hatred from their platforms. Some of Wiley's tweets have now been removed, with a note saying they violate Twitter rules. Housing minister Robert Jenrick supported Ms Patels call for the companies to provide an explanation for the length of time it took to remove the insulting material. I was appalled to see Wileys antisemitic racist rant on social media yesterday, which should not have been able to remain online for so long, he tweeted. Labour MP Jess Philips also weighed in, and said: Why on earth have Twitter left up such blatant antisemitism and hatred? It his all the dangerous beats, Jews get things you dont get, they are in control, they think theyre better This is dangerous stuff. Surely it should come down. The posts are being investigated by Metropolitan Police, who said in a statement: We have received a number of reports relating to alleged anti-Semitic tweets posted on social media. The Met takes all reports of anti-Semitism extremely seriously. The relevant material is being assessed. The social media companies are facing backlash for leaving Wileys posts on their platforms, with many calling for them to close his accounts completely. Wiley was issued with a seven-day ban from his accounts on both platforms. Twitter previously said Wileys account had been temporarily locked for violating our hateful conduct policy. Facebook, which owns Instagram, said there was no place for hate speech on Instagram. A number of MPs, celebrities and campaigners are set to stage a 48-hour Twitter walkout from Monday morning to protest the companys slow action, including Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, historian Simon Schama and TV presenter Rachel Riley. Twitter and Facebook have been contacted for further comment. On Saturday afternoon, several local activist groups protested along rainy downtown streets as part of a national day of action to demand a stop to evictions and foreclosures and an end to police brutality and racism. At noon, more than 40 people gathered for a protest march and caravan at the parking lot on West Nueva Street, across from the University of Texas at San Antonios downtown campus. The event was sponsored by the San Antonio chapter of the Party for Socialism & Liberation. Co-sponsors included the Autonomous Brown Berets de San Anto, San Antonio Tenants Union, About Face Veterans Against the War, Workers World Party and PODER Social Jutice Caucus of the San Antonio Alliance. Jake Tucker, an organizer with the PSL, said material changes are needed, such as extension of unemployment benefits and a job guarantee. Just like in the New Deal, if the private sector will not provide the jobs, the government will be the employer of last resort, Tucker said, guaranteeing a quality safe job for every worker. We dont believe theres a democracy anymore. If it was a democracy these things wouldnt be happening. He said other demands included cancellation of rent, universal health care and not opening schools until its safe. The people lined up around 20 cars in rows beneath the Interstate 10 overpass that protected them from rain showers. Many of the windows had taped signs with slogans and messages written in marker such as Direct Cash Assistance for Working People. Natalie Clifford, a South Side educator, wrote several messages on her car windows that included Economic Justice for All! Its very personal, she said. These are people I care about. A lot of our families are suffering economic hardships. Ten people bearing signs marched ahead of the caravan as it moved onto West Nueva Street and the start of their nearly 2-mile route. They moved past San Antonio Police headquarters onto South Santa Rosa Avenue and turned right on Dolorosa Street. As heavy rain fell, the motorists continued to honk car horns and flash hazard lights. The marchers kept chanting as the procession wound its way onto East Commerce Street back to Santa Rosa Avenue and ended past SAPD headquarters. Before the procession began, several speakers talked about the groups demands. Ananda Tomas, with San Antonio Coalition for Police Accountability and Reform, challenged the protesters to take action, reach out to legislators, vote and run for office. Its not just about unity, she said. Its about action. Vincent T. Davis is a reporter in the Greater San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Vincent, become a subscriber. vtdavis@express-news.net | Twitter: @vincentdavis Almost two years after their short-lived relationship came to an end, Ariana Grande has moved on with Dalton Gomez, and Pete Davidson has dated a few other famous women. But the impact of their relationship has been felt elsewhere namely, on Grandes music. Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande attend the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards on August 20, 2018 in New York City. | Kevin Mazur/WireImage The artist and comedian were first linked in May 2018, getting engaged shortly after that. Her ex-boyfriend, Mac Miller, passed away in September, and she and Davidson broke up in October, while she was working on her album Thank U, Next. Here are the Billboard-charting hits that refer to their relationship. Thank U, Next Just weeks after Grande and Davidson called it quits, she was not only back in the studio but had recorded a whole new album. She dropped the first single, Thank U, Next, in November 2019. It soon became her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, spending 28 weeks on the chart. Inspired by their breakup, Grande waved a very positive goodbye to each of her famous exes in turn. That includes Davidson, about whom she sang, Even almost got married, and for Pete Im so thankful. The comedian wasnt particularly happy about this, quitting Instagram soon after responding with a post about his bipolar depression. Needy Grande began writing the album while she and Davidson were still together, though their relationship was in peril. The Thank U, Next track Needy, which spent four weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 14, is thought to be one of the songs on the album that depicts this. On the track, Grande sings, I know it feels so good to be needed. This relates to what Davidson told Paper Magazine in 2019, that he likes to treat the person Im with like a princess. Grande also commented on how serious their relationship was, singing, How you even think it got this far? NASA Another Thank U, Next favorite is NASA. The song peaked at No. 17, spending three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Again, it wasnt a single, so it didnt get quite as much attention. Grande sings about needing a night away from her significant other, and that its good for their relationship. Allusions to space (as in outer space) are all over Grandes discography. So singing, Give you the whole world, Ima need space was a clever play on that. But what really connects the song to Davidson is even more obvious: He wore a NASA sweatshirt to attend the MTV Video Music Awards with her (scroll up to the top for proof). Ghostin This Thank U, Next track is actually about two of Grandes ex-boyfriends: Miller and Davidson. Ghostin peaked at No. 25, spending two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. The song features her comforting her significant other about a situation they have to get past that shes still in love with someone else. Of all of these songs, the lyrics to Ghostin are the most cut and dry. As she sings, I know that it breaks your heart when I cry again/Over him, shes saying shes missing Miller while shes with Davidson. As she said on the Zach Sang Show, it was the hardest song to write on the album. Pete Davidson RELATED: Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson Got Engaged 2 Years Ago: Their Instagram Relationship Timeline This one was a little bit of a cheat because a couple of other songs that performed a bit better probably should have taken this spot. The Sweetener track Pete Davidson spent just one week on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 43. However, none of those tracks are confirmed to be about Davidson, while this one most certainly is. She first teased it back in May 2018, around the time they started dating, captioning a photo of them with the lyrics I thought you into my life, woah/Look at my mind. National Communication Director for Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) Mr. Samuel Owusu Afriyie unequivocally has condemned what he describes as careless the recent utterances of some leading members of the National Democratic Congress against some security officers. According to him, the outbursts of Sammy Gyamfi, the NDC National Communication Officer and their Director of Elections, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah are unfortunate and needless as well as inimical to the countrys fragile peace and infant democracy. The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) by this release unequivocally condemns the careless utterances by some leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in recent times. Such outburst are needless and inimical to our fragile peace and infant democracy.It is very unfortunate that Mr. Sammy Gyamfi (National Communication Officer) and Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah (Director of Elections) of the NDC publicly issued threats to security officers of the state because they are dissatisfied with their professional conducts, he condemned. In a press release copied to Peacefmonline.com, Mr Owusu Afriyie indicated that threatening to purge security agents will not solve the problem but rather make the situation worse. He added that Sammy Gyamfi should have been discrete and tactful as his threat to purge those officers will also do everything to make sure power does not does not change hands. If indeed the adage that tells us that to be fore warned, is to be fore armed holds true, then do you think that those officers who have been threatened would allow power to change hands as per Sammy Gyamfis anticipation? Discretion has always been the better side of valor, therefore diplomacy and tact must be adhered to in situations like this. Sammy Gyamfi on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show sounded clearly that they have the list of all the security agents who beat up members and executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), assuring that the NDC will take revenge against them. He affirmed that the current NDC will not abide by the father-for-all behavior of the late President Atta Mills who easily forgave people in the NPP who brutalized members of the NDC; reiterating that the Mahama Administration will rule the country with an-eye-for-an-eye behavior. Now, in NDC, whoever will try this father-for-all behaviour, we will chase you out. Nobody is coming to do any father-for-all. The time of father-for-all was under the late President Atta Mills, he was called Asomdwe Hene and he said that whatever has happened in the past should be forgiven for the sake of peace but the person who brought his father-for-all behaviour is dead and gone but we the current generation of the NDC, we dont subscribe to the father-for-all behaviour, he threatened. 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 Nigerias new coronavirus cases reduced last week compared to the previous week, a PREMIUM TIMES review of official data shows. In the past three weeks, the figures have been fluctuating, suggesting that Nigeria is yet to flatten the curve of the pandemic. Before the previous weeks increase, Nigeria had experienced two weeks of reductions in the number of new cases. However, while a total of 4,107 new infections were recorded in the previous week, Nigeria recorded 3,870 new cases last week (July 19-July 25). This represents a five per cent reduction in the number of newly confirmed infections when compared with the previous weeks record. Last week also marked the 30th week of the pandemic in Nigeria. More recoveries but more deaths The review further shows that the number of people who recovered from the virus and were discharged increased last week. A total of 2,010 patients recovered and were discharged last week, an 8 per cent increase from 1,834 who were discharged in the previous week. However, 78 new deaths were reported between last Sunday and Saturday, which represents a 44 per cent increase when compared to the 54 who died from the virus in the previous week. Since there is no cure for the respiratory disease yet, the health minister, Osagie Ehanire, urged Nigerians to focus on prevention, which according to him, is better and cheaper than cure. Also, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been hammering on compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) measures as it remains the most effective intervention to control the COVID-19 outbreak. Nigerians have been repeatedly told to ensure the use of face masks and maintain social distancing, although both have been largely breached by residents. Nigeria so far As of the time of reporting, 39,977cases have been confirmed, 16,948 cases have been discharged and 856 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, A breakdown of the 31,987 confirmed cases shows that Lagos State has so far reported 14,300 cases, followed by FCT 3451, Oyo 2, 517, Edo 2, 165, Delta 1, 464, Rivers 1,640, Kano 1,455, Ogun 1,244, Kaduna 1,349, Ondo 1,043, Katsina 733, Borno 609, Gombe 558, Bauchi 538, Plateau 780, Ebonyi 759, Enugu 741, Abia 536, Imo 465, Jigawa 322, Kwara 711, Bayelsa 326, Nasarawa 308, Osun 435, Sokoto 154, Niger 167, Akwa Ibom 208, Benue 294, Adamawa 140, Anambra 132, Kebbi 90, Zamfara 77, Yobe 66, Ekiti 104, Taraba- 54, Kogi 5, and Cross River 37. Lagos State remains the epicentre for the disease with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths in the country. The other five states with the highest number of confirmed cases are FCT, Oyo, Edo, Delta and Rivers State. Last week, all the thirty-six states, except Kogi, Jigawa and Zamfara, recorded at least a new case of the virus. The data also shows that Kwara State recorded 400 cases last week, more than half of its total figure. This new surge in cases informed the state governments decision to ban next Fridays Eid prayers and vigils in the state. Also, the state government has vowed to prosecute residents who fail to wear face masks in public places. Increased testing For about two months, there has been a consistent increase in the number of weekly tests conducted in the country. The country has so far collected 259,516 samples since the beginning of the outbreak in Nigeria in February. Data from the public health agency showed that 50,070 people were tested last week, a 37 per cent increase from the 31,181 tested the previous week. Mr Ehanire, at the 52nd national briefing on COVID-19, said the Federal Ministry of Health through the NCDC now has 59 molecular diagnostic laboratories for COVID-19 tests. He added that with a little improvement in logistics, the testing procedure would be more efficient. Advertisements Timeline last week On Sunday, 556 new cases of COVID19 were reported in the country. On Monday, 562 new cases of the virus were reported in the country. This brought the tally of confirmed cases to 37,225 of 11:55 p.m. on July 20. On Tuesday, 576 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded. On Wednesday, 595 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country. On Thursday, 604 new cases were reported in Nigeria, hence bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 38,948 as of 11:55 p.m. on July 23. On Friday, 591 new cases of the virus were recorded. On Saturday, 438 new cases were reported in Nigeria, hence bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 39,977 as of 11:55 p.m. on July 25. While 16,948 have been discharged, the infection has killed 856 persons. GLADWIN COUNTY, MI - Chris Ringo and other Secord Lake property owners are fighting against Four Lakes Task Forces recommendation that Gladwin County condemn Secord Lake. Four Lakes is a nonprofit that both Gladwin and Midland counties authorized to purchase dams owned by Boyce Hyrdo after years of failing to update and repair dams. This included the Edenville and Sanford dams that failed to hold water in May, causing historic-level flooding in Midland County. The Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate rallied after reports revealed a vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford appeared to be safe. GBP received further support after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would continue to engage constructively with the European Union in post-Brexit trade talks. This saw GBP enjoy its best day in three weeks. The NZ Dollar was unable to make gains against the Pound despite data showing the countrys service sector bounced back. Although, markets continued to focus on the surge in coronavirus cases around the world. Meanwhile, the Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate slumped on Tuesday as risk appetite improved thanks to increased hopes for a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year. The Kiwi was also benefitted after European Union leaders were able to reach a deal on a coronavirus recovery fund aimed at helping the blocs economy after the crisis. The Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate was able to edge higher on Wednesday afternoon before slumping once again later in the evening. GBP struggled as markets turned their attention back to Brexit, which has taken a backseat to the coronavirus pandemic lately. Fears the UK could face a no-deal Brexit increased and weighed on the British currency. Meanwhile, NZD was able to hit a six-month high against the US Dollar on Wednesday as traders grew increasingly optimistic about the local outlook. Added to this, traders largely shrugged odd the growing tensions between the US and China after Washington ordered Beijing to close its foreign ministry in Texas. However, the pairing rebounded on Thursday and Sterling was able to claw back some losses as traders grew cautious about deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing. Risk appetite slumped as China responded to Washingtons order to close its consulate in Houston, Texas. In a tit-for-tat escalation of tensions, China ordered the closure of a United States consulate in the south-western city of Chengdu. Sterling was able to make gains despite comments from the European Unions chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier. He noted that London had not shown any willingness to tackle the deadlock in negotiations. Friday saw the pairing edge higher as US-China tensions rose. Sterling was offered further support as the latest flash PMIs rose higher than expected and left the currency on track for its largest weekly gain against the US Dollar (USD) since the start of June. Pound New Zealand Dollar Outlook: Will US-China Tensions Send NZD Lower? Looking ahead to next week, it is likely risk appetite will continue to play a role in the movement of New Zealand Dollar (NZD) exchange rates. If risk appetite slumps further as US-China tensions continue to remain in focus and relations deteriorate further, the Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate could rise. However, the Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate could be left flat as trader attention will also be focused on Brexit after last weeks talks made little progress. If markets continue to fret over the UK leaving the European Union without a free trade agreement, it will dampen Sterling sentiment and leave the Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate under pressure. Wednesday could see NZD make some gains if New Zealands building permits rise higher than expected in June. However, a rally could be cut short if Julys business confidence slumps on Thursday. The Pound-to-New-Zealand-Dollar rate could edge lower if Julys New Zealand Roy Morgan consumer confidence rises higher than expected as this would offer the Kiwi and upswing of support. When my daughter Edie was two weeks old, I took her to the pub and wheeled the buggy back home drunk. No milk had come into my breasts, and Id not put up much of a fight when it had been suggested to me by a kindly lactation consultant that I switch to formula. It meant I could drink, and I needed a drink, didnt I? To let off steam, to relax, to remember who I was. A mum, yes, but also Bryony. The trouble was, Bryony back then was an expert in self-sabotage, a 32-year-old woman who had hoped that pregnancy would do for her what a course of rehab did for others. I had, perhaps naively, assumed that becoming a mum would cure me of my tendency to put drinking and sometimes drugs before everything else. Bryony Gordon reveals how she battled alcoholism, while building a reputation as an expert mental health campaigner in a new book. Pictured: Bryony with her daughter Edie as a baby Ever since I had first picked up a drink, at the age of 14, it had been the magic elixir that seemed to cure everything most importantly the horrific intrusive thoughts and depression that were a result of the obsessive compulsive disorder I had suffered since childhood. When I had a drink, I felt the way I imagined everyone else felt: relaxed, happy, at peace with myself. Without one, the heaviness of life was on me again, the trauma of mental illness making it increasingly difficult for me to function. So, like many, I self-medicated with alcohol. Still, I wasnt an alcoholic, was I? I had rules never drink before 7pm or until Edie was in bed asleep; dont touch spirits and these rules were very important to me, because they proved I wasnt an alcoholic. Sometimes it felt as if my entire lifes work was proving I wasnt an alcoholic. I couldnt bear the word and would have done anything to avoid it. It conjured up images of tramps on park benches, of the destitute and desperate, and I was none of these things. I thought having a baby would cure me of my wild ways, but in fact, as a hardcore drinker who once wrote a party girl newspaper column, I had picked up almost exactly where I left off after a couple of weeks of motherhood. This was too appalling a fact for me to properly accept, so instead I did what most people in the grips of an addiction tend to do: I buried it deep, under denial. The truth was, my life was defined by alcohol. I didnt drink every day not quite but I thought about it day and night. When I did drink, I frequently blacked out, or put myself in horribly vulnerable positions. In the first four years of my daughters life, I sometimes simply disappeared and took off with friends for an evening that would inevitably end in a flat full of the detritus of a nights binge. Whisky glasses, fag ash, me passed out on the sofa. Sometimes I hid where Id been and who Id been with from my husband. Id wake up and take a diazepam so I could immediately go back to sleep and block out the day, or fantasise about being hospitalised for exhaustion, so I could be sedated. I was ashamed. The irony was that during these four years, I somehow managed to build a reputation as a expert mental health campaigner. Id written four books on the subject, including several bestsellers. I had, and still have, a popular podcast called Mad World, on which Id famously interviewed Prince Harry about his struggles. I had a virtual stranger in my house ordering drugs as my child slept upstairs But while I could talk about the OCD I had suffered from, I was too ashamed to talk about the self-medicating I did to try to deal with it. This was the weird juxtaposition of my life: I had never before been so successful, but I had also never before felt like such a mess. My endlessly patient husband Harry picked up the pieces at home in South London. He had no choice but to be complicit. Was it worse for him, in some strange way? I was out of control, but at least I had my hand on the brake. He was just a passenger. I did want to stop. Or at least I wanted to cut down. Never again, I would say the morning after, knowing that whatever had led to this never again would be replaced by something else that would lead to another never again in a few days time. Again and again and again. Until, in 2017, at the age of 37, I began to hit rock bottom. It was May and my husband was away for the weekend. I was supposed to be taking Edie to a literary festival I was appearing at but it was a glorious Friday, and when a friend texted suggesting she come round for a drink, I decided Edie and I would get on the train to the festival the next morning. Bryony (pictured) who would disappear for a night of binge drinking in the first four years of her daughter's life, admits she would sometimes hide who she had been with from her husband Harry I put her to bed in my customary fashion: hurriedly, finding the shortest book possible to read, and putting a dummy in her mouth to soothe her, despite the fact she was now four. Then I went downstairs and opened the chilled cava. Ten minutes later, my friend turned up, along with a friend of hers I had not met before. I suppose this might have annoyed someone else, a person who had perhaps expected a deep and meaningful catch-up. But as far as I was concerned, the more the merrier. Within an hour, the person I had not met before had put in a call to her dealer. It shocks me now to think of how quickly, in the end, I broke one of my most unbreakable rules: a virtual stranger in my house ordering drugs as my child slept upstairs. I was protected by my privilege, by my middle-class professionalism and though this line in the sand was crossed only once, I now see that once could have been enough for some involvement from social services. I can barely force myself to type this, but I need to put it all down, because it pierces the wall of denial, even now. At 4am, I texted my agent to tell her I had a stomach bug and would not make the literary festival. Three hours after that, I found myself trying to get to sleep as my daughter woke up. I pulled out my husbands iPad and put on some movies for her as I tried to get some rest. I spent the duration of Edies new school picnic planning a pre-rehab binge I gave up. I called my mum and told her we were coming round as I was ill. I ordered a taxi I couldnt afford, and bundled us in. We had to stop on the way so I could buy water and be sick. In the checkout queue, holding my daughters hand and watching the normal, happy families going about their Saturdays, I began to cry silently. That summer of 2017, something changed inside me. I went on another all-night bender with a friend whose surname I couldnt tell you, switching off my phone so Harry couldnt reach me. I woke up at 1.30pm the next day in her flat, oblivious to the huge worry and hurt I was causing him. I knew that if I didnt try to stop, and stop for ever, the rock bottoms would become seedier and seedier. I was not even sure I would live through them. I felt like an interloper in my own family. In my mind, Id become a monster who had no right to what I had. What was I doing to my family? To Edie, at this tender age, for whom a distracted, hungover mother had become normal? She was young, but she was not stupid, and she was absorbing this situation into her brain without even realising it my disappearances, my irritability, my constant food poisoning. How long before it started to change the very fabric of her cells, of her story, damaging her until there was no going back? Which was how I found myself, in late August 2017, sitting with my husband in a nondescript building in a smart part of London with a rehab counsellor telling me I could start on an outpatient programme for the princely sum of 8,000. I didnt have 8,000, of course. What did they take me for? An alcoholic, or a sensible person with savings? I lived on my overdraft and then, when I maxed out that, I lived on a credit card, before pay day started the whole insane circle again. But there was nothing that the NHS could really do for me. So, sure, 8,000 was a lot of money, but, like I said, I was desperate, and alcohol was going to end up costing me a lot more than that if I carried on drinking it. Can you tell me what your success rates are in terms of getting people sober? asked my ever-practical husband, whos a financial journalist and used to weighing up investments. Bryony said she spent the duration of Edie's school picnic planning the binge she was going to have after putting her to bed (file image) Its about normal for a rehab centre, said the rehab man. Around 40 per cent of our clients are still sober six months after leaving. Addiction is a tough illness to manage, Im afraid. The odds were not good, but I admired his honesty, and Id always liked a challenge. I looked at my husbands kind face, at the worry in his eyes. And I knew then that I was going to try to be part of the 40 per cent. We applied for a loan that day. The same week I was due to start rehab, Edie was due to start Reception. On the Friday before, I took her to a picnic organised by her new school so that everyone could get to know each other and its testament to my alcoholism that I spent the entire duration of it planning the binge I was going to have when I put her to bed. This was my last opportunity for a drink I had to be clean for 72 hours prior to starting rehab and I had it all worked out. Dinner at 5pm, bath at 5.30pm, story at 6pm. If all went well, I could be ordering beer on Deliveroo by 6.20pm, and drinking it shortly after. Once again it was Harry who saved me. I rang him at work to invite him to my last evening of drinking, to plead for his approval, but he was angry and told me no. As my finger hovered over the Deliveroo app, he was suddenly there, home early from the office to stop me. I screamed when I saw him, but it wasnt an angry scream, nor a defiant scream. It was a terrified scream, the scream of someone who didnt know how she had ended up in this place or how she would get out of it. Harry took me up to our bed, tucked me in and told me it would be all right. That together we would get through this. We cuddled and I knew that I was one of the lucky ones. I had supportive family and friends, and a bank loan for almost ten grand that would allow me to go to rehab. I had a way out. I spent the next three days downing Night Nurse to keep me in an almost permanent state of sleep. Anything to get me to rehab in one piece. And I still am so far at least. I applied myself to rehab the same way most addicts apply themselves to things: passionately and absolutely. The end of 2017 especially Christmas was hard, but I got through it, partly by leaving parties after an hour, and partly by baking. The old Bryony would sneer at this, but in sobriety I was realising that so much of what I claimed to despise was actually what I hankered after desperately. Safety. Security. The ability to nourish and look after myself. That Christmas, Edie and I baked banana bread and danced to festive songs in the kitchen. We whisked and licked spoons and laughed together, and when Its The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year came on the radio I could have cried shiny tears of joy. Id always told myself that Edie was the most important thing in my life, that my love for her was all-encompassing. But alcoholism had made a mockery of this, and I realised that, in reality, my daughter had spent the first four years of her life playing second fiddle to my drinking. She had not been the most important thing in my life. Alcohol had. This simple but stark fact winded me on an almost daily basis. I wanted to use its force to turn back time and do everything again. I wanted to take myself back to the delivery room where Id had my emergency C-section, to whisper into my morphined ear that whatever I did, I should never, ever pick up an alcoholic drink again. But I couldnt, so instead I used its power to propel me forward. At the time of writing this, I am almost three years sober. Every morning, once Ive enjoyed the feeling of relief at my clear head and lack of nausea, I get up and make Edies breakfast. It is a small thing, an obvious thing, a thing that happens in households around the world every day. But for me, it is almost miraculous. From pouring the milk and cornflakes into a bowl, to the very fact we have milk and cornflakes to put in the a bowl. I take my time to brush her hair and teeth, not rushing as I used to because I couldnt (or wouldnt) get out of bed in time. Staying sober is never a done deal, and if theres one thing Ive learned its that I have no idea what will happen to me tomorrow, or the day after. But I still see a rehab counsellor once a week, like clockwork, and my life has changed so much: the thing I once couldnt imagine being without alcohol has now become the thing I cannot imagine a life with. Edie has changed, too, of course. Today she can read by herself. But she also knows that she will be put to bed every night by a woman who will always, always, read her a story, from the longest books she can find, for as long as she likes. Glorious Rock Bottom by Bryony Gordon (16.99, Headline) is out on August 6. With Eye on China, India Tightens Trade Rules By Anjana Pasricha July 25, 2020 India has toughened trade rules for neighboring countries in a move seen aimed at China, as a dispute along their Himalayan borders plunges ties between the Asian giants to their lowest point in decades. In fresh rules issued this week, India said companies from countries with which it shares land borders would need political and security clearances from the foreign and interior ministries to bid for government contracts. The government said the move was meant to "strengthen the defense of India and national security." While the rules do not name China, the new curbs will impact Chinese companies looking to invest in infrastructure projects in India, according to trade experts. "It is large projects which will be affected. These are big ticket investments," points out Biswajit Dhar, a trade analyst and professor of economics at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University. "India depends a lot on China for such projects." It is the latest in a series of measures aimed at Chinese investment in India as New Delhi reevaluates its economic ties with Beijing. Last month, India banned 59 mostly Chinese apps, including the hugely popular TikTok, in what federal minister Ravi Shankar Prasad described as a "digital strike" meant to safeguard people's data. In April, the government announced that it would screen foreign investment from countries with which it shares a land border. While these measures will have very limited impact on China's much bigger economy, they will put a roadblock on a trade relationship that blossomed for years and made China India's second-biggest trading partner. But even as New Delhi tries to wean itself from dependence on Beijing, the deteriorating economic ties will come at a cost, since China has a large footprint in projects from infrastructure to technology. "The big question is, you are going to deny China entry into India's infrastructure projects.Would anyone else step in and who would that be?" points out Dhar. "If you look at the bigger picture, it is China which has the deep pockets in terms of making investments and supplying equipment." As India tries to reduce its dependence on Beijing, it is calling on American companies to increase investment in sectors such as technology, energy, defense and space. At the "India Ideas Summit" held online by the U.S India Business Council earlier this week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the "the rise of India means a rise in trade opportunities with a nation that you can trust." At the same forum, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said India had a chance to move "supply chains away from China and reduce its reliance on Chinese companies in areas like telecommunications, medical supplies and others." "India is in this position because it has earned the trust of many countries around the world, including the United States," Pompeo said. Calls for closer ties with the United States have been growing since India's military confrontation with China. New Delhi and Beijing have deployed thousands of soldiers along their undemarcated borders in the eastern Ladakh state where a clash killed 20 Indian soldiers in June. Talks are continuing to defuse the standoff but efforts at disengagement have made only limited progress so far. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marcela Valente (Reuters) Buenos Aires, Argentina Sun, July 26, 2020 07:02 543 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066948b4f 2 Environment Argentina,satellite,forest,conservation,environment,technology Free Argentina plans to put into orbit a satellite with new precision technology in the coming days, to monitor felling of its native forests round the clock and accurately measure forest carbon stocks in a bid to help curb climate change, scientists said. The SAOCOM 1B satellite, manufactured in the South American country, is due to be launched between July 25 and 30 from Cape Canaveral in Florida, managed by experts from Argentina's National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE). The satellite, equipped with the latest technology, represents a huge leap from those that use optical sensors. SAOCOM 1B's main Earth observation instrument is a radar that works with microwaves in the electromagnetic L-band space, providing information 24/7 about what it can see: soil moisture, crops, forest structure and changes in glaciers. "There is only one similar satellite developed by the Japanese space agency," Laura Frulla, head of research for the SAOCOM mission, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "It's a very important advance because optical sensors work with sunlight, but microwaves go through clouds, work in rain and don't need light," she added. The new development comes at a key moment. "Argentina is not only in a health emergency due to COVID-19 but also in a forestry and climate emergency," warned Hernan Giardini, coordinator of Greenpeace's forests campaign in Argentina. A UN report published in 2015 identified Argentina as one of the 10 most deforested countries in the world. Between 1990 and 2015, it lost forests equivalent to the size of Scotland. The decline in forest cover has since slowed but continues, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said this year. Official figures from the Argentinian government show 182,000 hectares were deforested in 2018 - about half in protected areas - down from 350,000 hectares in 2012. But in the first half of 2020, with coronavirus restrictions since March making it harder to enforce protection, Argentina lost more forest than in the same period last year, according to Greenpeace, which tracks optical satellite images. "Just during the quarantine, 21,000 hectares were deforested - an area equivalent to the city of Buenos Aires," Giardini told the Congressional Natural Resources Commission this month. The critical area is the Gran Chaco, a wide South American tropical and subtropical region which includes four northern provinces of Argentina: Formosa, Chaco, Salta and Santiago del Estero. That area, which captures 50 percent of the carbon stored in the country's forests, is also where 80 percent of clearance takes place. The main causes of deforestation are expansion of soybean cultivation and intensive livestock breeding, as well as forest fires. The Chaco forests are cut down to plant pasture and raise livestock for meat exports to China and the European Union. Read also: Young people face 'altered world', say lawyers for child climate case Pristine protection In Argentina, the greatest deforestation occurs in the tropical area of Gran Chaco, where dense clouds are common, said Pablo Mercuri of the National Agricultural Technology Institute. "With more information from this region we will be able to track native forests much better," he said. "The optical satellites used today do not capture images on cloudy days or at night, but the new ones allow you to traverse the clouds and operate both day and night," he explained. SAOCOM 1B will be complemented by SAOCOM 1A, put into orbit in 2018, which provides some images but is still "in the process of calibration", Mercuri said. The two will form a constellation that will provide greater variety and frequency of data, in conjunction with satellites from other countries that use similar X-band microwave technology but cannot penetrate forest cover. SAOCOM's Frulla said the new system will be useful because it allows monitoring of changes in both planted and native forest that look different. Three hours after logging or a fire, the affected area can be measured and its recovery observed. Unlike optical satellites which only provide estimates, the new system will accurately measure biomass, whether it is dry or wet, the tree type, undergrowth and humidity levels, she said. The satellites can also be used to detect areas at risk of fires, floods and crop diseases, allowing for early warning. The L-band radar technology, which penetrates the surface, is dominated by Argentina and Japan, and may be sold to other countries as the satellites observe the whole of the Earth, passing twice a day at the same point, she noted. Mercuri said radar satellites can capture the density of a forest and different structures within it. To raise awareness of the importance of using forests sustainably, more and better data like this needs to be produced, he noted. "Native forests are not even - they are very thinned by deforestation and in some areas inaccessible," he said. The satellite information will make it possible to identify forest areas that should remain pristine, he added. The system will also help quantify carbon stocks in the forest and soil, and certify them. This process is important to verify carbon credits that can be purchased to offset greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere. "This technology will allow us to make high-precision inventories at the sites of greatest interest," Mercuri added. Topics : Argentina satellite forest conservation environment technology - Some wounded Nigerian soldiers have expressed determination to return to the battlefield as soon as they get better - The soldiers made this known when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, paid them a visit at the hospital - Buratai also assured them that their efforts will never go unrewarded PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed! Some Nigerian soldiers have demonstrated a rare level of patriotism as they express willingness to return to the Boko Haram battlefield despite being wounded. One of the soldiers, warrant officer Yahaya Isyaku said he is ready to return to the mission area to continue fighting the insurgents. Daily Trust reports that Isyaku said this when the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai paid him and other wounded soldiers a visit. Boko Haram: Wounded soldiers say ready to return to battlefield. Photo credit: The Guardian Source: Twitter Legit.ng gathers that the soldiers are currently hospitalised at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. Isyaku said he was delighted to see the COAS and have him serve him dinner personally. He said: We here in 44 Army Hospital are happy with everything here, the Nurses and Doctors are taking good care of us and the Chief Medical Director (CMD) is doing a motherly job here, she is taking care of us. I am ready to go back to the mission area to fight and attack Boko Haram. The COAS took me to India to get prosthetic leg, I got an oversized one and could not use it, but as soon as I get the right size, I am ready to go back to the battlefield. Also speaking, Major D.M. Dede on behalf of wounded officers, said it is a rare privilege to see this day. Sir you went to the field and served us meal there, we thought that was the end, but you still followed us here and served us meal. When we get well, we want to go back and continue to fight the terrorists. We pray God keeps you to accomplish your vision, he said. In his reaction, Buratai said the soldiers' efforts in trying to secure the nation will never go unrewarded, stressing that their true spirit of patriotism and professionalism is commendable. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has condemned the killing of five aid workers by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. The group also criticized its use of landmines and buried improvised explosive devices by the terrorists. According to the group, such action does not discriminate its targets in a war situation and always hits many civilians. In a statement by its executive secretary, Isaac Ikpa, on Friday, July 24, CSEJET said the radical terrorists' new dimension has suffered heavy casualties. 5 years after, Nigerians speak about Buhari's administration | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng A few dozen anti-police protesters chanted 'Fascist out' as they rallied outside the Virginia home of Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to demand the removal of federal agents from Portland, Oregon, and other cities. Demonstrators chanted slogans like 'Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?' and demanded the defunding of police as they rallied in the suburban town of Alexandria, Virginia, on Sunday morning. The demonstration comes as Wolf blasted Democrats on Sunday for 'sanctioning rioting' and violence against law enforcement. As part of a national call to action we're calling for a march and rally at Chad Wolf's house in Alexandria, Virginia on Sunday, July 26th at 10am to demand that Trump's troops be removed from every city, read the notice from ShutDown DC. Please meet us at Preston Rd and Valley Drive. We're calling for ICE to be abolished. We're calling for every person detained by CBP to be freed. Protesters in front of acting DHS Sec. Chad Wolfs home in Alexandria, VA. Calling for defunding police, DHS, etc. Whose the big bad Wolf? Is one of their favorite chants. pic.twitter.com/VQgc4uEC0j Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) July 26, 2020 A few dozen protesters were seen outside the home of acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf in Alexandria, Virginia, on Sunday The protesters held signs denouncing President Trump and calling for the abolition of the Department of Homeland Security Some of the demonstrators denounced Wolf and Trump as 'fascist' and chanted: 'Who's afraid of the big, bad Wolf?' The protest was prompted by the Trump administration's controversial decision to deploy federal agents to cities in an attempt to quell protests The Trump administration has pledged to expand its use of DHS officers in cities across the country. Demonstrations have happened in Oregons largest city nightly for two months since George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in the custody of police in Minneapolis in May. Trump said he sent federal agents to Portland to halt the unrest but state and local officials say they are making the situation worse. Civil liberties advocates were outraged last week by video images of masked federal agents who were heavily armed and clad in tactical gear with no identifiable badges or insignia taking a protester into custody and hauling him away in an unmarked van. Local officials in Portland, including the mayor, governor, and the attorney general, have demanded that federal agents leave the city. But the administration has refused to pull them out. 'We will not retreat,' Wolf said in a press conference on Tuesday. 'We will continue to take appropriate action.' Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, blasted Democrats for 'sanctioning rioting' on Sunday. Demonstrators rallied outside his Alexandria, Virginia, home on Sunday A group known as ShutDown DC is circulating an announcement to its followers asking them to gather in Alexandria for a demonstration outside Wolf's home ShutDown DC is demanding that the Trump administration remove federal agents from cities like Portland, Oregon, and other towns. The image above shows federal police in front of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in downtown Portland on Saturday night President Trump on Sunday retweeted a post from Wolf, who said on Saturday that six DHS officers were injured in the unrest in Portland Fox's Maria Bartiromo asks acting DHS sec. Chad Wolf: "Why can't you just arrest the leadership in Portland because of their ignoring what's really happening on the ground?" (h/t @npr_matrix) https://t.co/MMcp1LWCF7 pic.twitter.com/j09tyPC5mZ Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) July 26, 2020 The acting secretary defended the federal agents, saying: 'They're not military or civilian police officers. These police officers are not storm troopers. They're not the Gestapo.' The Gestapo is a reference to the official secret police used by Nazi Germany against its enemies throughout Europe in the years leading up to the Second World War. During an appearance on Fox News on Sunday, Wolf blasted Democrats for failing to condemn violence against law enforcement. 'We are standing up for law and order and anyone who says otherwise is not being accurate,' he said. 'I will say that the other side that wants to criticize law enforcement, what they dont do, they do not condemn these acts of violence in Portland. 'I have talked to a number of Democratic members of Congress and all but one, only one has asked me about the health of my officers. 'All they want to do is condemn law enforcement for doing their job. And, again, very irresponsible.' Since federal agents have been deployed to Portland, the situation appears to have escalated. Authorities declared a riot early on Sunday in the Rose City, where protesters breached a fence surrounding the citys federal courthouse building where US agents have been stationed. A federal agent is seen above aiming non-lethal munitions at protesters in downtown Portland on Saturday Protesters in Portland manage to breach the perimeter fence of the federal court building in the early hours of Sunday morning, prompting a massive response from federal police who used tear gas and non-lethal munitions to clear the area Federal officers line up to deploy tear gas at demonstrators during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Portland early on Sunday morning Protesters react to tear gas being deployed by federal officers during a protest in downtown Portland on Sunday A federal agent armed with a baton and wearing a gas mask is seen above in Portland late on Saturday night Police described via Twitter the violent conduct of people downtown as creating a grave risk of public alarm. Police demanded people leave the area surrounding the courthouse, around 1:20am on Sunday, and said that those who fail to adhere may be arrested or subjection to teargas and impact weapons. By 1:40pm, both federal officers and Portland police could be seen on the streets, surrounding the courthouse, attempting to clear the area and deploying teargas. Protesters remained in the streets past 2:30am, forming lines across intersections and holding makeshift shields, as police patrolled and closed blocks abutting the area. Multiple arrests were made, but it wasnt immediately clear how many. President Trump announced on Wednesday that he will send federal agents to Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to help combat rising crime, expanding the administrations intervention into local enforcement as he runs for reelection under a law and order mantle. Using the same alarmist language he has employed to describe illegal immigration, Trump painted Democrat-led cities as out of control and lashed out at the radical left, which he blamed for rising violence in some cities, even though criminal justice experts say it defies easy explanation. In recent weeks there has been a radical movement to defund, dismantle and dissolve our police department, Trump said at a White House event, blaming the movement for a shocking explosion of shootings, killings, murders and heinous crimes of violence. This bloodshed must end, he said. This bloodshed will end. Wolf (left) and Attorney General William Barr (right) listen to President Trump at the White House on Wednesday The decision to dispatch federal agents to American cities is playing out at a hyperpoliticized moment when Trump is grasping for a new reelection strategy after the coronavirus upended the economy, dismantling what his campaign had seen as his ticket to a second term. With less than four months until Election Day, Trump has been warning that violence will worsen if his Democratic rival Joe Biden is elected in November and Democrats have a chance to make the police reforms they have endorsed after the killing of George Floyd and nationwide protests demanding racial justice. Crime began surging in some cities like Chicago, New York and Philadelphia when stay-at-home orders lifted. Criminal justice experts seeking answers have pointed to the unprecedented moment: a pandemic that has killed over 140,000 Americans, historic unemployment, a mass reckoning over race and police brutality, intense stress and even the weather. Compared with other years, crime in 2020 is down overall. The plan Trump announced Wednesday expands an existing program that sent hundreds of federal agents to Kansas City, Missouri, after a 4-year-old boys shooting death to help quell a record rise in violence. Sending federal agents to help localities is not uncommon; Attorney General William Barr announced a similar surge effort in December for seven cities with spiking violence. But this effort will include at least 100 Department of Homeland Security Investigations officers who generally conduct drug trafficking and child exploitation investigations, in addition to personnel under the Justice Department umbrella. DHS officers have already been dispatched to Portland and other localities to protect federal property and monuments as Trump has lambasted efforts by protesters to knock down Confederate statues. Local authorities there have complained that agents have exacerbated tensions on the streets, while residents have accused the government of violating their constitutional rights. Indeed, civil unrest escalated after federal agents were accused of whisking people away in unmarked cars without probable cause. Since the racial justice protests began, Trumps campaign has leaned heavily into a pledge to maintain law and order as it has tried to tie Biden to a small group of radicals and anarchists it claims is trying to destabilize Americas cities and rewrite history. Trump hopes that sending federal agents to cities where crime is spiking will reverse bad polling numbers just 100 days before the November election. The president is seen above deplaning Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, on Friday The campaign believes the push can help Trump by drumming up support from suburban and older voters who may be rattled by violent images. In Chicago, Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who had initially blasted the news, said the US attorneys office will supervise the additional agents joining existing federal law enforcement offices. If those agents are here to actually work in partnership on support of gun violence and violent cases, plugging into existing infrastructure of federal agents, not trying to play police in our streets, then thats something different, she said, while also accusing the president of trying to distract from scrutiny of the federal response to the pandemic. In New Mexico, Democratic elected officials had cautioned Trump against sending in federal agents, with Senator Martin Heinrich calling on Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales to resign for attending the White House event. Instead of collaborating with the Albuquerque Police Department, the Sheriff is inviting the Presidents stormtroopers into Albuquerque, Heinrich said in a statement. Wolf drew a distinction between the mission in Portland - to protect federal property - and the surges in Kansas City, Chicago and Albuquerque to help stop violence. Albuquerque and Chicago will be getting millions of dollars for new officers, and the Justice Department will reimburse Chicago $3.5million for local law enforcements work on the federal task force. In Kansas City, the top federal prosecutor said any agents involved in an operation to reduce violent crime in the area will be clearly identifiable when making arrests, unlike what has been seen in Portland. Hundreds of extra agents have been sent. These agents wont be patrolling the streets, US Attorney Timothy Garrison said. They wont replace or usurp the authority of local officers. Operation Legend - named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot while sleeping in a Kansas City apartment last month - was announced on July 8. 'My one and only child who fought through open heart surgery at four months is gone due to senseless gun violence,' LeGends mother, Charon Powell, said at the White House. 'Children are supposed to be our future and our son didnt make it to kindergarten.' SEATTLE (AP) Seattle police retreated to a precinct early Sunday, just hours after declaring a riot during large demonstrations in the citys Capitol Hill neighborhood near where weeks earlier people had set up an occupied protest zone that stretched for several blocks. Some demonstrators lingered after officers filed into the departments East Precinct around 1 a.m., but most cleared out a short time later, according to video posted online. Construction buildings burn near the King County Juvenile Detention Center, Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Seattle, shortly after a group of protesters left the area. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. Protesters broke windows and vandalized cars at the facility. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP Authorities said rocks, bottles, fireworks and mortars were thrown at officers as they attempted to clear the area using flash bangs and pepper spray over the course of several hours stretching into Saturday night. Seattle police Chief Carmen Best called for peace at a late-night news conference, and told reporters she hadnt seen U.S. agents the Trump administration dispatched to the city at Saturdays protest. Police clash with protesters Saturday, July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest near the Seattle Police East Precinct headquarters in Seattle. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP Via Twitter, police said they arrested at least 45 people for assaults on officers, obstruction and failure to disperse. Twenty-one officers were left with mostly minor injuries. Earlier, protesters in Seattle broke through a fence where a youth detention facility was being built, with some people setting a fire and damaging a portable trailer, authorities said. Smoke rises as police clash with protesters, Saturday, July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest near the Seattle Police East Precinct headquarters in Seattle. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP Thousands of protesters had initially gathered peacefully near downtown in a show of solidarity with fellow demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, where tensions with federal law enforcement have boiled over during protests stemming from the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Initially there was no sign of law enforcement near the Seattle march. Later, Seattle Police said via Twitter that about a dozen people breached the construction site for the King County youth detention facility. Also, police said protesters broke out windows at a King County court facility. Police take down a protester, Saturday, July 25, 2020, near Seattle Central Community College in Seattle. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP Earlier this week King County Executive Dow Constantine, in response to long-standing demands by community activists, said he would work to eliminate youth detention centers in the county by 2025. After the fire at the construction site authorities said they had ordered people to leave a different area, in a section of Capitol Hill, near downtown, where the East Precinct is. At least one person broke through a fence line at the precinct, authorities said, and moments later a device explosive that left an 8-inch (20-centimeter) hole in the side of the precinct. Police square off with protesters Saturday, July 25, 2020, near Seattle Central Community College in Seattle. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) APAP Earlier this month police cleared the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone after two fatal shootings. A group had occupied several blocks around a park for about two weeks following standoffs and clashes that were part of the nationwide unrest over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Prior to Saturdays protests, Best had announced officers would be armed with pepper spray and other weapons, promising officers would not use tear gas and urging demonstrators to remain peaceful. Police raise their bicycles as they advance on protesters Saturday, July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest near the Seattle Police East Precinct headquarters in Seattle. A large group of protesters were marching Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP In the spirit of offering trust and full transparency, I want to advise you that SPD officers will be carrying pepper spray and blast balls today, as would be typical for events that carry potential to include violence, Best said. At an emergency hearing on Friday night, U.S. District Judge James Robart granted a request from the federal government to block Seattles new law prohibiting police from using pepper spray, blast balls and similar weapons. A person holds debris from projectiles and other devices they say were used by police during clashes with protesters, Saturday, July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest near the Seattle Police East Precinct headquarters in Seattle. A large group of protesters marched Saturday in Seattle in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality and racial injustice. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP The temporary restraining order halts the law that the Seattle City Council passed unanimously last month after confrontations that have largely been peaceful but were occasionally marked by violence, looting and highway shutdowns. The law intended to de-escalate tensions between police and demonstrators was set to take effect on Sunday. But the U.S. Department of Justice, citing Seattles longstanding police consent decree, successfully argued that banning the use of crowd control weapons could actually lead to more police use of force, leaving them only with more deadly weapons. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sunday placed the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea under total lockdown after a person was found with suspected COVID-19 symptoms. IMAGE: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on the 26th death anniversary of former leader Kim Il Sung on July 8. Photograph: Reuters If the person is officially declared a virus patient, he or she would be the North's first confirmed coronavirus case. North Korea has said it has no single virus case on its territory, a claim questioned by outside experts. "To tackle the present situation, he (Kim) declared a state of emergency in the relevant area and clarified the determination of the party central committee to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert," the KCNA reported. "All the persons in Kaesong city who contacted that person and those who have been to the city in the last five days are being thoroughly investigated, given a medical examination and put under quarantine," the North's state media said. "Despite the intense preventive anti-epidemic measures taken in all fields throughout the country and tight closure of all the channels for the last six months, there happened a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country," Kim was quoted as saying. Describing its anti-virus efforts as a "matter of national existence," North Korea earlier this year shut down nearly all cross-border traffic, banned foreign tourists and mobilized health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms. But the Kaesong lockdown is the first such known measure taken in a North Korean city to stem the pandemic. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Galih Gumelar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, July 26, 2020 19:49 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406695b18c 1 Politics #RegionalElections,regional-elections,COVID-19,Pilkada-2020,#COVID19,pilkada,#pilkada-2020,#pilkada,survey,KPU,#Survey,#KPU Free Most Indonesians disagree with the governments decision to hold the 2020 simultaneous regional elections on Dec. 9, as uncertainty remains over when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, two recent surveys have found. Jakarta-based pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia interviewed 1,200 respondents across Indonesia from July 13 to 16 on whether the elections should take place during the outbreak. It found that 63.1 percent of respondents preferred the year-end polls be postponed, while 34.3 percent said the elections should occur as scheduled. The remaining 2.6 percent of respondents did not provide answers. Looking at these numbers, I think it will be a tough job for the government and the General Elections Commission [KPU] to garner public enthusiasm for the elections and improve public participation, Indikator executive director Burhanudin Muhtadi said last week when announcing the results of the survey. Another pollster, Charta Politika Indonesia, released last Wednesday the results of a similar public opinion survey involving 2,000 respondents from July 6 to 12 to see whether they agreed with the governments decision to hold the elections despite the pandemic showing no signs of abating. It found that 54.2 percent of respondents disagreed with the decision and only 31.8 percent of respondents agreed with it. Yet, half of those supporting the governments decision also said they were unsure about whether they would show up at polling stations and cast their ballots. Read also: KPU presses on with December elections despite turnout concerns Our survey results indicate that the government and the KPU will have a difficult job increasing public participation in the coming elections. Otherwise, we will see a low turnout, Charta Politika executive director Yunarto Wijaya said. The two surveys appeared to reflect concerns about low voter turnout from experts and activists, who have repeatedly called on policymakers to push back the elections to 2021 over fears the COVID-19 outbreak could continue late into the year. They argued that the elections, which seek to elect 270 regional leaders comprising nine governors, 224 regents and 37 mayors, would put voters and election organizers at risk of contracting the disease. But the government has insisted on holding the December elections, with Home Minister Tito Karnavian saying that democracy should go on despite the outbreak. As a result, the KPU has to grapple with arranging health protocols and procuring personal protective equipment to prevent election organizers, candidates and voters from contracting the disease during all stages of elections, from the preparations, which started in June, to the final vote count a week after voting day. Read also: KPU to advise regional candidates to campaign online Fadli Ramadanil of election watchdog Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) said the surveys indicated that prospective voters were unlikely to prioritize the elections as long as the pandemic still raged on. Political analyst Adi Prayitno from State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta said low public interest in elections might encourage candidates to turn to vote buying by offering money or daily supplies to potential voters, particularly those suffering from financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. Adi said the government could press ahead with hosting the Dec. 9 elections only in COVID-19 low-risk regions, or "green zones, to ensure high turnout. Read also: Vote buying threatens to undermine year-end elections: KPK KPU commissioner Ilham Saputra said the commission would not ask the government or the House of Representatives for election postponement because the KPU had already begun preparing the elections. He said the commission finished screening independent candidates on July 12, and was now updating the voter roll scheduled to be completed on Aug. 13. Postponing the elections is not in our plan so far, but we will try to resolve what people described as a lack of public enthusiasm for year-end polls, Ilham said. For social media platforms, we will prepare a tutorial video about voting mechanisms. This is to convince people that it will be safe to show up at polling stations. Ive been into the city only five times since the onset of the pandemic. That may sound like a lot, but Im used to being in Chicago more frequently, and usually at events that are well attended where Im around a lot of people. On each of my visits since mid-March, I was in search of food. Three of the five trips involved pizza. When we were first ordered to stay at home and all the restaurant dining rooms were closed, I was doing a lot of curbside pick-ups of meals to support some of the small businesses I love, and I took the opportunity to try some new ones. On the first three visits, I didnt even get out of the car. I pulled up and had the food placed in the vehicle and drove away. With the option of pulling up and having my food ready to go, it seemed like a good time to try a couple places that have been on my foodie bucket list for a very long time, but that I hesitated to visit because I knew it would be a long wait to get in and get a table or that parking would be a big challenge or both. My first visit was to Pequods, a place known for its deep dish pizza pie with caramelized crust. They had a great deal going for lunch where a 7-inch personal pan cheese pizza is only $4.95 on weekdays. The headline on the Six One news was one goldsmith Ann Chambers will not forget easily. An hour earlier she had said goodbye to builders who had doubled the size of Stonechat Jewellers, her premises in Dublin's Westbury Mall. Last year had been such a good year she had taken over the vacant outlet next door for her thriving business, a specialist in remodelling old jewellery and resetting gemstones. "It's something other jewellers don't really focus on," she said. The new expansion would give her 10 metres of window frontage in a prime area of central Dublin. Passers-by could gaze at the expanded workshop and at the delicate craftsmanship under way. But when she turned on the news that evening, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was just announcing the lockdown. "The builders finished at 5pm and by 6pm Leo was telling us we wouldn't be going anywhere for a while," she said. When the lockdown was extended and she was told there was no prospect of a return before August 10, it was a huge blow: "I won't lie to you. It was a low moment." Grafton Street quickly became a dead zone. When a fox went for a casual stroll down the street in broad daylight it lifted the hearts of a bored nation - the hearts, that is, of everyone except the retailers whose livelihoods depend on the constant foot traffic which keeps cash registers humming and the wildlife away. In the months since the pandemic hit, a host of major retailers have left shutters down permanently. Debenhams, Oasis, Monsoon, Mothercare and others have left voids on the streetscape and question marks for an entire industry. Retailers are pleading for rent forbearance and big property owners are under pressure. British property firm Hammerson, for example, which owns large stakes in Dundrum, the Ilac and Kildare Village, has seen its share price fall from more than 3 late last year to about 75p now. But it is not all bad news. For Chambers and newly expanded Stonechat Jewellers, things have worked out much better than she first feared. Customers, she says, have had time to dig out old pieces of jewellery during lockdown and are now bringing them in for remodelling. It is the type of unique business which still has appeal. "It has actually worked out so well for us since reopening," she said. "If we didn't have the space, we would really, really have struggled with social distancing. If we hadn't made the decision to expand beforehand we probably wouldn't have afterwards, so it's great that my hand was forced. "Who knows what the future holds, but we have definitely had as strong a July as last year, which is amazing. People aren't just browsing or wandering in any more. If someone walks in the door, they have a purpose." Many in the sector believe Covid merely marks the end of the beginning of a massive change in the retail landscape of city centres. Adaptability will be crucial for survival. The absence, for now at least, of thousands of commuters in Irish city centres means the world of retail has been turned on its head. Recent figures from grocery industry insights specialist Kantar underscore a new trend: even since the lockdown was lifted, shoppers are staying close to home, shopping in smaller, independent outlets. Independent grocery outlets grew sales by 44.8pc in the 12 weeks to the end of June. Locally focused chain SuperValu has also been a huge winner with year-on-year growth of 35.2pc and an additional 53,000 shoppers in its stores. Online shopping has been an obvious massive beneficiary of Covid too, but the new more locally oriented mindset of consumers is sure to have had a knock-on effect on other parts of the retail sector. But for every winner there are many losers. "The big challenge for cities like Dublin, Limerick and Cork is lack of footfall," said the new CEO of Retail Excellence, Duncan Graham. "Footfall is down 50pc, partly because we've no tourists, partly because people are working remotely. So the buzz of the city centre is just not there. We are seeing the closure of well-known names and that trend will continue." Cork, like other cities, has been hit hard by closures of British retailers, leaving gaps in the streetscape. The UK economy must still face Brexit and nobody can safely predict the hit on retail will not get worse. "We've felt the kickback from that in Cork," said Lawrence Owens, CEO of the Cork Business Association. "I say this advisedly because all businesses are welcome if they create employment - but probably we were too dependent on a number of high street profile stores. There has to be a reinvention in terms of how we look at local indigenous businesses that are more sustainable." But these smaller local businesses will need a helping hand in the coming months if they are to survive. Retaining as many of them as possible must be the number one goal, he says, if we are not to be left with hollowed-out city centres. The marketing manager of fashion, jewellery and giftware retailer Carraig Donn, Maeve McCormack, says the chain of 42 stores has seen differing impacts on sales, depending on location. "We've a very strong regional presence in places like Thurles and Dungarvan. Those shopping centres have actually seen a lift. People are taking up the 'shop local, shop Irish' message and that is really encouraging," she said. "But it's all extremely fluid. It's still evolving. Week on week we're meeting a different set of circumstances." A quarter of Carraig Donn's stores are in city locations in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick. By contrast with more regional outlets, footfall in city stores like Dublin's Jervis Centre is down. The uptick in regional business does not fill the gap: "It's very challenging. It certainly is not the case that Thurles offsets Jervis." Nevertheless, the company is to push on with the opening of a new outlet in Galway city's newly expanded Knocknacarra retail park. "These are uncertain and challenging times for anyone thinking about any type of expansion, so this is an illustration of our commitment to these types of stores," says McCormack. But how long the average retail business can survive current circumstances is impossible to say, she says. "We're around since 1965. It's a family-run business from the west of Ireland and we've been through recession before. We're battle-hardened and good at changing direction and being flexible, whatever the industry throws at us. It has always been a tough industry," she says. The head of research at property consultant CBRE Ireland, Marie Hunt, believes fundamental shifts have started. There will be pain but plenty of opportunity too, she says: "There's going to be quite a bit of churn on the high street. We're already seeing vacant units, good news of course for new entrants who heretofore couldn't afford or find a vacant slot. "I think if you walk down Grafton Street in five years' time, you'll see a very different dynamic. Names we're familiar with now will have disappeared, replaced with names we haven't heard of yet. For some, I'm afraid it's adapt or die. Landlords will need to play their part, she says: "There was a feeling landlords had to show forbearance for the next couple of months. It's now looking like landlords are going to have to have forbearance for much longer. Banks too, because they often call the shots." Hunt believes there could be an evolution in this country towards turnover-based rents. Many major UK landlords are already moving to such a system in London, for example. And for some retailers, stores are also serving a different purpose. "Retail has gone through a structural shift whereby retailers really needed to have that omni-channel presence of the website working side-by-side with the physical store," she says. "You would have had retailers that came into Ireland a couple of years ago with aspirations of 20 or 30 stores suddenly saying maybe they just need a store in Grafton Street and Dundrum, meaning more lettings to food and beverage offerings." All of this means that, when it comes to retail, work on the next development plan for Dublin, which begins next year, will require imagination and new thinking. It may also require reform of the planning system to allow flexibility for developers and investors to turn empty retail stock into residential or commercial developments. So, after the world has got to grips with Covid, what will our city centres look like? "There'll be a trend towards local community shopping," says Duncan Graham. "I can already see it in places like Blackrock and Monkstown where I live. The fish shop, the butcher, the local greengrocer have had a significant bounce. That's only going to continue. What does that mean for city centres like Dublin? Frankly, it means that we're going to see more shutters coming down." But he is confident high street shopping can fight back and reinvent itself. "I still think there'll be the attraction of going into town when restaurants, bars and theatres are back open. There will be less people and that may mean demand to pedestrianise more streets, for example. The revival could be based around making a visit to a town centre a pleasant experience." Summer Splurge The Government will hope that its July stimulus package does enough to give the economy the initial boost it requires to lift it out of the lockdown doldrums. Whether or not it contains enough to put the wind back in the sails of the crucial retail sector remains to be seen. The elements of the stimulus package that will help retail are: Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next three days. You can purchase shares before the 30th of July in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 1st of September. Pfizer's next dividend payment will be US$0.38 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$1.52 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Pfizer has a trailing yield of approximately 4.0% on its current stock price of $37.66. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing. See our latest analysis for Pfizer Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Pfizer paid out more than half (51%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. Over the last year it paid out 70% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing? Companies with consistently growing earnings per share generally make the best dividend stocks, as they usually find it easier to grow dividends per share. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. For this reason, we're glad to see Pfizer's earnings per share have risen 15% per annum over the last five years. Pfizer has an average payout ratio which suggests a balance between growing earnings and rewarding shareholders. This is a reasonable combination that could hint at some further dividend increases in the future. Story continues Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. Pfizer has delivered an average of 9.0% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders. Final Takeaway Is Pfizer worth buying for its dividend? Higher earnings per share generally lead to higher dividends from dividend-paying stocks over the long run. That's why we're glad to see Pfizer's earnings per share growing, although as we saw, the company is paying out more than half of its earnings and cashflow - 51% and 70% respectively. To summarise, Pfizer looks okay on this analysis, although it doesn't appear a stand-out opportunity. While it's tempting to invest in Pfizer for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Pfizer you should know about. A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend. 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. Kimora 'Kimmie' Lynum, nine, of Putnam County, Florida, died from coronavirus complications on July 17, despite not having any known pre-existing health conditions. A nine-year-old girl has been named as the youngest person to die from coronavirus in Florida, as her family say they have no idea where she caught the virus. Kimora 'Kimmie' Lynum, nine, of Putnam County, Florida, died from coronavirus complications on July 17, despite not having any known pre-existing health conditions. Lynum, who is the fifth minor to have died of coronavirus in Florida, had been taken to the hospital due to a high fever, her cousin Dejeon Cain said, according to CNN. Cain said that Lynum, an only child, was sent home from the hospital and that she collapsed shortly afterwards. It's unclear how or when Lynum was exposed to coronavirus, as her family said that she had appeared to be healthy, did not go to school or camp and had spent the summer at home. Putnam County health workers confirmed Lynum's death Thursday and indicated that her catching coronavirus was not travel related, WCJB reported. Health department officials also said Lynum had not been in close contact with anyone who had coronavirus. Her mother was tested for the virus, but, as of Saturday, is still waiting for the results. Cain called Lynum 'phenomenal' and said that she 'was always happy and made everybody happy.' He said the little girl's death was 'like a double whammy' for the family, as he told that her father had been murdered in June. It's unclear how or when Lynum caught coronavirus as she was not in school and did not go to camp and had stayed home during the summer, her family said Health records stated that Lynum had not been in close contact with anyone with coronavirus A vigil was held in Lynum's memory in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, a week after her death 'It was very difficult, we just buried him and now were burying her. The family is troubled,' Cain told My CBS 4. A vigil was held for Lynum in Gainesville, Florida, on Thursday, during which more than 100 people - wearing masks - gathered to release balloons in her honor. Cain said that Lynum 'didnt have a chance to live her life but she was always happy, she was resilient and she just was an outgoing young lady.' Lynum's family is asking that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reconsider opening schools too early, as the state is increasingly being ravaged by coronavirus. More than 100 people gathered at the vigil - all wearing masks - where they then released balloons in her memory. The family said the girl was 'happy' and called her a 'beautiful soul' Lynum's cousin, Dejeon Cain (pictured), urged Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis not to reopen schools too early. Lynum's school district intends to reopen schools on August 24 As of Saturday, Florida now has more confirmed coronavirus cases - 414,511 total - than former pandemic epicenter New York state. Florida is now in second place for most virus cases, behind California, according to CNBC. Health officials said the number of coronavirus hospitalizations has increased by 79 per cent since July 4. 'The governor needs to be honest with people. By not being honest, it puts everyone at risk, and we cant use our children as pawns and put them out there out to die,' Cain said. 'Kimmie was a beautiful soul who couldnt live her life and if we dont get control of this well have more of this in the state,' Cain added. Putnam County school district Superintendent Richard Surrency told My CBS 4 that they are still planning to reopen schools on August 24. Surrency said mental health staff are 'on call' for Lynum's teachers and classmates. He also said that the school district has hired and trained more cleaning staff in an effort to make sure schools are safe for students to return to. The four other children who died from coronavirus lived in other parts of the state. Prior children who died of coronavirus in Florida are an 11-year-old boy in Miami-Dade County; an 11-year-old girl in Broward County; a 16-year-old girl in Lee County and a 17-year-old boy in Pasco County. As of July 17, a reported 23,170 minors have tested positive for coronavirus in Florida. Lynum's family have started a GoFundMe, seeking to raise $10,000 to help cover her funeral expenses. 'We are fundraising to help the family of little, sweet Kimora put her to rest beautifully; so that she can be remembered as the sweet soul in the next life as she was in this one,' the family wrote. SELMA, Ala. - The late U.S. Rep. John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, for the final time Sunday as remembrances continue for the civil rights icon. The bridge became a landmark in the fight for racial justice when Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten there 55 years ago on Bloody Sunday, a key event that helped galvanize support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Lewis returned to Selma each March in commemoration. Sunday found him crossing alone instead of arm-in-arm with civil rights and political leaders after his coffin was loaded atop a horse-drawn wagon that retraced the route through Selma from Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the 1965 march began. As the black wagon pulled by a team of dark-colored horses approached the bridge, members of the crowd shouted Thank you, John Lewis! and Good trouble! the phrase Lewis used to describe his tangles with white authorities during the civil rights movement. Some crowd members sang the gospel song Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus. Later, some onlookers sang the civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome and other gospel tunes. Lewis died July 17 at 80, months after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Lewis served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgias 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death. The wagon rolled over a carpet of rose petals, pausing atop the bridge over the Alabama River in the summer heat so family members could walk behind it. On the south side of the bridge, where Lewis was beaten by Alabama state troopers in 1965, family members placed red roses that the carriage rolled over, marking the spot where Lewis spilled his blood and suffered a head injury. As a military honour guard lifted Lewis casket from the horse-drawn wagon into an automobile hearse, Alabama state troopers, including some African American ones, saluted Lewis. Franz and Ellen Hill drove more that four hours from Monroe, Louisiana, to watch the procession. Franz Hill, 60, said he remembers, as an African American child, watching news footage of Lewis and other civil rights marchers being beaten by law enforcement officers. I had to come back and see John Lewis cross this bridge for the last time, said Hill. Its funny to see the state troopers waiting on him for a whole different reason, to honour and respect him rather than beat the crap out of him. There has been a movement to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge after Lewis, but the idea has also faced opposition from those who note that Lewis wasnt the only activist beaten on the bridge that day. Lewis body was then taken to the Alabama Capitol in the afternoon to lie in repose, retracing the route marchers took in the days after Bloody Sunday to demand justice from Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Bertha Surles and Edna Goldsmith stood along the highway between Selma and Montgomery to pay their final respects. Both carried signs, reading Thank you. He fought for equal rights up unto his death, said Surles, 70. She was in high school on Bloody Sunday and remembered watching the news footage of Lewis being beaten with horror. They didnt give up and something good came from it. Still need some improvement, but something good came from it. Lewis left his familys farm in Pike County, Alabama, in the 1950s to begin the fight against segregation and racial oppression. He received a heros welcome on his final stop in his home state. After tracing the route of the completed Selma to Montgomery march, an honour guard carried Lewis flag-draped casket into the Alabama Capitol, which had served as the first capitol of the Confederacy. Peggy Wallace Kennedy, the daughter of former segregationist governor Wallace, was among those in the Capitol for the receiving ceremony, along with most of Alabamas congressional delegation. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey placed a wreath of flowers shaped like the Alabama flag by the casket. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell placed a wreath shaped like the American flag. His family members, many wearing shirts with the phrase Good Trouble, were led first into the Capitol before the public viewing later in the afternoon. A line of people, some carrying umbrellas for shade, waited under the brutal midday Alabama sun to go inside and pay their respects. After the viewing, his casket was carried out as the song Amazing Grace was sung. Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., spoke at a vigil for Lewis across the street from the Capitol, just a block away from the church her father led during the civil rights movement. Standing in front of large letters, spelling out the word VOTE, she recalled the man her father called the boy from Troy and her family called Uncle John. The most astounding thing about Congressman Lewis being left for dead on that bridge (in 1965) is how he got up both physically and spiritually. When he recovered, he recovered without a trace of bitterness or hostility or without losing hope in our Democracy, Bernice King said. She called for todays young activists to take inspiration from Lewis non-violent leadership and for Congress to honour Lewis life legacy by restoring and expanding the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This would be a fitting tribute and a way to honour this non-violent warrior who said the vote is the most powerful tool that we have, she said. A series of events began Saturday in Lewis hometown of Troy, Alabama, to pay tribute the late congressman and his legacy. He will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol next week before his private funeral Thursday at Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once led. ___ This story corrects the spelling of the first name of Franz Hill. Russia's President Vladimir Putin inspects warships before the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on July 26, 2020. (Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via Renters) Putin Says Russian Navy to Get Hypersonic Nuclear Strike Weapons MOSCOWRussian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday the Russian Navy would be armed with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater nuclear drones, which the defence ministry said were in their final phase of testing. Russias President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on July 26, 2020. (Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via Renters) Putin, who says he does not want an arms race, has often spoken of a new generation of Russian nuclear weapons that he says are unequalled and can hit almost anywhere in the world. Some Western experts have questioned how advanced they are. The weapons, some of which have yet to be deployed, include the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone, designed to be carried by submarines, and the Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, which can be deployed on surface ships. Russias President Vladimir Putin inspects warships on the Neva river during the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on July 26, 2020. (Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via Renters) The combination of speed, manoeuvrability and altitude of hypersonic missiles, capable of travelling at more than five times the speed of sound, makes them difficult to track and intercept. Speaking in St Petersburg at an annual naval parade that showcases Russias best ships, nuclear submarines and naval aviation, Putin said the navys capabilities were growing and it would get 40 new vessels this year. He did not specify when it would receive new hypersonic weapons, but suggested that day was drawing closer. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Commander of the Western Military District of Russian Armed Forces Alexander Zhuravlyov are pictured aboard the Raptor patrol boat before the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on July 26, 2020.(Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via Renters) The widespread deployment of advanced digital technologies that have no equals in the world, including hypersonic strike systems and underwater drones, will give the fleet unique advantages and increased combat capabilities, Putin said. In a separate statement released via Russian news agencies, the defence ministry said testing of the Belgorod, the first submarine capable of carrying the Poseidon drones, was underway and testing of the weapons systems was nearing completion. Work is being successfully completed to create modern weapons systems for the Navy, it was cited as saying. Putin last year threatened to deploy hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines that could lurk outside U.S. territorial waters if the United States moved to deploy intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe. Washington has not deployed such missiles in Europe, but Moscow is worried it might. By Andrew Osborn MP Board MPBSE 12th Result 2020, Madhya Pradesh class 12th Result 2020, Check MPBSE MP Board result 2020 on mobile phone: Madhya Pradesh class 12 board results are likely to go live tomorrow at 3 p.m. Students can check and even download their result using their mobile phones. Find how and when you can access your results using your mobile phones. MP Board MPBSE 12th Result 2020, Madhya Pradesh class 12th Result 2020, Check MPBSE MP Board result 2020 on mobile phone: Madhya Pradesh 12th Board result can be checked directly on the mobile phone. Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) is set to release the result of class 12 for the year 2020 on its official website mpbse.nic.in on July 27. To avoid the spread of coronavirus, the result for MPBSE 12th 2020 will not be released on the noticeboards. Students can check their results using their mobile phones on the official website of the Madhya Pradesh Board. As per the sources, the result will be announced at around 3 p.m. on July 27, i.e., tomorrow. This year other than the website, students will be able to check their MPBSE 12th Result 2020 through a mobile application. These alternative methods are usually given as when the result goes live, almost all the students start checking the result at the same time, which results in the crashing of the website. Steps to check MP Board MPBSE 12th Result 2020 on mobile phone at mpbse.nic.in: Go to the official website of the Madhya Pradesh Board on your mobile phone, mpbse.nic.in or mpresults.nic.in. Click on the link that reads MP Board 12th Result 2020. A Login window will appear. Key in your Login credentials that are mentioned on your admit card. Click/Tap on the Submit button. Your MPBSE 12th Result 2020 will appear before you. Download/Print your result for future reference. Also read: BSE Odisha 10th results 2020: Odisha board to release class 10 results soon @bseodisha.nic.in MPBSE 12th Result 2020: When, Where and how to check Madhya Pradesh Board 12th Result MP Board 12th Result 2020: Check MPBSE result 2020 on Mobile App: This year the board of Madhya Pradesh has also allowed some mobile applications to host MPBSE 12th result 2020. In order to get your result through these apps on your mobile phone, you must download one of the given apps: MPBSE Mobile App MP Mobile App Fastresults App Using these apps is really easy. You just have to install these apps and signup using your admit card information. Once you Login, these apps will display your MPBSE 12th Result 2020. Also read: 7th Pay Commission: Modi govt issues new rules for advance increments of employees For all the latest Education and Jobs News, download NewsX App BTS is continuing to make waves with their Japanese studio album Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~. With Your Eyes Tell, a B-side track on the album, BTS achieved their 21st No. 1 song on Billboards World Digital Song Sales chart. BTS | Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic BTS just released their newest Japanese album The Korean band released Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~ on July 14, 2020. Before it was even announced, ARMY suspected the group would release a Japanese studio album in 2020, as they usually release a Japanese studio album every two years. They released their first Japanese album Wake Up on Dec. 24, 2014. The groups second Japanese studio album Youth dropped on Sept. 7, 2016. Before Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~, their most recent Japanese album was Face Yourself, and it was released on April 4, 2018. When not releasing full-length albums, the band frequently releases singles and Japanese versions of their Korean-language songs. In 2019, they released a Japanese single titled Lights along with Japanese versions of their songs Boy With Luv and IDOL. RELATED: BTS Just Broke a 5-Year-Old Record Set by Adele With Their Song Black Swan Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~ features 13 tracks with five original Japanese songs: INTRO: Calling, Stay Gold, Lights, Your Eyes Tell, and OUTRO: The Journey. The album has eight Japanese versions of BTSs Korean-language songs: Boy With Luv, Make It Right, Dionysus, Idol, Airplane Pt. 2, Fake Love, Black Swan, and ON. Your Eyes Tell has reached multiple milestones On Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~, Stay Gold is the lead single, and it will be the theme song for the Japanese drama Rasen no Meikyu (Helical Labyrinth). Your Eyes Tell is a B-side track from the album and it will be the theme song for a Japanese film of the same name that is set to be released in October 2020. Map of the Soul: 7 ~ The Journey ~ debuted at No. 1 on the Oricon Daily Albums Chart with 447,869 copies sold within 24 hours, setting a record for first-day sales by a Korean artist in Japan. In North America, the album debuted at No. 115 on the Billboard 200 chart and No. 2 on Billboards World Albums chart. 7 7 6 13. #0613FM_0613 pic.twitter.com/Vr0sJLJtu5 (@BTS_twt) June 13, 2020 Your Eyes Tell debuted at No. 1 on Billboards World Digital Song Sales chart, and it is the bands 21st song to reach the top spot on the chart. The song also achieved 102 No. 1s on iTunes worldwide, becoming BTSs second song to do so. BTSs song Black Swan currently has 104 No. 1s on iTunes charts around the world, and Vs solo song Sweet Night holds the record for the most No. 1s with 110. BTS fans are super proud of the group Your Eyes Tell has quickly become one of the most popular songs in BTSs discography. ARMY loves the ballad for its encouraging message to keep persevering through dark times. Jungkook composed and co-wrote the song, and fans are proud of his work and what BTS has accomplished with the song. its not easy to chart in Japan, and im proud of bts and J-armys, a fan tweeted. your eyes tell is so successful and i hope jungkook would see all these achievements im so proud, wrote a Twitter user. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has admitted that his government did not understand coronavirus during the "first few weeks and months" of the outbreak in the country, adding that it could have handled the crisis "differently". Speaking to the BBC to mark the first anniversary of his entering Downing Street, Johnson said on Friday: "We didn't understand (the virus) in the way that we would have liked in the first few weeks and months. "And I think, probably, the single thing that we didn't see at the beginning was the extent to which it was being transmitted asymptomatically from person to person. "I think it's fair to say that there are things that we need to learn about how we handled it in the early stages... There will be plenty of opportunities to learn the lessons of what happened. "Maybe there were things we could have done differently, and of course there will be time to understand what exactly we could have done, or done differently." The UK went into full lockdown in late March, which critics have said that was too late and cost lives. Johnson told the BBC that these were still "very open questions as far as (scientists) are concerned, and there will be a time, obviously, to consider all those issues". He said this was in addition to increased testing and tracing and more procurement of personal protective equipment, adding: "What people really want to focus on now is what are we doing to prepare for the next phase. "We mourn every one of those who lost their lives and our thoughts are very much with their families. And I take full responsibility for everything that government did." The Prime Minister, who was himself placed in intensive care in April after contracting coronavirus, said in the BBC interview that he would "very soon" set out new measures to deal with obesity, seen as an added risk factor for patients. On Friday, the government announced that 30 million people in England would be offered a flu vaccine this year, to reduce pressure on the NHS in case of a surge in coronavirus infections during the autumn and winter. Speaking to the BBC, Johnson reminisced about first entering No 10 as Prime Minister on July 24, 2019, saying it "was very exciting, and everybody seemed to be in a very good mood" and "happy, upbeat". He added that coronavirus had caused many "difficulties" since then. The UK has so far reported a total of 299,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 45,762 deaths. After accusations of the government of "mishandling" the crisis, Johnson last week promised an "independent" inquiry into the pandemic, but no details have been given of its scope or timing. A team of six vets in southern Ethiopia has successfully removed 50kg of plastic from a cow following three hours of surgery. The cow is alive and in good health, Dr Firaol Waaqoo told BBC Afaan Oromoos Bizuworq Olaanaa. Cows can ingest plastics because of lack of pasture or minerals, and the way people disposing of plastic materials is also becoming a problem for the health of livestock, he added. Last month, the animals owner Areerii Carii brought another of his cows to the vets who removed 20kg of plastic from its stomach. Because we have helped him before, he trusted us, Dr Firaol said. The Borana people of Ethiopias Oromo region are pastoralists who are heavily dependent on livestock but the area they inhabited is semi-arid with little rain. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Published on 2020/07/26 | Source The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology on Thursday honored Kangwon Industry chairwoman Lee Soo-young for making a W67.6 billion donation to the university (US$1=W1,197). Advertisement The ceremony was also attended by KAIST President Shin Sung-chul and around 50 students. This is the third donation by Lee to the prestigious university after W8 billion in 2012 and W1 billion in 2016 and brings the total to W76.6 billion, the biggest by a single donor. The previous record was held by the late Dr. Ryu Geun-chul in 2008, donated W57.8 billion. KAIST plans to establish a foundation in Lee's name and use the money to hire professors in new fields or find solutions to the biggest problems facing humanity. Lee (83) is a former journalist. After graduating from Seoul National University with a degree in law, she began working as a reporter in 1963 until she started her own business 17 years later. While still working for a newspaper, she bought a ranch with only two pigs and three cattle in 1971, which grew to 1,000 pigs and 10 dairy cows within a decade. She then switched to digging for gravel amid Korea's construction boom in 1992. "I was able to save up a lot of money through that business", she recalls in her autobiography. In 1988, she bought an entire floor of a building in Yeouido and branched out into real estate and later expanded her business into the U.S. Lee had been interested in giving back to society for some time. When she stayed in the U.S. in early 2000s, Lee, who was unsure if she would ever get married, felt the need to find someone who could legally inherit her fortune. In 2018 she finally married Kim Chang-hong, a classmate from university. She selected KAIST rather than her alma mater for her benefaction. When asked by reporters why she made that choice, Lee said, "I turned on the TV one day and saw a short interview of then president Suh Nam-pyo. I was moved by his sincerity and made up my mind that instant". Suh said in the interview that science and technology are crucial for the development of Korean society and that KAIST would play a leading role. Lee contacted KAIST and donated W9 billion worth of real estate to the university in 2012 and 2016. "I experienced the independence of Korea, the Korean War and industrialization. In order for our country to prosper, science and technology must lead the way", Lee said. "I hope that this donation will be used to elevate Korea's status in the world by accomplishing what other universities have not been able to achieve", such as winning a Nobel Prize. She recently reunited via Zoom with the cast of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in celebration of the action flick's 10th anniversary. But Aubrey Plaza looked content with life as usual on Saturday afternoon as she took her beloved pups for a walk around her trendy Los Feliz neighborhood. The 36-year-old Parks And Recreation star rocked a green tie-dyed face mask and a white cap that had the word 'Lit' embroidered on the front of it. Walking the dogs: Aubrey Plaza looked content with life as usual on Saturday afternoon as she took her beloved pups for a walk around her trendy Los Feliz neighborhood Plaza kept it casual for her stroll in a heather grey t-shirt and a pair of denim boyfriend style jeans. She donned a pair of white sneakers on her feet and let her brunette hair flow out naturally from underneath her cap. Aubrey held on tightly to her dogs' leashes as they eagerly led her down the sidewalk. Plaza has been enjoying a tranquil quarantine at the home in Los Feliz that she shares with her director beau Jeff Baena, 43, and their dogs. Stylin': The 36-year-old Parks And Recreation star rocked a green tie-dyed face mask and a white cap that had the word 'Lit' embroidered on the front of it Lead the way: Aubrey held on tightly to her dogs' leashes as they eagerly led her down the sidewalk On July 20, Aubrey appeared via Zoom with her Scott Pilgrim vs. the World co-stars, including Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, and the film's director Edgar Wright. For the reunion, Aubrey and her famous castmates treated devote fans to a table read of the film's iconic script. The reunion's goal was to raise money for the charity Water For People, which aims to provide communities with 'access to safe, reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene,' according to the Water For People website. Reunited: She recently reunited via Zoom with the cast of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in celebration of the action flick's 10th anniversary Scott Pilgrim vs. the World originally premiered in 2010 and EW revealed that Dolby Cinema plans to celebrate the films 10-year anniversary with an upcoming theatrical re-release. The brunette beauty starred in the iconic comic book film as Scott Pilgrim's foulmouthed social butterfly friend Julie Powers. She also joined her Parks and Recreation co-stars back in April for a virtual reunion episode, benefiting Feeding America. Plaza starred as snarky intern April Ludgate on the workplace comedy, which ran from 2009 to 2015 on NBC. Breakout role: Plaza starred as snarky intern April Ludgate on the workplace comedy, which ran from 2009 to 2015 on NBC !0-years: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World originally premiered in 2010 and EW revealed that Dolby Cinema plans to celebrate the films 10-year anniversary with an upcoming theatrical re-release She told Variety: 'A long, long time ago, [April Ludgate] was based off of me in real life. Its a very personal character, so to be asked to get back into that mode 10 years later, it brought up a lot of things. 'It really was just about trying to remind myself how that character evolved over the years. It was fun, but it was also a daunting task.' The reunion special also featured Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Jim O'Heir and Retta. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump and a top Senate Republican are pushing Congress to preserve the names of military bases that honor Confederate generals, even though the House and Senate have overwhelmingly approved bills that rename them. Trump said in a tweet Friday that he had spoken to Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who has informed me that he WILL NOT be changing the names of our great Military Bases and Forts, places from which we won two World Wars (and more!). Like him, Inhofe is not a believer in 'Cancel Culture,' Trump said. Inhofe, a staunch conservative and close Trump ally, also opposes the name change, even though he led Senate approval of the defense bill that would mandate name changes at Fort Bragg, Fort Benning and other Army posts named for Confederate generals. Inhofe told The Oklahoman newspaper that he spoke with Trump on Thursday about the base names, adding: Were going to see to it that provision doesnt survive the bill. Im not going to say how at this point. Defense policy bills approved by both the House and Senate would change the names of 10 Army posts that honor Confederate leaders. The two versions must be reconciled, but both bills were approved by veto-proof margins this week. Related video: VA removes Confederate statues from state Capitol White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday the White House would leave that to Senator Inhofe as to how that works legislatively speaking,'' but said Trump "was assured by Sen. Inhofe that that (provision) would be changing and that Republicans stood with the president on this.'' The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services panel said Trump was on the wrong side of history in trying to defend traitors who "fought to preserve slavery.'' Nobody wants to erase history,'' said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. "We want to be truthful and honest about it and build a brighter, more inclusive future that lives up to our nations promise and core values. Story continues There are 10 Army posts named for Confederate military leaders, including Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Forts Robert E. Lee and A.P. Hill in Virginia. The House bill would require the base names to be changed within a year, while the Senate would give the military three years to rename them. Reed said Friday he is confident Congress will include the name-change provision in the final bill, and he urged Trump to read up on men like Lee, Braxton Bragg and Henry Benning and learn what they believed and why they fought against the United States.'' Trump also should listen to uniformed and civilian military leaders "who know that racism has no place in the ranks,'' Reed said. If Trump vetoes a bill with a 3% pay raise for U.S. troops, that would be a rare event, Reed said: "But rarer still is an American president who would put the interests of a handful of pro-slavery Confederates above the well-being and national security of the entire nation.'' Forty-nine GOP senators voted for the defense bill that includes the base-renaming, while just four Republicans voted against it. Thirty-seven Democrats supported the bill, and 10 opposed it. The $741 billion measure would authorize all defense programs worldwide. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, one of the GOP's most vulnerable incumbents in the election, said he had no problem with renaming the bases. If its something we can do to heal this country and bring people together, lets do it, Gardner told reporters Friday after an event with Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, in a Denver suburb. Lets learn from the last several months of division and put the country together, Gardner said. Gardner's comment illustrated how Trump's tweet had unsettled GOP allies on a high-profile issue they thought had been resolved involving race and the military. The debate over the military bases comes amid a reckoning over racism sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis. The Democratic-controlled House has approved a bill to remove statues of Lee and other Confederate leaders from the Capitol, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month ordered that the portraits of four speakers who served the Confederacy be removed from the ornate hall just outside the House chamber. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who also is seeking reelection and voted in favor of the defense bill, declined to comment Friday. The aide steered a reporter to a statement McConnell made on the Senate floor praising the defense bill and its strong bipartisan support. The Senates top Democrat, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, has dared Trump to veto the defense bill over Confederate base names. Its in the bill. It has bipartisan support. It will stay in the bill, Schumer said earlier this month. Congress has approved the annual defense measure every year for almost six decades. It typically enjoys veto-proof support, though various controversies often delay final passage until late in the year. ___ Associated Press writers Darlene Superville in Washington and Nicholas Riccardi in Denver contributed to this story. Governor Abu Sani Bello has taken up road construction across the entire state to a level that even the staunchest critics now agree is unprecedented in the history of the state. The administration has put all hands on deck to ensure that not only are the projects delivered timely but that they are of the highest possible standard. It is in order to continue to achieve this objective that the Chairman Infrastructure Committee and Chief of Staff, Alh. Ibrahim Balarabe Kagara visited Broadcasting Road to inspect the ongoing reconstruction. The Chief of Staff found the job impressive so far and commended the contractors for a job well done. Mom of trans-identified kids, 2 men finding their identity in Christ: Ruth Institute Sexual Revolution panel Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment LAKE CHARLES, La. A man who divorced his wife to pursue a same-sex relationship, a mother of two trans-identifying children, and a survivor of the Pulse nightclub terrorist attack all testified to God's redeeming grace amid ongoing challenges as part of a Ruth Institute panel last Saturday. Journalist Doug Mainwaring, parent activist Lynn Meagher, and Luis Javier Ruiz each spoke about the twists and turns their lives have taken at the annual Summit for Survivors of the Sexual Revolution. The annual event gives voice to people whose stories are often ignored by the mainstream media that often caters to LGBT activists and their agendas. This CP reporter was among the speakers at the event to discuss what has been discovered in my nearly four years of reporting on gender dysphoria, transgenderism, and the gender identity movement. Mainwaring, a writer for the pro-life outlet LifeSiteNews, explained how he's struggled with same-sex desires even while in a heterosexual marriage. At one point he even wrote an op-ed for The Washington Post in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage, only to later reconsider his stance and write a subsequent op-ed for the same national newspaper arguing in favor of civil unions for gays, but not same-sex marriage. Such backpedaling resulted in him losing most of his LGBT-identified friends and being the recipient of hate mail. He ultimately became convicted that he could no longer live as a homosexual, and realized how his actions had harmed his children, who had been spending time with a Catholic family, whom they loved. He then realized that he'd denied his children that familial love by ending his marriage. His son, Mainwaring said, "loved what that family had. ... And that family, even though they didn't know my situation, just the way they were living their life, the grace of their life as a faithful Catholic family, cascaded into my life through my son. And it really helped push me toward what I needed to do." Mainwaring soon began visiting a church every day where he would kneel in the last pew and say: "God, here I am. I don't know how to get started again. I don't know how to repair all the wrongdoing that I've done here." He continued asking God for help in this way for a few years. What ultimately led him to reconcile with his wife and children was seeing his eldest son's performance as the leading role in a production of "Les Miserables." "There was something about the way my son played Jean Valjean, kneeling at the bedside of a woman who was dying, promising to take care of her daughter when she died. It struck me that I was learning from my son that that's what I had to do for the wife I had left behind." He resolved that he had to do something to repair his marriage. The next day his then-ex-wife called and asked if she could move in with him and their children while she recovered from an upcoming back operation. "God has been so good," Mainwaring said. "It's impossible for a guy to have a complementary relationship with another guy. Two men can't complete each other. But my wife completes me. And there is nobody else on this earth that could deliver and provide happiness and the completeness for me that my wife does." Meagher, whose story The Christian Post reported on last year, detailed what it was like to have two children come to identify and live as transgender, including taking hormones and undergoing surgeries. She explained in her remarks that the general public remains in the dark about what parents like her experience. Telling compelling narratives about this is imperative, she said. Both of her trans-identifying children have severed ties with her and she hasn't seen them in years. After her story was published by CP she began hearing from mothers and fathers in similar situations and found that several themes consistently appeared in each one's story. These parents, she stressed, have almost no support. "We parents love our kids deeply," Meagher said. "Our kids are struggling. We see that they're struggling. We just don't see [gender-transitioning] as the solution. We have legitimate concerns. "Anyone who does very much serious research into the effects of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones is going to become concerned," she continued. "There is an appalling lack of research and science. And we don't know what the long-term effects of these medical treatments are. "And so the statement that this is an uncontrolled, live experiment on children is a true one, and it's chilling." Families suffer in silence, she explained, and they need support they're not getting from the institutions, many of which are actively encouraging these experimental gender treatments on minors. Speaking of the suffering she and other parents endure, Meagher likened it to a missing person who's never found. "I don't know if my kids are OK," she said. "I don't if they are working or if they are happy or healthy. I don't know if my daughter has had surgery or what kind of surgery she has had. I don't know where she is. She's missing, and it's her choice. She could call me anytime but she doesn't. This is a grief with no resolution and no end, and it's my daily life." Parents dealing with this issue in their families must realize that they are in this for the long haul and take drastic steps, Meagher advised. "You may need to pull your child out of public school and take away the internet. Move them across the country and get them away from their friend group. Or send them away for the summer to a place with no internet access where they will be outside and do a lot of physical work. You need to be ready to listen. You need to be patient. Try not to panic and connect yourself to support. You can't do this by yourself. Pray, pray, pray," she stressed. "The rest of us can continue to tell the truth wherever we are ... but the truth is worth it. And our girls are worth it." Ruiz began his remarks by noting that he was a product of a praying mother. A mom who knew how to speak prophetically into his destiny and not his circumstances. Along with fellow Pulse nightclub survivor Angel Colon, Ruiz is featured in a documentary about their journeys leaving homosexuality behind and coming into an understanding of their identity in Christ. Today he leads a ministry called Fearless Identity. Ruiz recounted the terror of the night in June 2016 when 49 people were murdered and 53 others were wounded by gunman and terrorist Omar Mateen at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Amid the chaos of people trying to flee the scene, Ruiz was trampled and could barely move his body from all the pain. "I was in the Army for 15 years, combat veteran, and all that training that I got in the Army, that did not prepare me for a night like this," he said. Ruiz has since traveled to the U.K., Taiwan, and throughout the U.S. to let people know that change is possible through Christ. "Jesus, the message of the cross, is what changes [people], and it's changing millions all around the world. Although the world says that we were born this way, which is false as there is no [gay] gene, we tell them that in John 3:3 that you must be born again." We do have internet access, but were way back here in the country, so on good days, we have it, Martin, a Hartford resident, said. Its connected to our satellite dish, so on bad days, we dont have it and we have to use our cellular hotspots, but we dont even have enough bandwidth to watch Netflix. We wouldnt be able to livestream a lesson or watch videos. At Geneva County Schools, instructions in its reopening plan note that students will be expected to provide their own device and internet connection at home and would not be provided technical support. Students will also not have a teacher assigned to help students with classwork. A comment from Geneva County Schools on a Facebook post said there will be a designated person at each school who will load lessons into an online platform and will be available to answer questions. Most school districts have in their plan that all students would transition to virtual learning in the case of an outbreak at their school, but dont have a plan for how instruction would be facilitated for those who dont have the technology or reliable internet access. Iran condemns US' dangerous move against Iranian plane ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sat / 25 July 2020 / 12:04 Tehran (ISNA) - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi has strongly condemned the adventurist and dangerous move by US jet fighters against Mahan Air's Beirut-bound passenger plane, saying Tehran will not leave any hostile move unanswered. In a statement, Mousavi said the dangerous move, for which the CENTCOM terrorist organization's spokesperson claimed responsibility, is a violation of international aviation law and a disruption of regional peace and security. Mousavi described as ridiculous the CENTCOM spokesperson's claim that the American warplanes were conducting a "standard visual inspection" of the Mahan Air passenger plane at a safe distance during their "routine air mission" near Syria's al-Tanf airbase, and said the move comprised a series of violations. "Both the presence of US troops in Syria and the air missions of their warplanes were illegal. More importantly, no one has allowed the United States to inspect passenger planes in the sky using its military fighters," he noted. Mousavi said "such an act is illegal, dangerous, and an instance of playing with the lives of innocent people, especially because, contrary to the claims made, the safe distance has not been observed at all." "The Islamic Republic of Iran will pursue the US act by referring to international legal bodies, especially the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and will not allow the United States to mock all international laws with such bullying behaviours." Mousavi at the same time warned the US or Israeli regime against any new adventure in the region, saying that the stability and security of the West Asia region should not be used as a plaything for US elections. "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not leave unanswered any hostile move against the Iranian nation, and will show decisive and appropriate reactions to any unwise move," he added. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Chinese national was arrested in Da Nang City as he brought foreigners to Viet Nam illegally, confirmed Major General Vu Xuan Vien, Director of the Da Nang Municipal Police Department. Gao Liang Gu. Photo: Public Security Newspaper Gao Liang Gu was captured by police forces of Da Nang and Quang Nam while he was staying at a hotel in Ngu Hanh Son District early this morning, Vien added. The Major General said Gao is one of the leaders of a ring that has tried to organize illegal entry into Da Nang and Quang Nam over the past time. Earlier on July 21, Da Nang police also arrested two Vietnamese and one Chinese who had involved in illegally bringing foreigners into Viet Nam. On July 1, the citys police inspected a residential area at No. 93 Duong Tu Giang Road, Khue My Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District and detected four illegal Chinese immigrants. On July 16, the police inspected East Sea hotel at No. 55-57 in An Hai Bac District, Son Tra District and found 27 Chinese who snuck into Viet Nam illegally. All of the illegal immigrants were taken to a centralized quarantine camp and got their samples tested for Covid-19. In Quang Nam Province, competent authorities also found a group of 21 Chinese nationals staying there illegally and taken them to a centralized quarantine facility as currently regulated. They are linked to a ring led by Gao Liang Gu. VGP GRANDVIEW, MO (KCTV) -- Friends and family gathered at John Anderson Park to honor the late Ryan Stokes on Saturday. It's now the 7th year in a row for the memorial. Tonight was different however, as they added a rally to their cause. Britain's foreign secretary defended the government's decision to immediately impose COVID-19 quarantine measures on U.K. travelers returning from Spain, saying it just wasn't possible to give them more notice. Dominic Raab told Sky News that vague advice would have created more uncertainty. He said that the government must be able to take quick action to fight the virus. The quick decision threw the plans of thousands into chaos _ many of whom were startled to see such a decision imposed so quickly. Zeta Hill is among them. The teacher from Essex in southeast England had been on holiday in Mallorca for 12 days and is due to fly back on Tuesday. She said that while she knew she was taking a risk, the Balearic islands haven't been as badly affected as other parts of Spain. She said that she and her husband ``have been well behaved and followed the rules, but then you look at people crowding the beaches in the U.K. a few weeks back and being really unsafe and there will have been no consequences for them.' Search Keywords: Short link: Vietnams Ministry of Health on Sunday evening confirmed two community-based COVID-19 cases, taking the national number of infections to 420. The two patients were detected in Da Nang City and Quang Ngai Province, both located in the central part of the country, and their sources of infection are unclear, the health ministry said in an update. The ministry had registered one local infection, patient No. 418 in Da Nang, on Sunday morning. Patient No. 419 is a 17-year-old man living in Quang Phu Ward, Quang Ngai City, which is the capital of the namesake province. He went to take care of a relative at Da Nang Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Hospital on July 14 and returned to Quang Ngai on a long-haul bus three days later. Some of the passengers had visited Da Nang C Hospital. On July 20, the patient showed signs of a fever when he visited the hospital again from Quang Ngai. Two days later, he traveled back to his hometown by train and developed symptoms of a fever, slight coughing, and difficulty breathing. He then came to Quang Ngai City General Hospital for a medical check-up. The Quang Ngai Center for Disease Control took a sample from him for a COVID-19 test at the Pasteur Institute in the south-central city of Nha Trang on Friday. The result returned positive on Sunday. He is being isolated for treatment at a grassroots-level medical center in Quang Ngai. Patient No. 420 is a 71-year-old woman from Hoa Cuong Nam Ward, Hai Chau District, Da Nang. On July 12, she exhibited symptoms of a fever and chest pain. She was admitted to Da Nang C Hospital on July 22. She was tested for the new coronavirus on Saturday and the result came back positive on Sunday. The woman is being treated at Da Nang C Hospital. Vietnam has documented 420 coronavirus infections as of Sunday night, with 276 imported cases quarantined on arrival. A total of 365 patients have recovered from the disease while zero deaths have been recorded so far. At the time of writing, Vietnam is quarantining 11,187 people who had close contact with confirmed patients or entered the country from virus-hit regions. The Southeast Asian country has reported four locally-transmitted cases since Saturday, two of them in a critical condition with life support in Da Nang, after more than three months of no community-based transmission. The Da Nang administration has banned crowded events as well as closed non-essential services to stall the virus. Authorities are conducting aggressive contact tracing to prevent the virus from spreading further. Vietnam still closes borders to foreigners but foreign experts and skilled workers are allowed in, subject to government approval and compulsory quarantine on arrival. The government has sent aircraft to other nations to repatriate Vietnamese citizens, also quanrantined upon landing. Officials in Da Nang and its neighbor Quang Nam Province have detected dozens of Chinese illegally entering Vietnam and staying in local lodging facilities this month. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 28-year-old man was arrested on Saturday by the Ghatkopar police for setting his 30-year-old wife on fire after she allegedly refused to give him money for liquor. The woman is undergoing treatment for her burns at Sion hospital. According to police, in her statement, the victim Rubina Shaikh said that the incident occurred on July 25 around 6am at their home in Nityanand Nagar. Shaikhs husband Nasir asked her for money to buy liquor. When she refused, he got angry and assaulted her. The accused first hit her on her head with a hammer and then set her on fire. After hearing the commotion, neighbours rescued her and informed the police, said Chandrakant Landge, inspector, Ghatkopar police station. Shaikh was admitted to Rajawadi Hospital and later shifted to Sion hospital for further treatment. She suffered 30% to 35% burn injuries. We have booked Nasir under sections 307 (A) [attempt to murder], and 326 [Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means] of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and he has been remanded in police custody, said an officer from Ghatkopar police station. : daemonself (mit), : EB23 : biden : BBS (Sat Jul 25 09:46:25 2020, ) In the first 100 days, a Biden Administration will: Immediately reverse the Trump Administrations cruel and senseless policies that separate parents from their children at our border, including ending the prosecution of parents for minor immigration violations as an intimidation tactic, and prioritize the reunification of any children still separated from their families. End Trumps detrimental asylum policies. The Statue of Liberty has long been a beacon to people yearning to breathe free around the world including asylum-seekers and refugees. But the Trump Administration has worked against this tradition to drastically restrict access to asylum in the U.S., including imposing additional restrictions on anyone traveling through Mexico or Guatemala; attempting to prevent victims of gang and domestic violence from receiving asylum; systematically prosecuting adult asylum seekers for misdemeanor illegal entry; and severely limiting the ability of members of the LGBTQ community, an especially vulnerable group in many parts of the world, from qualifying for asylum as members of a particular social group. Biden will end these policies, starting with Trumps Migrant Protection Protocols, and restore our asylum laws so that they do what they should be designed to doCprotect people fleeing persecution and who cannot return home safely. End the mismanagement of the asylum system, which fuels violence and chaos at the border. Trumps disastrous policy of metering limiting the number of asylum applications accepted each day forces people seeking asylum to wait on the streets in often dangerous Mexican border towns for weeks before they are permitted to apply. It has created a horrifying ecosystem of violence and exploitation, with cartels kidnapping, violently assaulting, and extorting migrants. Biden will direct the necessary resources to ensure asylum applications are processed fairly and efficiently , while treating families and children with compassion and sensitivity. Surge humanitarian resources to the border and foster public-private initiatives. Humanitarian needs are best met through a network of organizations, such as faith-based shelters, non-governmental aid organizations, legal non-profits, and refugee assistance agencies working together. Biden will dramatically increase U.S. government resources to support migrants awaiting assessment of their asylum claims and to the organizations providing for their needs. End prolonged detention and reinvest in a case management program. The Trump Administration has sought to circumvent the Flores agreement and hold children in detention indefinitely. But proven alternatives to detention and non-profit case management programs, which support migrants as they navigate their legal obligations, are the best way to ensure that they attend all required immigration appointments. These programs also enable migrants to live in dignity and safety while awaiting their court hearingsC facilitating things like doctor visits, social services, and school enrollment for children. Evidence shows that these programs are highly effective and are far less expensive and punitive than detaining families. Biden will codify protections to safeguard children to make sure their treatment is consistent with their best interest and invest in community- based case management programs, including those supported by faith-based organizations such as Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, to move migrants into safe environments as quickly as possible. Reverse Trumps public charge rule, which runs counter to our values as Americans and the history of our nation. Allowing immigration officials to make an individuals ability to receive a visa or gain permanent residency contingent on their use of government services such as SNAP benefits or Medicaid, their household income, and other discriminatory criteria undermines Americas character as land of opportunity that is open and welcoming to all, not just the wealthy. End the so-called National Emergency that siphons federal dollars from the Department of Defense to build a wall. Building a wall will do little to deter criminals and cartels seeking to exploit our borders. Instead of stealing resources from schools for military children and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, Biden will direct federal resources to smart border enforcement efforts, like investments in improving screening infrastructure at our ports of entry, that will actually keep America safer. Protect Dreamers and their families. The Obama-Biden Administration created DACA in 2012 to protect Dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, obeyed the law once here, and stayed in school or enlisted in the military. DACA provided young people who passed a background check and application process with temporary work permits and protection from deportation. The Trump Administration made the cruel and counterproductive decision to terminate DACA, throwing into turmoil the lives of millions of Dreamers. Dreamers and their parents should have a roadmap to citizenship through legislative immigration reform. But in the meantime, Biden will remove the uncertainty for Dreamers by reinstating the DACA program, and he will explore all legal options to protect their families from inhumane separation. Biden will also ensure Dreamers are eligible for federal student aid (loans, Pell grants) and are included in his proposals to provide access to community college without debt and invest in HBCU/Hispanic Serving Institution/Minority Serving Institutions, which will help Dreamers contribute even more to our economy. Rescind the un-American travel and refugee bans, also referred to as Muslim bans. The Trump Administrations anti-Muslim bias hurts our economy, betrays our values, and can serve as a powerful terrorist recruiting tool. Prohibiting Muslims from entering the country is morally wrong, and there is no intelligence or evidence that suggests it makes our nation more secure. It is yet another abuse of power by the Trump Administration designed to target primarily black and brown immigrants. Biden will immediately rescind the Muslim bans. Order an immediate review of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries ripped apart by violence or disaster. The Trump Administrations politically-motivated decisions to rescind protected status for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing countries impacted by war and natural disasters without regard for current country conditions is a recipe for disaster. Biden will protect TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) holders from being returned to countries that are unsafe. TPS/DED holders who have been in the country for an extended period of time and built lives in the U.S. will also be offered a path to citizenship through legislative immigration reform. Restore sensible enforcement priorities. Targeting people who have never been convicted of a serious criminal offense and who have lived, worked, and contributed to our economy and our communities for decades is the definition of counterproductive. Biden will direct enforcement efforts toward threats to public safety and national security, while ensuring that individuals are treated with the due process to which they are entitled and their human rights are protected. President Biden will end workplace raids to ensure that threats based on workers status do not interfere with their ability to organize and improve their wages and working conditions. He will also protect sensitive locations from immigration enforcement actions. No one should be afraid to seek medical attention, go to school, their job, or their place of worship for fear of an immigration enforcement action. Ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel abide by professional standards and are held accountable for inhumane treatment. Biden will increase resources for training and demand transparency in and independent oversight over ICE and CBPs activities. Under a Biden Administration, there will be responsible, Senate-confirmed professionals leading these agencies, and they will answer directly to the president. Protect and expand opportunities for people who risked their lives in military service. Biden will not target the men and women who served in uniform, or their families, for deportation. He will also direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to create a parole process for veterans deported by the Trump Administration, to reunite them with their families and military colleagues in the U.S. Restore and defend the naturalization process for green card holders. A Biden Administration will streamline and improve the naturalization process to make it more accessible to qualified green card holders. The Trump Administration has made it far too difficult for qualifying green card holders to obtain citizenship. Quite simply, this is wrong. Biden will restore faith in the citizenship process by removing roadblocks to naturalization and obtaining the right to vote, addressing the application backlog by prioritizing the adjudication workstream and ensuring applications are processed quickly, and rejecting the imposition of unreasonable fees. Revitalize the Task Force on New Americans and boost our economy by prioritizing integration, promoting immigrant entrepreneurship, increasing access to language instruction, and promoting civil engagement. Integrating the talents of new immigrants into our communities and helping them to thrive enriches our nation and our economy. Under President Biden, the Task Force on New Americans will once more coordinate federal agencies and resources to provide community support across a range of issues, including language learning, entrepreneurship and financial management, workforce training, and guidance on the naturalization process. Convene a regional meeting of leaders, including from El Salvador, Guatemala , Honduras, Mexico, and Canada, to address the factors driving migration and to propose a regional resettlement solution. Migration out of the Northern Triangle has impacted more countries than just the U.S. Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, and others have also seen growing numbers fleeing violence and a lack of opportunity. A regional problem requires a regional solution, so Biden will immediately convene regional partners to institute a comprehensive, multi-national plan to address the challenges. Modernize Americas Immigration System As president, Biden will commit significant political capital to finally deliver legislative immigration reform to ensure that the U.S. remains open and welcoming to people from every part of the worldCand to bring hardworking people who have enriched our communities and our country, in some cases for decades, out of the shadows. This is not just of concern to Latino communities, this touches families of every heritage and background. There are approximately 1.7 million undocumented immigrants from Asia in the U.S., as well as hundreds of thousands from Europe, the Middle East, Africa , and the Caribbean. Biden will immediately begin working with Congress to modernize our system, with a priority on keeping families together by providing a roadmap to citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants; growing our economy and expanding economic opportunity across the country by improving and increasing opportunities for legal immigration; and preserve the longstanding directive of our immigration system to reunite families and enhance our diversity. Immigrants are essential to the strength of our country and the U.S. economy . When immigrants choose to come to the U.S., they bring their unique traditions and contributions to the rich cultural tapestry of our country. They are also a key driver of economic growth. The Congressional Budget Office found that the 2013 comprehensive immigration package would have, over time, increased the size of the economy by more than 5 percent. Currently, we are not taking advantage of Americas ability to attract the best and brightest workers in the world. A modern immigration system must allow our economy to grow, while protecting the rights, wages, and working conditions of all workers, and holding employers accountable if they dont play by the rules. Immigrant rights and worker rights are deeply connected. We must ensure that every worker is protected, can join a union, and can exercise their labor rightsCregardless of immigration statusCfor the safety of all workers. Joe Biden will work with Congress to pass legislation that: Creates a roadmap to citizenship for the nearly 11 million people who have been living in and strengthening our country for years. These are our mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. They are our neighbors, co-workers, and members of our congregations and Little League teams. They contribute in countless ways to our communities, workforce, and economy. In 2015, the IRS collected $23.6 billion from 4.4 million workers without Social Security numbersCmany of whom were undocumented. Biden will aggressively advocate for legislation that creates a clear roadmap to legal status and citizenship for unauthorized immigrants who register, are up-to-date on their taxes, and have passed a background check. Reforms the visa program for temporary workers in select industries. A collection of industries depend on seasonal workers, or workers who only seek to be in the U.S. for a short time. The current system for accommodating these workers is cumbersome, bureaucratic, and inflexible driving up incentives to circumvent the system by hiring undocumented laborers and allowing the employers who control the visa to pay artificially low wages. Biden will work with Congress to reform the current system of temporary work visas to allow workers in these select industries to switch jobs, while certifying the labor markets need for foreign workers. Employers should be able to supply data showing a lack of labor availability and the harm that would result if temporary workers were unavailable. This flexibility, coupled with strong safeguards that require employers to pay a fair calculation of the prevailing wage and ensure the right of all workers to join a union and exercise their labor rights, will help meet the needs of domestic employers, sustain higher wages for American workers and foreign workers alike, incentivize workers and employers to operate within legal channels, prevent exploitation of temporary workers, and boost local economies. Reforms the temporary visa system. High skilled temporary visas should not be used to disincentivize recruiting workers already in the U.S. for in- demand occupations. An immigration system that crowds out high-skilled workers in favor of only entry level wages and skills threatens American innovation and competitiveness. Biden will work with Congress to first reform temporary visas to establish a wage-based allocation process and establish enforcement mechanisms to ensure they are aligned with the labor market and not used to undermine wages. Then, Biden will support expanding the number of high-skilled visas and eliminating the limits on employment- based visas by country, which create unacceptably long backlogs. Provides a path to legalization for agricultural workers who have worked for years on U.S. farms and continue to work in agriculture. Securing adequate, seasonal help in the agricultural sector can be inefficient and difficult to navigate, causing people to avoid or exploit the system, even when jobs remain unfilled. Biden supports compromise legislation between farmworkers and the agricultural sector that will provide legal status based on prior agricultural work history, and a faster-track to a green card and ultimately citizenship. Biden also will ensure labor and safety rules, including overtime, humane living conditions, and protection from pesticide and heat exposure, are enforced with respect to these particularly vulnerable working people. Rejects the false choice between employment-based and family-based immigration. Each day, in every state in the country, millions of immigrants granted a visa based on family ties make valuable contributions to our country and economy. Keeping families together and allowing eligible immigrants to join their American relatives on U.S. soil is critically important, but the current system is poorly designed with per-country caps that prevent applications from being approved in a timely fashion. That means approved applicants may wait decades to be reunited with their families. As president, Biden will support family-based immigration by preserving family unification as a foundation of our immigration system; by allowing any approved applicant to receive a temporary non-immigrant visa until the permanent visa is processed; and by supporting legislation that treats the spouse and children of green card holders as the immediate relatives they are, exempting them from caps, and allowing parents to bring their minor children with them at the time they immigrate. Preserves preferences for diversity in the current system. Trump has set his sights on abolishing the Diversity Visa lottery. This is a program that brings up to 50,000 immigrants from underrepresented countries to the U.S. each year. He has disparaged the system as a horror show and repeatedly misrepresents how the lottery is administered, while demonizing and insulting with racist overtones those who receive the visas. Diversity preferences are essential to preserving a robust and vibrant immigration system. As president, Biden will reaffirm our core values and preserve the critical role of diversity preferences to ensure immigrants everywhere have the chance to legally become U.S. citizens. Increases the number of visas offered for permanent, work-based immigration based on macroeconomic conditions. Currently, the number of employment-based visas is capped at 140,000 each year, without the ability to be responsive to the state of the labor market or demands from domestic employers. As president, Biden will work with Congress to increase the number of visas awarded for permanent, employment-based immigrationand promote mechanisms to temporarily reduce the number of visas during times of high U.S. unemployment. He will also exempt from any cap recent graduates of PhD programs in STEM fields in the U.S. who are poised to make some of the most important contributions to the world economy. Biden believes that foreign graduates of a U.S. doctoral program should be given a green card with their degree and that losing these highly trained workers to foreign economies is a disservice to our own economic competitiveness. Creates a new visa category to allow cities and counties to petition for higher levels of immigrants to support their growth. The disparity in economic growth between U.S. cities, and between rural communities and urban areas, is one of the great imbalances of todays economy. Some cities and many rural communities struggle with shrinking populations, an erosion of economic opportunity, and local businesses that face unique challenges. Others simply struggle to attract a productive workforce and innovative entrepreneurs. As president, Biden will support a program to allow any county or municipal executive of a large or midsize county or city to petition for additional immigrant visas to support the regions economic development strategy, provided employers in those regions certify there are available jobs, and that there are no workers to fill them. Holders of these visas would be required to work and reside in the city or county that petitioned for them, and would be subject to the same certification protections as other employment-based immigrants. Enforces the rules to protect American and foreign workers alike. The U.S. immigration system must guard against economy-wide wage cuts due to exploitation of foreign workers by unscrupulous employers who undercut the system by hiring immigrant workers below the market rate or go outside the immigration system to find workers. Biden will work with Congress to ensure that employers are not taking advantage of immigrant workers and that U.S. citizen workers are not being undercut by employers who dont play by the rules. Biden will also work to ensure employers have the right tools to certify their workers employment status and will restore the focus on abusive employers instead of on the vulnerable workers they are exploiting. Expands protections for undocumented immigrants who report labor violations. When undocumented immigrants are victims of serious crimes and help in the investigation of those crimes, they become eligible for U Visas. The Obama- Biden Administration expanded the U Visa program to certain workplace crimes . As president, Biden will further extend these protections to victims of any workplace violations of federal, state, or local labor law by securing passage of the POWER Act. And, a Biden Administration will ensure that workers on temporary visas are protected so that they are able to exercise the labor rights to which they are entitled. Increases visas for domestic violence survivors. Under the Trump Administration, there are unacceptable processing delays for adjudicating applications for VAWA self-petitions, U-visas, and T-visas. As president, Biden will end these delays and give victims the security and certainty they need. And, Biden will triple the current cap of 10,000 on U-visas; this cap is insufficient to meet the dire needs of victims and hinders our public safety. -- :WWW mitbbs.com [FROM: 98.] (CNN) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency meeting after the country's first suspected case of COVID-19 was reported, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Sunday morning. KCNA reported that the infected individual illegally entered North Korea through Kaesong City on July 19 after defecting to South Korea three years ago. The patient has received medical checkups and has been quarantined, along with everyone the individual has been in contact with recently, KCNA reported. Kim Jong Un put isolation measures in place for regions around Kaesong and declared a state of emergency in one "relevant area," KCNA reported. The countrys Central Military Commission will investigate the unit responsible for the illegal entry of the patient and "administer a severe punishment," KCNA reported. This is a developing story. Tensions between Israel and Lebanon have risen this week after Hezbollah fighter was killed in apparent Israeli strike. The Israeli army says one of its drones came down in Lebanese territory, following a reinforcement of its presence at its northern frontier near Lebanon. The drone fell during IDF operational activity along the border, the army said in a statement on Sunday. There is no concern that any information was leaked, it said. Israels Channel 12 reported that the drone crashed after it experienced a technical failure. Escalating tensions Tensions have risen along Israels frontier with Syria and Lebanon this week after a fighter from the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah was killed in an apparent Israeli strike on the edge of Damascus. Israel regularly deploys drones over Lebanon, in particular to monitor the movements of Hezbollah, an adversary of Israel and a heavyweight in Lebanese politics. During a visit on Sunday to a military base near the border, Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said that Lebanon and Syria are responsible for what happens on and from their territory. We are not trying to escalate the situation, but whoever wants to test us will see a very strong reaction, Gantz warned, according to a statement from his office. Israel is technically at war with both Lebanon and Syria, and has carried out hundreds of air attacks on Syrian soil to prevent Iran, which backs Damascus, from gaining a foothold there. Israel this week reinforced its troop presence on its northern border in what several Israeli media outlets said was a response to an increased threat from Hezbollah. On Monday, five Iran-backed fighters were killed in an Israeli missile strike south of the Syrian capital Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor. Hezbollah said one of its fighters was among the dead. Israel announced initial reinforcements to the north on Thursday and additional measures on Friday. Hours later, it struck military targets in southern Syria in retaliation for earlier munitions fire towards Israel from inside Syria. The army said that in ordering the redeployment it had elevated its readiness against various potential enemy actions. Mumbai, July 26 : Actor RajKummar Rao on Sunday paid visit to a salon to get a haircut amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Taking to Instagram, RajKummar posted a picture in which popular hairstylist Aalim Hakim is seen styling the former's hair. "Thank you @aalimhakim sir for making me feel so safe and protected at your salon. At Salon Hakim's Aalim after getting my haircut done with all the necessary precautions Instructed by the government and the experts," he captioned the image. RajKummar is also seen wearing a mask at the salon. On the work front, RajKummar will be seen opposite Nushrratt Bharuccha in Hansal Mehta's comedy drama "Chhalaang". He is also a part of "Ludo", "Roohi Afzana" and "Badhaai Do". (Natural News) Recent video reveals U.S. Senate transcript of Joe Biden using the N-word 13 times in a 1985 hearing series. Joe Biden is the presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee and the former U.S. Vice President to former President Barack Obama. (Article republished from LawEnforcementToday.com) According to Breitbart, video of one such instance where Biden used the N-word when quoting someone else already surfaced in June. Now again, video of him using the derogatory multiple times in one hearing has surfaced. The Senate hearing series in which Biden repeatedly used the offensive term was when he was questioning William Reynolds, then-President Ronald Reagans assistant attorney general for civil rights. During this time, Reynolds was also under consideration for a promotion to become the next associate attorney general. According to reports, in his conversation with Reynolds, Biden was asking him about his role in providing clearance for a redistricting plan in Louisiana that the courts later struck down. A memo was submitted to Reynolds before he approved the redistricting plan and on that memo was a racist quote from someone described as a key legislator in defeating the alternative redistricting plan. According this memo, that key legislator, then-Republican Rep. Charles Emile Bruneau of New Orleans, allegedly said he opposed the lefts desired redistricting plan for Louisiana in starkly terms and used the N-word more than once in his memo. When Biden questioned Reynolds about this in the 1985 hearings, he repeatedly brought up this exact quote and kept using the N-word. According to the U.S. Senate transcripts from that hearing, Biden used the N-word for a total of 13 times. These hearings stretched over a couple of days. According to the transcripts, the first instance occurred during the morning of June 4, 1985, when Biden used the offensive term twice. The again, on June 5th, Biden recited the derogatory term from the quote twice. Some video that is circulating of the transcripts from those 1985 hearings has left out the context that includes proof Biden was not actually using the N-word himself, but instead quoting someone else (then Rep. Charles Emile) saying it. The question remains, should a politician be using offensive terms whether they are quoting someone or not? Is this acceptable, or not? In another instance, Senator Bernie Williams of Vermont, faced questions last year over his use of the N-word in his book, Outsider in the House in 1997. He was questioned heavily from leftists and other Democrats on Twitter. Ridiculous defense. Sanders wasn't critiquing racism he was excusing it in the pursuit of an economic argument. And the use of the N word was gratuitous, and wildly unecessary. He was quoting no one. https://t.co/fhbCl98Z2e Tom Watson (@tomwatson) September 7, 2019 MSNBCs Joey Reid has repeatedly argued that it is never acceptable for white men to use the N-word even when quoting someone else. Apparently she considers herself the moral authority on whats right and wrong. Biden is scheduled to appear on Reids new primetime program, The Reidout, in the near future. Right now, it is unclear if she will ask him about this. Perhaps the most important "I have a black friend" rule just stated on @MHPshow: you don't get to use the n-word. Nope. Never. #nerdland Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) August 11, 2013 Reid has been known to call out other politicians, including former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) when they have used the offensive term. Reid has a long history of being opposed to any white person using the N-word in any context, even if quoting someone else. Which is, some might argue, ironically discriminatory in itself. Bill Maher Apologizes for Using N-Word on HBOs Real Time | Variety https://t.co/80YbmMmSY5 Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) June 3, 2017 Back in 2016, during the presidential elections, Reid floated the possibility of a tape of President Donald Trump saying the racist term. This tape has never materialized despite the constant rumors from the media and the left. But of course there were a lot of accusations that were made that never materialized. Next shoe? "Apprentice" Producer Says There's Footage of Trump Saying the N-Word https://t.co/8YT2BAI4dj H/T @JillEBond Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) October 9, 2016 Even though the rumored tape on President Trump never surfaced, Reids guest to debut her new primetime show is Joe Biden and as of now she has plenty of evidence of Biden using the term. Just two weeks ago, Biden made a controversial, you aint black blunder, which caused widespread outrage. He told The Breakfast Club listeners: If you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, they you aint black. Putting the above quote in context, Biden was discussing undecided black voters who do not know whether to support him or President Donald Trump this November when he made the remark. According to the U.S. Sun, Biden said he should have not been so cavalier, but he insisted that he was not the only wise guy last week. He said: He was being a wise guy and I responded in kind. I shouldnt have done that. It was a mistake. @JoeBiden @realDonaldTrump Thanks for clarifying that Biden represents the DNC especially w/ his You aint black comment. It was the DNC that instituted Jim Crow laws so why wouldnt Biden continue this trend? https://t.co/ffZ8reim6B Amelia (@amelia_co2017) July 20, 2020 According to a new analysis, emergency medicine physicians in seven cities around the US experienced rising levels of anxiety and emotional exhaustion, regardless of the intensity of the local surge, amid the coronavirus chaos. The new analysis led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, was published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine. In the first known study to assess stress levels of US physicians during the coronavirus pandemic, doctors reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety at both work and home, including worry about exposing relatives and friends to the virus. Among the 426 emergency physicians surveyed, most reported changes in behaviour toward family and friends especially decreased signs of affection. Occupational exposure has changed the vast majority of physicians behaviour at both work and home, said lead author Robert M. Rodriguez, MD, a professor of Emergency Medicine at UCSF. At home, doctors are worried about exposing family members or roommates, possibly needing to self-quarantine, and the effects of excess social isolation because of their work on the front line. The results found slight differences between men and women, with women reporting higher stress. Among male physicians, the median reported the effect of the pandemic on both work and home stress levels was 5 on a scale of 1 to 7 (1=not at all, 4=somewhat, and 7=extremely). For women, the median was 6 in both areas. Both men and women also reported that levels of emotional exhaustion or burnout increased from a pre-pandemic median of 3 to a median of 4 after the pandemic started. Lack of PPE was associated with the highest level of concern and was also the measure most often cited that would provide the greatest relief. The doctors also voiced anxiety about inadequate rapid diagnostic testing, the risk of community spread by discharged patients, and the well-being of co-workers diagnosed with Covid-19. But the survey also showed clear-cut ways of mitigating anxiety: Improve access to PPE; Increase the availability of rapid turnaround testing; Clearly communicate Covid-19 protocol changes; Assure access to self-testing and personal leave for front line providers. The responses came from faculty (55 per cent), fellows (4.5 per cent), and residents (about 39 per cent), with a median age of 35. Most physicians lived with a partner (72 per cent), while some lived alone (nearly 15 per cent) or with roommates (11 per cent). Nearly 39 per cent had a child under age 18. The study involved healthcare providers at seven academic emergency departments and affiliated institutions in California, Louisiana and New Jersey. Researchers noted that the majority of study sites were in California, which at the time of the survey had not yet experienced the large surges of patients seen in other areas of the country. But the study found that median levels of anxiety in the California sites were similar to those in the New Orleans and Camden sites, which were experiencing surges at the time. This suggests that the impact of Covid-19 on anxiety levels is pervasive and that measures to mitigate stress should be enacted universally, Rodriguez said. Some of our findings may be intuitive, but this research provides a critical early template for the design and implementation of interventions that will address the mental health needs of emergency physicians in the Covid-19 pandemic era. The study is longitudinal, with this first phase focused on the early acceleration phase of the pandemic. Subsequent studies will address stressers that have arisen throughout the course of the pandemic, including childcare and home-schooling demands, the economic impact of fewer patients overall in the ER, and possible development of long-term post-traumatic stress. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Nearly three years after Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico, tens of thousands of homes remain badly damaged, many people face a hurricane season under fading blue tarp roofs and the island's first major program to repair and rebuild houses hasn't completed a single one. Maria hit more than 786,000 homes on September 20, 2017, causing minor damage to some homes and sweeping others from their foundations. A federally funded program administered by local officials carried out relatively small repairs to some 108,000 homes the next year, while churches and nonprofits patched up thousands with private funds. A Puerto Rican government program known as R3 is the first major effort by the US territory to carry out major repairs and rebuilding of damaged and destroyed housing. Nearly 27,000 homeowners have applied. But nearly 1 1/2 years after federal funding was released to local officials, not a single repair or rebuilding job has been completed. Nearly three years after Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico, tens of thousands of homes remain badly damaged, many people face a hurricane season under fading blue tarp roofs. Wilfredo Negron stands on the rooftop of his property in Corozal, Puerto Rico, on July 13 A Puerto Rican government program known as R3 is the first major effort by the US territory to carry out major repairs and rebuilding of damaged and destroyed housing. Nearly 27,000 homeowners have applied Puerto Rican officials say work is almost finished on the first 45 homes to benefit from the program, but it is not yet complete. For many Puerto Ricans, the program's slow progress has become a symbol of their government's inability to address the long-term effects of the disaster. 'They talk about billions of dollars, but we're not seeing it,' said Sergio Torres, mayor of the northern mountain town of Corozal. His municipality still has 60 homes with blue tarps as roofs and two families still living in school shelters. 'It's a way of life here.' Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico with 155mph winds, and its center spent eight hours over the US territory, obliterating the electricity grid and causing more than an estimated $100billion in damage. An estimated 2,975 people died in the storm's aftermath. A Puerto Rican government-run program known as Your Home Reborn, which operated from January-December 2018, repaired 108,487 residences with funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Some had to be repaired again due to shoddy work. Churches and nonprofits launched smaller-scale efforts around the island. But tens of thousands of homes in Puerto Rico remain uninhabitable by modern standards, with damage ranging from total destruction to missing roofs. In the central mountain town of Villalba alone, 43 families still live under blue tarps as roofs. Mayor Luis Javier Hernandez said one family used theirs for so long that it wore out and he had to give them a new tarp. Maria hit more than 786,000 homes on September 20, 2017 (pictured), causing minor damage to some homes and sweeping others from their foundations The storm slammed into Puerto Rico with 155mph winds, and its center spent eight hours over the US territory, obliterating the electricity grid and causing more than an estimated $100billion in damage (pictured) An estimated 2,975 people died in the storm's aftermath. Trees are seen blocking the streets in San Juan after Hurricane Maria hit the US territory R3, which stands for repair, rebuild or relocate, aimed to address the backlog by paying contractors to make repairs for households that earn less than 80 per cent of the region's median income. The territory's government submitted its plans for using federal block grant money for R3 in June 2018. The first $1.5billion for the program became available in February 2019, with another $1.million approved in February this year. Nearly 27,000 households applied for help between R3's start date, July 31, 2019 through early January, when Puerto Rico's government stopped taking applications. Of the applications accepted, several hundred have been rejected and thousands remain in the preliminary stages. More than 900 people remain on a wait list. 'It's becoming apparent that Puerto Rico delays are a lot longer than we've seen anywhere else,' said Carlos Martin, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. He said Puerto Rico's housing department is understaffed, and that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development also has imposed an unusually large number of requirements on Puerto Rico's government to prevent fraud or misspending. Puerto Rico's housing secretary, Luis Carlos Fernandez, who took over the position recently, said officials have been trying to simplify the process of verifying and approving requests. Fernandez said he doesn't know if the federal funds received so far will even be enough to help everyone already accepted into the program. He said elderly applicants, disabled people and those who have significant property damage are first in line. 'We're not going to be finished for years,' Fernandez said. Fernandez said that more than 2,600 of the applicants are still using blue tarps instead of roofs. Former Housing Secretary Fernando Gil said in September 2019 that an overall estimated 20,000 to 25,000 so-called 'blue roofs' remained across the island. A hurricane-damaged home shows traces of a blue tarp installation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 13 Manuel Morales Ortiz explains what his home suffered during the 2017 hurricane season, in Corozal, Puerto Rico, on July 13 Marian Colon, a single mother of two sons, inspects her hurricane-damaged house in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, on July 14 It's a number that angers Ariadna Godreau, a human rights lawyer who runs a nonprofit legal organization. 'We never expected this panorama,' she said. 'It's horrible.' Among those still waiting is 38-year-old Marian Colon, a single mother of two sons. The hurricane tore off her roof and caused a nearby landslide that put her home in jeopardy, and nothing has been fixed or repaired for nearly three years. During that time, she has bounced from home to home thanks to the generosity of relatives, but she is anxious to settle down. Colon said she knows of several people who applied for the program and gave up after numerous failed tries. She noted some of them don't have access to the internet or own a car, making the mission nearly impossible. 'It's been a very exhausting and very overwhelming process,' she said. Gov Wanda Vazquez, who ascended to that position in August after the previous governor resigned following protests over corruption and other issues, has said she puts a priority on speeding up the reconstruction of hurricane-damaged homes. 'The excuses were plentiful, and they were unacceptable,' she said. 'Our people have waited too long and can't take it anymore.' THE DUP has accused the Infrastructure Minister of falling asleep at the wheel over a resumption date for driving tests. Strangford MLA Michelle McIlveen, the chair of Stormont's infrastructure committee, called on Nichola Mallon to name a date as soon as possible. "Young people are losing out on job opportunities because they can't get a driving test," she said. "It's time for minister Mallon to take a grip of the steering wheel, put the foot down and drive forward the reopening of driving tests for everyone. "Driving instructors are back at work, but their pupils can't book a test. "The minister says she is working on a plan to get driving tests operational, but there has been a lack of urgency. "For over four months young people haven't been able to get their driving licenses." However, the SDLP said the minister's primary concern was for the public's safety and accused Miss McIlveen of irresponsibility. "It's pretty shocking that the chair of the committee, who is well aware that a risk assessment needs to be completed before any return to driving test services, is calling for services to resume," a spokesman said. "Is the chair really saying there's no need for risk assessments? Expand Close Nichola Mallon / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nichola Mallon "It's crystal clear that the minister's priority is to keep staff and customers safe from Covid-19. "She has already said that she hopes to be in a position to make an announcement this week. "Driving tests have only just started in England and the South this week - and Wales has said it hopes to reinstate tests on August 17. There's been no date yet provided for Scotland. This isn't a straightforward issue and it's just irresponsible for the DUP to pretend that it is." All driving tests were suspended when Northern Ireland went into coronavirus lockdown in March. It emerged yesterday that motorcycle test, which were supposed restart on July 6, have been delayed. Driving theory test certificates for learners have also been extended for eight months because practical examinations have stalled. The news came as it emerged that the Assembly was set to shut up shop for the rest of the summer, despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis. After this Tuesday no further Assembly meetings are envisaged until September, even though there is a huge legislative backlog that could cause a crash later this year. Most if not all of the Assembly's scrutiny committees, including the key finance and economy groups, do not plan to meet again before autumn. However, MLAs could be recalled in the event of an emergency, such as a second spike of the virus, and ministers are to remain in office, although there are reports that the Executive will take its usual summer break. Temporary Assembly Speaker Jim Wells said: "We are continuing until the end of July and our recess is far shorter than that of Westminster. "Many MLAs have cancelled their summer holidays and the constituency work is continuing. "We may yet be called back if the coronavirus situation deteriorates. "I am on the finance committee and we don't plan to come back until September, but that could change suddenly." (Bloomberg) -- Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said hes never seen a more uncertain recovery, especially if Congress doesnt act strongly and quickly to continue economic stimulus to offset the coronavirus pandemic. More important than the size of the next relief package is how long the emergency measures last, given the vast number of Americans now unemployed, the former Obama and Clinton administration official said in an interview on Bloomberg Wall Street Week. To Summerss point, Trump administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, were on Capitol Hill Saturday for talks on the next stimulus bill. We had a productive meeting on the staff level working through the final documents, just finishing everything, Mnuchin told reporters. Summers, a paid contributor to Bloomberg, spoke after U.S. jobless claims rose last week for the first time since March, the clearest sign yet of a pause in the economic recovery. Coronavirus cases have surged in much of the country, forcing some businesses to close their doors again. I personally doubt what I think is the markets view, which is that were going to have most people vaccinated and life returning to normal, sometime by spring of next year, Summers said. A growing body of evidence indicates Americas rebound is stalling, days before hundreds of billions of dollars worth of federal aid is set to expire. It could be weeks before the next round of stimulus is completed given wrangling between the White House and Congress; talks are expected to continue this weekend. Millions of Americans have been kept afloat financially by supplemental unemployment checks that cut off this month, barring Congressional action. Duration Vs. Size Everybody makes a mistake -- they focus on the size of the package, and they dont focus on the duration of the package, so they dont focus on the rate of flow of stimulus, Summers said. We need to maintain a very substantial fiscal impulse in the economy for quite some number of months. Looking ahead to the potential arrival of a Covid-19 vaccine, Summers said vaccinating the whole population would be vastly harder than making sure there are enough face masks for health-care workers. Summers, a former Harvard University president who headed the National Economic Council under President Barack Obama, warned that the U.S. risks the biggest falloff in stimulus in the countrys history as Congress drags its heels. His comments echoed those of former New York Fed President William Dudley, who said on Thursday that the U.S. economy will be weaker if the Congress doesnt replace expiring unemployment insurance assistance. Were basically right at the edge of a huge fiscal cliff with the expiration of the $600 a week unemployment compensation benefits, Dudley said on Bloomberg Television. The White Houses Meadows said Saturday it was up to Congressional leaders to decide how to handle any short-term unemployment extension. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Protesters show their support during the Black Lives Matter Rally at Langley Park on June 13, 2020 in Perth, Australia. The event was organised in solidarity with protests in the United States following the killing of an unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota and to rally against aboriginal deaths in custody in Australia. Paul Kane/Getty Images Police in New South Wales, Australia won a Supreme Court case to stop a Black Lives Matter protest from taking place on Tuesday, July 28th due to coronavirus concerns. The family of a man who died in police custody at a jail in Australia in 2015 organized the protest to demand justice for those who were involved in his death. The protest was blocked after police raised concerns that it would "breach public health orders" and lead to a spike in coronavirus infections. Despite the Supreme Court's decision, the family is determined to continue the protest. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Authorities in New South Wales, Australia won a Supreme Court case which prevents a Black Lives Matter protest from happening in Sydney due to coronavirus outbreak concerns, 9News reported. The family of a man who died in police custody organized the protest for Tuesday, July 28th, to demand justice. David Dungay Junior, an Indigenous man, died jail in 2015. According to the report, his death resembles that of George Floyd, who was killed in police custody in May. Similar to Floyd, Junior, who was restrained by police, told the officers, "I can't breathe,'" before he died, according to 9News. ABC News Australia reported New South Wales police commissioner, Mick Fuller, took the organizers to court over concerns about how the rally would "breach public health orders," amid the coronavirus pandemic. The Supreme Court decision on Sunday was in favor of the police to stop Tuesday's protest, the report said. According to the report, Supreme Court Justice Mark Ierace made his decision based on the risk of the spike in coronavirus cases in New South Wales due to the "resurgence" in Victoria, a neighboring state. "That current assessment of the level of risk, in spite of relatively low numbers of community transmission, is consistent with New South Wales presently being on the knife edge of a further escalation in community transmission of the virus," Ierace said, according to the report. Story continues Insider previously reported that coronavirus cases declined in the major cities in the US where the protests occurred due to demonstrators following guidelines and wearing a mask. The report says it's harder for the virus to thrive outdoors. New South Wales police are warning people to not attend the rally as it is "now unauthorised." According to the report, in a statement, authorities said, "Those thinking of attending despite the Supreme Court decision and health advice are strongly urged to reconsider their plans." The police also said that while they support "the rights of individuals to exercise their right to free speech, large-scale events, such as these, are currently subject to restrictions under the Public Health Act," which are orders made by the Minister of Health and Medical Research for the public to abide by to combat the virus. The statement also noted that the police department "will not hesitate to take the appropriate action, if required." Despite the Supreme Court decision, the family plans to continue with the protest. Junior's family accused authorities of trying to silence their voices, 9News reported. "Me and my family are disappointed about the outcome of the court hearing today but we will be appealing the decision to the Court of Appeal as we won't stop until there is justice for my Uncle's death," Junior's nephew, Paul Silva, said in a statement, according to the outlet. "The Commissioner isn't interested in investigating my Uncle's death, all he wants to do is to shut me up and silence black voices. To stop us complaining about the way we are treated," Silva said, according to the report. "We're going to continue demanding justice for David Dungay Junior." According to the ABC Australia report, one of the organizers Paddy Gibson agreed that the protest will go on. "We do not suspend democracy, we do not suspend the basic fight for justice that Aboriginal people have got going in this country just because there's a pandemic," Gibson said, based on the report. He urges that demonstrators who are attending should follow coronavirus guidelines, the report says. "We can do everything we can to keep everyone as safe as we can we will be safe on Tuesday, do not come if you have any symptoms at all," he said. "Make sure you wear a mask, make sure you comply with the regulations and stay distant but please, racism cannot be defeated by isolating in your house." Read the original article on Insider Kansas City Police Commissioners Remain Steadfast In Their Support Of Chief Smith & State Control In the face of numerous calls for the resignation of police Chief Rick Smith, two members of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners defend the department veteran as "a good leader." This screed focuses on other commissioners but, in fact, Mayor Lucas hasn't yet committed himself to vote out KCPD Chief Smith as he continues to face activist & urban rebuke . . . Read more: Israeli security forces blasted protestors with water cannons as thousands held demonstrations against their prime minister across the country on Saturday. A main protest took place in west Jerusalem outside Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence. Near daily protests have been going on for the past few weeks, sparked by what critics see as a government failure to handle the coronavirus crisis. Corruption charges against Netanyahu who went on trial in May for bribery, fraud and breach of trust have further fuelled the demonstrations. Having initially appeared to contained the virus, 457 Israelis have now died from Covid-19 and officials have reported 60,678 confirmed infections among a population of nine million. Israeli security forces blast a demonstrator with a water cannon in West Jerusalem as thousands gathered to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the coronavirus crisis on Saturday A main protest took place in west Jerusalem outside Netanyahu's official residence as thousands flocked to the streets A half naked protester wearing only Netanyahu's face on her chest holds a placard. Protestors held signs saying 'everyone can see the emperor has lost his clothes' Protestors are blasted with water. Near daily protests have been going on for the past few weeks, sparked by what critics see as a government failure to handle the coronavirus crisis A protestor is carried away from the demonstration and taken into custody by security forces in west Jersualem Having initially appeared to contained the virus, 457 Israelis have now died from Covid-19 and officials have reported 60,678 confirmed infections among a population of nine million Israeli policeman wearing face masks take away a protestor wearing a Palestinian flag as a bandana at the protest A protester stands holds up a sign reading in Hebrew 'siege' on Balfour', referencing the street near the Israeli Prime Minister's residence, and 'on the head of the thief the hat burns' Corruption charges against Netanyahu who went on trial in May for bribery, fraud and breach of trust have further fuelled the demonstrations 'Bibi, go home,' read one sign held by a protester. Another placard read 'Everyone can see that the emperor has lost his clothes.' Hundreds of protesters Saturday also gathered outside Netanyahu's beach house in the upscale town of Caesarea. Police used water cannons to disperse crowds in Jerusalem earlier in the week as well, with 55 protestors arrested overnight on Friday. The protest near the prime minister's residence began around sundown on Thursday and was initially largely peaceful. A smaller counter-protest in support of Netanyahu was held nearby, with the two camps separated by metal barricades and a large police presence. Protestors gathered in Tel Aviv at the same time as the demonstrations were going on in Jerusalem yesterday Protesters clad in masks stand with Israeli flags during a demonstration against the Israeli government in Tel Aviv After what has been called a hasty and erratic reopening of the economy in May, infections shot up with the average number of new cases daily at 2,000 Protestors hold up their phones at the protest in Tel Aviv. The country's economy has been battered by virus restrictions and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed to nearly 20 per cent Police say they moved in to disperse the protesters when they tried to stage a procession through the city. After what has been called a hasty and erratic reopening of the economy in May, infections shot up with the average number of new cases daily at 2,000. The country's economy has been battered by virus restrictions and the unemployment rate has skyrocketed to nearly 20 per cent. Protesters say the government's offers of financial assistance have been nowhere near enough. The protests came in the shadow of Netanyahu's corruption trial which resumed this month. Hearings will start in January. He denies charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of scandals. By Express News Service Galaxy S20 BERLIN: Samsung has partnered with the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Bundesdruckerei (bdr), and Deutsche Telekom Security GmbH to allow its Galaxy S20 series to become the first smartphones capable of serving as official ID in the European nation.To enable this e-identification process in Germany, the German government and Samsung are developing an app that will be available on the Play Store, utilising the framework created by the manufacturer to store IDs securely. The eID service will only be offered in countries that issue ID cards with NFC support. The Samsung Galaxy S20 lineup, including the Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+ and Galaxy S20 Ultra, will be the first smartphone to comply with the BSIs eID security framework for sovereign use. According to the company, security-wise, the Galaxy S20 family has embedded Secure Element (eSE) that stores all the sensitive data on a separate processor inside the phone with proper isolation and protection against hardware attacks. Residents of the building, who were evacuated, said they feared it might collapse Egypts National Authority for Tunnels said on Sunday that slight land subsidence had occurred around a landmark building in the affluent Zamalek district, but denied that the nearby construction of a Cairo metro extension had caused the building to partially collapse. Slight ground subsidence occurred at one of the corners of building number 17 in Brazil Street in Zamalek as well as at the front yard and fence of the [adjacent] Bahraini embassy," read the statement. The building, which was once home to a number of Egypts golden age stars, is located near ongoing excavation work to extend Cairo's underground metro to run through Zamalek. Residents of the 12-storey building, who have been evacuated, said they feared it might collapse. Photos and videos were shared online showing deep cracks in the building's walls and slight subsidence outside the building and the adjacent Bahraini embassy, amid anger from the residents. The tunnels authority said that engineering teams had taken the necessary measures to secure the building, adding that it was conducting studies to ensure the safety of the building. The residents were given EGP 30,000 each in order to find a temporary residence until they are able to return to the building, Transport Minister Kamel El-Wazir said in TV comments late on Sunday. Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel-Aal ordered the formation of an engineering committee to assess the building's condition. According to the governors statement, preliminary inspections showed that the building had suffered some damage and vertical cracks, as well as subsidence in its garage; the neighbouring Bahraini embassy building also suffered subsidence. The governor said the building is made of two sections: one overlooking Brazil Street with 37 residential units, including 16 currently occupied, and a second section overlooking Aziz Abaza Street, with 33 flats, 28 of which are inhabited. The health ministry sent three ambulances to the area as a precautionary measure, but no injuries have been reported. Since the announcement that the extension of the third metro line would pass through Zamalek, many residents of the upscale district have expressed concerns, including about the impact of the construction on the islands older buildings. The incident on Sunday revived those concerns. The Zamalek Association reminds all Zamalek residents that, back in 2016, we had a meeting with the head of the Tunnel Authority and we presented a list of nine technical queries...requesting an answer to the fears and concerns of Zamalek residents," said the Zamalek Association, a local civil society group, in a statement in English. "Their technical team promised to reply and three weeks later we were sent a CD of six hundred pages of the technical data of the whole project, irrelevant to our queries." The association said it had replied in a formal letter saying that the tunnels authoritys cooperation was insufficient and that it never heard from them again. The metros extended third line will run from Heliopolis to the Attaba district in Downtown Cairo and then through a Maspero stop to a new Zamalek stop, on to the densely populated district of Imbaba on the Giza side of the Nile. Search Keywords: Short link: EU continues its wavering attitude toward Huawei Global Times Source: Global Times Published: 2020/7/25 16:35:26 Last Updated: 2020/7/25 18:11:30 As a European Union(EU) executive branch on Friday urged member countries to diversify 5G suppliers, a move set to shrink Huawei's presence in Europe, a British telecoms multinational said that the UK's unwise Huawei ban should not be "extrapolated" to the rest of the Europe, showing a growing rift between European politicians and businesses over the Chinese 5G giant under mounting US pressure. European countries' wavering attitude toward Huawei despite harming their own businesses' interests and dragging 5G network progress behind shows that Chinese companies should be wary of the potential dire external circumstances due to Western countries' hostile attitude toward China's technology development, especially before the US presidential election in November, Chinese experts warned. Vodafone's Chief Executive Nick Read on Friday said that Britain's decision to ban China's Huawei from its 5G network should not be extrapolated to the rest of Europe because there were different geopolitics at play in other countries, according to Reuters. The Vodafone executive said the company was talking to the government about easing the burden of removing Huawei from its UK network, the report said. On the same day, the European Commission (EC) urged EU countries to urgently make "progress to mitigate the risk of dependency on high-risk suppliers," a move the Reuters said is set to shrink Huawei's presence in Europe. Following the UK's Huawei ban, France is reportedly making a U-turn against the World No. 1 telecoms equipment supplier and 5G front runner. France is also adopting a de facto ban on Huawei, French media outlets reported on Thursday, less than 48 hours after French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire's "no discrimination, no ban" note on the company. The EC's urge and European countries' wavering attitude toward Huawei is hardly a surprise, as Western countries have clearly let a new Cold War mindset dominate their decision making, Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies told the Global Times on Saturday. "Choosing to follow the US' lead in suppressing Chinese tech companies shows their strategic aim of suppressing China's development in technology," Zhao said adding that such politically-motivated decisions are causing high costs for their own businesses. While doubt remains on whether EU countries will soon form an agreement bending to US' pressure to ban Huawei from their 5G networks, experts warned that Chinese tech companies should be wary that dire external circumstances may occur in the next several months as the Trump administration is expected to further escalate China-US tensions to assist his reelection bid. "Chinese tech companies should be prepared for an extremely severe situation before the US election in November, the US is bound to put pressure on its allies," Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Beijing-based Information Consumption Alliance, told the Global Times. "We can't think of the Huawei issue solely from an economic perspective anymore. Driven by anxiety and fear towards China's rise, politicians in Western countries may put containing China first, even if it causes great losses," Zhao added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address - Vioja Mahakamani actor Prosecutor says he was shocked to find his photos on Facebook with claims that he was dead - The actor told TUKO.co.ke that he was very okay and healthy - The thespian reminded fans that his friend Mzee Kihara is the one who sadly passed on Famous Vioja Mahakamani TV drama actor Prosecutor, has personally come out to deny rumours that he has passed away. This is after fans shared photos on social media claiming the star had died on Friday, July 24. READ ALSO: Femcee La Queen J stuns Kenyans after publicly saying she wants to be chewed by rapper King Kaka Actors from left Lucy Wangui, Gibson Mbugua and Mary Khavere (Mama Kayai) who are pioneers in the Kenyan acting scene Photo: Gibson Mbugua Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Autopsy report shows Kilimani woman succumbed to head injuries caused by blunt object Speaking exclusively to TUKO.co.ke, the actor, born Gibson Gathu Mbugua, said he was shocked to see the rumours of his demise. ''People are saying prosecutor of Vioja Mahakamani is dead, I'm alive it's my friend Mzee Kihara who died, I'm shocked to see my photos on Facebook saying prosecutor has died,'' Mbugua said. READ ALSO: Kenyan woman goes missing in US after dinner with lover As Mbugua said, the actor who actually passed away was revered Jungu Kuu actor Mzee Kihara. News about Kihara's death was first made public by fellow actor Bahali Yake in an emotional Facebook post seen by TUKO.co.ke. Bahali Yake described the late as a very funny person who was also very generous while also revealing the late died on Thursday, July 23. READ ALSO: Champions League: Chelsea needs a draw against Wolves to make Champions League According to sources intimate to the deceased, he had been admitted at a yet to be disclosed hospital and was being treated for pneumonia. Mzee Kihara was initially discharged after getting a bit well but was sent back to hospital after his condition went back to unstable. Until his demise, Mzee Kihara had featured in a number of local productions such as Vitimbi and Hullabaloo Estate where he acted as the area MP. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. I should be given a medal for finding Chris Msando's car - Moses Kuria: Part two | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke The Army on Sunday commemorated 21 years of its victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war of 1999 as it joined the nation in remembering the heroes of 'Operation Vijay', officials said. WATCH: Indian Army's video on Kargil Vijay Diwas "A grateful nation today remembered the heroes of Operation Vijay, on the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, which is celebrated every year on 26 July," Srinagar-based defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said. He said the occasion commemorates the glorious victory of the Indian armed forces against the Pakistan Army intruders in the Kargil, Drass and Batalik sectors in 1999. Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps laid a wreath at the iconic Kargil War Memorial in Drass on behalf of the nation and paid tribute to the gallant heroes, Col Kalia said. Meanwhile, Srinagar-based Chinar Corps joined the nation in remembering the gallant soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice, serving soldiers and veterans on this occasion, an Army spokesman said in Srinagar. He said GOC Chinar Corps, Lt Gen B S Raju, on behalf of all ranks of the Corps paid homage to the Kargil War heroes in a solemn ceremony at the War Memorial in Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar. The proceedings included a brief narration of the Kargil War highlighting the saga of courage and valour of the soldiers who lost their lives in battle, prayers by religious teachers and laying of wreath in proud remembrance of the valiant heroes who participated in the operations, the spokesman said. The solemn function at Badami Bagh Cantonment is a part of celebrations held across the Kashmir valley to commemorate the occasion, he said, adding that the events rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in 'Operation Vijay' and honour their exemplary courage and sacrifices. Carol Vorderman has revealed her excitement at having an 'empty nest' as her youngest child prepares to leave home for university. The former Countdown host, 59, who splits her time between Cardiff and Pembrokeshire, said she is 'starting to feel this amazing sense of freedom' in an interview with The Express. Mathematician Carol had been living with her mother Jean up until her death from cancer three years ago, aged 88, as well as her two adult children in recent years. Her daughter Katie, 29, is now in Cambridge finishing her PhD in nanotechnology, while her son Cameron, 23, will soon be going to Dundee for his masters in animation. Scroll down for video Carol Vorderman has revealed her excitement at having an 'empty nest' as her youngest child prepares to leave home for university. Pictured left to right: The broadcaster's son Cameron, Carol Vorderman, her daughter Katie and a guest arriving for the Pride of Britain Awards in London in October 2019 'I'm already starting to feel this amazing sense of freedom. You have no idea how different this time of life is,' the broadcaster, who has been living with Cameron in Bristol during lockdown, said. Carol explained that this will be the first time in her life that she has ever lived alone because as soon as she graduated from Cambridge University, her mother came to live with her as a full-time employee. 'Now will be the first time without the children, not being married and not being in a relationship. I love it,' added Carol. 'It has taken me a long time to get to this point. I know what I like, I know who I like, I know what I don't like and I know who I don't like. I've sifted it out to all the good bits, really.' She added that she doesn't need a man to 'complete her life'. The former Countdown host (pictured in March 2020), 59, who splits her time between Cardiff and Pembrokeshire, said she is 'starting to feel this amazing sense of freedom' Mathematician Carol had been living with her mother Jean (pictured together in 2017) up until her death from cancer three years ago, aged 88, as well as her two adult children in recent years Elsewhere, she has long been known for her for her amazing curves and peachy posterior, but last month Carol admitted she finds it 'sad' that people focus on 'how big her bottom is' instead of her illustrious career Carol also revealed that she feels 'so much better' after going through the menopause - which left her depressed and experiencing suicidal thoughts. In May 2018, she confessed on Lorraine Kelly's show that she had been enveloped in darkness five years ago as the result of a terrible menopause and having the Mirena coil fitted, which triggered a hormonal depression. During her interview, the TV personality also touched on her slender size 10 figure - revealing that she walks 12-20 miles twice a week and still does around 20,000 squats a year. Carol said last month that she finds it 'sad' that people focus on 'how big my bottom is' instead of her fruitful career. In a candid interview, the TV and radio presenter also detailed her romantic life, confessing she's not open to finding love anytime soon as she's 'not very good' at dating. 'One of the sad things is that people think I am only ever talking about the way I look. I just choose to pay no attention to it. Instead it's, "how big is her bottom?"', Carol told Platinum magazine. If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org. Texas breweries struggled pretty bad when they were first forced to close their doors in mid-March to contribute to slowing the spread of COVID-19 in state. They found relief when Governor Greg Abbott allowed them to reopen, even though it was at limited capacity. With the number of cases spiking yet again, breweries were forced in June to close their doors for a second time and many of them don't know if it'll be temporary this go round. Texas Brewers Craft Guild found that one out of every three craft breweries believe they will have to permanently close their doors within the next three months unless some kind of changes are made to the Governor's current mandate, according to Eater Austin. Two in three don't think they will last this beyond this pandemic packed year. Eater Austin also reported that, since the start of the pandemic, TCBG has seen a decline of almost 55 percent year-over-year and has had to lay off or furlough 36 percent of its employees. Under the Governor's current mandate and new guidance from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, breweries are only allowed to offer to go services . Locations with on-site restaurants are allowed to remain open thanks to their food components. TABC describes a bar as any restaurant or similar establishment where alcohol accounts for more than 51 percent of its earnings. "The economic and public health crisis brought on by COVID-19 and Governor Abbotts June 26th shutdown of 51% establishments threaten to decimate the Texas craft brewing industry," CraftPAC, a Political Action Committee founded by members of TCBG, states on their website. TBCG's leadership team also disagrees with what the Governor is doing and is asking for a better resolution. Craft breweries are not bars, but, as written, the majority of taprooms fall under the order and will therefore have to temporarily cease operating, once again leaving beer-to-go sales as a critical revenue stream, Charles Vallhonrat previously said in an email to Community Impact Newspaper. The health and safety of all Texans is paramount and we support taking the appropriate steps to stop the spread of coronavirus in Texas, yet we are disappointed ... that a more refined solution could not have been found. According to CraftPAC, at least six breweries have already been forced to permanently shut down behind the fallout of COVID-19. Thus, #SaveTexasBreweries was born. The campaign gives residents, and Governor Abbott, tips on what they can do to make sure breweries get the help they need and are allowed to remain in business. Residents can buy beer directly from breweries, purchase local crafts during grocery store runs (or during trips that are happening anywhere besides a brewery), snag a gift card or t-shirt from a brewery online store or just speak up for your local breweries. As far as what Governor Abbott can do to help: "Amend Executive Order GA-28 to allow all Texas breweries and brewpubs to reopen for on-site service under the same strict health, safety, and social distancing policies as Texas restaurants regardless of whether alcohol makes up 51+% of sales," the website says. Regular readers of this column will know I am a big fan of investment trusts for all kinds of reasons. For a start, some have been around a long time more than 150 years and you don't last in business for that long unless you are doing a lot more right than wrong. Many trusts that have been around the block are conservatively managed, invested globally and have income growth buried within their DNA. With the ability to manage the income they receive from their investments squirrelling it away in the good times so it can be drawn upon when things get tough (like now) some trusts have more than 50 years of annual dividend growth under their belt. A reassuring fact given the current dearth of dividends worldwide. Is it morally right to remain invested in China, considering the clampdown against protesters in Hong Kong and human rights violations against the Uighur population of western China? Indeed, only a few days ago, global trust Alliance indicated that unless markets go into a tailspin between now and the end of the year triggered for example by a destructive second wave of Covid-19 or an escalation in global conflict it would be raising its dividend for the 54th consecutive year. No mean feat. There are two other features that stand investment trusts apart from other investment funds. First, in recent years, many have cut management fees to give investors a fairer deal (more please). Second, they are overseen by independent boards which, when they do their job properly, ensure shareholders' (investors') best interests are always top of the pile. It's not a given Woodford Patient Capital's board was asleep at the wheel for most of the time while fund manager Neil Woodford ran the trust into the near ground but most boards do earn their keep. For example, it is them that will demand lower management fees from the investment house running the trust. It is also within their power to replace managers if they think they are not doing a good enough job (Woodford was eventually given the boot from Patient Capital and replaced by Schroders). Of course, axeing managers does not guarantee future investment success, but the fact that boards have this power is a force for good. Last week, the board of Witan Pacific became the latest to flex its collective muscle by announcing its intention subject to shareholder approval to bring in Edinburgh-based asset manager Baillie Gifford to run the investment show. They will replace the current four managers that each run a slice of the trust's 230million of assets. The trust will be relabelled Baillie Gifford China Growth and, as its new name implies, the portfolio will be overhauled, concentrating purely on Chinese stocks. The annual management fee will also fall, from around one per cent to below 0.7 per cent. The change makes sense on many levels. Lower charges will leave more of the investment returns generated in the pockets of shareholders while Baillie Gifford has a strong track record in China as evidenced by the performance of its existing fund Baillie Gifford China (an investment fund, not an investment trust). Over the past five years, only one China fund (Matthews China Small Companies) has bettered its 160 per cent return. Also, Baillie Gifford knows how to run successful investment trusts take a look at the performance numbers behind the likes of Monks and Scottish Mortgage. It runs concentrated portfolios and is constantly searching for the growth companies of the future the likes of Amazon and Tesla. Of course, not everyone will be comfortable investing in a fund backing Chinese companies, given the vicious clampdown against protesters in Hong Kong and repeated human rights violations against the Uighur population of western China. It's an issue that has been raised by Paul Killik, founder of stockbroker Killik & Co. In his latest newsletter to clients, he asks: 'Is it morally right to remain invested in China?' Although Killik & Co has made a lot of money for clients by investing in Chinese companies Tencent, Alibaba and Ping An, Killick believes China investors should now take a rain check. If they remain comfortable 'backing' China, fine. If not, they should consider moving their money elsewhere. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police will approach the magistrate seeking custody of gold smuggling accused Swapna Suresh within a week in connection with the case registered against her pertaining to the forgery of a fake degree certificate to secure a job in a government project of the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) under the IT Department. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case will seek the custody of Swapna after completing the interrogation of NIA and Customs. On Saturday, the probe team also sent a letter to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Mumbai, seeking more details to verify the veracity of the certificate and use of the seal and emblem of the university. D S Suneesh Babu , Cantonment Assistant Commissioner, who leads the investigation team told TNIE that the police have begun proceedings to seek the custody of Swapna as the initial probe has been completed.Steps have been taken to seek the custody of Swapna. As the probe by NIA and Customs is progressing, we will wait until their interrogation is completed. The petition is ready and we will approach the magistrate within five days. Similarly, we have sent a letter to the university seeking more details on how she managed to print the fake certificate, Suneesh said.Sources close to the police said Swapna would be taken to the KSTIL office for evidence collection. Congress leader Ajay Maken accused the Centre on Sunday of conspiring to topple the Congress governments in various state. (PTI Photo) Jaipur: Congress leader Ajay Maken accused the Centre on Sunday of conspiring to topple the Congress governments in various states, instead of fighting the financial crisis, COVID-19 and China. He also said to protect the Constitution and democracy, Congress workers will stage protests in front of the Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday. Addressing a press conference here, the former Union minister alleged that the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have launched an attack on democracy and the Constitution. "The country is battling against the coronavirus pandemic. The countrymen are facing a severe economic crisis. More than 14 crore jobs have been lost according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). "Small businesses are on the verge of closure. China has taken over our territory. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of fighting the coronavirus, the economic crisis and China, is conspiring to topple Congress governments," he said. "The reality is that the Modi government and the BJP have launched an attack on democracy and the Constitution," Maken added. He said it is clear from the BJP's "conspiracy" to topple the Rajasthan government that these "disruptive forces" want to make democracy a slave of the "Delhi Durbar" and a puppet in their hands. The majority verdict is being murdered in Rajasthan and the public mandate crushed, the Congress leader said. He said the most worrying aspect is that the Constitution and established constitutional traditions are being ruthlessly trampled by the BJP. Maken also said it appears that the hope for justice from the judiciary is diminishing and people occupying constitutional posts such as governors are seen as helpless and unable to protect the Constitution. He said the people of the country have to ask the BJP government at the Centre whether the mandate given by the people of Rajasthan will be respected or decided by money and the power of the rulers in Delhi. "Can the prime minister and the Centre trample the Constitution and established constitutional traditions for grabbing power?" Maken asked. He also wondered whether a governor can refuse to call an Assembly session, as proposed by an elected government, and if the judiciary can unconstitutionally interfere with the jurisdiction of the legislature. Maken said in a show of solidarity with the Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and for the protection of the Constitution and democracy, Congressmen will stage protests in a "Gandhian way" in front of Raj Bhawans across the country on Monday. Paying tribute to India's Kargil Bravehearts on the 21st anniversary of the 1999 Kargil War, France on Sunday, expressed its solidarity with the Indian Armed Forces. Taking to Twitter, French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said that 'France always stands alongside India', highlighting its defense ties with India. Currently, India is awaiting its 1st batch of Rafale jets from France. In massive boost to IAF firepower, Rafale jets to be equipped with HAMMER missile: Sources France pays tribute to Kargil Bravehearts On #KargilVijayDiwas2020, France pays tribute to the Indian armed forces: France always stands alongside India.#Mirage2000 in 1999 to #Rafale in 2020: our partnership touches soaring heights. pic.twitter.com/bIEKIWDFhi Emmanuel Lenain (@FranceinIndia) July 26, 2020 Kargil Vijay Diwas: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute at National War Memorial India pays tribute on Kargil Vijay Diwas Amid muted Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations due to Coronavirus pandemic, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the National War Memorial. He paid tribute to the war heroes for their indomitable spirit and courage that led to the victory of the Indian Armed Forces against Pakistan in the 1999 Kargil war, while PM Modi paid his tribute to the jawans in the 67th edition 'Mann Ki Baat'. Speaking on the 21st anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war, PM Modi said that 'bad people' will always find a way to fight irrespective of friendship - slamming Pakistan and its natures 'to have enmity with everyone for no reason'. Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi recounts Pakistan's sinister 1999 Kargil war plot; names neighbour The 1999 Kargil War During the summer of May-July 1999, the tedious Kargil War was fought between India and Pakistan. In May 1999, the Pakistan Army infiltrated into Indian territory in remote locations using subterfuge and captured several mountain tops overlooking the strategic Srinagar-Leh highway. When India sent a survey mission to confirm intrusions into India, five jawans were taken into captivity by the Pakistani Army, triggering an Indian Airforce attack - 'Operation Vijay'. For the first time in 20 years, India launched strikes against militants in Kashmir beginning 'Operation Vijay', promising to continue doing so till the last of the militants were evicted from the Indian soil in Kashmir. During the continuing airstrike, India lost two of its aircraft (MiG-27) with one pilot who had ejected being taken in as a prisoner of war by the Pakistan troops. Soon, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declares the Kargil situation - 'War-like situation', with IAF continuing its assault on suspected infiltrators holed up in the Himalayas with fresh airstrikes. Kargil Vijay Diwas: Here's the timeline of how India successfully routed Pakistan's infiltration attempts in 1999 As Pakistan returned the mutilated bodies of six Indian soldiers, talks between India and Pakistan broke down while India continued its airstrikes. On July 26, the Indian Army recaptured all the Indian posts in Kargil which had been occupied by the Pakistani Army, a coup that was orchestrated by the then Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf, while Sharif and US President Bill Clinton meet in Washington to take 'concrete steps will be taken' to restore the Line of Control. Relenting to India's attacks, Sharif announces pull-out of Pakistani troops from Kargil and India declares 'Operation Vijay' a success - bringing an end to the war on July 26. 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) Could TikTok Investors Be Mulling a US Buyout of Chinese App? News Analysis Investors in Chinese startup ByteDance Technology Co. are watching with increasing concern as countries around the world are closely scrutinizing the companys popular social-video app TikTok because of security and intelligence concerns. TikTok, an app popular with teenagers to share user-created short videos, has come under fire for its potential as an espionage tool for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). While ByteDance has frequently denied that it would hand such information to the CCP, TikTok has been banned by India, while companies including Wells Fargo have warned their employees about installing the app on company-issued smartphones. The app company has repeatedly sought to distance itself from Beijing, pointing to its U.S. board members, the segregation of data, and the recent appointment of former Walt Disney Co. executive Kevin Mayer as TikToks CEO. Earlier this year, TikTok reportedly held discussions with the UK government about relocating its headquarters to London as part of TikToks strategy to convince foreign governments of its independence from the communist regime; London is one of a handful of cities under consideration. But security concerns related to TikTok are real, and such public platitudes are unlikely to convince governments to permit widespread usage of the app. A former internet censor in China recently told The Epoch Times that he was once interviewed by ByteDance for the role of monitoring and censoring videos posted by TikTok users. Assuming that company executives are truly set against sharing data with the CCP, its still not up to them. Every Chinese company, public or private, government-owned or non-government-owned, is required to abide by the CCPs intelligence, censorship, and security laws. In a much more widely reported case of TikTok kowtowing to the CCP, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming had to issue a letter of self-criticism in 2018 after running afoul of Chinese internet content censors. Our product took the wrong path, and content appeared that was incommensurate with socialist core values, Zhang wrote at the time. Massive Value Destruction The Trump administration is considering a ban on TikTok in the United Statesa move that would threaten the apps future growth and perhaps its existence. Its enough of a threat that could cause existing ByteDance investors to debate options to ringfence the app and save its value. ByteDance is a private technology startup with some powerful and influential investors. In its latest fundraising round in 2018, it raised money from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group and U.S. private equity firms KKR and General Atlantic. That round valued ByteDance at $75 billion. The companys most recent valuation is reported to be as high as $100 billion, according to the South China Morning Post, citing people familiar with the most recent private share transactions. Thats a staggering valuation. But consider this: TikTok has 800 million estimated average monthly users, and the app was downloaded more than 738 million times in 2019, according to the website BusinessofApps. In the United States, it was downloaded more than 46 million times in 2019. The app has been downloaded 2 billion times globally and 165 million times in the United States, according to Caixin, citing data from Senso Tower. Those are all metrics that support TikToks popularity and its supposed economic value. Politics and security concerns aside, TikTok has an established platform with user-generated content that is valuable to advertisers. But ByteDance investors can only fully realize that value if the app continues to grow, adds users, and eventually goes public, or is bought out. A US Buyout to Save the App? But the increasing worldwide scrutiny, due to the apps Chinese background and association with the CCP, is a grave threat to achieving those lofty goals, and a U.S. ban would be catastrophic. Thats why ByteDance has spent $500,000 in the second quarter of 2020 on lobbying efforts in Washington, according to the firms lobbying disclosure reviewed by Bloomberg. Investors are mobilizing to save TikTok from getting the Huawei treatment, which would instantly destroy the companys value. According to technology industry website The Information, certain U.S.-based investors are actively discussing a buyout of the TikTok app from ByteDance. Investors including venture capital firm Sequoia Capital and existing investor General Atlantic have held discussions with the U.S. Department of Treasury (which oversees the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States) and other federal regulators about the future ownership, data, and technology requirements that would satisfy federal government concerns about the app. ByteDance also appears to be preparing for an eventual divesting of TikTok. Alex Zhu, the former CEO of TikTok, has been tasked by the parent company to scour for new technology investments, according to a CNBC report. ByteDances most recent acquisition was a deal in May to purchase Baikemy.com, a health content website. In this sense, ByteDance may view itself less as TikToks parent company but as a holding company for startup assets, of which TikTok is a portfolio company that may eventually exit. A deal for TikTok wouldnt be easy to pull off; the parties would have to thread the needle on a valuation that would be palatable to existing ByteDance investors as well as presenting enough future upside for its new owners. And without the crown jewel of TikTok, would existing ByteDance investors stick around? Regardless, a U.S.-led buyout to ringfence TikTok away from ByteDance could workassuming the U.S. government could get comfortable with the app, for example, after its code is scrubbed to ensure zero access of the app from CCP or Chinese sources. It may be the most constructive scenario for all parties. Existing ByteDance investors would be paid out, its users would have greater assurance that they arent spied on by the CCP, and it would allow TikTok to continue its growth. Donald Trump has fallen far enough behind in the polls to raise the hopes of the world that it will soon see the back of him as US president come the election in 100 days' time. Given his calamitous handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the decline in his popularity is scarcely surprising. Yet Trump has always shown a Dracula-like ability to rise from the political grave. The writer and politician Conor Cruise O'Brien once wrote of the similarly amazing ability of then Taoiseach Charlie Haughey to survive scandals and crises. "If I saw Mr Haughey buried at midnight at a crossroads with a stake driven through his heart," said O'Brien, "I should continue to wear a clove of garlic round my neck, just in case." The secret of Trump's survival is his skill in using and manipulating the media to his own advantage. He may sound crass but he is expert at changing the topic of the hour so today's damning revelation becomes tomorrow's old news. By outrageous antics he dominates the news agenda and, whatever his failings, he is never dull. This latter skill may not seem politically significant but the news business is all about what is new, interesting and entertaining. Trump's utterances and tweets may sound eccentric or crazed but they are really news headlines geared to giving him gigantic publicity, often from newspapers and television networks which loathe him. Journalists understand they are dancing to his tune, but there is not much they can do about it. Critics correctly attribute his supreme ability to stay centre stage to his 14 years in the role of an all-powerful business mogul in the reality television show The Apprentice. Yet the tone of the criticism is dismissive, as if starring year after year in an immensely successful television show is easily done. Of course, nothing is "real" about reality television: a single hour on air of The Apprentice was edited out of 300 hours of footage, producing an artificial end product. The reasons the producers cast Trump as a business genius - though his hotels and casinos had gone bankrupt six times - help explain his political success. Several years ago, Richard Levak, a psychologist who consulted for The Apprentice, gave an interview to The New Yorker magazine in which he explained why Trump's personality was appropriate for the show. He said the traits that got Trump the job had been "the energy, the impulsiveness, the inability to articulate a complete thought because he gets interrupted by emotions, so when he speaks it's all adjectives - 'great', 'huge', 'horrible'." But what made Trump so magnetic to audiences, according to Levak, and this remains true to this day, was Trump's willingness to transgress and to break the rules. His shambolic spontaneity and unexpectedness have hitherto made his television appearances compulsively interesting. "That somebody can become that successful while also being that emotionally undisciplined - it's so macabre that you have to watch it," said Levak. "And you keep watching for the comeuppance. But it doesn't come." But maybe Trump's comeuppance is with us now in the shape of the coronavirus. People find his political box of tricks less enticing when he suggests that they inject themselves with disinfectant to cure infection. Not everything about Trump is distinct to America. Aside from his unique capacity to manipulate the media, he has most of the characteristics of populist, nationalist and authoritarian rulers everywhere. There is the same xenophobic demonisation of minorities at home and of foreigners abroad; law and order are lauded when applied to others and ignored by himself and his lieutenants; elected representatives, experts and the well-educated are treated with similar disdain. Over everything, there is the same smell of corruption, militaristic bombast and willingness to use violence. Trump is at his most dangerous when he is cornered and at risk of losing power. He seeks confrontation at every turn: in the US, his racism is more blatant, witness his willingness to deploy federal agents against protesters in Democratic-run cities like Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, presumably in order to provoke clashes that will strengthen his law-and-order credentials. Abroad, the freshly brewed Cold War against China escalates by the day. Traditionally, US presidential elections on November 3 are preceded by dire warnings that the occupant of the White House is planning to stage "an October surprise" by covertly provoking some game-changing crisis. These Machiavellian conspiracies have seldom actually happened, but on this occasion they might well do so. Even a concocted crisis should not make a decisive impact in the face of the appalling reality of the pandemic, with 142,000 Americans already dead and four million known to be infected. Trump's abrupt about-turn away from down-playing the illness as a hoax inspired by his enemies probably comes too late, as he wears a mask for the first time and cancels the Republican convention in Jacksonville, Florida, that was to nominate him for a second term. Trump still has options. By resuming White House briefings about the pandemic, he will focus attention on himself and marginalise Joe Biden. He remains a ferociously effective campaigner and he is fighting in Biden, as in 2016, a lacklustre Democratic Party candidate. The Democrats' strategy of assuming that Trump would self-destruct failed four years ago because, among other things, it created a vacuum of information that Trump filled with slanders about Hillary Clinton. But these advantages may matter less than they would in any other year because Trump's real opponent is not Biden but the coronavirus - and his campaign is being crippled by his failure to bring the epidemic under control or convince Americans that its ravages are being exaggerated. At his renewed press briefings, he is visibly at sea as he spews out an endless list of ill-assorted actions by the federal government to combat the virus. His claims of world-beating American success sound dangerously deranged when set against graphs showing infections soaring past the four million mark and deaths rising above a thousand a day. Trump may go but he is unlikely to go quietly. The pandemic may sink him but it also gives him unprecedented opportunities to muddy the waters and stir up hatred and division come election day. In urban areas, for instance, where the Democrats have strong majorities, the polling stations are traditionally manned by elderly retired volunteers, who are vulnerable to coronavirus. If they do not turn up on election day, then polling stations will be closed to the benefit of Trump who is already trying to delegitimise postal voting. Many voters may be simply too frightened of the virus to leave their homes to cast a ballot. It is difficult to think of a single word to describe the all-embracing mess in America this summer. But Conor Cruise O'Brien did coin one - Gubu - which is probably appropriate to the present extraordinary circumstances in the United States. The acronym of the words grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented were used by Haughey to describe the arrest of double murderer Malcolm McArthur who was found hiding in the house of the attorney general in Bullock Harbour. These are again strange days. Independent Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry visited July 19 Jordan and the West Bank to reiterate Egypts rejection of the Israeli plan to annex parts of the Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank, and to support Palestine in its bid to establish an independent state. Shoukry met with both King Abdullah of Jordan and Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi in Amman. According to a July 19 statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shoukry stressed during his meeting with the Jordanian monarch the rejection of any unilateral Israeli measures to annex parts of the Palestinian territories and said this would have major implications for peace and stability in the region as a whole. After meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah July 20, Shoukry reiterated Egypts rejection of Israels annexation plan. The two sides also discussed ways to resume peace efforts. Peace negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides stalled in April 2014 due to Israels refusal to stop its settlement activity and accept pre-1967 borders as a basis for a two-state solution. Egypt believes that the chances of achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians should be based on a two-state solution to establish an independent Palestinian state on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. It also finds that any Israeli action to annex lands in the West Bank would undermine the chances of achieving peace and stability in the region. We seek to resume the political process and resume negotiations that would lead to a two-state solution, Shoukry said July 20 during a joint news conference with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. He noted, "[The political process is] the best solution that would allow the Palestinian and Israeli people to live in peace away from the conflict. Shoukry added that Egypt will continue to deploy efforts within the framework of its relationship with its international partners. Shoukrys visit to Ramallah came after a phone call July 19 between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Abbas, during which Sisi reiterated his countrys support for the Palestinian Authority. Tarek Fahmy, the head of Israeli and Palestinian studies at the National Center for Middle East Studies in Cairo, told Al-Monitor that Shoukrys tour conveys Egypts rejection of Israels annexation project for the West Bank and the Jordan Valley. He added that the visit conveyed a message of support for Palestine before the international community and was more of a symbolic than political tour aimed at emphasizing the peculiarity of Egyptian-Palestinian relations and showing support for Jordan. Palestinians want the Jordan Valley to serve as the eastern border of their state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Jordan Valley extends from the Dead Sea in the south to the city of Beit She'an in northern Israel. Israel occupied the West Bank, along with East Jerusalem and Gaza in the June 1967 war. It later announced the formal annexation of East Jerusalem in 1980. The Jordan Valley, which Israel is seeking to annex, covers an area of 2,400 square kilometers (927 square miles), which accounts for 30% of the West Bank. Israel has long said it intends to maintain military control of the Jordan Valley under any peace agreement with the Palestinians. US President Donald Trumps plan for peace in the Middle East announced Jan. 28 gave Israel the green light to annex the Jordan Valley and settlements in the West Bank. Samir Ghattas, a member of the Egyptian parliament and head of the Middle East Forum for Strategic Studies and National Security, told Al-Monitor that Egypts position on the Israeli annexation plan is long overdue. Ghattas said that Shoukry had failed to attend a meeting held June 18 between the Jordanian foreign minister and the Palestinian president in Ramallah; hence Shoukrys recent tour, which was to address the situation and respond to those who were skeptical about the importance of the Palestinian cause as far as Cairo is concerned. Fahmy said that Egypt will push toward the resumption of negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides under the auspices of the Middle East Quartet, as an alternative to a US unilateral mediation. In February, Abbas announced the severing of all ties with the United States and Israel, including security ties, in opposition to Trumps peace plan. Fahmy added, Egypt will support any Palestinian efforts aimed at confronting the US plan, stopping the annexation plan and resuming negotiations, including the efforts of Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov. During a phone call July 5 with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Abbas expressed willingness to resume negotiations with Israel under the auspices of the International Quartet based on international and United Nations resolutions. Chief among these is the cessation of all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories and the establishment of a fully sovereign Palestinian state. Fahmy said that given the contacts it has with all parties be they Palestinian, Israeli, American or Gulf states Egypt is the only country in the region that has the ability to move in all directions to try to converge views. However, Ghattas expects the failure of any current efforts be they Egyptian or not to resume negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides amid the Palestinian unwillingness to make any concessions and the Israeli intransigence to show any flexibility. The Israeli annexation project, which was scheduled for early July as per Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was postponed due to the lack of an agreement within the US administration. Ghattas said the US administration has failed to decide on the issue of annexation because it is taking into consideration international positions, Arab warnings and concerns launched by Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Washington has taken into consideration many factors, including the timing and its relations with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Ghattas noted. He said that the current internal situation in Israel is unfavorable for an annexation process because there is a part of the government coalition that opposes this step, and a potential economic disaster is to ensue due to the high cost of the annexation process at a time when the Israeli economy is grappling with the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic. Fahmy did not rule out the fact that Egypt would increase its international diplomatic moves and coordinate with Washington to pressure Tel Aviv into walking away from its plans. The annexation idea is still on the table, but Israel is waiting for a better opportunity, timing and conditions, Ghattas concluded. * Dollar steadies, safe havens up after U.S. shuts China consulate * China to respond on Friday - Global Times Editor * Strong euro has dollar headed for largest weekly drop since June * Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 https://tmsnrt.rs/2RBWI5E By Tom Westbrook SINGAPORE, July 24 (Reuters) - The safe-haven yen advanced to a one-month high on Friday as deteriorating Sino-U.S. relations heightened investor anxiety, while a surging euro put the beleaguered dollar on track for its worst week in a month. China has said it "must" retaliate after the U.S. ordered its Houston consulate to shut this week, amid allegations of spying. The editor of China's Global Times said on Twitter that Beijing will announce countermeasures on Friday and ask one U.S. consulate to close. Earlier on Thursday U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington and its allies must use "more creative and assertive ways" to press the Chinese Communist Party to change its ways, calling it the "mission of our time." While trading volumes were lightened by a public holiday in Japan, the palpable tensions were enough to rouse the yen from a range it has kept for weeks. The yen rose 0.3% to 106.51, its strongest since late June. The Australian and New Zealand dollars were also off from multi-month highs and the Chinese yuan struggled for headway. "The general concern is that any escalation in U.S-China tensions is bad and is putting the trade deal at risk," said Kim Mundy, an FX analyst at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney. "If we see China retaliating today, our view is that Aussie and the other growth-linked commodity currencies can fall," she said, with a dip likely to shove the Aussie back in the 68 cent to 70 cent range it held for several weeks. The Australian dollar drifted higher to $0.7112, and is up about 1.7% for the week, but roughly 1% below a 15-month high touched on Wednesday. The New Zealand dollar was at $0.6641, just under a 7-month high of $0.6690 touched on Thursday. The safe-haven Swiss franc also hit a four-month peak of 0.9243 per dollar. Weaker-than-expected U.S. employment data had rattled U.S. markets overnight. Story continues FAREWELL, CHENGDU? Sino-U.S. ties have deteriorated over issues ranging from the novel coronavirus pandemic, which began in China, to Beijing trade and business practices, its territorial claims in the South China Sea and its clampdown on Hong Kong. A tit-for-tat consulate closure is shaping as among the most likely Chinese reply to the Houston consulate eviction. A source told Reuters on Wednesday that China was considering shutting the U.S. consulate in Wuhan. The Chinese yuan, a barometer of Sino-U.S. relations, fell overnight after the South China Morning Post reported that the U.S. consulate in Chengdu may be shuttered. The yuan last sat at 7.0058 per dollar. Other Asian currencies from the South Korean won to the Thai baht and Singapore dollar were also gently pressured. Elsewhere the tearaway euro remained a tower of strength since busting through chart resistance in the afterglow of Europe's leaders agreeing on a coronavirus rescue package. It has gained 1.6% this week, its best since late June, and 3.4% for the month so far to sit at $1.1615, just below a 21-month high hit overnight. Sterling hung on to early-week gains at $1.2749. Besides China's next move, investors are looking to a slew of Purchasing Managers Index figures due across Europe and the U.S. later on Friday for a read on economic recovery progress. Focus is also on the next U.S. fiscal rescue package, which is deadlocked in Congress while a month-end deadline looms as some unemployment benefits are due to expire. "The concern is that a failure to get this away will impact consumer sentiment at a time when U.S. data is starting to miss the mark," said Chris Weston, head of research at Melbourne brokerage Pepperstone. (Reporting by Tom Westbrook Editing by Shri Navaratnam) The Spanish government said on Sunday that in spite of the recent surge in coronavirus cases, the situation there is "under control". The statement comes in response to countries that have recently announced travel restrictions on Spain. From Sunday, passengers arriving from Spain to the UK will have to undergo a fortnight in isolation while Norway imposed restrictions on travel to Spain. French Prime Minister Jean Castex "strongly recommended" Friday that the French avoid going to Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain where the epidemic is particularly on the rise. "The Spanish government considers that the situation is under control, the outbreaks have been located, isolated and controlled," the foreign ministry told AFP. "Spain is a safe country," the ministry said, adding that in the case of the British quarantine, Spain is "in contact" with London whose decisions it "respects". Spain reported nearly a thousand new cases a day on both Thursday and Friday. Its number of cases has tripled in two weeks while more than 280 homes are being closely monitored by the authorities. The Ministry of Health is particularly concerned about the situation in Aragon and Catalonia, where the regional authorities have urged residents of Barcelona to stay at home. They also decided on Friday to close nightclubs and bars, considered hotbeds of contagion. Most regions have tightened the screw by reinforcing the compulsory use of masks, which must be worn at all times in the street under threat of a fine. In some of them, restrictions have been taken locally, such as limiting the number of people who can meet or banning visits to retirement homes. The central government, which insists that this is not a "second wave", considers that the regions have sufficient tools to control the epidemic. It has also ruled out the possibility of a new state of emergency, which allowed Madrid to impose a strict lockdown in mid-March which was not completely lifted until June 21. Spain, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, has had 272,400 cases and more than 28,400 fatalities. Search Keywords: Short link: At the age 87, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the oldest justice of the United States Supreme Court. She is also one of its longest-serving and most liberal members. Last week, Ginsburg, who has survived cancer, worried her many supporters with the announcement that her cancer has returned. Everybody is checking their phones daily to see what Justice Ginsburg[s] health situation is, said Russell Wheeler. He is an expert at the Brookings Institution, a Washington policy and research center. Ginsberg was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1993. She said she has no plans to retire. But her supporters fear a court opening would permit President Donald Trump, a Republican, to appoint another conservative judge. The Supreme Courts future The Supreme Courts decisions usually have a strong effect on every part of American life. Just this year, the court said that U.S. law protects gay and transgendered from workplace discrimination. It said employers can deny birth control health coverage to female workers based on religious belief. And it ruled that no citizen, not even the President, in this case, could refuse to produce evidence for a states criminal hearing. Justices in the United States Supreme Court are nominated by the president. After Senate confirmation, they can serve for life but some choose to leave early. Ginsburg is not the only older Supreme Court justice likely to retire. Liberal justice Stephen Breyer, another Clinton appointee, is 81. Republican-appointed conservative justices Clarence Thomas, at 72, and Samuel A. Alito Jr., at 70, are nearing retirement age. The court now has five conservative and four liberal members. Two of its conservative justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh were appointed by Trump. In 2016, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to consider a nomination to the Supreme Court from President Barack Obama, a Democrat. As a campaigning move, Republican candidate Donald Trump released the names of conservatives who he would nominate to the court. Some conservative voters noted the move as a reason they voted for Trump. With at least one or more court openings possible, liberals are now hoping to make the Supreme Courts future an issue in the November presidential election in 2020. A group of liberal organizations has started buying $2 million worth of advertising in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These are the important states that could decide who becomes the next president. Donald Trump has hijacked our Supreme Court with far-right justices like Brett Kavanaugh, the projects first ad says, adding that Kavanaugh may serve for many more years. Courtney Parella is a Trump campaign spokeswoman. She defended the presidents record of appointing solid, conservative federal judges. The presidents record appeals to conservatives who supported him in 2016, appointing judges that will faithfully uphold the Constitution, Parella said. While agreeing that the Nov. 3 election will likely be decided by two issues, the coronavirus and the economy, Democrats say voters have begun to understand the importance of the Supreme Court. And there is some evidence of that. In April, a poll by Suffolk University and USA Today found that more Democrats than Republicans view the Supreme Court as a top issue. Yet the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has not made the Supreme Court a campaign issue. The Biden campaign did not respond to several requests for comment. Im Susan Shand. VOAs Masood Farivar reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story gay - adj. a homosexual transgendered - adj. one who changes the sex of birth to the other sex hijack v. to take over faithfully - adj. with devotion uphold - v. to maintain or to respect poll n. a group of questions used to determine possible voting outcomes Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 01:12:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BISHKEK, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan will designate July 30 as the day of national mourning for citizens who died of COVID-19, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said on Saturday. In an interview with the state radio station, Jeenbekov said that Kyrgyzstan will celebrate Kurman Ait (Feast of Sacrifice) on July 31, and July 30 will be declared the day of national mourning throughout the country. A corresponding decree will be issued, Jeenbekov said. The president once again expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. He wished endurance to all the citizens who have experienced loss. As of Saturday, 1,249 people have died in Kyrgyzstan since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 32,124 COVID-19 cases have been registered in the country, and 19,203 of them have recovered. Enditem Alaska Airlines has announced that it will be joining oneworld, becoming the alliances 14th member airline and bringing even more destinations and flights to customers. Alaska Airlines is working with oneworld to deliver benefits to its guests as quickly as possible, with a hope of joining oneworld around the end of the year. The airlines wholly-owned regional subsidiary Horizon Air, as well as its regional partner SkyWest Airlines, will join as oneworld affiliate members at the same time. Alaska Airlines was elected as a oneworld member designate following approval by the oneworld Governing Board and a formal invitation extended to the airline. Alaska Airlines intention to become a oneworld member was first announced in February, when it unveiled plans to form a US West Coast International Alliance with oneworld founding member American Airlines. Upon becoming a member of oneworld, Alaska Airlines will offer the full range of oneworld customer services and benefits to its customers. Millions of loyalty members of Alaska Mileage Plan will also be able to earn and redeem rewards on all oneworld member airlines, and top tier members may also access more than 650 lounges worldwide. Were excited to become a member of oneworld, the industrys premier alliance, and honoured to receive this invitation. This milestone will improve connectivity and service for our guests throughout the West Coast and beyond, said Brad Tilden, Alaska Airlines CEO. Oneworld will open up a tremendous international network for our business and leisure travellers when theyre ready to start flying overseas again, in addition to greater connectivity around the U.S. through our network for international visitors. Were eager to build deeper ties with the six oneworld members we already cooperate with, and looking forward to working with new partners that are some of the best airlines in the world. Alaska Airlines already codeshares with oneworld members American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Qantas. It also codeshares with oneworld connect partner Fiji Airways. The joining of Alaska Airlines will add 34 new destinations to the oneworld network, across North America. The alliances network will grow to more than 1,000 destinations in over 170 territories. Based in Seattle, Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve 117 destinations in North America. It operates hubs in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland (Oregon) and Anchorage. Alaska Air Group maintains an operational fleet of 319 aircraft, comprising the Airbus A320 family, Boeing 737, Embraer 175 and Bombardier Q400. Alaska Airlines will become oneworlds 14th member airline and the alliances second member airline in the US. The carriers hub in Seattle is in the networks of four oneworld member airlines: American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. After joining the alliance, Alaska Airlines will become oneworlds second new full member in recent years, following the joining of Royal Air Maroc in April 2020. We are delighted to welcome Alaska Airlines into oneworld. With its strong position in the US West Coast and its partnership with American Airlines, Alaska Airlines will be a great asset to oneworld, positioning us to deliver even more value to our member airlines and customers, said oneworld Governing Board Chairman and Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce. We are thrilled about our new West Coast International Alliance with Alaska Airlines and its entrance into oneworld, said American Airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. Together, we will continue to deliver more value, benefits and choice for customers as we create the leading network on the West Coast and throughout the world. Oneworld CEO Rob Gurney said: The joining of Alaska Airlines will add another high-quality carrier to oneworld, allowing us to offer even more destinations and options to the customers served by our member airlines. It strengthens oneworlds presence across the key airports on the US West Coast and will build rapidly on the existing partnerships in place between Alaska Airlines and other oneworld members . - TradeArabia News Sevice Black Catholics history: Will US Catholic schools teach it? The history of Black Catholics in the U.S. is a dramatic mix of struggles and breakthroughs, but it has been largely ignored in the curriculum of Catholic schools. That may soon change. Amid the national tumult over racial injustice, there are high-level calls for the schools to teach more about the churchs past links to slavery and segregation, and how Black Catholics persevered nonetheless. In the archdioceses of Chicago and New Orleans, top leaders are encouraging their schools to place a new emphasis on teaching about racial justice, as well as the history of Black Catholics. The National Catholic Educational Association is forming an advisory committee to study how similar initiatives could be launched in the thousands of Catholic schools nationwide. ADVERTISEMENT The teaching of anti-racism is pretty strong in Catholic schools, said Kathy Mears, the NCEAs interim president. But teaching the contributions of Black Catholics to our history is not where it should have been. Whatever we can do to correct this error, were all in. Among those recruited to join the advisory committee is Henry Fortier, superintendent of Catholic schools in Orlando, Florida. We need to have an honest ongoing effort, not just something to placate people, he said. Theres a point in time where people are fed up. In a recent podcast, Fortier and another Black superintendent of Catholic schools, RaeNell Houston of New Orleans, challenged Mears to ensure that the NCEAs leadership becomes more racially diverse. Challenge accepted, Mears replied. We will work on all those things at NCEA because we do want to be part of the solution. We want to do better. Fortier said a few Catholic schools with predominantly Black student bodies do teach Black Catholic history, but its not a part of our mainstream curriculum across the country. He said its important for white students, as well, to learn this history. ADVERTISEMENT Prejudice is usually based on ignorance, he said. If we can eradicate the ignorance, we can eradicate future generations of racism. At present, there are about 3 million African American Catholics, roughly 4% of the nations 69 million Catholics. Scholars whove studied Black Catholics history have been harsh in their assessments for example, detailing how numerous Catholic institutions and civic leaders were major slaveholders. Among them were Georgetown University, which last year pledged financial support to descendants of people it enslaved; several orders of nuns; and Charles Carroll of Maryland, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. Even after the Civil War, many Catholic institutions practiced segregation, says Villanova University history professor Shannen Dee Williams. She has campaigned for this sobering history to be taught in every Catholic school and seminary. Black Catholic history reminds us that the Church was never an innocent bystander in the histories of colonialism, slavery or segregation, Williams wrote in an email. Black Catholic history encourages us to acknowledge, confront and atone for this painful history. Amid the pain, Black Catholics produced their own set of heroes and trailblazers, including the women who started two orders of Black Catholic nuns before the Civil War. Mother Mary Lange, who co-founded the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore in 1829, and Henriette Delille, who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in New Orleans in 1842, are among six Black Catholic Americans formally placed in the canonization process that could lead to sainthood. Both orders remain active, and have been pioneers in teaching Black history at the schools they run. Also on the path to sainthood is Augustus Tolton, widely considered the first Black Catholic priest in the U.S. He was born into slavery in Missouri in 1854, escaped to freedom with his family during the Civil War, attended Catholic schools, and studied at a seminary in Rome before being ordained in 1886 and later heading a Black congregation in Chicago. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, theres a school and a ministry recruitment program named after Tolton. The archbishop, Cardinal Blase Cupich, has spearheaded Toltons canonization campaign. Cupich is now asking the archdioceses school system to develop a curriculum for the coming academic year aimed at increasing awareness of racial justice issues. Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Perry said one of the goals will be to teach Black Catholic history perhaps in a few schools at first, but eventually at all 129 schools in the archdiocese, whether their enrollment is predominantly Black or white. Its necessary for white students to know this history, said Perry, who is Black. To appreciate people, you have to know something of their story. A similar initiative is envisioned in New Orleans, a center of Black Catholic life in the U.S. for more than 200 years. The Rev. Daniel Green, who heads the Office of Black Catholic Ministries for the New Orleans archdiocese, said the initiative will strive to highlight Black Catholics culture and identity so everyone has an appreciation for the struggle and the gifts they bring to the church. We want to get all our schools equipped to do this so we can say to the rest of the country, Heres a model that we know works. Wed like to share that with you, Green said. New Orleans is home to Xavier University of Louisiana, the countrys only historically Black Catholic university. The director of Xaviers Institute for Black Catholic Studies, Kathleen Dorsey Bellow, hopes the universitys education department will be able to produce schoolteachers capable of helping the Black Catholic history initiative succeed. Bellow is a descendant of John Henry Dorsey, who in 1902 became one of a handful of Black ordained Catholic priests. Through much of his ministry, he was the target of discrimination, even from fellow members of the Josephite order that ministered to Black people. Those people suffered greatly, Bellow said. Weve got to tell that story, so that out of that suffering can come something glorious. Of paramount importance, Bellow said, is that the story be told honestly. Theres a white supremacy in the history of the Catholic church that needs to be dismantled, she said. If we want to evangelize effectively, weve got to tell the truth. Young people can tell when we are not telling the whole truth. (Newser) A Baptist revival in Alabama has infected more than 40 people with the coronavirusa flare-up apparently caused by someone who exhibited no symptoms, AL.com reports. "The whole church has got it, just about," says pastor Daryl Ross, who adds that two cases were serious: "One respiratory, he almost got put in the hospital, but he's OK. The other one fought it off with two days in bed." Ross says the suspected spreader's family and co-workers all have the virus now, but the man himself remains symptom-free: "I ate lunch with him," adds Ross. "No nothing. Not a sniffle. Not a headache. Nothing." But the man took a test and "came back positive." story continues below "I can't smell or taste, a little sinus, that's all I've had," Ross goes on. "The whole church has been running fever and headaches and terrible respiratory (issues), and I've been building fences and bush-hogging." The Warrior Creek Missionary Baptist Church lies in Marshall County, a mix of urban and suburban communities, and often has 80 to 100 congregants. Baptist revivals typically last about a week. In a similar story, the Press of Atlantic City reports that more than 24 lifeguards in two New Jersey beach towns have tested positive after attending a couple of parties. In Harvey Cedars, one of the afflicted towns, the mayor urged people to stay safe: "Keep a safe distance and wear a mask," he told the Star-Ledger. (Read more coronavirus stories.) By Michael Breen If you had gone to a fortuneteller on this day 67 years ago when the guns of war fell silent across the 38th parallel, you would have been found lively counsel. "It's only a ceasefire," the lady might have said. "Don't buy property in Seoul until there's a proper peace." Her rival in the next tent might have been more hardline: "The communists haven't given up. You should marry an American soldier and emigrate." Then there were the fortune-tellers who escaped from the North. They might have said, "The Americans will rebuild North Korea. Invest in cement" and "Kim Il-sung will be executed before the end of the year and there will be unification." Somehow, I can imagine some of them got South Korea's long-term future right. At the time the war ended, such uncertainty loomed over Korea that it's a wonder people got out of bed. But they did. There's a famous photo from the Korean War of refugees in Pyongyang clambering over the twisted girders of the Daedong River bridge. It's an image for the determination that drove Koreans at a time when their country lay in ruins, a shattered hulk of a nation, offering them nothing. Now, of course, circumstances are very different. But that basic structural uncertainty remains. The agreement signed on July 27, 1953, remains a ceasefire. There is still no peace. So, on this day, it might be an idea to ask whether it wouldn't be a good idea to have a peace treaty? If you've been pondering this one for a while, you will have noticed that the longer this situation continues, the louder the domestic clamor against the side that doesn't jail its critics. There was a time when the North Koreans blamed us and we blamed them. Communism vs. anti-communism. But then, over time, first in America and then, when it became a democracy and permitted free speech, in South Korea, the more we came to blame our own side. It's as if North Korea is was immovable as a mountain and that therefore the new ideas had to come from us. I've got an idea, people said. The reason there is no peace treaty is because we are bad. Well, there is some truth in this. There isn't a peace treaty because we don't want one. North Korea has wanted one for decades, but we've always told them to shove it. Is that because we and by we, I mean South Korea and America are warmongers? Not really, but we would like to reserve the option to be just that should North Korea threaten to smudge our makeup. But, seriously, there are two reasons there hasn't been a peace treaty. One is concern that part of any agreement would be for American troops to leave South Korea. The U.S. hasn't wanted that because its troops' departure last time prompted the first war and they don't see any point in prompting a second, which they would be obliged to return to fight. The South Koreans also don't want U.S. troops to leave because they are still a little concerned about their ability to manage North Korea on their own, although I doubt there would be much contest if it came to it. The second reason, which underpins the first, is that our side doesn't believe that the North Koreans would negotiate in good faith. Remember they are communists. The young may think that means they're, like, in favor of universal health care or something, but the older generation will remember them as sneaky fellows for whom peace is simply another way of waging war. You may say this mistrust is unreasonable, but that is not an argument. When someone mistrusts you, it's not up to them to lighten up. It's up to you to demonstrate your trustworthiness. And so far, North Korea, the blower-upper of inter-Korean buildings, the torpedoer of South Korean naval vessels, the state whose very solidity depends on its people's inability to punch through its lies, hasn't made the slightest effort to do that. But it's possible I could be wrong. Perhaps it is time for a peace treaty. But before proposing this seriously, I need to run it by a few fortune-tellers. Michael Breen is the author of "The New Koreans" and CEO of Insight Communications. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government on Saturday announced the rates at which private hospitals could admit and treat COVID-19 positive cases in Kerala. This decision taken by the government now allows treatment for those patients who are beneficiaries of the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP) and those referred by the government to other private healthcare institutions. The health department, which fixed the rates for COVID-19 treatment in the private sector, has also released guidelines for partnership with the private hospitals in the implementation of coronavirus treatment. At the same time, health minister KK Shailaja warned that 'no private hospitals can should an extra penny than the rates fixed by the state.' For the admission, following rates apply: For PPEs and isolation- Rs 1000 per unit General ward- Rs 2,300 ICU without ventilator- Rs 6,500 ICU with ventilator- Rs 11,500 High Dependency Unit (wards for people who need more intensive observation, treatment and nursing care than is)- Rs 3,300 Rate fixed earlier for testing samples at private labs: RTPCR- Rs 2,750 (open system) and Rs 2,500 (if it is the samples referred by the government), Xpert NAT Test - Rs 3,000, True NAT Test step I Rs 1,500, True NAT Test step II (only for those tested positive in step I) Rs 1,500. Any grievance related to the scheme can be raised before the District Grievance Redressal Committee chaired by the District Collector through the District Project Coordinator of State Health Agency. Also, for the effective implementation of the Public-Private Partnership, each area shall have a district level committee. By PTI JERUSALEM: Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Sunday called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during which he pledged to strengthen collaboration between the two countries in the fight against coronavirus as a high-level Israeli delegation left for New Delhi to jointly develop rapid testing for COVID-19 in under 30 seconds. "I spoke with Indian FM @DrSJaishankar. I updated him on the Israeli flight en route to India containing medical equipment. "We agreed to strengthen our collaboration in the fight against Corona," Ashkenazi tweeted following their telephonic conversation. I spoke with Indian FM @DrSJaishankar. I updated him on the Israeli flight en route to India containing medical equipment. We agreed to strengthen our collaboration in the fight against Corona. I thanked him for his assistance and we agreed to meet as soon as possible. - Gabi Ashkenazi (@Gabi_Ashkenazi) July 26, 2020 The Israeli foreign minister thanked his Indian counterpart for New Delhi's assistance in these efforts and also "agreed to meet as soon as possible". Jaishankar earlier tweeted saying that the "India-Israel partnership is currently focussed on combating the #COVID challenge. Even as it does, the larger agenda of cooperation continues to move forward". The high level Israeli delegation led by the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) in the Israel Ministry of Defense left for India on two flights on Sunday. The delegation will complete a series of tests to determine the effectiveness of several Israeli technologies developed for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19. These solutions may identify the presence of the virus rapidly, often within minutes. The delegation includes approximately 20 experts in various fields, from the Ministries of Defense, Foreign Affairs and Health, as well as from the Israeli Defence Forces and various industries involved in the development of the diagnostic solutions. The delegation is led by Israel's defense attache to India, as well as Israel's Ambassador to India, Dr. Ron Malka. The aircraft is also carrying cutting-edge equipment from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the private sector. This special delivery also includes ventilators, being exported to India following an exceptional approval. On Friday, Israel's Alternate Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Benny Gantz talked to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and expressed hope that the strong bilateral ties between the two countries will also contribute significantly to the global efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Merging Israel's technological expertise with India's mass production capabilities, the two countries hope to make major headway in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the joint efforts can then be marketed to other countries around the world, officials here said. Ashkenazi on Thursday emphasised on the "great importance in cooperating with India in the fight against Corona". "This operation conveys a message of friendship and solidarity with India", the Israeli Foreign Minister stressed . Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have held three telephonic conversations since the outbreak of the pandemic and promised mutual assistance in dealing with the virus, committing to joint technological and scientific research between the countries. Both India and Israel have recently witnessed a major spike in the number of COVID-19 patients. While it has crossed a million mark in India, Israel has so far had 61,764 cases with 27,014 recoveries and 468 deaths till Sunday evening. New Delhi: At least 16 persons sustained injuries on Monday when the bus they were travelling in fell into a river near Chikhli village in Gujarats Navsari area. All the injured passengers were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The private bus was carrying 25 passengers. More details are awaited. (With agency inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Elena Rodriguez and Guillermo Martinez (Reuters) Madrid/London Sun, July 26, 2020 16:30 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066956e9e 2 News Britain,Spain,travelers,travel,coronavirus,COVID-19,tourism Free British tourists flying home on Sunday from holidays in Spain reacted angrily to the UK government's abrupt decision to impose a two-week coronavirus quarantine on everyone traveling from there. The move to take Spain off a safe-travel list was announced late on Saturday and took effect from midnight (11 p.m. GMT on Saturday), leaving travelers with no time to dodge it or plan ahead. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was slammed for its handling of the measure, taken as Spain sees a surge in COVID-19 cases. "I can understand why the government have made this decision ... but of course the way in which this decision has been made in the last 24 hours is frankly shambolic," said the Labour Party's health policy chief, Jonathan Ashworth, speaking to Sky News. At Madrid's Barajas airport Emily Harrison, from Essex, who was taking a flight to London and faced the prospect of having to self-isolate for two weeks. "It's really bad because it's just come all of a sudden, it's not given very much time to prepare so everyone is now panicking," she said. "We had a wedding to go to and we had plans to visit friends and family who we haven't seen in a very long time and now we are going to have to cancel all those plans, so it's really quiet upsetting." Spain had been on a list of countries that the British government had said were safe for travelers to visit - meaning tourists returning home would not have to go into quarantine. But it has seen cases rise in the last few weeks, prompting most regions to impose rules for masks to be worn everywhere and, in several areas including Barcelona, calls for people to stay at home. "We're quite frustrated by it to be honest, because it actually feels safer in Spain," British tourist Carolyne Lansell, who was wearing a mask, said of the quarantine decision. Lansell was flying to Ibiza from Madrid for a 10-day holiday before going home. A Spanish Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Saturday evening that Spain "respects decisions of the United Kingdom" and was in touch with the authorities there. Spain was one of the worst hit countries in Europe by the pandemic, with more than 290,000 cases and over 28,000 deaths. It imposed very strict lockdown measures to contain the spread, gradually easing them earlier in the summer. Read also: Spain's hotel occupancy crashed in first half of 2020 'Absolute disaster' The British decision follows steps by Norway on Friday to re-impose a 10-day quarantine requirement for people arriving from Spain, while France advised people not to travel to Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia. But a collapse of tourism from Britain would have far more of an impact on Spain's economy. Britons made up more than 20 percent of foreign visitors to Spain last year, the largest group by nationality, a key source of income for a country that depends on tourism for about 12 percent of its economy. Spain's central bank has said the economy could shrink by 11.6 percent in 2020, without ruling out an even sharper contraction of 15.1 percent in case of a new wave of coronavirus. "This decision is an absolute disaster for the recovery, there's no other way to see this," Angel Tavares, head of European Economics at Oxford Economics consulting, said on Twitter, referring to the quarantine ruling. Antonio Perez, the mayor of Benidorm, a resort on Spain's Costa Blanca that is hugely dependent on British tourists, said it was a "tough blow". In addition to the quarantine, the British foreign ministry advised against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. Regional authorities in the Canary and Balearic Islands, which are popular holiday destinations, said they would try to get an exemption from the quarantine for people travelling back from the archipelagos. CLEVELAND -- Our country is at a crossroads, forced to recognize that the police charged with keeping us safe often act as state-sanctioned vehicles of violence disproportionately perpetrated against communities of color. Our taxes pay for the weapons they use against us. Clevelands own use of force policy empowers police to use force that causes an injury, if necessary, to carry out an arrest. While demands to change the police seem radical to some, the status quo an average of 19 people killed each week at the hands of police in the United States, whether those killed were armed or not should be unacceptable to all. While we continue to engage in necessary life-or-death debate about reform versus defunding versus abolition, counties in Ohio should immediately expand cite and release, which would decrease opportunities for police violence, lower costs, and mitigate the devastating effects of cash bail. Cite and release means that, instead of bringing someone accused of a crime to jail, where they may stay days if not months if they are unable to post cash bail, the individual is given a citation and a date to appear in court similar to what often occurs during routine traffic stops. This policy change, which at least nine Ohio counties quickly adopted in response to COVID-19 as a jail decarceration method, is not radical; its common sense. If police were released of the obligation to physically arrest people for certain charges, the force used to execute such arrests would decrease. George Floyd was killed by excessive force, which was used to execute an entirely unnecessary arrest the crime for which he was arrested is a nonviolent, fourth-degree felony under Ohio law. Expanding cite and release, which limits physical contact between people and police, could save lives. It would also allow for cost-savings one way to decrease police funding. Currently, if an officer arrests someone, that officer is removed from patrol while he or she detains, removes, and books the accused person. If, instead, the officer wrote a citation, both the accused and the officer would remain in the community, allowing for a decrease in the total number of police officers. Expanding cite and release policies would also ameliorate some of the most devastating effects of cash bail. People held pretrial because they cannot post cash bail, compared with those arrested for the same crime who purchase their release, are more likely to be convicted, sentenced to jail or prison, and to receive sentences that are two to three times longer. Theyre also put at risk of losing their jobs, their homes, and even custody of their children. Expanding this policy would significantly limit wealth-based detention, because freedom pretrial would become the norm for more types of charges, as it is currently for those with financial resources who buy their release. Some counties like Columbiana, Delaware, and Franklin are, in response to COVID-19, citing and releasing those charged with nonviolent crimes. Mahoning County limits this practice to nonviolent misdemeanors. The sheriff in Portage County is encouraging police to cite and release everyone, except those charged with first-, second-, or third-degree felonies or domestic violence. While there are different variations, it is clear that expanding cite and release immediately limits the number of people in jail and opportunities for police violence. Accordingly, more counties should adopt this practice and make it permanent. Our current system of policing has failed us. The change necessary to keep our community members alive will not be realized through minimalist reform. No one policy change will be sufficient. Individuals like Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, George Floyd and so many others continue to die in police custody. While we must engage in hard conversations about real change, at least some choices should be easy. Stakeholders sheriffs, police, and city councils should immediately expand cite and release; doing so would decrease opportunities for violence, save money, mitigate the harms of cash bail, and, most importantly, could save lives. Claire Chevrier is policy counsel at the ACLU of Ohio, where she is responsible for leading their statewide advocacy on bail reform. Have something to say about this topic? * Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication. * Email general questions about our editorial board or comments on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com. New York recorded just three deaths related to coronavirus in the past day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said, as hospitalizations and positive test results continue to remain low. The state got results for 53,568 tests on Saturday. Of those, 536 people tested positive, a 1% rate, Cuomo said. But he warned people not to take the relatively good news as a sign that all is well. Dont get cocky, dont get arrogant, Cuomo said this morning on a conference call with reporters. There are still threats that are out there. You still have the national threat. Across the country, the governor said, 35 states are seeing increases in cases. More than 66,000 new cases were confirmed in the past day, he said. Statewide, 637 people are in the hospital, he said. Overall, New York has reported 25,106 deaths and more than 411,000 Covid-19 cases. The governor also said the board for the state Liquor Authority will meet Monday to consider suspensions of more than 100 bars and restaurants that are accused of not complying with health precautions. State police and authority investigators issued 105 violations Friday and Saturday nights at Downstate businesses, including in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and on Long Island. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources George Kilpatrick, who lost his mom to Covid-19: Not wearing a mask is license to kill' 22 hospitalized, 3 dead as coronavirus blazes through CNY memory care facility: We got hit hard 1 CNY schools plan shows what to expect in fall: Older kids stay home; parents have options Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. My search for the worlds most filmed polar bear led me to a fascinating and tragic world Scroll The Guardian Doesnt Get Ireland Tribune How to change US housing to hit Paris Agreement goals Ars Technica Green Economic Growth Is a Myth Motherboard (UserFriendly) Big Tech Wants To Own You American Conservative Nantes cathedral fire: volunteer arrested and charged with arson Guardian Sports Desk England vs Warne TLS #COVID-19 Serfs Revolt Class Warfare I agree. Doctors are reporting emergency rooms full of essential workersbasically low-wage and largely non-white younger people who got forced back to indoors work or their family members. But media is stuck on moralizing about beaches. Misinformation. https://t.co/XKcnp1mziB zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) July 26, 2020 Yeah theres insider trading around vaccine announcements but its not a real scandal until Goldman Sachs sabotages a vaccine trial because it bet against the vaccine maker. Step it up America. Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) July 25, 2020 Science/Medicine Trump Transition Unpresidented New York Review of Books US Postal Service Russiagate Police State Watch So Ive gotten a bunch more followers since that interview with me went modestly viral, and I want to let folks know what happened after that video was taken. The DHS goons waited until the Wall of Moms started to go home before they escalated aggression. 1/ Noah Brand (@NoahBrand1) July 25, 2020 A literal tear gas tornado in downtown Portland. pic.twitter.com/GK18F1pdYU Robert Evans (The Only Robert Evans) (@IwriteOK) July 24, 2020 2020 China? India Argentina Brazil What Will Lula Do? Consortium News. Pepe Escobar. Antidote du Jour (via) (guurst): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Value of parochial education I read with interest Lee Helms comment on force taxpayers to support religious creeds and cultures which they disagree (Tax money should not fund religious schools, July 12 Macomb Daily). I also, am forced to pay taxes on a public school system with which I disagree on the quality of education and the wasteful spending of tax dollars. Being childless I have been paying into this system for 50 years with no benefit to me and little benefit to society. A religious school education instills a value system into a childs life, regardless of the religion. I attended a religious school and my parents were forced to pay taxes on a public school that I never attended in addition to tuition at a private school. Why do you think kids are on drugs? Or why are school shootings happening? God has been removed from the classroom as well as patriotism, so what is left, the shallow promises of a secular nation. A separation of church and state was meant not to protect the government from religion but to protect religion from the government. Dennis Dean Sterling Heights Religious education serves a purpose I wish atheists would be more honest about reality and admit that religious schools do society and them a great favor by paying the great majority of the cost to educate more that 10 % of our population. In addition to schools, religious groups serve neighbors in need with with food, clothes, furniture and financial help. In southeast Michigan for the past 100+ years churches of just one denomination have donated annually in Southeast Michigan $2-3 million for volunteer direct assistance to minority and majority groups. This does not include the various hospitals, senior housing units, universities, camps for low income and handicapped children, counseling and adoption/foster care services provided to the community by religious groups. The religious schools teach all the subjects required by Mr. Helms (Tax money should not fund religious schools, July 12 Macomb Daily) and the atheists secular curriculum and probably do it better. They provide a moral and a human outlook that is more realistic and purposeful than the secular culture. They present by science, human reasoning and the inner calling of each person to view the seen and unseen realities of this world and universe. Creation of this universe by a higher being makes more sense, science wise, than saying the world and the stars just happen to appear and each mans unique characteristics just happen. What about death? Atheists have no reasonable response to efforts to improve our world for the long term and the results of our lifes choices after we die. Who designed you and for what purpose should be asked by all those who honestly want to look at the meaning of their lives. Religious schools need and have a right to some taxpayer dollars as they provide a great service to our communities. Many are threatened with closure with the coronavirus layover. They have a right to continue. Public schools need support, too. The Michigan Atheists views on religious schools and what they teach are horribly wrong and inaccurate and should put in the wastebasket. Patrick Adamick St. Clair Shores Greed holding America from greatness America no longer manufactures the appliances bought in stores, most are made in China and exported from China. Seventy percent of the GM and Ford vehicles made in America are from component parts manufactured in cheap labor countries. Toyota has the highest amount of American component parts in cars assembled in America. America is a debtor country with the largest foreign trade deficit of any nation. The shortage is a result of the stopping of shipping from China due to politics and the coronavirus. America has become a third world nation subsisting on debt now equal to $120,000 for each man, woman and child in America that allows foreign ownership of America becoming economic slavery just to be able to live. Make America Great is an oxymoron statement, most nations declined from within due to greed and avarice of a few. Paul Heller Washington Twp. President-elect of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir on Sunday said he had to postpone his visit to Pakistan due to some technical flight problems. Bozkir was slated to visit Pakistan on July 26-27 on the invitation of Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. We had to postpone my visit to Pakistan, originally scheduled for 26-27 July, on the invitation by Qureshi, due to some technical flight problems, Bozkir tweeted. I am hoping to visit Pakistan in the near future and looking forward to a fruitful exchange with the Pakistani authorities, regarding the issues and priorities on the United Nations 75th General Assembly agenda, the Turkish diplomat said in another tweet. I look forward to welcoming you to Pakistan soon for a constructive and fruitful visit. https://t.co/AGB0uod7vr Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) July 26, 2020 A career diplomat and politician for nearly 50 years, Bozkir was elected President of the 75th UN General Assembly in June. As Unlock 2.0 is nearing its end in July, the government is working on a new set of guidelines for the third phase of unlocking. A few more restrictions are likely to be relaxed from August, while some are likely to continue. Cinema halls are likely to reopen while schools and metro trains are likely to remain shut for a few more days. According to sources, cinema halls might reopen in the third phase. However, social distancing norms would be strictly followed. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed the reopening of cinema halls to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The IB ministry had consulted the owners of cinema halls before presenting the proposal. Cinema hall owners are in favour of reopening theatres with 50 per cent seating capacity. However, the ministry has suggested reopening theatres with 25 per cent seating initially and following all the social distancing protocols. Not only cinema halls, gyms are also likely to be opened in the third phase. States might be given more authority to set their own guidelines according to their coronavirus situation. However, metro trains and schools are likely to remain closed in Unlock 3.0. HRD ministry began consultation with states on reopening of schools in a meeting chaired by Secretary of School Education, Anita Karwal. HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' had said earlier that feedback and inputs would be sought from parents on the issue. Subsequently, the ministry said that parents are not in favour of reopening of schools. Meanwhile, India has reported 13,85,522 cases of COVID-19, including 4,67,882 active cases, 8,85,577 discharged and 32,063 deaths. Also read: Coronavirus in India: 48,661 fresh cases, 705 deaths recorded in a day; tally at 13.85 lakh Also read: Coronavirus crisis: Over 3,300 positive cases 'untraceable' in Bengaluru The Internet is filled with stories which are heartening and at the same time showcase the spirit of humanity in the best possible manner. This story of Mara Soriano is one of them, and chances are the tale will leave you emotional. It all started when Soriano took to Reddit to share an appeal to people to help her find a stolen teddy bear. In her post, she detailed that she knows this is a super long short and then goes onto explain the situation. We were moving into the West End today and unfortunately while we were unloading someone stole a black Herschel backpack with many expensive items but most importantly, a super sentimental build a bear. My mother recorded a message for me right before she passed away from cancer, and it was the last thing I have of hers, she wrote. She then added that the bag also contained items like passport, SIM cards, and iPad, among other things. If you see it on the streets anywhere, please DM me. I can replace everything else, but not that. She recorded it right before she went into hospice and her voice changed. In it, she says I love you, I m proud of you, Ill always be with you, she added. Her post is complete with an image of the bear. The post soon made its way to other social media sites, and CBC News also covered the incident. There were many netizens who shared the post in an attempt to spread the word. Now, Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds has joined the effort and offered to pay $5000 to anyone who helps Soriano reunite with her teddy bear. Soriano, later, updated her Reddit post to thank the actor and others for showing her so much support. Take a look at the posts by Soriano and Reynolds: Vancouver: $5,000 to anyone who returns this bear to Mara. Zero questions asked. I think we all need this bear to come home. https://t.co/L4teoxoY50 Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) July 25, 2020 Reynolds post was not just met with appreciation, but a few also commented that they want to contribute to the search. Deborah Goble, a reporter for CBC, whose tweet Reynolds retweeted while making the announcement, commented on his post and wrote, Ryan Reynolds you are a very nice man. To which another individual replied, And hes awesome for helping out. Thank you, Ryan, you are a national treasure of Canada. As a momma, hope Maras bear is returned to her, shes got a lot of momma bears sending her light and love, wrote an individual. To which, Soriano, from her Twitter profile, replied and commented: from the bottom of my heart, thank you for that kind message. I have been devastated since the theft and this message was so heartwarming. there is good in the world. mara soriano (@drawmaradraw) July 26, 2020 Here are some of the other comments: Mr. Reynolds, completely impressed and you should be commended. Heck, Ill even chip in $100 to help get this bear home. Thank you! john keran (@KeranJohn) July 25, 2020 What a lovely gesture. I hope Mara gets her teddy bear back safe and sound. Bryony Burrell (@lifeofbryony) July 26, 2020 I pray that bear is returned, wrote a Twitter user and several others wished that too. Also Read | Brave boy saves sister from dog. Get this man a shield, says Chris Evans aka Captain America US federal agents and law enforcement officers have entered the Chinese consulate compound in Houston along with locksmiths after the mission was shut down, amidst spiralling tensions between Washington and Beijing. The Trump Administration ramped up its confrontation with China this week, ordering Beijing's consulate in Houston to close over concerns about economic espionage. The Chinese consulate located in Houston's busy Montrose Boulevard for 40 years closed on Friday evening as the deadline set by the Trump administration to shut down the mission expired. On Friday, the flag and the seal of the People's Republic of China were taken down from outside the Houston consulate. Early in the morning, the consulate staff was seen removing their belongings from the building. After the Chinese diplomatic staff vacated the building, a number of black SUVs, trucks, two white vans and a locksmith's van entered the compound, CNN reported. In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said it has expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition to the US law enforcement officers' "forced entry" into the consulate and lodged a diplomatic protest. "China will make a proper and necessary response in this regard," the ministry said in a statement. The Consulate in Houston is the building of the diplomatic consulate and is also China's national property, it said. According to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Sino-US Consular Treaty, the US must not infringe on the premises of the Chinese Consulate in Houston in any way, the ministry said. In a tit-for-tat move, China too on Friday ordered the US to close down its consulate in Chengdu. While ordering the closure, China had accused the US of interfering in its "internal affairs and harming national security interests." In Houston, 40 minutes after the 4 pm eviction deadline passed, a man believed to be a State Department official entered the consulate, along with others, after a small back door was pried open, local media reported. About an hour later, the fire department crew entered the building. Trump administration officials provided further details on Friday regarding their decision on the Houston mission, claiming the diplomatic outpost was one of several across the country facilitating influence efforts on behalf of Beijing that the US government said veered into the coercive or covert". The sum total of the Houston consulate's activities went well over the line of what we're willing to accept, and unless we disrupted it, it threatened to become even more aggressive in Houston and other Chinese consulates nationwide, a senior Justice Department official told reporters on a briefing call organised by the State Department. The Chinese consulate in Houston, Texas, was opened in 1979. Apart from now closed the Houston consulate, an embassy in Washington and an office at the United Nations, China maintained consulates in four US cities -- Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Tensions between both nations have escalated in recent months over the Beijing's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, China's crackdown on its Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang and Beijing imposing a controversial national security law in Hong Kong. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has alleged that the Houston consulate of China was a hub of spying and intellectual property theft". Top American officials had also accused the consulate in Houston of being part of Beijing's "espionage operations" in the US. The US said in a statement that the consulate was ordered to close "to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information." The idea to close the Houston consulate emerged this spring after China interfered when US officials returned to the consulate in Wuhan to retrieve diplomatic materials, according to a senior State Department official. Chinese authorities refused to let the US officials leave Wuhan with the pouches, saying they had to search them before leaving, an aggressive move that violates the Vienna Convention which governs diplomatic relations, CNN reported. The encounter left Secretary of State Pompeo irate, the report quoted a State Department official as saying. States are taking differing approaches to reopening and closing during the pandemic, and the economy has been feeling the impact. More than half of states have instituted statewide mask mandates to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and some have imposed curfews and group size limits for bars and restaurants. These five charts illustrate trends in important industries that help track reopening progress in the U.S. Direction requests Requests for walking and driving directions from Apple's navigation tool, Maps, shows little change from last week as the requests have flattened off at approximately 40% above Jan. 13 requests. Walking and driving requests are still meeting summer highs seen in late June before a dip in early July. Requests for both are also still well above pre-pandemic levels, as they have been for most of the pandemic. Transit direction requests have stayed nearly stagnant over the past few weeks, though this week saw another slight increase over last week, as requests continue to take a large hit from the pandemic. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Restaurant bookings U.S. restaurant bookings reflect continued uncertainty over reopening and closing measures in states, data from OpenTable shows. Multiple states have enacted mask orders, and some have enacted last calls, group size limits and curfews for bars and restaurants meant to stop large gatherings at these businesses. This week's numbers show the ongoing volatility as the reopening requirements for these bars and restaurants continues to change on local and state levels. There was some daily variation in bookings over the last week, but the year-over-year change stayed similar to where it was a week ago: just above a 60% drop year over year. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Hotel occupancy Hotel occupancy has seen a slight increase over the past week after having remained stagnant since mid-June, though occupancy remains at approximately 47%, according to data from the global hospitality research company STR. U.S. occupancy in July 2019 was at 73.8%. The average daily cost of for a hotel room only took a slight dip from last week, coming in at 28% lower than a comparable week in 2019. Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia remained a top travel market and the only to reach 60% capacity but Detroit shot up from sub-30% capacity last week to over 50% capacity. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Air travel The number of passengers traveling through airport security checkpoints still sits below 70% of last year, showing slight daily change but little change across previous weeks, according to data from the Transportation Security Administration. The number of people traveling through security checkpoints hit a pandemic-high in early July at around 60% below last year. As airlines began reporting earnings this week, the CEOs of American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both said the industry likely wouldn't see a full recovery until a vaccine became available. Recent spikes in infection rates and travel restrictions in states has also prompted airlines to slim their flight offerings. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards Home purchases Mortgage applications to purchase a home increased 2% from last week and is 19% higher than last year, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. This increase follows ups and downs over the duration of the pandemic, as economic uncertainty, the changing employment status of potential buyers and shutdowns have gripped the industry. Total mortgage volume was up 4% over last week. The Financial and Fiscal Commission has proposed many new taxes for local government, which include development charges, tourism and fire levies, and amusement taxes. In a technical report published on 31 March 2020, the commission lists development charges, tourism and fire levies, and amusement and advertisement taxes as potential revenue sources for local governments. The commission said these revenue sources rank highly in terms of the five important criteria for a good tax handle efficiency, accountability, transparency, fairness, and ease of administration. In a submission in May, the commission provided a list of potential revenue sources for local government which was identified and subjected to a rigorous evaluation process. The process involved testing the potential of each revenue source against a number of public finance principles for a good local government revenue source. The committee isolated the charges and taxes below as potential new revenue streams. Development charges Weigh in bridges in mining areas Advertisement levies Fire levies Amusement taxes Hotel taxes. The table below provides an overview of the supplementary revenue options for each type sphere of local government suggested by the Financial and Fiscal Commission. New taxes and levies considered The Sunday Times reported that municipalities are now considering these proposals, and that some metros have expressed interest in these new revenue streams. The commissions Daniel Plaatjies told the newspaper every municipality would decide on which levies or taxes to use, and how much they would charge. Plaatjies did, however, highlight that burdening citizens and businesses with additional taxes during the pandemic could be problematic. Many municipalities are considering the recommendations, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, eThekwini, and Ekurhuleni. eThekwini spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela told the Sunday Times they fully support development charges and welcome a fire tax. Many others also support development charges, which places the burden of additional infrastructure costs on the developer rather than taxpayers. A Treasury spokesperson told the Sunday Times that they have considered the recommendations by the Financial and Fiscal Commission and supported them. Tax increases inevitable Tax increase, both at national and local government level, should not come as a surprise to South Africans. Finance minister Tito Mboweni said in his supplementary budget speech in June South Africa has accumulated far too much debt and that the economic downturn will add more. He said debt is the countrys weakness. This year, out of every rand that we pay in tax, 21 cents go to paying the interest on our past debts, Mboweni said. The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown will add further financial pressure on the country through lower growth and more debt. Early projections show that gross national debt will be close to R4 trillion, or 81.8% of GDP by the end of this fiscal year. This is compared to an estimate of R3.56 trillion or 65.6% of GDP projected in February. While no immediate tax increases were announced by Mboweni, Treasurys supplementary budget shows that the country will face future tax increases to meet this shortfall. Given the extent of fiscal consolidation now required, both expenditure reductions and tax increases are necessary to stabilise debt, Mboweni said. The active scenario assumes tax increases of R5 billion in 2021/22, R10 billion in 2022/23, R10 billion in 2023/24 and R15 billion in 2024/25. Recommendations by the FFC on how municipalities can boost revenue and address debt FFC Recommendations by BusinessTech on Scribd Guest columnist Eric VanVlymen is executive director of the Ohio Alzheimers Association. $2.8 billion. That represents the current annual federal funding for Alzheimers disease research. Do we need more? Absolutely, if we are going to find the diseases first survivor. To do that, we must be able to diagnose millions of Americans earlier in the Alzheimers process. Research allows us to find those treatments faster. Should you care? Absolutely, because that money is funding innovative research efforts right here in Ohio. That funding is creating jobs. And research creates hope that we can end the suffering for thousands of Ohio families. Alzheimers research is being conducted all around the state -- here in Cleveland, and in Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo and other cities, often driven by major health systems and in university settings. Ohio is emerging as a major model of collaboration in the area of Alzheimers research at a time when the states population living with Alzheimers grows. Today, 220,000 Ohioans ages 65 and older live with Alzheimers disease. By 2025, that number is expected to climb to 250,000. The Cleveland Alzheimers Disease Research Center is a prime example of bringing together the expertise of some of Ohios top Alzheimers researchers and clinicians. Funded by the National Institute on Aging -- part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health -- the Cleveland Alzheimers Disease Research Center leverages the resources of many of the major healthcare and research institutions in Northeast Ohio -- from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, the MetroHealth System and University Hospitals. It is one of 31 Alzheimers Disease Centers around the country. Prior to its creation, Ohioans had to travel to Ann Arbor, Mich.; Pittsburgh; Indianapolis; or Lexington, Ky. -- the closest other ADRCs -- to access the expertise of an NIA-funded Alzheimers Research Center. Now, because we have a national center here, Ohio is a part of the national network working tirelessly for major breakthroughs in the disease. One of the more promising areas of Alzheimers research is early detection. Currently, the disease is detected through memory or cognitive tests or MRI or PET scans. Early detection through a biomarker, such as a blood test, will improve the accuracy and timeliness of diagnosis. This is important, because current estimates show that more than half of the people with the disease are never diagnosed and only about 50 percent of those who get a diagnosis are told of their diagnosis. Researchers also now think that while dementia is one of the first outward symptoms of Alzheimers disease, changes can be detected in the brain 10 to 15 years earlier. Alzheimers, which is the most common form of dementia, is a progressive brain disease that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Should you care about Alzheimers research? Absolutely, because age is the greatest known risk factor. But please know that the Alzheimers Association is leading the fight to find a cure and to help families impacted by the disease. If you need information, call our 24/7 Helpline at 800-272-3900. Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting todays topics are also welcome. (Natural News) In order to help minimize the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), the Canadian government is now recommending that people seek out anonymous sex with strangers at so-called glory holes, which are supposedly less risky than real sex with identifiable humans. The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (CDC) actually issued new safety recommendations urging the general public to look for random holes drilled into the walls of bathroom stalls, through which various makeshift sexual relations can occur without mouth-to-mouth contact. If one of these holes is not present in a bathroom stall, then the BC CDC recommends that people drill one themselves to help create more safe sex options during the plandemic. Use barriers, like walls (e.g., glory holes), that allow for sexual contact but prevent close face-to-face contact, the Canadian version of our own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises on its website. The agency is further urging people to avoid kissing and other forms of saliva exchange, and if they have to have real sex ,to choose sexual positions that limit face-to-face contact. The best form of safe sex, the agency further claims, is masturbation, because you are your safest sex partner, it contends. Masturbating by yourself (solo sex) will not spread COVID-19, the BC CDC insists. Health officials in New York City also suggest glory holes as a safer sex option While such extreme lunacy is oftentimes exclusive to our neighbors to the north, we are saddened to report that so-called health officials in New York City have also made the suggestion that anonymous glory hole encounters in public restrooms are a great way to help flatten the curve. In a directive, the NYC government encourages local residents to be creative with sexual positions and physical barriers, like walls, that allow sexual contact while preventing close face-to-face contact. The state of Michigan, which continues to suffer under aggressive and restrictive lockdown orders from Governor Gretchen Whitmer, is also siding with perversion as a safer sex option during the plandemic. Unbelievably, Whitmer allowed a homosexual swingers club to continue operating even as she forced churches to close. According to reports, Whitmer and her regime chose to look the other way as Club Tabu, a popular underground LGBTQ nightclub in Lansing, continued to operate during the pandemic. On its website, Club Tabu describes itself as a private party where homosexual sex is allowed in the privacy of your own accommodations. This facility is said to have numerous glory holes, allowing LGBTQs the ability to engage in illicit, dangerous and perverted sex, according to Big League Politics. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is an LGBT reprobate, so that may be why this den of iniquity is given a pass while hard-working Christian small business owners are targeted for elimination, this news outlet further reported about this filthy club. Meanwhile, religious congregants in California remain under strict orders by Governor Gavin Newsom not to congregate or gather, either indoors or outdoors. Even as his own PlumpJack winery in Californias most exclusive wine-producing region remains fully and exclusively open to the public, Newsom is demanding that churchgoers avoid singing with one another because this could spread the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), he insists. Western Civilization has progressed to a stage that makes Sodom and Gomorrah look like a church picnic, notes Big League Politics Shane Trejo. To keep up with the latest news about how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic continues to be used as a public health excuse to restrict law-abiding, churchgoing American citizens from living normal lives, even as reprobates are free to do whatever they want, be sure to check out Evil.news. Sources for this article include: BigLeaguePolitics.com NaturalNews.com Oil prices rose on Friday, lifted by some supportive economic data, but tensions between the United States and China limited gains. Brent crude futures LCOc1 rose 3 cents to settle at $43.34 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures rose 22 cents to settle at $41.29 a barrel. For the week, Brent rose 0.5%, while U.S. crude rose 1.7%. As Reuters reports, ahead of the weekend, market participants had their eye on Tropical Storm Hanna, forecast to cross to Baffin Bay, 46 miles (74 km) south of Corpus Christi, Texas, on Saturday afternoon or evening. So far, energy companies said there have been no evacuations of workers or shutdowns of production from offshore platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Lifting market sentiment, Euro zone business activity grew in July for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit, according to IHS Markits flash Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI). The index is seen as a good indicator of the blocs economic health. The economic data in Europe was much better than anticipated, which would suggest that demand destruction in recent months because of COVID-19 may not have been as bad as people thought, said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures group in Chicago. Meanwhile, U.S. business activity increased to a six-month high in July. U.S. companies, however, reported a drop in new orders as new COVID-19 cases spiked. The resurgent pandemic has darkened the U.S. economic outlook. Some states have reinstated restrictions, which should reduce fuel consumption. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits hit 1.416 million last week, unexpectedly rising for the first time in nearly four months. Oil prices could see a near-term correction if a recovery in fuel demand slows further, especially in the United States, Barclays Commodities Research said. Still, the bank lowered its oil market surplus forecast for 2020 to an average of 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) from 3.5 million bpd previously. The U.S. oil and gas rig count, a indicator of future output, fell by two to an all-time low of 251 in the week to July 24, according to data from energy services firm Baker Hughes Co (BKR.N). However, energy firms added one oil rig in the first weekly increase since March. Meanwhile, money managers raised their net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to July 21 by 5,430 contracts to 375,193, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Friday. Weighing on prices, China ordered the United States to close its consulate in the city of Chengdu, responding to a U.S. demand this week that China close its Houston consulate. Renewed tensions between the worlds top two oil consumers further stoked worries about fuel demand. Smooth international trade relations are needed for oil demand to remain uninterrupted on the long term and tensions between the U.S. and China are never a good sign, said Bjornar Tonhaugen, head of oil markets at Rystad Energy. Express News Service By NEW DELHI: Former environment minister, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Jairam Ramesh is the latest to join the call for trashing centres controversial draft Environment Impact Assessment 2020 notification. He has written to Union Minister Prakash Javadekar registering his strongest objections, saying the notification legitimises illegality as far as environmental regulation is concerned. Ramesh listed five grounds to object the notification open for public comments till August 12. "It allows for the post facto approvals which go against the very principle of assessment and public participation prior to environment clearance and has provisions that will routinely legitimise illegality. It reduces public participation in all steps of the environment clearance process by lessening the notice period for public hearings and doing away with them for a large category of projects," he said. Ramesh pointed that it does away with environmental impact assessment altogether in very many cases of expansion, it increases validity of environment clearances allowing projects to secure land for long durations even when they are not constructed and it promotes land grab and not development. The notification gives the Union Government full powers to appoint state environment impact assessment authorities and this is yet another nail on the coffin of cooperative federalism, he added. "These changes are not based on the 3As -- audits, assessments and analyses. These changes are not based on any research." The Australian Museums chief scientist says COVID-19 could become a modern plague repeatedly sweeping the globe because the original host species remains unidentified. Professor Kristofer Helgen said a co-ordinated research project worldwide was needed to find the answers, similar to efforts used to protect allied troops from deadly typhus fever during World War II and combat Lassa fever outbreaks in Africa since the 1960s. Australian Museum chief scientist Professor Kris Helgen and museum director Kim McKay with specimens from the US Typhus Commission research project. Credit:James Brickwood His claim came as Australias Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds flew to Washington yesterday for major talks with their US counterparts. They are seeking to reach agreement on a joint effort to prevent the next case of a virus jumping from animals to humans via wild-animal wet markets and other areas. Professor Helgen, appointed the Australian Museums chief scientist in June, said the focus on the Wuhan wet market in China was understandable, and regulating these places was an important priority for global public health. However, it was likely there were other kinds of hotspots of potential interaction between wild animals where diseases can jump between species. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets for weeks following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Riots were declared by authorities in the United States cities of Seattle and Portland as months-long demonstrations against racial injustice have continued across the country. The most recent night of unrest marked two months to the day that George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, died in police custody in Minnesotta after a white officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes on May 25. Saturdays demonstrations included a car driving through a crowd of protesters in Aurora, Colorado, a man fatally shot in Austin, Texas, and a court house set aflame in Oakland, California. As of 10pm: Police have made 45 arrests in connection with todays riot in the East Precinct. 21 officers sustained injuries after being struck by bricks, rocks mortars/other explosives. Most officers were able to return to duty. One was treated at a hospital for a knee injury. Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) July 26, 2020 In Seattle, authorities declared a riot following large protests in its Capitol Hill neighbourhood, with police deploying flash bangs and pepper spray to try to clear a weeks-olds occupied protest zone that stretches for several blocks. Police had previously cleared the area after two fatal shootings there earlier this month. On Twitter, police said they had made at least 45 arrests and were investigating possible explosive damage to the walls of the citys East Precinct police station. Earlier on Saturday, protesters in the city broke through a fence where a youth detention facility was being built, with some people setting a fire and damaging a portable trailer, authorities said. Thousands of protesters had initially gathered peacefully near downtown Seattle in a show of solidarity with fellow demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, where tensions with federal law enforcement have boiled over in recent days. The Trump administration announced last week that federal agents were being deployed to Seattle, as well as Chicago, Kansas City and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Judge stays pepper spray law The clashes also came shortly after US District Judge James Robart, on Friday, granted a request from the federal government to block Seattles new law prohibiting police from using pepper spray, blast balls and similar weapons. The law, passed unanimously by Seattles city council, was set to go into effect on Sunday. In the spirit of offering trust and full transparency, I want to advise you that SPD officers will be carrying pepper spray and blast balls today, as would be typical for events that carry potential to include violence, Seattle Police Department (SPD) Chief Carmen Best announced before Saturdays protest. About 174 miles to the south, tensions remained high in Portland, Oregon, which has become the scene of a highly controversial crackdown by federal agents deployed to the city by the Trump administration, in what the White House described as a mission to protect federal buildings and monuments. Amid pushback from local officials, the inspector general of the US Justice Department on Thursday opened an official investigation into the federal agents actions, but a federal judge in Oregon on Friday rejected a legal bid by the state to stop the agents from detaining protesters. Riot Declared in Downtown Portland July 26-Arrests Made (Photo) https://t.co/ZMv43pmLQf pic.twitter.com/EVyyHBUFnt Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) July 26, 2020 Early on Sunday, authorities declared a riot amid clashes in which federal agents fired tear gas and protesters toppled a fence erected around a federal court house that has become the central focus of the demonstrations. Police, who closed the area, also said protesters had thrown fireworks at federal law enforcement, who have been accused of using excessive force and of detaining protesters in unmarked vehicles far from federal sites. Also on the west coast, in Oakland, California, protesters set fire to a courthouse, damaged a police station and assaulted officers after a peaceful demonstration intensified late on Saturday, police said. Protests across the country In Aurora, Colorado, a vehicle drove through a group of protesters as they walked on Interstate 225 on Saturday in a protests calling attention to Elijah McClain, an unarmed black man who died after police put him in a chokehold in the suburb last year. Police said a protester fired a weapon during the incident, striking at least one person who was taken to a hospital in stable condition. No one else was immediately reported injured. Authorities said the vehicle was towed and they were investigating. Meanwhile, amid protests in Austin, Texas, a man was fatally shot on Saturday, police spokesperson Katrina Ratliff told reporters. A witness told the Austin American-Statesman that the incident occured after a vehicle honked, turned down a road and then sped toward protesters. A man, who the witness said was carrying a rifle, then approached the vehicle and was shot by the driver, who sped away. Initial reports indicated the victim may have been carrying a rifle, Ratliff told reporters, adding that the suspect was detained and was cooperating with police. In Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, a group of heavily armed Black protesters marched to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, a Black woman killed in March by police officers who burst into her apartment. Scores of demonstrators, members of a Black militia dubbed NFAC, carried semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and wore black paramilitary gear as they walked in formation to a fenced off intersection where they were separated by police from a smaller group of armed counter-protesters. During the gathering, three members of the militia were accidentally shot, police said. The wounded were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, on the east coast, a city dump truck was set on fire as protesters faced off with police in Virginias capital. Richmond police declared an unlawful assembly around 11 PM and used what appeared to be tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters there. Bengaluru, July 26 : Karnataka Forest Minister Anand Singh has tested positive for coronavirus and is stable. "Forest Minister Anand Singh has tested positive for coronavirus," an official told IANS, here on Sunday. But for mild cough, his all other health parameters were normal and he was in a stable condition, the official said. Singh, who is at his home in Hospet, Ballari district, is yet to decide whether he would stay at home or go to Bengaluru for treatment. Phone calls and text messages to Singh went unanswered. On Saturday, 222 infections were reported from Ballari district that accounted for 3,511 Covid-19 cases. Of this, 1,902 are active. As many as 69 Covid-19 patients succumbed to the virus in the district. Ballari is 313 km north of Bengaluru. EPA Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow has revealed that millions of Americans should expect another $1,200 stimulus cheque in their bank accounts and mailboxes this fall. Dont forget, theres a $1,200 check coming. Thats going to be part of the new package, Mr Kudlow said in an interview with CNN on Sunday. Earlier this year, Congress approved the Treasury Department to cut $1,200 checks to nearly every American taxpayer, with extra monetary benefits for parents with children under 18. While Republicans in both the White House and Congress have said another round of direct payments would be included in the fifth sweeping coronavirus aid package they've been negotiating, they had not previously announced an exact dollar amount. Party leaders have also not specified who would qualify for the government handout. The GOP was supposed to unveil a $1trn Covid-19 relief package aimed at buttressing the health care system, putting Americans back to work, and getting their children back to school this fall, but infighting between Donald Trump's negotiators from the White House and Senate GOP leaders has delayed that roll-out. Several Republicans are hesitant to spend another trillion dollars on coronavirus relief when the government has already shelled out more than $2.7trn already, warning of a mounting federal debt. Even when they do introduce a bill this week, it will not be the final product: since Democrats control the US House, Republicans will need their support to send any bill to Mr Trump's desk for his signature. Meanwhile, several key federal programmes from the $2.2trn so-called CARES Act passed in March are expiring: a federal evictions moratorium for people in government-subsidised housing ended on 25 July, and an unemployment programme providing recently laid-off workers $600 per week on top of benefits they receive from their state expires after 31 July. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows suggested on Sunday that Congress could pass a "skinny" bill in the coming days taking care of those immediate needs, while negotiators continue to hammer out the details of a broader package. Story continues Honestly I see us being able to provide unemployment insurance, maybe a retention credit to keep people from being displaced or brought back into the workplace, helping with our schools if we can do that along with liability protections, perhaps we put that forward, get that passed as we negotiate on the rest of the bill in the weeks to come, Mr Meadows said in an interview with ABC's This Week. Democrats have indicated they are unlikely to acquiesce to such a proposal, since doing so would relinquish leverage in their negotiations for a more expansive and expensive bill. We cannot piecemeal this, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday. Any package that passes Congress must have "integrity" and "a oneness about meeting the needs of the American people, defeating the virus, she said. House Democrats passed a sweeping $3trn coronavirus package in May that would send another round of $1,200 cheques 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 1,800-page behemoth includes, among several other proposals, billions of dollars for state and local governments; an extension of the juiced-up unemployment benefits programme that was signed into law earlier this spring; help for people struggling with rent and mortgage payments; expanded mail-in voting for the elections this November; and an infrastructure package that includes a plan to expand broadband internet access. That bill has languished in the Senate, with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky dismissing it out of hand as a liberal wish list. While vast differences remain between Democrats and Republicans, the parties can at least agree that another round of direct payments from the government will be in the bill. This is urgent. They need to buy food. These are necessities, Ms Pelosi said earlier this month. 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. Read more Trump golfs as Hurricane Hanna makes landfall Elon Musk tried to convince Kanye West to stand for president in 2024 Ted Yoho resigns from board of Christian group following AOC incident Trump rails at Venezuela on steroids Democrats New Lincoln Project ad: What does Ghislaine Maxwell have on Trump? Soggy Bottom Saloon owner Bobby Parham Jr. had his permit and license suspended for 30 days by the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) Monday afternoon for failing to operate its business in accordance with Governor Greg Abbot's executive order GA-28. Parham knew the suspension was coming after intentionally opening his bar to customers Saturday night in protest of the governor's orders. Two TABC officials met Parham at his bar at 12:45 p.m. Monday to deliver the citation and notify him of the suspension. "I was hoping they would show up on the night I was open, so that way they would see how I'm conducting business," Parham said. "I'm basically suspended because they determined that the continued operation of my business would constitute a continuing threat to the public welfare. Bobby Parham "I think it's real unjust for them to show up two days later and tell me I was conducting business unsafely just by what the governor's opinion is," he added. Bars across Texas, frustrated with Abbotts executive order closing all that receive at least 51% of gross receipts from alcohol sales, took a stand Saturday night and opened for a boot-scootin Freedom Fest. What were trying to prove is that we can follow these rules and we can still drink beer, dance, meet with our friends and still wear our masks and have fun, said Parham Jr. Parham, who said he has been shut down three months out of the last four, decided to defy the state order and open the doors to customers for the first time in nearly a month. Theres 800 bars in the state of Texas that signed up for this, he said. Were pretty much doing what the restaurants are doing. Parham, his staff and the 82 customers that visited the bar voiced their feeling that the state guidelines are unfair. Restaurants and other business have been allowed to open, many of them with limits on how many customers they can serve. The 51% designation prevents bars like Soggy Bottom to get back in business. It also has kept bartender Stephany Fussell at home. When youre losing $600, $700 a week, it adds up, she said. Its hard because you still have bills. You still have to put food on the table. Protest organizer Chris Polone, co-owner of The Rail Club music venue in Fort Worth, issued a statement Friday on the Stand For Something Facebook page to layout the reasons for the Freedom Fest State-Wide Unified 51%er Protest. Regardless of personal beliefs, we have an uphill battle, Polone wrote. Unfortunately, Governor Abbott chose our industry to blame for the spike in cases. He was able to convince the entire public that we are the problem. Which means, we have to prove to the state and the public that we are not the problem, or the demons we were made out to be. He added, The only way to do that is to go above and beyond mandated COVID regulations, and CDC recommendations. Although our personal beliefs vary from person to person, at the end of the day we are all on the same team, and ultimately want the same thing ... and that is, to be permitted to open, allowing us to resume our livelihoods, feed our families, and continue to live our dreams that we all sacrificed everything for. Related: Abbott closes bars again amid coronavirus spike As a part of Freedom Fest, each bar would host a benefit show for the charity of their own choosing. Parham booked Tim Burge, a local musician to perform live, and donated all the money he made at the door ($410) to Freedom Service Dogs of America. Most, if not all of the customers had their own masks, but werent required to keep them on while seated at their table. However, they did follow the bars rules for the night and put their masks on when they got up to head to the bathroom, dance floor or any other time they left their seat. Parham, the bartenders and the doormen all kept their masks on while working. Because Soggy Bottom Saloon was operating illegally, Parham runs the risk of having his bar closed. The Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission called Parham Thursday warning him not to open Saturday night. Ive got six bartenders, musicians and vendors. Its a whole livelihood thats out of work and theres no end in sight, Parham said. All we want is an answer. Im willing to risk my license if hes (TABC) going to come in here and suspend it 30 days. The TABC was a no-show Saturday night. Last call was at midnight. As of Friday, Jefferson County had recorded 3,588 coronavirus cases, not including those at three local prison units. The Enterprise reported that 1,007 individuals have recovered and 1,398 remain isolated. Related: Beaumont council to revisit opening facilities. Parham said he supports masks and other safety protocols, but he disagrees with the double standard where people can go to a restaurant and order a beer just because theyre eating french fries with it. Bartender Fussell and Amy Williams had their faces covered as they served customers at the main bar Saturday night. The bar bring shutdown put both of them out of work and concern over when theyll be able to return to work has been a present thought since the shutdown order was issued. School is fixing to start, Fussell said. Youve got school clothes, supplies and all the stuff for the kids that we have to get and were out of work. Its hard, especially when youre following the rules. Williams, who just started working at Soggy Bottom Saloon before the shutdown, was glad to be back even if it was just for one night. Im just thankful to be here tonight, she said, but I wish there was some other changes in the world that could happen so that we can make our money just like everyone else. Thomas Scott is the Sports Editor for the Beaumont Enterprise. Contact him at Thomas.Scott@BeaumontEnterprise.com or on Twitter by clicking here. Don't miss a thing: Sign up for our Daily Headlines newsletter. In a race thats heat up gradually over social media, a few TV spots and increasingly spirited debates over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III square off in another televised debate on Sunday night. The contest, hosted by NBC10 Boston, Telemundo Boston and NECN, comes nearly a month before the Sept. 1 primary, which pits a longtime progressive on Capitol Hill against a four-term congressman who entered the race in September with huge name recognition and a fundraising edge over the incumbent. While the Democratic candidates agree on a host of core issues, they have frequently sparred over experience, campaign finance, foreign policy, whether Markey spends enough time in Massachusetts and whether Kennedys adequately explained why hes running. What time is the debate and where? Sunday, July 26, 2020, at 7 p.m. EST in NBC Boston studios in Needham. Due to the coronavirus, NBC said the event is closed to the public and without a live audience. It is not safe to hold signs outside of the studio for tonight's debate. We have received questions from supporters and are asking everyone to stay home and help us organize to win. Go to https://t.co/Yn8Slls4aM today and share why you are #StickingWithEd. pic.twitter.com/XRnGHp3Q3J Ed Markey (@EdMarkey) July 26, 2020 How can you tune in? Viewers can tune in NBC10 Boston and NECN at 7 p.m. for the hour-long debate. Telemundo Boston will rebroadcast the contest soon after 11 p.m., according to NBC. The debate will also be streamed live by NBC10 Boston online. My team is DEBATE READY. Well be here at NBC10 Studios in Needham all day bringing the energy for @joekennedy. Come join the party! pic.twitter.com/N8kiRzzjB7 Griffin Tighe (@griff_tig) July 26, 2020 Whats likely to be discussed? Polling earlier this year showed the Markey appearing to shrink an early gap, and the senator applied pressure in a June debate in which he described Kennedy as a progressive in name only. Kennedy has framed the race around creating change, arguing new voices and new leadership could make more of an impact than Markey on the environment, health care, immigration and other issues. Markey has made the case that hes already led and won battles against the fossil fuel and gun industries while leading on climate change, telecommunications, Medicare for All and Alzheimers research. The candidates recently challenged each other over their immigration records. Hispanic members of Congress who back Kennedy said Markey betrayed them for voting for a 2013 bill that kept a requirement for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to maintain more than 30,000 detention beds, The Boston Globe reported. Markey, who has called for replacing ICE, shot back that Kennedy wound up voting for an omnibus spending bill that included the exact same language. Immigration, health care, schools reopening amid the coronavirus and the Trump administration a frequent target for both candidates and under recent fire for deploying federal agents to combat crime in several cities are all potential topics Sunday. State-owned BPCL has brought in a voluntary retirement scheme for its employees ahead of the government privatising the country's third biggest oil refiner and second-largest fuel retailer. IMAGE: Bharat Petroleum employees protest against the privatisation of the PSU oil major. Photograph: ANI Photo. "The Corporation has decided to offer a voluntary retirement scheme, with a view to enable employees who are not in a position to continue in service of the Corporation due to various personal reasons, to request for grant of voluntary retirement from the services of the Corporation," Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) said in an internal notice to its employees. The 'Bharat Petroleum Voluntary Retirement Scheme - 2020 (BPVRS-2020)' opened on July 23 and will close on August 13. A senior company official said the VRS has been brought to offer an exit option for any employee or officer who does not want to work under a private management. "Some employees feel their role, position or place of posting may change once BPCL is privatised. So this scheme offers them an exit option," he said. BPCL, where the government is selling its entire 52.98 per cent stake, has about 20,000 employees. The official said 5 to 10 per cent of employees are expected to opt for VRS. Expressions of Interest (EoI) for buying BPCL are due on July 31. All employees who have completed 45 years of age will be eligible for the scheme, according to the VRS notice accessed by PTI. It, however, excludes active sportspersons (employees recruited as sportsperson who are yet to be deployed in mainstream) and board level executives. "Employees opting for VRS would be eligible to receive a compensation payment equivalent to two months' salary for each completed year of service or the monthly salary at the time of voluntary retirement multiplied by the balance months of service left before normal data of retirement on superannuation, whichever is less," it said. Repatriation expenses, as payable in case of retirement, will also be paid. Employees who opt for voluntary retirement will be eligible for medical benefits under the Post Retirement Medical Benefit Scheme. Also, they would be eligible for encashment of leaves including casual, earned and privilege leaves. While those opting for VRS will neither be eligible for employment in the company's joint ventures nor be engaged as retainers/consultants/advisors, any persons facing disciplinary action will not be eligible for the scheme, the notice said. BPCL will give buyers ready access to 15.3 per cent of India's oil refining capacity and 22 per cent of the fuel market share in the world's fastest-growing energy market. BPCL has a market capitalisation of about Rs 97,247 crore and the government stake at current prices is worth over Rs 51,500 crore. The successful bidder will also have to make an open offer to other shareholders for acquiring another 26 per cent at the acquisition price. Privatisation of BPCL is essential for meeting the record Rs 2.1 lakh crore target the finance minister has set from disinvestment proceeds in the budget for 2020-21. BPCL operates four refineries in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kochi (Kerala), Bina (Madhya Pradesh), and Numaligarh (Assam) with a combined capacity of 38.3 million tonnes per annum, which is 15.3 per cent of India's total refining capacity of 249.8 million tonnes. While the Numaligarh refinery will be carved out of BPCL and sold to a PSU, the new buyer of the company will get 35.3 million tonnes of refining capacity. BPCL also owns about 16,309 petrol pumps and 6,113 LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) distributor agencies in the country. Besides, it has 51 LPG bottling plants. The company distributes 22 per cent of petroleum products consumed in the country by volume as of March this year and has more than a fifth of the 256 aviation fuel stations in India. The government has appointed Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP as its transaction advisor for the strategic disinvestment process. The Government of India is proposing strategic disinvestment of its entire shareholding in BPCL comprising 114.91 crore equity shares, which constitutes 52.98 per cent of BPCL's equity share capital, along with transfer of management control to a strategic buyer (except BPCL's equity shareholding of 61.65 per cent in Numaligarh Refinery Ltd), the notice inviting offer said. The bidding will be a two-stage affair, with qualified bidders in the first EoI phase being asked to make a financial bid in the second round. Public sector undertakings (PSUs) are not eligible to participate in the privatisation, the offer document said. Any private company having a net worth of USD 10 billion is eligible for bidding and a consortium of not more than four firms will be allowed to bid, it said. According to the bidding criteria, the lead member of the consortium must hold 40 per cent stake and others must have a minimum net worth of USD 1 billion. Changes in the consortium are allowed within 45 days, but the lead member cannot be changed, it added. President Donald Trump mounted a strident defense Sunday of his wavering reelection bid with 100 days to go in a campaign that has seen him underwater in the polls -- and banking on the "silent majority" he vowed will bring him victory. The 74-year-old Republican has struggled on numerous fronts, facing mounting criticism over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the resulting economic pain, and failing to land punches on his opponent, Joe Biden. In the latest blow to his hopes of returning to the White House after November 3, polls released Sunday showed his support cratering in three critical battleground states. "The Trump Campaign has more ENTHUSIASM, according to many, than any campaign in the history of our great Country -- Even more than 2016," Trump thundered on Twitter. "Biden has NONE! The Silent Majority will speak on NOVEMBER THIRD!!! Fake Suppression Polls & Fake News will not save the Radical Left." Trump's 77-year-old Democratic rival Biden, who says he is fighting for "the soul of America," implored voters to make Trump a one-term president. "In 100 days, we have the chance to set our nation on a new path. One where we finally live up to our highest ideals and everyone has a fair shot at success," he tweeted. With the coronavirus killing more than 1,000 Americans a day, the president -- who is at his best soaking up the adulation of supporters at live events -- has been forced to cancel his rallies and ditch the Republican convention in Florida next month. - Shortcomings - The pandemic, which has infected 4.2 million Americans and killed almost 150,000, is ravaging the US economy and -- with the outbreak largely under control in Europe and Asia -- has highlighted the shortcomings of the US response. The president has also lost support over his handling of historic uprisings against racism and police brutality, angering local communities with incendiary rhetoric and a pledge to "surge" federal agents into numerous major US cities. That all is not well in Team Trump's misfiring reelection bid was perhaps most evident in the president's recent demotion of bravado campaign manager Brad Parscale. With overall approval ratings permanently stuck in the low 40 percent range, he is the first president to seek reelection after impeachment. Trump is offering a vision of chaos under his opponent, in which Biden's desire to "abolish the American Way of Life" would turn US cities into crime-infested wastelands. But he has largely failed to expand his fervently loyal base with a pitch that boils down to claiming Biden will have Americans "cowering to radical left-wing mobs." On Sunday, Trump also tweeted his oft-repeated complaint that mail-in voting will corrupt the election "& everyone knows it," despite there being no evidence of fraud during such voting in previous elections, nor that it would be a factor in November. New polling of registered voters from three swing states released Sunday showed Trump trailing badly. In Florida, the president garnered 46 percent support against 51 percent for Biden -- while in Arizona, the challenger was four points ahead, with 49 percent. - 'Divisiveness and dysfunction' - In Michigan, Biden's lead stands at 52 percent to 40 percent -- a larger lead than the RealClearPolitics average of recent national polls, which puts the former vice president ahead by 8.7 points. Trump carried all three states in 2016, although he won Michigan by fewer than 11,000 votes. Meanwhile, Biden is running an unprecedented campaign from his Delaware home, with no rallies, few news conferences and the space to sit back and watch Trump lurch ever deeper into trouble. But the president is keen to remind those who discount him that, despite grim polling in 2016, he comfortably beat all comers for the nomination before defeating Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Maryland's Republican governor Larry Hogan, who didn't vote for Trump in 2016 and is seen as a potential candidate in 2024, told CNN on Sunday he was unlikely to endorse the president this time around. "The election is 100 days away. I think early voting starts in 60 days or less. We're getting very close for the American people to make that decision," he said. "I think, quite frankly, a lot of people like me are frustrated with the divisiveness and dysfunction on both sides and don't feel like we have two great choices." The Guardian 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 Four Fulani herdsmen are seriously injured in a bizarre cutlass fight at Akateng, a community near Asesewa, in the Eastern Region. A misunderstanding ensued between the herdsmen on Wednesday, leading to a fight between the herdsmen, who attacked themselves with cutlasses. Four victims identified as Omaru Ali, 25, Bello Aliu, 24, Omaru Ali, 25, and Mohamadu Moro, 28, suffered various cutlass wounds . Omaru Bellos right hand wrist was cut off. Belo Ali was inflicted with deep cut on the forehead ,while Mohamadu Moros throat was slashed. Swift intervention by the Asesewa Police upon receipt of information helped to save lives as the bloody fight escalated. According to the police, the victims were all found lying in a pool of blood at the scene and they were rushed to the Asesewa Government Hospital . No arrest has been made , however, according to the acting Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, Sergeant Francis Gomado, efforts were underway to arrest the perpetrators. 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 The United States is months into the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal, state and local governments, have all imposed various restrictions and measures to help curb the spread of the virus. Many restaurants, stores, and supermarkets have introduced protocols to keep their stores and employees safe from the threat of the coronavirus. The measures included plexiglass dividers, capacity limits, and face mask requirements. As health officials and researchers discover new developments about the novel coronavirus, the food-safety guidelines also continue to evolve. We made an in-depth guide on how to stay safe while shopping, dining, and hosting potlucks amid the pandemic. Will wearing gloves keep me safe from COVID-19? In the early days of the pandemic, experts wondered whether the virus can be transmitted from surfaces such as grocery products and shopping carts. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, touching surfaces that have the virus and then touching the mouth, eyes, or nose can transmit the disease. However, researchers are still learning more about how the virus spreads. While gloves can protect your hands from the virus, it may give a false sense of security. Additionally, wearing gloves make hand hygiene tougher to maintain. It is always recommended to wear a mask and observe frequent handwashing to mitigate any risk of picking up any trace of the virus on surfaces. Which is safer: reusable bags or single-use plastic and paper bags? Many grocery chains forbid customers from using reusable bags when the virus first began in March. Most opted to use plastic and paper bags. But experts say reusable bags carry little to no risk of spreading the coronavirus. Contact among cashiers, baggers, and shoppers has more chance. It is recommended that people should also wipe down the counter after every transaction, especially if the bags touch the floor in a public space. It is also encouraged to wash reusable bags frequently. Can COVID-infected workers transmit the virus while packaging or shipping food? Craig Hedberg, professor of environmental health sciences, said it is nearly impossible to catch the virus through plant workers. He also said the virus will likely be dead by the time it is delivered to stores and homes. Is it safer to dine inside or outside? Dining outdoors is better because the risk of infection is higher in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. Experts recommend wearing masks when diners aren't eating or drinking. Additionally, servers should always cover their faces whenever possible. Is it safe to use restrooms in restaurants? Experts have yet to link outbreaks to public restrooms. However, using shared bathrooms significantly increases the risk of infection. Flushing the toilet and turning on dryers can stir air movement. People are advised to use paper towels instead of using dryers. Wearing masks, washing hands, and practicing social distancing from others is still the best way to fight the pandemic. Want to read more? The nation's lawmakers are being urged to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14 to keep children as young as 10 out of prison. On Monday, the Council of Attorneys-General will consider a raft of policy changes including raising the age of criminal responsibility and overhauling defamation laws including to create a new public interest defence. There were almost 600 children aged 10 to 13 in detention in Australia last financial year. More than 60 per cent were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander children. The council, made up of attorneys-general from the Australian government and all states and territories, agreed in 2018 that it would be appropriate to consider raising the age from 10 to 14 with the Western Australian justice department forming a working group to examine the issue. 'Mann Ki Baat' Highlights: Only our collective strength can defeat Corona, says PM Modi PM Modi's address to nation on last Mann Ki Baat of 2021: Full text here 'Mann Ki Baat' Highlights: 'India fares much better than many countries in COVID-19 fatality rate' India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, July 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation through his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat at 11 AM on Sunday. Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi wrote, "Do tune in tomorrow, 26th July, at 11 AM. #MannKiBaat." He had also tweeted a number for citizens to post their recorded messages to and also invited people to use the NaMo app and MyGov website to post their stories. In his last Mann Ki Baat address, the Prime Minister on June 28 had said that there could be any number of challenges but our countrys history shows that it [India] has always overcome them. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News Here are the Highlights of Mann ki Baat: Today India marks the 21st anniversary of the victory in Kargil War. We must not forget our heroes. I want all of us to spread the stories of those who sacrificed their lives for mother India I want everyone to visit www.gallantryawards.gov.in and relive those who gave up their everything for the nation: PM Modi Whatever we say or do has immense bearing on the morale of the soldier, ever vigilant at the border, as well as the morale of his family: PM At times, without paying heed to the essence, we encourage certain things on Social Media that are detrimental to the country. There are times when we keep forwarding things out of sheer curiosity. Despite knowing that it is wrong, we keep doing it. Over the last few months, the way the country fought against Corona unitedly, has proven many apprehensions wrong. Today, the recovery rate in our country is better compared to other countries The loss of even one life is saddening, but India has also succeeded in saving the lives of millions of her people There are times when masks cause inconvenience, one feels like removing them from the face- especially during a conversation. When a mask is required the most, we tend to remove it On one hand, we have to fight battle against Corona with awareness & vigilance; on the other, whatever our responsibilities, through sheer perseverance..business, jobs or studies. we have to lend pace to it, taking it to greater heights During the Corona times, our rural regions came up as a beacon of guidance for the entire country. Many examples of effective endeavours on part of local residents of villages & Gram Panchayats are coming to the fore The correct approach, a positive approach always goes a long way in transforming distressing times into opportunities, adversities into triggers of development & progress You surely know of Bamboo which grows abundantly in the North East. Now, using the same Bamboo, artisans of Tripura, Manipur and Assam have started crafting high quality water bottles and Tiffin-boxes An example from Jharkhand shows us how small local products can be hugely successful I also wish to refer to two regions of the country- both are hundreds of kilometers apart; yet are contributing in making India self reliant in their own unique, novel ways. One is Ladakh; the other is Kutch Modi wishes nation on Raksha Bandhan The 7th of August is National Handloom Day. The Handloom of India and our Handicrafts encompass a glorious history of hundreds of years: PM Our country is changing. How is she changing? How fast is she changing? In what all fields is she undergoing change? If we look at it with a positive point of view, we ourselves will be astounded! We see something similar to this in results of board exams that have recently been announced. Today in this Mann Ki Baat, we will talk to some such talented sons & daughters. Kritika Nandal is one such talented daughter.she is from Panipat in Haryana Across the seven seas, thousands of miles away from India is a small country called "Suriname": PM There are many other stories of such young friends whose courage and success in difficult conditions inspire us Recently Shri Chandrika Parasad Santokhi has become the new president of Suriname. He is a friend of India and he had participated in the Person of Indian Origin Parliamentary Conference organised in 2018 I congratulate Shri Chandrika Prasad Santokhi, and, wish him the best on behalf of 130 crore Indians, for serving his nation It is season of rains. I urge you to pay special attention to cleanliness around you. Keep taking immunity enhancers such as Ayurvedic kadha. During times of Corona Pandemic, it is imperative that we protect ourselves against other diseases During this rainy season, there is a large part of country grappling with floods. In such scenario, all Govt, NDRF, Disaster response teams, SHGs working in tandem to provide relief, rescue in all possible ways. Whole country stands by those affected by this disaster Before we meet in next Mann Ki Baat, 15th August would have already arrived. This time, our 15th August celebrations too will be in very different circumstances - in the midst of the Corona Virus pandemic The glorious height attained by our country is only due to the Tapasya, the perseverance of many an illustrious soul who dedicated an entire life towards nation building. One such luminary is Lokmanya Tilak The next time we meet, we will once again touch upon myriad things, learn something new together and share it with each other Savannah Guthrie has been the co-anchor of the NBC News morning show, Today since 2012, when she replaced Ann Curry. Hoda Kotb joined Guthrie as co-host in January 2018, combining to make up the morning programs first female team to lead the show. Over the past several months, Guthrie has been dealing with several eye surgeries to repair an injury caused by her young son throwing a toy. Her most recent operation, she explained, was incredibly emotional. How was Today host Savannah Guthries eye injured originally? Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, Matt Lauer, Hoda Kotb, and Carson Daly | Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images In November 2019, Guthrie went missing from the Today morning program for a few days. The day before she was expected to present the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade, she called in to explain her absence. I got hit, said Guthrie. By who? None other than her son, Charley. Charley through a toy train right at my eye. It tore my retina I lost my vision about 24 hours later and it turned out to be kind of serious. They were afraid the retina was detached. In an Instagram post, Guthrie shared a photo of her son and the toy train which had a pointy edge that had accidentally hit her in the eye. Of course, Guthrie did not want her son to feel bad about the accident. At his young age, he didnt fully understand the severity of the injury. Guthrie also shared that Charley took a hilarious pride in his actions, shouting, I did it! when Guthrie was telling her mother about the injury. RELATED: Savannah Guthrie Has to Go Through This Treatment After Her Scary Eye Injury How many kids do Savannah Guthrie and her husband have? Guthrie and her husband Michael Feldman have two children, Vale, 5, and Charley, age 2. Guthrie and Feldman, a public relations consultant, married in Arizona in March of 2014. Charles was born in December of 2016. How serious was the accident involving Guthries son? The freak accident caused a tear in her retina, meaning Guthries injury was fairly severe. She underwent laser treatments in an effort to try to avoid surgery. However, on a call to Today, the co-host explained that despite these treatments, her vision remained blurry. NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar explained: Theyre essentially trying to weld back this tear in the retina very carefully and avoid having to do a major surgery. NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie on Today in 2019| John Lamparski/Getty Images RELATED: Why Today Shows Savannah Guthrie is Back in Her Home Studio Rather Than The NBC News Set More surgery was required in December 2019 for her eye injury Unfortunately, despite multiple laser treatments, physicians determined the tear would require surgery to repair. In January, Guthrie called into the Today show again after her retinal repair. Im going to get my vision back. Im so grateful, she said at the time. Her ophthalmologist explained the tear was on the side, rather than the center of her retina, so he was optimistic about a good recovery. Guthrie suffered further complications and required yet another surgery this month Recently, Guthrie shared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show that she would require even more eye surgery. Its kind of funny, kind of not, Guthrie acknowledged. I see, but I see big, blurry spots. When you have retinal detachment, most people will end up developing cataracts obviously at a much younger age than would normally be expected. Success at last for the Today Show host Savannah Guthrie: I started sobbing Guthrie finally rejoined Hoda Kotb and the Today show on July 23rd from her home on video chat. The co-host happily reported the cataract surgery went well. The surgery went great, Guthrie revealed. Im already seeing better. I see close up really well. I cant even believe it. When the eye bandage was removed, Guthrie describes becoming emotional as she was handed something to read. I could see it, even the tiniest print, the Today co-host explained. And, it was so bright, I just started to cry. Im so grateful. Mike and I walked out on the street corner and I started sobbing. 26.07.2020 LISTEN When it comes to freedom, you better be careful about it. Most often than not, we think freedom is something we are irrevocably entitled to until we give it away, sometimes ridiculously. The line between walking as a free man and going to prison can be very thin- thinner than you may imagine. One moment youre free, the next moment youve donated it to the government. This donation, I can assure you, is one the government will gladly accept. Prison is always opened to you, just be reckless and there you are. Nobody is immune, but everybody can be careful. This article aims at teaching you something very basic you need to know and in a laymans language before it becomes too late. The steps that usually trick one into giving up his or her freedom seems complex to many, especially those not legally endowed. Fortunately, this is not the case. They are straightforward steps that can, and often are, soaked in deceptiveness. What makes the journey more deceptive is sometimes the voices of the police along the way. I will return to these police voices later. When arrested, one thing you should bear in mind is that you are entitled to keep quiet and also, entitled to a lawyer of your choice. The constitution of Ghana actually makes it mandatory for the police to bring this to your attention right from the moment of your arrest. This is mostly referred to as your Miranda warning. After this, you are entitled to shut up and remain mute. Of course, the police will try to extract juice from you. By juice, I refer to any relevant information that will make their case delicious before any judge. Be mindful, the police are not always, if at all, your friends once you are arrested. As a matter of fact, the police will try to cook their case from the moment you are arrested. The judge is an umpire of a soon-to-begin contest between you, or your lawyer, and the government represented by the police or the prosecution. This is a contest of freedom. You should know and appreciate that there are no three contestants here but two. The judge is not, or at least ought not to be, on the side of any. You and your lawyers side against that of the state. What you have to ensure is that before you are sent to a judge, you have not given the police enough spices to throw you into a dungeon. I am, by no means, motivating any person to commit a crime. I only seek to draw your attention to something that may take your innocent self into an unwholesome place, one you will forever detest. Lots of people are in prisons for offences they actually did not commit or are serving sentences unbefitting of the crimes for which they ought to have been convicted. Back to the voices of the police I spoke about earlier. You are to note that the police may, and often do, lure, entice and facilitate you into telling them what your lawyer will scold you for. Sometimes, the scolding will not end everything. The rippling effect of any confession made to the police may lead you to prison. There are ways your lawyer can extract any illegally obtained confessions from going into the record. However you may not really want to take your lawyer through that. You may, again, not be happy about the manner in which the case may drag for weeks and months, sometimes years, because of words you freely spewed within minutes. Proverbs 17: 27_28 says; 27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. Be wise, speak not. Lawyers have been trained, in criminal law, to serve as guards or shields between the prosecution and the judge. Your lawyer is trained, for years, to deflect, deflate, destroy and prevent any offensive and improper evidence from entering into the judgmental ears of the judge. One thing your lawyer cannot block are the pieces of evidence you freely and voluntarily give to the police when you are arrested. Such voluntary confessions are the most reliable spices with which the prosecution will and shall prepare and present your case/evidence to the judge. You can trust me, in the legal taste buds of the judges, such cases or evidence are delicious. Unless there are other magical evidence or saviour laws available to your lawyer, you might find yourself in something you never wished for. Shut up when arrested, talk when your lawyer says so. Even that, say what youre permitted to say and let your lawyer work. Finally, if there is anything you should be afraid of in the courtroom as an accused person, especially when you are not represented by a lawyer, it should be the pleading of guilt to something you do not understand, unless you are a lawyer or a judge. Do not make a mistake. Stealing, as you know it in regular life, is different from the stealing captured on your charge sheet. That kind of stealing is defined by the law and the law only. Defrauding by false pretence does not just mean fraud, there is more to it. No matter what you are told, mostly by your prosecutors before they bring you before a judge, do not plead guilty. Let me take it again, DO NOT PLEAD GUILTY! I say this because; It is not your duty to prove to the court, or anyone, why your freedom should not be taken from you. It is, however, that of the police or prosecutor-the state, to demonstrate with cogent proof why you no longer deserve to be a free man. Once you plead guilty, mostly because you have been frustrated and/or you trust the police to be honest with you, your case becomes worse. Do not take the bait. In fact, even on appeal, it is very difficult for your lawyer to get your conviction overturned when you have professed to understand your case and have voluntarily pleaded guilty. Upon a plea of guilt, the judge is tied to sentence you unless some legal exceptions come to the fore. I will not belabour you with these exceptions. Worst of all is that there will be no proper evidence on record for your lawyer, or any future lawyer who may want to help you, to attack on appeal. I am not saying there will be nothing for your lawyer to clutch onto. All I am saying is it will make it difficult, if not impossible, to get your freedom back to you once you are convicted on your own plea. Of course, there are technical magics your lawyer can perform. Do not plead guilty unless you fully understand, which I can safely guess you do not, the meaning of the offence for which you are charged. One thing you must also note is that before your lawyer is able to appeal against a conviction secured or pronounced through your plea of guilt, you are most likely to have spent some time in prison. CONCLUSION Stay safe and enjoy the few rights the state allows you to. Avoid trouble. Be law abiding. Always remember that the police are more likely to believe the story of your complainant unless you are able to demonstrate to them otherwise. The best platform to demonstrate this is before a judge. Do not worsen your lawyers work for them. Even at the time you are arrested, you should know you have done enough. Do not speak unless your lawyers say so. Whatever you do, do not plead guilty. The goal for appearing before a judge is to seek justice and not to pervert it. If, after understanding the charge, you honestly become convinced that you are guilty, then by all means, let justice prevail. Do not lie, do not subvert the truth. The bible says at Proverbs 21:15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers. I will end by referring you to another biblical verse that tells us about time to speak and time to remain silent. There is time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is; 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, Steeles Primary Source Was Russian Analyst Based in Washington The primary source for the infamous Steele dossier was a business analyst from Russia who lived in Washington, the sources attorney confirmed to The Epoch Times on July 26. Following the lead of open-source reporting by internet sleuths, The Epoch Times identified and contacted the analyst, Igor Danchenko, on July 19, but received no response and refrained from publicizing his identity. Igor Danchenko has been identified as one of the sources who provided data and analysis to Orbis Business Intelligence, Mark Schamel, Danchenkos attorney, wrote in an email. Orbis Business Intelligence is the company co-founded by former UK intelligence office Christopher Steele. Mr. Danchenko is a highly respected senior research analyst, Schamel added. He is neither an author nor editor for any of the final reports produced by Orbis. Mr. Danchenko stands by his data analysis and research and will leave it to others to evaluate and interpret any broader story with regard to Orbiss final report. While Schamel didnt say his client was Steeles primary source, the confirmation that Danchenko is one of the sources is sufficient to establish that hes the primary source based on the recently declassified record of Danchenkos January 2017 interview with the FBI. Steele claimed that he based the vast majority of his dossier on reports from Danchenko, who, in turn, had a network of sub-sources. The dossier played a central role in the FBIs decision to secure a warrant to spy on Trump campaign associate Carter Page in October 2016. The Department of Justice inspector general determined that the FBIs Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications were riddled with errors, some of the most egregious of which had to do with Steele falsifying and overhyping what he had learned from Danchenko. Steele also presented rumors Danchenko had passed on as credible claims. The FBI interviewed Danchenko for three days in late January 2017. During the interview, Danchenko disputed some of the claims attributed to him in the dossier and told agents that allegations Steele had presented as credible were merely bar talk. Despite learning of the issues with the dossier, the FBIand subsequently special counsel Robert Muellerwent on to renew the spy warrants on Page. Instead of telling the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) about the major issues with the dossier exposed during the Danchenko interview, the bureau repeated the claims Danchenko had disputed and simply said that he was truthful and cooperative. After the release of the inspector generals report and a severe rebuke from the FISC, the FBI conceded that it shouldnt have sought to renew the warrants. In addition to playing a central role in the spying on Page, the dossier appears to have figured in the FBIs decision to investigate the Trump campaign, a mounting body of circumstantial evidence suggests. The Hillary Clinton campaign ultimately paid for the dossier, a fact the bureau also omitted in its FISA applications. The Department of Justice released a heavily redacted copy of the electronic communication summarizing the January 2017 interviews with Danchenko (pdf) on July 17. Despite the extensive blacking out of personal details, the length of the redactions as well as other details in the document made it possible to triangulate on Danchenko. A Twitter user who goes by the pseudonym Hmmm was the first to identify Danchenko as the source after locating the mans resume, the details of which match exactly with both the redacted and unredacted portions of the declassified document. Danchenko locked down his social media profiles shortly after internet sleuths mentioned his name. Danchenkos identification is the latest of many severe blows to the credibility of the Steele dossier. While the inspector generals report described Danchenko as a Russia-based source, Danchenko in fact lived in Washington for more than a decade, including at the time when he provided information for Steeles dossier. Danchenkos resume, LinkedIn profile, and FBI interview paint a picture of an ordinary business analyst who connected with Steele when he was eager to earn an income. None of what Danchenko told the FBI or what is in the public realm suggest he had access to the inner workings of the Kremlin. Danchenko told the bureau he relied on conversations with childhood friends and other acquaintances for the information he passed on to Steele. The leadership of the FBI, including then-Director James Comey, believed the dossier was so significant that they pushed to include it in a classified annex of the seminal January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian interference in the U.S. election. Three intelligence agencies assessed at the time that Russia interfered in the election to hurt Clinton and help Trump. The FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign evolved into the special counsel probe by Robert Mueller. After a large-scale, 22-month inquiry, Mueller found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Monday, July 27 finds the British Pound to Euro exchange rate on the back foot at the start of the new trading week, with today's chart showing GBP/EUR trading at 1.09529 (-0.27%) at the time of writing. The Pound-to-Euro rate rallied on Monday after reports showed a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford appeared to be safe. Added to this, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would continue to engage constructively with the European Union in Brexit talks. This saw GBP enjoy its best day in three weeks. Meanwhile, while the Euro-to-Dollar rate was able to hit a 19-week high, the Euro-to-Pound rate struggled. Traders were optimistic that the EU would be able to agree on a coronavirus recovery fund. Tuesday saw GBP/EUR tumble as the single currency jumped to its highest level since early March after the EU agreed upon a massive coronavirus recovery fund. The hard-won deal has been seen as an important sign of unity by leaders of the bloc and a foundation for recovery after the pandemic. The Pound-to-Euro exchange rate continued to slide as trader worried about whether or not Britain would face a no-deal Brexit as attention turned back to the countrys departure from the EU. Markets also worried about the countrys dire prospects at the economy emerged from the coronavirus crisis. Meanwhile, the Euro extended its gains, still buoyed by Tuesdays success, receiving further support as a gauge measuring a break-up of the bloc fell silent. Pound Sterling struggled on Thursday after attention turned to Brexit and the blocs the European Unions chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier said Britain had not shown willingness to tackle the current deadlock during negotiations. Meanwhile, the single currency made gains after data from the blocs largest economy showed consumer confidence in Germany rose. Confidence was boosted by a temporary VAT cut, and the third consecutive month confidence has increased. Friday saw the Pound-to-Euro rate remain flat as the single currency was offered support after the Eurozones PMIs jumped above 50 as demand bounced back. This also confirmed market expectations of a strong rebound in Q3 GDP. Meanwhile, Pound Sterling was offered some support after the latest flash PMIs jumped higher than expected. While GBP remained flat against EUR, the currency was on track for its largest weekly gain against the US Dollar (USD) since the first week of June. "The failure of GBP to capitalise on strong UK data may look strange, but a V-shaped bounce in PMIs and retail sales is not the same as a V-shape for GDP" says Daragh Maher, Head of Global Research at HSBC. "This is the interpretation of our economics team of this mornings slew of upbeat UK data, and sits well with GBPs apparent indifference. Retail sales posted an unexpectedly large gain in June, building on Mays bounce, sufficient to bring the level of sales more or less back to where it was before the lockdown. Separate data showed a gain in the manufacturing PMI during July and a much bigger than expected bounce in the services PMI back comfortably into expansion territory. However, the strength in retail reflected a lot of stay at home shopping, whether it was online or for food and alcohol items to replace restaurant items. Our economists note this is not great news for a service-based economy. The continued job attrition evident in the PMI employment components is also a concern. Overnight data for July showed consumer confidence is recovering more slowly than expected. Meanwhile, headlines around Brexit continue to flag the risk of a no trade deal outcome. The EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier said a trade and security deal before the end of the year is unlikely and the sides were still far away from agreement (The Guardian)." The Pound to Euro Outlook: Will Eurozone GDP Send EUR Lower? Looking ahead to Monday, it is likely the Euro-to-Pound rate could make gains following a slew of data from Germany. If IFOs data shows business climate, current assessment and expectations in July have all improved it will offer the Euro exchange rates some support. Meanwhile, British Pound traders are likely to be focused on Brexit which could send the currency lower. If Brexit pessimism dominates markets next week it will send Sterling lower against the Euro. However, Thursday could see the Euro edge lower following the release of Germanys latest GDP data. If growth contracts further than expected in the second quarter, EUR will slide. Added to this, both German and Eurozone unemployment data could disappoint investors and send the common currency lower against the Pound Sterling. Traders will also be watching for the latest Eurozone consumer confidence and business climate data. If Julys consumer confidence does not rise as high as expected and businesses remain downbeat the single currency will struggle to make significant gains. Meanwhile, on Friday the Euro could be offered some support following the release of the latest German retail sales data. If sales rise higher than forecast in June it will boost EUR. However, any gains could be cut short if the latest Eurozone Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Q2 GDP disappoints investors. If preliminary CPI and GDP fall short of expectations, it will leave the Euro rates under pressure. However, if Brexit tensions continue to weigh on Sterling, the Pound-to-Euro exchange rate is likely to end the week largely flat. Thailand has dropped criminal charges against the heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune, who was accused in a 2012 hit-and-run killing of a police officer in a case that raised questions about crime and punishment for the well-connected. Warrants for the arrest, including an Interpol red notice, of Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya, whose whereabouts are not known, will be withdrawn, police said. Mr Yoovidhya, grandson of the late Chaleo Yoovidhya, creator of the Krating Daeng, or Red Bull, energy drink, had faced charges of speeding, hit-and-run and reckless driving causing death, which had a statue of limitations until 2027. This case is over, deputy police spokesperson Kissana Phathanacharoen told a news briefing. In June, we received a final order from the attorney general to not prosecute Vorayuth on charges of reckless driving and causing death, he said. Mr Yoovidhya was accused of crashing his black Ferrari into police officer Wichien Klanprasert, who was on a motorcycle in Bangkok, and dragging his body for dozens of metres before fleeing the scene. Mr Yoovidhya missed eight summonses to appear in court in connection with the case before authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, five years after the accident. He later disappeared, apparently abroad, according to some social media posts. Mr Yoovidhya's grandfather was listed as the third richest person in Thailand at the time of his death in 2012, at the age of 88, with an estimated net worth of $5bn, according to Forbes magazine. Many Thais saw Mr Yoovidhya's treatment as lenient because of his family's wealth, stirring debate about impunity for the rich. But Mr Kissana dismissed any such suggestion on Friday. This is not double standards, he said, adding that the case could be reopened if there was new evidence. We are saddened by the loss of a fellow police officer, he said. Reuters Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 09:00:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - SAO PAULO -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced on Saturday that he has tested negative for COVID-19 after having been isolated at the presidential residence since July 7, when he was first diagnosed with the disease. The president made the announcement via social media, where he published a photo in which he is seen having breakfast at Alvorada Palace, the presidential residence in Brasilia. - - - - CAIRO -- Egypt recorded on Saturday 511 new COVID-19 infections, taking the total cases registered in the country since mid-February to 91,583, said the Egyptian Health Ministry. In a statement, Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said 40 patients died from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 4,558. - - - - MUSCAT -- Oman reported on Saturday 1,067 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 74,858. According to a statement issued by the ministry of health, 1,054 patients of COVID-19 have recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 54,061. And 12 new deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 371. - - - - RABAT -- Morocco on Saturday reported 811 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest single-day increase so far, taking the number of infections in the country since March 2 to 19,645. The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 16,282 after 181 new ones were added, while the death toll rose to 305 with six new fatalities, said Mouad Mrabet, coordinator of the Moroccan Center for Public Health Operations at the Ministry of Health, at a press briefing. - - - - BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan will designate July 30 as the day of national mourning for citizens who died of COVID-19, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said on Saturday. In an interview with the state radio station, Jeenbekov said that Kyrgyzstan will celebrate Kurman Ait (Feast of Sacrifice) on July 31, and July 30 will be declared the day of national mourning throughout the country. - - - - BEIJING -- Beijing will offer 1.5 million coupons in an effort to spur consumption that is recovering from the COVID-19 epidemic, the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau said Saturday. The coupons will be available on Sunday at e-commerce giant JD.com. They include 1 million coupons that can be used at participating restaurants and retailers in the Chinese capital as well as 500,000 coupons for buying products equipped with smart technologies. - - - - SINGAPORE -- Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) reported 513 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 49,888. Of the new cases, 6 are imported cases, 2 are community cases and the rest are linked with the dormitories of foreign workers. - - - - NAIROBI -- Over 50 percent of Kenyans who have died from COVID-19 have non-communicable diseases (NCD), an official said on Saturday. Rashid Aman, Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Health said that a study revealed that people with pre-existing conditions have high chances of contracting the coronavirus. Enditem Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 5, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/Pool via Reuters) Some GOP Senators Pushing for Stimulus Checks to 2 Million Excluded Americans Some Senate Republicans are vying to extend stimulus payments in the next pandemic relief bill to nearly 2 million people who were not included in the first round of payments. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said they want to ensure that U.S. citizens married to foreign nationals who dont have a Social Security number receive the up to $1,200 payments. Senator Rubio believes that no American should be denied a federal stimulus check because they are married to someone who is not a U.S. citizen, a spokeswoman for Rubio said last week, according to The Hill. Rubio and Tillis, according to the report, introduced legislation to correct the matter. House Democrats in their HEROES Act, passed in May, also included the same measure. When the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service started sending out the CARES Acts payments in mid-April, married couples where both spouses had Social Security Numbers were eligible for an economic impact payment. In March I worked to pass the bipartisan CARES Act to provide economic stimulus payments to North Carolinians as we battle this pandemic, Tillis said in a statement last month. Every eligible citizen deserves this payment and I am proud to introduce legislation with Senator Rubio to fix this oversight. Hundreds of people line up outside a Kentucky Career Center hoping to find assistance with their unemployment claim in Frankfort, Ky., on June 18, 2020. (Bryan Woolston/Reuters) It comes as the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week for the first time in nearly four months, suggesting the labor market was stalling amid a resurgence in new COVID-19 cases and depressed demand. The weekly jobless claims report from the Labor Department on Thursday, the most timely data on the economys health, also showed nearly 32 million people were collecting unemployment checks in early July. Relentless labor market weakness puts pressure on Congress to extend a $600 weekly jobless benefit supplement, which expires on July 31. In some states including New York, the extra weekly unemployment payments expired over the weekend before the end of the month. Economists expect job growth to pull back this month after surging by a historic 4.8 million in June. Employment last month was boosted by the governments Paycheck Protection Program, which provides businesses loans that can be partially forgiven if used for wages. Though the PPP was extended to August 8, many small businesses drew their loans in May and June. Reuters contributed to this report. People coming to the UK from Spain will have to isolate for two weeks under a new rule announced on Saturday. It comes amid growing concern about the number of new coronavirus cases being seen in the popular tourist destination. When does the new rule come into force and who is affected? The measure was effective from midnight , meaning that from Sunday all returning travellers will be have to isolate for 14 days. It applies to people returning to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Why now? The government's move came after Spain logged 922 infections on Friday, slightly down from 971 the day before, with officials tracking more than 280 outbreaks across the country. The Spanish government has warned it could be seeing a "second wave" of the coronavirus . Catalonia became the latest region to crack down on nightlife in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. The northeast region ordered all nightclubs to close for 15 days and put a midnight curfew on bars in the greater Barcelona area and other towns that have seen a rise in infections. What should you do if you're already in Spain? If you are among one of the estimated 100,000 Britons in Spain, there is nothing you can do. The quarantine rule is already in force, so there is little to be gained by cutting your holiday short to return to the UK early. Just enjoy the rest of your trip as best you can, follow the local rules, and then return home as normal. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave at this time. What should you do if you have booked a trip to Spain in the future? From 26 July, the FCO is advising against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain due to the COVID-19 risk. Exempt from that advice are the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa) and Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera). People coming into the UK from any of those places, including the islands, must do quarantine. Story continues ABTA - the UK's travel trade association - says customers due to travel to Spain should contact their travel provider. Holiday operator Tui said it will cancel all holidays to Spain in response to the announcement and customers will be contacted to discuss options. Airline easyJet said it planned to operate its full schedule, with a spokeswoman saying: "Customers who no longer wish to travel can transfer their flights without a change fee or receive a voucher for the value of the booking. "Should any flights be cancelled for later in August customers will be notified and informed of their options which includes transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher or applying for a refund." British Airways also said its flights will continue to operate. According to reports, on July 25, EasyJet and British Airways told their customers that they do not plan to cancel any flights in the coming days. This decision was made even after the Britain government advised to avoid non essential travel to mainland Spain due to the spread of novel coronavirus. Europes largest tour operator, TUI, said it was cancelling all holiday departures scheduled for July 26. Second wave might hit Spain As per the new travel rules amid the coronavirus pandemic, travellers arriving from Spain to the UK will have to quarantine for 14 days. These changes were announced on July 25, keeping in mind the hike in coronavirus cases in Spain. Spain has so far seen 28,000 deaths due to coronavirus. On July 23, Spain saw the biggest hike since the lockdown ended. Read: Spain Takes Aim At Nightclubs And Beaches As Virus Rebounds However, Spain said that it was a safe country with isolated and regulated outbreaks of the novel coronavirus. A spokeswoman of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that they respect the decision made by the United Kingdom as safety of citizens is their first priority. She added that they are in touch with the UK authorities. Read: UK Removes Spain From List Of Virus Safe Countries Prominent airlines including the British Airlways criticised the decision made by the Britain government. They termed it as yet another blow as it will affect the tourism industry. British Airways told one customer on twitter that their flights are expected to operate normally. An EasyJet customer executive also told the customer that they are planning to follow the complete schedule in the coming days. On July 25, the United Kingdom also removed Spain from its list of safe countries to travel to after the country measured a spike in new coronavirus cases. Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the U.K. Jonathan Van-Tam said the decision came after a "tipping point" with "new data about the level of disease" in the European country. Read: UK Puts Spain Back On Unsafe Country List For COVID-19 Also Read: Boris Johnson Says The United Kingdom Is 'past The Peak' Of Coronavirus Pandemic (Image Credits: Unsplash) REMOVING CONFEDERATE STATUES FROM CAPITOL: Voting 305 for and 113 against, the House on Wednesday passed a bill (HR 7573) that would remove from the Capitol building a bust of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, the author of the Dred Scott vs. Sandford ruling in 1857 that African-Americans could not be citizens of the United States or sue in federal courts. The bill also would banish from the Capitol the statues or busts of Confederate and/or pro-slavery leaders including Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Confederate commander; Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy president and a U.S. senator and House member; John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, a U.S. vice president and senator; John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky, a U.S. vice president and Confederate war secretary; former North Carolina Gov. Charles B. Aycock; and former Arkansas governor and U.S. Sen. James P. Clarke. Under the bill, the Taney bust on the Senate side of the Capitol would be replaced with one of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court justice. All removals would have to occur within 45 or 120 days and the statues would be returned to their donor states. A yes vote was to send the bill to the Senate. She is back in New York City after a stint out west. And Emily Ratajkowski enjoyed a city stroll this week with her beloved dog Colombo as well as one of her female friends. The 29-year-old supermodel, who was born in London and raised in California, cut a summery figure in a floral dress. Company: Emily Ratajkowski enjoyed a city stroll this week with her beloved dog Colombo as well as one of her female friends She accessorized with a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses and a mahogany leather purse, rounding off the look with white sneakers. Emily, her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard and their dog spent much of lockdown at her parents' house in Los Angeles. The couple fled New York City while it was the American epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and flew to Los Angeles on April 15. Stepping out: The 29-year-old supermodel, who was born in London and raised in California, cut a summery figure in a floral dress The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention had issued an advisory on March 28 asking 'residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately.' However in late June as COVID-19 cases spiked dramatically in California, Emily and Sebastian crossed back to New York. Emily has also recently returned to her natural brunette hair color after briefly going blonde as a promotion for Kerastase. Cross country: Emily, her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard and their dog spent much of lockdown at her parents' house in Los Angeles (pictured) For over two years the sizzling sensation has been the face of Kerastase, a Paris-based brand that is a subsidiary of L'Oreal. She went blonde in the second half of June but this week she posted some bra and bikini snaps revealing her hair was brown again. 'I've never colored my hair or changed the length significantly in my entire life!' she dished in a statement after she debuted her blonde look. New Delhi, July 26 : A day after India welcomed Canadas decision to reject 'Referendum 2020', banned secessionist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) on Sunday launched a portal from Canadian cyberspace to kickstart voter registration for the Khalistan Referendum in Jammu and Kashmir. The landing page of portal www.Canada4Referendum2020.ca conspicuously displays the red and white national flag of Canada merging with Khalistan flag. The group had used a similar Canadian portal to propagate its anti-India agenda in Delhi to demand Khalistan, a separate homeland for Sikhs in Punjab, on July 19 but it failed because of action taken by Indian law enforcement agencies. A similar activity regarding referendum 2020 voter registration in Punjab on July 4 was also foiled by the agencies. Getting back to back defeat, the SFJ, which was banned by the Ministry of Home Affairs in July last year for advocating 'Referendum 2020', a week ago had announced to launch the voter registration for Khalistan Referendum on July 26 to get support of people there. The action of the group followed inputs that the Sikh community across India has rejected the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) sponsored propaganda of 'Referendum 2020'. The Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has been backing the malicious campaign launched by the SFJ as a large number of Pakistani Twitter handles have started tweeting in favour of the so-called 'Referendum'. Dubbing Sikhs in Kashmir as "freedom fighters and Sikh soldiers", the US-based Khalistani radical outfit has urged them to support its most infamous agenda 'Referendum 2020', which is being promoted by the group to divide India on communal lines. Intelligence agencies then alerted that the secessionist group will launch 'Referendum 2020' voter registration in the Valley on July 26, an attempt to get the support of the estimated three lakh Sikh population residing across Jammu and Kashmir. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ's General Counsel and key handler, had then claimed that the group would launch voter registration for Punjab Independence Referendum in Jammu and Kashmir with "Ardaas" ceremonies from Gurudwara Chhati Patshahi in Srinagar and Gurudwara Simbal Camp in Jammu on July 26. Pannun is among the nine pro-Khalistanis who were designated as terrorists by the Indian government earlier this month. US-based terrorist Pannun has been playing a major role in the 'Referendum 2020' campaign. Pledging the SFJ's full support to the cause of holding a UN-approved plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, Pannun had urged the Kashmiri Sikhs to support Referendum 2020. The group claims that an "independent Khalistan will pave the way for freedom of Kashmir". The SFJ is supported by Pakistan-based handlers to provide money and logistical support to radical Sikh elements in Punjab to carry out subversive activities. The group is headed by Avtar Singh Pannun and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who have started advocating Khalistan as well as the online secessionist campaign for Referendum 2020. The SFJ chose Canadian cyberspace to launch its Referendum voter registration a day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh welcomed the decision of Canada to reject the 'Referendum 2020', being organised by the pro-Khalistan group. Singh had reacted to a media report quoting a spokesperson for the foreign ministry of Canada, who said, "Canada respects the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of India, and the government of Canada will not recognise the referendum." In its response to Punjab Chief Minister, SFJ Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, as per agency reports, said that Trudeau government's statement in support of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity has no bearing at all on the Canadian Sikhs right to propagate and hold Referendum 2020 in Canada. Calling SFJ activities constitutionally protected, Pannun said,"Canadian government did not and cannot restrict activities of referendum 2020 on Canadian soil." The SFJ's key aide also threatened that "propagation of Khalistan Referendum from and in Canada will continue and Referendum 2020 polling across Canada will be held as per schedule in November". The launch of voter registration in Jammu and Kashmir followed SFJ's Saturday move to activate a direct hotline from the United States to woo people in the Valley infected with COVID-19. However, intelligence agencies claimed, they could not find any support to the SFJ's announcement which claimed to give Rs 2,000 to every novel coronavirus infected persons in the Valley irrespective of their religion. As per information, SFJ had offered financial support for four days between July 25-28 -- an attempt to gain sympathy from residents of Jammu and Kashmir for its illegal 'Referendum 2020' agenda. In its message to people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are affected by the coronavirus, the SFJ has asked them to contact the group at its COVID-19 Hotline via WhatsApp on +19175796400 or email at support@sikhsforjustice.org to get the aid. The group, experts in the security wing suggest, wants to establish its base in Jammu and Kashmir and it recently gave a call to Sikhs residing in the Valley to support its online 'Referendum 2020' campaign which it launched on Sunday. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) The first Austrian "Alpine meadows summit," was held virtually in a meeting room in the attic of the Ministry of tourism in Vienna from practical considerations. Perhaps it would be like for the participants is also difficult, in the air Almhohe in Corona-times attached to the safety distance to be complied with. Because of Austria are Alpine meadows is currently overrun. Andreas Mihm Economics correspondent in Vienna. F. A. Z. Twitter The advertising slogan "pastures instead of palm trees" shows its dark side. Where usually 100 walkers of the day were on their way, come today, "thousands", complained recently Johann Fel, the Chairman of the Association of upper Austrian Alm and pasture. This season, he must not resist the wolves, the only Problem, but also problematic visitors to take care of. The latest plague of guests, the turn beautiful mobile videos with animal. For example, children are set back to Calves, to post the photos on Instagram or Tik Tok. Another Motto was: cows scare, run away and shoot it can. Tik Tok had recently deleted the Videos of the "Kulikitaka Challenge". We will not tolerate any content that were unnecessarily shocking and cruel. "pastures are not petting zoos" Not only Alpine farmers are confused about such grossly negligent "challenges". "Pastures are not a petting zoo", was tourism Minister Elisabeth Kostinger (OVP), because even after the Meeting spread. Visitors were invited", the rules of conduct". The aims not only in the direction of the foreign tourists. "What I was not previously aware of, is that many of the Locals keep to the rules," the Minister said. In the worst case, the numbers Careless with life and limb. This spring, several hikers from mother cows were attacked and injured in 2014, a 45-year-old German dog owner had been trampled on a pasture of cows to death. The highest Austrian court gave the farmer back then to blame. A change in the law now is clear that the visitors have a responsibility; the Almwirte can insure himself against the damage from the risk. Wegsperr should be prevented. Updated Date: 26 July 2020, 16:20 Womens rights advocates in Atlantic Canada are calling on people across the country to join a brief general strike on Monday to demand a public inquiry into the deadly mass shootings that took place in Nova Scotia last April. The federal and provincial governments announced this week that an expert panel, led by former Nova Scotia chief justice Michael MacDonald, would review the massacre that left 22 people dead. But Martha Paynter, founder of Womens Wellness Within, a Halifax-based group that advocates for womens reproductive justice, said that falls short of the transparent public inquiry that many people, including the victims families, are demanding. We need systemic and structural change to come from this, and a little review is just not going to cut it, Paynter, one of the strike organizers, said in an interview. The strike which will last 22 minutes in honour of the 22 victims killed on April 18 and 19 will begin at noon local time on Monday. Supporters of the public inquiry will be gathering at the citys Victoria Park and people can also watch the event live on Facebook. This was a horror, an enormous trauma for the entire country, and we all should be truly enraged by the inadequate government response, Paynter said. The victims families, as well as womens rights advocates, lawyers and federal senators from across Canada, have for months urged Halifax and Ottawa to launch a public probe into what happened during the shootings and why. Many have criticized the review panel made up of MacDonald, the former chief justice; former federal Liberal cabinet minister Anne McLellan, and Leanne Fitch, the former chief of police in Fredericton because they say it does not have enough power and lacks transparency. An online petition demanding a public inquiry had garnered over 10,000 signatures as of Saturday afternoon, while a Facebook group for Nova Scotians in favour of a public probe had over 9,000 members. The federal and Nova Scotia governments have defended the format of the review, however, saying it was the best way to launch an investigation quickly. Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil also said Friday that the panellists can ask his government for assistance should they need it. I made it very clear if they are at a point where they need more power, and need more support to be able to get to those answers, come to our government and well respond to them, McNeil told reporters. But Jenny Wright, another co-organizer of Mondays strike, said a public inquiry is the best way to get to the bottom of what happened and prevent future massacres. We must have an inquest that looks at the specific links between misogyny and violence against women and mass killings that we are seeing here at home and across Canada that we are not acknowledging, Wright, a feminist activist who lives in both Halifax and St. Johns said in an interview. She said the gunman in Nova Scotia had a history of violence against women, which can be a predictor of mass killings. She pointed to the Toronto van attack in April 2018 and to the 14 female engineering students who were killed at Montreals Ecole Polytechnique in 1989 as other examples of massacres in which misogyny played a role. We need to have an inquiry so that people can be compelled to speak the truth about that night so that were finally able to unpack what happened (and) have transparency and accountability, said Wright. In the end, we are hopeful that if our voices are strong enough then the governments will overturn their decision. Read more about: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering a proposal for influential ethnic minority figures to be featured on a set of UK coins to celebrate Britains diversity. According to The Sunday Telegraph, plans have been submitted to the Royal Mint to work out some proposals as the Indian-origin finance minister reflects upon a campaign to put influential black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) figures from history on a set of coins titled Service to the Nation. The candidates in the running include Noor Inayat Khan, who was the first Indian-origin World War II spy for Britain, and Khudadad Khan, the first soldier of the British Indian Army to become the recipient of the prestigious Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces. We propose a specific next theme of service to the nation by black, Asian, and other ethnic minority people, both in military conflict and on the home front, says Zehra Zaida, an Indian-origin Conservative Party candidate behind the campaign, in a letter to Sunak. This theme will unite people, especially now as the nation has come together through the pandemic, and is collectively recognising the heroic work by ethnic minority staff in our health and care services, according to the letter. It is surely essential that this country does not lose another opportunity to demonstrate that the contributions of black, Asian, and other ethnic minority groups are truly valued. Symbols matter and we urge you to support our campaign, the letter notes. UK Treasury minister John Glen told The Sunday Telegraph that Sunak was keen to support the timely proposal. The Chancellor [Sunak] is reflecting on the letter from Zehra and will reply in due course, he said. We are obviously supportive and keen to be positive about it, we need to see some firm proposals from the Royal Mint but we are keen for this to happen, he said. Zaidis campaign is supported by several historians including Shrabani Basu, the author of Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan, and politicians such as Conservative Party MP Tom Tugendhat and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas. I am absolutely delighted that the story of Noor Inayat Khan has inspired so many people and that she has become an icon. Noor was an extraordinary war heroine, said Basu, the Founder-Chair of the Noor Inayat Khan Memorial Trust. Zaidi was previously behind a campaign to get the Bank of England to select an ethnic minority heroine for a newly-printed GBP 50 note, proposing Noor Inayat Khan among the options. However, Britains computer pioneer Alan Turing was the choice for the new banknote which goes into circulation from next year. Authorities hit for not detecting border crossing The news about a North Korean defector's return to his home country is somewhat shocking. It is all the more so because South Korean authorities could have prevented the incident if they had paid more attention to what went wrong for him. The episode became known Sunday when the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that its leader Kim Jong-un convened an emergency politburo meeting of the Workers' Party and adopted a "maximum emergency system" against the COVID-19 pandemic after a defector returned to the North from the South with suspected coronavirus symptoms. The KCNA added the defector arrived at the border city of Gaeseong, July 19, after crossing the heavily fortified military demarcation line, which bisects the Korean Peninsula. South Korea's military authorities cannot avoid criticism for not keeping a close watch on the border if his alleged return is true. Seoul has yet to confirm the KCNA report, but the South's semiofficial Yonhap News Agency reported that a 24-year-old man, who fled to the South by swimming in 2017, was presumed to have swum back to the North. It also said the defector, identified by the family name Kim and living in Gimpo, west of Seoul, had been under police investigation over suspicions of raping a female defector last month. He faced an imminent arrest on the charges. Yonhap also quoted an acquaintance of Kim as claiming the defector told him that he would go back to the North in mid-July. The man, also a defector, reported Kim's plan to the police July 18, but the report was ignored. If the acquaintance's claim is true, the police should be held accountable for their negligence. Defectors are subject to police protection for their personal security for five years after they finish three months of resettlement education upon their arrival in the South. The South's military is also under attack. It has begun an investigation to confirm how Kim crossed the demarcation line without being caught. There must have been a big hole in its readiness posture and surveillance network. The military has often been accused of lacking discipline and failing to thwart attempts by North Koreans and Chinese aboard small boats to penetrate into South Korea. In June 2019, a wooden boat carrying four North Koreans arrived at a port on the South's east coast without being detected. This case raised a serious question about the armed forces' capability. The Moon Jae-in government should take radical measures to better manage North Korean defectors and stop anyone from making an illegal bid to go back to the North. It also must strive to boost military discipline and its vigilance in border areas. For the North, it must be good news that any defector returns of their own free will. The Kim regime has often called on defectors to return home. It has even demanded that the South send them back, claiming that many of them were "abducted" by South Korean agents, or brought here against their will. It appears that the Kim regime is trying to tighten its grip on power and its control on North Koreans by using COVID-19. The North has so far claimed that it has had no cases of infections. But it set a national emergency system in motion since it shut down its borders, especially with China, in January when the virus began to spread globally. The defector's case, if confirmed, would be the first officially confirmed coronavirus case in North Korea. By Associated Press DUBAI: The world's biggest cosmetics companies have been selling a fairy tale that often goes something like this: If your husband's lost interest in you, if your colleagues dismiss you at work, if your talents are ignored, whiten your skin to turn your love life around, boost your career and command center stage. No company has had greater success peddling this message across Asia, Africa and the Middle East than Unilever's Fair & Lovely brand, which sells millions of tubes of skin lightening cream annually for as little as USD 2 a piece in India. The 45-year-old brand earns the Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever more than USD 500 million in yearly revenue in India alone, according to Jefferies financial analysts. Following decades of pervasive advertising promoting the power of lighter skin, a re-branding is hitting shelves globally. But it's unlikely that fresh marketing by the world's biggest brands in beauty will reverse deeply rooted prejudices around "colourism," the idea that fair skin is better than dark skin. Unilever said it is removing words like "fair", "white" and "light" from its marketing and packaging, explaining the decision as a move toward "a more inclusive vision of beauty." Unilever's Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Unilever Limited, said the Fair & Lovely brand will instead be known as "Glow & Lovely." French cosmetics giant L'Oreal followed suit, saying it too would remove similar wording from its products. Johnson & Johnson said it will stop selling Neutrogena's fairness and skin-whitening lines altogether. The makeover is happening in the wake of mass protests against racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, a black man pinned to the ground by a white police officer in the US. It's the latest in a series of changes as companies rethink their policies amid Black Lives Matter protests, which have spread around the world and reignited conversations about race. Activists around the world have long sought to counter Unilever's aggressive marketing of Fair & Lovely, with the brand's advertisements criticized by women's groups from Egypt to Malaysia. Kavitha Emmanuel founded the "Dark is Beautiful" campaign in India more than a decade ago to counter perceptions that lighter skin is more beautiful than naturally darker skin. She said multinational companies like Unilever did not initiate skin tone bias, but have capitalized on it. "Endorsing such a belief for 45 years is definitely quite damaging," Emmanuel said, adding that it has eroded the self-worth of many young women across India. For women raised on these fixed standards of beauty, the market is awash in products and services that can both brighten pigmentation from skin damage and outright lighten skin. At the Skin and Body International beauty clinic in South Africa, owner Tabby Kara said she sees a lot of people inquiring about going one or two shades lighter. "It's a general demand in Africa," she said. "People do want to be a bit fairer simply because society expects or is more interested in the fairness of a person." Historically, throughout North Africa and Asia, darker skin has been associated with poor labourers who work in the sun - unlike in Western cultures, where tanned skin is often a sign of time for leisure and beauty. India's cultural fixation with lighter skin is embedded in daily matrimonial ads, which frequently note the skin tone of brides and grooms as "fair" or "wheatish" alongside their height, age and education. The ancient Hindu caste system has helped uphold some of the bias, with darker-skinned people often seen as "untouchables" and relegated to the dirtiest jobs, such as cleaning sewage. The power of whiter, fairer skin in many countries was further reinforced by European rule, and later by Hollywood and Bollywood film stars who've featured in skin lightening ads. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) Hurricane Hanna roared ashore onto the Texas Gulf Coast on Saturday, bringing winds that lashed the shoreline with rain and storm surge, and even threatening to bring possible tornadoes to a part of the country trying to cope with a spike in coronavirus cases. The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall twice as a Category 1 storm on Saturday afternoon within the span of little over an hour. The first landfall happened at around 5 p.m. about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles (209 km) south of Corpus Christi. The second landfall took place nearby in eastern Kenedy County. Hanna had come ashore with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (145 kph). As of Saturday evening, those winds had slightly weakened to 85 mph (137 kph). Many parts of Texas, including areas near where Hanna came ashore, have been dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, but local officials said they were prepared for whatever the storm might bring. Chris Birchfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville, said residents needed to remain alert. While Hannas winds were expected to weaken throughout Saturday night, the storms real threat remained heavy rainfall, he said. Were not even close to over at this point. Were still expecting catastrophic flooding, Birchfield said. Forecasters said Hanna could bring 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain through Sunday night with isolated totals of 18 inches (46 centimeters) in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Some areas in South Texas had reported receiving up to 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain, including Cameron County, which borders Mexico and where Brownsville is located. Rainfall totals were expected to rise throughout the evening and into Sunday. Its been all day, Melissa Elizardi, a spokeswoman for Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, said of the rainfall. In a tweet, President Donald Trump said his administration was monitoring Hanna, along with Hurricane Douglas, which was heading toward Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Sherry Boehme, who lives in a condo along the beach in Corpus Christi, said the storms approach had increased the anxiety she has felt during the pandemic. The 67-year-old has mostly stayed at home because of health issues related to chronic lung disease. Its almost like a double whammy to us, Boehme said Saturday by phone. I think its made a lot of people nervous. ... Well get through it. Everybody is good and strong and sticks together. Hanna came nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey made landfall northeast of Corpus Christi. Hanna was not expected to be as destructive as Harvey, which killed 68 people and caused an estimated $125 billion in damage in Texas. First responders in Corpus Christi proactively placed barricades near intersections to have them ready to go if streets began to flood, Mayor Joe McComb said. More than 43,700 people throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, were without power Saturday evening, according to AEP Texas. Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where health officials made headlines when they revealed that 60 infants tested positive for COVID-19 from July 1 to July 16. Farther south in Cameron County, more than 300 confirmed new cases have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks, according to state health figures. The past week has also been the countys deadliest of the pandemic. Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna loomed as the first big test. South Texas officials plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind and incorporate social distancing guidelines and mask wearing. Gov. Greg Abbott said Saturday that some sheltering would take place in hotel rooms so people could be separated. We cannot allow this hurricane to lead to a more catastrophically deadly event by stoking additional spread of COVID-19 that could lead to fatalities, Abbott said. Cameron County planned to open at least three evacuation shelters. Other counties and cities throughout South Texas had also opened shelters, with many requiring face masks. Various resources and personnel to respond to the storm were on standby across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft. Mobile teams that can continue testing for COVID-19 were also being deployed. Abbott said he has issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties in Texas and had asked the federal government to approve a similar declaration. Tornadoes were also possible Saturday for parts of the lower to middle Texas coastal plain, forecasters said. A hurricane warning remained in effect for Port Mansfield to Port Aransas, which is near Corpus Christi, and a tropical storm warning was in effect from Port Mansfield south to Barra el Mezquital, Mexico, and from Port Aransas north to Port OConnor. Mexicos northeasternmost states, coastal Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon just to its west, also took precautions ahead of the storms arrival. Tamaulipas disinfected shelters to try to avoid spreading COVID-19, the states governor, Francisco Cabeza de Vaca, tweeted. Meanwhile, the civil protection department was sending rescue boats and other equipment to northern Nuevo Leon because heavy rains were expected. David Leon, the national director of the civil protection department, told Milenio TV on Saturday that as many as 800 shelters could be activated in the parts of Mexico that could be affected by Hanna. In the Mexican city of Matamoros, which is in Tamaulipas and across the border from Brownsville, Texas, volunteers were keeping a close eye on Hanna, worried that the storm could affect a makeshift migrant camp near the Rio Grande where about 1,300 asylum seekers, including newborn babies and elderly residents, have been waiting under the U.S. immigration policy informally known as Remain in Mexico. Meanwhile, Douglas was expected to be near the main Hawaiian Islands late Saturday night and will move over parts of the state Sunday and Monday. A hurricane warning was in effect for Oahu County. A woman dubbed 'Bunnings Karen' after berating staff at the hardware store over its face mask policy has struck again, this time lecturing an Australia Post worker. The woman went viral after filming her shocking outburst inside a Bunnings store in the Melbourne suburb of Narre Warren on Friday. She accused staff at the store of abusing her human rights by politely asking her to wear a mask, and was briefly arrested after clashing with police outside. New footage emerged on Sunday of the same woman ranting at a mask-wearing Australia Post worker. 'I do not need a mask. If you could stamp that, it would be wonderful,' the woman says as she approaches the Australia Post counter, her mobile phone camera already recording the startled employee. The anti-mask 'Karen' berated the Australia Post worker (pictured) as he quietly served her What is a 'Karen'? A 'Karen' is a term for a self-righteous woman, sometimes racist and usually middle-aged, who tells people how to do their jobs, asserts their rights and complains to the manager. The term became popular in meme culture on internet forum Reddit to describe problematic women. A Karen meme is often combined with the quote: 'Can I speak to the manager?' The male version of a 'Karen' is sometimes referred to as a 'Kevin'. Advertisement The woman then berates the staff member, telling him he has no authority to ask her to wear a face mask while he quietly serves her. 'I suggest you update yourself on what the Department of Human Services have put on with regards to masks and who needs to wear them,' she says sternly. 'And who also has the authorisation to actually ask for that evidence? Because it's not you. Thank you.' Video of the woman's extraordinary rant inside a Bunnings store was posted to Facebook on Sunday as Victoria recorded 459 new coronavirus cases and ten deaths. 'It's a breach of the charter of human rights,' she said as she aggressively filmed the staff on her mobile phone and threatened to sue them for discrimination. The woman filmed staff during the dispute and refused to stop despite the calm requests of a male employee. Other videos posted on Facebook show the woman later being arrested by two police officers outside in the Lauderdale Road car park. She eventually revealed she had a medical exemption for not wearing a mask after a drawn-out standoff with police. When more officers arrived at the scene, the woman had her handcuffs taken off but launched into a debate with officers as to why her arrest was unlawful. Australia Post Karen is believed to be the same woman who berated Bunnings Narre Warren staff (pictured) after being asked to wear a face mask She claimed legislation in place allowing police to arrest her was not voted upon by Australians or approved by the monarch. 'You're talking about legislation that hasn't been presented to parliament three times, we the people haven't given our consent to act under it, and it hasn't been consented by the queen,' she said. 'That legislation is fraudulent. It doesn't apply to me.' Growing impatient, the sergeant said he was not going to argue over her 'opinion' about the law. 'That's your personal belief, but that is not the law we work under,' he said. 'I am not going enter into an argument about what you believe the law is. That is a conversation between you and the judicial system.' Bunnings Chief Operating Officer Deb Poole told 7 News the woman's actions were 'completely unacceptable'. 'The customer's behaviour towards our team was completely unacceptable and we're proud of the way our team calmly and professionally handled the situation,' she said. 'The vast majority of customers visiting our Melbourne stores are doing the right thing and wearing a mask, which is required under the law and our conditions of entry.' Victoria's total coronavirus cases showing the number of new cases per day, as of Sunday In a video posted to Facebook on Saturday, an irate woman told Victoria Police she would sue them for 'armed kidnapping' if they arrested her after she refused to give her name A new law mandating the compulsory wearing of face masks in Melbourne came into effect on Thursday as Victoria battles to control an outbreak of coronavirus. Police have the power to issue $200 on the spot fines for anyone who breaches the new rules. The videos are the latest confrontation between citizens and police over COVID-19 restrictions. On Saturday, footage of a different woman threatening to sue two Victorian officers who arrested her for refusing to tell them her name went viral. She started filming the incident after police approached her and her male friend and asked why they weren't wearing masks. The officers are heard patiently telling the pair that it is now illegal to be outside without a face covering in the Victorian capital. The woman launches into a rant lasting several minutes in which she berates police while yelling 'I do not consent' when they try to issue her with a $200 fine. She demands the names of the two officers - Senior Constable Phil Gibby and Constable Jared Cavanagh - who appear shocked by her aggressive behaviour. The officers say she will have to come to the station to be identified if she refuses to give her name. 'We don't consent and if you do arrest us we will be suing you for armed kidnapping,' she said. Victoria Police said they were aware of 'a number of videos circulating' but refused to comment on 'the specifics of every individual infringement.' Wearing a face mask is a health issue, not a human rights issue: Daniel Andrews Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has slammed 'selfish' mask dodgers. He told reporters on Sunday that wearing face masks is not a human rights issue and that lives were at stake. The Victorian Government has mandated public face masks in an attempt to bring the devastating outbreak under control. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has mandated mask wearing to help get Victoria's spiraling case numbers under control, and to save lives Police have the right to fine people in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire $200 for refusing to wear a mask. 'If those directions are not followed, police are able to fine you. It is a $200 fine. It should never come to that,' Premier Andrews said. 'If it was a genuine error, a sense of any confusion police use good judgement. 'But if you are just making a selfish choice that your alleged personal liberty, quoting some, I don't know, something you've read on some website this is not about human rights. 'There are 10 families that are going to be burying someone in the next few days. 'Wear a mask it's not too much to ask.' Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth also slammed those refusing to wear a face mask. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Nick Coatsworth urged people to mask up Dr Coatsworth compared 'Bunnings Karen' to those who threaten health workers in hospitals. 'That sort of behaviour has to stop. I acknowledge that wearing a mask can be difficult,' Dr Coatsworth said. Dr Coatsworth said wearing a mask is like the 'icing on the cake' to cut the transmission rate down, along with social distancing, hand hygiene and staying home. Premier Andrews praised the number of people doing the right thing by wearing masks, including in regional Victoria where it is not yet compulsory. Roughly one third of coronavirus cases are in young people aged under 30, ABC news reported. VICTORIAN HEALTH CARE WORKERS SICK Victoria now has 381 health care workers with active coronavirus infections, the Department of Health and Human Services said on Sunday. Premier Andrews said this puts a strain on the hospital system, however there is a plan to make up the shortfall with: - 200 off-roster paramedics and third-year students doing contact tracing - 20 Defence Force personnel working with Ambulance Victoria paramedics, increasing to 150 over the next 10 days - 4000 current and retired midwives have volunteered to help - 800 extra health professionals have been deployed Advertisement Another video posted on Facebook shows 'Bunnings Karen' later arrested by two police officers outside in the Lauderdale Road car park VICTORIA'S COVID-19 NUMBERS FOR JULY 26 * 459 new cases, and the 21st consecutive day of a triple-digit increase, taking active cases across the state to 4233. * Ten more deaths, bringing the state's toll to 71 and the national figure to 155. * Their ages range from a man in his 40s to men and women in their 80s. * Seven of the deaths have been linked to aged care outbreaks. * 560 active cases in aged care centres. * 381 active cases among health care workers. * 228 people in hospital and with 42 in intensive care. * 42,973 tests conducted on Saturday. Advertisement On Thursday, a Melbourne man filmed a 22-minute argument with police after refusing to wear a face mask in public. Another woman, Eve Black from Melbourne, shared social media footage of herself driving past an officer at a coronavirus police barricade. Face masks help to cut the transmission of coronavirus by catching droplets of saliva at the mouth and nose, and they can also help stop people from becoming infected from the aerosolised droplet of others. Medical research published in the medical journal The Lancet last month found face masks were 77 per cent effective at stopping infection, while respirators were 96 per cent effective. 'When you are out and about, you cannot tell who is infected and who is not,' said Professor Raina Macintyre, the head of the biosecurity research program at the University of NSW's Kirby Institute said at the time. 'You yourself may be infected and not know it. Especially with the growing evidence of pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission, universal face mask use is an important way to reduce the spread of infection.' The study, called Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis, was a review of 216 coronavirus studies commissioned by the World Health Organisation. The woman was removed from handcuffs after presenting a medical exemption, but then began debating with officers (pictured) about how the arrest was 'unlawful' Eve Black, from Melbourne, shared footage on Thursday of herself driving past an officer at a COVID-19 police barricade Rick Sarre, the Adjunct Professor of Law and Criminal Justice at the University of South Australia, says Australian businesses have the right to require customers to wear face masks. 'Australian law, quite simply, says that private landowners or occupiers can take reasonable steps to protect themselves, their employees and people on their property,' he wrote in The Conversation. CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement 'So it would be legal for businesses - including cafes and supermarkets - to make it a condition of entry that customers wear a mask and sanitise their hands.' As early as March, Australia's medical experts were bewildered by the Australian health authorities' anti-mask stance. Australia's federal Health Department discouraged public face mask wearing for people without symptoms from March until June, despite mounting evidence of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission. Scientists firmly established that coronavirus was spread by asymptomatic people, and that masks reduce transmission by providing a barrier to droplets, but by the end of April, the Health Department along with peak doctors' association the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners were still discouraging mask use. In June, the Health Department advised: 'There is little evidence supporting the widespread use of surgical masks in healthy people to prevent transmission in public.' A shortage of face masks at the start of the pandemic was part of the reason masks were discouraged, despite their usefulness in stopping droplet transmission. Daily Mail Australia has asked the federal Health Department for a response on how it plans to walk back this initial advice which may now be hampering Victoria's efforts to get people to wear masks. A Department of Health Spokesman responded on Monday, saying the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has provided consistent advice on the wearing of masks throughout the pandemic. 'What has changed has been the level of community transmission in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire,' the spokesman said. 'That is why Victoria has mandated the wearing of masks, on top of existing restrictions.' Worldwide, coronavirus cases passed 16.2 million on Sunday with 649,136 dead, 9.9 million recovered and 5.6 million still sick according to Worldometers.com statistics. The USA still has the most cases overall at 4.3 million followed by Brazil at 2.4 million and India at 1.4 million. US signs agreement to help Vietnam strengthen fisheries law enforcement by Toan Dao July 26,2020 | Source: SeafoodSource The U.S. Department of States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Vietnamese Agriculture Ministrys Directorate of Fisheries (DFISH), have entered into a memorandum of understanding in order to strengthen Vietnams fisheries management and law enforcement capabilities. Vietnam Agriculture Ministry Director General Tran Dinh Luan and U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink signed the MoU in Hanoi on 22 July, according to the Directorate of Fisheries. Under the MoU, the INL will provide technical assistance that will enhance the capacity of DFISH and the Vietnamese Department of Fisheries Resources Surveillance (DFIRES) through information and best practices sharing, and the implementation of technical programs and projects. As part of their collaboration, in February next year, INL will transfer a training facility in Vietnams Phu Quoc island to DFIRES, which is expected to enhance human resources capacity for both the department and local fisheries enforcement units in 28 coastal provinces across Vietnam. The MoU will also facilitate cooperation between the U.S. and international law enforcement agencies with Vietnamese counterparts, to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and ensure the sustainability of marine resources. In October 2017, the European Commission issued a yellow card warning to Vietnam for not doing enough to tackle IUU fishing. Vietnams new fisheries law, which went into effect on 1 January, 2019, has already incorporated recommendations made by the E.C. For various reasons, the yellow card status has not been removed yet. The United States has a great deal of experience in managing fisheries and enforcing regulations, which we are more than happy to share, Kritenbrink said. We look forward to working together with Vietnam to strengthen the sustainability of its fisheries and support its fishers against illegal intimidation. The U.S. and Vietnam have since 2015 collaborated to strengthen the latters capacity for fisheries management and enforcement through technical training courses, study visits, and other assistance programs. 2020 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved. Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. Flash Around one million people have been directly affected by raging floods due to heavy rainfall in India's eastern state of Bihar over the past few days, as several railway lines and road routes have been submerged in flooding waters. Several districts including Darbhanga, West Champaran, East Champaran, Sheohar, Supaul, Kishanganj, Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj and Khagaria have been adversely affected by the deluge. Floods in Bihar are a regular affair as the natural tragedy hits several low-lying areas, situated along rivers, every year around monsoons, mainly in months from July-September. A total of 22 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) have been deputed for carrying out the relief and rescue operations. In addition, around 270 community kitchens are functioning catering to about 1.15 lakh people, said media reports quoting sources at Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA). Heavy rainfall over the past few days caused the rivers to swell, leading to breach in embankments at several places. The state government said that repair work would resume only after two-three days, during which the downpour is expected to become less intense. According to an official at the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, help will be sought from the Indian Air Force so that relief material could be dropped for people marooned in places stuck in remote and inaccessible areas. Over flowing waters have inundated the National Highway-28, bringing traffic to a grinding halt. The highway connects parts of Bihar to the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh. COVID-19 Totals Continue Upward Spiral By VOA News July 25, 2020 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a BBC television interview Friday that "in the first few weeks and months" of the coronavirus outbreak his government did not understand the intricacies of the virus. Johnson said "probably, the single thing that we didn't see at the beginning was the extent to which it was being transmitted asymptomatically from person to person." "There are things that we need to learn about how we handled it in the early stages," said Johnson, a recovered COVID-19 patient. "Maybe there were things we could have done differently," he said. Britain has nearly 300,000 infections according to Johns Hopkins University, and almost 46,000 deaths from the virus. Simple decisions that are made every day in nonpandemic times -- such as where to go, what to do and whom to see -- have become "life and death" choices during the outbreak, World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned during a briefing in Geneva. "It may not be your life, but your choices could be the difference between life and death for someone you love or for a complete stranger," he said. Tedros also pushed back on the remarks U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made this week, saying Tedros had been "bought" by China, causing the deaths of people in the coronavirus outbreak. "WHO will not be distracted by these comments and we don't want the international community to be distracted. The biggest threat we face continues to be the politicization of the pandemic. Politics and partisanship have made things worse," the WHO chief said. On Friday, the WHO reported that worldwide infections grew by 284,196 in 24 hours. WHO also said the global death count rose by 9,753 -- the most in one day since April 30. Vietnam has imposed a ban on the import of wildlife and wildlife products. The ban also prohibits markets from selling the products. The measure is designed to avoid the outbreak of another pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak is widely believed to have originated in a wildlife market in China. The top U.S. infectious disease expert called on U.S. states with a resurgence of COVID-19 infections to pause their reopening plans to prevent the further spread of the ailment caused by the novel coronavirus. In an interview Friday with The Washington Post, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said states may not necessarily have to go all the way back to a complete shutdown but added, "You certainly have to call a pause and maybe even a backing up a bit." Fauci also said that for the other states, "Please take a look at the example of what happens when you open in a way that might be too quickly." He said, "Everybody should be trying to reopen America again," but that it should be done in accordance with set guidelines. Fauci also said during the interview he and his family have been receiving death threats and have a security detail assigned to protect them. The U.S. continues to lead the world with COVID infections with 4.1 million cases, followed by Brazil with 2.2 million and India with 1.3 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking cases around the world. There are more than 15.7 million global COVID-19 infections, according to Hopkins, and more than 639,000 deaths. In California, eight prisoners on San Quentin's death row have died. The outbreak has taken up residence in the prison population. Joe Garcia, a prisoner who is also a staff member of the San Quentin News and an editorial liaison for the Prison Journalism Project, has penned an opinion piece for The Washington Post entitled "Inside San Quentin prison, you sit and wait until COVID-19 comes for you." The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said he expects the coronavirus will have a huge impact on migration for years to come. Jagan Chapagain told the French news agency Agence France-Presse that "people will feel compelled to move" when borders open because of lost livelihoods and food insecurity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address So far, senior military commanders of the two armies have held four rounds of talks on disengagement of troops from the friction points in eastern Ladakh with an aim to restore peace and tranquillity in the region. India and China are set to hold a fresh round of high-level military talks next week to work out modalities for withdrawal of Chinese troops from Pangong Tso area in eastern Ladakh, government sources said on Saturday. So far, senior military commanders of the two armies have held four rounds of talks on disengagement of troops from the friction points in eastern Ladakh with an aim to restore peace and tranquillity in the region. The sources said the ongoing engagement and dialogue at military and diplomatic levels have resulted in complete disengagement of troops at patrolling point 14, 15 and 17 A in eastern Ladakh. "A meeting between senior military commanders of the two armies is expected in the coming week to further work out modalities of Pangong Tso lake area," said a source. People familiar with the developments said Chinese military has pulled back from Galwan Valley and certain other friction points but the withdrawal of troops has not moved forward from Finger 5 to Finger 8 in Pangong Tso area as demanded by India. On Friday, the two sides held another round of diplomatic talks on the border issue. After the talks, the ministry of external Affairs said both sides agreed that an early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols was essential for overall development of bilateral relations. The people familiar with the developments said India conveyed a firm message to the Chinese side that it has to implement the disengagement process as agreed to during the four rounds of Corps Commander-level talks between the two militaries. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a nearly two-hour-long telephonic conversation on July 5 to bring down tension in the region. Both sides commenced the disengagement process from July 6 following talks between Doval and Wang who are Special Representatives for the boundary question. After the fourth round of Corps Commander-level talks, the Army said both sides are committed to 'complete disengagement' of troops, adding the process is 'intricate' and it requires 'constant verification'. During a visit to eastern Ladakh last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said progress has been made in the ongoing talks with China to find a solution to the border standoff but he cannot guarantee to what extent it would be resolved. The tension in eastern Ladakh escalated manifold after the violent clashes in Galwan Valley on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35. After the last round of military talks, government sources said the Indian side conveyed a 'very clear' message to the Chinese army that status quo ante must be restored in eastern Ladakh and it will have to follow all mutually agreed protocols for border management to bring back peace and tranquillity. Government sources said India is keeping a hawk eye vigil on all areas along the LAC in Ladakh and will maintain a high-level of alertness to deal with any eventualities. New neo-Nazi groups will continue to emerge as online communities of extremists adapt to government bans, it has been warned. Feuerkrieg Division (FKD) became the sixth far-right network to be proscribed as a terrorist group by the UK earlier this month. Like other emerging neo-Nazi groups, members communicated primarily online, sharing their ideology, propaganda, terror manuals and attack plots under pseudonyms in encrypted chats. Experts told The Independent that the model made it easy for extremists to evolve and move to new networks not covered by the governments ban. Patrik Hermansson, a researcher at Hope Not Hate, said: We will see new names, new groups. FKD have been shut down for months and its done very little to stop them. He warned that existing members had not changed their views, adding: Many have never met each other in real life, theyre from different countries, its complicated to prosecute. Allegedly started by a 13-year-old Estonian boy in 2018, FKD members spanned more than a dozen countries and few met in person. The group announced its own dissolution in February and the Home Office admitted that members remain active through other channels. National Action, which became the first neo-Nazi group banned as a terrorist organisation in Britain in 2016, attempted to split into rebranded regional factions to dodge the same law. But 15 members were jailed for membership of the group after police seized chats revealing their strategy and an email detailing plans to shed one skin for another. Analysts say membership will be harder to prove for FKD, which did not organise real-world meetings, protests, events and training in the same way. 'Miss Hitler' and fellow neo-Nazis convicted of National Action membership Raffaello Pantucci, a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), likened it to a floating mass of people who coalesce online around a Telegram [encrypted chat] group. Theyre constantly mutating and changing because its so easy to do online, he added. What the government seems to be doing is trying to crack down on it using traditional measures like proscription and Im not sure thats relevant, because its no longer an organisation in the same way Im not sure its going to move the dial on the threat. Mr Pantucci said online networks contained a range of international neo-Nazis, from hardened adherents, running off to training camps in Russia and Ukraine, to kids sitting in their bedrooms all over the world. The new entry for FKD on the UKs list of banned terrorist organisations said it had members across Europe and North America, and had promoted essays advocating the use of violence and mass murder in pursuit of an apocalyptic race war. It acknowledged that most activity was online but said members had distributed violent, racist and antisemitic propaganda. It said two alleged members had so far been arrested in the UK, and that in the US members had been charged with planning to bomb a synagogue, news network and attack members of the LGBT+ community. Experts say that FKDs ideology was similar to other neo-Nazi groups, including the US-based Atomwaffen Division, and that materials providing core inspiration were easily available online. Matthew Feldman, director of the Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right, said they drew from American neo-Nazi James Masons Siege culture. In his book, Politics, Intellectuals, and Faith, he said Mason had been calling for lone wolf terror attacks by neo-Nazis since the 1980s. Mason was the first to systematically advocate what are now understood as lone wolf, or self-activating terrorist, attacks by fascist revolutionaries, Mr Feldman said. The far right in the UK Show all 10 1 /10 The far right in the UK The far right in the UK British Union Jack flags are reflected in the sunglasses of a protester during a protest on April 1, 2017 in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The far right in the UK A man holds a St George's Cross flag at a demonstration organised by the far-right group the English Defence League in central London on June 24, 2017 Tolga Akmen/AFP The far right in the UK A man is pictured with police officers at a demonstration organised by the far-right group the English Defence League (EDL) in central London on June 24, 2017 Tolga Akmen/AFP The far right in the UK A Neo-Nazi chats amicably with a police officer at a demonstration organised by the far-right group the English Defence League in central London Tolga Akmen/AFP The far right in the UK Supporters of the far-right group Britain First wave flags as they march and rally in central London on April 1, 2017 following the March 22 terrorist attack on the British parliament Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP The far right in the UK Police walk ahead of supporters of the far-right group Britain First marching in central London on April 1, 2017 Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP The far right in the UK Protesters hold placards and British Union Jack flags during a protest titled 'London march against terrorism' on April 1, 2017 in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The far right in the UK A woman wearing a Donald Trump campaign hat hugs another woman during a protest titled 'London march against terrorism' on April 1, 2017 Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The far right in the UK A protester waves a British Union Jack with an 'England' tattoo on his arm during a protest on April 1, 2017 in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The far right in the UK Anti-Semitic demonstrators attend a rally on Whitehall in central London on July 4, 2015 Jack Taylor/AFP Far-right ideologues have been the most consistent champions of this embrace of both lone-wolf terrorism and online extremism. Mr Hermansson said government proscription had disrupted successive neo-Nazi groups but not changed their core aims. Its a problem, it hasnt been 100 per cent effective, he added. We are seeing the proliferation of easier access to very extreme material through Telegram, for example. Its very easy to take the first step, easier than ever before. Social media giants have increased action against far-right accounts in the past year and taken several high-profile figures off mainstream platforms. But many continue to openly operate accounts despite being reported, including one of the founders of National Action. The government said it could proscribe aliases of banned organisations and that other terror laws can be used against people committing offences. Proscription can also be used to seize assets, for immigration powers and to stop fundraising. A Home Office spokesperson said: This government is taking action to stop the spread of extreme ideologies that glorify terrorism and threaten our communities, and will use all the tools available to us. Proscription is vital in disrupting the activities of terrorist groups, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support proscribed organisations and those masquerading under different names. By David Tizzard David Tizzard In a democratic society, one normally assumes that an individual is given certain freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and freedom to assemble. That little space inside our head where thoughts appear and circulate is deemed off limits to the government. Article 19 of the South Korean constitution declares a freedom of conscience and that no citizen be forced to make public their inner thoughts. It is a sacred place: A sanctuary to which we can retreat from the overwhelming barrage of narratives and messages thrown at us by social media. There is no policeman in our head. Yet last week in South Korean domestic politics the public was treated to one of the most peculiar stories in the modern age. A politician being elected to a ministerial post was asked publically about his ideological beliefs stretching back to the 1980s. If that doesn't sound too strange, one needs to consider the identity of those taking part in the Korean inquisition (After all, no-one expects it). The one asking the questions was Thae Young-ho. Thae was the former North Korean deputy Ambassador to the United Kingdom before defecting with his family to the South in 2016. Thae was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the Conservative Party following his comprehensive victory in the Gangnam district. He is the first North Korean defector to win a constituency seat in South Korea. Thae Young-ho changed his name to Thae Gu-min while in South Korea -- a name signaling his desire to "save the citizens." He has been openly critical of the North Korean regime since his defection who, in return, have labeled him "human scum". Despite being an authoritative voice on the North and their diplomatic practices (his book "Cryptography From the Third Floor Secretariat" became a best seller here in South Korea), he was forced to apologize in May of this year having completely misjudged events in Pyongyang. An absent Kim Jong-un brought a great deal of speculation about his health, his role, the rise of his sister Kim Yo-jong and more. Thae claimed, with some authority, that Kim Jong-un was unable to "stand up by himself or walk properly". Many hung on his words, believing him to be a vital source of information about a state clouded in secrecy and -- more importantly -- propaganda. However, Thae was shown to be incorrect in his claims as Kim Jong-un popped up smiling at a fertilizer plant a few days later. As a result, Thae said back in May that he would "promise to do parliamentary activity in a more prudent and modest manner." Last week's events would suggest he might have forgotten that promise. Thae was seen questioning a South Korean politician about his ideological leanings, supposed support of North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, and demanding public statements about what the politician believed vis-a-vis Pyongyang. Lee In-young is President Moon's choice to take over the position of Minister of Unification following Kim Yeon-chul's resignation amidst the controversy regarding defector organizations and the sending of information into the North and Kim Yo-jong's outspoken response. That in itself was a strange event as the South Korean government acquiesced to Kim Yo-jong's tirade and began preventing NGO's from sending rice, bibles, and other materials to the North. Lee was a radical student in his youth (who wasn't?) and a leader of a student-led group in the 1980s which was primarily pro-democracy and, for the most part, pro-unification. In 1987, as protests grew demanding direct presidential elections and amendments to the constitution, Lee was a leader of the Korea University student council, and took part in these. For his role, he was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment. Staunch conservatives see Lee's group, Jeon Dae Hyup, and other more radical ones such as Han Chong Nyun as sleeper groups of Koreans who support the North and look to bring about socialist change. The former was a student-led group; the latter, however, openly supported a Pyongyang-led Korea and was influenced heavily by Marxist readings. So, in simple terms, a North Korean was grilling a South Korean about whether or not he had supported Pyongyang in the past. And, moreover, this was all happening in the National Assembly. 2020 continues to be weird. Do we really have a system in which domestic politics are still influenced by a Cold War ideology and Manichean diptychs where the forces of good are set up and opposed to the forces of evil? Furthermore, following Thae Young-ho's questioning, are Orwellian performative pronouncements of one's ideology still of upmost importance? Lee In-young publically stated during the interrogation that he was not a believer of juche (North Korea's ideology) at the time and neither is he now. That of course didn't stop conservative media such as the JoongAng Ilblo labeling Lee as evasive and ambiguous in his arguments. Freedom of conscience is important -- and defended by law. However, if people are to take roles in which they serve the public, tax payers probably will want to know the beliefs and ideas of those who are given such responsibility. Both things can be held true at the same time. It is a matter of how these are approached. If we take a step back, we realize that members of the South Korean National Assembly are arguing with each other about what they believed thirty to forty years ago instead of doing what they are there to do: serve the people, solve the many societal problems we currently face, and make the world a bit better for those who have entrusted them with the responsibility. The 86 Group (those born in the 1960s and who attended university in the 1980s) and the resulting ideological split still seems to be creating rifts in South Korean politics. But it's 2020. Of course one cannot forget the past or pretend it didn't exist. But the country today is very different from back then - it's now a democracy and the challenges it faces are far different. Perhaps this was Thae's mistake. He was still overly concerned with the declaration of one's ideological leanings rather than one's actual actions and behavior. Regardless of one's private beliefs, South Korea needs politicians and leaders that will solve the problems the country faces: youth unemployment, growing housing prices, high levels of suicide and depression, a tanking economy, a problem accepting multiculturalism when it's not white and willing to assimilate, a disturbing amount of digital sex crimes, and gender conflicts. That, more than anything else, makes it worrying that people who receive tax payer's money are instead grilling each other about their ideological beliefs. Would be nice if they focused on solving some problems instead, wouldn't it? Perhaps if they forgot about their ideologies for a few minutes they might even be able to work together and, you know, help create a society in which the citizens can be happy and content. Imagine that! David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University, where he teaches Korean Studies, and he is an adjunct professor at Hanyang University lecturing in World History and Political Science. He discusses the week's hottest issues on TBS eFM (101.3FM) on "Life Abroad" live every Thursday from 9:35-10 a.m. TROPHIES Northampton County Council took action this week to expand broadband access in the county. The council designated part of a COVID-19 relief grant to help school districts, nursing homes, seniors and veterans with their WiFi and equipment needs. The county received more than $27 million of CARES Act money from the state, and will devote $825,000 to expand broadband access. The lions share will go to schools districts, to help them with virtual classes. $175,000 will be used to buy WiFi and equipment for underserved senior citizens and veterans. The city of Bethlehems health bureau and the Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem have set up a safe summer recreation program for kids. The Fun and Fitness program runs from 10 a.m. to noon Monday at Clearview Park and switches to L.G. Stewart, Yosko and Elmwood parks during the week. City employees remind kids to keep a safe distance from each other. We need to get kids physically active. We dont want them socially isolated, said Sherri Penchishen, the health bureaus director of chronic disease programs. The free program is open to all ages; children 9 and under must be accompanied by someone 14 or older from their household. Participants must register at the city Recreation Bureaus webpage. Five Easton Area High Schools students made a splash at the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Experience. Among those who competed in the online event were Makenna Swartz, Dan Simboli and Adil Ansari, who took first place in mobile app development in the FBLA National Awards Program. It was the second straight year an Easton team won the mobile app category. Karolina Kotlarz placed second in the database design and application category. Justin Tran took seventh in computer applications. Preservationists working to save the historic Meadows Road Bridge in Lower Saucon Township were elated when state officials accepted its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The state Historic Preservation Board approved the recommendation in June and sent it to the National Park Service. The 168-year-old, four-arch stone bridge on the Saucon Creek had been scheduled for replacement by Northampton County, which owns it. The National Register designation doesnt prevent the owner from demolishing it, but backers are hoping it will rally public support for its preservation. TURKEYS Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, a transgendered woman, has had to endure hate messages and ridicule as she has guided the states efforts to contain COVID-19. This week Gov. Tom Wolf came to her defense when a mocking transphobic image showed up on the Facebook page of the Bloomsburg Fair Association. Photos were posted of a man at a dunk tank wearing a dress and wig, impersonating Levine at a fundraiser at the fair. Dr. Levine? Thank you, you were a hit and raised a lot of money for the local fire companies. Wonder why so many were trying to dunk you, said the Fair Associations post. Wolf condemned hate and transphobia that has been directed at Levine. The Fair Association removed the post and apologized, calling it a serious lapse in judgment. Amid the ongoing political drama in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday (July 25) said that Congress MLAs will meet President Ram Nath Kovind and also hold a sit-in outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, if needed, to 'save' democracy in the state. Gehlot made the statements on a day when hundreds of Congress workers took to streets in different parts of Rajasthan, protesting against the 'conspiracy' hatched by the BJP to topple Gehlot-led government in the state. The Congress workers also demanded that Governor Kalraj Mishra should call a session of the state Assembly as demanded by CM Gehlot. Addressing a Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Saturday at Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, CM Gehlot declared that his government would approach President Kovind if the Governor fails to call a session of Assembly. During the CLP, Gehlot hinted that he was planning to call for a floor test in order to show that he still has the support of majority of MLAs in 200-member Rajasthan Assembly. "He said the government has the majority and wants to go to the assembly floor," a statement issued by Congress chief whip Mahesh Joshi after the CLP meeting said. "The chief minister asked us to remain prepared to stay longer at the hotel. If required, he said, we would go to meet the President and would also hold a dharna outside the prime minister's residence," a Congress leader told PTI. The political tussle in Rajasthan started few days ago after CM Gehlot's former dpeuty Sachin Pilot rebelled against the party with 18 of his loyalist MLAs. Pilot and these MLAs also defied the party whip to attend CLP meetings. The Congress government is pushing for a session of the Assembly so that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot can prove his majority on the floor of the House after the Rajasthan High Court on Friday ordered that status quo should be maintained on the disqualification notices sent out by the Speaker to rebel leader Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd (AMNSIL) has filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court against the Government of Gujarat and Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd seeking the transfer of Hazira port licence in its name. Within days of acquiring Essar Steel under an insolvency process, AMNSIL had made an application to the Gujarat Maritime Board requesting that the licence be transferred to them. While the government is yet to decide on the matter, the firm has approached the court stating that the Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd (EBTL) holds captive licence as a nominee or trustee, according to the petition filed under Article 226. ArcelorMittal did not respond to email and phone calls made for comments. Essar Steel owns a 10 million tonnes per annum steel plant at Hazira in Gujarat, which is serviced by a captive jetty constructed at port. "The petitioner is seeking the reversion of the captive jetty licenses," AMNSIL said in its petition, claiming it was a captive user of the jetty and intended beneficiary under all the licences and expansions. "EBTL is not an independent licensee... but merely a 'nominee' and 'trustee', holding the two licences on behalf of and in trust for petitioner's exclusive use and benefit," it said adding Essar Steel has ceased to be same group companies and therefore EBTL no longer stands eligible and does not possess any right as a license holder of the captive jetty. Essar Bulk Terminal Limited has denied this stating that it is an independent company and there exists no nominee or trustee relationship between the companies. In the Supreme Court approved resolution plan submitted by ArcelorMittal for Essar Steel under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, ArcelorMittal had asked for directions to be given to the Gujarat Maritime Board and Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd asking them to continue the port services at Hazira on the same terms and conditions. What has changed since then is not clear. When contacted, an Essar Ports executive said, "It is regrettable that ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel would pursue such a frivolous and legally untenable claim. ArcelorMittal has been doing this habitually but what is surprising to us is that Nippon Steel is also supporting such an approach. Their claim is in violation of the signed agreements between the parties and is also in violation of the Supreme Court approved resolution plan submitted by them. Their sole objective appears to be to profiteer unlawfully. We are confident that the judicial authorities will see through their malafides and deal with the petition accordingly." ArcelorMittal had earlier also opposed Essar Bulk Terminal Limited's decision to opt in under the new port policy of the Government of Gujarat. As per sources, the Gujarat Government has currently put the implementation of the new port policy in abeyance due to ArcelorMittal representations. Essar Bulk Terminal Ltd has also complained to the Government of Gujarat that ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel are defaulting on payments of over Rs 450 crore which are owed to the port. When asked, an Essar Ports executive confirmed that the Hazira port was not part of insolvency proceedings which was only for the steel plant. Investment of the steel company in the port was only Rs 1.3 crore of the total investment of Rs 3,200 crore, the executive said. According to the executive, 10 ports in Gujarat have opted in to the new port policy and not implementing the policy will cause the Gujarat government to lose potential revenue of more than Rs 2,000 crore from Essar Bulk Terminal Limited by way of additional wharfage and premium payments. Also Read: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram district court for 'wrongful' firing of employee Also Read: Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls likely to open; metro trains, schools to remain shut Inside Hook Until very recently, the government of North Korea has contended that there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 within its borders. This has met with a skeptical reception in the scientific community. Given that North Korea shares borders with South Korea and China, both countries that have been grappling with the coronavirus for months, it has struck many as implausible that the pandemic would have bypassed the nation completely. Whether or not North Korea had cases of COVID-19 in the past, it seems to have at least one now. The Associated Press reports that the city of Kaesong, located near the border between North and South Korea, is now in a state of lockdown. What prompted this reaction? A resident of the city had shown symptoms of the disease. (Natural News) According to a coalition of over 180 human rights groups, many of the worlds biggest fashion brands and retailers are complicit in the forced labor and human rights violations perpetrated on millions of Uyghur people in Chinas Xinjiang region. The Chinese government has been accused of committing a wide range of atrocities against the Uyghur people. These include torture, forced separation and even forced sterilization of Uyghur women. Despite these atrocities, however, the Coalition to End Forced Labor in the Uyghur Region says that many of the worlds leading clothing brands continue to source cotton and yarn produced through a state-sponsored system of forced labor in the region. With up to 1.8 million Uyghurs, as well as other Turkic and Muslim people, living in prison camps, farms and factories across Xinjiang, this system is the largest forced labor system since World War II, according to the coalition. Brands continue to source from Xinjiang China is the largest cotton producer in the world, and 84 percent of its cotton comes from the Xinjiang region. Cotton and yarn from the region are also used extensively in other key garment-producing countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh. In addition, factories in the region also supply face masks and other personal protective equipment to countries around the globe. According to the coalition, global fashion brands source so extensively from Xinjiang that its virtually certain that as many as one in five cotton products on retail stores around the globe are tainted by the forced labor and human rights violations in the region. Virtually the entire [global] apparels industry is tainted by forced Uyghur and Turkic Muslim labor, said the coalition in a statement issued today. The coalition also released an extensive list of brands that it claims continue to source cotton and yarn from the region, or from factories connected to the Uyghur forced labor. These include Gap, Adidas, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. In addition, the coalition said that many more leading clothing brands have continued to maintain lucrative strategic partnerships with Chinese companies, even accepting subsidies from Beijing to expand textile production in the region. There is a high likelihood that every high street and luxury brand runs the risk of being linked to what is happening to the Uyghur people, said Chloe Cranston, business and human rights manager at Anti-Slavery International. As part of their call to action, the coalition says that the global clothing and apparel industry must, within a year, remove all products and materials linked to forced labor in the Xinjiang region. That said, at least one of the signatories of the call to action has conceded that brands have no credible way of proving that their supply chains are free of forced labor from the region. Forced laborers in the Uyghur region face vicious retaliation if they tell the truth about their circumstances, explained Scott Nova, executive director of the Workers Rights Consortium. This makes due diligence through labor inspections impossible and virtually guarantees that any brand sourcing from the Uyghur region is using forced labor. An apparel brand that claims to know, with confidence, that all the farms and factories it uses in the region are free of forced labor is either deeply cynical or misinformed, he added. Previous calls have resulted in some action, but more is needed The coalitions petition is just the latest to call for companies to halt sales of products linked to forced labor from Xinjiang. This past April, a group of human rights lawyers calling themselves the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) provided evidence to Her Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the U.K.s tax collection agency that brands including H&M and Ikea were selling products in the U.K. that contained cotton and yarn from Xinjiang. GLAN argued that the sales of products linked to forced labor in Xinjiang breached several U.K. laws and should, therefore, be halted. (Related: There is a holocaust taking place in China right now and the world is silent, including the NBA.) Responding to the accusations, H&M and Ikea stated that they would stop buying cotton from Xinjiang. Now, in response to the latest call to action, more companies are responding, claiming to either not source goods from the region, or saying that they will stop doing so. In a statement, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger owner PVH Corporation said that it did not source garments from Xinjiang. It also claimed that it would cease all business relationships with any factories and mills that use cotton grown in the region within the next 12 months. Adidas has also claimed that it does not source goods from Xinjiang, while also saying that it has instructed suppliers to avoid sourcing yarn from the region. Coalition members, however, say that these and other moves like them are not sufficient and that a complete overhaul of the industrys links to Xinjiang needs to be undertaken. This isnt just about direct supply chain links, its about how the global apparels sector is helping prop up and facilitate the system of human rights abuses and forced labor, says Cranston. There needs to be a deep and thorough interrogation of how brands and retailers are linked to what is happening at scale to the Uyghur people. Learn more about the human rights abuses China inflicts on its citizens at Tyranny.news. Sources include: BlackListedNews.com TheGuardian.com 1 TheGuardian.com 2 EndUyghurForcedLabour.org Did Karl Marx turn in his grave? Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma is a member of Chinas Communist Party! China's Alibaba will not invest in India for at least 6 months: Report Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram court on former employee's complaint India oi-Madhuri Adnal Gurugram, July 26: In a major development, Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma has been summoned by a Gurugram court after the company's former employee alleged that he was fired for objecting censorship and fake news on company's applications. The case is filed in Gurugram district court and Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand has issued a summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen others, and has asked them to appear on July 29, as per reports. The judge has also sought written responses from the company, Reuters reported. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News Alibaba Group set for 'big challenge' as Jack Ma steps down as chairman Parmar, who was an employee of the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017, is seeking $268,000 in damages, according to court documents. "We are unwavering in its commitment to the Indian market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation," UC India stated in a statement. ''The lawsuit also contains a "sensitive words list" with key words in Hindi and English like "India-China border" and "Sino-India war" that the court filing alleges were used by UC Web to censor content on its platforms in India,'' Reuters reported. Last month, the Home Ministry had banned 59 Chinese mobile apps including UC News, UC Browser amidst border tensions between the two countries. Welsh Ambulance Service commends Armed Forces for its contribution to Covid-19 effort This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jul 26th, 2020 The Welsh Ambulance Service has extended its thanks to the Armed Forces for its support through the Coronavirus pandemic. Over 100 British Army soldiers have been assisting the Trusts Covid-19 effort since April by driving and decontaminating ambulance vehicles as part of Operation Rescript. Among them are soldiers from the 1st Battalion The Rifles, 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh and 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment. Yesterday the Trust presented commemorative plaques to 1st Battalion The Rifles at Chepstows Beachley Barracks as a thank you gesture. Lee Brooks, director of operations, said: We have a long-standing relationship with the military and were very fortunate to have enlisted their support through the pandemic. Having them on board put us in the best possible position during what has been probably the most challenging period in our history. Their presence has been well received by colleagues and patients alike, and we were thrilled to visit the Barracks and present them with a token of our appreciation. Chief Executive Jason Killens added: Were proud and grateful to have the military working alongside our staff in the collective effort against Covid-19. Their support has not only strengthened our existing relationships with the Armed Forces community but has opened up new opportunities for collaboration in future. We hope that their glimpse into the world of the ambulance service has been as rewarding an experience for them as it has been for us. More than 20,000 military personnel have been tasked with supporting public services across the UK during the pandemic as part of a COVID Support Force. Their support of the Welsh Ambulance Service, under what is known as Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA), is now drawing to a close. Brigadier Andrew Dawes CBE has been the military commander for Wales during the Covid-19 response. The Armed Forces in Wales are hugely proud to have supported the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust in the collective fight against Covid-19, he said. It has proved a very rewarding experience for our soldiers, who have learnt a huge amount from supporting the paramedics on over 6,000 call-outs. We have built an excellent working relationship with NHS Wales and have been truly humbled by their selfless commitment and dedication during such a difficult time. To have played a small part in this has been a real privilege. Afghanistan has written to the UN Security Council over continued violations of its territory by Pakistani military forces and said it will ask the 15-nation UN body to take necessary measures and actions to end them if the situation is not de-escalated bilaterally. Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Adela Raz wrote to the President of the Security Council, Germany, to report on the most recent violations of the Afghan territory by Pakistan's military forces and said the incursion" represents a reiteration of violations as Kabul had previously expressed its concerns to the Security Council in February and August 2019. Raz said in the letter that on July 15, Pakistan military forces began unprovoked artillery attacks against Afghan border posts and civilian residential areas in the Sarakano and Asad Abad districts of Kunar Province. The attacks included 12 heavy artillery strikes targeting Asad Abad district and more than 160 artillery rounds fired at Sarakano district. In addition to four casualties among members of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, the attacks claimed the lives of six civilians, including two women, and eight injuries and resulted in significant damage to civilian property. We would like to once again reiterate, as we have in previous communications, that the issue of violations of Afghan territory by Pakistani military forces has continued despite numerous appeals made to the Government of Pakistan, bilaterally and through other measures, to cease their illegal and provocative activities in our sovereign territory. In that regard, the government of Afghanistan expresses, once again, its strong condemnation of Pakistan's failure to adhere to its obligations under the principles of the Charter of the United Nations as well as international law and international humanitarian law, she said in the letter. Raz said the Afghan Government is currently working to de-escalate the situation bilaterally, but should this fail, it will call on the Security Council to take measures and actions necessary to bring about an end to the violations identified above. She also requested that the letter of complaint regarding Pakistan's continued activities be circulated as a document of the Security Council and kept on record for reference should attempts at de-escalating prove unfruitful. Image credits: AP Hiring more women for top-level roles could help Britains biggest companies make billions of pounds in extra profits. Firms listed on the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indexes that had no women on their executive committees missed out on 47billion last year, according to gender diversity consultancy The Pipeline. Its research also found that 15 per cent of major companies had no women in any of their top roles. Gender diversity consultancy The Pipeline's research also found that 15 per cent of major companies had no women in any of their top roles The calculations used a measure called net profit margin which estimates how much each pound of revenue translates into profit. Companies with no women on their highest committees had a net profit margin of 1.5 per cent. But those who had women in 33 to 50 per cent of the top roles had an increased net profit margin of 15.2 per cent. If all companies had the same higher profit margins in the 12 months to April this year, they would have made an extra 47billion in profit. Former prime minister Theresa May said: Whenever data reveals a disparity of outcome between groups, the challenge to those in power should be to explain it or change it. There can be no good explanation for the massive underrepresentation of women at the top of British business, so it must change. She added: Every single male CEO who looks around his boardroom table to see nine out of ten male faces staring back at him needs to ask himself what he is doing to make his business one in which his daughter or granddaughter can get on in. During her time as prime minister, Mrs May introduced a legal requirement for all firms with more than 250 employees to report their gender pay gaps. Theresa May introduced a legal requirement for all firms with more than 250 employees to report their gender pay gaps during her time as prime minister Executive committees are different to a companys board of directors and members are usually in so-called C-suite roles such as the chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Gender diversity has become a hot topic in the City in recent years. But The Pipelines analysis suggests many firms could miss targets set by the Government-backed Hampton-Alexander Review. The review is pushing for women to make up at least a third of boards, executive committees and those reporting to the committee at FTSE 350 companies by the end of this year. The Pipelines research also found that firms where women were in the most powerful roles tended to have more women at the top table. FTSE 350 firms with a female boss had an average of one in three women on their executive committees. Overall, the percentage of women on top teams was 19.8 per cent 2.7 per cent higher than last year. Azerbaijanis and Armenians have engaged in fights and violent rampages in Moscow following recent cross-border clashes between the two Caucasus nations. Moscow police said on July 25 that they had arrested more than 30 people on charges of involvement in fights and disturbances. On the same day, in St. Petersburg, police detained dozens in a bid to prevent another outbreak in clashes between members of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities. The spate of violent incidents apparently began when groups of Azerbaijanis beat up Armenians in Moscow early on July 24 and later attacked Armenian-owned stores. An amateur video posted on the Internet showed several men smashing a car with Armenian license plates and beating up its driver. Russia's state-run TASS news agency quoted law enforcement as saying on July 24 that a group of Azerbaijanis had attacked a store selling construction materials belonging to Armenians in Moscow's Salaryevo district. On the same day, seven Armenians attacked an Azerbaijani restaurant on Bratislava Street. Armenians and Azerbaijanis then engaged in fights and attacked each other's shops and restaurants across the Russian capital. Calls For Restraint Calls for restraint from Armenian and Azerbaijani diplomats and other officials didn't seem to have any effect and the brawls have continued. The Armenians' Union in Russia said that officials from the country's Federal Security Service, the top KGB successor agency, held a meeting on July 24 with representatives of the Armenian community to discuss the street clashes and promised that the instigators of violence would be punished. The incidents in Moscow follow renewed fighting on the border between the two South Caucasus neighbors earlier this month. Fighting broke out on July 12, and at least 12 Azerbaijani soldiers, including a general, and four Armenian servicemen died before the clashes involving artillery fire and drone attacks largely stopped several days later. Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the late 1980s and early 1990s as they transitioned into independent countries amid the dissolution of the Soviet Union. About 30,000 people were killed. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan but is controlled by Christian Armenian separatists. Russia, the United States, and France are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which acts as a mediator in resolving the crisis. The group has been struggling for years to mediate a solution. With reporting by the RFE/RL's Armenian and Azerbaijani services and AP The Robinhood app kicked off a race to zero commissions among many stock trading platforms. In leading that trend, it has built a loyal following of passionate investors eager to carve out their own success in the market. Its user base has grown from one million to 13 million in just four years, despite new competition and some highly-publicized app crashes. Robinhood's "100 Most Popular" stock collection -- based on the number of users who hold a particular stock through the app -- includes some risky names such as Genius Brands. Interestingly, the list also has some intriguing, beaten-down companies that could be ripe for a comeback. Here are two that look promising. 1. Flying with Boeing For Boeing (NYSE:BA), a combination of authorities grounding the 737 MAX and COVID-19 dissolving air travel demand has been extremely difficult. Issues with the best-selling aircraft have cost the company $18.4 billion dollars in various losses and write-offs. The fallout of that crisis led to former CEO Dennis Muilenburg's dismissal in Dec. 2019, and the iconic manufacturer has shed nearly 50% of its market cap year to date. And even if the 737 MAX were recertified, few passengers are flying. Brighter days, however, could be ahead. Through this year of headwinds, Boeing's order backlog still stands at over 5,000 planes. The global duopoly it shares with Airbus ultimately gives Boeing enviable demand inelasticity, even in historically tough times. Competition simply cannot go anywhere else as Airbus has its own production backlog with thousands of aircraft to work through. Many airlines will stay in line for their Boeing orders to avoid running into shortages as the industry likely recovers in the coming years. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finished a series of test flights this month to get the MAX back in the air, and the company hopes that will happen by the end of 2020. TSA checkpoint data remains well off pre-pandemic levels, but travel has risen materially from 100,000 daily passengers in April to 700,000 in mid-July. Progress in the race to discover a coronavirus vaccine would aid Boeing's rally more than any in-house initiative. In a recent interview, Dr. Anthony Fauci reiterated his prediction that the U.S. will have at least one approved vaccine by year-end. Boeing stock has managed to recover over 80% from the lows hit in March, but it remains depressed, offering a good entry point for long-term investors. 2. Cruising with Royal Caribbean Cruising is one of the few industries to be hit even harder by COVID-19 than aviation. Earlier this month, the CDC extended its prohibition on cruising through the end of September, and that means more months with no revenue for cruise companies. The publicly-traded operators like Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL) are fundamentally similar, but the latter is best positioned to endure the pandemic (though all three stocks made it onto Robinhood's top 100). In its first quarter earnings release, the company "estimated its cash burn to be, on average, in the range of approximately $250 million to $275 million per month during a prolonged suspension of operations." Royal Caribbean's cash position of $3.3 billion dollars following its senior secured notes offering means it has a full year left of liquidity in a zero-sales environment. But 2021 bookings are actually holding up even without a vaccine: Royal Caribbean reported 2021 reservation volume to date was within historical ranges despite the global health crisis. Furthermore, pricing on bookings is up mid-single digits year over year. With both pricing and bookings activity showing staying power as of this writing, investors can hopefully declare the company has made it through the worst of COVID-19. The cruise stock delivered $9.54 per share in 2019 earnings before the pandemic halted operations. Management had plans to reach $20 in earnings per share by 2025 before the pandemic struck. If it can realize even 20% of that growth goal in the next five years, it would be undervalued. Still, Royal Caribbean stock will be tied to positive and negative vaccine headlines for the remainder of 2020 if not longer. Investors will have to be very patient if contemplating a position in the company. While stocks should not be considered a way to get rich quick, picking quality businesses in times of distress can be a winning strategy. Robinhood users are onto something with these industry leaders, despite the short-term uncertainty. The virus swept through the region like past plagues that have traveled the river with colonizers and corporations. It spread with the dugout canoes carrying families from town to town, the fishing dinghies with rattling engines, the ferries moving goods for hundreds of miles, packed with passengers sleeping in hammocks, side by side, for days at a time. Read: Coronavirus: Your used mask needs to make it to the trash can The Amazon River is South Americas essential life source, a glittering superhighway that cuts through the continent. It is the central artery in a vast network of tributaries that sustains some 30 million people across eight countries, moving supplies, people and industry deep into forested regions often untouched by road. But once again, in a painful echo of history, it is also bringing disease. As the pandemic assails Brazil, overwhelming it with more than 2 million infections and more than 84,000 deaths second only to the United States the virus is taking an exceptionally high toll on the Amazon region and the people who have depended on its abundance for generations. In Brazil, the six cities with the highest coronavirus exposure are all on the Amazon River, according to an expansive new study from Brazilian researchers that measured antibodies in the population. The epidemic has spread so quickly and thoroughly along the river that in remote fishing and farming communities like Tefe, people have been as likely to get the virus as in New York City, home to one of the worlds worst outbreaks. It was all very fast, said Isabel Delgado, 34, whose father, Felicindo, died of the virus shortly after falling ill in the small city of Coari. He had been born on the river, raised his family by it and built his life crafting furniture from the timber on its banks. In the past four months, as the epidemic traveled from the biggest city in the Brazilian Amazon, Manaus, with its high-rises and factories, to tiny, seemingly isolated villages deep in the interior, the fragile health care system has buckled under the onslaught. Cities and towns along the river have some of the highest deaths per capita in the country often several times the national average. Follow: Coronavirus Worldometer | 15 countries with the highest number of cases, deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic Tyler Hicks, a photographer for The New York Times, spent weeks on the river, documenting the spread of the virus. In Manaus, there were periods when every COVID ward was full and 100 people were dying a day, pushing the city to cut new burial grounds out of thick forest. Grave diggers lay rows of coffins in long trenches carved in the freshly turned earth. Down the river, hammocks have become stretchers, carrying the sick from communities with no doctors to boat ambulances that careen through the water. In remote reaches of the river basin, medevac planes land in tiny airstrips sliced into the lush landscape only to find that their patients died while waiting for help. The virus is exacting an especially high toll on Indigenous people, a parallel to the past. Since the 1500s, waves of explorers have traveled the river, seeking gold, land and converts and later, rubber, a resource that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution, changing the world. But with them, these outsiders brought violence and diseases like smallpox and measles, killing millions and wiping out entire communities. This is a place that has generated so much wealth for others, said Charles C. Mann, a journalist who has written extensively on the history of the Americas, and look at whats happening to it. Indigenous people have been roughly six times as likely to be infected with the coronavirus as white people, according to the Brazilian study, and are dying in far-flung river villages untouched by electricity. Even in the best of times, the Amazon was among the most neglected parts of the country, a place where the hand of the government can feel distant, even nonexistent. But the regions ability to confront the virus has been further weakened under President Jair Bolsonaro, whose public dismissals of the epidemic have verged at times on mockery, even though he has tested positive himself. The virus has surged on his governments disorganized and lackluster watch, tearing through the nation. From his first days in office, Bolsonaro has made it clear that protecting the welfare of Indigenous communities was not his priority, cutting their funding, whittling away at their protections and encouraging illegal encroachments into their territory. CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH To the outsider, the thickly forested region along the Amazon River appears impenetrable, disconnected from the rest of the world. But that isolation is deceptive, said Tatiana Schor, a Brazilian geography professor who lives off one of the rivers tributaries. There is no such thing as isolated communities in the Amazon, she said, and the virus has shown that. The boats that nearly everyone relies on, sometimes crowded with more than 100 passengers for many days, are behind the spread of the virus, researchers say. And even as local governments have officially limited travel, people have continued to take to the water because almost everything food, medicine, even the trip to the capital to pick up emergency aid depends on the river. Scholars have long referred to life on the Amazon as an amphibious way of being. (CNN) Florida on Saturday became the US state with the second-highest official coronavirus case count, passing New York, once the country's epicenter early in the pandemic. California, with the most official cases (more than 440,000) and largest population, surpassed New York in case count a few days ago. The states with the most recorded cases now align more closely with population rank. Florida is the country's third-most populous, and New York is fourth. Florida has reported 414,511 cases since the pandemic's start, above New York's 411,200, according to state health agencies. The number of hospitalizations has increased by 79% since the Fourth of July, data from the state's health care administration shows. At least 50 hospital intensive care units in Florida have reached capacity on Saturday, the agency's data shows. Eight of those hospitals are in Miami-Dade County and six in Broward County. Infection rates have been rising, especially in parts of the South and West, and Covid-19 hospitalizations nationwide have neared levels not seen since April. This has moved many states and cities to roll back reopenings, add mask mandates, and wrestle with how or whether to open schools for in-person classes. Yet, case rates are starting to plateau in four states that have seen large increases recently Texas, California, Arizona and Florida Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, said on Friday. Birx compared those states' situations to New York's outbreak in the spring, adding: "It's very serious and it's very real." Texas, the state with the second-highest population, has the fourth-highest official case count at more than 380,000(https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/health/coronavirus-us-maps-and-cases/), according to Johns Hopkins University. More than a third of coronavirus patients feel symptoms for weeks, CDC says Coronavirus symptoms can stick around for weeks, even in otherwise healthy people who don't have a severe case of the virus, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a grim new analysis. The CDC surveyed 292 people who tested positive for the virus, and 35% said they still weren't back to their usual good health even two or three weeks after testing positive. While older people were more likely to feel prolonged symptoms, even young adults without underlying conditions reported feeling unwell for a long period of time, the CDC said. The new understanding into how the virus affects patients comes as more than 4.1 million cases of coronavirus cases and more than 145,700 deaths have been reported in the US, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Health experts have stressed the importance of testing to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus but have also said that people who do not show symptoms can spread of the virus. On Friday, the US Food and Drug Administration announced an emergency use authorization for the first coronavirus diagnostic test specifically backed to catch cases among asymptomatic people and those who have no reason to suspect they have the disease. The test from LabCorp amplifies genetic matter from the virus and has been proven to detect it in asymptomatic people, the FDA said. It can be used on anyone those with symptoms or without. This frees doctors to confidently prescribe tests to more people, and not just those who are showing symptoms or believed to have been exposed, the FDA said. The authorization also allows LabCorp to perform pooled testing of up to five people's samples at a time a process that health experts say could save testing resources and allow easier, broad screening of a community. "FDA's authorization ... is a step toward the type of broad screening that may help enable the reopening of schools and workplaces," FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said in a statement Friday. Vaccine could help, but is a long way off For those hoping to reopen the US after the coronavirus pandemic, vaccines have been a beacon of hope. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that even if a vaccine candidate is successful by year's end, it would be several months well into 2021 before vaccination is widespread. "I think as we get into 2021, several months in, that you would have (a) vaccine that would be widely available to people in the United States," Fauci told the Washington Post's Bob Costa during a Post Live event on Friday. Fauci noted that some companies have said they could have a vaccine available before the end of the year. "I'm a little skeptical about that, but, you know, anything is possible," he told the Post. States still setting records Months into the US coronavirus pandemic, states across the nation are still setting new records for infections and deaths. Oregon, which has mandated face coverings both indoors and outdoors, recorded nine new Covid-19 deaths Friday, its highest number since the outbreak began, according to the state's health department. California also reported its highest number of deaths from coronavirus on Friday, with 159 in a single day. The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 3,787 new Covid-19 cases on Saturday a day after it saw the highest number of new cases reported in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began. As cases rise, many local leaders are enforcing measures to protect against the virus. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that dozens of bars and restaurants in the state face charges related to coronavirus violations just this week. And Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced additional statewide restrictions on social gatherings, bars, restaurants and alcohol sales Friday, citing an increase in COVID-19 cases that are currently stressing the state's hospitals. "We have over 1,600 new cases today. And that number is simply not sustainable. It pushes us towards almost 6,000 new cases in the last four days alone," the governor said at a news conference. "We have to do things a little bit differently. We have to be willing to make sacrifices as a state and as a people." Fauci supports CDC's push to send kids back to school The CDC released guidance Thursday pushing hard for schools to reopen, and Fauci called them "a sound set of guidelines." "I think the CDC has put some good guidance down. I just took a quick look at them before I started in on the program, which was sent to me by my colleagues at the CDC. So I think it's a sound set of guidelines," Fauci told Costa during Friday's Post Live interview. The CDC's guidance had a caveat: That if a community had substantial, uncontrolled virus transmission, schools and health officials should carefully consider closing schools or keeping them closed. The guidance didn't firmly define the threshold. But on Friday, CDC Director Robert Redfield said counties with positivity rates of higher than 5% would be places that might consider keeping schools closed. "But a majority of the nation right now actually has positivity rates that are less than 5%," Redfield said during a phone call with reporters. He said he didn't immediately know precisely how much of the country was under the threshold. The guidelines point to studies showing that children are not at high risk of severe symptoms from coronavirus, as well as to studies showing younger children may not be important vectors for the spread of the virus. "There's still a lot to learn about what the prevalence and incidence of infection is in children," Fauci said. Fauci added the National Institutes of Health has a study underway that is looking at 2,000 families to find, among other things, how frequently children get infected and if they transmit it to adults. It's expected to produce results by December, he said. "Even though we have some information about that, we still need more," Fauci said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Florida surpasses New York to become the state with the second highest number of coronavirus cases." For a county its size, Offaly has had a disproportionate number of confirmed cases of Covid-19. According to figures from the HSE, Offaly has recorded 487 confirmed cases of Covid-19 since March. By way of comparison, Laois has had 267 confirmed cases while Carlow has had just 179. Offaly is in mid-table in Ireland between two much larger counties, Donegal which has had 472 confirmed cases and Galway which has totaled 493. In fact Offaly was very much the centre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Ireland in mid May when the county recorded 93 cases in just two days, a very dangerous rate of increase. At times during the outbreak, the Critical Care Unit in Tullamore Hospital was full with a large number of beds in the hospital being used to treat patients with Covid-19. Since then, the rate of increase in the county has stabilised with only four new cases confirmed since the start of July. Pressure on Tullamore Hospital has also decreased with the hospital now regularly free of any patients with cases of the virus. And based on visits to a number of shops around Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday, it looks like the people of Offaly want to keep it that way. Let's be honest about it, the Government's advice and stand on masks and face coverings has been confusing to say the least at times. In case anyone is still confused, the latest advice in a nutshell is that face coverings should be worn by all customers and staff in shops and shopping centres across the country as of July 16. READ NEXT: Take a tour of this stunning cottage up for sale in idyllic location in Offaly While that advice was slow to filter through in the first week, the rate at which people are wearing face coverings in Offaly is now at a hugely impressive level. Over the weekend, I was in a number of large supermarkets, other large retail outlets and smaller stores. Based on what were the low levels of compliance I had observed the previous week, I was interested to see how much that that had improved this week. To say the improvement was staggering would be nothing short of an understatement. At a busy time in one of the largest supermarkets in Tullamore on Sunday, everyone was wearing a mask... absolutely everyone. That is truly impressive. On Saturday at another supermarket, again at a busy time, I observed just one person not wearing a mask. Over the course of the weekend, I observed just a handful of people in total across all the shops not wearing masks. And contrary to what you might think, it was not the teenagers and twenty-somethings (the ones people assume only care about themselves) who were without them. Everyone I saw in this age group was masked up. It was more people in their thirties and forties who were without face coverings, but again it was a very, very small minority. READ NEXT: Offaly nurse is named 'Frontline Star of the Week' by Irish Independent I spoke to a person during the week who told me about going to get their vehicle an NCT in Tullamore earlier in July. He was the only person in the centre wearing a mask and he described feeling 'awkward' and 'watched' as everyone was looking at him strangely. He felt tempted to take it off. That scenario has now flipped as masks become the social norm with an expectation that people will wear them indoors. And I'll be honest about it, I hate wearing them. I am marginally claustrophobic and it is not enjoyable to have my mouth and nose covered. But that brief discomfort is a small price to pay to further suppress the spread of this nefarious virus. And that seems to be the mantra people in Offaly are adopting. Masks are not a magic wand that is going to make this virus disappear but all the advice suggests they will help slow any spread..... even Donald Trump has reluctantly come on board. So based on what I saw, and it is just a snapshot in time, take a bow people of Offaly and keep up the good work. And before I sign off, a piece of advice. If you have a chewing or a mint before you put on the mask, it makes it a more pleasant experience.... and definitely avoid onions and garlic if your nose and mouth are going to be forced to share the same confined space for an extended period of time. MANZINI Was building material belonging to the state-of-the-art ICC&FISH diverted? A government engineer under the ministry of Economic Planning and Development is alleged to have diverted building material belonging to the international convention centre and five-star hotel in Ezulwini for his enrichment. The engineers name is known to the Times Sunday but will not be published as the matter is still under investigation. The engineer is currently constructing what people claim is a complex, but he yesterday told the Times SUNDAY, the structure is just a car wash. Apart from this, he has been accused of constructing a lavish house in his parental home within a short space of time. He has, however, said the house was constructed as a joint effort by his family including his brothers whom he claimed were working in South Africa. Furthermore, the concerned parties have alleged that the engineers self-development was worrisome as he has also constructed a lavish house in Matsapha which he was leasing out. To this, he said it took him over three years to construct the house in Matsapha, and it was done using several loans. He admitted that despite being a civil servant, he also had a company, which he claimed was awarded tenders by Micro projects. He, however, explained that he abandoned the company after civil servants were banned from operating other businesses. He said he accumulated his wealth together with his wife, who is also a civil servant. He said the wife had been travelling abroad to stock goods which they sold as a family business before the COVID-19 border lockdown restrictions hit. The matter has also been reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Speaking about the allegations of diverted building material, the engineer said all material he used for construction was not sourced from the hotel building material. He said he bought the material from a nearby blockyard company. The blockyard also belongs to a civil servant who is employed as a driver at the ministry of health. To substantiate his evidence, he showed the Times SUNDAY four receipts from a company identified as Wegazi Investments. The receipts are dated June 22, 24, 27 and July 10. They amount to E18 000. The allegations are just a fabricated lie from individuals who are jealous about my achievements. I am aware that there are people who want the area that I have been allocated back in my rural community for the construction of the car wash. I believe they are the ones who want to tarnish my name, he said. Allen Heath surveys the damage to a private marina in Corpus Christi, Texas after it was hit by Tropical Storm Hanna, which was downgraded from a hurricane as it hit land: AP The first hurricane to hit the US this season lashed Texas with high winds and heavy rain, despite being downgraded to a tropical storm. Boats were destroyed, power lines brought down and streets flooded as storm Hanna swept through the south of the Lone Star state as it continues to battle a different crisis the increasing number of coronavirus cases. The storm brought sustained winds of 60mph and dropped more than 12 inches of rain, according to the National Hurricane Centre. It made landfall on Padre Island, south of Corpus Christi. At least three 18-wheeler trucks and several other vehicles were overturned, shutting down a two-mile stretch of US Route 77 in Sarita, close to the Mexican border. More than 283,000 homes and businesses were without power at one point. An overturned truck on US Route 77 in Sarita, Texas which was blown over by high winds brought by Tropical Storm Hanna (REUTERS) Coastal states have been working to adjust their emergency plans to take account of the coronavirus. Texas governor Greg Abbott said on Saturday that some people in need of shelter would be given hotel rooms to help maintain social distancing from others. As the storm swept in he said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had approved an emergency declaration that will provide federal aid. He said: "Any hurricane is an enormous challenge. This challenge is complicated and made even more severe, seeing that it is sweeping through an area that is the most challenged area in the state for Covid-19." The state has seen more than 390,000 coronavirus infections, and 5,000 deaths. It is one of several states, mostly in the south and west, which have been recording record one-day rises in confirmed infections. Henry Van De Putte, CEO of the Red Cross's Texas Gulf Coast chapter, said the organisation was opening shelters with reduced capacity to ensure social distancing. Volunteers and people seeking refuge will undergo temperature checks, and a medical professional will be assigned to each location, he said. Texas is deploying resources to help local communities respond to #HurricaneHanna. The National Guard, Texas Dept. Of Public Safety & Texas Division of Emergency Mgmt deployed high water vehicles, rescue boats & helicopters & medical teams. Stay safe.@TexasGuard @TDEM @TxDPS pic.twitter.com/Qv4hacewKm Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 26, 2020 He said people should not delay seeking help because of the virus. Story continues Mr Van De Putte told the Associated Press: "Yes, coronavirus provides risk, but so does floodwater, so does not having electricity, so does not having required medications. "We're doing everything we can do possible to make it a safe environment." Hanna is now heading towards Mexico. Authorities in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas have been disinfecting shelters to try to avoid spreading COVID-19. Meanwhile, Hawaii was continuing to brace for the arrival of Hurricane Douglas, which is expected to bring maximum sustained winds of up to 90 mph by Monday. Agencies contributed to this report Read more Evacuations in Texas as Hurricane Hanna intensifies Those vehemently opposed to the deployment of federal agents to Albuquerque should have the courage to say so to the face of Sam Vigil, whose 55-year-old wife was killed at their West Side Albuquerque home the morning of Nov. 16. Jacqueline Jackie Vigil, the mother of two State Police officers, was gunned down in her driveway as she warmed up her car around 5 a.m. She was on her way to the gym. Eight months later, no arrests have been made. There are other victims in Albuquerque that are in the same boat, Sam Vigil said at a White House news conference Wednesday as President Donald Trump announced more than 25 federal agents are being sent to Albuquerque to combat gun violence and homicides. Those opposing the assistance of federal agents to help solve killings in Albuquerque should have the courage to say that to the families of the five individuals slain within a 48-hour period earlier this month: to the family of 58-year-old Hubert Stewart, whose body was found in a field next to the Thunderbird Little League fields July 12. Or the family of 24-year-old Justin Sanchez, killed the same day on the other side of Albuquerque in a drive-by shooting. Perhaps theyd like to explain there is no need for help to the family of 23-year-old Chance Elkshoulder, who was shot and killed outside a smoke shop on San Pedro NE early that same morning. Or the family of 29-year-old Nickolas Tenorio, fatally shot outside a Target store later that night. Or the family of 49-year-old Randy Hilliard, homeless and beaten to death with a shovel the next night at Coronado Park. There are also the loved ones of Roy Caton Jr., a retired University of New Mexico professor and Korea veteran found brutally murdered in his university-area home last August. And an entire community still shocked by the horrific murder and dismemberment of 10-year-old Victoria Martens in 2016. Like too many others, both cases remain unsolved. As Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said as a candidate in August 2017, crime is absolutely out of control. Three years later, the violence has increased and includes a record 80 homicides in Albuquerque in 2019, up from 69 in 2018. But Keller last week appeared to have bought into some of the ugly politics at play regarding law enforcement, and its easy to see why. President Trump has launched visceral TV ads that ignore the abuse-of-force realities and paint a dark picture of defunded police departments across a lawless America, clear efforts at fear-mongering. Those on the far left have in turn conflated the violent riots and federal response in Portland with what could happen in Albuquerque, despite the fact more than 2,500 federal agents already live and work in our state for agencies including the ATF and DEA and despite assurances from U.S. Attorney for New Mexico John Anderson that federal agents being sent here will be limited to the exclusive goal of eliminating the scourge of gun violence. Theres little doubt Trumps decision to send federal officers to Albuquerque and other politically blue cities is driven by politics and was accompanied by harsh rhetoric blasting Democratic leaders and sanctuary city policies. But these are professional law enforcement agents who have dedicated their lives to serving our country, and pandering politicians including U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich need to apologize for outrageous insults that include likening them to Nazi Germany, calling them storm troopers. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Hector Balderas also piled on, vowing to watch for civil rights violations by the agents. If only they were as concerned with solving homicides. The Journal Editorial Board often disagrees with Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales policies, but in this case he doesnt deserve the excoriating attacks aimed at him for supporting the arrival of much-needed help in addressing the violent crime. A lawsuit filed by Oregons attorney general seeks a restraining order against federal agents deployed to quell protests in Portland. It raises legitimate concerns about federal agents arresting protesters without probable cause, whisking them away in unmarked cars. Its fair for the public to expect zero tolerance of excessive force whether in Portland or in Albuquerque. But this isnt Portland, and rioting protesters is not the reason federal agents are being sent here. As Journal investigative reporter Mike Gallagher reported in February, a predawn raid at the Southwest Albuquerque home of a suspected drug dealer yielded five pistols, two rifles, a bulletproof vest and thousands of rounds of ammunition, not to mention pounds of dope and cash. The 21-year-old South Side Locos street gang member said he needed an arsenal because Albuquerque is a crazy place and very violent. Keller, an Albuquerque native, knows this all too well. He made it clear on the campaign trail that addressing crime in the city would be a top priority. And while he has long pushed to increase the ranks of sworn officers, and recently to have social workers, transit employees and others focus on some calls, his police departments solve rate for homicides has plummeted to around 50%. Albuquerque voters responded to Kellers strong law-and-order message, electing him by 24 percentage points in the mayoral runoff. Thats why his hyperbolic language, including calling the additional federal agents coming as part of Operation Legend secret police, is a disappointing turn of events. On Friday evening he tempered his commentary, saying we always welcome partnerships in constitutional crime fighting that are in step with our community, but we wont sell out our city for a bait-and-switch excuse to send federal agents to attack protesters or round up immigrants. With that understanding, it bears repeating the sheer body count shows Albuquerque needs help. About half of last years 80 homicides remain unsolved, and Burquenos are afraid. This is cartel country, where a drug dealer says the city is so dangerous he needs an arsenal. Heres to more of Keller channelling his 2017 candidate self, the guy who said he wanted to address crime, and cooperatively accept the policing assistance of federal agents for the good of the city. Because the friends and families of Jackie Vigil, Hubert Stewart, Justin Sanchez, Chance Elkshoulder, Nickolas Tenorio, Randy Hilliard, Roy Caton Jr. and Victoria Martens as well as the public at large need more than reassurances and rhetoric. They need crimes solved. 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. Shortly after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's ex-wife Reham Khan made shocking revelations on why she married him, old tweets of his first wife Jemima Goldsmith have surfaced. Pakistani journalist Naila Inayat on Sunday shared a tweet from 2017 where a netizen had 'quoted' the British writer and activist trying to present the divorce between Imran and Jemima in Khan's favour saying, "Before the divorce, I asked Imran Khan to leave Pakistan and settle down with me in London. My dad also offered him a running business in Europe but he refused to leave Pakistan..." His false quote earned a reply from Jemima Goldsmith who tweeted that this was 'a fabricated quote', revealing that her family had offered no business to Imran Khan nor did she want him to settle down with him in London. Previously, Jemima Goldsmith had said that she was on the receiving end of fatwa, death threats, and even endured protests outside her house due to her Jewish heritage when she was married to Imran Khan and stayed with him in Lahore. She wrote in a 2008 article that she "over-conformed in eagerness to be accepted" into the "new and radically different culture" of Pakistan. Read: Imran Khan's Ex-Wife Reham Khan Wins Defamation Case In UK High Court Netizens react PTI IT cells are pretty dumb ThatIndian (@ThatIndian) July 25, 2020 Buoy, that was some brutal humiliation. Anshu Mishra (@ianteryamiM) July 25, 2020 Imran Khan married Jemima Goldsmith, a British socialite turned writer and activist, and member of the influential Goldschmidt family of England in 1995. Their marriage had ended in a divorce in 2004. In 2015, Khan announced his marriage to the British Pakistani journalist Reham Khan. The marriage lasted nine months and ended in divorce on 30 October 2015. Khan is currently married Bushra Maneka since 2018, who was previously his spiritual mentor, and continues to face attacks from ex-wife Reham, with an entire book being published about him just prior to the 2018 Pakistan elections. Read: Ex-wife Reham Khan Accuses Pak PM Imran Khan Of Illegal PTI Funding Read: Asked If She Cried For Imran Khan, Ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith Fires Cryptic One-word Answer A United Kingdom court has ordered the UK Home Office to pay for and facilitate the return of a Nigerian man deported to Nigeria in March 2018. According to The Guardian, the man who granted anonymity in the case, was jailed for four-and-a-half years for being a prime mover in a criminal enterprise. He was jailed after he and others under his control were found guilty of using stolen identities to submit 154 fraudulent VAT claims laundering the cash through bank accounts at a substantial, and irrecoverable, cost to the United Kingdom taxpayer. But while in jail in January 2016, he filed for asylum, claiming he would be persecuted in Nigeria because he was bisexual and had paid for male prostitutes at a party while on holiday in the country. The Home Office refused the appeal in April 2017 and said the claim had not already been considered and that, notwithstanding its rejection, it had a realistic prospect of success on appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. In November 2017, the Nigerian man informed the tribunal that he had changed his address but the tribunal officials sent the notice of his appeal hearing to his old address, hence, he was unaware of his substantive appeal hearing in December 2017 and did not attend. During the hearing in December, the Home Office Presenting Officer told the judge that the appeal bundles, which listed the hearing date, had been sent to the Nigerian man new address and added that he had absconded. While Home Office claims are incorrect, the judge proceeded with the hearing in the Nigerian man absence and dismissed his appeal while the Nigerian man remained unaware of his appeal. The Home Office then contacted him in February 2018 about an interview with the Nigerian authorities to facilitate his return. He filed a new appeal and won. The Upper Tribunal allowed his appeal in May 2018 and remitted the case for a fresh hearing. But by that time, he had been deported to Nigeria. At the hearing last week, the President of the Upper Tribunal, Mr Justice Lane, ruled that his deportation was unlawful and that the Nigerian man had a right to have his appeal heard in the UK. The judge said he did not consider it appropriate to give the fact of the applicants criminal offending much weight and that the Home Office had acted unlawfully by removing him for being out of time with his appeal. He said the deportation had deprived the Nigerian man statutory right to an in-country appeal particularly significant, especially since his case concerned a claim of a real risk of persecution. We declare the removal of the applicant on 28 March 2018 to be unlawful, Lane said. The Home Office suggested that the hearing could take place via video link from Nigeria as COVID-19 had complicated matters but the judge insisted that the case for return is a very strong one and it was inappropriate for him to conduct his appeal from Nigeria. Accordingly, Lane made an order requiring the respondent to use her best endeavours to secure the applicants return to the United Kingdom for the purposes of his appeal. KanyiDaily had also reported how a 51-year-old man of Nigerian man, Ronayerin Ogolor, was sentenced to three years in prison for internet fraud in the United States. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) The editor-in-chief of a news magazine has denounced the seizure of printed copies of their publication by members of the Bulacan police on Sunday. In a statement, Pinoy Weekly editor-in-chief Kenneth Roland A. Guda said the magazine and its publisher, PinoyMedia Center, Inc. "condemn in the strongest terms the illegal seizure of thousands of print magazine copies of our publication from the local office of urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) in Villa Lois public housing in Pandi, Bulacan." Guda said the incident happened at around 9:30 a.m. when several members of the Pandi police arrived at the Kadamay office and proceeded to confiscate printed copies of Pinoy Weekly. "Members of Kadamay asked for a search warrant from the cops. PCpt Jun Alejandrino, the Pandi police chief who headed the raid, said the magazines were 'illegal' and that they should give up the copies or else 'may mangyayari' [something will happen]," the statement said. Guda said the police were "grossly ignorant of the law," as the copies were the property of the residents of the Pandi housing project and the members of Kadamay-Pandi. "Seizing these copies without warrant or seizure order may constitute robbery. What PCpt Alejandrino and his men did was illegal... Either the police chief is ignorant of the constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of the press and freedom of expression, or he chooses to trample upon it. Either way, he and his men are committing a crime," Guda said in the statement. Guda added that what happened was "an act of tyranny" and has no place "in our supposedly democratic society." "We will not be silenced and will fight this blatant act of repression," he said. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also released a statement on the incident Sunday. "It is totally ludicrous for the police to justify what, to our mind, constitutes armed robbery by claiming, falsely, that Pinoy Weekly is illegal and teaches people to fight the government... Pinoy Weekly is a perfectly legal and legitimate news organization, just as are all the outfits that belong to the alternative media," they said. NUJP said the incident was a "very clear example" of what the country could face from the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, adding that its "vague provisions grants too much leeway for interpretation by agents of the state who mistakenly believe their mission is to stifle criticism and dissent, not protect these as part of the people's basic rights." The group is calling on the Philippine National Police to look into the matter and asked all policemen to review the law, especially the Bill of Rights. Meanwhile, Kadamay also sent out a statement regarding the incident as well as the arrest of one of their leaders in Pandi. They said community leader Rose Fortaleza was arrested by members of the PNP at the Villa Lois site. "The cops entered Fortalezas home, arrested her and confiscated the groups flyers along with issues of the alternative news publication, Pinoy Weekly," the statement said. Kadamay said Fortaleza remains detained at the Pandi police station without any formal charges. Neither the PNP nor the Pandi police have issued statements on the incident. Firefighters rescued a number of animals following a fire at a Fort Erie home Saturday. Fort Erie Fire Department was called to a residence on Henrietta Street shortly after 1 p.m. in response to a kitchen fire. Firefighters saved several cats and dogs from the residence. No firefighters were injured. The crews did a very good job, said Chief Ed Melanson. They knocked it down very quickly. Damage is estimated at $150,000. Nigerian music executive, Ubi Franklin has narrated his experience of visiting the hospital amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Ubi said he decided to visit the hospital after he began to stool. According to him, he was left weak and drained after he finished eating. Though, while at the hospital, he was told to wait outside until his COVID-19 result was out. However, he decided to go back home, stating that everyone is a suspect not minding what their illness is. Yesterday I had, Breakfast Cereal with sugar and milk, Lunch Nice Affang, Dinner Porridge beans and yam. They clashed and I have used the toiled from yesterday for more than 40 Times. This afternoon I became so weak and decided to be driven to the hospital and when I got there I was kept outside the gate of the hospital for my vitals, and I became more weak and restless, you can imagine the sun and the doctor came outside to tell me Ill wait for my test results to come while waiting outside. I couldnt sit down because my ass was aching from the many times I have had to visit the toilet. I decided to leave and go home and not even bother about going back to the hospital. In this trying Covid-19 period everyone is a suspect not minding what your illness is thats different from symptoms of Covid-19. I am home hoping I get better. I cried because this is currently going on in different parts of Nigeria, hospitals are rejecting patients who dont have COVID-19. Before this entire world pandemic you can walk into the hospital and get a bed, your Vitals taken and the test comes out and treatment begins, but now its a different story. Everyone is treated like a COVID patient. I have taken Imodium hoping it works. Ill just stay home trusting my stomach behaves after much stooling from last night till this moment, this moment I mean I am typing from the toilet. Related ALBANY While Capital Region COVID-19 cases have been inching back up, New York's overall numbers have been on a continued downward trajectory. The state's infection rate is at 1%, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters Sunday morning - with 536 out of 53,568 COVID-19 tests on Saturday coming back positive. There were three deaths in the state Saturday, and hospitalizations have gone down to 637 the lowest number since March 18. However, Cuomo urged caution is still necessary to keep numbers low. "Don't get cocky, don't get arrogant," he said. "There are still threats that are out there. You have the national threat and the compliance threat." There are now 35 states that are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases, Cuomo said. As a result, New York has been aggressive about enforcing the quarantine of travelers from over 30 of those states. Bars have also posed a challenge to keeping infection rates low. The governor said that this weekend alone, a multi-agency task force that includes the State Liquor Authority and state police issued 105 violations to bars located downstate. On Friday, Cuomo said the state had conducted 1,080 compliance checks, and investigators had then documented 84 violations. As of Friday, the SLA had brought 443 charges against licensees statewide since the pandemic began and imposed 33 Emergency Orders of Suspension. Most of the charges have been against establishments in the five New York City boroughs. The Capital Region has had less than 10 establishments cited, according to the state's list. Meanwhile, bars have struggled to understand what the state's new rule means that food must be served with alcohol. But the state did extend the order allowing take-out alcohol until at least Aug. 5. "The 105 violations, they are everything that we've been talking about," Cuomo said. "People outside of bars, gathering and drinking, which is illegal... Inside the establishments, employees not wearing masks. Those are probably the two biggest categories." The State Liquor Authority Board will meet Monday to review violation reports submitted by investigators and determine how many suspensions to issue. With the state's infection rate hovering at 1%, Cuomo said he cannot reopen the economy faster than he has been. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "We said from day one, we're going to calibrate the reopening to the rate of transmission we want," Cuomo said. "We are opening as fast as we can. And we are aggressive in reopening because we're at the red line." The governor criticized states such as Florida, Texas and Arizona for reopening their economies too quickly. He blamed their quick reopening on pressure from news outlets such as the New York Post and Wall Street Journal, saying "what they are advocating has been demonstrated to be wrong and to be a failure." Cuomo noted though that COVID-19 has wielded a major a blow to the state's economy, causing about a $14 billion loss of revenue. "I call on all Republican electeds in this state to stand united with the people of the state in urging support for New York," Cuomo said. "If we don't get state aid from Washington, it's going to be a very bad situation for this state and the people in this state." Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event in New Castle, Del., on July 21, 2020. Read more Pennsylvania was supposed to be a dogfight in this years presidential race. Decided by less than 1 percentage point in 2016 and crucial to the electoral math for both President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, both parties began the year prepared for a scrap to the finish. But 99 days from Election Day, public polls suggest that, at the moment, Biden isnt just winning. Hes winning big. In fact, the presumptive Democratic nominee has never looked better positioned to win back the state and the White House. Its shifted in Bidens favor from 18 months ago, said Bradley Beychok, president of American Bridge, a Democratic super PAC that has focused on eroding Trumps support in the so-called Blue Wall states where Trump shocked Democrats in 2016: Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Now Biden is the clear favorite in all three, Beychok said. A Fox News poll of Pennsylvania released Thursday was the latest evidence. It found Biden with an 11- percentage point lead as Trump sinks under the weight of his flailing response to the coronavirus, a cratered economy, and his stoking of racial animosity in the face of protests demanding equality. Recent Pennsylvania surveys from Monmouth University and the New York Times/Siena College also showed Biden ahead by 13 and 10 points, respectively, both findings in line with national polls that also show him opening a large and steady lead. By comparison, in July 2016 Hillary Clinton led Trump by about 3 percentage points in Pennsylvania, according to an average of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics, though her lead grew to about 9 points as late as October before collapsing. Interviews with almost two dozen elected officials, party leaders, voters, and political operatives, along with numerous public polls, paint a picture of tentative optimism from Democrats as Trump struggles with Americas crises. But people in both parties say Pennsylvania remains a hotly contested battleground that could still end up as another close call on Election Day. I am very optimistic and confident about winning Pennsylvania and winning nationally, said Rep. Brendan Boyle, a Philadelphia Democrat and early Biden supporter. Donald Trump has shown himself clearly incapable of leading us during a crisis. I think most Americans minds are made up on that score and right now its the most important issue, and itll remain the most important issue until were beyond this crisis. Most other Democrats were more tentative, but often portrayed their biggest concern as potential complacency, rather than Trumps strength. Our message ... [to allies] is we cannot take a single vote for granted, said Steve Pierce, a spokesperson for Priorities USA, a Democratic super PAC investing heavily in Pennsylvania. We cannot take our foot off the gas for a single moment. And as the coronavirus death toll nears 150,000 and economic pain continues, even some Republicans say Trump will struggle to turn attention anywhere else, especially if current trends continue. The question moving forward I think in everyones mind is very simple, and that is: Is the spread slowing? said former Republican Congressman Ryan Costello, of Chester County, who has been critical of Trumps conduct. Are kids going to be able to go back to schools safely? Is my job secure? Are we going to get back to normalization sometime in the foreseeable future? And has the president provided leadership and clarity when it comes to those issues? I dont think that at this point he has improved his political situation over the last four or five months. Other Pennsylvania Republicans say that Trumps 2016 upset win shows public polls cant be trusted, and they argue that Biden will wilt under scrutiny. When you get Joe Biden out of his basement and having to actually speak his own words rather than reading other peoples, youre gong to see a very, very different dynamic in this campaign, said Charlie Gerow, a Republican strategist from Harrisburg who is supporting Trump. Despite creeping optimism, most Democrats are wary of putting too much stock in this one moment. All Democrats have PTSD from 2016, said Pierce, of Priorities USA. Indeed, while the Monmouth survey found Biden with a strong lead, a majority of those polled also believed secret Trump voters could ultimately swing the November election. Jon Cutler, of Flourtown, tries to ignore the happy somersaults in his stomach when polls show Trump plummeting. We saw what happened in 2016, said Cutler, a rabbi and member of the national group Republicans Against Trump. Am I confident? Absolutely not. Im scared. Recent polls point to an erosion in two groups that were critical to Trumps victory in Pennsylvania: white working-class voters and seniors. The two demographics helped him win Rust Belt swing states that are whiter and older than the country as a whole, allowing him to clinch an Electoral College victory despite losing the popular vote. The Monmouth poll found Trump with a 16-point advantage among white Pennsylvanians without a college degree. Thats half his margin from four years ago. Among those over the age of 65, who are especially endangered by the coronavirus, Biden led by 10 percentage points a reversal from when Trump won the group by 10. READ MORE: Some Pa. seniors are turning on Trump. That could be a problem for his reelection. James Perry, a 28-year-old digital marketing manager from Pittsburgh, added his testimonial to the Republicans Against Trump website. Perry voted for Trump in 2016 but now backs Biden. Hes persuaded his mother, an aunt, and an uncle to make the same switch. I dont want to get my hopes up just to be thrown down, Perry said in an interview. But its really encouraging to me the amount of people who have messaged me saying theyre in the same boat. Its not just me. Those shifts are on top of the continuing energy Democrats see in suburbs, where college-educated women have driven major gains the last three years. The Fox poll showed Trump with 28% approval among suburban women in Pennsylvania, and 71% disapproval. Theres a general sense of optimism, said Matthew Munsey, Democratic chair of Northampton County, which Trump flipped last election. I think there have been times when people felt like Trumps base was un-crackable and regardless of what lows he sunk to, that they were going to stick with him and I think people are now seeing an upswing the other way. Trump has alienated some of his voters with his response to the nationwide protests, Munsey thinks. His regions biggest cities, Allentown and Bethlehem, had demonstrations, but so did smaller towns that hadnt seen that kind of activism before. Its awakened a deep sense of moral responsibility for our communities where people would have never expected it before, Munsey said. That, compounded by Trumps handling of the virus, he thinks, will cost him votes, even if the situation improves by November. Can things get better? Sure they can, Munsey said. But it doesnt change that he allowed them to get this bad. People want competent leadership again, said Brendan McPhillips, Bidens Pennsylvania state director. I think thats the overriding theme. No matter what polls show, both parties still expect the race to tighten, and are continuing to invest millions of dollars in advertising and staffing and campaign time in the state. A Priorities USA chart ranking the states by their political leanings and electoral impact still rates Pennsylvania as the tipping point most likely to decide who wins. Even as some Democrats dream of a landslide that sweeps up Texas or Georgia, Priorities officials said they plan to continue focusing on Pennsylvania and five other core battlegrounds. Republicans dream of again delivering an Election Day gut punch to Trumps optimistic opponents. When it comes to the president and polling, I look back to what everyone was saying in 2016 and then I put this on top of it, said Rep. Fred Keller, a central Pennsylvania Republican who says he hears intense support for the president in his more rural district. This is what people believe: The person best able to lead the great American comeback is our president because he did it before. Jackie Kulback, the GOP chair in Cambria County, doesnt believe polls because she doesnt think Trump supporters are inclined to answer. You get called racist. You get called xenophobic. People dont want that so they just have their opinions and keep them to themselves, Kulback said. Kulback, a former CFO at Gautier Steel, said Bidens environmental plans are not playing well with people who work in coal-fired electric plants and manufacturing in the area. Republicans say those views will also hurt the former vice president in Western Pennsylvania, where fracking is a major industry. Hes making it quite clear he would support a carbon tax and that would hurt every heavy industry in our region. She said theres a fervor for Trump that feels the way it did in 2016. A recent concert on a lake in Somerset County unexpectedly became a Trump boat parade. Republicans also argue that Biden will fumble in televised debates with the pugilistic president, and Trump sees recent protests, and his pledges of law and order as a way to win back suburban voters. The Trump campaign says it is far ahead of Biden when it comes to staffing, with 100 paid organizers who were in Pennsylvania months before Bidens team got set. Voter registrations are also moving in the GOPs direction. The state of the race is good, said Ted Christian, senior adviser to the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania. We really made an unprecedented investment and have an organization thats unparalleled. As someone that was around four years ago, I can definitely vouch for that. He expects to improve the presidents performance in the suburbs and hopes to also do even better in postindustrial areas, such as Northeast Pennsylvania, that swung hard in Trumps favor in 2016. But as Trump aims to drag down Biden, Costello said the attacks could backfire. I think a lot of voters will look at that and feel that the president isnt prioritizing what matters most, which is the safety of their family and the security of their job, he said. The conventional wisdom holds that, eventually, Pennsylvania will almost always be tight. But in such an unpredictable moment, Costello said, its also possible the trends get worse for the president especially if schools dont reopen in September. If kids arent back in school and if things dont return to a sense of normal in the fall, he said, people are going to have to blame somebody. At the end of a season which had no guarantee of being finished, but then felt like it took an age to conclude, Newcastle and Liverpool could be forgiven for doing little more than going through the motions on Sunday. The Premier League champions did enough to triumph 3-1, recording their highest-ever points tally of 99, with Sadio Manes superb curled finish crowning a watershed campaign that will long live in the memory both for Liverpools football and the coronavirus-enforced suspension of the game. The match at St James Park started in rapid fashion, with Dwight Gayles opener for Newcastle arriving after just 25 seconds. It was the earliest goal ever scored on the final day of a Premier League season as well as the earliest Liverpool have ever conceded in the competition. Virgil van Dijk had been sucked into midfield and impeded Allan Saint-Maximin, affording Newcastle what seemed a harmless free-lick. Jonjo Shelvey cleverly took it quickly, hitting Gayle early and with Joe Gomez dithering and young Neco Williams not fully reading the danger, he slotted past Alisson. Then, as expected with two teams with nothing left to play for, very little of note happened. But for Liverpool doing what they have grown accustomed to: doing what is necessary to win. "The boys played an incredible game, not a perfect game. Like you say in this country a dead rubber," Jurgen Klopp admitted. "I didn't like the goal we conceded. I liked the game. It's far away from being perfect but over the season we did not just win games when everything was perfect, we won a lot of difficult games too." Liverpool had equalised through superb work from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose change of pace and driving run set up a delivery that was deftly headed in by Van Dijk. In the second half, Divock Origi drilled in a fine effort from 20 yards after spending most of the encounter being a frustrating figure. Jurgen Klopp threw on his explosive front three of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Mane late on with the match evolving to offensive might versus Newcastles defensive resilience, with the Senegal international wrapping up matters in stellar fashion. He cut in from the left and unleashed a lovely curler into the far corner. The victory saw Liverpool match Manchester Citys top-flight record of 32 wins in a season, set in 2017-18 and matched in 2018-19. Comfortably winning was a worthy way of closing a remarkable campaign, in which the Reds had no equal. ALBANY In what may be the latest battlefront over potentially toxic PFAS chemicals in the environment, the state Legislature has approved a bill that would ban using the substances in food packaging. PFASs, or poly and perfluorooctanoic acids, are associated with health problems such as thyroid disorders and cancers. Discovery of the chemicals in the village of Hoosick Falls water supply several years ago prompted emergency measures followed by a planned rebuilding of the municipal system. There also has been a move to ban PFAS incineration amid worries about emissions such as those coming from the Cohoes Norlite aggregate plant, which had been burning firefighting foam made with the substance. PFAS substances, which are known for their sturdy chemical makeup, have long been used in food packaging such as bags for pastries and popcorn as well as pizza boxes. With that in mind, bills to ban PFAS used in food containers that were sponsored by Manhattan Sen. Brad Hoylman and Albany Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, both Democrats, were approved by lawmakers last week. It isnt yet clear if Gov. Andrew Cuomo will sign the bill. PFAS have been used in food containers due to their ability to resist grease, which might otherwise saturate the bag or box in question. Environmentalists, though, say there are alternatives for this. Passage of the measure was hailed by environmentalists who viewed it as a public health measure. New Yorkers shouldnt have to worry about being exposed to harmful chemicals from handling everyday items like pizza boxes or milk cartons. Getting PFAS out of our food supply is a no-brainer, said Rich Schrader, New York Policy Director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Removing these toxic chemicals, especially from our food system, where alternatives are readily available, is common-sense policy, added Kate Kurera, deputy director at Environmental Advocates NY. The bill was one of several pieces of legislation that has drawn praise from environmentalists during this spring and summers COVID-shortened state legislative sessions. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Lawmakers earlier passed a bill that would ban incineration of PFAS-laden Aqueous Film Forming Foam or AFFF, which had been burned at the Norlite plant. The city had initially imposed a one-year ban on the incineration but state lawmakers opted for a permanent ban. It wasnt known if Cuomo would sign that measure. Norlite is the only facility in the state and one of a handful nationwide that had been incinerating AFFF, which fire departments had long used as a fire suppressant. Work on PFAS control has also been ongoing in Congress. Recently, the Democratic-led House of Representatives approved a number of measures in the proposed 2021 budget. Those include more than $100 million in defense appropriations to clean up PFAS at active military installations and to expand studies of those affected by the chemical, according to the Environmental Working Group. The House also wants to appropriate more than $50 million on research and development funding for PFAS remediation and disposal. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU A grandfather has drowned after the boat he was in capsized on Lake Erie off Crystal Beach Sunday. His teenage grandson was able to make it to shore. Emergency crews received a call of two boaters in distress at about 11:30 a.m., said Fort Erie fire Chief Ed Melanson. Fort Erie Fire Department rescue boats with crews from the RCMP, Niagara Regional Police and both the U.S. and Canadian coast guards searched for the second man. A U.S. coast guard helicopter spotted a body in the water at about 1:30 p.m. A body has been recovered, Melanson said Sunday afternoon. A spokesperson with the U.S. Coast Guard said the victim was an 85-year-old Canadian resident. The teenager was assessed by paramedics with Niagara Emergency Medical Services but did not require hospitalization. Attempts to resuscitate the elderly male were unsuccessful. The incident remains under investigation. Mumbai, July 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acknowledged a letter by former Cabinet Minister Subramanian Swamy, requesting a CBI enquiry in the suicide case of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. While the Mumbai police is still investigating the case and questioning people, senior BJP leader Swamy had written to the Prime Minister to request him to initiate a CBI investigation. Now, it has been revealed that PM Modi has acknowledged Subramanian Swamy's letter. Swamy has re-tweeted tweets sharing a copy of the letter from Prime Minister's office which read: "I have received your letter of July 15, 2020". In his letter, Swamy had claimed that his sources have revealed that several bigwigs from the film industry are trying to cover up the case. He wrote: "I learn from my sources in Mumbai that many big names in the Bollywood Film World with links to Dons in Dubai are seeking to ensure a cover-up is carried out by the Police so that voluntary suicide is concluded as the reason for the demise of Mr Rajput." On June 14, Sushant was found hanging in his Bandra residence by his domestic help, which left everyone shocked. It has been said that he was reportedly battling depression over the past few months and undergoing treatment. Sushant's demise sparked off discussions around a lot of things -- from nepotism to the ruthless favouritism that Bollywood power camps allegedly engage in. Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday reminded the nation of what he called the backstabbing by Pakistan during the Kargil war in 1999, and paid tribute to the Indian armed forces for their valour in defending the country's territory and their victory. "Twenty-one years ago on this day, our Army won the Kargil war. Back then, India was trying to have cordial relations with Pakistan. However, as the saying goes -- 'it is in the nature of the wicked to have enmity with everyone for no reason'," Modi said during his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat'. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan undertook the "misadventure with sinister plans to capture India's land" in order to divert attention from its "internal conflicts". He also talked about #courageinkargil trending on the social media. "People are bowing down to their heroes, paying tribute to the martyrs. I urge you to tell each other the stories about the sacrifices of the brave mothers, share the stories of our jawans associated with the Kargil victory today," the PM urged the countrymen. He said that what Indians say in the event of a war has a profound effect on the morale of a soldier deployed on the borders as well as his family back home. Modi reminded the Indians not to forget this fact. He also remembered then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statement from the Red Fort ramparts during the Kargil war. India is celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 to commemorate Indian armed forces' victory over Pakistan troops which had occupied Indian forward positions in 1999 in Kargil. Passengers arriving on the first flight from Spain to touch down at Gatwick airport have expressed their anger and frustration at having to quarantine. With less than six hours notice, the Department for Transport ordered that all travellers returning from Spain must go straight home and stay there for 14 days. The first flight to arrive on Sunday morning was the scheduled British Airways departure from Barcelona, which touched down shortly before 9am. One of the passengers, Johnny Pach, told The Independent: We had a lovely holiday, really relaxing, and its all gone out the window now because were just going to be stuck at home. Ive got this beautiful tan Im not going to be able to show it off to my family or anything like that. Were supposed to go to Center Parcs next week for a lovely family occasion, and now thats out the window. Im really distressed, I feel really negative and anxious coming out of Gatwick now, because this isnt what we had planned. What can you do? Im just going to watch Netflix at home with the fiancee. I dont know how were going to go to Tesco, but well figure it out. A passenger called Sharon had been out in Spain seeing family for only two days, but must now self-isolate for two weeks. When I booked my trip, I checked the government advice and it said that Spain was OK to go to. The rest of my holiday is going to be rather boring and lonely, and lots of Netflix I should think Sharon An amber warning would have been useful. If Id known this was going to happen, I would have re-evaluated going on my trip. Its impacting on the rest of my summer. Especially after the lockdown and things starting to reopen, its a little disappointing to have to sit inside. The rest of my holiday is going to be rather boring and lonely, and lots of Netflix I should think. Sharon then left for Gatwicks railway station, saying: It seems a little bit ridiculous really: as soon as I get off the train Ive got to go into self-isolation. In response to several spikes of coronavirus infection in Aragon, Navarra and Catalonia, the Foreign Office now deems mainland Spain an unacceptably high risk for British travellers. It advises against all non-essential travel there but not to the Balearic and Canary Islands. British holidaymakers in Spain are not being advised to leave. But anyone travelling to the mainland against Foreign Office advice will find their travel insurance is invalid. Two women and a man have been charged in the murder of a 17-year-old Jersey City girl who her high school principal called a great young woman, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Heavenley Cherry, 19, was charged with first-degree murder, 24-year-old Jahquell Carter was charged with first-degree murder as an accomplice and 19-year-old Izmae Tinker-Trent was charged with third-degree hindering a murder investigation, authorities said. All three are from Jersey City. Carter, who has a neck tattoo in tribute to Davonte Carswell, who was murdered in 2015, remains at large. Cherry is in custody at the Bergen County Youth Detention Center on an unrelated matter and Tinker-Trent is in custody. Tyeah Garner was fatally shot on Rutgers Avenue near New Street at 10:30 p.m. on July 6. She was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center and pronounced dead at 4:36 a.m. on July 7. Tyeah wanted the best for her life, she was enrolled in dual credit course trying to earn her associate degree in criminal justice and ensuring that she graduated in 2022, Lincoln High Principal Chris Gadsden said in a Facebook post after her death. Cherry was also charged with murder as an accomplice, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and unlawful possession of a weapon. Carter was additionally charged with conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and unlawful possession of a weapon. In February 2019, he was charged with using a gun to threaten a woman. The disposition of that case was not immediately available. Anyone with information about Carters whereabouts should contact the Hudson County Prosecutors Office Homicide Unit at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential. If anyone sees Carter, he should not be approached and police should be contacted immediately. The tranquil beauty of the United States passing by my window over those summers seemed out of sync with our country's history of violent bloodshed. (Constance Brantley for The Times) In the summer of 1965, my birthday cake was stuck at a bakery across town. My mother couldnt get to it because Watts was on fire, which sent surrounding cities, like ours in the South Bay, into lockdown. No way could she have known when she placed the order for my fifth birthday that a white highway patrol officer would soon pull over a young Black man for reckless driving and, in the ensuing chaos, arrest him, his brother and his mother. It was a sequence of events that played poorly in a community already bristling at overcrowded housing, low-wage jobs and routine incidents of police brutality. In those six days of rebellion which some might call a fed-up-rising residents clashed not only with police but also the National Guard. In the end, 34 people lay dead, more than 1,000 had been injured, and tens of millions of dollars in property was gutted. That smoke lingers, and the people periodically erupt in outrage, as when officers were acquitted in 1992 following the brutal beating of Rodney King, or when George Floyd died after a cop knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while he lay face down and handcuffed. As the New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow wrote recently, The lulls you experience between explosive revolts of the oppressed should never be mistaken as harmony. They should be taken as rest breaks. In the summers of the 1960s and early 1970s, my family could only hope for the best when driving while Black from Los Angeles to New York every other year. We went to reconnect with our East Coast kin. To guide us, my mother ordered TripTiks from the American Automobile Assn., small, spiral-bound books that outlined the best path. My sense is that my parents asked for directions that expressly avoided the South, out of concern that we might get pulled over by racist highway patrolmen during the turbulent civil rights era. In a time before major interstate highways, we connected to Route 66 and kept it moving along two-lane highways dotted with bad diners and dimly lighted motels. To pass the time, my mother read my father and me novels, such as The Grapes of Wrath. The AAA TripTiks highlighted points of interest along the way, such as Native communities or petroglyphs, but we flew by them all to make good time. Story continues Once we were safely in New York, our people descended on us in my grandmothers Harlem kitchen. Over the next couple of weeks, we visited family around the tri-state area and in New Castle, Del., and binged on a buffet of delights at Coney Island. Only on the way back did we slow down to sightsee. We might cruise the pulse of Chicagos Michigan Avenue or down a two-laner through Davenport, Iowa, stalks of corn swaying as if to the tune of for amber waves of grain. We wound our way up the Black Hills of South Dakota to regard the 60-foot faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln blast-sculpted into granite. We strolled around charming Coeur dAlene, Idaho, and heard the church bells peel at noon. When we entered a restaurant, hotel or curio shop, I secretly watched to see how people received us as a Black family. I can't remember coming across anyone who was unwelcoming. At the same time, these were the same years when a president, a presidential hopeful John and Robert Kennedy along with three civil rights leaders, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, were assassinated. The tranquil beauty of the United States passing by my window over those summers seemed out of sync with our countrys history of violent bloodshed. I began to perceive the image of America as a glossy brochure for a house, where the best features are well-lighted and captured with a wide lens while flaws, such as lead water, termites and a roof about to cave, were cropped out. Of all the places we toured, Mt. Rushmore made the deepest impression. At the time, I was ignorant that it was built on stolen Indigenous land by a sculptor with ties to the Ku Klux Klan. I just remember gazing up at those carved faces, particularly Lincolns, farthest to the right, and noting that the pinch in his brow barely hinted at the pressure he faced watching the U.S. become engulfed in a civil war over slavery. Though Lincoln tried to warn us that a house divided against itself cannot stand, our country has yet to mend its cracked foundation. Too many continue to hold the American brochure aloft, while stubbornly refusing to address the pressing repairs needed to fix the racism, inequality and police brutality. Recently, I heard a NPR interview with the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist, Martin Luther King Jr.s old church in Atlanta. He said that the current moment is not about burning ourselves out trying to squash all racial hate. I just want to make sure that our city and our state and our country is not too busy to love, he said. And justice is what love looks like in public. As the 55th anniversary of those fateful, fiery days in Watts approaches, theres no AAA TripTik we can follow to show us a way forward. But I think James Baldwin sagely pointed toward the North Star when he observed: Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. Pamela K. Johnson is a writer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. @pamelasez President Akufo-Addo has announced the Night Clubs, Pubs, Beaches And Cinemas remained closed until further notice. He has however reopened tourist sites across the country. The President said the move is part of the country gradually easing of COVID-19 restrictions. President Akufo-Addo made this known when he addressed the country on Sunday, July 26, 2020, on the management of the COVID-19 situation in the country. He said the tourism destinations, open-air drinking spots can open with enhanced hygiene protocols being enforced while places such as pubs, nightclubs and cinemas must remain closed. In consultation with the Ghana Tourism Authority and the health experts, Im announcing the reopening of our nations tourist sites and attractions so they can begin to receive visitors. Open-air drinking spots can now function. The management of these facilities are thus to enforce enhanced hygiene and social distancing protocol, he said. Beaches, pubs, cinemas and nightclubs, however, remain closed until further notice, the president added. At the time of the address, Ghana had confirmed 32,437 positive cases with 28,927 clinical recoveries and 3,349. Amigo Holdings, a UK-based sub-prime moneylender, has grown its gross Irish loan book to 8.2m as the company confirms it is planning to double the size of its operation here. In Ireland, Amigo provides loans of up to 5,000 to people who may have been declined by banks and credit unions, by listing a friend or family member as the guarantor. It first entered the Irish market in February 2019 where it offers loans with an annual interest rate of close to 50pc. According to Amigo's financial results for the year ended March 2020, the company grew its gross loan book to 8.2m with around 3,400 customers signed up. It paused lending at the end of March in response to Covid-19. The Irish subsidiary is also expanding its operation. It has 18 employees here and has plans to double staff over the year. Daniel Hawkins, managing director of Amigo Loans Ireland, said the results over the year had been positive for the company. "I am really positive about what we have seen so far in Ireland," he said. "I think it shows our ability to open up in new territories. We have seen the demand exists here and I see that demand growing." Hawkins said Covid-19 had put a pause on some of the growth it had experienced in Ireland. He added the company had offered interest-free payment holidays for up to three months to customers affected by the pandemic. "Up until March and the dramatic change happened, things were progressing strongly," he said. "We were ticking over and above our target. We were happy with the growth and how the business was performing and keen to see that growth continue. "Covid-19 hit us all, at which point we ceased lending to all but key workers in emergency situations. That brought things to a stop temporarily." Hawkins said Amigo hoped to begin lending again "in weeks rather than months" as he had seen application volumes had remained strong throughout the Covid-19 period. "We know the demand is out there," he said. In the UK, Amigo has been hit by a surge of complaints from customers, with a backlog of 9,000. In the financial year ending March 31, complaints cost the business 126.8m, compared with only around 100,000 in 2019. Earlier this month, Amigo reached an agreement with the UK's Financial Conduct Authority which gives it until October 30 to ensure customers with complaints do not need to wait more than eight weeks before their claim is handled. Hawkins said the company had designed the Irish product to ensure it abided by the regulations here and had embraced the recently introduced rules for money lending here. He had seen a "very, very small" number of complaints from customers here. In its annual results, Amigo - which is listed on the London Stock Exchange - said it made a pre-tax loss of 37.9m, compared with a 111m profit the year before, on revenue of 294m. Though Wheels On Fire suffered narrow defeat at the finish of the $36,000 Preferred at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Saturday (July 25), the Richard Moreau trainee eventually ascended into the first-place slot. Clearing control past a :27 first quarter, Wheels On Fire led pocket-sitter Matticulous GB through middle fractions of :55 and 1:23.3, with race-favourite Evenwood Sonofagun rolling first over into the final turn. Into the stretch Wheels On Fire maintained command while sitting firm at the pylons as Matticulous GB grew antsy for racing room, forcing his way out of the pocket while interfering with stablemate Evenwood Sonofagun. Within a sixteenth of a mile, Matticulous GB surged past Wheels On Fire to hit the finish of a 1:51 mile with a head in front. Because of the infraction, the judges disqualified Matticulous GB to fifth, placed behind his stablemate Evenwood Sonofagun. Wheels On Fire moved up to first with Always A Hotshot taking second and Casimir Richie P moving into third. A five-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere, Wheels On Fire won his sixth race from 12 starts this season and his 20th from 51 overall, earning $316,103. Doug McNair drove the $7.70 winner for owner Brad Grant. So Much More capitalized off a ground-saving trip to down odds-on favourite Treacherous Reign and pull a 21-1 upset in the $32,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred. Treacherous Reign set an uncontested pace, posting splits of :26.3, :55 and 1:22.2 with Sunny Dee drafting in the pocket and So Much More racing third. Sunny Dee popped pocket into the stretch to challenge Treacherous Reign but soon began to backtrack, leaving open road for So Much More to target the leader. Through the stretch Treacherous Reigns lead diminished as So Much More reeled in the 2-5 choice at the pegs to hit the finish first by three-quarter lengths in 1:49.3. Sunny Dee held on for third. Paying $44.10 to win, So Much More won her sixth race from 16 starts this season and her 25th from 50 overall, earning $373,570. Don Beatson trains and co-owns the four-year-old Big Jim mare with partners Kenneth Beatson and Cole England. A pair of $104,800 divisions of Ontario Sires Stakes Gold for three-year-old pacing colts were also contested on the Saturday card. That recap is available here. To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park. Melbourne: Scientist has developed a new approach to help the immune system to fight actively against HIV virus in the body. In a significant progress towards the development of a vaccine , researchers for the first time has showed that a combined approach using a common cold virus to introduce a vaccine into the body, as well as an injection of a DNA-based vaccine may help protect against HIV in the gut and bodily cavities. With sexual activity being one of the primary methods of HIV transmission, it is necessary to try to protect those parts of the body that are most likely to encounter the virus first, said Branka Grubor-Bauk, from the University of Adelaide in Australia. A possible reason why previous HIV vaccine trials have not been successful is because of this lack of a frontline protection, Grubor-Bauk said. The laboratory studies, conducted so far in mice represent an important step forward in attempts to introduce a first line of defence against HIV at the site of infection. In mice, we delivered a rhinovirus (or common cold virus) inside the nose, and this virus had been altered to include HIV proteins, Grubor-Bauk said. At the same time, the mice also received an injection into the skin containing a DNA-based vaccine. This approach resulted in very specific responses in the immune system, she said. This vaccine approach encompasses two different arms of the immune system: white blood cells that attack the HIV virus, and specific antibodies that recognise and shut down HIV-positive cells, she added. There is an element of HIV known as Tat that helps the virus to replicate quite rapidly, said Eric Gowans, professor at University of Adelaide. The antibodies inhibit the Tat effect, preventing HIV from replicating itself, Gowans added. Overall, we found that infection was considerably reduced in the mice we studied, he said. The study appears in the journal Scientific Reports. PTI Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) Lawyer Lorna Kapunan is found guilty of unjust vexation over her claims that University of Santo Tomas Civil Law Dean Nilo Divina is liable for the death of hazing victim Horacio "Atio" Castillo III. In a decision issued on July 24 by the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 11, presiding judge Cicero Jurado Jr. sought to nullify and set aside the decision of Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 17 last January to acquit Kapunan on the ground of grave abuse of discretion. Kapunan, who serves as legal counsel for the Castillo family, previously accused Divina of recruiting Atio to join his Aegis Juris fraternity and of "coddling the fraternity members who allegedly participated in the initiation rights of Atio, immediately after the latter's death." Kapunan, however, failed to substantiate the accusation in an interview over ANC in 2017. READ: Timeline: The case of Horacio Castillo III The Manila metropolitan court had junked the case due to the prosecution's failure to prove Kapunan's guilt beyond reasonable doubt. But the regional court claimed that the former simply "parroted" Kapunan's testimony and that of her witnesses. "After a meticulous perusal of the decision, order and record of this case, the Court is convinced that there is merit in this petitionthere was apparent lack of discretion to tie up with the acquittal in the instant case," the decision read. It added that Kapunan's remark against Divina as an "obstructionist to justice" was meant to "unjustly pester, harry, annoy or vex" the law dean. Kapunan was sentenced to up to 30 days imprisonment. She was also ordered to pay Divina 2.5 million for damages. Divina said on Sunday that he feels "vindicated" following the decision. "I feel vindicated. I have no hatred or rancor for Atty. Lorna Kapunan. I have moved on," he said. "But justice must be served and lessons ought to be learned." CNN Philippines' Correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. The Revenue Commissioners have confirmed a "small number" of employers have returned or sought to return payments made under the Covid-19 Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS). The TWSS is operated by Revenue through the payroll system. It is available to employers who keep employees on payroll through the pandemic, meaning they can retain links with their employees for when business picks up. TWSS has provided in excess of 2bn in support to over 63,000 employers in respect of some 626,700 employees. There are approximately 400,000 employees currently receiving TWSS. Under TWSS, the State covers up to 85pc of an employee's salary depending on their level of pay. To be eligible, businesses must suffer significant economic disruption due to Covid-19, such as a fall in revenue of 25pc. It is scheduled to end on August 31. Responding to questions from the Sunday Independent, a spokesman for Revenue confirmed "a small number" of employers had "returned or sought to return payments made under the TWSS". The spokesman confirmed that in due course, and following completion of the scheme, Revenue will publish details of TWSS amounts returned by employers as well as "other details pertaining to the scheme". He said it is possible for employers to make repayments of TWSS through the Revenue Online Service (ROS). Employers can currently make their payment using their bank account details and it is intended to provide the facility to make payment using a debit/credit card shortly. Provided companies have met the requirements of TWSS, they do not need to return it. Some companies have gone public about returning subsidies. In June, Ikea confirmed that it was in talks over returning money to nine countries, including Ireland, that gave the retailer government support through furlough schemes. In the UK, Bunzl, a FTSE 100 company that sells packaging to supermarkets and supplies hospitals with gloves and gowns, said it would repay funds it took to support furloughed staff. A new Employment Wage Support Scheme will replace TWSS and will run until April 2021. Employers that have seen turnover fall by at least 30pc will receive a flat-rate subsidy of up to 203 per week per employee. Revenue is currently undertaking a programme of compliance checks to ensure that all employers are still eligible for the scheme. It said it expects these contacts to confirm that the "vast majority" of employers are fully compliant in their operation of the TWSS. His tattered mattress lies on a baked-mud floor in his cramped hiding place. Bomb blasts can be heard outside the window, as the streets of Kabul come under repeated attack from the Taliban and Islamic State. Yet it is not just this that prevents Waheed Dullah from sleeping. Rather, it is two words in Arabic which most haunt him: Allahu Akbar God is Greater, a phrase hijacked by jihadists and one the former British Army interpreter would hear over the patrol radio in the seconds before the Taliban launched their bloody attacks. Those vital seconds were just enough time for Waheed to warn his British comrades in the Brigade Reconnaissance Force to hit the ground before bullets sprayed overhead. The elite unit operated in the most dangerous areas of Helmand Province. Waheed, then aged just 19, was always by their side. I was told I saved many lives, Waheed says. Now 29, he is speaking on a crackling telephone line from the Afghan capital, where he lives with his wife and two children, Naveed, four, and Muska, 18 months. Pictured: Waheed in Helmand. It was this unwavering loyalty to British troops by Waheed and many other Afghan interpreters whose stories were told as part of the Daily Mails award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign that led former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson to promise them sanctuary in the UK It was this unwavering loyalty to British troops by Waheed and many other Afghan interpreters whose stories were told as part of the Daily Mails award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign that led former Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson to promise them sanctuary in the UK. In June 2018, Mr Williamson said: They served our nation with dazzling distinction. Standing shoulder to shoulder with our troops on the battlefield, they demonstrated unflinching courage in carrying out duties that were fraught with great difficulty and danger. And we will do what is right to honour their extraordinary service. In comments commended by this newspaper, he promised that some 50 interpreters who had served on the Helmand front line alongside UK soldiers would be granted visas under new qualifying measures, and would be able to bring their wives and children with them. Those who had long campaigned for all army interpreters to be given a safe home in Britain as those from the Iraq conflict were felt it was certainly a start. Another interpreter Latif is pictured above on a British Chinook. I cannot work. I cannot leave. We live day to day in a single room, Latif says. This is because of my work for the British and it is my family that is being punished' For Waheed and his wife Mashita, 25, it was an announcement they had prayed for. But those hopes have come to naught. More than two years on, a mere two interpreters have come to Britain under the new rules. Ministry of Defence insiders blame officials for making the qualifying criteria too narrow. Simon Diggins, a former British colonel who campaigns on behalf of Afghan interpreters, recently wrote to ministers and the Chief of the Defence Staff blasting unconscionable delays that had put the lives of interpreters on hold. His letter went unanswered. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who has been in his post for a year, has promised to look again at the policy and is set to meet Home Secretary Priti Patel early this week to discuss the issue. Sources said it was a cause close to their hearts and both are committed to finding a resolution. Mr Wallace is said to be taking the issue extremely seriously and wants to expand the criteria so more Afghan interpreters can come to Britain. While this is welcome news, surely after so much time has elapsed the interpreters deserve real and prompt action, not just words. One cannot help but contrast their treatment with that of British Overseas Passport holders in Hong Kong, who were offered the chance to settle in the UK after China imposed a new national security law on the former British territory. The Hong Kong qualifying residents number some three million, while there are just a few hundred Afghan interpreters blocked from coming to Britain, despite loyally working alongside UK Armed Forces for more than a year. Could they not be offered equal treatment? Mr Diggins, also a former military attache at the British Embassy in Kabul, speaks for many of his generation of Afghan veterans when he says: I am ashamed by the way we have treated the interpreters. After all, without their help in the most difficult and intractable conditions, we could not have done our job. There is no doubt the plight of the abandoned interpreters has moved many thousands. A Daily Mail-backed petition over their treatment was signed by more than 178,000 people, including former generals, war heroes and politicians. Yet in Kabul, Waheed, weary of hiding from the Taliban, is deeply depressed by many failed promises. He was no mere backroom boy for the Army. He was in the thick of it, working with military spies and frontline troops during his three years of service from 2010 to 2013. He served with the Electronic Warfare Squadron Intelligence Unit, which was attached to the Brigade Reconnaissance Force effectively a fire magnet going into areas and engaging with the enemy. The unit would monitor Taliban communications and help break down the enemys plans and movements. We were at patrol bases and checkpoints to monitor Taliban positions, pinpoint their hideouts and neutralise plans to harm our forces, Waheed recalls. I would go into the most dangerous insurgent areas and I would tell the officers about Taliban plans, tactics and strategy, as well as the positions of hidden bombs. Before joining the military he studied and taught English at a High School while also translating documents from English to Pashto. Waheeds father was shot dead by the Taliban in 2005 because he was helping U.S. Intelligence in Kunar province. Waheed says his fathers high profile also made Waheed an even higher priority target for gunmen. Death threats were delivered to him via an uncle and another relative, while further threats were made to punish him as an infidel spy for helping to take the lives of Islamic brothers. Imagine his shock, then, when in July 2013 he was informed by his army bosses that his contract had been terminated; a decision made, he was told, for his own safety, after Afghan authorities revealed they had intelligence he was being hunted. Under the old policy for interpreters, those working on Helmand front lines after December 2012 were entitled to a redundancy package, including the possibility of sanctuary in UK. This has so far enabled 445 interpreters plus some family members to come to Britain. Waheed says he asked for this but was told he was ineligible despite his case being strongly supported by British officers he served with because his contract ended rather than his being made redundant. The Williamson policy widened the qualifying period to include those who spent at least a year with British forces as far back as 2006. But it still only included interpreters who were made redundant, not those forced to quit because of death threats or who were on contracts that ran out. Indeed, the policys small print even excludes men such as 36-year-old Ricky (his military nickname), Britains longest-serving translator, who spent 16 years beside UK troops and survived a Taliban ambush outside his Kabul home. Why has he been denied safe haven? Because he did not serve a year in Helmand yet another requirement of the system. Instead, he worked for UK forces mainly out of Kabul, translating for senior officers, UK political leaders and diplomats. He has been threatened, attacked and desperately wants to leave. Even those interpreters who made it to the UK under the original scheme, who were promised by the Home Office that their wives and children could join them, are still waiting for their loved ones more than a year on. Waheed says he cannot work now for fear of being identified by the Taliban, so he is in debt. The family survive by selling his wifes jewellery. He says: My profile is known to the Taliban and in this city they have many spies. Im told I am not entitled under current policies to come to the UK. I would call on the Government to reconsider this or they will have the blood of translators on their hands. Home for him and his family is a cramped two-room apartment the roof is on the verge of collapse and he cant afford to repair it in the Afghan capital, a city under repeated attack from both the Taliban and Islamic State. It is often dangerous to go out. People could point me out as having worked for the infidel, or say my wife is married to a spy. The fear will only go if we can escape Afghanistan. It is only a matter of time before the Taliban or maybe ISIS find me and try to kill me. They may also hurt my family. One of his colleagues, who also worked for the British, was recently ambushed, his car peppered with bullets. He survived, but the episode threw Waheeds wife into an even deeper depression. As the Mail has revealed, translators have been beaten, murdered and beheaded by the Taliban; their children and relatives kidnapped and killed. And the threat to those considered traitors has only risen as the Taliban regains ground. Last month, the organisation was accused of carrying out its deadliest week of violence in 19 years of conflict, with 422 attacks in 32 provinces, killing and wounding hundreds. Yet British ministers have defended their shameful policy, saying that to allow more interpreters into the UK would cause a brain drain in Afghan society. In fact, the danger interpreters face means they often cannot work anyway and are forced to move from town to town for fear of being hunted down and killed. Another interpreter, Latif, 36, worked for Britains military for nearly five years. He, his wife and four children are now living in his parents home in Kabul. Thirteen people live in the two-storey house, which has already been attacked by Taliban gunmen. His children have even been used by his enemies to hand-deliver death threats to him. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who has been in his post for a year, has promised to look again at the policy and is set to meet Home Secretary Priti Patel early this week to discuss the issue Now, in addition to the constant threat of murderous attack, they have to deal with Covid-19, which has already claimed the lives of three of his family. I cannot work. I cannot leave. We live day to day in a single room, Latif says. This is because of my work for the British and it is my family that is being punished. He lays the blame firmly at Britains door: The only reason I am a target is that I worked side by side with British soldiers. The British know that and have the evidence the Taliban is after me. Latif began working for the British Army as a frontline patrol interpreter in 2007 and graduated to serve alongside the SAS. His work and bravery were praised by UK officers after they were caught up in several Taliban ambushes and IED attacks. In one, a British soldier died. In another, two men were blown up just five metres from him. Latif says even though details of threats made against him by telephone and letter to his family home were shown to British officials, he has still not been allowed into the UK. We have been abandoned to the Taliban by those we helped protect and I would ask the Government to reconsider, he says. Dozens of interpreters, sick of living with constant fear, have paid people-smugglers and fled Afghanistan, taking a perilous journey through hostile Iran at least two have died along the route to try to reach Britain illegally. Several are languishing in hellish camps. Nesar, another loyal interpreter for the British, is living with his sick wife Nazarine, 28, in the infamous Moria camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. He wanted to reach Britain but was arrested en route by border guards. Moria, the worst refugee camp on earth, is notorious for robberies, stabbings, ethnic rivalries and food and medical shortages. Even children have tried to commit suicide there, it is said. The couple live in a shelter built from pallets, tarpaulins and plastic sheeting, held up by ropes fastened to an olive tree. A crude wood fire is the only form of heating or cooking. There is no electricity and little sanitation there are 210 people per toilet and 630 per shower in the camp. After six months in the camp, this week the 29-year-old had his asylum appeal rejected by Greece. He now faces the prospect of being deported to Afghanistan, where he says he believes he will be killed. He is understandably desperate for the UK to let him apply for asylum here, under a precedent established for Iraqi translators who were allowed to make claims from a third country. Our lives are on hold, Nesar says. Britain seems to think it is a crime for us to want peace and safety. But the crime is their treatment of men who risked everything for them and now see their families punished because of it. We see reports of migrants being allowed in (to the UK), of people from Hong Kong who have done nothing for Britain being invited. Yet for the few who did so much there is only rejection, fear, suffering and uncertainty. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, centre, takes her seat with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, behind, before a formal group photo during a formal reception for the heads of the NATO countries, at Buckingham palace in London Tuesday Dec. 3, 2019. Leaders from across the 29-member trans-Atlantic alliance are gathered in London to mark the 70th anniversary of NATO. (Yui Mok/Pool via AP) Read more Eight months ago, mere weeks before the first case of COVID-19, I was in London meeting with my fellow NATO parliamentarians at one of our regularly scheduled gatherings. While we did not know it at the time, it would be our last meeting for the foreseeable future, and perhaps ever. The mood was ostensibly festive, but nervous not far beneath the surface. We, the elected members of Congress and parliaments of the 29 NATO countries, gathered to discuss the most pressing issues facing the NATO alliance. But we were also there to celebrate a special anniversary, for NATO was turning 70. And yet, gallows humor could be overheard in many of the conversations. Lets enjoy our 70th birthday, since we dont know if well make it to 75, was the commonly made quip. I heard it several times. I was struck by how many of my British, German, and French colleagues openly expressed this view. It did not matter if the individuals were of the left or right parties in their respective countries. The pessimism about NATOs future ran across the ideological spectrum. As a German friend, who has served in the Bundestag for many years and is proudly pro-American said to me, Brendan, I love American politics and follow it closely. We both know that if Trump wins again then NATO is finished. To me, the dire outlook for NATO was striking, and dangerous. Our traditional allies are planning for a near future in which the United States no longer leads the Western alliance. It is time for Americans to wake up to this reality and that this is not in our interest. The NATO alliance has come to the defense of the United States many times over the years. In fact, the only country to ever invoke Article 5, NATOs collective defense clause, was the United States after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. NATO forces deployed thousands of troops to military operations, such as Afghanistan, where more than 1,100 non-U.S. NATO forces have been killed. NATO also supports and contributes to the U.S.-led counter-ISIS coalition. Most recently, NATOs cybersecurity cooperation across the alliance will be key as cyberattacks pummel across sovereign lines. Generally, on the bulk of issues, we tend to be more alarmist than is usually warranted. But on this issue, it is quite the opposite. Tectonic, permanent shifts are happening in our post-World War II alliances while we are sleepwalking. President Trump continues to attack our allies and cozy up to dictators, which impacts all of us. He has attacked Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Denmark, and Sweden. Yet, he has praised dictators such as Putin, Duterte, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, and Erdogan. Due to these actions, our allies are losing faith. The backlash is evident in situations like our European allies resisting American request to reject technology from the Chinese company Huawei in 5G networks. In an interview, the retiring French Ambassador to the United States said, The current president doesnt care about the West. He is a nationalist. He is America alone. This is not what we want for our country. It is our allies and alliances like NATO that deter mutual security threats ranging from Russian expansion to global terrorism. We cant and shouldnt go it alone as Trump urges. It is long past time for NATO to become a political issue in our domestic politics. In the Trump era, the former bipartisan consensus for leading the West has entirely broken apart. In the Trumpist Republican Party, there is no defense of the Western alliance. Reaganism has no home in todays GOP. Those who believe, as I do, the world is best at peace and secure with the United States firmly in the lead of the western democracies, find only one party embracing this view. Therefore, unlike in any previous election, we must proclaim this view explicitly, for it is under mortal to an empty and dangerous populism. The world we have known and led since the end of World War II hangs in the balance. Brendan F. Boyle is a member of Congress from Pennsylvania and a voting member of the US delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Libya's UN-recognised government has disavowed a visit by French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, a champion of the 2011 ouster of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi whose standing has plummeted since the uprising. Across Libya, the euphoria of the NATO-backed rebellion has long since faded as fighting has raged on between rival governments and feuding militias. In the government-held west of the country, France is widely resented for the political support it has given military strongman Khalifa Haftar whose forces dominate a rival administration in the east. Levy flew into Libya's government-held third city Misrata in a private jet on Saturday, airport sources said. He told pro-government television channel Libya Al-Ahrar that he had travelled to the country as a journalist to write a piece for the Wall Street Journal. Levy said he planned to visit the town of Tarhuna, where government forces uncovered a mass grave they say contains the bodies of civilians executed by Haftar loyalists. Armed groups loyal to the government said they had prevented Levy from entering Tarhuna on Saturday. But in tweets accompanying photographs of himself flanked by masked gunmen in military uniforms, the French celebrity philosopher said he had visited the "killing field" in Tarhuna where 47 people, including children, had "suffered martyrdom from pro-Haftar proxies". In 2011, Levy accompanied then French president Nicolas Sarkozy on the first visit to Libya by Western leaders after the NATO-backed overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. By ABDULLAH DOMA (AFP) "Just after my reportage on the killing fields. These are the true Libyan police who protect free press. So different from the thugs who tried to block my convoy on my way back to Misrata," he wrote in a caption. He said a full account of what happened would be published soon. A programme published by Libyan media showed that Levy planned to visit the capital Tripoli on Sunday for talks with Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha. But the office of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj denied "any connection" to Levy's visit and said it had opened an inquiry to establish how it had come about and to take "deterrent measures" against its organisers. Although Levy enjoys celebrity status in France, he is unpopular in the Arab world because of his staunch support for Israel. B lack and ethnic minority figures are set to appear on Britains currency for the first time, it has been reported. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering proposals by campaigners to have influential BAME people from throughout history featured on a set of coins, Treasury minister John Glen said. A non-white person has never featured on British coins or notes, so the Banknotes of Colour campaign, run by former Conservative candidate Zehra Zaidi, has been fighting for representation. Those under consideration include the first Indian and Gurkha soldiers who received the Victoria Cross, British-Jamaican Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole, and Noor Inayat Khan, a World War II agent and one of only four women to have received the George Cross, according to The Sunday Telegraph. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) of Muslim war operative Noor Inayat-Khan (PA/Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) / PA/Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Plans have been submitted to the Royal Mint, which has been encouraged by the Treasury to draft proposals and designs for potential coins. Mr Glen told the paper Mr Sunak was keen to support the timely proposal. He said: The Chancellor is aware of this. We are obviously supportive and keen to be positive about it, we need to see some firm proposals from the Royal Mint but we are keen for this to happen." Mr Sunak has previously expressed support for the anti-racist cause highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests, and supported calls for widespread changes in attitudes. He said: As a British Asian of course I know that racism exists in this country. And I know people are angry and frustrated. They want to see, and feel, change. Ms Zaidi said in a letter to the Chancellor: "We propose a specific next theme of service to the nation by Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority people, both in military conflict and on the home front. "This theme will unite people, especially now as the nation has come together through the pandemic, and is collectively recognising the heroic work by ethnic minority staff in our health and care services. "It is surely essential that this country does not lose another opportunity to demonstrate that the contributions of Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority groups are truly valued. "Symbols matter, and we urge you to support our campaign." Previously, in 2018, comedian Sanjeev Bhaskar and presenter Sandi Toksvig were among those calling for a historic figure from a black and ethnic minority background (BAME) to feature on a new 50 note. A letter published in The Sunday Times and signed by over 200 people, including Lord Victor Adebowale and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, said that "no-one from an ethnic minority has yet featured on a banknote" despite BAME communities representing "14% of the British population". The letter read: "Changing this would send a message that the contribution of ethnic minorities to Britain's history, culture and economy is recognised and valued. "What better representation of 'global Britain' could there be?" Manama A meeting was held today the Court of HRH the Prime Minister to discuss ways to implement His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifas directives to celebrate the Bahraini Doctors Day on the first Wednesday of November each year, and launch the Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for outstanding Bahraini doctors in the medical and treatment research. Shaikh Hossam bin Isa Al Khalifa, Minister of Health, Faiqa Al-Saleh, and Bahrain Medical Society (BMS) President, Dr. Ghada Al-Qasim, took part in the meeting which discussed arrangements for celebrating the Bahrain Doctors Day, and the award procedures. Shaikh Hossam bin Isa stressed the importance of the initiative of HRH the Prime Minister, which, he said, reflects his visions and support for national cadres, as well as the efforts made by the government, under HRHs leadership, to achieve sustainable development goals. He pointed out that HRH Premier had allocated USD 200,000 for the award and the Bahraini Doctors Day celebrations, indicating that the awards Secretariat-General began to develop the necessary scenarios and the procedures required for handing over the award. He noted that the basic system of the award had been set and a committee to choose the winners had been formed. The committee consists of representatives from the Prime Ministers Court, the Ministry of Health, the President of the Bahrain Medical Society, the President of the Arabian Gulf University, the President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, a representative of the World Health Organisation, as well as international experts in the field of medical research, to oversee all procedures for granting the award. Shaikh Hossam went on to emphasise that the culture of honouring is considered an integral part of the developmental thought of HRH the Premier, who has long been known for being keen on various occasions and positions to praise, appreciate and honour the efforts of civil servants across all sectors in the Kingdom, especially the health and medical ones. The aim is to motivate and encourage them to exert further efforts and work harder in serving the country, as part of the Prime Ministers continued efforts and far- reaching vision in promoting the pace of construction and development, and upgrading the levels of human progress at all its sectors, in order to preserve the advanced levels of accomplishments internationally, especially in the medical and health field, he said. The Minister of Health, Professor Faiqa Al-Saleh expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to HRH the Prime Minister for his patronage of the Bahraini Doctors Day celebration and the distribution of his award to honor outstanding Bahraini doctors in the medical and treatment research, stressing that all medical staff members of the health sector in the Kingdom appreciate HRH Premiers initiative, which embodies his enormous support for and appreciation of the medical and health personnel. She went on to underscore the importance of the celebration and the award in encouraging and motivating medical cadres to exert further efforts and improve the quality of health services provided to both the citizens and residents, expressing her aspiration to implement the aspirations and noble goals reflected in the award. Dr. Ghada Al Qasim expressed her heartfelt thanks and gratitude to His Royal Highness the Prime Minister, for his constant support to doctors and health and medical teams in the Kingdom, stressing that all workers in the health sector always do feel grateful to HRH Premier for his appreciation and recognition of their efforts and contributions to the country. BMS President emphasised that this initiative carries noble values that reflect the belief of both the leadership and society in the importance of Bahraini doctors role in building and developing the nation. She stressed that all employees of the health sector are looking forward to celebrating the first edition of the Bahraini Doctors Day and the distribution of the Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for outstanding Bahraini doctors in the medical and treatment research. She pointed out that this award will have a major impact in terms of enriching the health sector and its contribution to the service of the country. The meeting reviewed the programme to be followed in celebrating the first edition of the Bahraini Doctors Day, to be organised on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, as well as the arrangements to be taken for the selection of winners of the awards , and the jury appointed for this purpose. The Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for outstanding Bahraini doctors in the medical and treatment research consists of a shield and a certificate bearing the emblem of the award, in addition to a financial reward granted to winners from the public and private sectors. The award shall be granted in two categories. The first is Innovation and Creative Award in Therapeutic, Clinical and Medical Research. It will be granted to three Bahraini doctors who prepare therapeutic, clinical and medical scientific research and attain distinguished achievements in their medical field characterised by creativity and innovation. The award is granted to them in order to encourage therapeutic, clinical and medical scientific research and the development of their research capabilities. To be eligible for this award, the research must have been published in an internationally recognised scientific journal and have not participated in other competitions and awards. Meanwhile, the second category, Extended Loyalty and Giving Award, will be granted to a Bahraini doctor who has worked for a period of no less than 30 years, in recognition and appreciation of their efforts and contributions. The candidate should also have been dedicated to the education of high values and human ideals of the medical profession. Regarding the first category, the submitted research should contribute to the formulation and implementation of the national health policy and plan by 2025, as well as to advancing the implementation of specific health programmes that further improve the quality of health care for the population. As for the second category, it will be awarded to Bahraini doctors, whose career has been marked by effort and dedication, and contributed to the education of other doctors. Any qualified Bahraini doctor can apply for the first category award by submitting the nomination through the institution to which they belong. The institution may nominate a maximum of three candidates for each category of the award, no later than 5 September 2020, by filling in the form designated for this purpose. Those willing to take part in the award shall fill in the form on the official website of the Ministry of Health, and send the required documents supporting their nomination to the Ministry of Health via: kbs.bdra.reg@health.gov.bh The National Assembly has been characterised by a series of drama in recent weeks. This last week especially, it was the centre of attraction. For one, the faceoff between the National Assembly and interim management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) reached a crescendo this week. Founded in 2000 as an interventionist agency which seeks to address the developmental concerns of Nigerias oil-rich Niger Delta region, the NDDC has largely failed on its mandate. The House of Representatives recently ordered a probe into its finances. It discovered, for instance, that the commission used N1.3 billion it was at first N1.5 billion as COVID-19 palliatives for its staff. For this and other allegations of financial sleaze, an invitation was sent to the interim management of the commission led by Daniel Pondei, but it was not honoured. However, when it was, the commissions management walked out on the NDDC House panel, accusing the chairman of the committee of vested interest. Although, the House issued an arrest warrant against the commissions management, the threat went as it came as more drama awaited the nation when next the management would appear. Having summoned the Niger Delta minister and the immediate past and the present NDDC bosses, the House fixed an investigation hearing for Tuesday. It began on a surprising note: the chairman of the panel, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stood aside for his deputy, Thomas Ereyitomi. READ ALSO: The MD of the commission was being grilled when yet again another surprise unfolded. Under the heat, of both the room and the questioning, the professor of microbiology fainted and those present tried to resuscitate him. The session ended abruptly. With Mr Pondeis session over, the Niger Delta minister, Godswill Akpabio, took the centre stage. Every question thrown at him, he tossed aside, until he dropped a bombshell. Godswill Akpabio [PHOTO CREDIT: @Senator_Akpabio] So it is important that people who have gone to court, people who genuinely did jobs should be paid for their jobs. For me, I am not against it because, of course, who are even the greatest beneficiaries? It is you people (in the National Assembly), Mr Akpabio said, pointing at the panel. The House of Representatives did not let the allegation slip without threat. House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said the next day that it is either Mr Akpabio provides the lawmakers who are beneficiaries or he be would be charged to court, all within 48 hours. As the deadline neared, Mr Akpabio recanted. He said he was misquoted, because he was not referring to the current assembly, but rather previous lawmakers. I never referred to members of the 9th House of Representatives as beneficiaries of NDDC contracts as the NDDC is yet to fully implement any NDDC budget since the commencement of the 9th National Assembly, the minister, himself a former Senate principal officer, said. The Senate would also take a strong stance against the management of the NDDC. It resolved that the management should be sacked and the unjustifiable funds paid to the commissions staff be refunded. The probe into the NDDC funds is believed to have also triggered a call for probe into the North East Development Commission. The National Assembly has now gone on recess, however, its probe of NDDC, it appears, has not gone on break. Although,President Muhammadu Buhari has urged his ministers and heads of government agencies to accord the National Assembly respect, labour minister, Chris Ngige, it seemed, had other plans. What was supposed to be another House hearing on the illegal suspension of the management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) by Mr Ngige was characterised with bickerings. Chris Ngige. [PHOTO CREDIT: Sahara Reporters] There was a trade of words between a member of the House panel, James Faleke, and Mr Ngige, with the latter posturing himself as superior to the former. Advertisements Im responding my friend. If you yab (abuse) me, I (will) yab you ten times. I am a Lagos boy. You are just a small boy in Lagos. Look at this Mushin boy, hes talking with a VI boy. I lived in Victoria Island. Look at this Mushin boy from Kogi, Mr Ngige said when Mr Faleke urged him to respond to the questions he was asked. Asked if the exchanges between some of the heads of agencies and the National Assembly members worries the Senate, its spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru, said they are trivial issues and borders on yellow journalism. On his part, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, declined comment. Meanwhile, a spillover from the shouting game that ensued between a Senate panel and the labour minister for state, Festus Keyamo, over the modalities for the 774,000 jobs programme of the federal government continued this week. While the National Assembly insisted that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) will implement the special public works programme, the inauguration of each states committee for the programme kickstarted. Likewise, for the umpteenth time, the Senate called on the service chiefs to resign. This is on the heels of the insecurity across the country. In response, presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said only President Muhammadu Buhari can remove the military chiefs. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-27 05:21:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 291,172 in Iran on Sunday. Meanwhile, Iraq decided to impose a full curfew during the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday as the total nationwide infections hit 110,032. Iran, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East region, reported 2,333 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 291,172. The pandemic has so far claimed the lives of 15,700 Iranians, up by 216 in the past 24 hours. A total of 253,213 coronavirus patients have recovered, with 3,695 still in critical condition. In the meantime, the Iraqi health authorities decided to impose a full curfew from July 30 to Aug. 9, including the Eid al-Adha holiday as the tally of coronavirus infections in the country rose to 110,032 after 2,459 new cases were reported. The country also reported 78 more deaths and 1,900 recovered cases, raising the death toll from the infectious virus to 4,362 and the total recoveries to 75,217. Saudi Arabia announced 1,968 new cases and 30 more deaths, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 266,941 and the death toll to 2,733. The kingdom also reported 2,541 more recovered patients, taking the total recoveries to 220,323. The Saudi Health Ministry announced various steps to ensure the health of pilgrims during the Hajj season amid the coronavirus pandemic. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey climbed to 226,100 after 927 new infections were reported, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted. The death toll from the coronavirus in the country rose to 5,613 after 17 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, Koca said, adding 1,010 more patients recovered, raising the total recoveries to 209,487. In Qatar, 269 new cases of coronavirus infections were detected, increasing the total number to 109,305, including 165 deaths and 106,024 recoveries. Egypt's coronavirus cases continued the slowdown trend to reach 92,062, with the addition of 497 new infections, the lowest daily increase since mid-May. The Egyptian Health Ministry also reported 48 more deaths and 928 cases of recoveries, increasing the death toll to 4,606 and the total recoveries to 33,831. Oman's Ministry of Health announced 1,147 new cases of infections, raising the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 76,005, including 384 deaths and 55,299 recoveries. Kuwait reported 464 new cases, bringing the country's total number of infections to 63,773, including 433 deaths and 54,373 recoveries. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced 351 new COVID-19 cases and one more death, raising the tally of infections to 58,913 and the death toll to 344. The total number of recoveries from the virus in the UAE increased to 52,182 after 554 more fully recovered. Israel reported 1,278 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the tally of coronavirus infections to 61,956. The death toll of the virus in Israel increased to 470 while the recoveries rose to 27,025. In Morocco, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 20,278 after 633 new cases were added, which included 313 fatalities and 16,438 recoveries. The North African country declared that eight cities will be closed again because of the rapid surge in COVID-19 cases. Palestine reported 335 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the Palestinian territories to 13,129, including 4,211 recoveries and 78 deaths. In Lebanon, the number of COVID-19 infections increased by 168 to 3,747, while the death toll went up by four cases to 51. Jordan reported 14 new coronavirus cases, increasing the overall number of infections in the country to 1,168. The country announced that international flights between Jordan and 22 countries will resume operations starting Aug. 5 under preventative measures. Enditem Dr Richard Harris is best known as the Australian anaesthetist who played a crucial role in the Tham Luang cave rescue in 2018, a feat that saw him save the lives of 12 Thai schoolboys and their soccer coach after they became trapped by rising flood waters underground. The feat of enormous bravery in which the South Australian doctor and international cave dive rescue expert devised a way to swim all 12 of the trapped boys out whilst unconscious and under anaesthetic administered by him was so audacious and so brave that it gained him a Star of Courage award. In 2019, he was made a 'Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn' by the King of Thailand, no less. Anh Do with Dr Richard Harris, who played a crucial role in the rescue of 18 schoolboys from a cave in Thailand. Credit:ABC But Harris isn't feeling too courageous when faced with the prospect of watching himself on an upcoming episode of Anh's Brush With Fame. He's one of ten notable Australians having their portraits painted by Anh Do for the show's fifth series. Getty Donald Trump attacked Democrats on Capitol Hill after they passed the No Ban Act, which would repeal his travel ban towards five Muslim-majority countries, claiming the party has gone "Stone Cold Left - Venezuela on steroids!" "The Democrats in the House are trying to undo my big win Travel Ban Bill," the president wrote in a tweet on Saturday morning, "which successfully keeps very bad and dangerous people out of our great Country." "Passed along party lines," he claimed. "Hopefully, will be DEAD in the Senate! The Dems have gone Stone Cold Left - Venezuela on steroids!" The No Ban Act, which was not expected to receive a vote in the Republican-led Senate, mainly served as a repudiation of the presidents efforts to impose travel restrictions on Muslim majority countries a campaign promise he made in 2016, long before the coronavirus pandemic. Still, lawmakers said the measure, which passed mainly along party lines, would put the Democratic-led House of Representatives on the right side of history after they said the White House created the ban out of religious discrimination. Rep. Judy Chu (DCA), who sponsored the No Ban Act, said in a statement after the passing of the bill: Today, almost three and a half years to the day after President Trump issued his first Muslim Ban, the House of Representatives voted to put us on the right side of history by repealing it completely. She added: This ban never had anything to do with national security; it was always driven by prejudice. Republicans who defended the presidents travel restrictions slammed the No BanAct, including Rep. Andy Biggs (RAZ), who said: This is not a Muslim ban. This is a legitimate travel restriction implemented for the safety of this nation. Mr Trumps decision to implement travel restrictions on several Muslim majority nations faced both legal challenges and major blowback from US society, with massive protests staged at airports across the country during the presidents first year in office. Story continues The administrations current travel restrictions applied to Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Venezuela and North Korea were later added to the list. Iraq was removed from an initial group of countries to be included in the executive order. The latest restrictions also suspend visas from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria and Myanmar. Read more Trump travel bans were too late to prevent coronavirus, CDC confirms China's Foreign Ministry Orders US to Close Consulate in Chengdu Sputnik News 04:02 GMT 24.07.2020(updated 05:56 GMT 24.07.2020) The move comes in retaliaton to the US decision to shut down the Chinese consulate in Houston over accusations of intellectual property theft. China has ordered the United States to close its consulate in the southwestern city of Chengdu, China's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China informed the US Embassy in China of its decision to withdraw its consent for the establishment and operation of the US Consulate General in Chengdu," reads the statement. The ministry said it decided to revoke the US mission's license and told it to suspend all operations and events. Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the state-owned Global Times, said China had given the US 72 hours to shut it down. The US State Department has yet to comment. The United States operates an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan. The Chengdu consulate opened in 1985 and has around 200 employees, 150 of them Chinese, according to its website. Reuters also reported on Wednesday that China is considering shutting down the Wuhan mission. The United States ordered China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, earlier this week in a move which was described as a "political provocation" by Beijing and prompted threats of retaliation. The State Department explained the decision, citing the need "to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information". President Donald Trump, meanwhile, hinted at the closure of more consulates. The FBI is prosecuting several Chinese researchers on allegations that they lied about their connections with China's military to obtain US visas and spy for Beijing, a charge China denies. Tensions have soared between the two superpowers in recent years on multiple fronts as they grapple for political and technological dominance. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address More than 1,100 people in the country have been tested for the coronavirus as of July 9, the World Health Organizations representative to Pyongyang was quoted as saying in NK News, an outlet based in Seoul that focuses on North Korea. The representative said all tests came back negative. About 600 North Koreans were under quarantine. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-27 06:24:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BELGRADE, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Serbian health authorities confirmed on Sunday another 467 cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest daily number since the beginning of the outbreak in March. Despite mandatory wearing of face masks both indoors and outdoors, as well as a ban on gatherings, Serbia continued to record an increase in the daily number of new cases. In the past 24 hours, there were 10,381 tests, of which 467 were confirmed positive, while another eight people died as a result of the infection, the Health Ministry confirmed. Since the beginning of the outbreak in early March, 621,714 people were tested in Serbia. A total of 23,730 people were diagnosed with COVID-19, and 534 had died from the disease. Currently, there are 4,568 people hospitalized across Serbia, of whom 169 are on respiratory ventilators. Serbia declared a COVID-19 state of emergency in mid-March and imposed curfews to prevent the spread of the virus. It lifted those restriction measures on May 6. But the number of new cases has been increasing rapidly since late June. Enditem Tata Steel is reportedly offering the British taxpayer a 50 per cent stake in its Port Talbot steelworks in Wales as part of efforts to secure government backing to secure the future of the business in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. According to 'Sky News', the Indian steel major is seeking GBP 900 million from the UK government's Project Birch fund, which was set up to provide state support for strategically important businesses crippled by the pandemic. The proposal for the government to take an equity stake and in effect part nationalise the plant is said to be one of the options under discussion. A source close to Tata Steel said the proposal which is just one of the options the company is examining would involve its parent company writing off an equivalent quantity of debt owed to it by the UK business, Sky News said. The talks are at a tentative, rather than concrete, stage, and the structure of any deal, as well as the size of any financial contributions, remain far from being finalised, it adds. Analysts say it is unlikely that the government would want to inject new capital into any company applying for emergency aid unless its shareholders were also willing to do so. The Sunday Times' had claimed last weekend that Tata Steel was exploring the closure of the plant's two blast furnaces and replacing them with electric arc furnaces a move that could spell job losses for some of Port Talbot's roughly 3,500 workers. Heavy restrictions have been placed on the funding under Project Birch, including stipulations that investments support the government in achieving its target of zero emissions by 2050. Unions are deeply concerned that switching to electric arc furnaces would result in heavy job losses at the steelworks. Blast furnaces use iron ore and coal to make molten iron and steel, whereas electric arc furnaces typically melt scrap metal. Also Read: Alibaba, Jack Ma summoned by Gurugram district court for 'wrongful' firing of employee Also Read: Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls likely to open; metro trains, schools to remain shut A state of emergency covering Victoria and all its essential services for one month has been proclaimed by the Executive Council. First published in The Age on July 28, 1949 The Premier (Mr Hollway) announced this last night after an emergency meeting of State Cabinet at Parliament House and two subsequent meetings of the Executive Council. Essential services named in the proclamation are: Fuel, light and power provided by gas companies, Victorian Railways and State Electricity; Transport of goods and passengers by sea and land; Stevedoring; Tugs and pilot services; All services provided by the Melbourne and Geelong Harbor Trust Commissioners. The proclamation was signed by the Lieutenant-Governor (Sir Edmund Herring) and Mr Hollway. Declaration of the Essential Services Act and the state of emergency is designed: When faced with the indefensible, the best thing to do is stop defending it. Thats what Canada should do with the Safe Third Country Agreement, its bilateral arrangement with the United States by which each country sends would-be refugee claimants back to the country where they first arrived. In practice, it means Canada sends asylum seekers who turn up at ports of entry along the American border back to the U.S. The agreement is predicated on the assumption that both countries have fair and well-functioning refugee systems, and that claimants can get decent treatment on either side of the border. Essentially, that both countries are safe for asylum seekers. That hasnt been true for a long time, at least since Donald Trump entered the White House and immediately began cracking down on immigration, both legal and illegal. Refugee advocates have been urging Ottawa to suspend the agreement for years, as has the Star. And now a judge of the Federal Court has added her voice, concluding in a long-anticipated ruling that the agreement violates the right to life, liberty and security of the person guaranteed by Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The decision by Justice Ann Marie McDonald is a powerful one, and concludes in effect that Canada can no longer outsource decisions on who deserves asylum to an American system that is far from safe. After hearing evidence from several people who have gone through the system, she writes that the accounts of the detainees (in the U.S.) demonstrate both physical and psychological suffering because of detention, and a real risk that they will not be able to assert asylum claims. Justice McDonald suspended her ruling for six months to give the government time to consider how to remedy the situation. It could appeal the decision to the Federal Court of Appeal, and then all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada if it fails there. But a wiser course, not to mention a more humane one, would be to stop defending this indefensible agreement. The government should suspend it immediately, while it works out a longer-term solution for asylum seekers coming from the United States. Much can happen in six months. Ottawa may be able to renegotiate the agreement, and it can hope for change in the U.S. administration after Novembers presidential election. Its possible that a Biden administration will take steps to reduce abuses in the U.S. refugee system to the point where it can once again be considered safe for those seeking refuge. Certainly, thats not the case now, judging by Justice McDonalds lengthy decision. She found evidence that those handed back to U.S. authorities by Canadian border officials are imprisoned for weeks or months in often-terrible conditions as punishment for seeking asylum. The judge found evidence from an Ethiopian woman named Nedira Mustefa to be particularly compelling. After trying to enter Canada, Mustefa was turned back at the border only to be held in solitary confinement, fed food she believed to be pork even though she told guards she is a Muslim, and lost nearly 15 pounds while detained for a month in a freezing cold cell. She was scared, alone and confused at all times. Canada, wrote McDonald, cannot turn a blind eye to the consequences of handing Mustefa and others like her over to U.S. authorities under current conditions. It can no longer argue that it doesnt know what happens to these people. And it can no longer argue that their right to a fair hearing and decent treatment will be upheld, as the Safe Third Country Agreement states. There are other problems with the agreement. Since it applies only at official ports of entry, many thousands of would-be refugees crossed on foot at other points, flooding Canadas refugee system. But that was in some ways a side issue. Justice McDonalds ruling explodes the heart of the agreement. Ottawa should suspend it now. As the coronavirus dug into the Bay Areas low-income Latino and Black neighborhoods this spring, doctors and community leaders pleaded for more testing sites. But even as access to testing grew in wealthier, whiter parts of several Bay Area counties, community testing sites lagged or offered only limited hours in communities of color where the virus was spreading fastest, according to a Chronicle analysis of test-site data from March through mid-July. Richmond and San Pablo predominantly Latino, Asian American and Black working-class cities have some of the highest infection rates in Contra Costa County. Yet they still have about the same number of community testing sites as Walnut Creek, an affluent, mostly white city with half the population. Walnut Creek had 4 cases per 1,000 people compared with 13 in Richmond and 19 in San Pablo, as of Friday. East Oakland, the epicenter of Alameda County cases, had no community testing site until early May, nearly two months after the pandemic hit. In Solano County, the first testing sites were in higher income areas that were less impacted by the virus. And in San Mateo County, about half of the community testing sites remain in wealthier ZIP codes. Meanwhile, there are still no permanent sites in working-class East Palo Alto which has the countys highest case rate or in coastal towns with large farmworker communities. Only roving clinics that set up a few days a week service those areas. Three cities with some of the highest case rates in San Mateo County lack a permanent testing site accessible to anyone: East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay and South San Francisco. It should have been a priority for the county to come to areas where low-income families live, to the farms where theres crowding in the barracks, said Joaquin Jimenez of the nonprofit Ayudando Latinos a Sonar (Helping Latinos to Dream), which provides protective equipment and other help to farmworkers along the San Mateo County coast. That should have been the main concern from day one, not places with big homes and two people living in them. About a dozen other community groups, local leaders and medical professionals in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties told The Chronicle that their requests to county officials for more testing sites have not yielded enough options for low-income people who often work in essential jobs where its hard to socially distance. Such communities are bearing the brunt of the pandemic. Officials in these counties said they were hamstrung by a shortage of money, testing supplies and staff, particularly early on. When the state offered to fund more testing locations through a multi-million dollar effort to fill so-called testing deserts, county officials were able to cover more communities. But the state limited the number of sites, and counties repeated requests for more were denied. People who live in Bay Area testing deserts have long shared anecdotal evidence of the problem. To quantify the disparities for the first time, The Chronicle analyzed data collected by Coders Against COVID and GISCorps, volunteer groups that have amassed the most comprehensive database of community testing sites in the country. The groups define a community testing site as a location such as a hospital, clinic, pharmacy or pop-up site that gives diagnostic or antibody tests to people beyond its own patients. These sites provide a critical access point for those who lack a primary health care provider or health insurance. The Chronicles analysis found that several counties waited until at least late April to begin opening community testing sites in some lower-income areas after case rates had already taken off there. By contrast, several privately run sites opened in wealthier areas as early as mid-March. Though local and state officials have since expanded testing options in some low-income communities, public health experts say there should still be far more in neighborhoods where people have limited access to health care and transportation and greater exposure to the virus. To see it play out in real time has been the most heart-wrenching, said Dr. Jorge Caballero, a co-founder of Coders Against COVID and an anesthesiologist at Stanford Health Care. It comes down to trust, and there was a betrayal of trust. They didnt move fast enough in the communities where they should have been involved early on. The reasons for the disparities are multifold, public health experts said, but in short, money yielded tests. Underfunded public health departments often had little means to open testing sites, or to add tests at the ones they had opened. At the same time, better-resourced medical providers in higher-income areas were able to expand testing to more people. California also lagged behind most other states in clearing the way for pharmacies to test customers. Brian Feulner / Special to The Chronicle And once sites opened, cities and counties often failed to tell low-income communities where they were. Other barriers also emerged: such as requiring clients to set up an account in advance, and show an ID often a problem for undocumented immigrants. The result, experts said, has been a public health disaster: The virus has spread further and faster in some of the Bay Areas most vulnerable communities. And now that cases are surging, demand for testing is again outpacing supplies, often in those very communities. This mirrors what we know about health access in general for people of color its bad, said Denise Herd, a professor at UC Berkeleys School of Public Health. If someone cant get tested, then they cant self-quarantine, and other people are going to be infected. You cant protect the population if you dont know who has it. County public health officials told The Chronicle that it was nearly impossible to expand testing anywhere in March and early April because of shortages in testing supplies across the country. And even though the state offered additional sites through partnerships with two testing companies, counties said there werent enough sites provided. For example, Contra Costa County got three sites this spring. But when the county of nearly 1.2 million people requested three more, the state said no. Similarly, San Mateo County was denied a second site, despite multiple requests, said Deputy County Manager Justin Mates. Our low-income populations and communities of color are bearing a greater exposure to COVID-19, Mates said. But responsibility for testing is a shared responsibility: Its the county, its the state, its health care providers, its other entrants to the market like CVS and Walgreens. California Department of Public Health spokeswoman Ali Bay did not explain when asked why the state turned down the counties requests. She noted that more than 100 community testing sites operate across the state through its coronavirus testing program. Although we have made considerable progress, she said, we still have much more work to ... ensure adequate access to testing, particularly among low-income and minority communities. Curtis Louis, 72, of North Richmond said he wanted to get tested in mid-June before parishioners returned to BibleWay Missionary Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon. Louis called a county number to schedule a test but said he was told to go to Berkeley, in another county. That meant Louis, who does not own a car, would have to take BART or a bus, then walk multiple blocks. At the time, there was just one clinic in Richmond offering testing to the wider community. But Louis and several community leaders said they didnt know about it. Louis said he was trying to figure out how to get to the Berkeley location when his pastor, Nathan Whittom, offered to drive him to a site in nearby San Pablo. People arent getting tested who want to get tested because they dont know where to go, and they dont have any way to get to the test sites, Louis said. Whittom said that he and a group of pastors and medical professionals have been talking with local officials since early April, pressing to get more test sites in Richmond. What bothers me is that we are four or five months into this thing, and we know where the pockets of people are who are being affected, Whittom said. Why wouldnt you bring the testing to these people? 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. Contra Costa County opened 10 state or county-funded testing sites between late April and mid-June. Just three went into the working-class cities of Antioch, Pittsburg and San Pablo. The other seven were set up in middle-income Pinole, Brentwood, Martinez and Concord which got two and in wealthier and whiter cities with far fewer coronavirus cases per capita: Walnut Creek and San Ramon. Contra Costa County officials recently opened a second community testing site in Richmond, and are considering another in unincorporated North Richmond. They also said they are trying to do a better job of letting people know where to find testing. We want testing to be available to everyone, said Erika Jenssen, the countys deputy health services director. I think subsequently we really understood that this pandemic is greatly affecting Latinx, African American low-income communities, and so weve opened up additional sites in those communities. In San Mateo County, public health officials rotate their lone state-provided site among six underserved communities, including East Palo Alto and Half Moon Bay, a small agricultural town that gets the testing once a week. Brian Feulner / Special to The Chronicle Deputy County Manager Mates said the vast majority of county residents are insured and can be tested through their health care providers. Many farmworkers in rural parts of the county, however, lack health insurance, making the roving clinic their primary option for being tested, said Jimenez of Ayudando Latinos a Sonar. If they need to be tested at any other time, it could mean an hour-long bus ride east over the coastal range. That makes it difficult for people to be screened, especially if theyre showing symptoms. In Solano County, public health officer Dr. Bela Matyas said the state gave county officials days to choose the locations for two state-sponsored sites. He said the county asked cities to propose two rent-free locations. They offered one in a low-income area of Vallejo and another in a higher-income area of Vacaville. In late June, however, after considering where the sites might be more effective, the county moved the Vacaville testing site to an area of Fairfield where the median household income was $20,000 lower and case rates were significantly higher. The county also shifted the Vallejo site to a lower-income area closer to several apartment complexes. We had so little time at the outset that we had to go with convenience, said Matyas. After they were put in place, we were able to be much more strategic in targeting where the need was. Getting a site up and running is just the first step, experts said. In Marin County, health officials have placed one permanent testing site and two pop-up sites in San Rafaels Canal area, a dense and mostly Latino neighborhood where the coronavirus has spread rapidly. Lucia Martel-Dow, director of immigration and social services at the Canal Alliance, which runs one of the pop-up sites, said that 20% to 30% of tests in the community are coming back positive far higher than the 7% rate countywide. Despite efforts to expand testing in the area, growing demand means it can take a week to get an appointment at some clinics, and even longer for results to come back, Martel-Dow said though wait times are improving, according to county officials. The delays mirror those across the state as coronavirus cases have spiked in recent weeks. Public health experts said county efforts to connect residents with community sites have sometimes been weak, particularly in historically underserved communities where English is not the primary language. In other cases, people have been wary or unable to use even nearby sites because of certain requirements like releasing personal information, or having to get tested during standard working hours. For some, even having to show ID is a too-high hurdle, said Dr. Noha Aboelata, founder and CEO of Roots Community Health Center in East Oakland, a health care provider that operates free walk-up testing sites. We need to make sure that when we set up testing sites we are actually serving the community and not just checking a box, she said. Cynthia Dizikes and Joaquin Palomino are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino, @cdizikes (Natural News) Mike Adams, the outspoken conservative professor at the University of North Carolina not the Health Ranger and founder of Natural News was found dead in his home on Thursday after he was forced to retired by Left-wing Marxist administrators earlier this month because they didnt like his points of view. According to reports, police have confirmed the death of the professor of criminology, 55, but have yet to provide any further information on the cause at publication time. The News & Observer in Wilmington, N.C., reported: Friends frantically pounded on Mike Adams door calling Mike! Mike! on Thursday afternoon in the minutes before deputies arrived and found the UNC Wilmington professor dead inside, his neighbors said Friday. Next thing I know, I had 20 something vehicles all throughout here, said Bryan Hanley, 56. He said then deputies put up crime scene tape and brought the body out of the house. Adams death comes as he agreed to a $504,702.76 settlement with the university for lost salary and lost retirement benefits after he was essentially forced into an early retirement over controversial tweets and a lengthy history of battling with the institutions liberal administrators. In late May, for instance, Adams was both cheered and jeered for lampooning Democratic Gov. Jim Coopers decision to lift some coronavirus shutdown restrictions. This evening, I ate pizza and drank beer with six guys at a six seat table top. I almost felt like a free man who was not living in the slave state of North Carolina. Massa Cooper, let my people go! Adams wrote. This evening I ate pizza and drank beer with six guys at a six seat table top. I almost felt like a free man who was not living in the slave state of North Carolina. Massa Cooper, let my people go! Mike S. Adams (@MikeSAdams) May 29, 2020 WECT reported that many felt the tweet was racially insensitive for using slave language (seriously, youd have to want to be offended by this obvious attempt at sarcasm to actually be offended by it). But in an interview with the station, Adams defended what he wrote, saying that the slave master analogy had everything to do with Coopers oppressive policies during the coronavirus outbreak and zero to do with Antebellum-era slavery in the Old South.. In 2016, Adams also made national news when he referred to one student as a queer Muslim which was factually true. The allegation stemmed from a Daily Wire column titled, A Queer Muslim Jihad? in which he was discussing Nada Merghani, a Sudanese refugee and LGBT student-activist at UNCW. (HUGE: President Trump announces executive order requiring universities to guarantee free speech if they want federal tax money.) In his 2016 column, Adams wrote her claims to be a queer Muslim are probably part of an act designed to fit into as many victim categories as possible, a reference to school policies that are preferential and deferential to such students. But his column was also based on a perceived threat against then-GOP nominee Donald Trump that Merghani made on her Facebook page. Expect to see me at the Trump rally on Tuesday. Yall are not prepared for what Im about to do, she wrote. All I can say is pray I make it out of this alive. Another UNC professor, Dr. L.J. Randolph Jr. wrote of Adams passing, Please do mourn Mike Adamss death, but dont sugarcoat his rhetoric as merely controversial or racially charged. He was blatantly racist, homophobic, and sexist, and his own words left no room for interpretation on any of that. So, to translate, its okay for this guy to dump on Adams after his death, but it wasnt okay for Adams to have his own opinions when he was alive. And therein lies the reason Adams was being retired in the first place: Left-wing intolerance. Americas institutions of higher education, for the most part, have been transformed into Marxist indoctrination centers and little more. There are exceptions, though, and parents with college-bound kids should find them or risk losing them to the purveyors of hate, intellectual bigotry, and groupthink authoritarianism. Sources include: Breitbart.com BuzzFeed.com NaturalNews.com Advertisement Following renewed violence in Southern Kaduna, the Christian Rights Agenda, CRA, have accused Nigerias President Major-General Mohammadu Buhari, and Kaduna state Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai of turning a blind eye to the genocide against indigenous Christians in the state. It is on record that neither Buhari nor El-rufai has issued a statements commiserating or consoling with the victims of #SouthernKadunaGenocide. Governor El-Rufai in particular even apologized to the people of Birnin Gwari area for his governments inability and failure to protect them from attacks by bandits. Why has he not done so for #SouthernKadunaGenocide?Is it because they are #Christians? CRA notes with pain that from nonchalance, governments attitude towards the fate of northern minority Christians in southern Kaduna has risen to the level of deliberate mis-information with a view to changing the entire narrative ostensibly to cover-up an orchestrated plan to annihilate the people and take-over their lands. Over 50 people have died in Kaura, Zangon-Kataf, Kauru and Kajuru local government areas of the North-western Nigerian state in the last one week. This situation is unacceptable, CRA stated categorically. CRA have maintained that the federal government of Nigeria led by Major General Buhari and Kaduna state government should have questions to answer in the carnage and bloodbath that has become the lot of innocent and defenceless Christian peasant farmers of southern-kaduna that at every attack, the state and federal government, respectively, take turns to make excuses for the genocidal criminals. Both president Buhari and governor el-Rufai are northern Muslims whose positions on religious issues has always betrayed lack of statesmanship especially in a secular state as Nigeria. This is heightened by the fact that both the President of the country and governor of Kaduna are not only Muslims but have presided over government policies that did not protect the interest of Christians in the country. In the latest attack, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, quickly attributed the renewed killings in the Christian dominated southern to revenge killings and mutual violence by criminal gangs acting on ethnic and religious grounds. Garba Shehus statement read in part: From available records, Southern Kaduna enjoys comprehensive security deployments, including the Army, Special Forces of both the Army and the Air Force, surveillance aircraft by the Air Force and mobile police units that are on the ground on a 24-hour basis to forestall criminality and keep the peace. But unlike other parts of the country, the problem of Southern Kaduna is more complicated than many critics are ready to acknowledge and understand. CRA believes the federal government is not only complicit in the protracted violence that has claimed several lives but wonders what the federal government has done with the security information at its disposal in the last five years. Or is the presidency scared of saying the formidable security arrangement is in place to protect the Fulani militia while they kill innocent southern Kaduna indigenes. Let Major General Buhari stop the perfidy Statistical information at the disposal of CRA indicates that from 2018 to date, no fewer than 15,000 Christian children, women, old and young have been maimed and killed by armed groups alleged to be Fulani terrorists in Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba States while the Federal and State governments have been unable to protect them. This is in addition to another 620 people who have been brutally murdered, according to documents obtained by CRA from The International Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law (ISCLRL). CRA equally find governor El-Rufais response to the Kaduna killings as very repulsive, dubious, wicked and a mere rehearse of the presidential narrative. Governor el-Rufai in a statement through Muyiwa Adekeye, his spokesman, said insecurity in Kaduna state is being perpetrated by criminal elements who have been killing, kidnapping people and rustling cattle the entire North West and that The criminality of the bandits gets coated with ethnic and religious hues when it affects communities in the southern parts of the state, where it tends to exacerbate communal tensions and pitch people who have lived peacefully together against each other. This is how the cycle of attacks, revenge and reprisals occurs in southern Kaduna. What a defense ! CRA is appalled by this statement. There isnt a greater testimony to complicity. It is a well considered view of CRA that international bodies such as the United Nations, UN, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) should open an investigation into the on-going killings in Southern Kaduna without further delay. Specifically, CRA is calling on the ICC to mobilize with immediate effect, and set up a fact-finding panel in order to end what it called pogrom before it is too late insisting that Nigerian state under president Buhari has failed Nigerian Christians and the earlier the situation is put under control, the better in order to avert a Rwanda experience. The fact that the core duty of government is the protection of lives and property cannot be wished away Government is expected to undertake the second evacuation of stranded Ghanaians from the United States. This was made known in a statement by the Ghana Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Consulate General to New York. According to the statement which contained instructions to potential evacuees, the second evacuation is scheduled to leave the Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey on the aforementioned date. It says Ethiopia Airlines, the carrier, departs at 5:25 pm and the reporting time is 12:00 pm. The statement instructed that face mask is required to board and pre-check-in health screening. It encouraged potential evacuees to register with the Consulate and be provided with a promotion code with which they can purchase a ticket directly from the airline. It indicated that registered passengers who were put on standby for the last flight will be contacted to activate their registration, and receive the promotion code. According to the statement, there will be a 14-day mandatory quarantine at one of the designated hotels namely Alisa Hotel, Korkdam Hotel, Maxlot Hotel, Alma Hotel, Bellair Crest. Daily Guide Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 09:57:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Inter Milan bounced back from two consecutive draws by defeating Genoa with a comfortable 3-0 away victory on Saturday. Romelu Lukaku put Inter ahead in the first half, while Alexis Sanchez and Lukaku's second sealed the match after the break. The Nerazzurri broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when Cristiano Biraghi floated in a cross from the left and Lukaku shrugged off his marker to steer his header into the net, picking up his 28th goal in all competitions this season, a personal best in his career. Inter doubled the lead in the 82nd minute as Sanchez continued his fearsome form by volleying in a cross from Victor Moses. Lukaku added the third in dying minutes with a solo run as the Belgian surged into the box and rode Cristian Romero's tackle before placing a strike into the far corner. The win sees Inter move back into second place with 76 points, four behind Juventus who will take on Sampdoria on Sunday. In other matches, Napoli conquered Sassuolo 2-0 at the San Paolo in a dramatic fashion with Elseid Hysaj and Allan on target, while the away side saw no fewer than four goals chalked off for offside. Elsewhere, Parma claimed their second consecutive victory by beating Brescia 2-1. Enditem What just happened? Indias Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has confirmed reports that Apple is manufacturing the iPhone 11 in India. Its an easy victory: Apple has reduced their reliance on China, and they can bypass Indias significant import tax. Apple has wanted to produce devices in India for several years. According to TechCrunch, they had been unable to find a local manufacturer capable of meeting their stringent quality standards, so theyve had to wait for new assembly lines to be built. In 2017, Wistron began producing previous years flagships in India to sell as budget devices, but as of this month, Foxconn has been able to produce the iPhone 11 at their facility near Chennai. The first batch is believed to have already shipped to nearby retailers. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced in February that Apple will launch an updated online storefront in India in the next few months, and will open brick-and-mortar stores next year. Recently, Apples manufacturers Foxconn and Pegatron both announced plans to invest in their Indian facilities. India is the worlds second-largest smartphone market and one thats much further from saturation than America or China. Theres one key question that remains, though. Apple wont have to pay a 20% import tax anymore. Although manufacturing in India is probably more expensive than manufacturing in China, Apple will still be saving a fortune. Will they pass those savings onto consumers and give them a discount, or will they widen their profit margins? Image Credit: Jason Leung on Unsplash RTHK: North Korea declares Covid emergency in border town North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared an emergency and a lockdown in a border town after a person suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus returned from South Korea after illegally crossing the border, state media said on Sunday. If confirmed, it would be the first case officially acknowledged by North Korean authorities. Kim convened an emergency politburo meeting in response to what he called a "critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country", the North's KCNA state news reported. A person who defected to South Korea three years ago returned across the fortified border that divides the two Koreas to the town of Kaesong this month with symptoms of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, KCNA reported. "An emergency event happened in Kaesong City where a runaway who went to the south three years ago, a person who is suspected to have been infected with the vicious virus returned on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line," KCNA said. KCNA did not say if the person had been tested, but said an "uncertain result was made from several medical check-ups of the secretion of that person's upper respiratory organ and blood", prompting officials to quarantine the person and investigate anyone he may have been in contact with. One analyst said the announcement was important, not only because North Korea was for the first time reporting a suspected coronavirus case but also because it suggested it was appealing for help. "It's an ice-breaking moment for North Korea to admit a case," said Choo Jae-woo, a professor at Kyung Hee University. "It could be reaching out to the world for help. Perhaps for humanitarian assistance." North Korea is under huge economic pressure because of international sanctions over its nuclear programme. Cho Han-bum, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said it was significant that North Korea was reporting its first suspected coronavirus case was imported. "North Korea is in such a dire situation, where they can't even finish building the Pyongyang General Hospital on time. Pointing the blame at an 'imported case' from South Korea, the North can use this as a way to openly accept aid from the South," Cho said. KCNA did not elaborate on how the "runaway" had crossed one of the world's most heavily guarded borders but said the incident was being investigated and the military unit responsible would face "severe punishment". South Korean officials were checking to see if a defector had indeed crossed back into the North this month, the South's Yonhap news agency reported. North Korea has received thousands of coronavirus testing kits from Russia and other countries and imposed strict border closures. Thousands of people in North Korea were also quarantined as it took precautions to prevent a coronavirus outbreak but restrictions had recently been eased. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2020-07-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. An agency legally mandated to protect worker safety in Alabama lacks an infectious disease standard and has conducted only a handful of onsite inspections following worker complaints about COVID-19. As of July 6, Alabamas OSHA office received 272 related worker safety complaints concerning COVID-19 and conducted seven on-site inspections. Of those COVID-19 inspections, six involved fatalities. As of July 10, 220 of the states 272 complaints were closed and 52 remained open. The agency is using a risk-based approach to assess and prioritize our field work and is employing all inspection and investigation protocols available to support the mission of protecting worker safety and health, said spokesman Eric Lucero. According to Lucero, there are 22 OSHA compliance officers for the state. One former OSHA official, however, is critical of the agencys response. OSHA has completely abandoned its mission to protect workers in this pandemic, said Debbie Berkowitz, a former senior policy advisor for OSHA who now works at the National Employment Law Project. While some states have independent worker safety agencies, Alabamas is part of federal OSHA, which has no specific enforcement standards for infectious disease. OSHA was in the process of writing an infectious disease standard on the federal level when the Trump Administration halted its creation in 2017, according to Berkowitz. Donald Elswick, executive director of Alabama Safe State, an outreach arm of OSHA housed at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, says he believes the existing standards are sufficient to enforce safety during the pandemic. Yet with limited compliance officers for the state of Alabama, Elswick says the preventative work of his organization around PPE, social distancing, and ventilation is critical to keep workers safe from coronavirus. Alabama Safe State provides OSHA training courses and onsite workplace safety consultation for employers. We all wish we could inspect every day, but what OSHA really does is rely on professionals like myself, he said. We actually go out and prevent injuries and (prevent) citations. All complaints are investigated, but may not result in an on-site inspection, according to OSHA. The agency says there are some standards it can use to enforce safety around COVID-19, such as a general duty clause, requiring employers keep the workplace safe and a PPE standard. Elswick believes the agency will eventually write an infectious disease standard. When OSHA writes a standard, it is literally an act of Congress, so if you can imagine, it is very difficult to get new regulations through, he said Berkowitz says currently the agency is asking employers to self-investigate once a complaint comes in. OSHA has failed in every way, and its a stunning situation, but this administration has decided not to enforce the OSHA law and thus workers are on their own, she said. While it may not be enough for some shareholders, we think it is good to see the Consolidated Operations Group Limited (ASX:COG) share price up 18% in a single quarter. But don't envy holders -- looking back over 5 years the returns have been really bad. The share price has failed to impress anyone , down a sizable 58% during that time. So is the recent increase sufficient to restore confidence in the stock? Not yet. We'd err towards caution given the long term under-performance. Check out our latest analysis for Consolidated Operations Group In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. During the five years over which the share price declined, Consolidated Operations Group's earnings per share (EPS) dropped by 25% each year. This fall in the EPS is worse than the 16% compound annual share price fall. So the market may previously have expected a drop, or else it expects the situation will improve. The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here. What about the Total Shareholder Return (TSR)? We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Consolidated Operations Group's total shareholder return (TSR) and its share price return. Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. We note that Consolidated Operations Group's TSR, at -53% is higher than its share price return of -58%. When you consider it hasn't been paying a dividend, this data suggests shareholders have benefitted from a spin-off, or had the opportunity to acquire attractively priced shares in a discounted capital raising. Story continues A Different Perspective We regret to report that Consolidated Operations Group shareholders are down 44% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 8.0%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 8.9% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 5 warning signs with Consolidated Operations Group (at least 2 which are significant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process. But note: Consolidated Operations Group may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with past earnings growth (and further growth forecast). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU exchanges. 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. This shocking footage shows the moment a group of men raided a Currys store in Essex in front of horrified staff. At 2.22pm yesterday, four men entered the technology retailer on London Road in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, wearing masks and dark-coloured hoodies. The men were in the store for roughly one minute where at least two of them rushed to rip a number of expensive devices from their displays. Shocking footage shows the moment a group of men raided a Currys store in Essex in front of horrified staff. This man appears to grab a tablet One of the men, wearing a hat, sunglasses and a medical face mask, fled the scene with what looked like a tablet under his arm One of the men, wearing a hat, sunglasses and a medical face mask, fled the scene with what looked like a tablet under his arm. Other customers in the shop filmed the moment the masked men ran from display to display helping themselves to the products on show. In the dramatic video, which was filmed live on Facebook before being shared into numerous local community groups, the men can be heard shouting 'What, what, what' at staff as they attempt to intervene. At the end of the video, one of the suspects runs back to a counter for one more item, but is unable to detach it from the display. The men were in the store for roughly one minute where at least two of them rushed to rip a number of expensive devices from their displays Other customers in the shop filmed the moment the masked men ran from display to display helping themselves to the products on show In the dramatic video, which was filmed live on Facebook before being shared into numerous local community groups, the men can be heard shouting 'What, what, what' at staff as they attempt to intervene He then gives up and leaves the store as another person in the shop shouts: 'It ain't coming off bruv, it ain't coming off'. A spokesperson for Currys PC World said: 'We experienced a break-in on Saturday, July 25 at our Southend-on-Sea Currys PC World with Carphone Warehouses store. 'The safety of our colleagues and customers is of paramount importance and we're thankful no-one was injured. 'The store is open to customers as normal. 'We're working with police to support their investigations.' An Essex Police spokesperson said: 'We're investigating a robbery at Currys PC World in London Road, Southend shortly after 2.20pm today. 'No-one was hurt. The four suspects are believed to have left in a silver car.' Detective Inspector Stewart Eastbrook added: 'Fortunately no-one was hurt but this was a frightening incident for staff and customers and we are determined to identify and arrest those responsible. 'The store is in a retail park near a busy junction leading to the A13 and there would have been a number of people and drivers who may have seen what happened or saw the suspects leave. 'We are keen to speak to anyone who saw what happened or has mobile phone or dash cam footage.' Anyone with information is asked to contact Southend CID on 101 quoting reference 42/11210/20. One of Ireland's biggest property development companies has made "serious allegations" against senior officials in Dublin City Council of what it calls "deep and ingrained personal bias and malice" against property developer Johnny Ronan. In a letter delivered to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O'Brien late last week, Rory Williams, the chief executive of Ronan Group Real Estate (RGRE), also claims "one arm of the planning system is seeking to undermine the application of Government policy by another arm of the planning system". "We have first-hand evidence of DCC officials admitting their bias where one commented, when asked whether there would be tall buildings in Dublin Docklands: 'Oh there will be, just not Johnny Ronan buildings'," says Williams, in a letter to the minister seen by the Sunday Independent. The letter also gives details of a planning meeting in January 2019 regarding its Spencer Place apartment development when a senior planning official said Ronan would not be granted the height and density permission, which "clearly predetermined" the outcome of pending planning applications "and betrayed entirely improper motives". The row comes after Dublin City Council announced it is to seek a second judicial review of Ronan's plans, approved by An Bord Pleanala, to build two residential blocks of 11 and 13 storeys on its site at Spencer Place, on the north side of the River Liffey. "I fully realise that this letter contains serious allegations," Williams wrote. "It is a measure of the gravity of the situation that we believe we have no alternative, and indeed a duty, to advise you, as minister, of them." Dublin City Council declined to comment, saying that the matter is currently before the courts. Williams, a solicitor and former partner in Arthur Cox, who spent five years as chief legal officer of semi-State water utility Ervia, added: "I am not one to make such serious allegations lightly I am very familiar with the standards of governance which should apply in the public sector". RGRE wants to build 464 buy-to-rent apartments and 200 co-living spaces, including 47 social housing units, on the site adjacent to its Salesforce headquarters currently under construction. It claims the development would not only help ease the housing crisis but provide a windfall cash bonus of 40m for cash-strapped CIE which has a stake in the development. It also claims that the latest legal delays will cost the development company "tens of millions of euro''. It is the second time Dublin City Council has sought a judicial review of plans for the site. The first permission, granted by An Bord Pleanala under the Government's fast-track Strategic Housing Development plan, which by-passes the local authority, was flawed, the High Court found. But Williams believes the council's decision to go to court for a second judicial review is based on personal antagonism and bias against Ronan, who built the iconic Conference Centre nearby. "DCC's policy of maintaining low heights and densities in Docklands and its habit of attacking other State bodies which are endeavouring to implement Government guidelines and provide such height and density are having a damaging effect on Dublin's status as an emerging international tech and finance centre," Williams told the minister. "Its approach betrays an outdated vision for a low-rise Docklands, contrary to the principles of the National Planning Framework." He says the bias can be clearly seen in DCC's own planning decisions. RGRE had an application for a 22-storey tower at Tara Street refused twice, even though it conformed to the Local Area Plan. "Yet a 21-storey tower overlooking Trinity College, a 23-storey tower at Connolly Station, a 29-storey tower at Heuston Station and a 23-storey at Capital Dock in Dublin's South Docklands" were granted permission. Williams also claims that despite support from the IDA "and other civic bodies", DCC has refused Ronan's plans to increase its Salesforce Tower in the north docks from nine to 11 storeys, "where heights well in excess of nine storeys should be the norm". Ronan's company and the city council have been at loggerheads since it refused a design for the National Conference Centre by the late Kevin Roche, the New York-based architect who was recognised as one of Ireland's greatest modern designers. Tensions have also been inflamed by a series of newspaper advertisements paid for by Ronan's company seeking to influence public opinion against DCC's "height restrictions". Meanwhile it emerged yesterday that Irish coffee group Bewley's has made an offer to the landlord of its famous Grafton Street cafe that could save it from closure. In a letter sent to Ronan Group Real Estate, which is controlled by Johnny Ronan, Bewley's has offered to pay its rent arrears on the property, along with interest and legal costs. The iconic cafe has been closed since March 16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed the nation through his radio programme Mann Ki Baat. PM Modi remembered the Kargil heroes on Kargil Diwas Day. He also spoke about the coronavirus situation, Assam and Bihar floods and how efforts undertaken by people to bring a positive change. Here are the highlights from today's Mann Ki Baat by Prime Minister Modi: He began by remembering the martyrs of the Kargil war that was declared over on July 26, 1999. "The world witnessed the valour of Indian soldiers," he said, adding, "Friends, at that point in time, I, too, was blessed with the opportunity to go to Kargil and witness the gallantry of our jawans. That day is one of the most precious moments of my life." "Twenty-one years ago on this day, our army won the Kargil war. India at that point was trying to form cordial relations with Pakistan but it is said that it is in the nature of the wicked to have enmity with everyone for no reason. Pakistan undertook this misadventure with sinister plans to capture India's land and to divert attention from its internal conflicts," said PM Modi. Speaking about coronavirus, the PM urged people to spare a thought for the frontline workers before removing their masks in public. He said that the recovery rate in the country is one of the best worldwide. "Our fatality rate is much less than in most other countries. We are able to save the lives of lakhs of people, but the threat of coronavirus is not over yet. It is spreading fast in many areas, we need to remain vigilant," added the PM. PM Modi spoke about Balbir Kaur, sarpanch of Trewa who built a 30-bed quarantine facility that not only helped coronavirus patients but also helped in generating employment. "Jaituna Begum of Chountliwar in Ganderbal resolved that her panchayat will fight coronavirus and also create employment opportunities," he said. Giving a boost to 'vocal for local' initiative, PM Modi said that Raksha Bandhan is the right time to support local businesses. "The joy of celebrating festivals increases when it helps expand the business of people in our society, in our neighbourhood," he added. The Prime Minister also spoke about the Assam and Bihar floods. He said that governments, NDRF, state disaster management teams and self-help groups are working together to provide relief and for rescue work. Also read: PM Modi to address radio programme Mann Ki Baat at 11am Also read: Mann Ki Baat Highlights: Indian army gave befitting reply to those eyeing our territory in Ladakh, says PM First, about half the funds ($435 billion) will be distributed as grants that is, they wont have to be repaid as before. And second, the funds will be borrowed by the European Union and not, again as before, by the individual countries. This spreads the burden of repayment among all E.U. countries: It is a subsidy for weaker countries. Just what was going through Prince William's mind when he sat down with his brother to discuss Harry's fast-moving romance with actress Meghan Markle? Deep bonds of interdependence that go beyond the normal ties of kinship have framed their relationship ever since that heart-stopping moment when they lost their mother almost 23 years ago. Theirs was the most affectionate story of brotherly love, one in which each looked out for the wellbeing of the other, from their schooldays at Eton, through the military and into their launch as full-time working royals. Navigating the pitfalls of romantic encounters while living in the spotlight was always the most challenging of all. In the summer of 2016, William had been married for five years and was the proud father of two young children. In that same five-year period, Harry had broken up with two long-term girlfriends, Chelsy Davey and Cressida Bonas. He envied his brother for having had the good fortune to meet and marry such a wonderful girl as Kate Middleton. Then he met California-born Meghan, and in the space of just a few weeks, he had already whisked her to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights and flown her to Botswana a part of the world to which he feels a deep connection to camp out under the stars. Deep bonds of interdependence that go beyond the normal ties of kinship have framed Prince William and Harry's relationship ever since that heart-stopping moment when they lost their mother almost 23 years ago According to the new book, Finding Freedom, when Harry met Meghan, William, instinctively cautious compared with his impulsive younger brother, urged him to take things easy. 'Don't feel you need to rush this,' he is quoted as saying. 'Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl.' To any observer, this would seem eminently sensible advice from someone who had not yet met his brother's new love interest. Harry, we are now told, did not see it that way. He heard no tone of generosity from an older brother who had always been there for him; but instead, in those last two words 'this girl' he detected an icy snobbishness. And authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand describe this as 'anathema' to Harry's approach to the world. 'During his ten-year career in the military, outside the royal bubble,' they write, 'he had learnt not to make snap judgements about people based on their accent, education, ethnicity, class or profession.' Lofty ideals, but according to the book, the conversation between the two brothers was as much about the tired dynamic as Harry saw it between him and William. There was 'a thin line between caring and condescending' and that line appeared to have been crossed. Harry no longer felt he needed looking after. How long he had harboured these prejudices is unclear, but they triggered an outpouring of princely rage. Harry was offended, 'p****d off', as the writers elegantly put it. 'P****d off that his brother would ask such a thing.' A friend is quoted as telling the authors: 'Harry could see through William's words. He was being a snob.' It's an extraordinary slur to make about anyone. About a brother, it is brutal. Leaving aside the coarseness of the language, these are hard and unforgiving sentiments, the words fizzing with resentment. This ill-judged book may do considerable damage to Harry's relationship with the rest of the Royal Family but the breach between the brothers is vast, and may even be irreconcilable. According to the new book, Finding Freedom, when Harry met Meghan, William, instinctively cautious compared with his impulsive younger brother, urged him to take things easy Perhaps it was too much to expect two very different boys with two very different wives to forge a lifelong alliance. And perhaps it is too easy to blame American Meghan for heading off with Harry away from palace life into the sunset. But, as children, William and Harry were whisper-close. When the baby of the family had a problem, he knew his big brother was always there. This was the way Diana wanted it: two boys born into the Royal Family with uniquely different but complementing roles. After her death in 1997, the importance of their fraternal bond grew in their sorrow and loss, and also in their need to protect one another. The image they projected was one of them against the world. And the stability they provided one another was crucial. And on that day that William sat down with Harry, his intention, according to the book, was 'to make sure Harry wasn't blindsided by lust'. All William thought he was doing was looking out for his kid brother, just as he had done at school and in the difficult days after Diana's death. Friends say he would never make such a gratuitously offensive observation. He had followed his mother's advice almost to the letter to not marry in haste. He and Kate had known each other for eight years before their engagement, Harry and Meghan a mere 13 months, if as the book claims, they were secretly engaged long before they made it public. How long ago it now seems when Harry was as close to Kate as he was to William, a warm-hearted trio delighting the world. The two Princes are, of course, hardly the first brothers whose close friendship has been split by marriage. The tragedy is that before Meghan came along, Harry was the very essence of a popular 21st-century prince. He was what every romantic expected a dutiful young royal to be not only a brave soldier, but someone who could laugh easily at himself. Indeed, laughter accompanied him everywhere he went. Meghan's arrival in his life changed everything. But was this her fault, or was it down to Harry's uncertainty in how to bring a fragrant Hollywood figure into the restrictive and highly controlled world of royal life? Meghan, remember, had become accustomed to floating her views in public, on everything from climate change and human rights to clean water and gender equality. This became clear on one occasion when the 'fab four' of William, Kate, Meghan and Harry were on stage promoting their Heads Together mental welfare charity, and the Duchess of Sussex naturally dominated the microphone. As children, William and Harry were whisper-close. When the baby of the family had a problem, he knew his big brother was always there. This was the way Diana wanted it: two boys born into the Royal Family with uniquely different but complementing roles There was an air of discomfort about William and Kate as they listened. Here was a young woman making it plain that her new royal status was something to be used so that her voice could be heard an unknown philosophy in royal life. At that moment, the silent Kate beside her looked almost dull. In truth, all Kate was doing was following a protocol that has kept the Royal Family in business for generations. But by then the relationship between the brothers was barely above the cordial. Ever since that heart-to-heart about Meghan, the two had scarcely spoken. The day of 'Uncle' Harry popping across the courtyard from Nottingham Cottage to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's neighbouring home at Kensington Palace bearing gifts for his nephew George and niece Charlotte were over. And yet when it came to their engagement interview with the BBC, Harry went out of his way to lavish praise on his brother for the way he had welcomed Meghan. William, he said, had been 'longing to meet her', and had been 'wonderful . . . amazing . . . fantastic' over the course of the romance. Hardly the actions of a chilly and indifferent snob. This was in November 2017 and, according to the book, the brothers were by now 'spending barely any time together'. Why? Scobie and Durand lay the blame at William and Kate's feet. 'The invitations (from them) were the first to dry up.' Once the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were married, the gap between the brothers only widened. The newlyweds had rented a farmhouse, close to Great Tew in Oxfordshire, where, says the book, the Cambridges failed to visit, even though 'the invite was there'. Their rift was confirmed publicly last October when the Sussexes gave an interview to Tom Bradby of ITN in which Harry acknowledged that he and his brother were 'certainly on different paths at the moment'. Even if this one-sided account is only partly accurate, it makes for desperately sad reading. For William there is profound sadness that he knows his mother would have shared. Perhaps it was too much to expect two very different boys with two very different wives to forge a lifelong alliance. And perhaps it is too easy to blame Meghan for heading off with Harry away from palace life In Harry, he had what he saw as a lifelong ally: a younger brother whose good nature and joviality provided elements of fun at times when he, as heir to the throne, had to be dignified. Harry also provided the kind of unflinching advice on which a future monarch relies. It seems extraordinary that this mutual support has now gone. Both brothers have always needed each other because both are single-minded and stubborn. At one stage, let's not forget, it was William's intransigence and grumpiness that was more of a worry in the family than Harry's youthful immaturity. Beyond their shared past, the truth is the two are very different characters. William has transformed from the reluctant public performer of only a few short years ago and has, if you like, come to terms with his fate. Kate and their children have contributed to that. It has made him more appreciative of the hierarchical nature of monarchy. Harry's tragedy is the sense of resentment he now appears to have along with misplaced notions of grandeur. 'He and Meghan seem to believe that they were responsible for all the goodwill that cascaded down on the Royal Family following their wedding,' says a courtier. It was typified by their reaction to an invitation for Meghan to join Prince Charles as his guest at an exhibition at Buckingham Palace. Insiders say that when the Duchess learned television cameras would be recording the event, she pulled out. 'She and Harry allowed the idea to take root that Charles wanted to ride on the coat tails of their popularity,' says a figure. 'Quite apart from the staggering discourtesy of not going, it demonstrated their ludicrous sense of entitlement.' For William the temptation must be to wish that he never had that conversation with Harry in the first place. Or, if he is feeling charitable, he might wonder if he ever really knew Harry at all. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) began the first quarter of Arvind Krishna's tenure as CEO on a high note. The company beat consensus revenue and earnings estimates. It also announced two pending cloud-related acquisitions. Still, this metamorphosis comes with struggles. Overall revenue remains lower than year-ago levels, and the tech stock still trades approximately 40% below the all-time high it reached in 2013. COVID-19 has exacerbated IBM's weak revenue trends. However, the seed that IBM planted in the cloud continues to grow at a rapid pace. Rather than a new beginning, IBM's latest earnings report more likely shows an acceleration of its transformation into a cloud company. Where the company now stands IBM earned $2.18 per share in the second quarter, excluding special items, coming in $0.09 per share ahead of analyst estimates. However, it fell short of year-ago levels, when the company earned an adjusted profit of $3.17 per share. The Armonk, New York-based technology giant added that it brought in $18.1 billion in revenue, $400 million ahead of analyst estimates. This includes $6.3 billion in cloud revenue: a 30% increase from the same quarter last year. Nonetheless, total revenue fell relative to the $19.16 billion IBM generated in the second quarter of 2019. IBM's cloud transformation Krishna had worked to make IBM a cloud company even before he became CEO. He played an instrumental role in IBM's $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat in July 2019. This was arguably an "all-in" move into the cloud. Buying Red Hat increased IBM's debt to $73 billion by the middle of 2019. This was a concerning level of liability, considering that the company had just over $17.6 billion in stockholders' equity: the amount left after subtracting liabilities from total assets. So far, the gamble appears to have worked. Debt remains high at about $64.7 billion. However, stockholders' equity has risen to nearly $20.6 billion. Moreover, Red Hat's revenue increased by 17% year over year last quarter. Krishna has also moved to make more cloud-related acquisitions in recent months. IBM announced its intent to acquire Spanugo in June to enhance its security and cloud compliance capabilities. It also agreed to buy WDG Automation to improve AI functionality. The company expects the WDG Automation deal to close sometime in the current quarter. Challenges remain Krishna assumed the CEO position at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Krishna and CFO Jim Kavanaugh pointed to the struggles and the uncertainties associated with conducting business during this contagion. Like last quarter, IBM declined to give forward guidance due to the uncertainty. Both Krishna and Kavanaugh also addressed underperformance in some of IBM's businesses. In the most recent quarter, three of the company's five divisions experienced a revenue decline. They explained that while digital transitions remain a priority, project delays and a lack of client willingness to make new commitments reduced revenue. Hence, investors will have to be patient as the company works through the pandemic and longer-term changes. Furthermore, IBM is a comparatively late entrant into the cloud business. Amazon remains the leader in this industry, while Microsoft has become the No. 2 cloud company. Microsoft elevated Satya Nadella, the former head of that company's cloud division, to the CEO position in 2014. Nadella pivoted the company toward cloud computing, and Microsoft stock has more than quadrupled during his tenure. Likewise, Krishna continues to make IBM more of a cloud company. Time will tell whether IBM stock experiences a similar move higher. Where IBM can go Regardless of how far IBM goes in the cloud, its transformation remains a work in progress. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted its challenges, as revenue continued declining. Three of its five divisions are struggling, and in time, the company will have to address their lagging performance. However, by buying Red Hat, Krishna hastened IBM's move into the cloud even before he became CEO. The cloud industry is still growing quickly and appears to have room for players such as IBM. Moreover, a 30% increase in cloud revenue last quarter indicates that the company's all-in bet on the cloud has paid off so far. IBM's transformation may resemble Microsoft's transition to the cloud. As this metamorphosis continues, IBM could again become one of the most respected names in the tech industry. Pune district reported 2,891 new coronavirus cases since previous evening, taking its case tally to 66,965, a health official said on Saturday. The death toll in the district due to the pandemic reached 1,672 with 47 patients succumbing to the infection, he said. Of the 2,891 new cases, 1,479 are from the Pune Municipal Corporation limits, which has reported 43,083 patients so far, the official said. 693 patients were also discharged from city hospitals upon recovery, he said. 1,041 new cases were reported from neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad industrial belt where the Covid-19 case count now stands at 15,997. SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have originated in bats and spread to humans via a yet-to-be identified intermediate mammalian host. Almost two dozen animal species are known to be susceptible to infection, and there have been numerous reports of infected people transmitting the virus to their pet cats and dogs, to farm animals and even to lions and tigers at the Bronx Zoo. Instances of people catching SARS-CoV-2 from animals, however, are extremely rare. At least two people probably caught it from minks -- semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals raised for their soft pelts -- in the Netherlands, where outbreaks occurred on about a dozen farms. Still, health authorities say theres no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus, and consider the risk of them doing so to be low. The nation is observing the 21st anniversary of Indias victory in Kargil war, remembering its brave martyrs who laid down their lives to safeguard our borders from Pakistani intruders. The bravest of the brave were awarded with the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award for armed forces personnel. While two bravehearts Captain Vikram Batra and Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey received the honour posthumously, two Kargil heroes Rifleman Sanjay Kumar and Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav were awarded PVC after India's decisive victory in the war. Let's have a look at the tale of these bravehearts: 1. Captain Vikram Batra: He was an officer of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. Batra received the gallantry honour posthumously in 1999. In an operation as part of Operation Vijay, Captain Batra killed five enemy soldiers in a hand to hand fight at point black range. Batra's code name was Sher Shah. Batra will always be remembered for achiving a near-impossible task in the face of heavy enemy fire. Captain Vikram Batra led one of the toughest operations in mountain warfare during the Kargil war 2. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey: Lieutenant Pandey was an officer of Gorkha Rifles and he was bestowed with the Param Vir Chakra (posthumous) in 1999. Lieutenant Pandey was a part of a series of attacks during Operation Vijay and he played an important role in forcing back the Pakistani intruders. Lieutenant Pandey was martyred on July 3 during the attack on Jubar Top, Khalubar Hills in Batalik Sector. He is still remembered as 'Hero of Batalik' for his valour. 3. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar: He belonged to 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and was awarded PVC in 1999 after the conclusion of war. Rifleman Kumar indulged in hand-to-hand combat with Pakistani intruders during an operation to capture a point in the Mushkoh Valley. The brave Indian soldier even chased the enemy, using their machine gun and killed many of them. 4. Grenadier Yogender Singh Yadav: Grenadier Yadav of 18 Grenadiers was part of the leading team of Ghatak platoon tasked to capture Tiger Hill. Grenadier Yadav fixed the rope for his team to climb up the hill and braved enemy firing to crawl up to the enemy position. He was just 19-year-old at that time and was part of the commando platoon 'Ghatak' which was assigned to capture three snow-covered bunkers on Tiger Hill. While climbing up the hill, Yadav and other Indian soldiers were attacked by an enemy bunker, in which the platoon commander and two others were martyred. However, an inured Yadav climbed up the remaining 60 feet and reached the top. Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy. PVC is circular in shape and is made of bronze. On obverse of the PVC, there are four replicas of Indras Vajra with the State Emblem (including the motto) embossed in the centre. On its reverse, it shall have embossed Param Vir Chakra both in Hindi and English with two lotus flowers between Hindi and English. The Australian share market continued its run in the red today after more falls on Wall Street. In London, base metal prices generally were down. In early trading, the benchmark ASX-200 share index was as much as 1.4% lower, or 82 points, to 5714.2. BHP Billiton and the big banks led the slide.In local news today, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is to release International Trade Price Indices for the December quarter. In equities, Macquarie Airports is to announce annual results for Sydney Airport. Botswana Metals Limited (ASX:BML) will list on the Australian stock exchange, in Melbourne at 1100 AEDT. Yesterday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index fell 0.23 per cent or 13.6 points to 5,796.1 and the broader All Ordinaries lost 0.24 per cent or 13.8 points to 5,857. The British government has decided to remove Spain from a list of countries exempt from quarantine measures in response to the rising number of coronavirus cases recorded in Spanish regions such as Catalonia, Aragon and Murcia. According to the British Transportation Ministry, from midnight Saturday, all travelers coming from Spain to the United Kingdom must self-isolate for 14 days. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to 1,000 and lead to criminal charges in case of repeated breaches. Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK. Weve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary, said a government spokesperson. Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK Spokesperson for British government The British Foreign Affairs Ministry has also changed its travel recommendations for Spain and now suggests that British citizens avoid non-essential trips to the Spanish peninsula. Paradoxically, the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands are not included in the new guidelines, even though travelers coming from the two archipelagos will need to go into quarantine upon their return to Britain. Both our list of quarantine exemptions and the FCO [Foreign & Commonwealth Office] travel advice are being updated to reflect these latest risk assessments, explained the government spokesperson. The decision comes just 15 days after Spain was included on a travel corridor list of 59 countries where people do not have to self-isolate when arriving into the UK. The British government announced at the time of the decision that it would revise this list every three weeks and put in place a traffic light system to categorize the level of risk of coronavirus contagion in the respective countries and modify prevention measures. On Thursday, it made its first revision and decided to withdraw several countries from the list including the Czech Republic and Estonia but not Spain, despite media speculation. The Scottish government announced on Saturday that it will also reintroduce quarantine measures for travelers arriving from Spain. Having reviewed the latest data earlier today, the Scottish government is also reimposing 14-day quarantine for travelers returning from Spain. This reinforces the point that these matters are subject to change at short notice and so my advice is to be cautious about non-essential foreign travel, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote in a message on Twitter. Thousands of British tourists are already in Spain and many more have reserved tickets for the upcoming weeks. Tour operators in Britain are expecting an avalanche of cancellations and early returns in response to the news. British-German travel group TUI announced on Sunday that it was canceling all holidays to mainland Spanish up to and including August 9. Flights to the Balearic and Canary Islands, however, will not be affected by the decision. We know how much our customers look forward to their holiday abroad and some will be able to accommodate the new quarantine restrictions, therefore all those that wish to travel to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands will be able to travel as planned from Monday July 27, the operator said in a statement. Britain continues to record a higher number of coronavirus cases and deaths than Spain, but fierce criticism of the British governments handling of the crisis has led the Boris Johnson administration to introduce stricter controls and slow down the deescalation process in the country. English version by Melissa Kitson. Bajaj Auto is witnessing a strong revival in demand for two-wheelers in the domestic as well as international markets, even as it continues to face headwinds in the three-wheeler segment, a senior company official has said. The company, however, expects to have a much clearer trend at its disposal by the next month-end to see whether the current demand for two-wheelers is just a pent-up demand from previous months or the industry really is back on a revival path. "We are seeing month-on-month improvement in sales. There was no sale in April while the decline was very large in May. June was significantly better than May and July is much better than June," Bajaj Auto CFO Soumen Ray told PTI. The demand scenario is coming back pretty sharply and it could be a pent-up demand as well, so the clarity would emerge only in August, he added. In April-June, the company sold 1,85,981 units in the domestic market, down 69.55 percent from 6,10,936 units in the same period last year. Ray, however, noted that the domestic three-wheeler segment will take some time to revive. "Such vehicles are mostly bought by taking loan. So why would someone like to start an EMI when there is no business? Passenger three-wheeler recovery will happen once this once these lockdowns end," Ray said. The company' CV sales (three-wheelers) in the domestic market during the first quarter of the current fiscal plunged by 93.87 percent to 5,282 units as against 86,217 units in the April-June period of the last fiscal. When asked if the company expects things to turn around by festive season, he said: "Certainly, hope so, there is no reason why it should not happen. However, we will have to see August. If we have reasonably strong August then we are set for a good festive season." He said that company's Waluj (Aurangabad) plant is operational and there were only a very few workers who were in quarantine due to COVID-19. The factory is currently running with capacity utilisation of around 65-70 percent, Ray said. When asked if the company had earmarked any capex on capacity expansion this fiscal, he said: "Our installed capacity is 63 lakh units per annum and right now we are operating at sub 50 lakh. Last year, we did around 48 lakh units so there is no question of putting up additional capacity." On exports, Ray said that almost every market the company caters to has been impacted due to the coronavirus pandemic. "Fortunately, we have an order book and we continue to deliver. In retail terms we are witnessing similar phenomenon as we are seeing in India. Two-wheelers are coming back much faster than three-wheelers," Ray noted. Bajaj sold over 2,13,000 units in the international markets in first quarter as compared with 4,71,691 units in the same period last year. KTM, in which Bajaj Auto has 48 percent stake, is witnessing very strong revival in countries like Germany, Australia and the US, he added. During April-June, KTM reported sales of 33,220 units as compared with 38,267 units in the same period of the previous fiscal. Amid highly mixed market risk-sentiment in recent sessions, the British Pound to Canadian Dollar (GBP/CAD) exchange rate has been able to avoid further losses. As various factors weigh on the Canadian Dollar outlook, the Pound has been able to hold its ground a little more easily. However, concerns about the global coronavirus pandemic as well as Brexit uncertainties continue to dampen market appetite for Sterling. After opening last week at the level of 1.7062, GBP/CAD spent most of the week trending with an upside bias. However, the pairs movement was fairly narrow overall, only touching highs of 1.7149 and lows of 1.6986. This meant that its movement was even more mixed and narrow than the movement seen in the previous week. Towards the end of the week, the Pound was able to recover on UK data and GBP/CAD trended closer to the level of 1.7121 on Friday. This was due to numerous late-week factors. The Pound has been able to rebound from its cheapest levels against some rivals despite underlying coronavirus and Brexit uncertainties weighing heavily on the currencys overall outlook. On Friday, Sterling found support in the form of the latest UK retail and PMI data. The stats all came in notably stronger than markets expected, boosting hopes that Britains economic activity was recovering from the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. However according to James Smith, Developed Markets Economist at ING, there is still uncertainty in the outlook: Like other survey-based data, they are calculated by netting out the number of businesses saying conditions are improving against those that say they are worsening. So what these latest PMI numbers tell us is that on balance, a higher proportion of firms are seeing things getting better - but it doesnt tell us much about the magnitude of that improvement. Pound Sterlings strength was still limited towards the end of the week. The Pound-to-Canadian Dollar rate was able to rebound a little more easily amid weakness in the Canadian Dollar. Investors have been selling the Canadian Dollar amid fresh pressure on market risk and trade sentiment. Concerns about the long-term impact of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as revived US-China trade tensions, have been weighing on the trade-correlated Loonie. On top of this, oil markets continue to see volatility, which continues to weigh on CAD due to its oil correlation. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rate Forecast: Political Developments in Focus amid Quieter Calendar Next weeks UK economic calendar will be a little quieter. The only notable stats due for publication will be the Confederation of British Industrys (CBI) July distributive trades report on Tuesday, followed by mortgage and housing data on Wednesday and Thursday. As these are unlikely to be hugely influential, the Pounds movement may remain more focused on Britains coronavirus and Brexit outlooks. If there are any optimistic coronavirus developments such as optimistic vaccine speculation, the Pound may be able to avoid losses more easily. Brexit developments could be even more influential, but they may be unlikely. UK-EU Brexit negotiations have ended for July and are likely to resume next month. If there are any comments from UK or EU officials on Brexit stances though, these could also influence Pound movement next week. Canadian Dollar (CAD) Exchange Rate Forecast: Canadian Growth Rate Report in Focus Next weeks UK economic calendar may be relatively quiet, but some key Canadian data will be published. Towards the end of the week especially, Canadian data could influence the markets appetite for the Canadian Dollar. Thursday will see the publication of Canadas May average weekly earnings report, which will give traders more information on the health of Canadas job market. This will be followed on Friday by perhaps the weeks most influential data for Pound-to-Canadian Dollar rate investors. Canadian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate data from May will be published. After a big April contraction, signs of a rebound in May could offer the Canadian Dollar more solid support. On the other hand, weak data and global uncertainties could keep the risk and trade-correlated Loonie under pressure. For example, if oil prices or US-China trade tensions worsen, investors will have even less reason to buy CAD. In this scenario the Pound-to-Canadian Dollar rate could hold recovery attempts more easily. Of course, with the coronavirus pandemic remaining the biggest uncertainty, any surprising developments in the global outlook could also influence the Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate. G one With The Wind actress Dame Olivia de Havilland has died in France aged 104, her representation has confirmed. Dame Olivia's publicist Lisa Goldberg told the Hollywood Reporter, the award-winning actor died of natural causes at her home in Paris, where she had lived for more than 60 years. A statement from her representative said: Last night, the world lost an international treasure, and I lost a dear friend and beloved client. She died peacefully in Paris. The renowned actor was known for her performance as Melanie Hamilton in the 1939 epic Gone with the Wind. At the time of her death Dame Olivia was the oldest living performer to have won an Oscar. Hollywood's sweetheart: Olivia de Havilland 1 /17 Hollywood's sweetheart: Olivia de Havilland Olivia as Melanie Olivia as Melanie in Gone With the Wind (1939) PA Olivia today Olivia wears vintage Dior cape. Dress, Olivia's own. High Jewellery platinum and diamond Flora necklace and black pearl and diamond earrings, prices on application, Bulgari (020 7872 9969) PA REUTERS PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice for To Each His Own in 1946 and for The Heiress in 1949. Celebs paid tribute to the film legend on social media. Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren said: Oh no. Rest in power amazing badass Olivia de Havilland. In reference to news of Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green's death that was announced on Saturday, actor William Shatner said on Twitter: "Not a good weekend: the great Olivia de Havilland has passed". US actress Morgan Fairchild paid tribute to the "lovely lady and great actress" on Twitter. She said: So sorry to lose #oliviadehavilland (here w my great friend Roddy McDowall) We attended the same events many times. I was once seated between her and Robert Mitchum. What stories! A lovely lady and great actress. Always so gracious! The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hosts the Oscars, said in a statement: To Each His Own, The Heiress, Gone with the Wind and so many others. A two-time Best Actress Oscar winner, Olivia de Havilland was a mainstay of Hollywoods Golden Age and an immeasurable talent. Heres to a true legend of our industry. Born in Tokyo Japan to British parents, Dame Olivia first appeared on the big screen in 1935 as Dolly Stevens in Alibi Ike. Although she lived most of her life abroad, she was descended from an old English family whose name remains equally famous in the world of aeronautical engineering. Dame Olivia was the daughter of patent attorney Walter de Havilland and his wife Lilian. Her parents moved to California when she was three, divorcing when she was still a girl. Both Olivia and her sister Joan remained with their mother in Saratoga. At the time of her death Dame Olivia was the oldest living performer to have won an Oscar / Getty Images Their mother had studied drama in London and proved to be an excellent teacher for her daughters. Having taken on lead roles in school plays, Olivia intended to become a speech arts teacher and won a scholarship to study at Mills College, Berkeley. But she never took up the scholarship because, while playing Puck in a school production of A Midsummer Nights Dream, she was spotted by a scout for Max Reinhardt. Her decision at 16 to become an actress led to a furious row with her stepfather who ordered her to leave home. But Olivia was undeterred and left to become understudy for Gloria Stuart in the role of Hermia in Reinhardts Midsummer Nights Dream at the Hollywood Bowl. Stuart was suddenly recalled to her film studio and Olivia stepped straight into the part. Olivia de Havilland receiving her Best Actress Oscar from actor Ray Milland for her performance in 'To Each his Own' / Getty Images She was an immediate success, with the Warner studio offering her a film test which gave her the chance to reprise the role in Reinhardts 1935 film production of the play. Spurred on by this success, her younger sister Joan decided to become an actress as well and moved into Olivias flat. She decided to take on their stepfathers surname, Fontaine, to avoid confusion between them. Joans career also flourished, but professional rivalry between the sisters soon led to an irreconcilable rift. Meanwhile, Olivia had signed a contract with Warner Brothers and there followed a couple more films. The studio then decided to feature her with an unknown actor called Errol Flynn in Captain Blood. Can, my dear, Gone With The Wind survive? 1 /4 Can, my dear, Gone With The Wind survive? Gone With The Wind Casualties: Darius Danesh as Rhett Butler and Jill Paice as Scarlett O'Hara have taken a worse drubbing than the Confederates took at Atlanta Gone With The Wind Painful: Gone with the Winds has been described as a cruel, unusual punishment Margaret Martin and Aldo Scrofani Blown away: author Margaret Martin and the show's main backer Aldo Scrofani at the preview of Gone With the Wind The chemistry between the two of them caused a sensation. It was to be the first of many films they made together and placed them both unquestionably in the Hollywood galaxy of stars. Among the films of those early days were Anthony Adverse, The Great Garrick, The Adventures Of Robin Hood, Dodge City, The Private Lives Of Elizabeth and Essex and The Male Animal. At the age of 22, George Cukor took Olivia to see David O Selznick for a screen test for the role of Melanie in Gone With The Wind, a part for which several distinguished actresses had auditioned. She was given the opportunity to pursue the role, on loan to MGM from Warner Brothers in exchange for James Stewart. The films release in 1939 turned her into a megastar. There followed continued acclaim for her acting in films such as Hold Back The Dawn, My Cousin Rachel and The Ambassadors Daughter, but it was her performances in To Each His Own in 1946 and The Heiress in 1949 for which she was awarded Oscars to add to her numerous other awards. Gone with the wind trailer As well as her success as an actress, she achieved a significant victory for her profession when she won a contract battle in court against Warner. She said the greatest significance of winning her case was that studios were unable to enforce contracts at pre-war salaries on stars who had served during the Second World War. Olivia was married twice, in 1946 to author Marcus Goodrich, whom she divorced in 1953 and with whom she had a son. Following the divorce she made her home in Paris and in 1955 married journalist Pierre Galante, with whom she had a daughter. She continued to live in France, despite divorcing Galante in 1979. In 1988, she coincidentally played the aunt of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor, in a television film The Woman He Loved having been a neighbour and friend of the Windsors who also made their home in France. In her later years she retained the elegance and professionalism for which she had been renowned and still appeared on the big screen. But it was perhaps inevitable that she remained associated with Gone With The Wind and she was frequently invited to make lecture tours on the film. In 2008, aged 92, she was conferred the National Medal of Arts by President George W Bush. In 2010, she received another state honour, this time in France, where President Nicolas Sarkozy made her a Chevalier of the Legion dHonneur. He told the actress: You honour France for having chosen us. In June 2017, two weeks before her 101st birthday, Olivia was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama by the Queen. She remains the oldest woman ever to receive the honour. De Havillands son Benjamin Goodrich, who was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease at 17, died aged 42. She is survived by one daughter, Gisele Galante. Additional reporting by the Press Association. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel "will not allow our citizens to be threatened" amid a week of cross-border violence involving Lebanon and Syria. After an airstrike widely attributed to Israel killed a fighter from the militant Hezbollah group near Damascus International Airport last week, the Israeli military reinforced the northern border with infantry troops. The airstrike also killed four other foreign fighters. The Lebanese militant group has vowed to retaliate for the killing of its fighters in Syria. "Regarding the northern front, we are acting according to a consistent policy that will not allow Iran to entrench itself militarily on our northern border. Lebanon and Syria are responsible for any attack originating from their territory against Israel," he said in a meeting with his Cabinet. On Friday, the Israeli military said an explosion on the Syrian side of the frontier damaged a building and a vehicle in the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and later annexed. Later, the Israeli military said its attack helicopters struck several positions of the Syrian army in response to unspecified munitions that were fired on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The targets in southern Syria included observation posts and intelligence collection systems, according to a statement from the military. One exception was Hold Back the Dawn (1941), in which Ms. de Havilland played an American schoolteacher who is seduced in Mexico by a wily European exile (Charles Boyer). Her performance earned her another Oscar nomination, but this time she lost to her sister, Joan Fontaine, who won for Suspicion. The two were rarely on speaking terms after that. (They are the only sisters to win best-actress Academy Awards, and their sibling rivalry was called the fiercest in Hollywood history.) The formula roles kept coming. When Ms. de Havilland complained, she was told that she had been hired because she photographed well and that she wasnt required to act. The studio had misread her determination. She began to refuse roles she considered inferior. Warner retaliated by suspending her several times, for a total of six months, and, after her contract expired, insisting that because of the suspensions she was still the studios property for six more months. Ms. de Havilland sued. The case dragged on for a year and a half, but David finally beat Goliath when the California Supreme Court upheld a lower-court ruling in her favor in 1945. What became known as the de Havilland decision established that a studio could not arbitrarily extend the duration of an actors contract. When she resumed her career, Ms. de Havilland appeared in four films in rapid succession, all released in 1946. In one, The Dark Mirror, she played twins, one good and one evil. In her Oscar-winning performance in To Each His Own, she was an unwed mother who must give up her infant son when his father, her lover, a World War I flying ace, is killed in action. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 23 Trend: The US police will thoroughly investigate the act of vandalism against Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov said. Khalafov made the remark at the briefing at the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Trend reports on July 23. The deputy foreign minister stressed that the Armenians committed the acts of vandalism against people carrying out peaceful rallies in foreign countries. The Armenians began to commit atrocities against Azerbaijanis, who carried out peaceful rallies in various foreign countries, Khalafov stressed. Similar events occurred in the capitals of several countries and cities, Khalafov added. "The Armenians main goal is to divert attention from the main issue, the deputy foreign minister said. While conducting the peaceful rallies abroad, Azerbaijanis demand to put an end to the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan." We constantly get in touch with the diplomatic missions of these countries in Azerbaijan in connection with the incident, Khalafov added. "They were thoroughly informed about the incident. The US police are thoroughly investigating the act of vandalism against Azerbaijanis committed in this country by taking the necessary measures, the deputy foreign minister said. The US ambassador to Azerbaijan also said this. The violence was committed against Azerbaijani citizens by Armenian radical extremists at a rally in Los Angeles on July 21, who became more active in the US and other countries. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Choi Ji-won (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Sun, July 26, 2020 17:32 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066958508 2 Entertainment South-Korea,Movie,Steel-Rain-2,film,movie-review,Yang-Woo-suk Free How would the leaders of South Korea, North Korea and the United States prevent a war from happening on the Korean Peninsula on a stealth submarine some 300 meters under the water? Steel Rain 2: Summit takes this highly unlikely premise and looks at the ongoing inter-Korean conflict. The film kicks off by showing heightening military tensions between the US and China and the impending complications for the surrounding nations -- the two Koreas and Japan. While tension hangs over the Korean Peninsula, US President Smoot, played by Scottish actor Angus Macfadyen, and North Korean leader Cho Seon-sa, played by Yoo Yeon-suk, hold a summit in the port city of Wonsan in North Korea. South Korean President Han Kyung-jae, portrayed by Jung Woo-sung, accompanies them as a mediator. As the summit proceeds, North Korean hard-liners opposed to a peace treaty attempt a military coup and kidnap the three leaders, holding them on a submarine. With the leaders locked up, the submarine becomes divided, as the security chief -- played by Kwak Do-won -- tries to seize power by assassinating the North Korean leader, while the submarines commander -- Jang Ki-suk, played by Shin Jung-geun -- struggles to control the situation and save the leaders. Although the upcoming movie is a sequel to the 2017 film, the plot is completely different. If the first film was a fantasy envisioning the hermit kingdoms collapse through a coup and the outbreak of military conflict between the two Koreas, the follow-up shows a more realistic approach to the situation on the Korean Peninsula -- which, fundamentally speaking, involves more than just the two countries. While Steel Rain shows the outbreak of war between the North and South, Steel Rain 2 portrays the harsh reality that, although the race toward a peace regime on the peninsula will not be easy, we must soldier on with it, director Yang Woo-suk said Thursday during a premiere event. Read also: Director says 'Steel Rain' universe is different from DC, Marvel comics The director, also the author of the films original online comics, said he doesnt intend to force any message on the audience, but only offer simulations to the wider public who, most of the time, live oblivious to the divided state of the peninsula. Simulations can help people imagine about a likely situation, and as a film director, I feel like it is my responsibility to provide simulations of viable paths for South Korea, Yang said. While the first half of the film is used to educate the audience on the background underlying the international politics and the history behind the conflicts, the film sees its climax in battle scenes that take place inside and outside the submarine. Whereas the toss-and-turn of the power struggle inside the cramped vessel metaphorically illustrates the ongoing inter-Korean conflict, the chase between submarines and missile attacks taking place deep underwater showcases the fast-paced action. However, weak character development turns this action-packed blockbuster into a fantasy-like drama. With the US and South Korean presidents on two extreme ends -- Smoot as a rash and ignorant figure and Han as a simple yet powerless mediator -- the characters seem far too two-dimensional to be relatable. As the director had intended, the upcoming film shows one scenario for the Korean Peninsulas future, but how compelling it will be to the audience -- especially Koreans -- is yet to be judged. The film is set to open in South Korea on Wednesday. Topics : This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post BENGALURU: With no sign of the pandemic flattening the curve, as evident from the daily surge in positive cases across the country, Bengaluru-based eminent pediatric cardiologist Vijayalakshmi I. Balekundri said Coronavirus is preventable but not treatable till its vaccine is found. In an exclusive interview to IANS, the Bengaluru Medical College and Research Institute Emeritus Professor said the only way to avoid getting infected is to wear mask, wash hands and maintain physical distance because prevention is better than cure till a vaccine is found to treat the deadly disease. Excerpts: Q: Why and how different is Covid-19 from other viruses? A: Corona viruses are not a living organism like bacteria or fungus. They are non-living large, lipid capsule enveloped and positive-stranded RNA viruses. Like other viruses, the novel Coronavirus tries to burrow into a cell and turns it into a virus-replicating factory. If it succeeds, it can produce an infection in throat, respiratory system, heart, brain, blood vessels and in all the 100 trillion cells in a human body. The type of cells a virus targets and how it enters them depends on how it is built. The genetically engineered Coronavirus is virulent, spreads from human to human without a vector and enters the body through nose, throat and eyes as an airborne infection. It affects vital organs and cells in the body through blood vessels. The novel Coronavirus gets its family name from a telltale series of spikes --- tens or even hundreds of them -- that circle its blob-like core as a crown or corona. Studying its cousins which cause SARS and MERS, virologists know that the spikes interact with receptors on cells like keys in locks, enabling the virus to enter body cells. As the Corona virus that spread from Wuhan in China is mutant, efforts are on the world over to develop a vaccine that can treat its 11 mutations so far. Covid-19 is a mutant in a clever disguise! Like sugar (carbohydrate molecule) dots outside the spike, it dots outside human cells. The carbohydrate camouflage makes the virus difficult for the human immune system to recognise it initially. Each spike is made up of three identical proteins twisted and they have to open to gain access into a cell. We need to find a method to prevent these tiny invaders, which are 1, 000 times smaller than our body cells they infect. Q: How the new Coronavirus enters human cells? A: To infect a human host, the virus gains entry into an individual's cells, uses their machinery to replicate, spill out of them and spread to other cells. The tiny molecular key on SARS-CoV-2 gives the virus entry into the cell. This key is called a spike protein. The structure of coronavirus is like a key and receptors on cells are like a lock. Theoretically, they provide an entry point to a thief (virus) into a house (body cells) through a lock (receptors). Q: How to prevent the virus from spreading further although it has infected lakhs the world over during the last 6 months and threatens to attack more till a vaccine is discovered? A: First of all, we should understand the Coronavirus structure, method of its spread, mechanism to replicate and organs it damages, whom all it affects the most, how to contain it and myths about it. The virus can be prevented transmitting from person to person, entering body and replicating in cells by wearing mask, washing hands repeatedly, keeping 4-6 feet distance from others, toilet hygiene and avoid travelling. As Covid-19 is an air born droplet infection, millions of its viruses are thrown out in small droplet forms at 166km per hour speed when an infected person sneezes. When a person coughs, many larger droplets with billions of the virus are thrown out at 100km per hour from mouth. Larger droplets fall on a person's face standing even at three feet or on objects around. Hence, wearing mask is mandatory for everyone. The three-layer surgical masks doctors and nurses wear are not enough to protect them from Coronavirus. They need N95 or N99 masks with 7 layers to prevent the virus infecting them. Face protection shields are better for all healthcare warriors. As N95 or N99 masks are costly and meant for medical staff, citizens can wear a home-made cloth mask. They should be changed every 4-6 hours after dipping them in antiseptic solution for 15 minutes, washed and dried in sunlight, as ultraviolet rays sterilise them. Those who ignored wearing mask and not maintained physical distance were the most infected by the pandemic, as evident from the whopping number of cases in all countries the world over, including the US, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, Peru, Mexico, Chile, the UK and Iran. Social distancing has to be maintained as a person standing even 3 feet of an infected being is sprayed with millions of viruses, as smaller droplets float in the air up to 33 feet. If an infected person is in an enclosure like an office, mall, community hall or party hall, the virus spreads to everyone present, as it happened in South Korea, where a single infected lady from Wuhan spread it 900 people in a church. Hence, large gatherings in grounds, religious places, movie halls, malls, schools, colleges, stadiums and markets have been banned to prevent the virus spread. Repeated hand wash is also compulsory for infected as well as non-infected persons to prevent the virus spread. The fat covering (lipid capsule) over the Coronavirus gets destroyed in soap water and sugar (carbohydrate) molecule that helps to disguise gets dissolved in water. By rubbing hands, the thorns (spikes) on the surface get damaged making it impossible for the virus to stick or enter body cells as key to the lock. Toilet hygiene is most important as the virus shred from 22-feet long small intestine can contaminate toilets. Stool and farts contain billions of coronaviruses and can infect anyone using common toilets. While community toilets were sealed in cities like Seattle in the US, open defecation is banned in India. The reason for avoid travelling is that an estimated 4.5-lakh infected people travelled from China to the US, especially New York, spreading the Coronavirus. Travelling increases transmission of the infection. Going out of house unnecessarily to market or visiting relatives and friends, especially by a infected person can trigger community transmission, which is the most dangerous phase of the virus, as it will double or treble the cases, making it impossible for any government or healthcare system to contain it. Senior citizens and elders with comorbid conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, bronchial asthma, cancer, kidney diseases and other chronic debilitating diseases with immune compromised state should stay at home till the virus is found to treat it, as mortality in them is very high. Q: What are signs and symptoms of Corona infection and how fatal it is? A: If a person is not able to smell anything or taste sugar or salt and is having fever with a bitter tongue, he or she should immediately take a Covid test, as they are signs or symptoms of Corona infection. If the test shows positive, it indicates that the virus has entered the body through nose, eyes or mouth into cells of mucus membrane and replicated inside the body cells. The patient will have mild fever, body ache, throat irritation and dry cough for 3-4 days without sense of smell and taste. The virus enters lungs or stomach through nose or throat and causes viral pneumonia, abdominal pain and loose motions from 5-7th day. The virus replicate in lung cells leading to breathlessness, fatigue and drop in saturation from 8-10th day. At this stage, steroid inhalations or nasal spray are useful. An x-ray will show the damaged lungs while pulse oxymeter indicates drop in oxygen saturation. As the virus spreads from lungs to heart, brain, kidney and all blood vessels by 14th day, it causes multi-organ failure and eventual death. Q: How quarantine helps in preventing or treating the virus? A: Those coming from hot spots like Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi to Karnataka have to undergo 14-day quarantine, including a week institutional and a week at home because they may not show the symptoms on arrival but develop after 3-4 days. If they test positive, they are shifted to a designated hospital for treatment. If they are asymptomatic, they get quarantined at home or a Covid care centre to recover. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons NEW DELHI:An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibabas UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a clash between the two countries forces on their border. Following the ban, which China has criticized, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content or acted for any foreign government. In court filings dated July 20 and previously not reported, the former employee of Alibabas UC Web, Pushpandra Singh Parmar, alleges the company used to censor content seen as unfavourable to China and its apps UC Browser and UC News showcased false news to cause social and political turmoil. Civil Judge Sonia Sheokand of a district court in Gurugram, a satellite city of Indias capital, New Delhi, has issued summons for Alibaba, Jack Ma and about a dozen individuals or company units, asking them to appear in court or through a lawyer on July 29, court documents showed. The judge has also sought written responses from the company and its executives within 30 days, according to the summons. UC India said in a statement it had been unwavering in its commitment to the India market and the welfare of its local employees, and its policies are in compliance with local laws. We are unable to comment on ongoing litigation. Alibaba representatives did not respond to requests for comment from the Chinese company or on behalf of Jack Ma. Parmar, who worked as an associate director at the UC Web office in Gurugram until October 2017 and is seeking $268,000 in damages, referred Reuters queries to his lawyer, Atul Ahlawat, who declined to comment saying the matter was sub judice. The court case is the latest hurdle for Alibaba in India after the Indian governments app ban, following which UC Web has started laying off some staff in India. Before the apps were banned, the UC Browser had been downloaded at least 689 million times in India, while UC News had 79.8 million downloads, most during 2017 and 2018, data from analytics firm Sensor Tower showed. ALLEGATIONS IN COURT India has said it banned the 59 apps after it received credible inputs that such apps posed a threat to Indias sovereignty. Its IT minister said the decision was taken to safeguard citizens data and public order. In more than 200 pages of court filings, reviewed by Reuters, former employee Parmar included clippings of some posts showcased on the UC News app that he alleged were false. One post from 2017 was headlined in Hindi: 2,000-rupee notes to be banned from midnight today. Another headline of a 2018 post said: Just now: War broke out between India and Pakistan and contained description of firing across the disputed border between the countries. Reuters could not independently verify the veracity of the claims in the court filing. India did not ban its 2,000-rupee currency note and no war occurred between India and Pakistan in 2018. The lawsuit also contains a sensitive words list with key words in Hindi and English like India-China border and Sino-India war that the court filing alleges were used by UC Web to censor content on its platforms in India. In order to control any news related content to be published against China was automatically/manually rejected by an audit system evolved for this purpose, the filing said. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and Chinas foreign ministry in Beijing, as well as Indias IT ministry in New Delhi, did not respond to requests for comment. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alya Nurbaiti and Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, July 27 2020 Indonesia will begin its rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in August amid the coronavirus pandemic, which poses challenges to world peace. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said Indonesia would raise the theme Advancing Sustainable Peace, which is in line with the previous years theme Investing in Peace. The minister said the advancement of peace needed constant effort and attention. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 18:10:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States has neared 150,000 with daily deaths continuously passing 1,000, while some health experts are calling for a shutdown to contain the surging pandemic. The best thing for the nation is not to reopen as quickly as possible, it is to save as many lives as possible, over 150 prominent U.S. medical experts and health professionals have said in an open letter addressed to the Trump administration, members of Congress and state governors. Reopening before suppressing the virus is not going to help the economy, they added. The United States has reported more than 4.1 million COVID-19 cases with over 146,000 deaths, which are far higher than those in any other country or region, according to the latest tally by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. According to the CSSE, New York state has reported the highest death toll of 32,608 in the country. California, Florida and Texas emerged as new epicenters of coronavirus infection in the country, as the death toll rose to 8,408, 5,777 and 4,990, respectively. Other states with more than 5,000 fatalities include New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, the CSSE data showed. "Hospitalization data was highly erratic this week, but what we did see is alarming," according to a new report of The COVID Tracking Project. Deaths are rising three weeks behind cases, which suggests a very difficult few weeks ahead for the United States, said the report. "Of all the nations in the world, we've had the most deaths from COVID-19. At the same time, we're in the midst of 'reopening our economy,' exposing more and more people to coronavirus and watching numbers of cases -- and deaths -- skyrocket," the experts said in the letter. "Right now we are on a path to lose more than 200,000 American lives by November 1st. Yet, in many states people can drink in bars, get a haircut, eat inside a restaurant, get a tattoo, get a massage, and do myriad other normal, pleasant, but non-essential activities," said the letter. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged schools across the country to reopen as long as they can practice good hygiene and social distancing. The White House is asking Congress to pledge 105 billion U.S. dollars to schools as part of the next coronavirus stimulus bill, he said. Trump and his administration are pressuring schools to reopen in the fall, threatening to withhold federal funding from schools that do not comply. However, few Americans want to see their local schools reopen for in-person instruction as usual or even with minor adjustments, said a new poll released on Wednesday. Eight percent of Americans say their local K-12 schools should open for in-person instruction as usual and 14 percent think schools can reopen with minor adjustments, the survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, showed. According to the poll, 46 percent of Americans believe major adjustments are needed and 31 percent say schools shouldn't open at all, while a majority of adults are concerned that sending students back to school would cause a surge in new infections in their community. Over 20 states have paused or partially reversed reopening efforts, raising uncertainty over the prospect of economic recovery. Noting that the premature reopening of the U.S. economy has exacerbated the pandemic, Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist at accounting and consulting firm RSM US LLP said, "it has become increasingly clear that there will not be a meaningful domestic or global economic recovery until an effective coronavirus vaccine regimen is in place." 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Rather than go for a trial and error method, authorities must come out with a long-term plan as virus will be here for some time to come, say experts In all-party meeting on Friday decided not to impose a complete lockdown in the state. However, with the Covid-19 cases spiralling to over 1,000 a day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has hinted that he is not averse to the idea.Giving credence to such a prospect is the local transmission of the coronavirus, which stands at 80 per cent of the total cases. If the infection grows at the same pace, Kerala may witness more than 1,700 cases per day by the end of this month. This alarming increase in the numbers may be the reason that has prompted the Chief Minister to give a cue on a possible lockdown in the near future.But how feasible is a total lockdown? Is it advisable for Kerala to go for a complete shutdown now? Three months of lockdown has wrecked peoples livelihoods and lives in the state, as it did across the country. No other state has gone for a total lockdown since then. The states economy is estimated to have suffered a `34,000-crore knock in terms of loss in tax revenue alone. If not lockdown, whats the best strategy to counter pandemic? Socially and economically weaker sections of society are known to have a lower life expectancy as well as lower burden of non-communicable diseases. These lifestyle diseases amplify the risks of Covid, said Oommen C Kurian, senior fellow & head of health initiative at Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF) working on public health. We need to keep in mind that a lockdown may not help greatly those who live in overcrowded localities. Hence, it is clear that the costs of lockdown are borne by the lower rungs of the society when the obvious benefits are to the relatively better off. It is a blunt instrument that should be used only as the last resort, he said.Major income generating sectors of the state, like tourism, are already shattered to the core by the pandemic. We all know that as the government has no precedent to follow when it comes to tackling such a grave situation. However, announcing a total lockdown again will make the public hopeless. The administrators should stop this trial and error method. What we need is not lockdown, but a long-term plan as the virus will be here for time to come, and we still do not know how long this is going to last, said C P Ajith Kumar, former Travel Operators Association office bearer and proprietor of Suburban Travels, a travel firm. Echoing a similar view, Rijo John, health economist and senior fellow of Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), a Kochi-based think tank, said complete lockdown is not the way going forward. The lockdown should only be in identified hotspots/clusters. The government must increase the current levels of testing manifold and try to track and trace as many contacts as possible and isolate them. Such locked down pockets should be monitored well to prevent leakages. Locking down the whole state can be disastrous for a lot of people as livelihoods are at stake, he said. Rijo pointed out that though big cities such as Delhi and Bengaluru have experienced shutdowns, no state has gone for total lockdown.The cases are doubling in 11-12 days in Kerala. We expect daily cases to touch 1,500 to 2,000 very soon. Since ours is a densely populated state, the chance of spread is also high. But, we cant deny people of their livelihood. What have we achieved in the first three months of lockdown? Will the government feed all the people, and provide them with unemployment wages? he asked. As of Saturday, Kerala has a total of 481 hotspots. The states excellent track record in community-based surveillance and involving people in containment should be the strategy, reckoned Oommen. Kerala has a great track record of community-based surveillance and peoples participation in containment measures. Ensuring voluntary compliance by the population by effective communication and confidence-building measures should be governments priority, not a broad lockdown, which affects the poorer populations more, without offering many of them any benefit, he said.Experts also pinpointed that people of Kerala, the state with the highest rate of literacy in the country, should think and act more responsibly, if they want to bring down the number of local transmission cases.We need to shift from overall lockdowns to protecting the most vulnerable through effective physical distancing, hand washing, masks, and more decentralised mobility control measures according to need, Oommen added. WASHINGTON The Americans with Disabilities Act was heralded as landmark legislation, offering people with disabilities protection from discrimination while guaranteeing their rights. But three decades after the ADA was signed, activists and advocates say people with disabilities are still facing barriers exercising a fundamental right: the right to vote. Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the ADA, falling in the same year as what many voters see as one of the most important elections of their lifetimes. But Americans with disabilities still face access issues when they go to vote, including inaccessible polling locations, under-trained poll workers and nonworking voting machines for people with disabilities. As the coronavirus pandemic adds another layer of uncertainty over the safety of voting in person during the November election, disability rights advocates are even more concerned. People with disabilities make up the country's largest minority group, with 61 million Americans living with a disability. "Nobody should have to make a choice between being able to cast their ballot and protecting their health," said Michelle Bishop, who works on voter access initiatives for the National Disability Rights Network. FILE - In this July 26, 1990 file photo, President George H. W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. Joining the president are, from left, Evan Kemp, chairman of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission; Rev. Harold Wilke; Sandra Parrino, chairman of the National Council on Disability, and Justin Dart, chairman of The President's Council on Disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 30 years ago, on July 26, 1990. Barriers to voting are common for people with disabilities The ADAs passage brought with it the requirement that state and local governments make voting accessible, including voter registration and voting locations for both early voting and Election Day. The ADA's accessibility checklist for polling places includes guidelines for everything from parking spaces to ramps to ensure people with disabilities can go to the polls. But often, according to a study done by the Government Accountability Office, polling places arent in full compliance with requirements. The GAO surveyed a sample of 178 polling locations in the 2016 election and found that 60% of them had at least one potential barrier to access a voting location, the most common of which were related to ramps, signage for accessible paths, and parking or path surfaces. That is down from 2008, when about 73% of the 730 surveyed locations had some potential architectural barrier. Story continues Additionally, the GAO surveyed 137 voting areas in its 2016 study and found 65% had potential barriers to using at least one of their accessible voting systems, such as voting stations and ballot-marking machines that didnt accommodate wheelchair users. Of the sites where the GAO could also examine whether there was an accessible voting system present, most polling places had them. But taken together, the GAO study in 2016 found that only 17% of the surveyed sites had completely barrier-free access for people with disabilities. "It has real consequences for voters on Election Day, when you show up to your polling place, and the equipment that's accessible to you isn't even ready, or the poll workers haven't been trained on it," Bishop said. Lou Ann Blake, who works on voting as deputy executive director for blindness initiatives at the National Federation of the Blind, said a survey conducted by the NFB shows one of the biggest issues experienced at the polls for blind and low-vision individuals is workers untrained on machines. FILE PHOTO: The 2002 Help America Vote Act, required at least one accessible touchscreen voting unit in every polling place for people with visual impairments. Jim Dickson, a District of Columbia resident who is blind, was among the first to cast his secret vote in D.C. presidential primary with the accessible system which allowed him, with the aid of headphones, to hear the ballot and vote following prompts. With him was his seeing eye dog Yankee. "More and more often people are just giving up and voting with assistance ... so the trend in our surveys has been fewer blind voters are voting independently at the polls," Blake said. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires that voters with disabilities be able to use an accessible voting station that affords them the same right to a private and independent vote as non-disabled voters. Voters with disabilities are not afforded that same treatment when they have to rely on a poll worker or other person to assist them with voting. Rebecca Cokley, director of the Center for American Progress' Disability Justice Initiative, recounted an experience voting in Washington, D.C., when a poll worker asked for her identification. Registered voters are not required to show ID to vote in D.C. I honestly think it's because I'm little," Cokley said. "People in front of me were not asked. People behind me were not asked. And I was like, 'What?'" COVID-19 may make voting even less accessible More than 4 million Americans have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and deaths from the virus have now surpassed 145,000. Health experts know that the virus poses more of a danger to people with certain disabilities and underlying conditions, which makes whether to vote in-person come November a health decision for many people. Mail-in voting is in the spotlight as a potential solution to reducing the virus spread that comes with big crowds and in-person interactions at the polls. It is generally heralded as a positive thing, expanding the options to vote for Americans, including many disabled voters. But mail-in voting isn't always accessible to voters with disabilities, Bishop said. Blind and low-vision people, for example, may be unable to fill out a paper ballot and require the accommodation of an electronically delivered ballot that can be filled out by computer, printed and then returned, or may require an accessible voting machine to be used in person. Mail ballots in Portland, Oregon, on May 17, 2016. For those who need to vote in person, the pandemic further complicates things. The number of polling places may be dramatically reduced, so people have to travel further distances to reach them, Cokley noted. Accessible public transportation may be operating on limited schedules. Fewer poll workers who draw heavily from older populations more affected by the coronavirus may be volunteering, with less experience or training. Bishop said voting by mail, in-person voting, early voting and same-day voter registration need to be options this year and during every election. "It's making every option as accessible as possible, which, oddly enough is what we recommend any year, not just during COVID-19," Bishop said. "Under the law, every option that a non-disabled voter has also has to be accessible to voters with disabilities. So it's really just bringing to light some of the things that we should have been doing all along." Cokley said that the coronavirus pandemic may cause the country to rethink voting methods altogether, because while experts still dont know the full extent of long-term effects of the virus, some are experiencing lung damage, chronic fatigue, neurological problems in children, and other conditions. "COVID's going to result in the largest boom in the disability population since AIDS and HIV, if not bigger," Cokley said. 'You don't ever get to rest': What the fight looks like going forward In March 1990, disabled activists who were gathered in Washington, D.C., to push for the passage of the ADA abandoned their assistive devices to crawl up the steps of the Capitol Building in a visible demonstration of the inaccessibility they faced in public spaces and the need to urgently move the legislation through Congress. Bishop said Americans with disabilities must remember that spirit and advocate now for their right to vote going forward. "Over 30 years ago, people with disabilities threw themselves out of their wheelchairs and climbed up the Capitol steps on their hands to fight for passage of ADA. We have to keep that same fight alive 30 years later," Bishop said. "Unfortunately, you don't ever get to rest." FILE photo: Frank Hanses, in front wheelchair, a World War II submariner, along with a number of other veterans, wait their turn in line to vote at a polling place at the Veterans Home in Yountville, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2004. Many of the veterans had been waiting from one to two hours in line. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) Andraea LaVant, who works in consulting on disability inclusiveness, will be voting in Arizona for the first time after moving there, and is unsure if she'll vote in person due to safety reasons but had planned on it. Because she is unfamiliar with her new polling place, LaVant might decide to scope it out in advance to make sure it is wheelchair accessible, though she's had good experiences in the past. If she did wait for Election Day instead of voting early and arrived to find that she couldn't access her polling place, LaVant said, "I don't know what I would do. I would be devastated, especially this year." Blake, too, has had to expend extra energy making sure she is able to vote. Blake says in the past she has requested the use of an audio ballot a feature of an accessible voting machine that uses headphones to read aloud a ballot for those with visual disabilities but the poll workers at her voting location in Maryland did not know how to set it up. Blake had to insist on the accommodation and explain it to the poll workers before it was figured out. She has used Maryland's electronic delivery system since 2014 instead. Bishop said people with disabilities shouldnt have to take these extra steps to be able to vote; the process should be as seamless as it is for those without disabilities. "It's not right that there are voters with disabilities who have to advocate for themselves to be able to cast their ballots accessibly and privately and independently," Bishop said. "But we've got to do what we've got to do if we want to see real change, and so I hope that everyone will cast their ballot this November." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ADA 30th anniversary: Voting access still an issue, made worse by COVID US investment bank Goldman Sachs on Friday reached a $3.9bn (3.35bn) settlement with Malaysia over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal that will see all criminal charges against the bank dropped. Photo: Bloomberg US investment bank Goldman Sachs on Friday reached a $3.9bn (3.35bn) settlement with Malaysia over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal that will see all criminal charges against the bank dropped. The deal includes a $2.5bn cash payout by Goldman and a guarantee by the bank to return at least $1.4bn in proceeds from assets linked to sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the two sides said. The settlement is the biggest reached so far in Malaysia's efforts to recover funds allegedly stolen from 1MDB, and is a big victory for the four-month old administration of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. "We are confident that we are securing more money from Goldman Sachs compared to previous attempts, which were far below expectations," Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said in a statement, adding the deal would resolve all outstanding charges and claims against Goldman. Malaysian and US authorities say about $4.5bn was stolen from 1MDB in an elaborate scheme that spanned the globe and implicated former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Goldman, among others. Prosecutors said the money was used to buy artwork, including paintings by Van Gogh and Monet, luxury properties in New York and London and to fund the "Wolf of Wall Street" movie. Malaysian prosecutors filed charges in December 2018 against three Goldman units for misleading investors over bond sales totalling $6.5bn that the bank helped raise for 1MDB. According to the US Justice Department, Goldman earned $600m in bond sale fees. Goldman's units pleaded not guilty to the charges, with the bank saying that certain members of the former Malaysian government and 1MDB lied to it about how proceeds from the bond sales would be used. Shares in Goldman Sachs rose about 1pc in premarket trade. Summer in the south of France. The sun is shining, the cicadas are sawing their song of love, men and women are bent over in the fields picking fruit and preparing vines, middle-aged cyclists in gaudy spandex costumes covering lumpy bodies labour up and down hills and dream of the Tour de France, the world's most famous and gruelling professional bicycle race. But there was no Tour de France this July. It might take place starting at the end of August. Instead, on July 20, the day after the Tour was supposed to finish, the French were ordered to wear masks in shops and offices and in any indoor public space. Someone caught by police not wearing a mask will be fined the equivalent of $200 Cdn. COVID-19 has comparatively lightly brushed the departements of the south. While Paris remained a government-declared "red" zone until the beginning of June, the south had been "green" for weeks. It still is, despite a slight rise in cases. There have been around 220,000 cases of COVID-19 and just over 30,000 deaths in France. In the southern Provence Cote d'Azur region, with five million residents, there have been fewer than 1,500 cases and 12 deaths in July. But the economic impact of the novel coronavirus has been devastating. Eric Gaillard/Reuters For weeks the region's beaches, towns and cafes were eerily quiet. The virus has exposed its vulnerability when tourism dries up. Last year, the Cote d'Azur region boasted of receiving 20 million tourists, half of them foreigners. This winter and spring, the visitors disappeared, hotels were shuttered, beaches were empty and the Cannes Film festival was cancelled along with the Monaco Formula 1 race. That amounted to a loss of $1.95 billion to the region, according to Claire Behar, director of the Cote d'Azur tourism committee. "We've had tough moments in the past," said Rudy Salles, the deputy mayor of Nice, including a terror attack by a man driving a truck into a Bastille Day crowd on July 14, 2016, that killed 86 people. Story continues "The difference now is the lack of visibility in which to launch a tourism comeback plan. Foreign workers vulnerable to virus While officials worry about lost tourists and lost revenue, work goes on in the fruit fields. But the virus has also exposed the potentially illegal exploitation of foreign workers many from South America brought to France each year to pick fruit and tend wine-producing vines. Their situation became front-page local news when a cluster of 258 workers living in a camp near the city of Arles tested positive for COVID-19 in June. None died, but all were quarantined without work for weeks. Sebastien Salom-Gomis/AFP via Getty Images Then it turned out that French magistrates were investigating the Spanish company, Terra Fecundis, that hired them and brought them to France. It faces charges of fraud and exploitation of a vulnerable workforce. This is big business. There are several such companies, but Terra Fecundis is the biggest. It had annual revenue of $90 million in 2018 and more than 6,700 workers. It buses them many from Ecuador, El Salvador and Colombia, but all living in Spain with immigrant status to France to work for more than 50 agricultural concerns. Most workers speak no French. In the village down the road from our house, a bus from another company pulls up at noon each day, and half a dozen exhausted and sweaty Ecuadoran workers climb out. They will be picked up later from rented rooms to work the afternoon shift in the fields. The European Union's technical term for them is "posted workers." The EU allows men and women from poorer countries such as Bulgaria to Spain to be posted temporarily in richer countries like France, which need cheap labour. According to a thick file drawn up by French police and prosecutors in Marseille, Terra Fecundis has systematically abused the system for years. Although it is based in Spain, 99 per cent of its revenue comes from France. Because employer medicare, pension and unemployment contributions are lower in Spain than in France, it makes money on the state minimum wage (approximately $15 an hour) it collects in France for each worker. The pay is low but more than the South Americans would get in Spain. Company that hires workers faces charges Prosecutors allege the company has also cheated its workers out of some of their wages, not paid overtime hours and falsified worksheets to further cheat them. Terra Fecundis also houses its workers. Conditions in some of these camps are said to be atrocious. One was baptized by its inmates "el Carcel the prison." "I was treated like a dog," one Ecuadoran worker there told the police. "We had no blanket, no mattress. We had to sleep on the floor in the dining area." Clement Mahoudeau/AFP via Getty Images El Carcel was closed by French police at the end of 2017, but the abusive conditions continued. One investigator described conditions for the workers as "equivalent to human trafficking." The company has been charged with massive fraud more than $150 million over several years and brutal exploitation of its workforce. The trial was scheduled for May, but COVID-19 shut down the courts. It may take place in the fall. What is notable is that none of the French agricultural operations where the South Americans work have ever voiced public concern about their conditions. It is akin to a conspiracy of silence. So work in the fields goes on while the trial awaits. Full beaches raise COVID-19 concerns And the beaches of the Mediterranean are filling up. Those frolicking in the waves are almost all French, released from confinement but reluctant to go abroad. There are so many already that the French authorities, seeing the incidence of COVID-19 beginning to rise again slowly across the country, worry about the lack of physical distancing. Eric Gaillard/Reuters "This is the unbearable lightness of the crowd," one angry doctor on the coast sniffed anonymously to the newspaper Le Monde. Hotels bewail the fact that the French are much more frugal than foreign visitors. They spend half of what Germans do and less than a third of the real big spenders Russians, Americans and people from the Middle East. None of those big spenders will be seen this summer. So luxury hotels like Hotel Belles Rives in Antibes are scrambling. "We must try to come up with new ways of doing things," director Stephane Vuillaume told the public television channel France 3. "We've got to start selling takeout meals to clients." And also do the unthinkable: lower room prices. Tourism accounts for 13 per cent of the region's economy. Much of that will be lost this year. Cafes will close for good. More than 15 per cent of cafes in the country will die, according to the French association of cafes and restaurants. And fear will keep people away. Reuters "We get calls all the time with questions like: 'Can you guarantee that this hotel or that campsite follows all the virus rules?'" Jerome Arnaud, a tourism office director in the south, said. "We tell them our professionals are good, but we can't guarantee everything. This year is basically impossible." The cicadas are still singing. The humans in the tourism industry are not. In the south of France, this will be known as the lost year. While botanicals have been used in cosmetics for thousands of years (the ancient Egyptians favoured frankincense and almond oil to combat wrinkles), we mostly think of herbs, flowers, fruits, leaves or seeds as the beauty-enhancing components in our lotions and potions. But theres a special ingredient boosting the powers of quality skincare products these days, and thats tree bark extract. Tree barks contain powerful antioxidants, many of which can promote the health of our skin. Cosmetic scientist Dr Barbara Olioso, managing director of The Green Chemist Consultancy and a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, says: Like our skin, tree bark is exposed to sun rays, the elements and even pathogens. Because trees dont have limbs they have devised protective responses based on clever substances whose production is triggered when needed. Anna Maxted gives her verdict on six products with beautifying bark extract, as it's revealed tree barks contain powerful antioxidants that can promote the health of our skin. Pictured: Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask Of course, not all of these protective substances in tree-skin (so to speak) benefit our skin, too, but there are a number of bark extracts which have scientifically proven benefits, says Dr Olioso. The most famous is salicylic acid, found in willow bark. It has antimicrobial properties and increases skin renewal by removing dead skin cells. Dr Olioso, who has worked with many top brands such as Espa International, says: Esculin and fraxin are produced by the ash tree. They make the capillaries walls stronger and also help protect the haemoglobin from oxidation or darkening, so theyre good for reducing the appearance of dark circles. And pycnogenol, a blend of procyanidins from French maritime pine tree, is an effective antioxidant, collagen protector and skin repairer. Here are six tree-mendous products, all supercharged with beautifying bark extract... THE ASPEN ACNE CURE Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask, 43, spacenk.com Aspen bark extract is very high in natural salicylate (salicylic acid), which is effective in refining pores and controlling acne. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble which means that it can penetrate the pores more effectively than a water-soluble ingredient, to unclog them. Its anti-inflammatory, and it also softens dead skin cells, so perfect for gentle exfoliation of oily skin. 5/5 ASH TO TREAT EYE BAGS Epara eye serum, 105, eparaskincare.com Anna said Epara eye serum (pictured) contains ash tree bark extract, rich in fraxin, which has both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties Ash tree bark extract is our ally against eye bags. Its astringent properties reduce under-eye swelling, says Ozohu Adoh, who founded Epara after she was unable to find products for her sensitive uneven complexion. Her elixir contains ash tree bark extract, rich in fraxin, which has both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. By reducing inflammation, antioxidants help the skin cells to repair and slow down the ageing process. Cork oak extract is included to lift, firm and smooth fine lines around the eyes, she adds. Obtained from the barks outer layers, cork oak contains the substance suberin, which stimulates collagen production. Meanwhile, dark circle concerns are addressed with niacinamide and plankton extract.5/5 PERSIAN SILK TREE GLOW Allies of Skin 1A Retinal & Peptides Overnight Mask, 105, alliesofskin.com Anna claims Allies of Skin 1A Retinal & Peptides Overnight Mask (pictured) gave her complexion a pleasing glow within a week This mousse-light moisturiser sinks into the skin. One of its key ingredients is Persian silk tree bark extract, which has antioxidant benefits and helps to reduce signs of fatigue. Nicolas Travis, founder of Allies of Skin, included Persian silk tree extract because it helps protect and repair the effects of glycation [when an excess of glucose combines with the collagen and elastin fibres in our skin, reducing elasticity and contributing to wrinkles] and helps skin look fresher. After a week of lavishly applying, my tired complexion acquires a pleasing glow. 5/5 PINE SKIN PERFECTOR The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5% (Water-free, High-Potency Antioxidant Formula), 8.60, theordinary.deciem.com Anna said The Ordinary Pycnogenol 5% (pictured) is extraordinary, after her skin became instantly marshmallow soft This blood-red facial oil contains pycnogenol, derived from the bark of French maritime pine trees. It contains skin rejuvenating goodies such as bioflavonoids and procyanidins (compounds found in berries, which gives this formula its colouring.) It binds to collagen and elastin, promoting the skins elasticity. I apply several drops, and my skin instantly feels less arid. Soon, my face is marshmallow soft. For under a tenner, its extraordinary.4/5 WHITE WILLOW RESURFACER Herbivore Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask, 38, cultbeauty.co.uk Anna revealed she was impressed by Herbivore Blue Tansy Resurfacing Clarity Mask (pictured), which made her skin appear smoother after 20 minutes This ocean-blue gel mask (its arresting hue derives from the essential oil of the blue tansy flower) tackles congestion and calms irritation for a clearer, smoother complexion. Its partly thanks to its white willow bark extract, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and lifts dead cells that contribute to blackheads and lacklustre skin. This mask also contains fruit enzymes and aloe, which add to its deep cleansing powers, while the blue tansy essential oil moisturises. Resurfacing is a bold claim, but Im impressed. I wash off the mask after 20 minutes and my skin appears smoother.4/5 MAGNOLIA FINE LINE MINIMISER Chantecaille Magnolia, Jasmine and Lily Healing Emulsion, 105, chantecaille.co.uk Anna said Chantecaille Magnolia, Jasmine and Lily Healing Emulsion (pictured) restored her middle-aged complexion This lusciously rich cream contains soothing extracts from the bark of the magnolia tree to reduce fine lines and redness. Its gorgeously restorative on my middle-aged complexion. The powerful compounds in the magnolia bark extract magnolol and honokiol boast antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. 5/5 The United States tallied just shy of 1,000 coronavirus-related daily deaths on Saturday after a four-day streak of four-digit death tolls, the largest such accounting of human loss from the virus since late May. The country reported 58,951 new infections and 559 additional deaths as of Sunday night, resulting in a seven-day average that was slightly lower than Saturday's, with a few left to report their totals. The world surpassed 16 million confirmed cases over the weekend and reached at least 641,000 coronavirus-related deaths. The United States accounts for about one-fourth of the reported infections and one-fifth of the death toll. Despite the recent surge in cases and deaths, White House senior staff members painted a rosy picture of the country rebounding from the crisis. "I don't deny that some of these hot-spot states are going to moderate that recovery, but, on the whole, the picture is very positive, and I still think the V-shaped recovery is in place," White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNN host Jake Tapper on "State of the Union" on Sunday, referring to how a quick rebound would look on a bar chart. Kudlow and other administration officials denied that intraparty conflict was at play as lawmakers rushed to pass legislation before the enhanced jobless aid expires. Hinting at developments, Kudlow said that the federal government would extend a four-month moratorium on evictions that ended Friday, and that $1,200 direct-impact payments will be part of the negotiated stimulus package. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox News's Chris Wallace on Sunday that the White House and GOP lawmakers were "on the same page" and would present a stimulus package Monday, straying from what White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., previously suggested. McConnell on Friday announced that an agreement could take a "few weeks," potentially leaving millions of Americans in limbo when benefits are cut off. Meadows also suggested progress Sunday, saying new therapies for treating the coronavirus could be unveiled this week. Speaking on ABC News's "This Week," he provided no details on what the therapies might involve or who was developing them. But he maintained that the key to defeating the virus would ultimately come down to "American ingenuity" more than mandates requiring people to wear masks, maintaining social distancing or keeping businesses closed. But negotiations with Democrats will hinge in part on temporary unemployment benefits that are set to expire at the end of this week. Republicans aim to reduce the $600 weekly payments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Sunday that the Trump administration is effectively trying to take away employees' option to not go to work if they do not feel safe. On CBS News's "Face the Nation," Pelosi said President Donald Trump's aim to pull unemployment benefits back from people with job options is unsafe. "I have a new name for him, Mr. Make Matters Worse," Pelosi told Margaret Brennan. "He has made matters worse from the start. Delay, denial, 'it's a hoax,' it will go away magically,' 'it's a miracle' and the rest." The White House's coronavirus testing coordinator conceded Sunday that turnaround times for diagnostic testing should improve, promising better times this week. In an interview Sunday with Tapper on "State of the Union," Adm. Brett Giroir blamed "large commercial labs that perform about half the testing in our country." "I started out by saying that we are never going to be happy with testing until we get turnaround times within 24 hours, and I would be happy with point-of-care testing everywhere," Giroir said, referring to when sample collection and testing occurs in the same place. "We are not there yet. We are doing everything we can to do that." He defended testing capacity, saying "no one is trying to stop testing in this country," when Tapper asked about Trump's remarks that he had instructed officials to slow testing out of concern that it would highlight the spread of the virus in the country. As of Sunday evening, the seven-day averages for new cases hit fresh highs in several states, including Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Nevada and South Carolina set records for their seven-day averages of daily deaths, and Mississippi and North Carolina tied their previous highs. In Texas, the seven-day average for cases was 8,302 on Saturday as Hurricane Hanna roared ashore Texas coast. Winds, torrential rain and storm surges left a path of destruction in an area already ravaged by coronavirus infections. The seven counties from Corpus Christi south to Brownsville and inland along the border with Mexico, predicted to face Hanna's strongest winds and heaviest rains, have diagnosed a total of 18,420 active covid-19 cases, many in the past few weeks, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Elsewhere in Texas, bar owners reopened Saturday night, defying a June 26 order by GOP Gov. Greg Abbott to shut down. Fort Worth bar owner and "Freedom Fest" protest organizer Chris Polone said in a video posted on Facebook that out of the about 800 bar owners who participated, not one was penalized by authorities. The county that Fort Worth is in has reported 24,562 coronavirus cases, 3,367 more since last week. The surge in cases comes as states wrestle with reopening their economies or imposing greater public health restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In Florida, the secretary of the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Halsey Beshears, signaled that he planned to start talking with bars and breweries about how they can return to business. His announcement came as Florida's average number of deaths rose for the third straight day. The state surpassed New York in total confirmed cases as Florida hit 414,511 on Saturday, with its health department reporting 12,180 new infections. Only California, with double the population of the Sunshine State, has more cases than Florida. As many of the largest school districts have already announced that students won't immediately return to in-person instruction in the fall, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Sunday that the administration does not believe there should be uniform thresholds to meet for schools to reopen. "Each community is going to have to make the determination about the circumstances for reopening and what steps they take for reopening, but the presumption should be we get our kids back to school," Azar told CBS News's Brennan. But schools that reopen may not be able to stay open if cases surge again in those communities, former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Frieden warned. "The hard part is opening them and keeping them open," Frieden told Wallace on "Fox News Sunday." Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said a slow testing process or high rate of positive tests in a community should trigger a review of whether schools there should remain in session. "I think somewhere in 5 to 10%, it's starting to get iffy," Gottlieb said on "Face the Nation," speaking about positivity rates. "Above 10%, I think that's a threshold where you really want to think carefully about closing the school districts, because that is a sign that there is an epidemic underway inside that community." Outside the United States, North Korea declared a "maximum" national emergency and locked down the city of Kaesong near the border with South Korea after what could be the North's first coronavirus case, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Sunday. North Korea alleged that the patient illegally crossed the border from South Korea last week and said virus screening results are "uncertain." - - - The Washington Post's Christian Davenport contributed to this report. Persecuted Christians ordered to renounce faith or lose COVID-19 aid: 'It is a tragedy' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In the wake of the coronavirus epidemic, Christians in Southeast Asia and Sudan have been ordered by authorities to renounce their faith or risk losing emergency aid, according to numerous reports. Jan Vermeer, Asia communications director at Open Doors International, told Premiere News the organization has been inundated with reports of Christians telling us their communities would only give them food if they re-converted back to their original faith. "While some have returned to the dominant religion in their country, others have contemplated suicide." According to Open Doors, Christians from countries including Bangladesh, India, Sudan and Malaysia are being asked to renounce their faith in exchange for COVID-19 aid. Pastor Sam, who coordinates Open Doors' work in Southeast Asia, said in rural Bangladesh, governments are giving assistance to a lot of people, but many Christians, especially those who come from a Muslim background or a Buddhist background, are not receiving the support when it goes to the villages. The village head normally discriminates against the Christians. They say, Well, you're Christian. You became a Christian so you are not part of this support, he said. "People may die or convert back to Islam if they don't have the means to survive," Sam said, adding that without the support of Open Doors, which is providing coronavirus relief in the area, many Christians would certainly die of malnutrition and starvation, or decide that following Jesus is too hard. Many of these new believers only have a fragile faith and need to become stronger in the Lord, he said. In Sudan, Christian converts face hunger and homelessness during the lockdown unless they reject their faith and return to Islam, according to Open Doors. A local pastor explained: "Believers from Muslim backgrounds have to be entirely self-reliant because they aren't given any support from their family, tribes or community, because of their faith," he said, according to Premiere. "But because people aren't able to work in lockdown they don't have money for food and are finding themselves being kicked out of their homes, unable to pay rent. "When Christian converts do ask for help from their Muslim community, they are told they have to give up Christianity if they want to be helped. It is a tragedy." In East Malaysia, one group of Christian students were told by their local mosque that they would have to convert back to Islam to receive any food aid from the community during the coronavirus lockdown. An earlier report from Open Doors found that in Vietnam, the government denied food aid to more than 100 Christians, including children and the elderly. You are Christians and your God shall take care of your family! authorities told 18 Christian families, comprising 107 people, in north Vietnam. The government is not responsible for your families! A local partner of Open Doors, which was not identified due to security reasons, said, They strive to put food on their tables, and they consume their rice little by little every day. When they learned that the governments support was coming to their district, they were so happy only to find out that they were not on the list because they are Christians. Similarly, John Prabhudoss, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations chairman, told The Christian Post that the organization has received several reports of religious minorities in India being mistreated during the pandemic. Specifically, many are being left out of the programs created to help the people during this crisis, he said. Obviously, there are several systemic flaws in the Hindu nationalist government's approach to the problem. Because of those fundamentally flawed approaches, Christians and other religious minorities are suffering but they are not the only victims. Various sections of economically vulnerable people are also suffering due to these fundamentally flawed attitudes of the Hindu nationalist government. Vermeer told Premier that discrimination against Christians is embedded in some communities, meaning such practices will be difficult to change. "You have to appeal to the governments of those countries that they take this into account. But it's really deeply ingrained in their cultures so it's very hard to change. And especially in remote villages ... you need really fundamental changes." A bombshell new book detailing Prince Harry and the former Meghan Markles relationship from their first date to their exit from the royal family claims the actress was warned about dating the prince. Look at Diana, a friend told the actress, according to the new book, Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family. They hate royal wives and girlfriends. They will come after you, the unnamed friend added. A third and final excerpt of the new book by veteran royal reporter Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie was published by the Times of London on Sunday and paints a picture of the early days of the couples courtship, including new details about their dates and how their coupling went undetected by the press for six months. Watch TODAY All Day! Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made it clear that Harry and Meghan had no involvement in the book. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom," said the statement. "This book is based on the authors own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting. On their first date, the actress and the prince, who were set up by a mutual friend, met for drinks at the members only Soho House Dean Street Townhouse in London. Harry had a beer, while Meghan sipped a martini as they chatted for nearly three hours, according to the book, which adds there wasnt a goodnight kiss. But there was instant chemistry. Almost immediately they were almost obsessed with each other, a friend said, according to the excerpt. It was as if Harry was in a trance. Meghan was equally smitten and reportedly called a friend to ask, Do I sound crazy when I say this could have legs? Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle (Anwar Hussein / WireImage) Looking back, there were signs about Meghans secret romance during the trip to London when she met Harry. She shared photos from her trip on social media, but never anything of the prince, and followed a new Instagram: @SpikeyMau5, which happened to be Harrys secret account. Story continues The couple saw each other again the next two nights before Meghan went back to Toronto, where she was filming Suits. Six weeks later, the couple went camping in Botswana on what was technically their third date. After that, they were inseparable. Prince Harry told the actress I love you, after three months, which she reciprocated, according to the book. The couple took turns taking transatlantic flights to spend time together. Harry would take commercial flights to Toronto and travel with only one protection officer to help him stay under the radar. The princes presence in the neighborhood became an open secret, but never traveled beyond a community Facebook page, according to the book, until one day Harry received a call from the palace that a tabloid was going to run with news of his relationship in 24 hours. While he was advised to return home due to his minimal security, Harry refused, according to the book. The following day Meghan felt somewhat bittersweet about the situation, the book says. On the one hand, she was disappointed that their secret was out. It was no longer just the two of them... She knew that keeping things quiet meant that they could get to know each other without pressure or further worries that came from reporters covering and commenting on their burgeoning romance. Three people, including a 9-month-old child, were killed and three others were injured when a small plane crashed in a Utah backyard on Saturday afternoon, authorities said. The plane, a Piper PA-32, was flying from an airport in Salt Lake City to Page, Ariz., when it crashed in West Jordan, a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilot, 43-year-old Lee Wyckoff, 9-month-old Coral Wyckoff, and 36-year-old Milda Shibonis were killed, the West Jordan Police Department wrote on Twitter. The crash also injured two other children: Cody Mitchell, 2, who survived but had critical burns on his arms and legs, and Veda Sheperd, 12, who was treated at a hospital and released. Another passenger on the flight, Rebecca Wyckoff, 36, was also critically injured. A 72-year-old woman on the ground, Mary Quintana, was also critically injured in the crash. Quintana was on her deck at the time of the crash, police confirmed on Twitter. The FAA said that it and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash. By Express News Service PATNA: The Bihar government on Saturday decided to provide family pension or governement job to the kin of government emplpyees who died due to COVID-19. Officials claimed that Bihar is the first state in the country that has taken such a bold decision to support the government employees performing the corona-related duties in the state. This decision came in the wake of deaths of several government employees due to coronavirus infection while working as frontline warriors in the state. The Nitish Kumar-led government approved it at the cabinet meeting held late evening on Saturday through video conferencing. According to an official statement, this decision will be applicable to only those government employees or officials who are performing the coronavirus-related duties or working as frontline staff. The family of government employees, who die due to corona on duty, would have to opt-special family pension or a job in government, it was mentioned in the statement. In another major action, the state government also dismissed altogether 9 medical officers from services, who were missing from duty during the Corona period in an unauthorised way. Among the doctors, who have been dismissed on charges of negligence in service, are Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, posted at Sitamarhi Sadar Hospital, Dr. Shahina Tanveer, posted as a Medical Officer at Primary Health Centre Purnia, Dr. Sadhana Kumari, posted in Sitamarhi, Dr. Kameshwar Narayan Dubey, posted at Chapra Sadar Hospital, Dr. Ajit Kumar Sinha, posted as Medical Officer in Leprosy Control Unit at Katihar, Dr. Ashok Kumar, posted as Medical Officer at Taraiya in Saran, Dr. Ashok Kumar, posted at Sitamarhi Nanpur, Dr. Venu Jha ,posted at PHC located at Mali Bazar in Sitamarhi and Dr. Preeti Sharma, posted at PHC at Rampur in Kaimur. All of them have been dismissed after being found guilty of being absent from duty. Photo taken on Sept. 24, 2015 shows the national flags of China (R) and the United States as well as the flag of Washington D.C. on the Constitution Avenue in Washington, capital of the United States.(Xinhua/Bao Dandan) "We support China and the U.S. basing their relations on mutual dialogue and centering on the common issues which unite humanity," the scholars said in a statement, urging collective effort on addressing global challenges like climate change, the pandemic and the economic development. International scholars said Saturday that aggressive statements and actions by the U.S. government towards China poses a threat to world peace and a potential new cold war on China is against the interests of humanity. The comments came during a virtual meeting on the international campaign against a new Cold War on China, which gathered experts from a number of countries including the United States, China, Britain, India, Russia and Canada. Jenny Clegg, senior lecturer in international studies of University of Central Lancashire, said China-U.S. relationship is one of the most important bilateral relationships and its deterioration would pose significant threat to world peace. John Ross, senior fellow at Chongyang Institute, Renmin University of China, listed the threat of war by the United States, including launching major wars in Iraq and Libya, taking the dangerous step of withdrawing from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and unilateral sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. "Of course, a threat of war with China itself would be an unimaginable catastrophe," he said. Medea Benjamin, cofounder of Codepink, a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars, said it was concerning that the U.S. leaders claim a new Chinese aggression when the United States itself has military bases around the world. "The U.S. needs to understand China is not our enemy. We call for cooperation with China," Benjamin said. Magaret Kimberley, a columnist at Black Agenda Report, said the U.S. government made wrong accusations of China on issues relating to Xinjiang and controlling the coronavirus pandemic and its forced closure of the Chinese consulate in Houston violated international law. Some experts attending the meeting issued a statement calling upon the U.S. side to step back from this threat of a Cold War and also from other dangerous threats to world peace it is engaged in. They said the United States goes in a wrong direction by withdrawing from the INF Treaty and the Paris Agreement on climate change, and increasing disengagement from UN bodies. "We support China and the U.S. basing their relations on mutual dialogue and centering on the common issues which unite humanity," the statement said, urging collective effort on addressing global challenges like climate change, the pandemic and the economic development. WASHINGTON With 100 days until the election, Democrat Joe Biden holds a 5-point lead over President Donald Trump in Arizona, with more voters saying the former vice president would do a better job handing the coronavirus pandemic and race relations, according to a new NBC News/Marist poll of the state. Democrats also enjoy a double-digit advantage in Arizonas key Senate contest between Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., and Democratic challenger Mark Kelly. But more of Trumps voters strongly back him than Bidens supporters do, and the president holds a significant lead on handling the economy. In the new poll, 50 percent of registered voters say they would vote for Biden in the presidential contest, while 45 percent back Trump, a difference that is within the surveys margin of error. Just 4 percent are undecided or pick another candidate. Back in March, the last time NBC News/Marist measured Arizona, Biden topped the president by only 1 point, 47 percent to 46 percent. Bidens current lead over Trump is fueled by his advantages among Latinos (61 percent support him, versus 31 percent for the president), voters under 45 (57 percent to 36 percent), women (57 percent to 38 percent), independents (55 percent to 38 percent) and whites with college degrees (51 percent to 44 percent). Trump, meanwhile, is ahead among men (53 percent to 43 percent), those ages 45 and older (52 percent to 45 percent), whites (49 percent to 46 percent) and whites without college degrees (52 percent to 43 percent). With 11 electoral votes in play, the 2020 battle for the White House goes through the Sunbelt, Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, said of Arizona. Democrats also have a potential Senate gain given Kellys wide lead over McSally, Miringoff added. As Marist has worked to better reach respondents outside of metropolitan areas, 60 percent of the registered voters in the poll are from Maricopa County (Phoenix), 16 percent are from Pima County (Tucson) and 24 percent are from the rest of the state. Story continues Forty-three percent of voters describe themselves residing in a big city; 20 percent are from the suburbs; 27 percent are from either small cities or small towns; and 10 percent are from rural areas. Whats more, 38 percent of all voters have college degrees, while 62 percent dont. And 31 percent of voters identify as Republican, 26 percent as Democrats and 40 percent as independents. Trump trails on the coronavirus, leads on the economy The NBC News/Marist poll conducted July 14-22 comes as the coronavirus has battered Arizona, infecting more than 150,000 residents and killing more than 3,000 in the state. Forty-nine percent of voters say the pandemic is getting worse in Arizona, 18 percent say its getting better; and 32 percent say that things are staying about the same. Biden leads Trump by 11 points among registered voters on which candidate would do a better job handling the coronavirus, 48 percent to 37 percent. The Democrat leads by 20 points on which candidate would better handle race relations, 53 percent to 33 percent. But Trump holds a 20-point lead on which candidate would better handle the economy, 55 percent to 35 percent. Trumps job rating among registered voters in the state is 44 percent approve, 52 percent disapprove, according to the poll. Thats a reversal from March, when 48 percent approved versus 46 percent who disapproved. The job rating for Republican Gov. Doug Ducey is 39 percent approve, 53 percent disapprove. Trump holds the edge in enthusiasm Despite Bidens lead in the horserace and his advantage in handling the coronavirus, Trump holds the edge in enthusiasm. Seventy-four percent of Trumps backers in the poll strongly support him, versus 61 percent of Bidens backers who say the same of the former vice president. Among all Arizona voters in the poll, 41 percent have a favorable view of Trump, while 57 percent have an unfavorable view (-16). Thats compared with 42 percent who have a favorable view of Biden, versus 52 percent who have an unfavorable view (-10). Among voters who dislike both candidates, 56 percent say theyre voting for Biden, while 29 percent are voting for Trump. Kelly is ahead of McSally by 12 points in the Senate race In Arizonas Senate contest, the NBC News/Marist poll shows Democrat Mark Kelly leading Republican Martha McSally, 53 percent to 41 percent, a difference that is outside the surveys margin of error. Back in March, Kelly was ahead by 3 points, 48 percent to 45 percent. Kelly enjoys many of the same demographic advantages as Biden does just by wider margins. He leads McSally among Latinos (67 percent to 24 percent), independents (62 percent to 32 percent) and women (61 percent to 33 percent). The NBC News/Marist poll of Arizona was conducted July 14-22 of 1,020 adults, which has a margin of error of plus-minus 3.7 percentage points. The margin of error among the 826 registered voters the poll surveyed is plus-minus 4.1 percentage points. Two days after gangster Navdeep Singh Navi, alias John Buttar, and his four aides were nabbed following a shootout in Kharar on Friday, two more of his accomplices were arrested in Ludhiana on Saturday. The CIA staff of the Ludhiana Rural police recovered a .32-bore pistol, a magazine and two bullets from their possession. A motorcycle that they robbed in Moga has also been recovered. The accused have been identified as Maninder Singh, alias Bagga, of Lakkha village and Manpreet Singh of Manuke village of Hathur. Ludhiana Rural senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vivek Sheel Soni said the accused were involved in a firing incident in Buttar village. The duo was arrested following a tip-off, he added. A case under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused at Hathur police station. They were produced before a court on Sunday and sent in police remand till August 1 for questioning. Buttar, who hails from Moga, and his four aides, including Kulwinder Singh and Parminder Singh, alias Pinda, residents of Buttar Kalan village in Moga; and Amritpal Singh and Amrik Singh, residents of Samrala, Ludhiana, were arrested in Kharar on Friday. Buttar was wanted in 18 cases of murder, attempt to murder, dacoity and extortion. He was on Sunday discharged from PGIMER where he was admitted for two bullet injuries on his legs, suffered during the encounter at Aman Homes in Kharar. Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Sunday directed to form a five-member committee to look into complaints of sexual harassment at workplaces in the national capital. Such a committee will include members from the government, NGOs and civil society, a statement from the Delhi government said. The decision was taken after the minister chaired a review meeting on implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the Department of Women and Child Development. Gautam directed the Department of Women and Child Development to constitute a five-member committee to overview and monitor the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and the composition may include some representatives from government, Non Government Organisation (NGO) sector and civil society, the statement said. The minister also instructed that a meeting should be convened through video conferencing with government department heads, in the first phase, in order to have an interface regarding implementation of the Act in their respective departments, it said. The department was also directed to ensure the issuance of advertisements, in the form of display and text notices, for creating awareness among citizens along with all government and private sector entities on the provisions, facilitations and penalty clauses of the Act. For this, the Department of Women and Child Development has organised several workshops along with media campaigns. It has also issued necessary instructions on regular intervals to all departments of the city government, autonomous bodies and private sector companies for constitution of internal committees, it said. All district magistrates have also been instructed for constitution of local committee as statutory requirement under the Act, the statement added. Treasurer Cameron Dick is urging Queenslanders to stay vigilant as health authorities carefully monitor the COVID-19 situation in NSW and Victoria. No new infections were detected in Queensland on Sunday, leaving the state's weekly increase at four, all people returning from overseas. The update came as Mr Dick announced a new $200 million infrastructure building fund. Credit:Chris Hyde "Obviously this is something we are monitoring so carefully and closely as a government," Mr Dick told reporters at Yarrabilba, south of Brisbane, on Sunday. "Complacency is our enemy, vigilance is the thing we all need as Queenslanders to make sure we can stay on top of the virus." US Joint Chiefs Visits Israel Amid Tensions With Iran, Hezbollah Farnoosh Ram July 25, 2020 The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley paid an unannounced visit to Israel on July 24 and met with senior Israeli military and intelligence officials. Israeli media say the unexpected trip came amid rising tensions on Israel's northern border and the possibility of a military showdown with the Lebanese Hezbollah, which is supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. During his short visit, General Mark Milli spoke with the Israeli Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, and Army Chief of Staff, Lt. General Aviv Kuchavi in Tel Aviv. In a separate meeting, General Milli discussed the latest developments with the head of Mossad, Yossi Cohen, and spoke over video conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed the "threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran", and other regional security concerns. "The IDF and the U.S. Armed Forces share a mutual interest to prevent Iran and its proxies from jeopardizing the stability of the region," Kochavi said, adding that the IDF is "preparing for a variety of scenarios and will act to the extent necessary to remove any threat that endangers the sovereignty of Israel or its citizens." No further details on the talks have been released so far. However, the Israeli Channel 13 reported that the trip was to coordinate "operational affairs," and General Milli left Tel Aviv a few hours later. Channel 13's Senior Defense Correspondent, Alon Ben David, says, the last time Milli visited Israel was in late November last year, a few weeks before a U.S. drone strike killed the Chief Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' Qods Force, Major General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, outside Baghdad international airport. This time, General Milli's presence in Israel coincided with the escalation of tensions between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other. Following a mysterious explosion at the Natanz nuclear site on July 2, and a series of other suspicious blasts and fires in Iran's infrastructure over the past month, the Israeli media have raised the possibility of their country's involvement in the incidents. According to a New York Times report earlier this month, the blast at Natanz uranium enrichment center was most likely the result of a bomb planted at the facility, potentially at a strategic gas line. The report did not rule out other possibilities, such as a cyberattack to cause a malfunction leading to an explosion. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, was authorized in 2018 by President Donald Trump to conduct offensive cyber operations against Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, Russia's intelligence agency, FSB, and other targets. The White House and CIA have not responded to Forbes's allegation so far. Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, told a news conference on Thursday evening, July 23, in Jerusalem that in its confrontation with Iran, Israel was pursuing three goals consistently; Nuclear program, long-range missiles, and Iran's military presence in Syria. Nevertheless, he immediately noted that the details of Israel's actions against the Islamic Republic "better remain untold". The German daily, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported on July 23 that the Israeli spy agency's plan to strike Iran's nuclear program had been in place for seventeen years. The plan was prepared during Meir Dagan's term as the head of Mossad (2002-11), and it is still on the agenda, FAZ said. Citing Israeli intelligence experts, FAZ reported that since a military conquest of Iran or a forced replacement of the Islamic Republic regime seemed unrealistic, the head of Israel's foreign intelligence relied on five paths; "strong international pressure against Tehran, economic sanctions, the sabotage of nuclear facilities, the killing of scientists, the interruption of supplies, and support for opposition groups and Iranian minorities such as Kurds. , Baluchis or Azeris." Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, meanwhile, has added that all actions against the Islamic Republic were aimed at dragging Tehran to the negotiation table. Nonetheless, FAZ says, even the US drone attack and killing the Qods Force Chief Commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad failed to shake Tehran and force it to accept a new round of talks with Washington. According to the Jerusalem Post, General Mark Millie's unexpected visit to Tel Aviv on Friday came amid escalating tensions on Israel's northern border and the possibility of a military confrontation with Hezbollah. In the meantime, Israel has assessed that the Lebanese Hezbollah will respond to the killing of one of its fighters, Ali Kamel Mohsen, who was killed in an Israeli strike that struck near Damascus airport, south of the city, last Monday night. Therefore, The Israeli army has increased its military presence on the northern border and increased security measures. Moreover, the Jerusalem Post says, Israel has sent a "message" to Hezbollah through Russia to keep calm. After visiting Lebanon last week, General Kenneth F. Mackenzie, the US commander of the Central Command (Centcom), warned that the Lebanese Hezbollah would experience serious consequences if it went to another war with Israel. Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/us-joint- chiefs-visits-israel-amid-tensions-with -iran-hezbollah/30746508.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year in India on July 26, as on this day in 1999 India successfully took command of the high outposts which had been lost to Pakistan. The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days and it ended with Indias victory. But several army men lost their lives and to remember their valour, every year this day is celebrated with utmost zeal in the country. Today, we thought about listing out a few pictures from the past of your favourite stars mingling with the Indian Army. Be it for cooking, entertaining, shooting or just trying to get to know them better, stars have for years now taken the initiative to go and meet army men who take care of the nation around the year. Scroll through for pictures You dont need to go to school to know that food is an integral component of our lives. Its said that we are what we eat. Given the various aspects associated with food, its but natural that our filmmakers have time and again used food items in their titles. Presenting a list of films with food in their titles. Bear in mind that not every film had something to do with food but still was a tasty morsel in itself. Happy slurping!Director: R BalkiCast: Amitabh Bachchan, TabuBuddhadev Gupta (Amitabh Bachchan). Buddhadev is the 64-year-old chef and owner of London's top Indian restaurant, Spice 6. Cooking is his whole life. He considers himself an authority on Indian cuisine, and hence he gets angry when a patron Nina Varma (Tabu) returns a dish -- Hyderabadi Zafrani Pulao -- back to the kitchen, saying its too sweet. He challenges her to produce something better and is humbled when she does so the next day. Despite their 30 year age difference, there is chemistry between them. And they bond well over the common passion they share -- food. Buddhadevs 85-year-old mother (Zohra Sehgal) too likes her. Hes old fashioned in the sense that he wants to properly ask her father for her hand in marriage. To do so, they travel to Delhi. Her father, Omprakash Verma (Paresh Rawal), a staunch Gandhian, is flabbergasted to know that Ninas suitor is elder than him. He goes on a fast in protest, and Buddhadev has to use all his ingenuity to get Ninas father say yes to the match. The dialogue between Amitabh and Tabu is full of repartee and wit and feels like a normal conversation. Both give each other space and are comfortable around each other. Their camaraderie holds the film together.Director: Sameer SharmaCast: Kunal Kapoor, Huma Qureshi, Rajesh SharmaThe film revolves around reviving an old family recipe and a secret ingredient connected to it. On the run from a dangerous UK gangster to whom he owes money, Omi (Kunal Kapoor) returns to his native village in Punjab, pretending to be a well-settled London lawyer. Much has changed since Omi ran away from home a decade back after stealing money from his doting grandfather, Daarji. The old man has become senile and has forgotten the secret recipe of Chicken Khurana -- the dish that made their dhaba famous in nearby areas. Omi tries to recreate the dish with the help of his childhood crush Harman (Huma Qureshi), who is to be married to his cousin Jeet (Rahul Bagga). Its not known that Jeet loves a Bengali widow and even has a daughter by her. Jeet finally rebels and tells everyone about the love of his life. Omi also perfects the recipe and correctly guesses the secret ingredient. He and Harman are to be married when the London gangsters whom he owes money come calling. The film was admired for the ensemble acting of its cast and for its dark humour.Director: Anurag BasuCast: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana DCruzBarfi (Ranbir Kapoor) was named Murphy by his parents, inspired by the British radio brand. Unable to pronounce his own name, as hes deaf-mute, he says it as Barf. Hes quite mischievous and is always up to all kinds of pranks. He meets Shruti (Illeana) when shes meeting her family in Darjeeling and is smitten by her. She too likes him but is engaged to be married to someone. Understanding the difference in class and riches between them, she breaks off contact with him and marries the man chosen by her family. Barfi meanwhile means Jhilmil (Priyanka) the autistic daughter of a wealthy man in Darjeeling. There is an attraction between them as well from the start but being autistic, Jhilmil finds it hard to voice her feelings. Slowly, a bond develops between the deaf-mute boy and the autistic girl. It seems they are made for each other and come together defying all odds. The film was praised for its sensitive portrayal of autism. All the three leads were just perfect for their roles and complemented each other to a T.Director: Ashwiny Iyer TiwariCast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Kriti Sanon, Pankaj Tripathy and Seema PahwaBitti Mishra ( Kriti Sanon) is a happy-go-lucky girl who is the apple of her father's eye. Like most Indian mothers, Bittis mother too wants the darling daughter to get hitched to a good guy soon. Bitti wants a partner who understands her and more importantly, who accepts her the way she is. She feels she's found that special someone when she reads a book called Bareilly Ki Barfi and finds herself described in the pages. She longs to meet the writer, whom she feels is her soulmate and her search makes her cross the paths of two men Chirag Dubey, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, who owns a printing press and Pritam Vidrohi, the supposed writer of the book, played by Rajkummar Rao. A love triangle ensues and whether true love triumphs or not forms the crux of the film.Director: Pushpdeep BhardwajCast: Rhea Chakraborty, Varun Mitra, Digangana SuryavanshiJalebi is a remake of 2016 Bengali hit Praktan. Mumbai based Aisha Pradhan (Rhea Chakraborty) is a budding author who takes a guided tour of Old Delhi because she wants to set her novel there and falls in love with the tour guide Dev Mathur (Varun Mitra). At first, everything is hunky-dory but then differences begun to set in. Her miscarriage crumbles the relationship further. They separate but she hasn't forgiven or forgotten him even after seven years. A chance train journey from Mumbai to Delhi brings Ayesha in proximity with Devs current wife Anu (Digangana Suryavanshi) and daughter Pulti (Aanya Dureja). A series of flashbacks take us through her past as she copes with the present. Dev joins them midway and the situation becomes more awkward. How this chance encounter unfolds to give her closure forms the crux of this rather sappy romance.Director: Debamitra BiswalCast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Athiya Shetty, Vibha Chibber, Navni PariharThe film is a hilarious take on arranged marriages. Pushpinder (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) comes home to his hometown Bhopal from Dubai. He's 36 and wants to get married at the earliest. His next-door neighbour, Anita (Athiya Shetty) is a girl obsessed with living abroad and sees marriage as a way to realise her dreams. Circumstances bring them together. She's 10 years younger to him but is willing to compromise for a chance to live in Dubai. They elope and get married. But her hopes come crashing down when she learns he has lost his Dubai job and has taken up a position in Bhopal. By Express News Service WARANGAL: Nearly 300 junior doctors and interns have been on strike since Saturday midnight protesting an attack on one of their colleagues by a relative of a female patient who had been admitted in the emergency block at MGM Hospital in Warangal. The doctors boycotted emergency services on Sunday and raised slogans in the hospital premises demanding protection and action against the alleged attackers. Attacks on doctors have been increasing across the state during the COVID-19 pandemic and doctors from various hospitals, including Gandhi Hospital, have demanded special security forces to be deployed in hospitals. According to the information, the patient had severely injured her leg and was admitted by her relatives on Saturday night at MGM Hospital. ALSO READ | Hyderabad doctor loses battle with COVID-19, third in city to die of virus Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) General Secretary S Ravi Shankar said to The New Indian Express, "We are demanding that action be taken against the attackers, doctors be given special protection. The duty doctor had informed the attendants that the patien was severely injured after an iron needle was found inside her leg and suggested that she be shift to the X-ray machine block. However, the attendants of the patient started shouting at the doctors claiming that they had links to the ruling party leaders and eventually hit the patient with a stool and an iron stand." He further said that the MGM hospital higher authorities have still not responded about the incident or to the demands of junior doctors. However, the police reached the spot and arrested the attendants. They are still searching for the main accused. According to the sources, MGM Hospital Superintendent Dr B Srinivas Rao is on a ten-day leave. Hazleton, PA (18201) Today Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of snow late. Low 26F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early then becoming cloudy with periods of snow late. Low 26F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. The royals never fail to surprise us, that is for sure. It seems like we are constantly learning new things about them, and just when we think we know everything there is, new facts come to light. The truth of the matter is that when it comes to certain things, we dont give it a second thought. One of those things is names. We pretty much think of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge simply as Kate, and Queen Elizabeth often gets referred to as her majesty or the queen. Royal baby names are pretty exciting, and most fans love the anticipation of trying to figure out the moniker when a new family member is born. While it is true that Kate is not a blood member of the royal family, we do know that she shares similarities with so many members of her husbands family. This is just one of the reasons as to why she fits in so perfectly, and will someday make an excellent queen consort. In fact, Kate already has something special in common with the queen. Lets discuss how Kate and Queen Elizabeth share a common name. Kate Middleton and her royal titles Kate Middleton | Dan Kitwood/Getty Images RELATED: Kate Middleton Shares One Major Similarity With Prince Philip Most people have a first name, a middle name, and a last name but the same cannot necessarily be said for the royals. Those who are born into royalty, for example often have two to three middle names, and according to Good Housekeeping, they tend to name their children in honor of other family members. Add in the titles that they use with their names, and it can be quite a mouthful! Upon marrying Prince William, Kate herself was given quite a few royal titles. While she used to be known to the public only as Kate Middleton, she is now the Duchess of Cambridge. It doesnt end there, however. When Kate visits Scotland, she is able to use the title of Countess of Strathearn, and when visiting Northern Ireland, she is titled as Lady Carrickfergus. The royal titles of the queen It is only natural that the British monarch has some very important titles that she uses. Born as Princess Elizabeth of York, she became queen upon the death of her father. So, what other titles does her majesty have the honor of using? Town & Country reports that she goes by the Duke of Lancaster, which most people do not know. She has formerly been known as Her Royal Highness, Princess Elizabeth, as well as Her Royal Highness, Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh. While some monarchs change their first name completely when they take over the throne, the queen opted not to do that when she became the ruling monarch in 1952. As if that werent enough to remember, what is her majestys official title? Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith with the style of Majesty. Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth share a common name We just discussed how royal titles are extremely important, and also a bit confusing. When it comes to names, though, there is a link between Kate and the queen that not many people know about. It turns out that Kate and the queen share a common name. Kates full name given at birth is actually Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, and her majesty is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. Looks like Kate was destined to become a member of the royal family since the day that she was born, and her name, being a link to Queen Elizabeth, more than proves this. Police in Arizona have arrested a man who kidnapped two of his nieces, who were found hours later on the side of the highway with serious injuries. The 13-year-old, named by relatives as Stephanie Chacon, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 12-year-old sister, Hayli Chacon, was flown to a Phoenix-area hospital where she remains in an extremely critical condition. The girls' uncle Carlos Eduardo Mora, 27, of Phoenix, was with their mother, the girls and another man at a family home on Wednesday evening when the two men and girls decided to drive to a local convenience store. When the other man went back inside the home, Mora jumped in the driver's seat and fled with the two girls in the back seats. Stephanie Chacon (right) and her sister Hayli (left) were kidnapped Wednesday by their uncle Stephanie Chacon (left), 13, and her sister Hayli, 12, were kidnapped by their uncle in Arizona As Mora drove off, he hit the other man with the vehicle. Family members contacted the two victims on the phone after the kidnapping and they said Mora was driving in a crazy way and were heard screaming, before the phone was disconnected, police said. The girls were found by the side of U.S. Highway 60, between Wickenburg and Morristown, after a driver reported an injured person around 9pm on Wednesday. Troopers found the two victims when they arrived. Troopers were made aware of the kidnapping and were notified of a man seen with bloody clothing a few miles from the scene at a Wickenburg gas station, where he was arrested. He provided a fake story about how he arrived at the station, police said, and mentioned the vehicle he was riding in was at a nearby hotel. Officers from Arizona's Department of Public Safety responded to the hotel and found a vehicle with its windows open and keys in the ignition. They also found a wallet that led them to identify the person at the gas station as Carlos Mora. Carlos Mora, 27, was arrested on Wednesday evening after his nieces were found by the road According to court documents, Mora allegedly admitted to taking the vehicle, parking it at the hotel and walking to the gas station to get a drink before he was arrested. 'Mora admitted he saw people in the vehicle and heard screaming from female voices, but when he kept making the vehicle swerve the voices went away,' authorities stated in court documents, cited by the Daily Independent. 'Mora remembers events of the evening until confronted with direct questions based on interviews that the girls were with him, then can't remember and hears voices.' Mora was booked into the Maricopa County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping and theft of means of transportation. He was held on a $1 million bond, and the investigation is ongoing. Briana Campos has started a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral expenses One family friend told Fox 10 that the sisters were inseparable. 'The minute Hayli was responsive, she was asking about her sister,' said Briana Campos, recounting the moment the 12-year-old girl awakened after the kidnapping. 'They did everything together. 'They went to school together. They liked being around each other. You're gonna have love for a sibling, but they were the closest in age.' On a GoFundMe page which Campos set up to cover funeral costs, Stephanie's former teacher paid tribute to her. 'I was Stephanie's 3rd grade teacher,' wrote Amber Muntz. 'She was such a kind, hard working, and respectful student. I loved having her in my class because she was always so excited to learn. I will miss her greatly.' Paris, July 26 : French authorities will introduce on-the-spot fines nationwide for drug users, particularly targeting cannabis, from September, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced. The roll-out of fines follows tests in cities such as Rennes and Marseilles, the BBC reported. The 200-euro ($23) fixed fine will reduce to 150 euros if paid within 15 days. Castex made the announcement on Saturday while on a trip to Nice, which has seen weeks of drugs-related violence, including in its Moulins district, where shots were fired in broad daylight outside a supermarket this week. He said the system would come in at the start of the beginning of the school year after the summer break. A part of Castex's plans to strengthen security, the Prime Minister said he wanted to "put an end to the violence of everyday life" . He said the drugs measure would simplify police procedures by "inflicting punishment without delay". France, one of the leading consumers of cannabis in Europe, already have laws that allow for up to a year in prison and fines of up to 3,750 euros for the use of illicit drugs, without specifically distinguishing drug types, the BBC report said. But the laws, dating back to 1970, seldom lead to prison sentences, with magistrates preferring alternative punishments, often warnings. Although there is the reduction for early fine payment in the new system, if an offender fails to pay up in time it increases to 450 euros. Many millennials entered the workforce in a period of turbulence and transition after the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Those who started investing around this time or in the 2010s also experienced one of the longest bull markets in the modern era. An economic downturn will not be welcomed by any generation. However, millennial investors also have a long-time horizon a huge advantage going forward. Strong investments made today can build a bright future. Promising dividend stocks can offer capital growth and income to fuel your portfolio. Today, I want to look at three dividend stocks that are worth snatching up today and holding onto for decades. Lets jump in. Millennials: Why this dividend stock is in a great position to start this decade Millennials recently became the most populous demographic in North America, surpassing the baby boomers. This means that millennial consumer habits will play a huge role in shaping the future. The drive to vegetarianism and veganism has been led by younger generations. This me to the first dividend stock well take a snapshot of. Maple Leaf Foods (TSX:MFI) is a consumer protein company. Its shares have climbed 6.4% in 2020 as of close on July 23. Maple Leaf made the smart bet to invest in plant-based alternatives with its acquisition of Lightlife Foods in early 2017. BIS Research recently forecast that the global plant-based food and beverage market would post a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.82% from 2019 to 2024. In Q1 2020, Maple Leaf achieved sales growth of 12.8%. Its Plant Protein Group achieved sales growth of 25.9%, which was in line with expectations. The company has set itself up as a direct competitor to Beyond Meat with the launch of Lightlife plant-based alternatives. Maple Leaf also offers a quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share, representing a 2.3% yield. Dont sleep on renewable energy Millennials have established themselves as socially conscious investors over the past decade. For many in this demographic, profits and capital growth is not enough. They want to know they are investing in companies and causes with which they are socially and politically aligned. Earlier this month, Id discussed how millennials can build a green energy portfolio. Story continues Innergex Renewable (TSX:INE) is one of my favourite green energy dividend stocks on the TSX. Its stock has increased 34% in 2020 so far. Shares are up 55% year over year. Investors can expect to see its second-quarter 2020 results on August 4. In Q1 2020, the company saw revenue rise 5% from the prior year to $132.1 million. Meanwhile, its production (MWh) increased to 1.68 million over 1.30 million in Q1 2019. On July 15, Innergex announced the acquisition of six operating wind farms in the United States. The stock currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per share. This represents a 3.2% yield. This dividend stock needs to be in your portfolio Jamieson Wellness is a stock that will benefit from shifting demographics. However, in this case it has grown due to an aging population. Natural health products and supplements have enjoyed a massive spike in interest, particularly among older generations who are becoming more health conscious. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen this dividend stock gain significant momentum in 2020. Shares of Jamieson have increased 80% year-over-year as of close on July 23. The only drawback for millennials is that Jamieson looks overvalued right now. Value investors may want to wait for a more attractive entry point. In any case, Jamieson is one stock that is worth holding onto for the long term. The post Millennials: 3 Dividend Stocks to Hold Forever appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Beyond Meat, Inc. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 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 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations of one inch with localized higher amounts 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 this evening. * 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 icing of roads and walkways. Black ice issues could linger through the early morning hours. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. && BOSTON - An Irish national convicted of bombing a police station in Ireland in the 1990s has been deported from Boston, according to U.S. immigration officials. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said this week that Darcy McMenamin was deported July 20 after a Boston immigration judge denied his request to remain in the country on June 3. There is no safe haven in the U.S. for foreign nationals convicted of terrorist activities, Todd Lyons, director of ICEs Boston office, said in a written statement. ICE remains committed to removing dangerous foreign nationals from the U.S., even those who may have managed to evade immigration law for a lengthy period of time. McMenamin was a member of the Irish Republican Army and had a history of terrorism-related crime in Ireland, according to ICE. At the age of 18, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for participating in the mortar attack of a Royal Ulster Constabulary police station in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, in 1993. The police station had been vacant at the time but the bombing caused minor injuries to two bystanders, according to media reports at the time. McMenamin was eventually released as part of a program included in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that helped bring an end to Irelands yearslong conflict known as the Troubles, according to Irish news reports. After his prison release, McMenamin entered and departed the U.S. multiple times between 2000 and 2007 through the visa waiver program between the two countries, but he never disclosed his criminal history, as required, according to ICE. He was also granted temporary entry into the country by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2007 for the birth of his child, but never departed, in violation of federal law, according to ICE. Its not immediately clear who represented McMenamin in his immigration case. Spokespersons for ICE didnt respond to an email seeking comment Sunday. Police said several people were arrested amid violence in downtown Oakland on Saturday night. The turmoil followed a protest that drew thousands of people in a show of solidarity against racial injustice and in support of protesters in Portland, Ore. A fire was set at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse, and police station windows were smashed hours after protesters had peacefully marched from Frank H. Ogawa Plaza along Broadway. Agitators within the crowd of demonstrators have set the Alameda County Superior Courthouse on fire. Please avoid the area. We are calling for peace and to have safe spaces and safe places for tonight's demonstration. #WallofMoms, the Oakland police tweeted around 10:30 p.m. on Friday. A video shot by a journalist for the Associated Press showed a fire in the courthouse lobby. Police declared an unlawful assembly shortly before midnight and wrote: Some in the crowd are throwing projectiles and pointing illegal lasers at officers. We are using signs and giving vocal commands to the crowd if the assaults continue chemicals will be deployed. Police also said that some windows on one of their buildings were shattered, and messages were spray painted on the walls. Reports and photos from the scene showed protesters projecting images like defund police onto the building, and using graffiti as well as flares and fireworks. Breaking windows, spray painting, shooting fireworks and pointing lasers at officers and helicopters, Oakland police said on Twitter. We ask for organizers to keep the protest peaceful. #WallofMoms It is unclear why the department specifically referenced Wall of Moms, a movement that is spreading from Portland where the group is resisting heavy-handed federal tactics to other parts of the nation, including the Bay Area. A flier for Saturdays protest does not state the organizers. Earlier in the evening, a string of speakers at the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza had addressed systemic racism, police misconduct and other issues related to injustice. Marchers then proceeded down Franklin Street, past murals of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both killed by police, and down Broadway to the Oakland police headquarters and back. Some repeated the name of Sean Monterrosa, the young man killed by Vallejo police in June. Nina Riggio / Special to The Chronicle Most people in the diverse crowd were wearing masks, from bandannas to full respirators. Similar demonstrations reportedly unfolded across the country Saturday. Thousands took to the streets in Seattle where federal law enforcement agents are also on standby in a protest that police later declared a riot, according to the Seattle Times. In the Bay Area, a protest was planned in Palo Alto. The Trump administration recently threatened to send federal law enforcement agents to Oakland to respond to the ongoing protest movement, as they have already done in Portland. The threat from the president has drawn sharp rebukes from city and state leaders, as well as local residents. When we see our citizens being brutalized by the tactics the president is using, thats the line, we cant allow that, said Xochitl Martinez, 64, a Vietnam war vet who attended Saturdays protest. I cant ignore my oath and turn my head. ... That oath never expires. Nina Riggio / Special to The Chronicle To have that type of free speech responded to with literal force by the federal government is something thats really being downplayed by a lot of news sources, said Amelia Clute, who spoke Saturday afternoon before the protest started. We cant lose track of how serious and grave of a situation that could turn into: The beginnings of true fascism. 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 protests in Portland, which have lasted roughly 60 days, began after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis. They have mostly been peaceful, according to local news reports, though a small number of people have damaged property. Trump sent federal law enforcement officers to Portland in early July, saying the months-long protests had gotten out of control and the city had failed to respond. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators, he tweeted this week. Some state and local officials have asked that federal officers leave Portland, saying theyve only increased tension and caused damage to the city. A U.S. Marshal shot a protester in the head July 11 with impact munition, fracturing his skull, and there have been reports of at least one protester being detained by an unmarked vehicle without probable cause. Crowd sizes at nightly protests in Portland have reportedly grown since federal forces were sent in. Activists and politicians said a similar trend would unfold in Oakland or elsewhere in California if Trump were to follow through with his threat to deploy agents. We are not experiencing any civil unrest right now, but I can think of nothing more likely to incite it than the presence of Trump-ordered military troops into Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a July 20 social media posting. Chronicle staff writers Lauren Hernandez and Kate Galbraith contributed to this report. Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino Two more Vietnamese passengers on a recent flight between Russia and Vietnam have been tested positive for Covid-19 virus, raising the countrys total Covid-19 patient number to 416. The patients are two men aged 25 and 34 from Bac Giang Province and Haiphong City respectively. They were among passengers on the repatriation flight from Russia which landed at Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh Province. The men, who have been tested positive for the virus on July 19 and 23, are now being quarantined for the treatment at a clinic in Ninh Binh. The flight had 19 passengers tested positive for the virus with all from the northern provinces of Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh and Hoa Binh. Vietnam has to date confirmed 416 Covid-19 cases in total with the majority being from abroad. Among those, 365 have recovered and been discharged from hospital. A man in the central city of Danang has been officially confirmed for Covid-19 infection, becoming the first Covid-19 community infection case of the country since April 16. Cafe Society: Good vibes, good coffee at Home Grain Community By Amy Bensema Sunday 26 July 2020, 11:00AM Situated on Wiset Rd next to the Phuket Seashell Museum, Home Grain is a groovy little breakfast and brunch bistro with an exceptional coffee menu, comfortable setting and all around good vibes. Home Grain is relatively new to the Phuket cafe scene. I discovered the bistro on Instagram, and have been a fan ever since. Home Grain opened earlier this year, and has continued to go from strength to strength despite the outbreak of the pandemic. With its cozy seating, hip soundtrack and beautiful assortment of plants, its one of my favourite places in Rawai to grab a bite to eat or relax with a piping fresh mug of coffee. The breakfast and brunch bistro is owned and managed by a young, lovely Thai couple who recently relocated back to Thailand after spending years living in Australia. Foodies at heart, the couple also know good coffee. The compact coffee menu at Home Grain features a lush single original blend, a creamy latte and a delicious Dirty Chai. Plus, its also possible to get your coffee drinks made with either soy or almond milk. If coffee isnt what you are after, Home Grain features a variety of gluten-free smoothies and non-dairy drinks. To satisfy your thirst on one of Phukets hot summer days, I highly recommend you try the Housemade Lemon Lime Bitter. Its the perfect combination of sweet, sour and refreshing. Various homemade treats and pastries are always on offer at Home Grain, which makes the laid-back bistro the perfect place for a chilled coffee or refreshment break. Since the world was introduced to the new normal, I have to admit I havent gone out and about as much as I used to. However, Home Grain is one place I consistently frequent. I enjoy supporting a small local business, and Home Grain really ticks all of the boxes. Its no secret that the coffee is great, but their food menu is also outstanding. Must-try items from the food menu include the homemade sausage roll and the zesty red beans with sausage and rice. Perhaps the thing I enjoy most about Home Grain is the sense of community the bistro has built. The owners of Home Grain are always warm and welcoming. They appreciate their customers and are eager to please. Always open to suggestions and never afraid to introduce new coffee drinks or menu items, the bistro is a refreshing change and a welcome addition to the Rawai neighbourhood. Home Grain is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8:30am until 4:00pm. The bistro offers pick-up, delivery and convenient online ordering services for their menu as well. Special requests can be directed to homegrain.rawai@gmail.com If you find yourself in Rawai, do stop in and check out for yourself what the fuss is all about. Follow Home Grains socials to learn more about what the creative bistro is up to. Home Grain can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/homegrain and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/homegrain_rawai/ Cafe Society is a monthly column which chronicles one girls search for the perfect cup of coffee. Have a cafe to recommend? Contact Amy via email at bensema.amy@gmail.com or follow her caffeinated adventures as @phuketstagram on Instagram. Tata Steel Ltd. has proposed that the U.K. government invest more than 900 million pounds ($1.2 billion) to take a stake in its British operations and protect the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales, Sky News reported, without saying where it got the information. Under the plan, the state would control a stake of as much as 50% in Britains largest steelmaker, Sky said. The proposal, which is one of the options the company is considering, would also involve the Indian company writing off a similar amount of debt its owed by the U.K. business. The Treasury declined to comment on the Sky report. A spokesman for Tata in Mumbai said the company doesnt comment on speculation. Tata employs 8,000 people in the U.K., half of them in Port Talbot. The local member of parliament, Stephen Kinnock, last month said it was urgent that the government acts to save the jobs. U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has said he will set an exceptionally high" bar for companies seeking taxpayer-funded bailouts during the coronavirus pandemic. The Financial Times reported in June that Tata was close to signing a rescue deal with the U.K. government. Both the government and Tata refused to discuss a loan application, while an official with knowledge of the matter suggested the government wasnt near a deal with Tata, saying the FT story was off the mark. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics HSBC yesterday denied Chinese media reports that it had "framed" Huawei Technologies and played a role in the arrest of the chief financial officer (CFO) of the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker. (Matt Crossick/PA) HSBC yesterday denied Chinese media reports that it had "framed" Huawei Technologies and played a role in the arrest of the chief financial officer (CFO) of the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker. In a statement posted on the bank's Chinese WeChat messaging service account, the London-headquartered lender said it did not participate in the decision of the US Department of Justice to investigate Huawei. The HSBC statement comes a day after China's official People's Daily newspaper published a report accusing HSBC of being an accomplice of the US and lying about Huawei, resulting in the arrest of its CFO Meng Wanzhou. Meng was arrested in December 2018 at Vancouver International Airport on a warrant from the United States. She is accused by US authorities of bank fraud for misleading HSBC about Huawei's relationship with a company operating in Iran, putting HSBC at risk of fines and penalties for breaking US sanctions on Tehran. "The context of the development of the Huawei incident clearly shows that the US investigation of Huawei was not triggered by HSBC," the bank said in its WeChat post, without directly referring to the People's Daily report. "HSBC has no malice against Huawei, nor has it 'framed' Huawei," it said. "In response to information requests from the US Department of Justice, HSBC only provided factual information. HSBC has not 'fabricated' evidence or 'concealed' facts, nor will it distort facts or harm any customers for our own benefit." The People's Daily report last Friday alleged HSBC was well aware of Huawei's business in Iran, and had been "setting traps" for the company since 2012. Other Chinese media have made similar allegations against HSBC. Meng is fighting extradition to the US and has said she is innocent. She has been in house arrest in Vancouver since her detainment. Bala Chauhan By Express News Service BENGALURU: A United Nations (UN) report on terrorism has warned that there are significant numbers of Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka. The report has warned that the terror organisation al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which reportedly has between 150 and 200 militants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, is planning attacks in the region to avenge the death of their leader Asim Umar. Umar alias Sana-ul-Haq hailed from Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh. He was killed in September last year in a joint military operation by US-Afghanistan forces. The AQIS is now headed by Mahmood Osama, a Pakistani cleric who was earlier the spokesperson of the proscribed terrorist organisation. The UNs 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities comes close on the heels of the charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), earlier this month against 17 accused in the Bengaluru ISIS module case, most of whom have been arrested. The NIA had stated that the accused from Kerala and Karnataka had floated a terrorist organisation, Al Hind, which was planning to execute terror strikes in South India. The Bengaluru ISIS module is reportedly inspired by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) or IS-K, which has presence in Central and South Asia, said an official source. The NIA on July 13 had arrested two persons Nabeel S Khatri and Sadia Anwar Sheikh from Pune, who are allegedly associated with the ISKP and were reportedly in touch with a Kashmiri couple Jahanzeb Sami Wani and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh who were arrested by the NIA in March this year from Delhi. The federal agency, in the charge sheet, had stated that Al Hind was founded in April 2019 from the house-cum-office of an accused, Mehboob Pasha, in Bengaluru with the objective of carrying out terror attacks in South India and for establishing the Islamic Khilafat in India. Al Hind is reportedly Hind Wilaya (Province of India), which finds mention in the UN report, the counter-intelligence officer added. 2 KERALA MEN BEHIND GURDWARA ATTACK On March 25, the ISKP, or IS-K, had executed a terror attack on a Gurdwara in Kabul, killing 27. Muhammed Muhsin alias Khalid al-Hindi and Sajid Kuthirummal from Kerala were reportedly behind the attack. One in five small firms have reduced staff over the last three months. Photo: Getty One in five small firms in the UK have been forced to cut staff amid a split in performance expectation, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reports. In its Q2 Small Business Index (SBI), it shows a rise in finance applications along with approval rates following the success of the governments Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS). The FSB hailed the success of the BBLS, which facilitated more than 1 million loans to small firms but called for a guarantee that firms wont have to start making repayments until theyre turning a profit. The survey revealed that over a fifth (23%) of business owners expect their performance to be much worse over the coming quarter compared with the last three months. This is up by 13 percentage points compared with this time last year but is down considerably on Q1 2020. There was a significant rise (13%) in the proportion who expect their prospects to be much improved compared with the last quarter. About 4% of the firms surveyed said they were hiring more staff compared with the 23% cutting headcount. READ MORE: Growth in UK private sector hits five-year high amid surge in business activity FSB chairman Mike Cherry said: The majority of small business owners have benefitted from the governments emergency support measures but many have not. We urgently need to see the Treasury outline how it intends to support those who have been left out, not least company directors and the newly self-employed. Cherry urged for additional help for companies being forced to stay closed while others reopen: We have to avoid a scenario where those whove received support are able to navigate choppy economic waters over the months ahead while others are left to sink. A record-high three quarters (75%) of smaller companies reported that profits fell in Q2 of this year, up by 33 percentage points compared with Q2 2019. The vast majority (82%) say they are operating below capacity. Among exporters, two-thirds (65%) report a drop in international sales only 12% report an increase. The share expecting a rise in exports over the coming quarter is, however, in-line with Q2 2019. Story continues READ MORE: Coronavirus: Most UK employers expect to hire more staff soon Cherry added: There was a lot to welcome in the chancellors summer statement where efforts to increase job creation and retention are concerned. Government at all levels should do more to help small firms putting protective measures in place. In England, theyve had to absorb the costs of making their premises safe for reopening. Enabling them to reclaim expenses linked to these measures and access face coverings easily will help to keep our high streets safe. Speaking on lockdowns he said, it was important that affected firms are not left stranded without support, and that new local authority powers should be exercised sensibly and where required councils should have the freedom to draw on funds to support small firms. The study also shows a rise in small business finance applications one in three (34%) respondents sought new facilities over the past three months, up 20 percentage points on the same period last year. The success rate for applications has hit an all-time high (81%), and the proportion offered borrowing rates under 4% (85%) was also up. According to government data there are more than 16 million people currently working for smaller businesses, equating to 60% of the private sector workforce. The FSB study, which surveyed 1,486 small firms at the end of June 2020 covers a range of economic indicators including: small business confidence, employment and wages, exports, productivity, spare capacity, finance and investment. Listen to the latest podcast from Yahoo Finance UK Finding the perfect pair of jeans or the most flattering swimsuit is not an easy task. COVID-19 has made it that much more difficult. As the United States continues to battle the coronavirus, Americans are having to adjust their routine habits, including how they shop. With some stores still closed, reduced shopping hours, modified return policies, closed dressing rooms and now a shortage of coins across the country, more shoppers are electing to make their purchases online. From furniture to groceries, to clothes and make-up, consumers are relying on the internet to deliver their goods. Although one can shop anytime of day or night, and reduce the risk of contracting the virus, online shopping is not without its challenges. Here are some tips to make online shopping easier and more manageable. Read the reviews: Its hard to know the quality and actual feel of something when you cant actually handle it. The purpose of product pictures is to make an item look as good as possible, but the reality might be completely different. Reviews will contain more useful information about how the item actually functions in real life. Some websites even allow buyers to ask questions of others who have already purchased the product. Pay attention to product descriptions: Most websites contain information that tells buyers the size, material, and ingredients if applicable of the items they are selling. There are hilarious examples of people buying a rug or chair online only to find out when it arrives that it was actually intended for a dollhouse. Know the return policy: There is nothing more frustrating in online shopping than getting something that doesnt meet expectations and then finding out returning it is a big hassle. Reading a return policy BEFORE placing an order can save a lot of stress in the future. Some places charge a restocking fee. Shipping costs might also be prohibitive. Buying a $15 shirt but having to pay $6 to ship it back makes it almost not worth returning. Other places might only offer store credit and not cash. Try to shop places that provide free returns and/or exchanges. Shop where you do in real life: Shopping online at a store you have visited or frequent in real life will make it easier to know what you are getting. For clothes, this is an especially good idea because different stores have different fits and sizes are not standard. Use a hybrid model: Buy online from a store that has curbside pick-up in your area. This can save on shipping costs and time, and makes it much easier to do a return. This is also a great way to support local businesses during the pandemic. Pull out the measuring tape: Clothes can be one of most challenging online purchases. Measure waist, hips, chest, inseam and even calves. Write down your information and keep it somewhere handy. Most clothing retailers provide a size chart that correlates to measurements. Although still not common, some companies are using models with a variety of body types. Pictures are usually accompanied with the size and height of the model and sometimes they even provide a video. Pay attention to those to give you an idea how a product will look on your body type. Is that rayon?: Have a general knowledge of different fabrics. Go to your closet and pull out your most comfortable clothing. Read the labels and make note of what type of fabric it is. Do the same with the pieces that are scratchy, stiff or havent washed well. Make note of which fabrics are your favorite and which you probably want to avoid. Ask a friend: Making expensive, online purchases can be one of the biggest risks. Sending back a couch or grill can be a challenging task. When making a big purchase, get a second opinion. Ask friends what brands they do or do not prefer and why. Its coming from where? Pay attention to the originating shipping location. When the pandemic first began, getting products from China was taking months. Products shipped from within the United States will arrive much quicker. Also, sizes from other countries vary from the United States. An extra-large here may be a 3X from China. Find a good seamstress: Sometimes its worth it to have clothing taken in or hemmed instead of sending it back. Most seamstresses charge a reasonable fee for small jobs. Find one close by your home who can be a go-to for these situations. Resist impulse buying: Sometimes its easy to fill up a virtual cart and with the click of a button spend a lot of money. Give yourself time to browse. Place things in the cart and come back the next day to see if your enthusiasm for the product remains. Get organized: Find a place at home to save the packaging. Create a folder in your email to keep the receipts from your online purchases. Give those favorites a list: Keep a virtual favorites list of products purchased on a regular basis such as deodorant, shampoo and toothpaste. Many grocery apps will allow you to mark an item as a favorite. When its time to place another order, the products are already grouped under a favorite tab saving you the trouble of searching for them. Sign up for email and rewards programs: Many stores award points or coupons based on the amount of money spent but this requires signing up. Make sure you create an account and ask to receive emails about promotions. Some places offer online only deals or additional online discounts. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram A 63-year-old Midland man died Saturday morning in a two-vehicle wreck on the north service road of Interstate 20 in Ector County, according to a press release from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Jesus Jose Urias was driving a 2004 Ford pickup and exiting I-20 onto the service road. The driver of a 2017 Ford pickup failed to yield right-of-way and hit Urias, according to the release. Urias died at the scene. A passenger in the pickup, a 51-year-old man from Corpus Christi, was transported to an Odessa hospital with incapacitating injuries. The number of high school students in the United States seeking federal aid to pay for college fell sharply following the sudden closure of school buildings last spring. The move cut off students in their final year of high school from school guidance counselors. At the time, families struggling with economic hardship began reconsidering plans for higher education. From the start of the coronavirus health crisis, the number of new requests for college aid fell by nearly half compared to levels one year earlier. The Associated Press, or AP news agency studied United States government records. It found that the smaller number resulted, in large part, from a sharp drop off among students at schools in low-income areas. The numbers have risen as states and schools have launched campaigns urging students to seek federal aid for a college education. But the numbers are still down from last year. This has raised concerns among U.S. education officials who say thousands of students may be choosing to delay or even avoid college. And this might have a serious effect on their future employment and earnings. The kids are going directly into the workforce. Theyre closing the door on post-high school learning, said David Nieslanik. He serves as principal of Southridge High School in Beaverton, Oregon. Nieslanik noted that he saw only students from more wealthy families seek out aid once classes moved online. The FAFSA is short for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is required for students to be considered for federal aid for a college or university education in the U.S. Students are often required to complete the form for state aid as well. Studies have found students who complete the FAFSA are far more likely to enroll in college. And those who receive assistance are more likely to stay in college. The AP found that in the four weeks starting March 13, the number of completed applications was down 45 percent compared to the same period a year ago. The drop was greatest at Title I schools, a federal term for public schools that have larger shares of low-income students. In general, FAFSA applications were down by 70,000 as of June 19. That represents a 3.7 percent drop for the entire application period. Even before the health emergency, some states had been expecting to see decreases. Yet as COVID-19 spread, every state had lower numbers compared to 2019 levels. Schools say the public health crisis affected the decrease in more than one way. Separated from their schools, students lost contact with advisors who usually guide them through the complex financial aid process. Families without dependable internet service struggled to complete the form online. And as the U.S. economy weakened, some students took jobs and put college plans on hold. The timing of the crisis worsened its effect on low-income students, experts say. It came at the very worst time, said Gregory Cole, principal of the Mojave High School in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Many parents lost jobs as Nevadas gaming industry suspended operations, and some students took jobs in food stores or eateries. Adding to the problem was the fact many students come from families that had never filed the form. Once schools closed, guidance counselors could no longer invite students into their offices to talk or ask families to school to explain the FAFSA. Instead, schools were left sending emails that often went unanswered, or they depended on unpredictable video conferencing services to help families with paperwork. Education officials are urging U.S. students to apply for financial aid over the summer, even if only to see how much money they could receive. The state of North Carolina recently launched a FAFSA Frenzy campaign, while Kentucky is holding FAFSA Fridays, urging students to apply. I'm Pete Musto. Collin Binkley and Larry Fenn reported on this story for The Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Quiz - Coronavirus May Keep Poor US Students Away from College Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story sharply adv. suddenly and by a large amount guidance counselor(s) n. a person who gives help and advice to students about educational and personal decisions hardship n. something that causes pain, suffering, or loss income n. money that is earned from work, investments or business principal n. the person in charge of a public school enroll v. to enter someone as a member of or participant in something application(s) n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school or a loan frenzy n. great and often wild or uncontrolled activity Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 20:14:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YANGON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities seized 7.7 kilograms of heroin in Sagaing Region, according to a release from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the joint police force made a seizure during their operation in Salingyi township on Saturday. Heroin worth 770 million kyats (550,000 U.S. dollars) were confiscated from a car. The township police filed a case against 10 suspects in connection with the case and further investigation is underway under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, the release said. According to a latest release issued by the President's Office, a total of 1,246 drug-related cases were registered across Myanmar while 1,922 people were charged in connection with the cases as of July 11 this year, since the formation of the Drug Activity Special Complaint Department on June 26, 2018. Enditem An LG Electronics employee explains the functions of the steam clothing care system "Styler" at the tech firm's pop-up store in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, in this 2018 file photo. / Courtesy of LG Electronics By Kim Jae-heun LG Electronics is expected to retain the No. 1 spot in the global home appliance market for the second consecutive quarter, showing off its solid grip in the sector amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the industry, LG Electronics second quarter earnings in the home appliance sector is predicted to record between 5.2 trillion won to 5.3 trillion won. This is around 300 billion won more than the previous leader, Whirlpool. The U.S. home appliance giant said it recorded 4.93 billion won sales in the second quarter, down 22 percent compared to the same period last year. Despite the decline, its performance is better than many expected after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the shutdown of electronics retailers such as Best Buy in the United States. LG is expected to outperform Whirlpool for the second consecutive quarter after surpassing it in the first quarter by 255.7 billion won on earnings of 5.41 trillion won. The initial outlook for LG Electronics' Q2 performance was negative due to the pandemic; but changed with the resumption of operations at major retail stores in the U.S. and Europe. In the domestic market, LG capitalized on its newly released high-end appliances including clothes dryers, dishwashers and its steam clothing care system, "Styler." Starting June, profitability rose with an increase in sales of air conditioners. Whirlpool only earned 94 billion won in operating profit between April and June, a sizeable drop compared to the same period last year when it recorded 222.8 billion won. Electrolux recorded a loss of 7.8 billion won in the second quarter. KB Securities estimates the Korean firm to record up to 650 billion won in profit for the second quarter. Unlike Whirlpool, whose operating profit fell 6 percent in the first quarter and 1.9 percent in the second, LG Electronics is expected to keep its profit stable for the same period. Samsung Electronics is also expected to do well in the home appliance sector. Hana Financial Investment predicts Samsung's sales in the home and medical appliances sector to reach 4.7 trillion won in the second quarter, up 50 billion won from the first. Samsung's operating profit is expected to jump from 88 billion won to 293 billion won over the same period. Police from departments around Fairfield County and other state and local officials plan to demonstrate Monday against a police accountability bill making its way through the Connecticut legislature. While police officials generally do not speak about legislative matters, given the sudden and rushed nature of this legislation we feel the need to express our concerns regarding this bill, Fairfield Chief of Police Christopher Lyddy said in a prepared statement. We ask that community members consider joining us on Monday in a show of solidarity. Mondays demonstration will be held on the steps of the Fairfield Police Department on Reef Street beginning at 4 p.m. In a press release, the department said the demonstration is intended to express serious public safety concerns regarding the well-intentioned police reform bill that was presented before the House of Representatives. The bill in question, HB-6004 or An Act Concerning Police Accountability, was introduced in the wake of nationwide protests brought on by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody after a white officer was filmed kneeling on Floyds neck for several minutes. State legislators passed the bill in the house Friday morning after an all-night session in the state capitol that almost saw a key provision broadening the ability of people to sue individual officers eliminated at the 11th hour. If passed by the state Senate and signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont, the bill would grant a new inspector general in the Division of Criminal Justice to investigate and prosecute law enforcement officers accused of excessive force. The bill would also open police disciplinary records to the public, require police to report instances of excessive force and ban the use of chokeholds except when an officers life is in danger. The bill comes as some local officials in the state are considering calls to shift funding away from police departments and instead put taxpayer money towards social workers and other public resources. Separately, another group of public officials including Sen. Richard Blumenthal and state Treasurer Shawn Wooden announced they plan to hold a press conference in support of the bills passage in the U.S. Senate at the opposite end of the state. That press conference will be held at 10 a.m. Monday on the steps of the state office building on Capitol Avenue in Hartford. BRIDGEPORT Two victims with gunshot wounds arrived at city hospitals after overnight shootings, police said Sunday. The first victim arrived at St. Vincents medical center with non-life-threatening wounds to the lower extremities, city police said at 12:35 a.m. Sunday morning. Police said the shooting occurred on the 40th block of Atwater Street in The Hollow neighborhood near North Avenue. Two minutes later, police said, they found second gunshot victim at Bridgeport Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds. Police said it was unclear where the second victim had been when they were shot. It is not immediately clear whether the two shootings were related. Publishers have argued for years that they should be compensated by Google and Facebook for use of news content, but the tech giants have downplayed the value it brings to their platforms. After months of discussions about the creation of a voluntary code to manage commercial relationships, the Morrison government announced in April that it would be made compulsory . It is expected to be legislated as early as August. Antony Catalano's Australian Community Media is the latest publisher to agree to a licensing deal with Google, while Facebook has started to discuss the local launch of its 'News' product with a range of publishers. It comes as both companies wait for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to release a draft code of conduct, which is expected to be made public later this week. Google and Facebook are pushing ahead with plans to strike licensing deals with local publishers as Australia's competition regulator prepares to unveil a compulsory code that will force the tech giants to pay for use of news content. Industry sources have indicated the model is likely to include a collective bargaining agreement based on certain guidelines, and an opportunity for one-on-one negotiations. News Corp has advocated for bilateral discussions, but other publishers including Nine have proposed that the money be put in a pool and distributed. Nine also said that if a digital platform wants to use news content in a more "sophisticated" way, bilateral negotiations should occur. Google and Facebook still argue that they do not receive a large amount of direct or indirect value from news content. Google closed its news service in Spain in 2014 after legislation was introduced requiring it to pay publishers. When France attempted to make Google pay for publishers content last year, the tech giant said it would change the way articles appear in search results. Sources said that in its submission, Google argued that search engines should not have to pay for indexing or displaying links or extracts of websites. But the tech giants are still looking at ways to work with publishers. Google announced last month it would pay some publishers for news content, which was considered a major strategic shift by the search advertising giant. At the time it announced it had secured local licensing deals with Solstice Media, Schwartz Media and Private Media and that it was in advanced discussions with ACM. Industry sources familiar with the arrangement said that deal had since been signed. ACM declined to comment. Sources familiar with Google's licensing deal, known as Publisher-Curated News, previously told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that there is a loophole in its agreement that allows the tech giant to terminate a deal if there is a change in law or if a code of conduct is established in Australia. I make this recommendation with anguish knowing that students, perhaps especially the most disadvantaged, will suffer. Distance learning simply cannot replace participation in the classroom, though we must find ways to replace meals and other services schools provide. But under current conditions, the question is whether the harm of suboptimal schooling (perhaps for just a few more months) is less than the harm of more of our citys children losing a parent or grandparent. While the coronavirus remains in charge, I believe we must make a choice that will save lives. Delaying the restart of in-person learning allows more time for virus cases to be controlled and for D.C. Public Schools to prepare to open schools with all necessary precautions in place. The Indian Army on this day in 1999 declared an end to 'Operation Vijay' and announced victory after the nearly three-month battle in the icy heights of Kargil. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among other leaders, paid tribute to Indian soldiers on the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The day is marked to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan after the Kargil War ended on 26 July, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. The Indian Army on this day in 1999 declared an end to "Operation Vijay" and announced victory after the nearly three-month battle in the icy heights of Kargil, where it lost more than 500 soldiers. Modi recalled the sacrifices made by the troops in his 67th Mann Ki Baat address, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conducted a wreath-laying ceremony at New Delhi's National War Memorial, while Kovind and Shah took to Twitter to praise the soldiers. 'Will never forget': Modi In his Mann Ki Baat address, Modi said, "On this day, we defeated Pakistan. We will never be able to forget this day. This war occurred at a time and situation nobody can forget. India wanted good relations with Pakistan, but that did not happen." Modi, recalling how Indian soldiers defeated an enemy "perched on mountain heights", further urged the public to visit www.gallantryaward.gov.in to read about the bravery of the Indian soldiers. Modi, playing former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's message from Red Fort on Kargil, observed that it "resonates even today." "Before taking any action, let us reflect on whether is is worthy of the sacrifice our soldiers made in Kargil," Modi urged the public. He also urged the public to avoid posting anything on social media that would demoralise the spirit of the troops. Modi, prior to his Mann Ki Baat address, praised the valour of the Indian troops on Twitter using the hashtag CourageInKargil: On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations. Will speak more about this during todays #MannKiBaat, which begins shortly. #CourageInKargil Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2020 President Ram Nath Kovind said the country is forever grateful to soldiers who laid down their lives during the Kargil war to defend ''Bharat Mata.'' Kovind, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, paying tribute to the soldiers on Twitter, said Kargil Vijay Diwas is "a symbol of fearless determination and exceptional valour of our armed forces". Kovind also presented a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to Delhi's Army Hospital to honour all the soldiers who fought valiantly and made the supreme sacrifice. The money will help doctors and paramedics effectively combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Kovind said on Twitter. 'Source of inspiration' Singh, at the muted and somber wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial on Sunday, was accompanied by Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General M M Naravane, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh. "I congratulate all Indian citizens on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The sacrifices made by soldiers, which helped us win the Kargil war, will always be a source of inspiration for the armed forces," Singh told reporters. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the country is proud of the heroes who are dedicated to protecting it and who drove away the enemy from the arduous hills of Kargil. Shah added that the "Kargil Vijay Diwas" is a symbol of India's self-respect, amazing valour and steadfast leadership. "I bow to the bravehearts, who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the difficult hills of Kargil and waved the Tricolour there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India who are dedicated to protecting the motherland," Shah said in a tweet in Hindi. With inputs from PTI With hundreds of Tests have authorities on a Corona outbreak in the popular upper Austrian resort town of St. Wolfgang is not responding. The number of confirmed cases rose to 48,have informed the country authorities in Linz, but more than 100 results were on Sunday night still open. Accordingly, many of the Infected young people in tourism enterprises, but also at least one vacation a guest was tested positive. residents, guests, and tourism staff were asked to stay on Saturday night in their accommodation. The curfew was set at 23 hours. "Here and there there are Cancellations and cancellations" of reservations, said the head of the tourism Association of lake Wolfgang, Hans Wieser, of the dpa. Some guests had left early. St. Wolfgang is the main tourist resort in upper Austria, with more than 400,000 Nights in the previous year. In a normal season about a third of the guests are German. On Friday, the first infections had become known to the public. The head of the district authority, Alois Lanz, defended on Saturday the behaviour of the trainees celebrated in several Local and could have. "We all did in our youth," he said on the Radio. were closed on Friday, two Bars, in order to prevent further infection. The tourism Association has launched an information campaign to raise awareness among young employees to the dangers of Covid-19. As of Saturday were then tested hundreds of employees, travelers and Locals. In addition, all guests were contacted, in the ab 15. July in St. Wolfgang were. The outbreak brings back memories of the Austrian Ski and party town of Ischgl in Tyrol, a center of Corona propagation in the whole of Europe was in the early stages of the pandemic. A total of more than 1500 people in Austria are currently infected with the Virus. Priorities for the new infections in Vienna and upper Austria. Updated Date: 26 July 2020, 16:20 Another change that hes seen in just the last couple of years is the shift to cordless window blinds, which are safer and have a more seamless appearance. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using only cordless window coverings in the nursery and rooms where children play. Custom blinds, such as those he carried, are still available with cords. The Wall Shop mainly did business in the Fredericksburg area, but did get referrals as far as Northern Virginia, Richmond, Orange and Westmoreland County. One customer purchased window treatments and had them installed at The Doggett House in Fredericksburg, a condo in Georgetown and two family properties near Asheville, N.C. She eventually moved back to Birmingham where she was raised and she called me up and said, I want to do the same blinds, shades and shutters I did in the Doggett House. Will you come down here? Mendl said. A very good customer. He moved The Wall Shop to Southpoint II in 2007, only to see economy take a nosedive a year later. He closed the showroom in 2012, rented a warehouse and started working out of his home in South Stafford. It was an awful experience, Mendl said. I had to lay off the last employee I had. Three men have been arrested in connection with the human smuggling attempt of more than 100 immigrants who had crossed the border illegally, states an arrest affidavit filed on Thursday. The case began on Tuesday, when Homeland Security Investigations special agents received information regarding a suspicious tractor-trailer parked at the end of a cul-de-sac off Killam Industrial Boulevard. Special agents learned that several vehicles would approach the back of the trailer and then depart, according to court documents. HSI referred this information to the U.S. Border Patrol. The 18-wheeler made its way to the Interstate 35 checkpoint, where agents identified the driver as Reginald Brown Jr. Authorities then discovered 58 people in the back of the trailer. All were immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador who had crossed the border illegally. Brown was taken into custody. Interviews of the material witnesses led to the identification of a human stash house where the immigrants were staying prior to being loaded into the tractor-trailer. HSI, Border Patrol and Laredo police set up surveillance at the stash house, which was a small apartment behind a main residence in the 2700 block of Mier Street. A green 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche associated with the stash house departed from the residence. Moments later, an LPD officer pulled the Avalanche over for a traffic violation. Police identified the driver as Jesus Orozco-Rojo and the front seat passenger as Luis Salvador Hernandez-Hernandez. Both were immigrants from Mexico who had crossed the border illegally. READ MORE: Spread of virus concerns families of inmates at Rio Grande Detention Center Authorities said Orozco-Rojo and Hernandez-Hernandez were transporting three women who were determined to be immigrants who were in the country illegally from Mexico and Guatemala. A woman stated that there were approximately 30 people at the stash house on Mier. HSI special agents conducted a knock-and-talk at the residence. Then, an individual was seen fleeing from a rear window of the residence. Agents caught up to him. He admitted to being in the country illegally, according to court documents. As HSI and Border Patrol secured the exterior of the residence, individuals opened the front door of the residence and began exiting on their own. Authorities said 23 people from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador exited the residence. All were in the country illegally. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the special response team secured the interior of the home and discovered an additional 22 people who had crossed the border illegally, according to court documents. Overall, federal authorities detained 46 people who were at the home. In total, authorities took custody of 107 immigrants, including five juveniles, from the traffic stop on the Avalanche, the stash house and the tractor-trailer at the checkpoint. HSI special agents questioned the truck driver, Brown. He allegedly agreed to a post-arrest interview. Brown stated he picked up the tractor-trailer in San Antonio that morning and arrived in Laredo at 10:30 a.m. He alleged he took the trailer to a yard, but he could not recall the name of the company. When he unloaded the trailer, a second trailer was loaded onto his tractor. He claimed it was empty and sealed, according to court documents. Brown could not account for a time gap between leaving a gas station around noon and arriving at the checkpoint at 1:40 p.m., states the affidavit. READ MORE: City of Laredo filed petition to keep La Oveja Negra closed until late August Orozco-Rojo and Hernandez-Hernandez also agreed to speak to special agents in a post-arrest interview. Orozco-Rojo claimed he and Hernandez-Hernandez had transported immigrants to a tractor-trailer earlier in the day. Orozco-Rojo said he was transporting the female immigrants found in his vehicle to another location for harboring. Orozco-Rojo admitted he knew he was transporting (immigrants) and would get paid $400 to $500 a week, states the affidavit. Hernandez-Hernandez allegedly stated he and Orozco-Cruz had transported immigrants to the trailer earlier in the day. He added they were transporting the women to another location for harboring, according to court documents. Hernandez-Hernandez further stated he would deliver food and water to the (immigrants) at the stash house and he was compensated by another individual in the human smuggling organization for that, states the affidavit. Brown, Hernandez-Hernandez and Orozco-Cruz were charged with transporting, attempting to transport and conspiring to transport immigrants, and harboring immigrants. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service RAIPUR: During the past couple of weeks, a good many disenchanted cadres of the armed wing of CPI (Maoist) battalion no-1 of Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) have relinquished the banned organisation in south Chhattisgarh and are returning to their respective villages but avoided to surrender before the police. The Maoist surrender this year had not been so reassuring for the state police as it had been during the past five years. Till June this year only 80 have surrendered in Chhattisgarh while in 2017, 2018 and 2019 the official records show 366, 465 and 315 laid down arms before the forces. The Chhattisgarh police through its intelligence network gathered the information of around two dozen such cadres who have recently quit the CPI (Maoist). During the last couple of weeks, lot of Maoists cadres are absconding from their PLGA battalion no-1, platoon company and going back to their villages. The police are trying to trace them out by talking to the family members and the villagers. We have appealed the local inhabitants to persuade these naxals who gave up the Maoist ideology to surrender and seek the benefits from the surrender and rehabilitation policy. We pledged for their security and other essential requirements, said Sunderraj P, Bastar range inspector general of police. According to the guerrilla warfare experts those who returned perhaps might not be wishing to be identified or targeted by the Maoists in future and so avoided to surrender before the police. The cadres who are returning have spent over a decade with the Maoist organisation. The police have inputs about two dozen who have returned but the officials believe the figure could be higher. We are maintaining a close observation. As per our information the Maoist leaders are searching for them and inquiring about their whereabouts in different villages, since they had absconded. The most plausible reason for their return appears to their growing apprehension at having no good future to continue being associated with the Maoist movement, the IG said. However for the Bastar police, its a positive development if the cadres who cherished or got associated with the Maoist ideology for long now find the ideals of the organisation as hollow. Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her fabulous legs in a pair of tiny white shorts as she enjoyed some quality time with her eight-year-old son, Noah, in the Pacific Palisades on Friday. After the 39-year-old supermodel fed her parking meter, she and her youngest child could be seen navigating down the sidewalk on their way to lunch. For their afternoon outing, the bombshell styled her laid-back leggy look with a long beige cardigan, grey t-shirt and light brown crossbody bag. Lunch date: Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her fabulous legs in a pair of tiny white shorts, as she enjoyed some quality time with her eight-year-old son, Noah, in the Pacific Palisades on Friday Always one to keep safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brazilian-born beauty, who also shares her 11-year-old daughter with ex Jamie Mazur, donned a protective zebra-print mask. As Alessandra enjoyed the fresh air, she kept on her aviator sunglasses and let her sun-kissed tresses cascade freely over her shoulders. When the mother-of-two slipped out of her CDC-recommended facial covering, she gave a glimpse of her bold red lipstick, which matched her cherry-hued nail polish. Fresh air: After the 39-year-old Victoria's Secret vet fed her parking meter, she and her youngest child could be seen navigating down the sidewalk on their way to lunch Lately, the cover girl has been spending a lot of time on the beaches of Malibu and around her home in the Brentwood. Ambrosio has been been trying to make the best of the coronavirus lockdown by spending time her little ones and her beau Nicolo Oddi, who she's dated since 2018. The couple have been seen getting closer over the past year, including regular beach trips out to Venice, California. Lockdown buddy: Ambrosio has been been trying to make the best of the coronavirus lockdown by spending quality time her kids and beau Nicolo Oddi, that she's dated since 2018 He owns an Italian knitwear empire, while the lingerie model created the swimsuit line, GAL Floripa, with her sister and best friend. During her career on the catwalk, Ambrosio was among the highest paid models several years over, which included being among the most popular Victoria's Secret Angels of all time. She worked as an Victoria's Secret Angel from 2004 to 2017, and has modeled for brands such as Christian Dior, Armani Exchange and Ralph Lauren. The Delhi government will soon launch a job portal to make job opportunities available to those who have lost employment due to the Covid-19 lockdown. The announcement was made by Delhi labour minister Gopal Rai. He said that the portal will act as common platform for companies looking to hire and job seekers. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will soon come out with a slew of reforms to revive the national capitals economy, which has been adversely affected due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, he said, adding that many migrant workers have moved out of Delhi and several people have lost their jobs due to the shutdown. We have managed to arrest the spread of Covid-19 in Delhi. Now there is a need to bring the citys economy back on the fast track, said the minister. Rais announcement comes weeks after the Maharashtra government launched a similar portal. Mahajobs was launched by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on July 6. It aims at making local manpower and employment opportunities available to companies and workers respectively. The portal will help in the recruitment of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled employees. According to the description available on the portal, it has been created to meet the manpower needs of the companies which have been facing the challenge of skill gap due to mass migration triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, the Delhi government had formed a 12-member expert committee to explore economic reform measures in order to help businesses recover from the impact of Covid-19. The AAP government had also extended counselling service by its education department to all residents of Delhi. The department has been providing educational and psychological counselling services to students through its YUVA Helpline since 2006. In a bid to help citizens with mental health amid the Covid-19 pandemic which has limited peoples physical movement and caused several damages in the employment sector, the Delhi government has taken this decision, the government said in a statement. It further said that people who need support on educational/emotional/psychological/personal issues can call on toll-free numbers 1800116888 or 10580 to get assistance. It also said that identities of these people will be kept confidential. The multi-agency team probing the Kerala gold smuggling case says one of the accused K T Ramees is the key link in diverting proceeds of smuggling to fund anti-national activities in south India. In the petition seeking the remand extension of Ramees, who is in the custody of the customs now, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said he seems to be the kingpin and was in constant touch with some fringe elements working against the interest of the country. He used to insist on the other accused making use of the situation and bringing maximum amount of gold from the middle-east. He wants to weaken financial position of the country. He was also close to many who indulged in unlawful activities and he made frequent trips to abroad, the NIA said in the custody report. Ramees was arrested by the customs from his house in Malappuram after the NIA detained two other accused Swapna Suresh and her accomplice Sandip Nair from their hideout in Bangaluru on July 10, five days after 30 kg gold was seized from a consignment in the name of an employee of the United Arab Emirates consulate in Thiruvananthapuram. He made several trips to the UAE and other countries in five years. When asked about this, he said he runs a hotel in Dubai. But later, we found that it was incorrect. We have information that a good portion of the smuggling proceeds was used to fund fringe elements, said a senior official familiar with the probe on condition of anonymity. Customs officials said Ramees (28) was first booked in 2014 in connection with smuggling 15 kg gold through cargo in Kozhikkode. But, he later got away with fines. In 2016, the forest department had booked him for hunting a deer. But the case was hushed up later. Another case was registered against him for allegedly smuggling six rifles into the country though Kochi airport. We will also inquire how such a history- sheeter got away and who all helped him, said the senior official, adding, that Ramees used to fund many political parties and indulged in social activities to dodge any suspicion. The multi-agency team headed by NIA and assisted by customs, DRI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax is also investigating the cross-link between hawala and smuggling. The investigators say the latest incident has again exposed the well-oiled network between smuggling syndicates, hawala modules and terror outfits. Meanwhile, the NIA has summoned M Sivasankar, former principal secretary of Kerala chief minister, for questioning in Kochi. Earlier, he was grilled by customs for nine hours and by NIA for four hours. A senior IAS officer, often touted as the blue-eyed boy of the CM, he was removed from the post and later suspended after reports of his alleged association with one of the accused Swapna Suresh surfaced. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 18:17:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Jerusalem District Court on Sunday instructed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to appear in court on December 6 to answer corruption charges. The court said Netanyahu's presence is required in the session in order to answer to the charges against him, which include bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases. Three other defendants in the same cases were also instructed to appear in the session. Netanyahu, the first prime minister in Israel's history to stand to trial while in office, denies the allegations, charging they are part of "a witch hunt." The embattled leader is also facing growing public anger over his government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak and the ensuing economic crisis. On Sunday, Israel's police said that more than a dozen had been arrested in protests against Netanyahu across the country on Saturday night. Local media reported that "thousands" protested outside the official prime minister's residence in Jerusalem and in major crossroads throughout Israel. Enditem President Trump held a couple this week. Joe Biden is dreaming hell someday be able to do the same. Presidential press conferences have been around for more than a century; Woodrow Wilson held the first one in 1913. For every president since, news conferences and the audience, they command have been a staple of the White House public relations playbook. Theyve thrived on a symbiotic relationship between the media, the chief executive and the citizenry. The media wanted access to the president who, in turn benefited from their coverage while the public liked seeing their leader up close and personal. Through the years the nature of press conferences has evolved significantly. Launched before the advent of television they are, in todays 24/7 news cycle, a far cry from their pre-World War I predecessor. Before charismatic and telegenic President John F. Kennedy made his news conferences live, theyd largely been on tape, allowing them to be edited and in some cases, to actually change the text. Richard Nixon took press conferences to a new level, holding them on national television (in the days of three channels) in prime time. The Great Communicator, Ronald Reagan, favored the nighttime national audience, too, which was tailor made for his persuasive skills. More recently television execs have been less willing to turn over prime time audiences to presidential press conferences, requiring the White House to come up with interesting ways to attract attention and showcase the president and his policy explanations in the best possible light. Mike Deaver, President Reagans superb stage-crafter, perfected techniques which those following have sought to emulate. The media still loves to chirp about the number and frequency of presidential news conferences. The truth is that the number of such conferences recent presidents have held pales in comparison to their earlier predecessors. Silent Cal, President Coolidge, it turns out, wasnt so silent after all. He held more news conferences in an average year than any other president. He knocked out more than six a month. Of course, in those days the events were off the record and not broadcast. Television changed all that. 65 years ago President Eisenhower held the first televised news conference in the Old Executive Office Buildings Indian Treaty Room. A new age was born. Eisenhower ended up holding fewer than half the number of news conferences as Coolidge, despite serving in office several years longer. Interestingly, The Great Communicator averaged the fewest of any president. Jerry Fords short term produced six less than Reagans eight years. Richard Nixon, who eschewed the media, had seven less, but only served five and a half years in office. President Trump has already held more than Reagan did in two full terms. The left and their friends in the media love to take shots at President Trumps appearances at news conferences. Yet President Trump doesnt back down. Hes consistently given as much as hes taken, to the chagrin of the folks on the other sides of the cameras. For the viewing audience, Trumps give and take with reporters has given them a clear view of the media bias at work in Washington. Merely hostile questions have been replaced with incessant gotcha attempts and long harangues sometimes punctuated with question marks. The media holds the key card, however, with their retained ability to edit the long sessions into two-minute packages far more viewers will see on the evening news. Watching the whole news conference often tells a different story. Of course, President Trump is answering questions. Joe Biden didnt venture out of his cellar for nearly 100 days before he held a news conference earlier this month. It got to the point where even some in the media poked fun of Biden when he chose to visit a Pennsylvania restaurant called The HideAway. Bidens most recent news conference consisted of him reading words other people had written off of a Teleprompter and promising to answer questions at a later date. Look for this to be the Biden strategy throughout the campaign. His handlers clearly understand that hes not capable of engaging in any free-wheeling discussion of his policy pronouncements or of answering tough questions. Theyve heard his garbled and often incoherent responses to the most simple inquiries and are terrified of the potential for absolute disaster if hes called upon to explain the complex. Biden will employ a Rose Basement strategy, reading what his managers have written and avoiding anything more. Meanwhile his team will criticize every word, inflection and appearance of President Trump in front of a hostile media. Thats a very risky strategy. Voters want to know what theyre getting. Theyll want to see more than pre-arranged sound bites without any further scrutiny or questioning. Charlie Gerow is a Republican strategist and CEO of Quantum Communications. He and Democrat Mark Singel write opposite each other weekly for PennLive and appear together each Sunday morning on CBS-21s Face the State. New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): India said on Saturday that it looks forward to the early conclusion of the electoral process in the interest of democracy in Guyana and hoped that the outcome of the election is respected by all parties. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to media queries that India has been closely following developments of general and regional elections held on March 2, 2020. "It has been more than four months since the elections in Guyana and the results are still awaited. As a time-tested friend of Guyana, India looks forward to the early conclusion of the electoral process in the interest of democracy in Guyana. India further hopes that the outcome of the election is respected by all parties," he said. Four months after the most important election in Guyana's history, there is still no officially recognised winner. The paralysis is hitting the country's fledgeling oil industry and simmering tensions that the South American country might be on the verge of a racially charged civil war. Rival camps see themselves as the rightful rulers of the nation and their opponents as would-be usurpers. Officials in regional organizations and foreign governments want those in power to step down and pave the way for a transition. The ruling multiparty coalition led by President David Granger has latched on to an observations report by the country's chief elections official that as many as 115,000 votes cast in the election should be invalidated and that emigrants and the deceased were registered as having voted. Granger's opponents reject the accusations as "baseless" and say their presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali, should be allowed to take the oath of office. Injunctions and appeals have taken the dispute to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice. However, as per The Washington Post reports, the bulk of the international community, including Caricom, the Caribbean's main regional bloc, and the Organization of American States, or OAS, appear eager for Granger to concede. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week urged the Guyanese to "get on with it" and threatened potential punitive measures on Guyana or its leading officials if the country's democracy remains deadlocked. (ANI) After the long, sweeping drive up to the 17th Century manor house estate, just inside the entrance to the stately Finnstown Castle Hotel, there's a flight of stairs. Climb the stairs and there's Jimmy Mansfield, pacing the floor of his office, talking animatedly, then walking around his black swivel chair. That's Jimmy Mansfield Jnr, of course. The 53-year-old second son of the once super wealthy, but now deceased, Jim Mansfield. Like his father, Jimmy Jnr has had fair share of headlines, and then some. Among the highlights, from last year Former INLA man Dessie O'Hare, who was known as 'The Border Fox', told gardai that he was employed by businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr to evict an employee and his family from his home, the Special Criminal Court heard today. Independent.ie, April 3, 2019 Expand Close FRIENDS: The late Katy French, and Lee Cullen now serving 21 years for smuggling guns into England for the Kinahans / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp FRIENDS: The late Katy French, and Lee Cullen now serving 21 years for smuggling guns into England for the Kinahans And then, seven months later Businessman James Mansfield Jnr was subjected to a violent burglary at his home in which he was allegedly punched by a man who then began swinging an ornamental sword around, a court has heard. The court was told a gang of five intruders, some armed with Stanley blades, got into his house, with one threatening his ex-wife that if she called the gardai she would be shot. The Herald, November 8, 2019 Expand Close BLANCHARDSTOWN HOTEL: Left, serial criminal Thomas Nicky McConnell, and right, Jim Mansfield pictured in August 2015 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp BLANCHARDSTOWN HOTEL: Left, serial criminal Thomas Nicky McConnell, and right, Jim Mansfield pictured in August 2015 And a month after that Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr is to stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court next year on charges relating to false imprisonment and the perversion of justice. Irish Examiner, December 9, 2019 He's wearing a gold Rolex and swinging from side to side on his chair, brimming with energy, keen to explain how so many people have it wrong about him and his family. Earlier this month, it was reported that he is suing gardai and the DPP for "malicious prosecution" after being accused of unlawfully possessing 180 rounds of .22 Walther ammunition. The case never went to trial and was withdrawn in 2018. The hotel was closed in the lockdown and is being rented by South Dublin County Council. A Mansfield Group staff member who escorted me to his office left us alone, after joking about the difficulty of getting the boss to sit still long enough to talk. He's already halfway through his first story before there's even a chance to switch on the Dictaphone. "I think it's the best story in the f***in' world. Did you ever hear anything like this?" he asks. It begins with his father and one of the great Irish rags-to-riches stories. Jim Mansfield Snr left school at 14 to work in a quarry. He ended his days living in Tassagart House, after building a property empire he estimated to be worth 1.6bn in 2006. Four years later, his Citywest hotel complex went into receivership and things went from bad to worse for the Mansfields after that. The following year, Nama seized the family's last major assets, including Palmerstown House and Weston airport. Like the man he was named after, Mansfield Jnr didn't bother much with a formal education. "I never went to school, I don't read," he says. His father started him out in the business, "picking stones" off the land. "I was his shadow," he says. "We bounced well off each other." He remembers transforming the Clondalkin paper mills site into a shopping centre, along with his older brother Tony and the younger PJ: "I must have been 20 years of age and we worked there seven days a week, from six in the morning 'til f***in' 12 at night, knockin' the building. Like I remember drivin' a digger, loadin' it and drivin' the dumper. We done it all ourselves, lashin's of rain. It didn't matter what it was, we just kept goin' at it - we didn't know any different." After making a billion, he says, the family's only thought was "when do we get to the next one?" They acquired art by Picasso, a Ming vase, a Rolls-Royce. His own Ferrari was lipstick red, but such extravagances, he says now, were just "tools of the business". He was linked to the late model Katy French, who collapsed and later died in December 2007 while out socialising. She was found to have cocaine in her system. In the weeks before she died, she had been living in a Mansfield-owned apartment at Citywest and driving a 100,000 Range Rover, which had been lent to her by a car dealer friend of Mansfield Jnr, Lee Cullen. His relationship with French, he says, was exaggerated. "I wasn't dating her, as such. I knew her through Andrea [Roche, the model once married to his brother PJ]. I would never have been on my own with her." Did he ever see her taking drugs? "No. I never saw her taking them and I wouldn't have known [she was]. I wouldn't have been that close with her to discuss something like that. There was never really a relationship." But, he quips, "I wouldn't have minded". There's a knock at the door and an attractive woman with long chestnut hair says hello. It's Donna, his ex-wife of almost 20 years. "We work together, we get on great," he says. Then why split? "I like to do my own thing - work, work, work. I could be here 'til 10 o'clock at night and then, when you go home, you're walking and thinking." When his father's health deteriorated, Mansfield Jnr - by then the main player in the business - had a bed installed downstairs in the family home. "His mind was perfect right up until the day he died. He knew we were pullin' and draggin' and goin' to get back to where we were. He knew nobody was goin' to starve behind him because I was going to keep goin'. "I said, 'I will be fighting for everything that was robbed off us'." Receivers sold off most of the property, but he managed to hold on to "a good bit of stuff", including Finnstown Castle. He was there on January 24, 2014 when the call came: his father had died in his sleep. He turns his head away: "Jaysus, he would have done seven lifetimes worth of work, that man, you know?" His father's death, he says, "probably hasn't even hit me yet because it's all been turmoil [since] In the mess, you had so much going on in your head, you never even had time to grieve." In May 2014, a wedding party was in full swing at Finnstown and Mansfield was at the property when word came through that there was a bomb in the hotel car park. Samuel Devlin (58), a Finnstown guest at the time, was arrested after the discovery. Mansfield says a member of staff knew him and had asked if he could be put up in a lodge. Devlin was convicted of possessing explosives after a Special Criminal Court trial in 2016 and sentenced to six years in prison. Today Mansfield Jnr says the incident was "a set-up". "Where was the bomb?" he asks. "Did anyone ever see it? Did anyone ever come in looking for the CCTV? Did anyone come back to us to say what it was or wasn't?" Mansfield denies ever meeting Devlin. So was it just bad luck that the staff member arranged for him to stay at his hotel? "Absolutely. And he didn't come to me about it. It was put in through the hotel. "I was never seen with Samuel Devlin or any of them. It had nothing to do with me." In October 2014, Mansfield was warned by gardai at Clondalkin Garda Station about a threat to his life. It was said to have been linked to criminals associated with Traveller gang boss 'Fat' Andy Connors. The previous August, Connors had been shot dead in front of his young family at his home. At the time, Mansfield denied his life had been threatened. He did so again last week. "It's a load of bullshit. If somebody is going to shoot you, you have done something wrong and you know where it is coming from. I never did anything wrong. I don't have any enemies." He says he knew Connors from "up around our area" and had met him in passing. "I had no dealings with him. He was in and out of the hotel and that, oh yeah, [but] there was no dealings with Andy Connors." On January 24, 2015 - the first anniversary of his father's death - armed gardai stormed the family home at dawn. "I heard they were cutting down the gates," he says. "I heard banging. I was f***in' shaving. There was guards all over the place with guns and they were wearin' helmets. I thought 'what the f**k is goin' on here? Next thing I heard the crashing of glass. "I was coming down the stairs and they were pointing the guns at me with red lights [saying] 'put your hands on your head'. And I'm there, 'what the f**k?'" ******* That August, he was photographed leaving a hotel in Blanchardstown with a well-known criminal, Thomas 'Nicky' McConnell, a few steps behind him. Herald journalist Ken Foy reported that the two men, accompanied by a third, drove away together in a black Audi. At the time McConnell had more than 80 convictions, including threatening to kill a woman, drug dealing and possession of firearms. McConnell has been wanted since 2016 over the murder of Gareth Hutch, a nephew of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch. He was arrested in Turkey last weekend. I show Mansfield the picture of him with McConnell. "Ha ha," he says. "This is another set-up." He claims he "never met Nicky McConnell", and adds: "It's funny how there was a picture taken, isn't it?" Did he get in the car with McConnell after the picture was taken? "No, no." So McConnell just happened to be walking out of the hotel behind him at the time? "No. I don't believe 'he happened to be walking out'. I believe it was a set-up." He looks surprised on hearing that McConnell had 80 convictions: "Is that right?" He doesn't deny being friends with another notorious criminal, Lee Cullen, who is now serving 21 years in a UK prison for smuggling guns into England for the Kinahan organised crime gang. "He was a very good friend of mine. I always had good time for him. One of the nicest fellas I ever met. F**k me," he says, looking perplexed, "he was a lovely fella. I don't know what happened." He says he had no knowledge that his friend was involved in criminal activity. I say that he seems to have unwittingly found himself in a lot of bad company. He says he might have crossed paths with even more criminals, unbeknownst to him. "We are in the hospitality business... You are in a place where you have every [event] going on. You could have someone who is having an anniversary, someone who is married, they could be the biggest criminals in the world, I don't know." Not for the first time, he denies ever laundering money for gangs. "No, never. Because remember about money launderin' - if you get money off some of them [criminals], you probably have to give back double. "When we borrow a million pounds off Bank of Scotland, you give back 2.5pc. So for a lend of a million, you give back 25,000 in a year. Do you think you're going to get cheaper money anywhere else? Would you get it cheaper off any drug dealer? I don't think you would. Do you?" (In December 2011, Bank of Scotland was granted a summary judgment against his father for 214m). He also denies ever being involved in the drugs business. "Never. And with regard to taking drugs if someone can come up of a picture of me, [but] they can't because I have never done it. That's why I am sitting here happy." ******* There is also the matter of the Mansfields' collection of weapons and bullets. Along with PJ, he was in and out of court for three years until May 2018 on charges of unlawful possession of ammunition. PJ denied possessing 1,252 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition. After a search of his house, gardai found a legally held Walther .22 pistol, with a bullet in the chamber, behind a picture frame in the master bedroom. A 12-gauge shotgun, also licensed, was recovered from a locked gun-safe in the wardrobe of a dressing room, along with a large quantity of ammunition in various locations. PJ's trial eventually collapsed after the judge found the prosecution was unable to prove its case. Charges against Jimmy Jnr were also dropped and three weeks ago, his solicitors issued High Court proceedings over his arrest. He complains that news of the charges against him and his brother being dropped received little coverage in the newspapers. But why did they have so many bullets at home? "Because..." he says, pausing. "When you take .22 bullets you could put 800 of them in a pint glass. When you go in to buy bullets, you don't buy 10. A box of bullets could have a thousand in it." But why have any? "Because we were a member of a gun club and we would go shootin'." Did his father teach him how to shoot? "Not really, sure you know yourself, there's nothing in shooting - just pull the trigger." He says his father owned "up to 30" guns. "He had a little gun room. All old powder guns - different bits and pieces." Speaking of guns, there was also the story of a pair of valuable duelling pistols that went missing from Palmerstown House. They had been owned by the property's previous occupant, Anne Bullitt, an American heiress. When Mansfield Snr bought Palmerstown House from Bullitt in 1998, he claimed he was also acquiring its treasures, which included the duelling pistols presented to George Washington by one of his generals, the Marquis de Lafayette, in 1776. In 2009, two years after her death, Bullitt's estate contested the matter in the High Court. The case was soon struck out by Justice Mary Laffoy "with a little note of sadness": she said she would have liked to have heard more about the family treasures. Mansfield Snr said he knew nothing about the whereabouts of the pistols. Eleven years on from those court proceedings, Mansfield Jnr says he remembers the Palmerstown pistols. "Absolutely I did see them. I seen the pistols in the house. Two little duellin' pistols. I seen them and they went missing over one weekend. She [Bullitt] showed them to me," he adds. "They were on a dressing table. Oh Jaysus, I seen them, I definitely seen them but I didn't even think of the extent of what they were." He denies any connection to their disappearance. "I tell you if she gave them to me, there would be nobody getting them anyway. That's for sure George Washington himself could come after me. He wouldn't be getting them back." ******* He returns from the toilet and takes his seat again. He is now holding a pair of scissors, pointing and twirling them as he talks. I ask if the stress of the past few years has affected his mental health. "No, I'm grand. I was always mental anyway," he laughs. He believes he will clear his name. "I haven't done anything wrong. I haven't conned anybody, I haven't robbed anybody, I haven't shot anybody and I didn't do drugs. I am going to keep going. And I will fight 'til the bitter end to clear it [his name]." He will be before the Special Criminal Court later this year, charged with the false imprisonment in 2015 of Martin Byrne, who worked for his father for 20 years. He denies charges of conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne and attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing the destruction of CCTV footage. Two figures associated with the INLA, Dessie O'Hare and Declan 'Whacker' Duffy, were jailed last year after admitting the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne and other charges. Does he worry about jail time, if he is convicted? "I won't fill up my mind worrying about something that hasn't happened. I am very good that way," he says. He explains that if he had something to hide, he would be "sitting here worryin' and sweatin'." He says he has nothing to hide. The son of a one-time billionaire has been granted legal aid after the Special Criminal Court was told he has a 6m judgment against him. Beirut: The Syrian government has refused the UN envoy's latest proposal for a truce in Aleppo, calling on insurgents to withdraw and saying it would not grant autonomy to the rebel-held east in exchange for calm. Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on Sunday said restoring government rule was a matter of 'national sovereignty,' and that Damascus would not allow the people of eastern Aleppo to be "hostages to 6,000 gunmen." "We agreed on the need that terrorists should get out of east Aleppo to end the suffering of the civilians in the city," he said. He spoke after meeting with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura,who acknowledged a "major disagreement" with al-Moallem and said a "creative" if interim solution was required to halt the violence. "We are only proposing that there should not be a radical dramatic change in the administration of Aleppo until there is a political solution," he said. The envoy warned in a recent interview with the UK newspaper The Guardian that the government was chasing a"pyrrhic victory" in Aleppo if it does not reach a political settlement with the opposition. He warned the military's approach would drive moremoderate rebels into the ranks of the Islamic State group. At least 172 civilians have been killed since the government renewed its assault on the besieged enclave six days ago, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The UN estimates 275,000 people are trapped inside. By Saturday, the government had damaged or destroyed every hospital in the east, according to the Syrian American Medical Society, which supports hospitals in Syria. The government denies striking hospitals, and de Misturasaid there was a "difference of opinion" about the attacks. He said he had proposed sending an observer team to inspect all the hospitals in Aleppo, but that the idea was not discussed further. De Mistura has proposed that the Syrian government grant eastern Aleppo autonomy in exchange for peace, and called on the estimated 900 al-Qaida-linked militants in the east to part to other rebel-held territory. Al-Moallem also called on the militants to withdraw, andsaid he hoped that US President-elect Donald Trump's incomingadministration would cut off support for "terrorists" in Syria and "rein in" the states backing them, a reference to Turkey and Saudi Arabia. President Bashar Assad said earlier this week that Trump could prove to be a "natural ally" to Damascus. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the intense air assault on eastern Aleppo over the last several days as wellas the corresponding shelling of western parts of the city, in a statement released by his spokesman on Satuday. He called on all the parties to ensure freedom of movement for civilians and allow unhindered access to humanitarian assistance. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Existing limited evidence suggests that wearing face coverings to protect against COVID-19 does not lead to a false sense of security and is unlikely to increase the risk of infection through wearers foregoing other behaviours such as good hand hygiene, say researchers from the University of Cambridge and King's College London. Writing in BMJ Analysis, the researchers say that the concept of 'risk compensation' is itself the greater threat to public health as it may discourage policymakers from implementing potentially effective measures, such as wearing face coverings. Wearing face coverings, particularly in shared indoor spaces, is now mandated or recommended in more than 160 countries to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Worn correctly, face coverings can reduce transmission of the virus as part of a set of protective measures, including maintaining physical distance from others and good hand hygiene. While it is not clear how much of an effect face coverings have, scientists have urged policymakers to encourage the wearing of face coverings because the risks are minimal while the potential impact is important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, early in the pandemic, the World Health Organization warned that wearing face coverings could "create a false sense of security that can lead to neglecting other essential measures such as hand hygiene practices". This type of behaviour is known as 'risk compensation'. A team led by Professor Dame Theresa Marteau at the Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge, has examined the evidence for risk compensation to see whether concerns might be justified in the context of face coverings to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The idea behind risk compensation is that people have a target level of risk they are comfortable with and they adjust their behaviour to maintain that level risk. At an individual level, risk compensation is commonplace: for example, people run for longer to offset an eagerly anticipated indulgent meal and a cyclist may wear a helmet to cycle at speed. At a population level, evidence for risk compensation is less clear. A commonly-cited example is the mandated wearing of bike helmets purportedly leading to an increase in the number of bike injuries and fatalities. Another often-cited example is the introduction of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HPV vaccination purportedly leading to an increase in unprotected sex. Professor Marteau and colleagues say the results of the most recent systematic reviews - a technique that involves examining all available evidence on a topic - do not justify the concerns of risk compensation for either of these examples. In fact, for HPV vaccination, the opposite effect was found: those who were vaccinated were less likely to engage in unprotected sexual behaviour as measured by rates of sexually transmitted infection. At least 22 systematic reviews have assessed the effect of wearing a mask on transmission of respiratory virus infections. These include six experimental studies, involving over 2,000 households in total - conducted in community settings that also measured hand hygiene. While none of the studies was designed to assess risk compensation or looked at social distancing, their results suggest that wearing masks does not reduce the frequency of hand washing or hand sanitising. In fact, in two studies, self-reported rates of hand washing were higher in the groups allocated to wearing masks. The team also found three observational studies that showed people tended to move away from those wearing a mask, suggesting that face coverings do not adversely affect physical distancing at least by those surrounding the wearer. However, they say that as none of these studies have been peer-reviewed, they should be treated with caution. "The concept of risk compensation, rather than risk compensation itself, seems the greater threat to public health through delaying potentially effective interventions that can help prevent the spread of disease," said Professor Marteau. "Many public health bodies are coming to the conclusion that wearing a face covering might help reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and the limited evidence available suggests their use doesn't have a negative effect on hand hygiene," added co-author Dr James Rubin from the Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London. In their article, the team argue that it is time to lay risk compensation theory to rest. Professor Barry Pless from McGill University, Montreal, Canada, once described it as "a dead horse that no longer needs to be beaten." The authors go further, saying "this dead horse now needs burying to try to prevent the continued threat it poses to public health, from by slowing the adoption of more effective interventions". ### The researchers are supported by the National Institute for Health Research. Reference Mantzari, E et al. Is risk compensation threatening public health in the covid-19 pandemic? BMJ Analysis; 27 July 2020: DOI: 10.1136/bmj.m2913 Bengaluru, July 26 : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Sunday commemorated the Kargil Vijay Diwas or Kargil Victory Day and also paid tribute to the martyred soldiers. "Let us pay tribute to all Indian soldiers who have been martyred for the country. It is our duty to offer our best wishes and congratulations to the heroes of the Indian Armed Forces and their families," said Yediyurappa. The Chief Minister also saluted a soldier's statue at the National Military Memorial in the city. He was joined by other ministers and senior officials. "All of us have a duty to express our unity and sovereignty as well as congratulations and support to the heroes of the Indian Armed Forces and their families," observed Yediyurappa. Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar has also paid his respects to the Kargil war martyrs and veterans. "On this Kargil Vijay Diwas, I salute the valour and courage of our bravehearts who sacrificed their lives for the nation in teh Kargil war," said Sudhakar. The military welfare and rehabilitation department has also paid tributes to the martyrs in the victory day celebration. India fought a three-month long war with Pakistan in 1999 in Kargil and defeated the neighbouring country 21 years ago on this day, July 26. The Kissing Booth 2 Director: Vince Marcello Cast: Joey King, Jacob Elordi, Joel Courtney, Taylor Zakhar Perez Lara Jean may have been able to resist the charms of a second hot boy in her life but Elle Evans may not be made of such stern stuff. The Kissing Booth 2 presents a similar dilemma to its nerdy American high schooler lead, as earlier this years To All The Boys: PS I Love Youfalling for another unearthly cute guy when you already have an unearthly cute guy in your arms. However, The Kissing Booth 2 is not as stylish or even half as heartfelt, making it just a quarter as enjoyable. Watch the trailer for The Kissing Booth 2: Set in the fantastical, faraway land of Netflix high school romcoms where one regularly gets the option to choose between two perfect specimens of human males, The Kissing Booth 2 is unable to find a true calling, purpose or justification for a sequel. It sits at a bloated runtime of 130 minutes and to while it away, it employs any and every conflict possible. Therere jealous girlfriends, annoying best friends, lying boys, seduced girls, fear of the future, a dance competition, adultery, self doubt, the uncaring way of life, forbidden love, and the belief in the existence of soulmates. But much like that inedible broth, too many conflicts also spoil what could have been a slick high school comedy. This time, Elle (Joey King) must navigate life through senior year at her sunny California school after her boyfriend Noah (Jacob Elordi) leaves for Harvard. They decide to give long distance relationship a chance, a promise that is not helped by the arrival of a dashing new admission at school, Marco (Taylor Zakhar Perez). With his curls, sweaty gym videos and guitar, he soon makes long distance celibacy a tough task for Elle, who is already turned into the doubting girlfriend, jealous of Noahs gorgeous new friend at college, Chloe (Maisie Richardson). Any other high school movie would have perhaps been content with so much on their plate but not this one. This love-quadrangle is only in addition to the conflict brewing between Elle, her best friend Lee (Joel Courtney) and his frankly frustrated girlfriend Rachel. While Elle and Lees friendship, their Dance Dance Revolution sessions and the easy, electric chemistry between Joey and Joel make for some of the best things about the film, Rachel is not so cool with Elle third-wheeling them all the time. If the break-ups and the proclamations of the core group were too much to keep track of, this only adds to the chaos. Even with constant voice-overs about her feelings and learningsElle is writing her letters of applications to various colleges throughout the filmit still gets confusing to keep up with her many musings and motivations. The film is incredibly stretched. A scene in the beginning, about a comedic disaster with the school announcement system, drags on for a torturous minute. There is very little humour about it and even less so when it plays out with that chaotic, Disney Channel energy. The jealous girlfriend plot also takes multiple revisits to finally establish the excuse to dump the past and move on to a guitar-strumming, curly haired future. And frankly, Joey and Jacobs negligible amount of scenes togetherthe secret, forbidden romance from the first part replaced by Skype calls and unread textsmakes it hard to root for Elno anyway. Also read: Anurag Kashyap explains nepotism using Tiger Shroff and Taimur, Ayesha Shroff says dont involve my kid in this But The Kissing Booth 2 is not without its moments of genuine goodness. Taylors charming powers can be felt through your screens even as he woos Elle on the DDM machine or plays her a sweet song at the beach, talking about how he would treat her right. Their electric scenes make you second guess the validity of Elle and Noahs long confessions of love and maybe, just this once, youd have let the heroine break up with Colin Firth for Hugh Grant. A third love storyabout a boy finding the courage to come out to his school, confess his love for a genius dorkalso brings sweet respite from Elle and her many troubles. The ending of the film, even though rushed, feels almost acceptable just for the sake of these two. The Kissing Booth 2 (Marcos Cruz/Netflix) Joey is still a good fit for Elle. She can be convincingly excited about Halloween costumes and also heartbroken over a cheating boyfriend. Jacob, however, appeared to have checked out of that Zoom call a while ago. With its bubblegum filters, school kids in convertibles on a sunny street and mediocre essays being deemed fit for a Harvard acceptance letter, there is much that separates The Kissing Booth 2 from reality. Which is why it is quite the right specimen of the high school romantic comedy section of Netflix. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Michael Russell grew up in England, with a Donegal granny whose mantelpiece had two pictures on it - one of the Sacred Heart, the other of Eamon de Valera. He was never sure which she venerated more. After studying Old Irish at Oxford, he was ideally qualified for his first job, as script editor on Emmerdale Farm. He later worked as a producer and writer on A Touch of Frost, Midsomer Murders, and The Bill. He has written six novels featuring Stefan Gillespie, an Irish detective in the 1930s and 1940s. His latest novel, The City under Siege, has just been published. He lives with his family in west Wicklow, not far from his fictional detective's home on Kilranelagh Hill. Film: Huckleberry Finn Hollywood's first Irish director, Carlow man William Desmond Taylor, was murdered in 1922. He directed 60 silent movies, most lost in studio bonfires after sound came in. Huckleberry Finn, rediscovered in 2005, is an adaptation of Mark Twain's novel uniquely capturing its comedy, depth and darkness. Taylor fought for a black actor to play escaped slave Jim - and after George H Reed's wonderful performance, it was over 40 years before Hollywood let a black actor carry such weight again. My son and I saw it when he was 10. It still stays with us. TV: All Creatures Great and Small Expand Close All Creatures Great and Small / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp All Creatures Great and Small Sometimes what's quiet and generous in spirit is heard. All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot's books and the old, sometimes creaky BBC series, is all that. I wrote for the series when I lived in north Yorkshire. All Creatures had exceptional actors in Peter Davison and the extraordinary Robert Hardy. The man who transformed Herriot's stories into a TV icon of Englishness was Johnny Byrne, a northside Dubliner. Book: John Buchan's Richard Hannay novels Great writing isn't so much plot, subject, character, as a magic that makes words in one order great prose, in another just prose. Revisiting the Richard Hannay novels, The Thirty-Nine Steps, Mr Standfast, etc, I found the joy of John Buchan in Scotland's wild, empty landscapes. The chase along the roads of the Borders in The Island of Sheep, is a small masterpiece. Music: Rough and Rowdy Ways, Bob Dylan At almost 80, Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways stands with his best work. Murder Most Foul, bleak reflections on JFK's assassination, becomes an elegy for American culture, all culture - rich, chaotic, contradictory, dark, light, sacred, profane. Each line asks if the idea of 'appropriation' of any kind can mean anything in art. For Dylan, there is only 'Love and Theft'. Video of the Day Artist: Willie Bester Years ago, I was able to travel in Africa, in ways no longer possible. I drove alone from Kenya's coast to Lake Victoria. On the eve of South Africa's first election, I drove from Namibia, through the Kalahari, to KwaZulu. Everywhere I met generosity and kindness. The skies of Africa haunt me. So do its sprawling townships. Willie Bester is a great South African artist who captures those townships' dualism; oppressive poverty, hope-filled vitality. Near apartheid's end, the found objects of Migrant Miseries pit repression against unbowed hope. Chinese paramilitary policemen, in green, and consulate security, in blue, guard the gate as it opens to let a bus enter the United States Consulate in Chengdu in southwestern China's Sichuan province, Saturday, July 25, 2020. China ordered the United States to close the consulate, ratcheting up a diplomatic conflict at a time when relations have sunk to their lowest level in decades. AP Workers removed the US insignia from the consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Saturday, one day after Beijing ordered its closure as relations deteriorated in a Cold War-style standoff. The Chengdu mission was ordered shut in retaliation for the forced closure of Beijing's consulate in Houston, Texas, with both sides alleging the other had endangered national security. The deadline for the Americans to exit Chengdu remained unclear, but AFP reporters saw a worker on a small crane removing a circular US insignia from the front of the consulate, leaving just a US flag flying. Three moving company trucks entered the US consulate building Saturday afternoon, and cleaners were seen carting large black rubbish bags from the consulate in the early hours of the morning. One of them split and appeared to contain shredded paper. At least ten bags were removed from the building. Other staff were seen carrying boxes, moving trolleys and wheeled suitcases inside the building. Beijing says closing the Chengdu consulate was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States", and has alleged that staff at the diplomatic mission endangered China's security and interests. Washington officials, meanwhile, said there had been unacceptable efforts by the Chinese consulate in Houston to steal US corporate secrets and proprietary medical and scientific research. The last Chinese diplomats left the Houston consulate on Friday as a 72-hour deadline to close the mission passed. Officials there were seen loading large sacks of documents and other items onto trucks, and throwing some in bins. Beijing said Saturday that US agents "forcibly" entered the Houston consulate. The building "is China's national property", the statement read, citing the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Sino-US Consular Treaty. It added that the United States "must not infringe on the premises ... in any way". "China has expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the US forcibly entering the Chinese Consulate General in Houston and has lodged solemn representations". The statement added that "China will make a proper and necessary response in this regard". - 'Legitimate response' - Tensions have soared between the two powers on a range of fronts including trade, China's handling of the novel coronavirus and a tough new security law for Hong Kong, with US officials this week warning of a "new tyranny" from China. Closing the US consulate in Chengdu was a "legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable measures by the United States", the foreign ministry said Friday. "The current situation in China-US relations is not what China desires to see, and the US is responsible for all this", it said. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters that some US staff in the Chengdu consulate "were engaged in activities outside of their capacity, interfered in China's internal affairs, and endangered China's security and interests". The Chengdu consulate, established in 1985, has been at the centre of past controversy. It was included on a top-secret map leaked by intelligence analyst Edward Snowden showing US surveillance worldwide. The mission was also where senior Chinese official Wang Lijun fled in 2012 from his powerful boss Bo Xilai, who was then head of the nearby metropolis Chongqing, and has since been jailed for life for corruption. (AFP) A mother and her twin 10-month-old boys have been found dead inside their car, submerged in a pond in Georgia. Police were called to Mayor's Pond in Augusta on Friday afternoon after a fisherman found the car. Authorities pulled the vehicle from the pond and found the bodies of ShaQuia Philpot, 25, and her infant children Caysen and Cassius Williams. The family lived in Hephzibah, about 10 miles from the site. ShaQuia Philpot, 25, and her infant children Caysen and Cassius Williams were found dead The twins were described by their grandmother as bringing joy with their smiles Officials did not release details about how they ended up in the pond. Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen said all three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The bodies were going to be sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for an autopsy. The case remains under investigation. The children's grandmother, Myrtis Wright Bennett, confirmed their deaths on Facebook, saying ShaQuia, Caysen and Cassius have 'gained their wings.' Emergency crews at the Mayor's Pond in Augusta, Georgia, on Friday evening Philpot's car was removed from the pond, and the bodies of her and the two children found 'The Lord only loan my daughter ShaQuia Philpot to me for 25 years my twins grandson Cassius and Caysen William for 10 months,' she wrote. 'Lord I didn't know that you was going to call them home July 24, 2020. RIH.' Bennett said that she was devastated to lose her daughter and the twins. 'My joy was to come home from work to see them with a big smile on there face,' she said. 'We all loved y'all but God loves y'all more. This is so hard to believe. 'But I know we can't question God.' The fire broke out at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse and was contained a short time later, news outlets reported. Oakland: Protesters in California set fire to a courthouse, damaged a police station and assaulted officers after a peaceful demonstration intensified late Saturday, Oakland police said. Demonstrators broke windows, spray painted graffiti, shot fireworks and pointed lasers at officers, the Oakland department said on Twitter. Several tweets called for peace and asked organisers to help us provide safe spaces and safe places for demonstrators. The protest began earlier Saturday evening with groups such as the Wall of Moms, similar to a group that formed in Portland, Oregon, as protesters faced off with US agents deployed to that city to guard a federal courthouse. President Donald Trump had sent the federal agents to clamp down on protests that have occurred nightly since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May. The protest in Oakland began peacefully, but turned violent later into the night. An unlawful assembly was declared by police around 11:30 pm and officers asked the crowd to disperse. The fire broke out at the Alameda County Superior Courthouse and was contained a short time later, news outlets reported. Police said protesters at one point were breaking windows and chanting racial slurs at residents. Photos tweeted by the department showed broken glass and paint splattered at a police building. More than 340 Vietnamese citizens were repatriated on Friday and Saturday after being stranded in Canada due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Canada, and national carrier Vietnam Airlines had coordinated with Canadian agencies to arrange the flight, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Passengers included children under 18, elderly people, workers with expired working contracts, students who had completed their study, and stranded tourists. This was the fourth flight arranged by the Vietnamese government to bring home citizens from Canada since April. Employees of the Vietnamese embassy in Canada were tasked with assisting the citizens at the airport in Toronto. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, security, safety, and hygiene measures were strictly implemented during the flight. All passengers and flight crew members were brought to quarantine center upon their arrival. Over 190 Vietnamese citizens including the elderly, pregnant women, people with illnesses, stranded tourists, workers with expired labour contracts, and students without accommodations due to school closures, were also repatriated from Japan on the same days. They were all quarantined after landing at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Under the direction of the prime minister, relevant domestic bodies and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad are drawing up plans to bring Vietnamese citizens home when domestic quarantine capacity permits. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service PM may inaugurate Dobra-Chanti bridge CM Trivendra Singh Rawat has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Dobra-Chanti bridge, the countrys longest motorable single-lane bridge in Tehri district. According to officials, the work on the bridge has been completed and only the final checks and load testing are left. The work is likely to finish by September. The ambitious project has been in the works for the past 14 years. The construction of the bridge was started in tenure of ND Tiwari government in 2006 and the estimated cost was around Rs 89 crore at the time. The bridge will serve a population of around 3 lakh. IAF requested to prepare three landing grounds Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has sent a proposal to the Centre urging the Indian Air Force to prepare at least three advanced landing grounds in the forward areas in the state to help armed forces transport both men and material to the border areas in case there is a requirement. In the proposal, the Uttarakhand government has said that the Indian Air Force should develop the airstrips in Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh for both military and civilian purposes. The proposal comes at a time when India has stepped up efforts to build infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control despite border tensions with China. The airstrips can also play an important role in terms of helping people in times of disasters and boost tourism. Uttarakhand women to get land ownership rights soon Uttarakhand state government is planning to give land ownership rights to women by amending the Uttarakhand Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act. The move is aimed to facilitate the women who are working in fields owned by their husbands especially in the hilly areas of the state. So far in Uttarakhand, land ownership rights are transferred to men in the family which are then passed on to their sons. The Uttarakhand government has been planning to introduce the amendment for the daughters and now it is also mulling the same for wives. Justice Malimath to be acting CJ of Uttarakhand HC The Union ministry of law and justice last week issued notified the appointment of Justice Ravi Vijaykumar Malimath as the acting Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand high court (HC) from July 28. Justice Malimath, the senior-most judge of the HC, will replace Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan who is set to retire on July 27. 58-year-old Justice Malimath was enrolled as an advocate in January 1987 in Bengaluru and practised in constitutional, civil, criminal, labour and service matters at the Karnataka HC. He was later appointed as the additional judge of the Karnataka HC in February 2008 and permanent judge in Feb 2010. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 26 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: As many as 2,333 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Trend reports citing the ministry. According to Sadat Lari, 216 more people have died from the coronavirus over the past day. Sadat Lari added that the condition of 3,695 people is critical. The official said that Iran's Mazandaran, Fars, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Razavi Khorasan, Alborz, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Golestan, Kerman, Zanjan, and Ilam provinces are red zones. So far, more than 2.32 million tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 291,100 people have been infected and 15,700 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 253,200 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Chechen Leader Imposes Sanctions on Pompeo in Retaliation to US Blacklist Sputnik News 08:04 GMT 24.07.2020 GROZNY, Russia (Sputnik) - Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's southern region of Chechnya, announced on Friday that he was adding US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to a regional sanction list in a tit-for-tat for being blacklisted in the US over alleged human rights violations. "I invited Mr. Pompeo to visit [Chechnya] That's it, I am canceling my invitation and announcing inclusion to all the sanctions that exist in the republic, up to the point of blocking his accounts. They did the same to me," Kadyrov said at a local government meeting. The Chechen leader said that his inclusion in the US sanctions list was something "to be proud of." At the same time, Kadyrov said that he was surprised by the US sanctions on his wife and daughters. On Monday, Pompeo announced a fresh portion of sanctions over alleged violation of human rights against Kadyrov and members of his family, including wife Medni and daughters Aishat and Khadizhat. The Kadyrovs have been banned from entering the United States, among other measures. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that the accusations of the US State Department against Kadyrov of involvement in human rights violations were far-fetched, and Washington did not provide any evidence of his wrongdoings. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava has directed officers to conduct a thorough verification drive across the city ahead of Independence Day, police said here on Sunday. The police chief reviewed the security arrangement across the 15 police districts in the city in a meeting held via video-conferencing on Saturday, they said. In view of the forthcoming Independence day, all the district DCPs have been asked to intensify patrolling in their areas and conduct door-to-door verification to ensure safety and security across the national capital to avoid any untoward incident, they police said. Shrivastava laid emphasis on increasing police presence, intensive and coordinated checking at vulnerable points, verification of tenants and servants, sensitisation of cyber cafe owners, security guards, second-hand car dealers and mobile dealers among others in order to strengthen counter-terrorism measures, they said. Even though hotels and guest houses arent operational due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the officers have been asked to stay vigilant. In view of forthcoming Independence day, security arrangements across all the 15 police districts in the city were reviewed via video-conferencing. We have also collected intelligence inputs and are working on it accordingly. A thorough verification drive is being conducted at all places across the city to ensure the safety and security ahead of the big day, a senior police officer said. Besides, Independence Day security arrangements, issues concerning cybercrime were reviewed and redressal of public grievances was also discussed in the meeting, he said. Shrivastava also rewarded personnel from West, Outer and Dwarka districts in recognition of exemplary outstanding work performed by them during the last few days. Unlike every year, the Centre has asked all states to avoid large congregation, ensure social distancing and webcast Independence Day events as the novel coronavirus cases continue to spiral unabated. Gearing up for Independence Day arrangements, a senior officer from the north district said police personnel have already been deployed and weapons training for over thousands of staff concluded. The staff deputed in checking and frisking teams, which consist of 200 police personnel, have been strictly advised to ensure social distancing in the wake of ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The staff will wear personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and use sanitisers after every checking and frisking, he said. More electronic devices are being installed to avoid close contact during frisking. Over 300 CCTV cameras have been installed in and around the Red Fort, where the Independence Day event is held every year, the officer added. The event this year will consist of a guard of honour by the armed forces and the Delhi Police to the prime minister, unfurling of the national flag, the 21-gun salute, speech by the prime minister, singing of the national anthem and release of tricoloured balloons at the end. In its advisory, the Home Ministry said it was imperative to follow certain preventive measures while organising various programmes or activities for the Independence Day celebrations amid the pandemic. The measures include maintaining social distancing, wearing of masks, proper sanitisation, avoiding large congregations, protecting vulnerable persons and follow all Covid-19 guidelines issued by the ministries of health and home, it said. Jaipur, July 26 : Soon after Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sent a revised proposal to the Governor for convening a special Assembly session on July 31, the Congress on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of fighting the party instead of coronavirus and asked if he could crush constitutional traditions for power. Congress leader Ajay Maken told the media here that the most worrying fact was that the Constitution and established constitutional traditions were getting ruthlessly trampled by the BJP. "It appears that the justice expected from the judiciary is also over. People sitting in constitutional posts like Governors are seen as helpless and unable to protect the Constitution," he said at a press conference here this afternoon. "Does the country accept the BJP attack on democracy and Constitution? Will the majority mandate be decided by the vote of 8 crore people of Rajasthan or by the use of muscle and money power of leaders seated in Delhi? Can the Prime Minister and the government of India crush the constitutional traditions to gain power? Can the Governor disregard the Constitution by refusing to allow the special Assembly session being called by the Rajasthan government elected by majority votes? Can a Governor unconstitutionally interfere in the legislature's base area? Will this not lead to a confrontation between the legislature and the judiciary?" Maken, a former Union Minister, also said that the entire nation is raising its voice in support of the Congress' #SpeakUpForDemocracy campaign. "Our call to the countrymen is to make a decisive contribution in this 'yagya' called for the protection of democracy which is more like following patriotism by heart," the former Delhi Congress chief added. Talking of the current scenario in the country, the Congress leader said that India was faced with the coronavirus epidemic while 130 crore countrymen suffered severe economic crisis. "Over 14 crore jobs have been lost. Many businesses are on the verge of closure. China has taken over our territory. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of fighting corona, economic crisis or China, is conspiring to topple the Congress governments," Maken remarked. The Congress leader said that the reality is that the Modi government and the BJP have attacked the democracy and Constitution of the country. "It is clear from the BJP's conspiracy that it wants to topple the Congress government elected through a democratic process in Rajasthan. These disruptive forces want to make democracy a slave of the Delhi Durbar and to treat it as a puppet in their hands. The majority mandate is being murdered publicly and public opinion has been put behind the bars by the BJP workers," he alleged. Figure 1 Map of Sabodala-Massawa Map of Sabodala-Massawa Sabodala-Massawa First 5-year average annual production of 384,000 ounces at all-in sustaining costs of $671/oz (1)(2) First 5-year average net cash flow of $215 million per year at $1,600/oz gold* First 5-year total net cash flow of $1.1 billion at $1,600/oz gold* Proven and probable reserves increase 120% to 4.8 million ounces at $1,250/oz gold Mining activities at Massawa now underway $10-million exploration and drill program is ongoing at Massawa Company-Wide Proven and probable reserves increase by 70% to 6.4 million ounces of gold Average annual gold production expected to increase by 40% to ~500,000 ounces (3) (All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated) TORONTO, July 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teranga Gold Corporation ("Teranga" or the "Company") (TSX: TGZ) (OTCQX: TGCDF) is pleased to announce the results of its preliminary feasibility study (the PFS) for the Sabodala-Massawa Gold Complex (Sabodala-Massawa), located in Senegal, West Africa. Earlier this year, Teranga completed the acquisition of the Massawa gold project (the Massawa Project), one of Africas highest grade undeveloped open-pit gold projects, from Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick). The PFS focuses on an initial concept to mine the Massawa Projects deposits leveraging the existing plant at Terangas flagship Sabodala Gold Operations (Sabodala). The PFS demonstrates that Sabodala-Massawa is a top-tier mine with a large proven and probable reserve (2P Reserves) base of 4.8 million ounces (75.79 Mt at 1.98 g/t Au at $1,250 gold), with low all-in-sustaining costs (AISC) (1)(2) of $749 per ounce, and net cash flows of over $2.2 billion* at $1,600/oz gold over a 16.5-year mine life. In addition, the PFS outlines the strong potential for growth through further exploration and discovery. Sabodala-Massawa: Base Case Highlights at $1,600/oz Gold (Includes refractory ore treatment plant in 2023) First 5-years (2021-2025) First 10-years (2021-2030) Life of Mine (2020-2036) Annual average gold production (4) 384,000 oz 315,000 oz 260,000 oz Average mill grade 2.71 g/t 2.26 g/t 1.98 g/t Average AISC per ounce (1)(2) $671 $715 $749 Average annual plant throughput 5.0Mtpa 4.9Mtpa 4.6Mtpa Average annual net cash flow (2) * $215 million $166 million $134 million Total net cash flow* $1.07 billion $1.66 billion $2.21 billion *Net cash flow after minority interest The PFS announced today confirms that the Massawa acquisition is truly transformational for Teranga and repositions the Company as a leading mid-tier gold producer with one of the lowest all-in sustaining cost profiles in the industry, stated Richard Young, President and CEO. Story continues Mr. Young continued, The integration of Sabodala and Massawa is perhaps the best example in mining of the greater than the sum of its parts concept. The sum of Massawa, one of the highest grade open-pit deposits in Africa, and our flagship Sabodala mine is more than simply adding one large gold reserve to another. Integrating Sabodala and Massawa yields significant synergies, with the combined entity expected to generate net cash flows of $1 billion (2) * over the first five years and deliver a net present value of $1.6 billion (2) compared to less than a billion dollars for the two assets on a standalone basis. Project Return Sensitivity Analysis (2) Gold Price $/oz $ 1,500 $ 1,600 $ 1,700 $ 1,800 After-tax NPV 0% $ millions $ 2,133 $ 2,438 $ 2,742 $ 3,046 After-tax NPV 5% $ millions $ 1,550 $ 1,777 $ 2,004 $ 2,231 After-tax after minority interest NPV 0% $ millions $ 1,936 $ 2,210 $ 2,484 $ 2,758 After-tax after minority interest NPV 5% $ millions $ 1,416 $ 1,622 $ 1,827 $ 2,033 Now that a base case technical concept has been established with the PFS, Teranga will continue the technical work in support of a definitive feasibility study (DFS), anticipated to be completed in 2021, to further de-risk and increase the Massawa Projects value. Management believes that the current capital estimate is conservative and leaves room for engineering trade-off studies to optimize areas such as mill sizing, power distribution and process design, while the current drill program is expected to result in an increase in mineral resources and reserves. Teranga expects to file a technical report pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (the NI 43-101) in respect of the PFS on the Sabodala-Massawa complex on or before August 31, 2020. A DFS, anticipated in 2021, will include further trade-off studies for the process flowsheet to potentially reduce capital and improve project economics, as well as focus on unlocking additional value through exploration drilling. An updated mineral resources and reserves estimate is expected to be included in the DFS based on results from the Companys significant exploration program currently underway at the Massawa Project. Bringing the Massawa and Sabodala projects together builds on and amplifies the strengths of the two assets infrastructure is largely in place, labour and contractors are trained and available, and exploration and mine investments can be better leveraged over a longer period of time, stated Paul Chawrun, Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Chawrun added, Building a separate processing stream for the refractory ores will add higher than anticipated capital costs but offers many advantages throughout the life of mine. Early processing of high-grade refractory ore enhances project economics, increases production, reduces processing risks and improves operating flexibility. Furthermore, we believe in the great potential of this project and are conducting an aggressive drilling campaign for both refractory and free-milling ore, with a goal to sustain Sabodala-Massawas gold production between 350,000-400,000 ounces per year beyond 2026. (5) Exploration Upside at Massawa Project The Massawa Project is comprised of a mine license of 320 km 2 and a regional exploration land package of nearly 286 km 2 . The opportunity for additional resource delineation on the property is well known to Teranga and the previous owner Randgold Resources Limited, which merged with Barrick in 2019. Teranga has drilled more than 27,000 metres since March 2020 at Massawa, as part of an ongoing $10-million exploration program. Exploration drilling programs are ongoing at the three initial primary deposits Sofia, Central Zone (CZ) and North Zone (NZ), with along-trend and internal drilling gaps being evaluated. In addition to the compelling resource expansion targets within or immediately along trend of the three primary deposits, considerable opportunity exists to explore and add refractory and non-refractory resources elsewhere within the Massawa Project area. There are several satellite deposits and prospects, which have only been subject to shallow drilling, all of which show potential for additional mineralization at depth that can be added into the overall project resources, regardless of whether they are refractory or non-refractory mineralized bodies. Examples of such satellite deposits and prospects that will be aggressively explored in preparation of the DFS and beyond include Tina, Delya and Samina. Additionally, a number of prospects will be pursued along a structural corridor that exists between two major regional structures. These include the Bakkan Corridor and Bambaraya prospects. The Company anticipates that a comprehensive exploration program across the entirety of this broad area, bounded by the two regional structures within the Massawa Project area, holds significant potential for the long-term addition of resources for the project. Significant Synergies Expected from Mining Sabodala-Massawa The existing mine operating fleet currently used at Sabodala will also be used for the combined Sabodala-Massawa deposits, applying an integrated mine sequencing plan to optimise the combined 2P Reserves base. The ability to use the existing long-haul ore contractor, mining mobile fleet, and operating team provides significant value to the combined project, as identified with the synergies outlined at the time of the acquisition. Metallurgy and Processing Phase 1: Free-Milling or Non-Refractory Whole Ore Leach (WOL) Mined non-refractory ore will be processed in the existing Sabodala processing plant. Modifications are in progress to increase the capability for overall gold production and increase efficiencies to process the high-grade oxide ore at CZ. These additions include a gravity recovery circuit for the coarse gold, an additional leach tank to increase residence time, and upgrades to the elution circuits due to the higher gold content in the feed. These upgrades are expected to be installed throughout the first half of 2021 as Phase 1 of the Sabodala plant upgrades. Phase 2: Refractory Ore Treatment (ROT) For processing the deposits that contain refractory gold ore, a separate ROT plant with a nominal capacity of 1.2 Mtpa will be installed adjacent to the existing Sabodala plant, with processing expected to begin in 2023. The ROT design is based on the use of bacterial oxidation (BIOX technology) to expose the gold that is occluded within sulphide minerals, which then allows for gold extraction using a standard CIL process. This technology is well proven and is currently operating in multiple plants around the world. Sabodalas existing plant will be modified to allow primary crushing of the refractory ore feed with the existing crushing circuit, prior to feeding into a separate circuit comprising grinding, flotation to recover sulphides and free gold to a concentrate, regrinding, followed by oxidation of the slurry in two stages of BIOX reactors. The slurry product is then neutralized and processed in a separate carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuit to recover the gold. The Company expects to modify its existing tailings storage facility (TSF) and the design of its second permitted TSF to accommodate the processing of refractory ores. Industry-Leading Operating Costs Expected at Sabodala-Massawa Operating costs (2) include all direct costs for the production of gold dore. The estimates are based on annual rates determined in the mining schedule with ore delivery from the Sabodala and Massawa Project pits. Mine operating costs (2) were determined using the current Sabodala fleet and personnel assumptions, with incremental costs included for the expanded footprint, additional ore haul and additional dewatering costs for some of the Massawa Project pit areas. Processing costs (2) are based on current operating plant assumptions, metallurgical test results, quotations from suppliers in the existing price environment and consultant recommendations. For WOL processing, the throughput rate is expected to average 4 Mtpa. For ROT processing throughput, a rate of 1.2 Mtpa was estimated based on the PFS design criteria. Unit LOM average cost Mining (2) $/tonne mined 2.56 WOL processing (2) $/tonne milled 10.23 ROT processing (2) $/tonne milled 36.07 General & Admin (2) $/tonne milled 4.00 General and administrative costs (2) consist of site office costs, insurance, financial costs (banking charges, legal fees, etc.), refining and transportation costs and personnel costs. Life of Mine Capital Costs Life of mine sustaining capital (2) for Sabodala-Massawa total $241 million, which equates to approximately $15 million per annum, and includes mobile fleet upgrades and replacements, road construction, TSF lifts, and general sustaining capital in support of mining, processing and general and administrative functions. Life of mine development capital (2) for Sabodala-Massawa totals $409 million. Massawa Project phase 1 totals $37 million and phase 2 totals $219 million. The balance of development capital is for the Sabodala village relocation as well as underground development, not scheduled until 2027 under the current LOM (see tables in the Appendix for more detail). Q3 2020 Milestones Teranga has recently accessed the Sofia deposit, the first of the Massawa deposits to be mined, mining operations have begun, and processing the Massawa Projects free-milling high-grade ore through Sabodalas existing operating plant is scheduled to begin shortly. Other milestones this quarter include: filing the Sabodala-Massawa NI 43-101 technical report; a revised life of mine production schedule for the Wahgnion gold mine, where the plant is exceeding initial performance expectations; updated company-wide production and costs guidance for 2020, as well as new five-year (2021-2025) production and cost guidance; technical report for the Golden Hill property; and exploration results from the Massawa Project and Afema. Conference Call & Webcast Details Teranga will host a conference call and audio webcast on July 27, 2020, at 8:30 a.m. (ET) to discuss the PFS in more detail. Those wishing to listen can access the live conference call and webcast as follows: Date & Time: Monday, July 27, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. ET Telephone: Toll-free +1-877-291-4570 Local or International +1-647-788-4919 Please allow 10 minutes to be connected to the conference call. Webcast: Available on Terangas website at www.terangagold.com/Sabodala-MassawaPFS Replay: The conference call replay will be accessible for two weeks after the call by dialling +1-416-621-4642 or toll-free at +1-800-585-8367 and entering the conference ID 8870643. Note: The slide presentation will be available for download at www.terangagold.com for simultaneous viewing during the call. Teranga Competent and Qualified Persons Statement The PFS was prepared by technical consultants and Teranga Qualified Persons (QPs) (as defined under NI 43-101). Technical consultant QPs are independent of Teranga and have reviewed and approved the information in this press release that pertains to the sections of the PFS for which they take responsibility. The affiliation and areas of responsibility for each of the QPs involved in preparing the PFS, upon which the technical report will be based, are provided below. Independent Technical Consultant Qualified Persons Sindy Ka Man Cheng, P.Eng., Mineral processing, metallurgical testing, process design and process plant costs Manochehr Oliazadeh, P.Eng., Process plant costs James Christopher Lane, RpGeo AIG, RPEQ, MAusIMM, CGeol., Tailings storage facility Graham E. Trusler, MSc, Pr Eng, MiChe, MSAIChE, Environmental studies, permitting and social or community impact Teranga Qualified Persons Patti Nakai-Lajoie, P.Geo., Property description, location, accessibility, climate, local resources, infrastructure, physiography, history, geological settings, mineralization, deposit types, exploration, drilling, sample preparation, sample analyses, sample security, data verification and mineral resources Stephen Ling, P.Eng., Mineral reserves, mining methods, project infrastructure, market studies, contracts, mining costs, general site costs, economic analysis Technical Report An NI 43-101 compliant technical report for the Sabodala-Massawa Project will be filed on the Companys website and on SEDAR ( www.sedar.com ) on or before August 31, 2020. Data Verification The QPs responsible for the preparation of the PFS and the technical report in respect thereof have verified the data disclosed in this press release, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information contained in this press release. Geological, mine engineering and metallurgical reviews included, among other things, reviewing mapping, core logs, and re-logging existing drill holes, review of geotechnical and hydrological studies, environmental and community factors, the development of the life of mine plan, capital and operating costs, transportation, taxation and royalties, and review of existing metallurgical test work. In the opinion of the Qualified Persons, the data, assumptions, and parameters used to estimate mineral resources and mineral reserves, the metallurgical model, the economic analysis, and the PFS are sufficiently reliable for those purposes. The technical report in respect of the PFS, when filed, will contain more detailed information concerning individual responsibilities, associated quality assurance and quality control, and other data verification matters, and the key assumptions, parameters and methods used by the Company. Endnotes (1) The Company has included non-IFRS measures in this document, including total cash costs, total cash costs per ounce, AISC, and AISC per ounce. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, provide investors an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. The non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to other issuers.Total cash costs figures are calculated in accordance with a standard developed by The Gold Institute, which was a worldwide association of suppliers of gold and gold products and included leading North American gold producers. The Gold Institute ceased operations in 2002, but the standard is considered the accepted standard of reporting cash cost of production in North America. Adoption of the standard is voluntary and the cost measures presented may not be comparable to other similarly titled measure of other companies. Total cash cost per ounce sold is a common financial performance measure in the gold mining industry but has no standard meaning under IFRS. The Company reports total cash costs on a sales basis. We believe that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Companys performance and ability to generate cash flow. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The measure, along with sales, is considered to be a key indicator of a Companys ability to generate operating profits and cash flow from its mining operations. Beginning in the second quarter 2013, we adopted an AISC measure consistent with the guidance issued by the World Gold Council (WGC) on June 27, 2013, of which Teranga became a member on November 27, 2018. The Company believes that the use of AISC is helpful to analysts, investors and other stakeholders of the Company in assessing its operating performance, its ability to generate free cash flow from current operations and its overall value. This measure is helpful to governments and local communities in understanding the economics of gold mining. AISC is an extension of existing cash cost metrics and incorporate costs related to sustaining production. The WGC definition of AISC seeks to extend the definition of total cash costs by adding corporate general and administrative costs, reclamation and remediation costs (including accretion and amortization), exploration and study costs (capital and expensed), capitalized stripping costs and sustaining capital expenditures and represents the total costs of producing gold from current operations. AISC excludes income tax payments, interest costs, costs related to business acquisitions and items needed to normalize profits. Consequently, this measure is not representative of all of the Companys cash expenditures. In addition, the calculation of AISC does not include depreciation expense as it does not reflect the impact of expenditures incurred in prior periods. Therefore, it is not indicative of the Companys overall profitability. Life of mine total cash costs and AISC used in this press release are before cash/non-cash inventory movements and amortized advanced royalty costs, and exclude any allocation of corporate overheads. Other companies may calculate this measure differently. For more information regarding these measures, please refer to Terangas Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2020 accessible on the Companys website at www.terangagold.com . (2) Life of mine assumptions include: Gold price: $1,600 per ounce Heavy fuel oil (HFO): $0.35 per litre Light fuel oil (LFO): $0.65 per litre Euro to USD Exchange Rate: 1.10:1 (3) This production target is based on proven and probable minerals reserves for the Sabodala-Massawa Project and the Wahgnion Gold Operation as at December 31, 2019 as disclosed on the Company's website at www.terangagold.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . The estimated reserves underpinning this production target have been prepared by a competent and qualified person or persons (see Competent and Qualified Persons Statement in this press release). (4) Production profiles are based on proven and probable minerals reserves for the Sabodala-Massawa Project as at December 31, 2019 as disclosed on the Companys website at www.terangagold.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . The estimated reserves underpinning these production targets have been prepared by a competent and qualified person or persons (see Competent and Qualified Persons Statement in this press release). (5) Over the past several years more than twelve million ounces of measured and indicated resources have been identified within the south eastern Senegal region, including the Massawa, Golouma, Makabingui and Mako projects, along with the Companys own Sabodala gold mine. With exploration work completed to date and the prior exploration success seen in the area, Management believes there is a reasonable basis to anticipate future resource to reserve conversion. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's expectations regarding Terangas future growth opportunities, results of operations, performance (both operational and financial) and business prospects (including the timing and development of new deposits and the success of exploration activities) and other opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "scheduled", "trends", "indications", "potential", "estimates", "predicts", "anticipate", to establish, "does not anticipate", "believe", "intend", "ability to" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", or are "likely" to be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify such forward looking information. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, the results of the PFS and the anticipated capital and operating costs, the timeline for completing a DFS, sustaining costs, net present value, process capacity, average annual gold production, average process recoveries, anticipated mining and processing methods, proposed PFS production schedule and gold production profile, anticipated construction, anticipated mine life, expected recoveries and grades, anticipated production rates, infrastructure, future financial or operating performance of the Company and its projects, estimation of mineral resources, exploration results, opportunities for exploration, development and expansion of the Massawa Project, its potential mineralization, the future price of gold, the realization of mineral reserve estimates, costs and timing of future exploration, and the timing of the development of new deposits. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Teranga cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions and its expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, the closing and timing of financing, the ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, the accuracy of mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates, gold price, exchange rates, fuel and energy costs, future economic conditions, anticipated future estimates of free cash flow, and courses of action. Teranga cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of gold and other key inputs, changes in mine plans and other factors, such as project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of Teranga, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Teranga's 2019 Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2020, and in other filings of Teranga with securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Teranga does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Nothing in this document should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Teranga securities. All references to Teranga include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise. About Teranga Teranga Gold is transitioning into a mid-tier gold producer operating long-life, low-cost mines and advancing prospective exploration properties across West Africa, one of the worlds fastest growing gold jurisdictions. The top-tier gold complex created by integrating the recently acquired high-grade Massawa Project with the Companys Sabodala mine, the successful commissioning of Wahgnion, Terangas second gold mine and a strong pipeline of early to advanced-stage exploration assets support the continued growth of Terangas reserves, production and cash flow. Through its continued success and commitment to responsible mining, Teranga creates sustainable value for all stakeholders and acts as a catalyst for social, economic, and environmental development. Contact Information Richard Young President & CEO T: +1 416-594-0000 | E: ryoung@terangagold.com Trish Moran VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications T: +1 416-607-4507 | E: tmoran@terangagold.com APPENDIX Table A Open-Pit and Underground Mineral Resource Estimate as at December 31, 2019 Deposit Domain Measured Indicated Measured and Indicated Inferred Tonnes Grade Au Tonnes Grade Au Tonnes Grade Au Tonnes Grade Au ('000s) g/t Au '000s ('000s) g/t Au ('000s) ('000s) g/t Au ('000s) ('000s) g/t Au ('000s) Sabodala Open-Pit 8,663 1.32 369 5,975 1.61 310 14,638 1.44 678 2,453 1.24 98 Underground 1,631 3.65 191 1,631 3.65 191 460 3.60 53 Combined 8,663 1.32 369 7,606 2.05 501 16,270 1.66 870 2,913 1.61 151 Masato Open-Pit 2,458 0.69 55 22,212 1.16 829 24,670 1.11 884 Underground 1,163 2.75 103 1,163 2.75 103 1,984 2.85 182 Combined 2,458 0.69 55 23,375 1.24 932 25,833 1.19 987 1,984 2.85 182 Gora Open-Pit Underground 274 4.92 43 274 4.92 43 56 4.87 9 Combined 274 4.92 43 274 4.92 43 56 4.87 9 Golouma Open-Pit 354 0.75 9 3,497 2.93 329 3,851 2.73 338 55 2.79 5 Underground 2,136 4.09 281 2,136 4.09 281 851 3.66 100 Combined 354 0.75 9 5,634 3.37 610 5,988 3.21 619 906 3.61 105 Kerekounda Open-Pit Underground 499 4.88 78 499 4.88 78 235 5.70 43 Combined 499 4.88 78 499 4.88 78 235 5.70 43 Maki Medina Open-Pit 115 0.78 3 1,053 1.21 41 1,168 1.17 44 42 1.00 1 Underground 179 2.73 16 179 2.73 16 90 2.56 7 Combined 115 0.78 2,874 1,232 1.43 57 1,347 1.38 60 132 2.06 9 Niakafiri East Open-Pit 4,776 1.37 210 14,140 1.14 516 18,916 1.19 726 4,515 0.93 135 Underground 224 2.72 20 224 2.72 20 514 2.70 45 Combined 4,776 1.37 210 14,364 1.16 536 19,140 1.21 746 5,030 1.11 180 Niakafiri West Open-Pit 3,061 1.02 100 3,061 1.02 100 673 0.86 19 Underground 74 2.67 6 74 2.67 6 71 2.84 6 Combined 3,135 1.06 107 3,135 1.06 107 744 1.05 25 Goumbati West - Kobokoto Open-Pit 2,678 1.35 116 2,678 1.35 116 498 0.81 13 Underground 131 3.25 14 131 3.25 14 79 2.90 7 Combined 2,809 1.44 130 2,809 1.44 130 577 1.09 20 Golouma North Open-Pit 170 1.32 7 170 1.32 7 295 1.42 14 Underground 14 2.64 1 14 2.64 1 19 2.93 2 Combined 184 1.42 8 184 1.42 8 314 1.51 15 Diadiako Open-Pit 178 1.27 7 Underground 663 2.89 61 Combined 841 2.54 69 Kinemba Open-Pit 24 1.06 1 24 1.06 1 91 0.95 3 Underground 56 2.52 5 Combined 24 1.06 1 24 1.06 1 147 1.55 7 Kourouloulou Open-Pit 96 11.51 36 96 11.51 36 22 6.71 5 Underground 59 9.15 18 59 9.15 18 86 13.58 38 Combined 156 10.61 53 156 10.61 53 108 12.18 42 Kouroundi Open-Pit 67 0.93 2 67 0.93 2 42 0.74 1 Underground Combined 67 0.93 2 67 0.93 2 42 0.74 1 Koutouniokolla Open-Pit 85 1.58 4 Underground 22 2.54 2 Combined 108 1.78 6 Mamasato Open-Pit 560 1.45 26 560 1.45 26 305 1.25 12 Underground 42 2.32 3 Combined 560 1.45 26 560 1.45 26 347 1.38 15 Marougou Open-Pit 1,198 1.41 54 Underground Combined 1,198 1.41 54 Sekoto Open-Pit 485 0.89 14 Underground 25 2.11 2 Combined 510 0.95 16 Soukhoto Open-Pit 550 1.46 26 Underground Combined 550 1.46 26 Sofia Open-Pit 9,881 2.46 782 9,881 2.46 782 1,302 1.68 70 Underground Combined 9,881 2.46 782 9,881 2.46 782 1,302 1.68 70 Massawa CZ Open-Pit 494 4.57 73 11,654 3.52 1,319 12,148 3.56 1,391 2,747 3.12 276 Underground Combined 494 4.57 73 11,654 3.52 1,319 12,148 3.56 1,391 2,747 3.12 276 Massawa NZ Open-Pit 5,748 4.79 885 5,748 4.79 885 185 5.30 31 Underground 2,582 4.50 373 Combined 5,748 4.79 885 5,748 4.79 885 2,767 4.55 405 Delya Open-Pit 760 4.46 109 760 4.46 109 95 3.76 12 Underground Combined 760 4.46 109 760 4.46 109 95 3.76 12 Tina Open-Pit 1,929 1.05 65 Underground Combined 1,929 1.05 65 Bambaraya Open-Pit 537 2.15 37 Underground Combined 537 2.15 37 Total Open-Pit 16,860 1.32 717 81,578 2.06 5,409 98,438 1.94 6,127 18,285 1.53 902 Underground 6,384 3.75 771 6,384 3.75 771 7,836 3.72 938 Combined 16,860 1.32 717 87,962 2.19 6,180 104,823 2.05 6,897 26,120 2.19 1,840 Notes to Table A above: CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources. Open pit oxide Mineral Resources are estimated at cut-off grades ranging from 0.35 g/t Au to 0.50 g/t Au. Open pit transition and primary rock Mineral Resources are estimated at cut-off grades ranging from 0.40 g/t Au to 1.20 g/t Au. Underground Mineral Resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 2.00 g/t Au at Sabodala, and at 2.84 g/t Au at Massawa. Measured Resources at Sabodala include stockpiles, which total 4.3 Mt at 0.75 g/t Au for 104,000 oz. Measured Resources at Masato include stockpiles, which total 2.5 Mt at 0.69 g/t Au for 55,000 oz. Measured Resources at Maki Medina include stockpiles, which total 0.1 Mt at 0.78 g/t Au for 3,000 oz. Measured Resources at Golouma include stockpiles, which total 0.4 Mt at 0.75 g/t Au for 9,000 oz. High grade assays were capped at grades ranging from 1.5 g/t Au to 340 g/t Au. Mineral Resources are inclusive of Mineral Reserves. Open-pit shells were used to constrain open-pit resources. Mineral Resources are estimated using a gold price of $1,450 per ounce. Sum of individual amounts may not equal due to rounding. Table B Sabodala-Massawa Mineral Reserve Estimate as at December 31, 2019 Deposits Proven Probable Proven and Probable Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Au (Moz) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Au (Moz) Tonnes (Mt) Grade (g/t) Au (Moz) Sabodala 1.88 1.64 0.10 2.75 1.41 0.12 4.63 1.50 0.22 Masato 17.77 1.13 0.64 17.77 1.13 0.64 Golouma West 2.10 2.01 0.14 2.10 2.01 0.14 Maki Medina 0.84 1.19 0.03 0.84 1.19 0.03 Niakafiri East 4.49 1.34 0.19 9.43 1.14 0.34 13.92 1.20 0.54 Niakafiri West 1.13 1.10 0.04 1.13 1.10 0.04 Goumbati West and Kobokoto 1.39 1.33 0.06 1.39 1.33 0.06 Stockpiles 7.22 0.73 0.17 7.22 0.73 0.17 Subtotal Open-Pit with Stockpiles 13.59 1.06 0.46 35.40 1.21 1.38 48.99 1.17 1.84 Golouma West 1 Underground 0.62 6.07 0.12 0.62 6.07 0.12 Golouma West 2 Underground 0.45 4.39 0.06 0.45 4.39 0.06 Golouma South Underground 0.47 4.28 0.06 0.47 4.28 0.06 Kerekounda Underground 0.61 4.95 0.10 0.61 4.95 0.10 Subtotal Underground 2.15 5.01 0.35 2.15 5.01 0.35 Total Sabodala Mine Lease 13.59 1.06 0.46 37.55 1.43 1.73 51.14 1.33 2.19 Sofia Main 5.47 2.66 0.47 5.47 2.66 0.47 Sofia North 2.76 1.87 0.17 2.76 1.87 0.17 Central Zone 0.54 3.94 0.07 9.40 3.52 1.06 9.94 3.54 1.13 North Zone 5.60 4.23 0.76 5.60 4.23 0.76 Delya 0.88 3.56 0.10 0.88 3.56 0.10 Total Massawa Mine Lease 0.54 3.94 0.07 24.11 3.30 2.56 24.65 3.32 2.63 Total Reserves 14.13 1.17 0.53 61.67 2.16 4.29 75.79 1.98 4.82 Notes to Table B above: CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Reserves. Open pit oxide Mineral Resources are estimated at cut-off grades ranging from 0.35 g/t Au to 0.50 g/t Au. Mineral Reserve cut-off grades range from 0.41 g/t to 0.61 g/t Au for oxide, 0.47 g/t to 0.79 g/t Au for fresh rock and 1.39 g/t to 1.41 g/t Au for refractory ore, based on a $1,250/oz gold price. Underground Mineral Reserve cut-off grades range from 2.3 g/t to 2.6 g/t Au based on a $1,200/oz gold price. Mineral Reserves account for mining dilution and mining ore loss. Proven Mineral Reserves are based on Measured Mineral Resources only. Probable Mineral Reserves are based on Indicated Mineral Resources only. Sum of individual amounts may not equal due to rounding. The Niakafiri Main deposit is adjacent to the Sabodala village and relocation of at least some portion of the village will be required which will necessitate a negotiated resettlement program with the affected community members. Table C Life of Mine Plan LOM 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 Sabodala Ore Mined Mt 4.6 1.0 0.6 0.2 2.5 0.4 Ore Grade g/t 1.50 1.36 1.31 1.06 1.64 1.49 Contained Oz Moz 0.22 0.04 0.03 0.01 0.13 0.02 Waste Mt 35.9 9.4 1.6 14.4 9.5 1.0 Golouma Ore Mined Mt 2.1 2.1 Ore Grade g/t 2.01 2.01 Contained Oz Moz 0.14 0.14 Waste Mt 8.3 8.3 Maki Medina Ore Mined Mt 0.8 0.8 Ore Grade g/t 1.19 1.19 Contained Oz Moz 0.03 0.03 Waste Mt 3.6 3.6 Niakafiri Ore Mined Mt 15.1 1.5 4.7 2.1 3.5 3.2 Ore Grade g/t 1.19 1.25 1.24 1.03 0.99 1.43 Contained Oz Moz 0.58 0.06 0.19 0.07 0.11 0.15 Waste Mt 59.8 4.5 9.8 15.9 25.0 4.6 Goumbati West Kobokoto Ore Mined Mt 1.4 0.1 0.4 0.9 Ore Grade g/t 1.33 1.34 1.74 1.17 Contained Oz Moz 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.03 Waste Mt 11.8 0.6 3.5 7.6 Masato Ore Mined Mt 17.8 0.5 1.5 5.6 4.9 3.3 1.8 Ore Grade g/t 1.13 0.80 0.95 1.12 1.24 0.95 1.41 Contained Oz Moz 0.64 0.01 0.05 0.20 0.20 0.10 0.08 Waste Mt 114.0 13.1 28.4 24.4 25.0 21.6 1.5 Sofia (North/Main) Ore Mined Mt 8.2 2.0 1.3 3.0 0.2 1.6 0.1 Ore Grade g/t 2.40 2.50 2.84 2.54 1.39 1.82 1.77 Contained Oz Moz 0.63 0.16 0.12 0.24 0.01 0.09 0.01 Waste Mt 45.0 9.2 12.3 13.9 1.2 7.6 0.8 Central Zone Ore Mined Mt 9.9 2.0 1.6 1.7 4.4 0.2 Ore Grade g/t 3.54 2.54 2.89 3.77 4.07 5.36 Contained Oz Moz 1.13 0.16 0.15 0.21 0.57 0.04 Waste Mt 33.9 6.1 6.7 7.4 13.2 0.5 North Zone Ore Mined Mt 5.6 0.6 1.0 1.5 0.9 1.6 Ore Grade g/t 4.23 3.83 4.70 3.32 4.04 5.12 Contained Oz Moz 0.76 0.07 0.15 0.17 0.12 0.26 Waste Mt 67.2 10.8 10.7 23.0 15.5 7.3 Delya Ore Mined Mt 0.9 0.9 Ore Grade g/t 3.56 3.56 Contained Oz Moz 0.10 0.10 Waste Mt 6.8 6.8 Underground Ore Mined Mt 2.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.2 Ore Grade g/t 5.01 5.00 4.95 4.63 4.33 4.39 5.55 5.36 5.52 4.76 Contained Oz Moz 0.35 0.02 0.05 0.05 0.04 0.01 0.03 0.06 0.07 0.02 Summary Ore Mined Mt 68.6 6.0 4.9 5.6 3.5 5.3 5.8 5.0 4.5 4.0 4.9 1.9 5.9 5.0 3.5 2.2 0.4 0.2 Ore Grade g/t 2.11 1.94 2.57 3.02 3.42 4.07 2.96 1.25 1.36 1.14 1.52 1.63 1.26 1.30 1.17 2.07 5.52 4.76 Contained Oz Moz 4.65 0.37 0.40 0.54 0.38 0.69 0.55 0.20 0.20 0.15 0.24 0.10 0.24 0.21 0.13 0.15 0.07 0.02 Waste Mt 386.4 31.2 34.3 31.4 31.5 28.7 26.7 25.0 25.4 26.0 25.3 28.4 24.4 25.0 21.6 1.5 0.0 0.0 Movement Mt 455.0 37.2 39.2 36.9 35.0 34.0 32.4 30.1 30.0 30.0 30.2 30.3 30.2 30.1 25.1 3.7 0.4 0.2 Summary Stockpile Ore Balance Mt 9.1 9.7 11.0 9.0 8.8 9.1 8.7 7.9 7.2 7.9 5.6 7.3 8.1 7.4 5.4 1.7 0.0 Stockpile Grade g/t 0.91 0.87 1.16 1.16 1.97 2.25 1.47 1.01 0.90 1.02 0.93 0.91 0.88 0.70 0.69 0.69 0.00 Contained Oz Moz 0.27 0.27 0.41 0.33 0.56 0.66 0.41 0.26 0.21 0.26 0.17 0.21 0.23 0.17 0.12 0.04 0.00 LOM PROCESSING PLAN LOM 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 Mill Production Sabodala WOL Ore Ore Milled Mt 51.1 3.1 1.1 0.6 1.5 0.9 1.8 2.8 4.0 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.0 1.9 Head Grade g/t 1.33 1.89 1.45 0.89 0.73 0.71 1.17 1.52 1.38 0.94 1.40 1.42 1.43 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.15 1.02 Contained Oz Moz 2.19 0.19 0.05 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.07 0.14 0.18 0.13 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.15 0.06 Oxide % 15 % 12 % 35 % 40 % 49 % 50 % 63 % 27 % 28 % 7 % 22 % 10 % 4 % 11 % 4 % 0 % 0 % 0 % Produced Oz Moz 1.97 0.17 0.05 0.02 0.03 0.02 0.06 0.12 0.16 0.11 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.13 0.06 Mill Production Massawa WOL Ore Ore Milled Mt 18.2 1.0 3.2 3.7 2.8 3.4 2.4 1.4 0.2 Head Grade g/t 2.44 2.67 3.42 3.25 1.75 2.06 1.68 1.76 1.23 Contained Oz Moz 1.43 0.09 0.35 0.39 0.16 0.23 0.13 0.08 0.01 Oxide % 48 % 71 % 56 % 39 % 65 % 33 % 44 % 47 % 33 % Produced Oz Moz 1.25 0.08 0.31 0.34 0.14 0.18 0.12 0.07 0.01 Mill Production Massawa ROT Ore Ore Milled Mt 6.5 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.5 Head Grade g/t 5.77 6.82 5.83 6.42 5.99 4.44 4.24 Contained Oz Moz 1.20 0.26 0.23 0.25 0.23 0.17 0.07 Oxide % 0 % 0 % 0 % 0 % 0 % 0 % 0 % Produced Oz Moz 1.06 0.23 0.20 0.22 0.20 0.15 0.06 Total Mill Production Ore Milled Mt 75.8 4.1 4.2 4.3 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.4 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.0 1.9 Head Grade g/t 1.98 2.08 2.92 2.92 2.57 2.68 2.55 2.57 2.05 1.29 1.40 1.42 1.43 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.15 1.02 Contained Oz Moz 4.82 0.28 0.40 0.40 0.46 0.47 0.45 0.45 0.36 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.15 0.06 Oxide % 22 % 27 % 50 % 39 % 47 % 28 % 41 % 27 % 22 % 7 % 22 % 10 % 4 % 11 % 4 % 0 % 0 % 0 % Produced Oz Moz 4.28 0.24 0.36 0.36 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.32 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.13 0.06 Table D Life of Mine Capital Expenditures Sustaining Capex Unit LOM 5-Year Average 2021- 2025 10-Year Average 2021- 2025 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 Mining Equipment US$M 74 8 6 15 7 11 6 10 4 4 2 1 5 6 3 - - - - - - Processing US$M 46 3 3 3 2 2 4 5 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 - G&A and Other Sustaining US$M 49 5 4 7 9 4 4 8 2 3 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 0 - TSF1 and TSF2 US$M 53 9 5 4 13 24 7 0 - - - - - 3 - - 2 - - - - Pit Dewatering US$M 19 4 2 - 5 4 4 4 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - Total Sustaining Capex US$M 241 29 19 29 37 45 25 27 12 11 8 6 9 12 6 3 5 3 2 1 - Capital Projects & Development Underground Development US$M 102 - 6 - - - - - - - 24 23 9 2 1 9 18 10 4 1 - Massawa - Phase 1 US$M 37 2 1 29 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Massawa - Phase 2 US$M 219 44 22 - 71 148 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Community Relocation US$M 50 8 4 8 30 12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Total Projects and Development US$M 409 54 33 37 109 160 - - - - 24 23 9 2 1 9 18 10 4 1 - Notes to Table D above: (1) Sum of individual amounts may not equal due to rounding Table E Life of Mine Operating Costs Operating Costs Unit LOM 5-Year Average 2021- 2025 10-Year Average 2021- 2030 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 Open-Pit Mining US$/t mined 2.6 2.8 2.6 2.8 2.5 2.9 2.7 3.0 2.9 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.2 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.4 3.1 - - - Underground Mining US$/t milled 72.2 - 74.3 - - - - - - - - 76.3 74.9 73.3 77.3 79.7 76.5 66.5 64.4 78.1 - Processing WOL US$/t milled 10.2 10.4 10.1 10.7 10.5 10.8 9.7 11.2 9.7 9.9 9.7 10.0 9.9 10.0 10.1 10.0 10.1 10.1 11.0 10.8 - Processing ROT US$/t milled 36.1 36.1 36.1 - - - 36.1 36.1 36.1 36.1 36.1 36.1 - - - - - - - - - General & Admin. US$/t milled 4.0 4.4 4.2 5.0 5.3 5.2 3.9 4.0 3.9 4.0 3.9 3.7 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 3.6 3.1 2.7 2.3 - Mining US$M 1,158 100 85 103 100 107 94 103 95 71 68 72 67 71 72 66 59 10 - - - Underground Mining US$M 155 - 5 - - - - - - - - 7 22 26 20 7 13 24 25 12 - Processing WOL US$M 709 44 43 44 45 47 42 47 42 42 41 42 42 42 42 42 42 42 44 20 - Processing ROT US$M 234 26 23 - - - 43 43 43 43 43 18 - - - - - - - - - General & Admin US$M 304 22 21 21 22 22 22 22 22 22 21 18 18 18 18 18 15 13 11 4 - Total Operating Costs US$M 2,560 192 177 168 167 176 201 215 201 178 174 156 148 156 152 133 129 90 79 37 - Capitalized Deferred Stripping(1) US$M (13 ) - - (13 ) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Royalties(2) US$M 373 34 27 21 29 29 34 41 39 33 26 14 15 14 17 17 15 15 11 4 - Total Cash Costs US$M 2,921 226 205 177 196 205 235 257 240 210 200 170 163 171 168 149 144 105 90 41 - Total Cash Costs(3) US$/oz 681 590 648 715 545 569 587 641 601 525 623 984 941 986 971 863 834 607 677 742 - Sustaining Capex US$M 241 29 19 29 37 45 25 27 12 11 8 6 9 12 6 3 5 3 2 1 - Capitalized Deferred Stripping(1) US$M 13 - - 13 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Regional Admin US$M 34 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 - All-In Sustaining Costs (AISC) US$M 3,209 258 226 221 234 252 262 286 255 223 210 178 173 185 176 155 151 110 95 43 - AISC(3) US$/oz 749 671 715 893 652 699 655 715 637 558 656 1,028 1,003 1,069 1,017 894 875 633 711 779 - Development Capex US$M 409 54 33 37 109 160 - - - - 24 23 9 2 1 9 18 10 4 1 - Franco Nevada Stream US$M 140 12 12 14 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 9 - - - - - - Franco Nevada Stream US$/oz 33 31 37 55 33 33 29 29 29 29 37 68 68 68 51 - - - - - - Table F Life of Mine Cash Flows Unit LOM 5-Year Average 2021-2025 10-Year Average 2021-2030 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 Production Koz 4,285 384 316 245 359 360 400 400 400 400 320 173 173 173 173 173 173 173 133 56 - Gold Price $/oz 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 1,600 - Revenue US$M 6,859 614 505 395 575 576 640 640 640 640 512 277 277 277 277 277 277 277 213 89 - Total Cash Cost (3) US$M 2,921 226 205 177 196 205 235 257 240 210 200 170 163 171 168 149 144 105 90 41 - Capex US$M 254 29 19 41 37 45 25 27 12 11 8 6 9 12 6 3 5 3 2 1 - Regional Administration US$M 34 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 - All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) US$M 3,209 258 226 221 234 252 262 286 255 223 210 178 173 185 176 155 151 110 95 43 - All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) (3) $/oz 749 671 715 893 652 699 655 715 637 558 656 1,028 1,003 1,069 1,017 894 875 633 711 779 - Development Capex US$M 409 54 33 37 109 160 - - - - 24 23 9 2 1 9 18 10 4 1 - Franco-Nevada Gold Stream (4) US$M 140 12 12 14 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 9 - - - - - - Cash Flow Before Taxes, Mine Closure and Other US$M 3,101 291 235 124 220 153 366 342 374 405 266 64 83 78 91 114 107 157 114 45 - Taxes, Mine Closure, and Other (5) US$M 664 61 57 41 41 70 65 68 61 68 73 47 11 12 9 10 16 13 15 43 1 Net Cash Flow US$M 2,438 230 183 83 179 83 301 275 312 337 193 17 71 65 82 104 91 144 99 2 (1 ) Minority Interest US$M 228 16 18 - - 10 8 30 27 31 34 19 2 7 7 8 10 9 14 10 0 Cash Flow After Minority Interest US$M 2,210 215 166 83 179 73 293 245 285 306 159 (2 ) 70 58 76 96 81 135 84 (8 ) (1 ) Notes to Tables E & F above: (1) Excludes any capitalized deferred stripping adjustments beyond 2020 (2) Royalties include Government of Senegal royalties on total production (3) Total cash costs per ounce and all-in sustaining costs per ounce are non-IFRS financial measures and do not have a standard meaning under IFRS. Total cash costs per ounce and all-in sustaining costs per ounce are before cash/non-cash inventory movements and amortized advanced royalty costs, and excludes allocation of corporate overheads. Please refer to non-IFRS Performance Measures. (4) The Franco-Nevada Gold Stream assumes a fixed number of gold ounces payable each year until third quarter 2031. (5) Taxes, mine closure and other includes income taxes paid to the Government of Senegal, government social fund, initial $15 million payment in 2020 related to an advance royalty for future Massawa production, working capital, closure cost payments, and plant residual value. Sustainability costs and exploration costs are not included. (6) Sum of individual amounts may not equal due to rounding. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a660c8e4-963a-429e-be80-4b40b82fb5fb Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray flagged off 25 ambulances donated by his party Shiv Sena yesterday. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, has reported 1,090 Covid-19 cases and 52 deaths on Saturday. As many as 617 people have been discharged after being recovered from the disease, said the Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai. Follow latest updates on coronavirus here The Covid-19 tally in the city has now climbed to 1,07,981 including 78,877 patients recovered/discharged and 6,033 deaths. Click here for complete coronavirus coverage According to the Union health ministry, Maharashtra has reported 3,57,117 Covid-19 cases including, 1,44,018 active cases, 1,99,967 recoveries and 13,132 deaths so far. Britain's Prince Harry took offence at what he thought was Prince William's "snobbishness" when he advised his brother to "take as much time as you need to get to know this girl" when he was dating Meghan Markle, a new book says. Harry and his wife, Meghan, have distanced themselves from the book called "Finding Freedom", saying they were not interviewed for the biography being serialised by The Times and The Sunday Times newspapers and made no contributions to it. The book documents, citing sources, a time when Harry and Meghan were dating and William wanted to make sure the American actress had the right intentions, The Sunday Times said. "Don't feel you need to rush this," William told Harry, according to sources cited by the book. "Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl." The Sunday Times said Harry heard a tone of snobbishness in the last two words, "this girl", and that Harry no longer felt he needed looking after. The couple and their son, Archie, now live in Los Angeles after they stepped down from their royal roles in March to forge new careers. In January they announced plans to lead a more independent life and to finance it themselves. Harry and Meghan married in May 2018 in a wedding heralded at the time as infusing a blast of Hollywood glamour and modernity into the British monarchy and which made them one of the world's biggest celebrity couples. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-27 06:32:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman wearing a face mask rides a bike on a street near the Capitol in Washington, D.C., the United States, July 26, 2020. White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Sunday that the next round of COVID-19 relief package will include 1,200-U.S.-dollar direct payments to Americans, as a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country poses major risk to the economic recovery. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Sunday that the next round of COVID-19 relief package will include 1,200-U.S.-dollar direct payments to Americans, as a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country poses major risk to the economic recovery. "There's a 1,200 dollar check coming, that's going to be part of the new package," Kudlow said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," noting that he would have preferred a payroll tax cut but it doesn't work politically. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that Senate Republicans and the Trump administration have reached an agreement in principle on the next COVID-19 relief package, which will focus on kids, jobs and healthcare. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told Fox News on Sunday that Republicans have now finalized the relief package, which is worth about 1 trillion dollars, and intend to introduce it Monday. "It's a very well rounded package," Kudlow said. "It's a very well targeted package." Kudlow also said the administration plans to lengthen the federal eviction moratorium, which has protected millions of renters from getting evicted in the past four months but ended on Saturday. The White House economic advisor defends the Trump administration's plan to give Americans only 70 percent of their previous wages, instead of the extra weekly 600-dollar unemployment benefits, saying that the unemployment plan is "quite generous." U.S. Congress passed the 2.2-trillion-U.S.-dollar CARES Act, or the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, in late March to provide fiscal aid for households, businesses and healthcare providers, but the 600-dollar unemployment benefits are set to expire at the end of this month. While Democrats want to extend the extra 600-dollar unemployment benefits through January, the White House and Republicans want to reduce the figure, arguing that it has created a financial disincentive for people to return to work. Meanwhile, the Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of initial jobless claims in the United States rose to 1.4 million in the week ending July 18 amid a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, reversing 15 weeks of consecutive declines in new applications, and indicating that re-imposed restrictions on businesses activity have taken a toll on employment. Over 20 U.S. states have already paused or partially reversed reopening efforts amid an alarming resurgence of cases, raising uncertainty over the prospect of economic recovery. As the total number of COVID-19 cases across the nation surpasses four million, more than 150 prominent U.S. medical experts and health professionals have signed an open letter, urging decision makers to shut down the country and contain the surging pandemic. Enditem Anti-Putin Protests In Russia's Far East Gather Steam By Siberia Desk, RFE/RL's Russian Service July 25, 2020 KHABAROVSK, Russia -- A demonstration against the way Russian President Vladimir Putin has handled a regional political crisis is reportedly the largest seen in the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk since protests began there more than two weeks ago. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the streets of the Khabarovsk region's capital for a third weekend on July 25 to show their anger over the Kremlin's replacement of a popular regional governor who was elected in 2018. Many called for Putin's resignation. Others chanted "Disgrace" and denounced the acting governor that Putin appointed in Khabarovsk after he fired Sergei Furgal on July 20. Municipal authorities in Khabarovsk estimated about 6,500 demonstrators took part in the July 25 protest. Local media put the number at up to 20,000 people. But protest leaders and independent journalists said there were more than 50,000 people demonstrating on the streets of Khabarovsk, which would make it the largest anti-government protest there since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Protesters in Khabarovsk see criminal charges raised against Furgal before his dismissal as unsubstantiated. They are demanding he stand trial at home instead of Moscow, where he has been transferred. "People are offended," said Dmitry Kachalin, one of the protesters. "I think people are taking to the streets because their vote in the 2018 election was taken away." Unlike Moscow, where police quickly disperse unsanctioned opposition protests, Russian authorities have not attempted to break up the unauthorized demonstrations in Khabarovsk -- apparently hoping the rallies will dissipate over time. But daily protests, peaking at the weekends, have been going on for more than two weeks. They reflect discontent with Putin's rule as well as anger against what local residents see as Moscow's disrespect of their choice to run the region. Warnings by local officials about the coronavirus have failed to discourage people from taking to the streets and join the protests. The protests in Khabarovsk, about 6,100 kilometers and seven time zones east of Moscow, have created headaches for the Kremlin as it tries to prevent unrest over the economic impact of coronavirus restrictions. Furgal was arrested in Khabarovsk on July 9 and transferred to Moscow. He is charged with attempted murder as well as ordering two murders in 2004-05. He denies the charges, saying they are politically motivated. Furgal, a member of Vladimir Zhirinovsky's nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), was elected as the region's governor nearly two years ago in an upset victory against the longtime incumbent from Putin's ruling United Russia party. He was officially dismissed by Putin on July 20 and replaced the same day when Putin appointed LDPR member Mikhail Degtyaryov as acting governor. Degtyaryov has said on Instagram that he is following the protests via surveillance cameras. He also has used his Instagram account to call on Khabarovsk's residents to maintain social-distancing practices during the rallies and has warned that the authorities could tighten coronavirus restrictions there. He has said protesters should spend time "properly" with their relatives at their summer houses on the weekend instead of taking to the streets. He has also charged, without providing evidence, that the ongoing rallies are being organized by unspecified "foreigners," adding that he will not meet with the demonstrators. On July 21, two local lawmakers in Khabarovsk, Pyotr Yemelyanov and Aleksandr Kayan, quit the LDPR in protest against Furgal's dismissal. With reporting by Current Time, Reuters, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/anti- putin-protests-in-russia-s-far-east- gather-steam/30746491.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 14:17:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, July 25 (Xinhua) -- As global warming has made navigating Arctic waters more feasible, tensions in the region between the United States and Russia could escalate, analysts have said. "Arctic activity will increase with global warming, so frictions are likely to follow naturally," Douglas Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Xinhua. In 2013, a report published on the Science magazine warned that the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world. In late June this year, temperatures in the Arctic region hit a record high of 38 degree Celsius, according to media reports. Paal said the strategic denial of the Arctic to other countries has long been a U.S. goal, but that may not prove sustainable with global warming making the Arctic more amenable to use by a variety of countries. The United States aims to expand its role in the Arctic and "is concerned about Russia's military buildup" there, William Courtney, adjunct senior fellow of U.S. nonprofit global think tank RAND Corporation, told Xinhua. As the Arctic Ocean warms and civilian shipping becomes more feasible, the United States worries that Russia might leverage its military buildup to "block or intimidate access to parts of the Ocean" for commercial shipping or NATO warships, he said. In April 2017, the Russian Defense Ministry offered internet users a rare chance to "virtually" visit its newly-built Arctic Trefoil military base on its website. The Trefoil base is one of the six new military bases Moscow has completed equipping on the Arctic islands and in the polar part of mainland Russia. The completion of those bases marks a major step towards Russia's overall goal of reopening and extending the military bases it once owned and operated throughout the Arctic during the Cold War. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order named "Basic Principles of Russian Federation State Policy in the Arctic to 2035." According to the Kremlin's website, Russia's main national interests in the Arctic include ensuring Russia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as preserving the Arctic as a "territory of peace and stable mutually beneficial partnership," among others. Earlier this week, during a trip to Denmark, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo highlighted that the United States sought to counter Russia's expanded presence in the Arctic. However, in the eyes of Courtney, a more assertive U.S. military posture in the Arctic could seem counter to Washington's repeatedly voiced desire to reduce U.S. military presence abroad. There are questions of both intent and capability regarding U.S. interests in the Arctic, and their importance relative to Russia's interests, he said. Enditem By Nimot Adetola Sulaimon A Dubai-based company, Shirley Recruitment Consultants released a job advert online exempting Nigerian males and females from applying for the said position. According to the job details, a company is looking for merchandisers in Dubai, UAE. All other African citizens can apply for the job but not Nigerians. This goes to show the level at which Nigerians are viewed, following the recent arrest of Nigerian Dubai-based alleged fraudster, Ray Hushpuppi. Some critics have attributed the disdain to fraudulent Nigerians like Hushpuppi and the rest. Although, the company is yet to disclose the reason for this discrimination and exclusion. The Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) had earlier decried the stigma and also called for reform. Check out the job advert below Related We just need to open our eyes and our ears and our hearts to know that this nations racial history still casts its long shadow upon us, Obama said then. We know the march is not yet over; we know the race is not yet won. We know reaching that blessed destination where we are judged by the content of our character requires admitting as much. Now more than ever, Portland police need your support. We want to be with you in the community and working on the real relationships that will create change. We want to get back to the critical issues that have been hijacked by people committing crimes under the cover of the crowds. Olivia de Havilland, with Leslie Howard, in the 1939 epic "Gone With the Wind," which earned her an Academy Award nomination for supporting actress. The film won several Oscars, including best picture. (1998 New Line Cinema / ) Forever a free spirit in a buttoned-down world, Olivia de Havilland battled studios for workers' rights, waged a 1st Amendment fight over the use of her image, and ultimately turned her back on the film industry and moved to Paris to live a life of unfettered freedom. But through it all she remained the essence of Hollywood royalty, a title she gracefully accepted. The last remaining star from the 1939 epic film Gone With the Wind and a two-time Academy Award winner, De Havilland died Sunday of natural causes at her home in Paris, where she had lived for decades. She was 104. De Havilland was generally considered the last of the big-name actors from the golden age of Hollywood, an era when the studios hummed with activity and the stars seemed larger than life. Though she lived in semi-retirement and could be spotted even late in life biking around her adopted hometown, the actress remained firmly in the public eye. In her final years she waged a 1st Amendment fight for privacy over the use of her image in the 2017 docudrama Feud: Bette and Joan. On the eve of her 101st birthday she sued FX over what she alleged was the unauthorized use of her identity in the miniseries, which chronicled the storied rivalry between actresses Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Catherine Zeta-Jones portrayed De Havilland in the serial. I was furious. I certainly expected that I would be consulted about the text. I never imagined that anyone would misrepresent me, she told The Times in 2018, adding that the series characterized her as a vulgar gossip and a hypocrite. The case was expedited due to De Havillands advanced age. Despite early victories, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case in early 2019. Olivia de Havilland, left, in 1968. Catherine Zeta-Jones portrays De Havilland in the series "Feud: Bette and Joan." (Associated Press) Earlier in her career, movie audiences knew De Havilland best as the demure, pretty heroine opposite the dashing Errol Flynn in Captain Blood and other popular Warner Bros. costume dramas of the 1930s, including The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Charge of the Light Brigade. Story continues But she won her lead-actress Oscars in more substantial, less flattering roles after leaving Warner Bros. in the mid-1940s. Her first Oscar came for the 1946 film To Each His Own, a World War I-era drama in which she plays an unwed mother who lives to regret giving up her young son. She won her second for The Heiress, a 1949 drama set in 19th century New York in which she portrays a shy and plain-looking young woman who falls in love with a handsome young man (played by Montgomery Clift) whom her wealthy and overbearing father suspects is a fortune hunter. De Havilland also received a lead-actress Oscar nomination for her memorable role in The Snake Pit, a 1948 drama that chronicles the mental breakdown and recovery of a young married woman who is placed in a mental institution. But her most enduring screen role was that of sweet Melanie in Gone With the Wind, the Civil War drama that won hearts and Oscars but ultimately became a symbol of the country's systemic racism for its romanticized portrayal of the antebellum South and its sanitized treatment of the crushing horrors of slavery. WarnerMedia pulled the film from its streaming service during the national protests sparked by the May 25 death of George Floyd after a white Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground by leaning on his neck for several minutes as other police officers appeared to look on dispassionately. De Havilland was the last survivor among the films principal actors, who included Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard and Hattie McDaniel. Olivia de Havilland and Clark Gable star in "Gone With the Wind." (Los Angeles Times archives) Off-screen, De Havilland was known in Hollywood for her milestone legal victory over Warner Bros. in the mid-1940s, a court decision that revolutionized actor-studio contractual relationships and later provided ammunition for her battle with FX. And industry insiders and fans were well aware of her much-publicized feud with her movie-star sister, Joan Fontaine, an outsized sibling rivalry that began in their childhood. My sister is one year, three months, three weeks and one day younger than me, De Havilland told the Washington Post in 1979 when she was 62. When one does everything first, it must be very hard on the second. I find it a great pity. In her autobiography, No Bed of Roses, Fontaine speculated that De Havilland would have preferred to be an only child and always resented having a younger sister. That Fontaine followed her sister to Hollywood and won the first lead-actress Oscar in the family in 1942 for Suspicion, beating out De Havilland in Hold Back the Dawn didn't help matters. In a 1978 interview, Fontaine said, I married first, won the Oscar before Olivia did, and if I die first, shell undoubtedly be livid because I beat her to it. Fontaine died of natural causes in 2013 at the age of 96. De Havilland said the two had mended their differences before her sister's death. A portrait of actress Olivia de Havilland, left, in 1945. Actress Joan Fontaine, right, in 1941's "Suspicion." (Left: Paramount Pictures. Right: RKO Radio) The daughter of British parents, De Havilland was born July 1, 1916, in Tokyo, where her father headed a patent law firm. Her mother, who had attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, named her first-born daughter Olivia after the character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. In 1919, when De Havilland was not yet 3, her parents marital problems prompted her mother to take her two daughters and move to Northern California, where they settled in Saratoga, near San Jose. De Havillands parents later divorced, and her mother married George M. Fontaine, manager of a local department store. At Los Gatos Union High School, De Havilland joined the drama club and, despite a tendency to suffer stage fright, appeared in school plays and won trophies on the debating team and in a public speaking contest. After high school graduation in 1934, she earned a scholarship to attend Mills College in Oakland, but her life took a detour that summer. An assistant for renowned director Max Reinhardt saw the Saratoga Community Players production of Shakespeares A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which De Havilland played Puck. Reinhardt was assembling a national touring production of that play to debut at the Hollywood Bowl, and De Havilland was invited to join a group of other students to observe rehearsals in Hollywood. She wound up as an understudy, and when actress Gloria Stuart had to drop out of the Hollywood Bowl production, which included Mickey Rooney as Puck, De Havilland took over the role of Hermia. In the audience on opening night was Warner Bros. production executive Hal Wallis, who was so impressed with De Havillands performance that he implored studio boss Jack Warner to see the show. Warner agreed with Wallis assessment that the 18-year-old would be perfect for the studios upcoming movie version of the Shakespeare fantasy and that she had the makings of a star. After completing the four-week national tour, De Havilland signed a seven-year contract with Warner Bros. By the end of 1935, her first year at the studio, she had not only played Hermia, but also played opposite Joe E. Brown in Alibi Ike, appeared with James Cagney in The Irish in Us and costarred with Flynn, another new Warner contract player, in Captain Blood. Flynn and De Havilland appeared together in seven more films over the next six years, including Dodge City, The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex and They Died With Their Boots On. But the fiercely ambitious De Havilland yearned to play more challenging roles than those being offered to her at Warner Bros. I believed in following Bette Davis example, De Havilland told The Times in 1988. She didnt care whether she looked good or bad. She just wanted to play complex, interesting, fascinating parts, a variety of human experience. She found such a role in Gone With the Wind, independent producer David O. Selznick's sweeping adaptation of Margaret Mitchells Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the Civil War and Reconstruction. The question of who would play Scarlett OHara had become a national fixation, and one of the actresses who was interested was De Havillands sister, Joan. In Sisters, Charles Highams dual biography of De Havilland and Fontaine, Gone With the Wind director George Cukor is quoted as saying that Fontaine asked to read for the part of the fiery Scarlett. Cukor told the blond actress that that was out of the question, but he would like her to read for the role of the more sedate Melanie. If its a Melanie you want, Fontaine reportedly snapped, call Olivia! Cukor did. And after De Havilland performed a scene at Selznicks home, with Cukor playing opposite her as Scarlett, Selznick looked at De Havilland and declared, Youre Melanie! Olivia de Havilland holds her two Academy Award statuettes at her home after the Academy Awards ceremony in March 1950. (Associated Press) Gone With the Wind was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including lead actress for Leigh as Scarlett and supporting actress for performances by De Havilland and McDaniel. Although she was one of the films four lead players, De Havilland once said, In those days, regardless of billing or contract, the producer had the right to decide the category; and Selznick, in order not to split the vote between Vivien and me, put me down as supporting actress. On Oscar night, Leigh won as lead actress and McDaniel walked away with the supporting actress honor, the first Black American to receive an Academy Award. Still unhappy with the kinds of roles Warner Bros. was offering her, De Havilland took frequent suspensions for refusing them. In 1943, her seven-year contract with Warner Bros. had run its course. But because she had been placed on suspension numerous times for refusing roles, the studio maintained that she owed it an additional six months. De Havilland hired well-known Hollywood attorney Martin Gang, who informed her that state labor laws said that a seven-year contract was for seven calendar years only. She took Warner Bros. to court. De Havilland won her case in Superior Court, but Jack Warner appealed the decision and enjoined other film companies from hiring her. When the Appellate Court voted unanimously in De Havillands favor, Warner appealed to the state Supreme Court. In February 1945, that court upheld the decision. Since then, the judgment has been known as the De Havilland Decision. Decades later, De Havillands legal precedent helped musician and Oscar winner Jared Leto persuade the courts to apply the rule to recording contracts as well. Freed from Warner Bros., De Havilland began freelancing at different studios and had her choice of scripts. The actress, whose name had been romantically linked with Howard Hughes, James Stewart and John Huston, among others, married writer Marcus Aurelius Goodrich, author of the bestseller Delilah, in 1946. They had a son, Benjamin, and were divorced in 1952. A year later, De Havilland met Pierre Galante, a writer and executive of Paris Match magazine. She and Galante married in Paris in 1955 and had a daughter, Gisele. They were divorced in 1979. She appeared on Broadway several times during the 50s and 60s, including a 1951 revival of Romeo and Juliet, a 1952 revival of Candida and A Gift of Time in 1962 with Henry Fonda. But she appeared in only nine films in the 50s and 60s, including Lady in a Cage in 1964 and Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte opposite her old Warner Bros. colleague Bette Davis the same year. In her later years, she appeared in movies such as Airport 77 and The Swarm in 1978. She also did occasional work on television, including Roots: The Next Generations in 1979 and, most notably, in 1986 as the Dowager Empress in a four-hour presentation of Anastasia, for which she earned an Emmy nomination for supporting actress. She officially retired in 1988. Portrait of Olivia de Havilland who starred in, "Gone with the Wind,". (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times ) In 2003, De Havilland returned to Los Angeles and was a presenter at the 75th Academy Awards. Five years later, President George W. Bush presented her with the National Medal of Arts and two years after that she was knighted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In 2018, she was made a dame of the British Empire, becoming the eldest living person to receive the honor. De Havilland is survived by her daughter, Gisele. Her son, Benjamin Goodrich, died of complications of Hodgkins disease in 1991. Times staff writers Nardine Saad and Steve Marble contributed to this report. McLellan is a former Times staff writer. By Anne-Marie Slaughter and Wardah Khalid Anne-Marie Slaughter Wardah Khalid 26.07.2020 LISTEN Yesterday, I was informed by Mr. Ben Awuku, the young overseer, of my family's freehold 14-square mile upland evergreen rainforest property, at the Akyem Juaso section of the Atewa Range, that he had spotted some bushcut illegal chainsaw lumber, in our land, which was clearly awaiting evacuation to market - in what is without question one of the most beautiful places on the surface of the planet Earth. Knowing from past experience that precious few individuals, amongst the many well-qualified professionals in Ghanaian officialdom's forestry sector, actually care about such illegal activities, because policing our forests has been rendered a more or less pointless, sysyphean-task (by the numerous infractions of the laws and regulations governing the sector, by corrupt high-level regime-appointees, and their greedy cronies), I asked him to take a photograph of the said bushcut chainsaw lumber. Sadly, environmental-lawlessness is now widespread in Akyem Abuakwa. Yet, the Okyenhene continues to say he is a conservation-champion. Wonders. How, ironical. The question is: Why is the Akyem Abuakwa State Council refusing to see the trillions our natural heritage is actually worth - priceless natural capital that can underpin an ecotourism green-economic-pillar? It is that green post-COVID-19-path-to-development, not bauxite mining, which will create wealth that remains locally, and jobs galore for our younger generations, till the very end of time - were the Atewa Forest Reserve to be turned into a national park, by a stroke of President Akufo-Addo's pen, and all mining banned from it. Simple. The Forestry Commission is useless and pointless on the ground. That is the sad reality, now, alas. That is why one is simply now fed up to the backteeth, with the abomination, which the ongoing brutal gang-rape of Mother Nature, in Akyem Abuakwa, today, represents. That apocalyptic scenario, on the ground, in most of the landmass of Akyem Abuakwa, is a classic example of the impunity-of-the-rich-and-powerful, in today's Ghana. No question: There are lots of negative-types who posit that ours is a land of ace-hypocrites - but, for their information: Yen enma, Okyenman, ensei, da. Never. With the greatest respect, notice is hereby served to the spineless hypocrites amongst the membership of the Akyem Abuakwa State Council: They must tell those of us who actually care about the natural heritage of Akyem Abuakwa, and recognise that as our future, as an aspirational people who are also blessed with wisdom, whether or not the current Okyenhene is a genuine environmental-champion - and, above all, whether or not the Akyem Abuakwa Abuakwa State Council itself, as presently constituted, exists to serve the best interests of Akyems. Enough is enough. Yoooooo. Hmmmm, Oman Ghana, eyeasem, ooooo - enti yewieye paaa enei? Asem kesie ebeba debi ankasa. We rest our case. Haaba. Millionaire farmer Ben Goldsmith was under rising pressure over his Government post last night after he allegedly broke rules by releasing deer and wild boar. The financier has been criticised by a Tory MP and the Countryside Alliance campaign group after a Mail investigation exposed the breaches on Saturday. Mr Goldsmith had upset neighbouring farmers by allowing red deer from the herd introduced to his Somerset farm to escape. Millionaire farmer Ben Goldsmith (pictured with Jemima Jones in 2017) is under rising pressure over his Government post last night after he allegedly broke rules by releasing red deer and wild boar He also confirmed that he had been feeding wild boar on his farm although he denied releasing them, saying the animals had already been living locally. Simon Hoare, Tory MP for North Dorset, said: 'I'm aware of this via friends affected by the rampaging boar on their land. If hobby farmers want to play they must secure their land as their hobby affects the livelihoods of others.' Tim Bonner, of the Countryside Alliance, said yesterday: 'If you want an example of why rewilding is an increasingly toxic brand in the countryside, there couldn't be a much better example than this. 'Ben wants to make a difference, but imposing reintroductions will set back wildlife recovery, not help it.' The official post held by Mr Goldsmith, 39, is as a non-executive board member at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He was appointed to the job at Defra, which regulates farming and the countryside, in March 2018. Mr Goldsmith admitted to the Mail that he had 'bull***ted' in claiming the released deer had been rounded up when he knew they remained at large. Mr Goldsmith's brother, Zac Goldsmith, (above), is the environment and Foreign Office minister. He was elevated to the House of Lords this year after losing his seat in the Commons The animals had escaped because he failed to pen them in adequately, he added. 'I didn't have time to build a proper fence and by the morning they had gone,' he said. 'I am so, so sorry. It's a silly, stupid mistake.' Police are investigating the incidents. Deer can damage farmland and wild boar can introduce disease to pigs. Mr Goldsmith's brother is environment and Foreign Office minister Zac Goldsmith, who was elevated to the House of Lords this year after losing his seat in the Commons at the last election. Ben, the youngest son of the late tycoon Sir James Goldsmith, is an enthusiast backer of rewilding. This involves bringing animals back to areas where they have disappeared and returning areas to nature without human intervention. He has said he was an 'easy target' as he champions rewilding but insists he did not release the wild boar. Indian forces combined inspiration and strategy with valour to vanquish Pakistan during the Kargil war despite facing adverse circumstances, BJP president J P Nadda said on Sunday. He said India will forever remember the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers to secure the country's borders. Speaking at an event on the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Nadda also stressed on the BJP's commitment to the welfare of armed forces, saying the defence sector has always received Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special focus. The Modi government implemented 'one rank one pension' scheme and cleared all dues with payment of Rs 33,000 crore, he said, adding that 72 border projects are now near completion while work on them was not done during the UPA government. The then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee fought with Pakistan in the international arena during the Kargil war and had made it clear that India will not declare ceasefire until it secures its border by defeating Pakistan, he said. Nadda also noted Modi's visit to Ladakh recently during the standoff with China and said that the prime minister spends every Diwali with the armed forces. Hailing the armed forces, he said Pakistan was in an "advantageous" position during the Kargil war after occupying mountain heights but Indian soldiers drew inspiration from the challenge and fought with valour and strategy to attain victory. "It was the toughest battle on highest mountains," he said, asserting that India will remain indebted to the brave soldiers forever. Image credits: PTI Lisa Wilkinson smacked down 'Bunnings Karen' as a 'pandemic denier' on national television on Sunday, saying shops have a legal right to insist customers wear a face mask. The unidentified mask dodger filmed her own shocking outburst at Bunnings Warehouse in Melbourne's south-east on Friday, a day after the Victorian Government made face masks mandatory for residents of Melbourne and Mitchell Shire. Social media users dubbed the woman 'Bunnings Karen', a reference to a newly-emerged term for a self-righteous woman, usually middle-aged, who tells people how to do their jobs, asserts their rights and complains to the manager. The Project host said there were plenty of 'Covid deniers who are fuelling conspiracy and "scamdemic" narratives at the moment'. She then showed footage of 'Bunnings Karen' telling staff they had no right to tell her what to do. 'It is my right as a living woman to do whatever I want,' the anti-mask activist told Bunnings staff members, who politely told her that a face-mask was a condition of entry to their store. Bunnings Narre Warren staff were praised including the store manager (pictured) who handled the difficult situation with patience, focus and grace The woman, dubbed 'Bunnings Karen' was briefly handcuffed by Victoria Police outside in the car park of Bunnings, Narre Warren Lisa Wilkinson on Channel Ten's The Project on Sunday night. She said shop owners have a legal right to tell people they must wear face masks before entering Video of the woman's extraordinary rant was posted to Facebook on Sunday as Victoria recorded 459 new coronavirus cases and ten deaths. 'It's a breach of the charter of human rights,' she said as she filmed the staff on her mobile phone and threatened to sue them for discrimination. In the car park outside she was briefly handcuffed by police and claimed her rights had been violated. Ms Wilkinson, who hosts The Project on Channel 10, praised Bunnings staff for being patient and polite. 'They never lost focus,' she said. Ms Wilkinson said the confrontation was 'a waste of time and energy' before setting Australia straight on what the law allows. 'In case you come up against one of these pandemic deniers, here are the actual facts,' she said. 'Australian law says that private land owners or occupiers can take reasonable steps to protect themselves, their employees and people on their property. 'So it would be legal for business including cafes and supermarkets to make it a condition of entry that customers wear a mask and sanitise their hands. End of story. They have every right'. University of NSW epidemiology professor Mary-Louise McLaws told The Project that it was difficult to change social attitudes in a public health campaign but that the majority of people must wear masks for the good of public health. CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement 'People were reticent to wear a seatbelt and then eventually that became the social norm,' she said. 'So we need to either address those people's concerns about individuality accurately or take the oxygen away from groups that are just not getting onboard.' Professor McLaws is on the World Health Organization (WHO) Covid-19 advisory panel. When the coronavirus pandemic first broke out in February there was an international face mask shortage which led both the WHO and Australian health authorities to issue advice against the public wearing of facemasks. Australia's health authorities were still advising the public as late as June that there was no benefit in people without symptoms wearing masks despite published evidence of asymptomatic transmission. Daily Mail Australia asked the federal Health Department for a response on whether this was a mistake, and how it plans to walk back this initial advice which may now be hampering Victoria's efforts to get people to wear masks. A Department of Health Spokesman responded on Monday, saying the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee has provided consistent advice on the wearing of masks throughout the pandemic. 'What has changed has been the level of community transmission in Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire,' the spokesman said. 'That is why Victoria has mandated the wearing of masks, on top of existing restrictions.' The Victorian government has now mandated public mask wearing in an effort to curb their escalating outbreak. Face masks help to cut the transmission rate of coronavirus by catching your droplets of saliva at the mouth and nose, and they can also help stop you from becoming infected from other people's aerosolised droplets. Medical research published in medical journal The Lancet last month found face masks were 77 per cent effective at stopping infection, while respirators were 96 per cent effective. 'When you are out and about, you cannot tell who is infected and who is not,' said Professor Raina Macintyre, the head of the biosecurity research program at the University of NSW's Kirby Institute, at the time. Face masks became compulsory in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire on Thursday. Police now have the power to issue $200 on the spot fines for anyone who breaches the new rules. Victoria's total coronavirus case load hit 8,181 on Sunday night. Of those, 381 are health care workers with active infections, putting a strain on the hospital system. The unidentified woman who confronted the Bunnings staff is believed to be a serial 'Karen' after similar footage emerged on Sunday showing an incident at Australia Post. Victoria's Covid-19 statistics on Sunday 'I don't need to wear a mask. If you could stamp that, it would be wonderful,' the woman says in an imperious tone as she approaches the counter, her mobile phone camera already recording the startled employee. The woman then launches into a tirade on how the staff member has no right to ask her to wear a face mask as he quietly serves her. Both Bunnings Karen and Australia Post Karen sound identical and use similar language about their rights and the lack of authority of others. Bunnings Chief Operating Officer Deb Poole said the hardware chain would not tolerate 'abuse' against their team members. 'We have security at all metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire stores as support,' she said. Ms Poole called the woman's behaviour 'completely unacceptable. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews slammed 'selfish' mask dodgers on Sunday, telling reporters that wearing face masks is not a human rights issue. 'If it was a genuine error, a sense of any confusion police use good judgement. 'But if you are just making a selfish choice that your alleged personal liberty, quoting some, I don't know, something you've read on some website this is not about human rights.' 'There are 10 families that are going to be burying someone in the next few days. 'Wear a mask it's not too much to ask.' ALBANY Democrats in the state Legislature took the first step last week to significantly diminish the role Republicans will play in the once-a-decade redrawing of New York lawmakers' districts. Last weeks developments could be the first step in a reversal of a constitutional amendment New York voters approved in 2014, which proponents had argued would ensure that both parties had a role in drawing legislative and congressional lines. The measure passed last week in the Democratic-controlled state Assembly and Senate still must pass both houses of the Legislature again in early 2021. It would then be voted on in a November 2021 statewide referendum to amend the redistricting provisions of New Yorks constitution for the second time in seven years. That rushed constitutional amendment process would play out in the midst of a once-a-decade redistricting process that was already looming. Federal census data revealing population shifts in New York will likely become available in July 2021. By November 2021, when the referendum to significantly alter the process would take place, a new bipartisan commission drawing lines for the first time will be in the heat of its work. Under the Democrats' proposed amendment, the commission would then face tight deadlines to put forth a proposed map, or else hand back power to draw the lines to a Legislature likely to be wholly under Democratic control. For decades, the drawing of districts has been done by longstanding majority parties in the two chambers. Republicans ruling the state Senate drew oddly shaped districts favoring Republicans that helped a party with a declining share of New Yorks voter registration retain a toehold of power. Democrats ruling the Assembly drew districts favoring their own Democratic members. But in 2010, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch led an effort to reform the redistricting process and Senate Republicans desperate to win back a majority the party lost in 2008 signed Kochs independent redistricting pledge. Andrew Cuomo, running for a first term in office, vowed to veto district lines that were not drawn by an independent panel. But after Senate Republicans won back a narrow majority in the 2010 elections, they soon backed away from their pledge. In 2012, Cuomo agreed to allow Republicans to draw their own district lines one final time, but Republicans agreed to pass a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan redistricting process. Voters passed the constitutional referendum in 2014. The situation has now shifted again because Democrats, aided by voter enthusiasm opposing the presidency of Republican President Donald J. Trump, resoundingly won back the majority in 2018. Democrats are very likely to hold the majority after the 2020 elections, giving them power during the once-a-decade redistricting for the first time in decades. Mike Murphy, a spokesman for the Senate Democrats, said the bill that passed the Legislature last week was meant to change aspects of the 2014 constitutional amendment that specifically benefit Senate Republicans and instead make the language neutral for both political parties in the chamber. Two good-government groups, Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters, have released a memo opposing the Democrats' changes, arguing that they'd leave Democrats free to contort the district lines to the wishes of their legislative leaders, rather than focusing on what is fair to voters. Changing redistricting midstream, in a highly rushed timeline and with no room for public input, would be disruptive and potentially damage public confidence in the process, the groups said in the memo. Shifting procedural rules and changed standards based on election results set a dangerous and destructive precedent. It would be counter to the goal of ensuring that no one political party can dominate the redistricting process. Both groups supported the 2014 constitutional amendment, while two other prominent state reform groups, Common Cause and NYPIRG, were opposed. Indeed, Common Cause/NY executive director Susan Lerner released a statement last week saying the new plan was an improvement, though not as strong as Californias citizen-led redistricting process. It clarifies and simplifies redistricting in New York and provides a uniform set of voting rules for the commission no matter who is in political power: an important objective for any government entity, Lerner said. Requiring that the redistricting commission count the total number of persons living in the state, including incarcerated individuals at their place of last residence, is also a good step forward. Referring to the opposition by Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters, Murphy said in a statement he was not sure why these so called good government groups would back the outrageous attempt by Trump to not count undocumented residents and also support maintaining a partisan bias with different rules for different parties. This seems to be the opposite of good government. Neither Citizens Union nor the League of Women Voters stated opposition to the specific portion of the plan to count undocumented voters during the redistricting, only the plan as a whole. And in the past, both have supported aspects of the Senate Democrats agenda related to elections, including public financing of campaigns and closing the so-called LLC Loophole. The 2014 constitutional amendment instituted complex rules meant to give minority political parties greater influence in drawing the lines. Created by the 2014 amendment, the new, 10-member redistricting commission is made up of four members appointed by legislative Democrats, and four by legislative Republicans. The final two members are then to be chosen by the eight politically appointed members. Under the 2014 amendment, if the 10-person commission created and approved a redistricting plan winning seven votes and the Assembly and Senate were controlled by different political parties then a simple majority of the Senate and Assembly would be needed to approve the plan. If the 10-person commission could not get seven votes and the chambers were controlled by different parties the plan that got the highest number of votes among the commissioners would go before the Legislature. It would need 60 percent of the votes in both chambers to pass. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Under either scenario, if the chambers were instead controlled by the same party, as appears very likely to be the case after the 2020 elections, then two-thirds of both chambers would be needed to pass the commission's plan. The 2014 rules dont mention Republicans or Democrats specifically. But because Democrats have an untouchable majority in the state Assembly, whether or not both chambers are controlled by the same party depends on control of the Senate. Murphy, the Senate Democratic spokesman, argued Senate Republicans had instituted a fail safe in the 2014 amendment that advantaged the conference in case the GOP lost control. The Democrats changes remove the provisions changing voting rules based on partisan control of the Assembly and Senate. Under the plan, if the redistricting commission passed proposed maps with at least seven votes, and both houses were controlled by the same party, a simple majority of each house would need to approve the plan, rather than two-thirds. If the commission could not come up with seven votes for a plan, 60 percent of each chamber would be required, rather than two-thirds. The Senate Democratic conference currently has 40 members two votes short of holding the two-thirds of the chamber. Under the rules of the 2014 amendment, if the Democratic conference remained under 42 votes after the 2020 elections, Democrats would need Republican votes to pass the commissions redistricting plan. But under the Democrats new plan, the current 40 members would be enough to hit a new, 60 percent threshold to pass the maps without any GOP votes. The changes passed last week could disadvantage Republicans in other ways, according to the memo issued by Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters. The Democrats' plan repeals a requirement that the commissions redistricting plan be approved by at least one commission member appointed by each of the legislative leaders, including the two minority leaders, according to the memo. And in the appointment of the two co-executive directors of the commission, the plan takes away the voting rights of minority party-appointed commission members, the reform groups argue. The 2014 amendment also required the redistricting commission to put forth an initial plan to the Legislature by January 2022. If that was voted down or vetoed by Cuomo, then a second plan was due Feb. 28, 2022. But that timeline is now sped up significantly under the proposal passed last week, and if deadlines are not met, new language empowers the Legislature to step in. If the commission does not submit a plan by Jan. 1, 2022, Murphy confirmed, the Legislature could then introduce its own redistricting plans. There is a rationale for speeding up the process: If legislative and congressional primaries occur in June 2022, as scheduled, the line-drawing process running into the spring of 2022 could create chaos. SHOWS: INTERNET (JULY 26, 2020) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 1. MESSAGE POSTED ON SIMONA HALEP'S TWITTER PAGE, READING (English): "GIVEN THE RECENT RISE IN COVID19 CASES IN ROMANIA AND MY ANXIETIES AROUND INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL AT THIS TIME, I HAVE MADE THE TOUGH DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM PALERMO. I WANT TO THANK THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR AND THE ITALIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH FOR ALL EFFORTS ON MY BEHALF" BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (FILE - JULY 15, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 2. WIMBLEDON WOMEN SINGLES CHAMPION, SIMONA HALEP, WALKING TOWARDS AIRPORT BUILDING WITH TROPHY 3. ROMANIAN FLAGS 4. SIGN, READING (Romanian): "WE THANK YOU SIMONA!" 5. HALEP POSING FOR PICTURES WITH WIMBLEDON TROPHY LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. SIMONA HALEP TRAINING INTERNET (JULY 26, 2020) (SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE) 7. MESSAGE POSTED ON PALERMO LADIES OPEN'S TWITTER PAGE, READING (English): "#PALMA (CEO #PLO20: "WE FOUND OUT HALEP'S DECISION WITH GREAT BITTERNESS. YESTERDAY WE WERE OPTIMISTIC, AND WE HAD INFORMED HALEP'S STAFF ABOUT THE FACT THAT PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS ARE NOT OBLIGED TO QUARANTINE." 8. MESSAGE POSTED ON PALERMO LADIES OPEN'S TWITTER PAGE, READING (English): "#PALMA (CEO #PLO20): "REGIONAL ASSESSOR OF HEALTH RUGGERO RAZZA, HAD DIRECTLY SENT TO HALEP AN OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION EXPLAINING HOW THE ORDINANCE OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WAS NOT TO BE APPLIED TO WORKERS, THEREFORE NEITHER TO PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYERS." 9. MESSAGE POSTED ON PALERMO LADIES OPEN'S TWITTER PAGE, READING (English): "#PALMA (CEO #PLO20): "NEVERTHELESS, HALEP'S STAFF ONLY COMMUNICATED US THE FINAL DECISION, FRUSTRATING ALL OUR EFFORTS. WE ARE EMBITTERED AND PROFOUNDLY DISAPPOINTED." LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 26, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD NUMBER 14, JOHANNA KONTA, SAYING: "I think Palermo for me is not fully certain. I did enter it. I think I'm giving myself until tomorrow to see what I can -- whether I can go or not. I definitely -- Ideally, I'd like to play Lexington and then go to New York to play the New York tournament -- the Cincinnati in New York and then the U.S. Open. That's always been my ideal schedule, but obviously with all the uncertainty and not sure if the U.S. is going ahead or the tournaments there and obviously the men had Washington cancelled, so there's always been just some uncertainty in the air. So, I wanted to at least be in a position that I still had something to play, but I'll be making a call on it kind of today / tomorrow whether we keep it on the schedule or take an educated guess that hopefully Lexington and the rest of the U.S. tournaments go ahead and then hopefully I'll just be playing that and yes." Story continues NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 27, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM - THE MAIN COURT AT FLUSHING MEADOWS - THE VENUE FOR THE U.S. OPEN LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 26, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD NUMBER 14, JOHANNA KONTA, SAYING: "I think with everything that's happened, I think being adaptable and flexible is definitely an important factor. So, I definitely was open to it if it was going to get cancelled. However, if the U.S. Open is intending to go ahead and does go ahead, I definitely want to play. I think just really looking to be as sensible as I can on my end and I know every tournament that does go ahead will be doing the best that they can to keep everyone safe and then I'm just looking forward to hopefully getting back out on court." 13. WHITE FLASH 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WORLD NUMBER 14, JOHANNA KONTA, SAYING: "Well, right now I actually haven't even been looking into daily travel updates. I think I'm basically trying to wait 'til as long as possible 'til I would need to travel and then kind of see 'OK, what's happening now,' just because there's been so much volatility and so much change in a really short space of time that I almost felt like it was counter-productive for me to keep up with it all because one day it will be a complete 180 to what it was before. So, I know the WTA are -- every week they have player calls and especially with the tournaments, Palermo coming up and also Lexington coming up they are doing calls about the tournaments and so they are definitely really trying their best to keep their players informed and prepared to be able to go compete." NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 27, 2018) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 15. PEOPLE WALKING BY SIGN FOR THE U.S. OPEN 16. THE UNISPHERE SCULPTURE (LARGE STEEL GLOBE) IN FLUSHING MEADOWS-CORONA PARK LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 26, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THREE-TIMES GRAND SLAM CHAMPION, ANDY MURRAY, SAYING: "Yes, I'll be a bit apprehensive probably getting there and I think the closer it gets to the tournament like I was thinking maybe about trying to travel somewhere beforehand to get in some hot-weather training but then you're increasing your risk in potentially catching the virus which then means you potentially can't train or travel for a couple of weeks which could then put playing a grand slam in doubt. So, there's things like that that I've probably had to sort of change my thinking with and alter the way I think. But yes, that's the situation that we're in and hopefully the U.S. Open can go ahead and that it's OK, but if not, I'm also OK with that. It's not like I'm saying it must go ahead. Just so long as it's safe for the players then we need to try and get back to competing when it's safe to do so." LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 28, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 18. VARIOUS OF ANDY MURRAY AND HIS DOUBLES PARTNER AT WIMBLEDON IN 2019, PIERRE-HUGUES HERBERT, ON COURT PRACTISING LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JULY 26, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THREE-TIMES GRAND SLAM CHAMPION, ANDY MURRAY, SAYING: "I'm probably only going to play doubles this week because I'm still -- yes because I'm still just trying to build up to get ready for New York. It would be good for me to get some competitive matches in to get sort of sharpness and stuff up again, but also I don't want to take kind of any -- because a lot of tennis next week. Yes, I don't want to take any risks with just -- with the tournaments in the States just a few weeks away. But I mean it will be, like I right now I'm sort of like training on the court four days a week. So still I'll be training on the days of the matches but yes that's kind of my plan for the week." 20. WHITE FLASH 21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) THREE-TIMES GRAND SLAM CHAMPION, ANDY MURRAY, SAYING: "Well for a lot of the guys, it will be five-six months but for me yes, it will be like 10 months or something since I last competed properly. So, I've spoken to my team about potentially playing qualifying in Cincinnati to try and get a couple of matches in or obviously I would take the wildcard but that's also something. I mean, I haven't played the week before a slam -- I can't remember the last time I did that. I would have been 19 probably, so it's been a while." LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 28, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 22. MURRAY AND HIS DOUBLES PARTNER AT WIMBLEDON IN 2019, PIERRE-HUGUES HERBERT ON COURT PRACTISING STORY: World number two Simona Halep has withdrawn from next month's Palermo Ladies Open following Italy's decision to impose a mandatory quarantine for people coming from Romania and Bulgaria amid the coronavirus pandemic, organisers said on Sunday (July 26). Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said on Friday (July 24) people who have been in Romania and Bulgaria in the past 14 days will be quarantined upon arrival in Italy, a move aimed at preventing the importation of COVID-19 cases. "We found out with great bitterness the decision of the world number two to cancel her participation," the tournament's director Oliviero Palma said in a statement. Palermo will be the first professional tennis event across the WTA and men's ATP Tours after a five-month break, with action scheduled to get underway on the clay courts of the Sicilian capital from August 3. "Given the recent rise in Covid-19 cases in Romania and my anxieties around international air travel at this time, I have made the tough decision to withdraw from Palermo," Halep said on Twitter. "I want to thank the tournament director and the Italian ministry of health for all their efforts on my behalf and I wish the tournament a successful week." Halep, the reigning Wimbledon champion and 2018 French Open winner, has also committed to the Prague Open, scheduled to start on August 10. Italy was the first European country to be hit hard by the novel coronavirus, but the number of daily new infections being reported is a fraction of the numbers in late March. The country has recorded over 35,000 deaths from the virus. Palma said the organisers had written an urgent letter to Italy's health minister, asking for exemption for tennis players taking part in the event. "Yesterday we were optimistic, and we had informed Halep's staff about the fact that professional players are not obliged to quarantine," Palma said. "We are embittered and profoundly disappointed." Palermo will have strict health precautions and all players will undergo COVID-19 tests before they come, on arrival and every four days subsequently. The second seed at the Palermo Ladies Open, Johanna Konta has also said she's unsure whether she'll compete in the tournament as the world number 14 wants to play in the Top Seed Open and Cincinnati Open ahead of the U.S. Open. The British number one, who is playing in the Battle of the Brits Mixed Team Tennis tournament in Roehampton this week, told reporters on Sunday that she would make a decision on Palermo within 24 hours. Konta added the decision would hinge on an educated guess whether the U.S. tournaments would go ahead. Andy Murray is also playing in the Battle of the Brits competition and he said at Sunday's news conference that he would be apprehensive about travelling to the U.S. but would intend to play in the U.S. Open and possibly Cincinnati if both tournaments go ahead. The Cincinnati Open will be played at Flushing Meadows - the home of the U.S. Open - a week before the grand slam takes place so players can remain in a social bubble during both tournaments. (Production: Tim Hart) 'Who's next?': Anxiety in Cong after Pilot revolt, all eyes on Rahul brigade India pti-PTI New Delhi, July 26: After rebellions by Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan, the focus is now on Rahul Gandhi's "youth brigade" and those whom he had given key responsibilities when he was Congress president. There is apprehension prevailing in the rank and file of the Congress after the happenings in Rajasthan, where Pilot has declared open rebellion against the Ashok Gehlot government, sources said. Almost everyone in the party has just one question on their mind, "who next", they said. "Obviously we are forced to think that when leaders who have been given a lot of responsibilities in a short span of time and whose capabilities the party was confident of using going forward, are not satisfied, then definitely something is wrong," a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) told 'PTI-Bhasha' on the condition of anonymity. The CWC is the highest decision making body of the Congress. Pilot and Scindia are the latest additions to the list of leaders who have raised the flag of rebellion. In the Congress, they were earlier known as members of the "Rahul brigade", the sources said. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News Rajasthan Congress calls off its Monday protest in front of Raj Bhawan Other leaders who were part of this brigade included former Congress Haryana unit president Ashok Tanwar, former Madhya Pradesh unit chief Arun Yadav, former Mumbai chiefs Milind Deora and Sanjay Nirupam, former Punjab Congress president Pratap Singh Bajwa, former Jharkhand unit president Ajoy Kumar and former Karnataka chief Dinesh Gundu Rao, they said. The sources said Madhusudhan Mistry, who has been the in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, former Uttar Pradesh unit president Raj Babbar and AICC general secretary in-charge Rajasthan Avinash Pande, Mohan Prakash and Deepak Babaria, are also part of the group which was seen as having the backing of Rahul Gandhi. The Congress admitted that resentment had increased with the "Rahul brigade" getting more importance in the party, they said. The sources said most of them showed rebellious attitude on losing their posts and alleged that most of them did not live up to the responsibility given to them and continued to encourage factionalism in the party. Another senior Congress leader told PTI Bhasha, "Leaders who are going against the party after getting a lot in the Congress are cheating themselves. Everyone should understand that this is the time to not ask from the party, but to give back to it." However, former Haryana Congress chief Tanwar said that the argument that leaders whom Gandhi gave responsibilities did not live up to expectations, does not hold. "It is because of Pilot, a young leader, that in the Rajasthan assembly elections, the Congress managed to reach 100 seats from 21. The hardwork of the youth team in Haryana resulted in more than 30 seats. If the young leaders would have been given proper opportunity, the party's situation would have been different," he said. However, a political expert said that the "generational conflict" in the Congress was also a major reason that leaders of Gandhi's choice could not assert themselves in the party and some of them revolted. Director Centre for the Study of Developing Societies Sanjay Kumar said, "There has been a raging generational conflict within the Congress in the last few years. While older leaders are trying to retain their place, younger leaders, especially those considered close to Rahul, insist on change and find themselves neglected in the current system. This is the reason for rebellion in some places." However, 72-year-old Harish Rawat, Congress general secretary and former Uttarakhand chief minister, refused to believe that there is any generational conflict within the party. "The situation which is seen is due to the attack on democracy by the BJP. Sadly, due to their ambition, some people of ours got caught in their trap. It would have been better that if such leaders wanted any justice, they should have tried for it within the party itself," he said. Rahul Gandhi resigned as Congress president after the party's 2019 Lok Sabha poll debacle and Sonia Gandhi was installed as interim chief on August 10 by the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body. On a gloriously sunny July day, an average person standing on the beaches of East Cork, the cliffs around Ballycotton, the walkways of Youghal or the heights of Ardmore in West Waterford, would think it was as close as you could get to the perfect existence. But nature in all its wrath is plundering these coastlines, and is now armed with an insidious new ally human-made climate change. Coastal erosion is a natural phenomenon, and is the price to pay for those living in such beautiful and tranquil communities. It is getting worse as our climate changes, with storms and weather patterns acting with increasing ferocity. That does not mean local communities are accepting an inevitable fate. The rich and varied biodiversity of East Cork and West Waterford is one worth preserving and nurturing, according to the founder of Ballynamona Clean Coasts, Proinsias O Tuama. Mr O Tuama is insistent that, while coastal erosion is a natural process, it is inconceivable that humans should contribute to their own downfall on the coastline, while there is so much worth fighting to keep. He began cleaning the beach at Ballynamona strand in 2015, and soon the enthusiasm spiralled. Proinsias O Tuama of Ballynamona Clean Coasts walking his dog podge on the dunes at Ballynamona, East Cork. According to An Taisce, Clean Coasts Ballynamona acts as the main network support for many of the East Cork Clean Coasts groups, as well as arranging multiple clean-ups throughout the year. They are constantly engaging volunteers, schools, local politicians, and businesses in their efforts to keep the coastline of East Cork clean, and to raise awareness of marine pollution at both a local and national level. The group successfully fund-raised for a quad and trailer which supports 40km of coastline cleanups in East Cork. They are currently fundraising for a rigid inflatable boat (rib) to help clean marine litter from offshore areas as well. Mr O Tuama said Clean Coasts Ballynamona began as a one-man show with two faithful dogs, and is now a 300-person community force. In year one, it was myself and two dogs, then it was myself and four people in a few months, then by the end of the year it was 20 people and two or three dogs. At the last count, we are up to almost 300 people and growing. I lived in Silver Strand in Ballycotton for five years. I would come at 7am and walk down and do my bit, and then after work in the evenings. You think 'someone has to do it', but that someone is yourself. You have to take a lead on it. There are 1.2km of beach, and we started here in Ballynamona. Then, before you know it, were down in Ardnahinch. Then the schoolchildren are asking can they come along and, before you know it, the school has adopted eight beaches, and we are cleaning from Ballybrannigan over as far as Youghal. Its 40km, or 1.5% of the Irish coastline. Wild flowers on Ballynamona beach looking out towards the Ballycotton lighthouse in East Cork. Any conversation about coastal erosion must include biodiversity and climate change, according to Mr O Tuama. You cant talk about coastal erosion unless you talk about biodiversity and climate change. The enthusiasm of the kids is what is driving an awful lot of it: When they ask with such passion, you feel you have to be able to tell them about the science and biodiversity. It is all intrinsically linked. It is one big huge sustainability jigsaw. You cannot look at one area without looking at the other. In the five years, I have brought about 800 students on the cleanups, and when you are adding in the community groups, you are looking at over 1,000. Its a great way of building a rapport with students. Cleaning a beach is a great way to get people to open their eyes between pointless plastic and what they are eating. Its a way of getting people to look at the world around them. Protecting our communities from coastal erosion is going to be a process of hard engineering solutions, community initiatives like marram grass planting, and looking at our own energy footprint. Do you buy the apple from Tipperary or New Zealand, and the associated costs that come with that? Those simple decisions leave less carbon monoxide to produce all this. That will help with the increase in temperatures, sea ice melting, more fierce storm systems, and the like. Corn sow thistle on Ballynamona beach looking out towards the Ballycotton lighthouse in East Cork. East Cork has a biodiversity network that would be the envy of anywhere in the world, he said. That heritage is worth the effort in salvaging dunes ravaged by increasing storms and human-made problems, he said. Here in Ballynamona, we have a dune system that includes 11 species of bird, it is a special area of protection. Because of coastal erosion, the freshwater lake here became an estuary breeding numbers of birds here plummeted. This is still an internationally important place for birds. It is really important in the bigger scheme of things. On the whole of it, coastal erosion is key down here, the cliffs are collapsing and rubbish is being exposed. The rubbish being exposed around Silver Strand is a stark example of the dangers of coastal erosion. Back in the 1980s, a tract of land became a dumping ground, a de facto landfill, with all kinds of rubbish and rubble buried into the ground. Now that the cliffs are facing natures wrath, that historical rubbish has been exposed plastic and metals from 30 years ago jutting out onto the cliffs of Ballycotton, blighting what is among the most beautiful seaside villages in Ireland. The dunes at Ballynamona beach in East Cork. Mr O Tuama said that historical rubbish from a time when climate change was not an emergency in peoples minds should act as a warning that we must act now to preserve the best of what we own. In year one, we removed 12 tonnes of marine litter from this beach, in a few beach cleans. The East Cork Biodiversity Group has been an excellent example of communities and Tidy Towns organisations coming together with a common purpose of public good we've consulted on 450 acres and how we can help with a biodiversity plan on food, shelter, and safety. But the good fight must go on. Weve seen wild camping, broken glass, fires, rubbish left strewn everywhere. The fire brigade has to come here every year. To clean up takes hours on end. A national strategy to tackle coastal erosion would be the ultimate goal. We would love to see it. However, if that is not going to happen any time soon, then we at least need agencies and organisations like the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) properly funded. The NPWS is so underfunded that we have only recently got our ranger back. If we are serious about issues like coastal erosion and preserving and enhancing biodiversity in areas like East Cork, then we cannot pay lip service, it needs proper resourcing, he said "The communities have shown they are willing. Now we need back up politically." 'Climate change actions need to be shaped by local situation' Eugene Farrell: The marine spatial plan could fail to address the historic problems observed in local communities. Picture: Dan Linehan One of the most respected authorities in the world on coastal erosion, Cork native and NUIG Galway lecturer Dr Eugene Farrell, has been looking closely at Irelands first marine spatial plan, expected to be completed by the end of 2020. Dr Farrell, who has assisted the Maharees Conservation Association in Kerry in its efforts to fight the ravages of coastal erosion, said he feared the marine spatial plan would fail to seriously address the historic problems observed on the ground in local communities. We hear and read about climate change impacts every day in the media; we have new statutory laws for climate change legislated by our Government; and we research climate change science in our university," said Dr Farrell. What we dont do effectively is (1) communicate science to the policymakers and planners; (2) engage with the relevant stakeholders for whom the new laws are supposedly designed to benefit landowners, residents, visitors, managers; (3) create and mobilise scientific knowledge that can effectively inform and direct collective action with respect to the environment. In relation to the national marine plan, Dr Farrell said from talking to leaders in the Government departments and workshops with planners, in charge of implementing new climate action policies, he observed that very few local authorities have a dedicated climate action co-ordinator. Ballynamona beach in East Cork. Project teams in local authorities comprise mostly of engineers, with very little scope for geographers, geomorphologists, or environmental scientists to contribute to planning long-term protection projects, he said. Land rights and land ownership issues are steeped in history in Ireland; the concept of not protecting an area from erosion is simply not talked about, said Dr Farrell. We must learn to accept that we cannot afford to protect the whole island against chronic erosion. We need to change a whole culture on how to manage erosion. Engineering is appropriate in some cases but nature-based solutions also have a place. Local authorities do not have the resources to implement climate action plans at the moment. We can have the best policy and plans for erosion and flooding mitigation but without resourcing local authorities, then the changes will not occur. It is very difficult to keep up with the constant stream of white and green papers on climate action; many of these documents are very technical and very dense, said Dr Farrell. Probably 95% of the climate action is currently focused on mitigation solar panels, electric vehicles, retrofitting houses, etc, with a token to adaptation. We're not seeing any emphasis being put on things like a national coastal erosion management plan or a national coastal management plan. Historically, we relied on engineered solutions that mostly was, 'let's build a wall; if that doesn't work build it higher'. In terms of planning for erosion and flooding, in order to have any weight, erosion adaptation projects or plans need to be a Section 28 guidance document that councillors have to refer to when making the county development plans and zoning land. "If the climate adaptation remains simply as a national policy document, and it is not linked to planning legislation, then it is very hard for a planner to implement the contents. Wild flowers on Ballynamona beach. Protecting planners to make the hard decisions needs to get better, said Dr Farrell. They come under pressure from politicians and land owners, for example. There are very clear OPW guidelines for local authorities for erosion and flood risk areas that very clearly state that you cant zone land for residential use if it is at risk of flooding. These guidelines need to be explicitly stated within section 28 guidance documents on climate change adaptation so that there is no scope for decisions that go against these guidelines." Dr Farrell and colleagues in the SFI Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine research and innovation, MaREI, are currently working to deliver a roadmap for coastal communities to deliver climate action adaptation plans. This two-year project is funded by EPA and Marine Institute. Climate change adaptation does not occur in a vacuum," he said. "Any actions will need to be shaped by the existing situation in a local community. Some national policies will not be relevant, and some local needs wont be covered by policy. The effort to understand a local situation might also have a positive effect on local buy-in to proposed measures. We are using lessons learned from Maharees to Youghal in East Cork, and hopefully vice versa. In this project, we draw on specific examples from two case studies in Ireland that demonstrate the gap between local- and national-scale plans. The sites are quite different in geological and socio-ecological terms, and both face unique short- and long-term climate change-related pressures. The locations are also very different in terms in how far along both communities are in designing and delivering climate action plans to increase their resilience. Despite these differences, our research highlights specific shortfalls in the planning system that impact both of them. We also suggest how some of these shortfalls might be addressed or mitigated and, in doing so, we respond to some of the key topics in new national climate policy such as the role of collaborative practices in marine spatial planning processes and continual learning through marine and terrestrial planning comparisons and the opportunities for integration. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 16 By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend: Uzbekistan increased direct exports of fruit and vegetables to Russia by 19.2 percent in the first five months of 2020, compared to the same period of 2019, Trend reports via EastFruit portal. Total revenue from fruits and vegetables supplied to Russia exceeded $100 million for the first time in this period. At the same time, the overall volume of exports of fruits and vegetables from Uzbekistan in 2020 is declining. In particular, following the results of five months of 2020, exports fell by 40 percent. Exports of Uzbek grapes decreased by 20 percent, and raisins by 35 percent in the mentioned period of 2020. Exports of Uzbek garlic decreased by 73 percent. Direct Uzbek exports of cauliflower, broccoli and lemons to Russia more than doubled in the period from January through May 2020. Earlier, Uzbekistans Kashkadarya region started exporting yellow watermelons of Chillaki S1 variety to Russia, at the price of 55 cents per kilogram. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini Two-fifths of families are supported by the older generation. (Getty Images) The coronavirus lockdown has seen many parents forced to juggle looking after their kids with working from home and unable to call on grandparents for help. Indeed, pre-pandemic many families had been saving thousands of pounds a year thanks to childcare support from the older generation. According to a survey, grandparents have been enabling mums and dads to avoid shelling out almost 4,000 annually by stepping in to look after their grandkids. The research, conducted by the Bank of Scotland, discovered that with professional childcare in the UK costing an average of 8-an-hour parents are holding on to an extra 3,370 thanks to the goodwill of more senior relatives. Read more: A third of young people 'struggling' to emotionally support partners during lockdown Indeed, more than 40% of families are supported in this way by grandparents who spare around nine hours of their time a week. The survey also highlighted that parents have realised, as a result of lockdown, just how much they rely on them. In late March, the government advised those over 70 to shield, and therefore refrain from seeing grandchildren. However, almost half or 46% of the grandparents surveyed said they were still prepared, amid the pandemic, to help with childcare during the school holidays. Read more: Being a hugger might be hereditary, new study finds Tara Foley, managing director at the Bank of Scotland, said: For many parents, the challenge of conflicting work and childcare commitments continues this summer, with some facing difficult decisions around who is best to take care of their children. Whilst some parents remain worried about asking loved ones for support during the ongoing pandemic, not all families can rely on holiday clubs and professional childcare. These will likely be a stretch too far for some budgets where paying for additional childcare wasnt part of the plan. It comes as it was revealed that young couples have been particularly struggling during the pandemic. Story continues More than a third of partners aged between 16 to 34 said theyve found it difficult to emotionally support their other halves during lockdown. One in four expressed concern, in a survey, about whether or not their relationship would survive when normalcy returned. Were here at Houston Methodist Hospital. The number of new coronavirus patients just skyrocketed here through June and much of July. Were hearing about these crazy numbers all over the country. Thousands of people getting sick with Covid, high numbers of people in the hospitals, and of course, the increasing death toll. So sometimes it helps to just focus in on one individual family. We meet Sheryl Roberts, whose entire household has contracted Covid. I was sneezing that was the start, and my respirations got progressively worse. Then when my asthma medicine would not continue to work for me, I came in. Im Sheri Fink. Im a correspondent for The New York Times. And after reporting on coronavirus for months, I wanted to focus in on one family as a microcosm of whats happening across America. Sheryl told me her husband was at the same hospital, and this is common here. My husbands name is Paul Roberts. Hes still intubated. He and I made a deal that if he was coming to the hospital, he was going to get well and I was going to do the same. We were going to live through this. Well, weve been married 40 years. And my oldest daughter, her name is Sidra. My 35-year-old youngest, she has an autism spectrum disorder and she lives with us. She went to work with her gloves and her masks, came back sneezing, and thats how it started. I wore my mask when I was supposed to out in public. There were customers there that were not wearing masks when they were supposed to. I went sneezing my head off and thought it was allergies. And because they thought it was allergies, nobody was concerned about it at the house. And then, I want to say about June 15 or so, my mom goes, Ive got the cold your sister has. Elaine, how did it feel when mom and dad got sick and went to the hospital? Horrible. I just didnt expect it to happen. I know I wore my mask out in public when I was supposed to, and I stayed off the Metro bus like I was supposed to. But you know this isnt your fault, right, Lain? Right. O.K. Honestly, I would not wish this on anyone. Both my parents are in the hospital. That is horrible. Whoever came to the grocery store and didnt wear a mask and gave her Covid doesnt know this is going on. Hi, Sidra. How are you doing? Well, were not able to remove the sedation and let him be awake. The moment we decrease the sedation, he starts to be very agitated and breathes very fast, so his blood pressure goes up, his heart rate goes up. That long-term trauma because the tube is inside causes you to have complications and mechanical complications. Unfortunately, there is nothing called absolute benefits and no risks at this kind of stage of the care. Paul is still in the intensive care unit and hes profoundly weak and doctors are trying to figure out why. It might be some sort of rare complication of the coronavirus. One more time. Cheryl is better. Shes at home. She still requires oxygen. And now its her daughter Elaine who is taking care of her. Their story shows how a single infection in a family where everybody cares about each other can cause so much pain and suffering. Since 1999, July 26 is celebrated as the Kargil Vijay Diwas in India, every year, to celebrate the victory of Operation Vijay. On its 21st anniversary, we take a look some photos straight from the battle zone.Indian Army soldiers fly the Indian flag 15 July 1999 from a peak in Drass after it was recaptured by Indian troops during the first week of July 1999. (Image: AFP) Clockwise from top: Jack with his best friend Olly in 2012: we kept an eye out for each other and turned our adversity into determination, Jack with his dad Laurie I was a mini him and, Left, with brother Alan and niece Charlotte in 1998, proud dad Laurie meets jack for the first time, july 1993, Jacks parents created the most curly-haired, chubby kid youve ever seen But, says stand-up comedian Jack Rooke who lost his dad to cancer then his best friend to suicide openness, honesty and lots of happy memories will help you smile again Around the age of three or four, you could have asked me about my family and I would have told you that I had two wonderful parents, Chris Evans and Vanessa Feltz. My extended family included glamorous Aunty Pat (Butcher), my northern Uncle Les (Battersby) and my various cousins Zippy, Dipsy and Wellard the German shepherd. This is what I earnestly told people on the bus in the mid-1990s, during a childhood spent obsessed with television. In reality my parents were my dad Laurie, a curly-haired black cab driver, and my mother Josie, a fellow curly-haired multi-grafter who did any job she could get. I had two brothers who were 21 and 13 years older than me, but these two curly-haired lovers from Mill End in Hertfordshire created in me the most curly-haired chubby white kid youve ever seen. I was like Roald Dahls Matilda a bit of a misfit. I loved reading, talking and irritating everyone with incessant lines of questioning. However, unlike Matilda, I was incredibly loved by my parents. I loved pop music, the Spice Girls, various gradients of the colour pink and magic. But one man never made me feel as if I wasnt enough of a boy. Even though he loved his cars and his pubs, he always seemed to accept me purely for me and didnt care what anyone thought. My dad Laurie. I was a mini him and spent the vast majority of my free time as a child out and about with Dad. He would drop me off at school on the way to Heathrow Airport. At weekends, we would stop off to see my nan before going to do our other favourite pastime: driving into London in his black cab and misusing his waiting to pick up elderly passenger sign as a way to nab free parking so we could walk around and explore. Then our black cab adventuring days came to an end because Dad started to suffer from back pain. He had numerous appointments with doctors, specialists and nurses. He lost a bit of weight. Then some more weight. He complained about the pain again. He saw his GP again. He was getting really quite sick. When I look back, that spring and summer of 2008 was the last time I see myself as a child. I was 14. I was in Year 10 at school, devising plays in the drama hall and going into Watford with my friends to loiter. As the weeks went on, it became clear that Dad was bedridden and was not about to get better any time soon. One night, in early September, I saw him tucked in bed with the heating on and under a duvet but unable to stop violently shivering. I ran downstairs to tell Mum that it was frightening me but we didnt have a clue what to do. I would give so much now to be able to hug that frightened teenage kid who just wanted to fix things but felt so out of his depth. On 18 September, my cousin Amy and a few friends took me out for some relief. I had a nice night: we went to an in-store gig in London and watched some bands. But when I got home I walked into the living room to find everyone sitting in a semicircle, in a way that you only ever see on EastEnders when some bad news is about to be given. I remember Dad turned his head; he couldnt look at me. My best friend in the whole wide world couldnt look at me. And I just knew. In that moment I knew what was coming. I felt all the hairs on my body rise to the ceiling. I felt all the adrenaline in my arms, legs and chest start pounding. And all I said was: I dont want to know. I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door. My middle brother Dean, who Id never really got on with, came up. He knocked on my door. I didnt answer. He walked in and sat next to me, putting his arm around me. I asked, Is it the C-word? Dean nodded. It was kidney cancer. There was a tumour and it was big. I very much feel my childhood can be split into three before Dads cancer, during Dads cancer and after Dads cancer: the bereavement years. During Dads cancer was such a short period but it transformed me. It turned me from a boy to a man. From a child to an adult. Someone who had something vital cut short the ramifications of which cannot be fully understood or easily articulated. To be the young child of a dying person. Mum and I had ten days of knowing Dad had cancer. Nowadays I flip back and forth in my mind about whether or not his late diagnosis was, in a way, a blessing in disguise. He wasnt suffering for long but, then again, ten days was never enough time to even begin to process what was happening. The questions come thick and fast, leaving you chaotically dizzy and, at the same time, violently numb. You realise that you really have no control of the situation. Dad went into a hospice. Mum and I would sit there beside him, chatting away about nothing, trying to make sure he knew we were with him. Any time I wanted to cry, I would leave his room because I didnt want him to see me upset. Id slide down the walls of the waiting room and fall in a pile, sobbing till a nurse or a relative came and picked me up again. I felt like the loneliest 15-year-old in the world. That day when I left, I hugged Dad, who was drifting in and out of consciousness, and said, I love you, I love you so much. He had just about enough energy to lift his head upwards and kiss me on the lips. That was the last kiss I ever had from him. Id decided that was my goodbye. That was it for me. I was ready. Half an hour later, Mum returned home. Standing at the front door, she said, Hes gone. I have to say that the first feeling I had was relief. A sense of calm washed over me that the horror of the past ten days had ended. Dad drifted off to sleep at eight minutes past eight, with Mum right beside him, holding his hand, telling him to just let go. Telling him she loved him with all her heart. That shed look after the boys. That he didnt need to fight any longer. In a way, Im happy almost proud that among all the tragedy, fear and sadness, his final moments were surrounded by nothing but love. ******* I went to the University of Westminster, the first person in my family to go to uni, to do a BA in journalism. It combined my dream to study in the media capital of the world with being affordable (thanks to a scholarship) and close to my mum. The student station, Smoke Radio, was run by a committee of elected second-years and a guy called Olly was its head of news. On the surface Olly was a Jack-the-lad type. He was 24, a second-year journalism student who had a good five years on everyone else in his year and mine. He was always surrounded by a similarly good-looking bunch of second-year boys who I found intimidatingly fit. I had been volunteering with the charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) and told him I wanted to make a radio package about its suicide prevention campaign and magazine for the station. Olly loved the idea, wanting to know more. He very sweetly and openly told me hed dealt with some of his own mental-health issues and so the cause fully resonated with him and hed support anything CALM and I were trying to do. There was something about Olly. It felt as though wed agreed we wanted to spur each other on to succeed. We kept an eye out, rooting for each other in turning our adversity into determination and, ultimately, happiness. Jack promoting his award-winning stand-up show about coping with his fathers death He was the one who, after I performed at a fundraising gig for CALM called Save the Male and got my first standing ovation, ran up and gave me the biggest hug. I will always remember him saying, That was you, Jack! That was you on stage. This is what you should do it was career-defining. You should be so proud. Im so proud of you. Quite honestly, it was the first time Id heard the words Im proud of you said by another man since Dad. But after he left university, Olly struggled to find his feet. He just wasnt wearing himself very well, if that makes sense. Instead, life was wearing him. Olly had a more complex mental illness than any of my experiences with anxiety and depression. We last spoke on the phone on what would have been Dads 62nd birthday. We had a good hour-long chat, beginning with how we both had gyp with our radiators then how wed both been having a bit of a bad time. We ended the call with him making plans to come to see me, and me promising Id come to him in spring. I would like to believe that they were genuine plans. Plans that Olly meant to keep. But sadly neither of those things ever happened. It was the day before my final Edinburgh fringe pitch for my show Good Grief my last shot at getting a slot for the festival. I saw two good-luck texts, then noticed a few missed calls from my friend Claire. There was an answerphone message from her: Hi Jack. Can you call me, please? We need to talk. I immediately thought: its Olly. I panic-called my mum. And, bless my mum, she told me I was being completely stupid, to calm down and focus on what I needed to do. So thats what I did. And afterwards, I took a deep breath and rang Claire back. Its Olly. Hes died. Last night. He took his own life and Im just calling to let you know. Then she burst into tears and I was just numb. As I hung up the call, I could feel my legs turn heavy, like sandbags. I couldnt walk. I just didnt know what to do with myself. I was in absolute, total shock, yet at the same time devastated because I felt like Id seen it coming. I felt like Id heard Claires phone call in my mind before, telling me his demons had won and hed done it. The suicide of a loved one can often feel like a series of failures. The what-if questions run races around your head at night. What if Id just How did I fail to notice Why didnt I say Suicide highlights the failures in our society, our media, our government, our health services and all the ways in which we effectively try to protect the people who are the most vulnerable. And in the hardest moments, suicide feels like a failure of the love we have for those we care about. But what Ive learnt since Ollys passing is that this failure isnt true. Its so important to understand that no one is ever solely to blame. There is never one specific reason why someone has felt so low they have taken their own life. A suicide is one of the worst tragedies of the human experience but I promise the happier times do start to come back. No matter how hard it can feel for someone to accept a suicide, life goes on and people adapt and grow. I still try to live my life in the belief that Olly really did want to live. That Olly was trying hard to get better. I had so badly hoped it was a mistake an attempt he didnt want to succeed but when I discovered there was a letter and a coroners conclusion that it was intentional, this made me want to continue trying to support CALM as best as I could. I needed to focus on spreading awareness of suicide prevention and to make myself feel like I was doing something positive in his memory. Jack with radio presenter Gemma Cairney at 2018s Costa book awards Ultimately, its important that we collectively make sure we dont see suicide as this massive failure but as something that we can tackle, accept and educate people about and to prevent it from feeling like a valid option to the people we love in times of crisis. Jacks tips on supporting a friend whos lost a loved one Tell them you love them and that youre there. Remind them that youre not too scared to talk about it. Tell them to drink water. Remind them to be kind to themselves that they are more than just feeling grief. Remind them, in a very sensitive way, that they still have a future, even if for a while they cant or dont see it themselves. Buy them biscuits. Not cheap ones. M&S ones the round ones covered in chocolate. And make them a lasagne. Keep them in your thoughts and in your invitations down the pub. Keep them in the loop about the fun stuff in life that grief can strip away. Like their Facebook/Instagram posts or tweets about it all, and any angry rants. Remind them that theyre not alone. Give them your Netflix password and a hug when they need it. Make them something silly a collection of old photos, written memories or jokes. Make them sit with you to sort out all their boring life admin, which they might need to catch up on without feeling alone. This is an edited extract from Cheer the F*** Up by Jack Rooke, price 16.99, which will be published by Ebury Press on 30 July. Order a copy for 10.99 until 9 August at whsmith.co.uk by entering the code YOUCHEER at the checkout. Book number: 9781529108231. For terms & conditions go to whsmith.co.uk/terms Various provocations by the enemy may take place to disrupt the truce, the JFO HQ says. Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters (JFO HQ) says JF units have started preparations for a full and comprehensive ceasefire on the contact line in the zone of the Joint Forces Operation in eastern Ukraine, which is to start on July 27. Read alsoUN backs new ceasefire deal in Donbas Ukraine mission's spox "From 00:01 [Kyiv time] on July 27, Ukrainian servicemen specially deployed at each of our positions will exercise additional control over the ceasefire. Most of them have extensive combat experience and directly dealt with relevant issues during participation in UN-sponsored peacekeeping missions," the JFO HQ wrote on Facebook on July 25. This will not distract JF troops from combat missions and prevent possible provocations, while not depriving Ukrainian soldiers of the possibility of self-defense, the report said. "We are well aware that in some parts of the contact line, various provocations by the enemy may take place to disrupt the truce," the JFO HQ added. Moreover, the work of correspondents and film crews from domestic and foreign media is envisaged to objectively inform the Ukrainian society and the world community about the situation in various parts of the contact line. In addition, a JFO HQ representative will be informing the public about the current situation. As UNIAN reported earlier, the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, OSCE), on July 22 held a video conference during which the parties agreed on a new, full and comprehensive ceasefire in Donbas, eastern Ukraine. Postcard from the mighty river at Great Falls Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Great Falls is more than just a quick stopover on a summer road trip across Big Sky Country. As a destination, Montanas third-largest city punches well above its weight, thanks to the big-city feel of its downtown, a couple of notable museums and a landscape that remains beautiful despite being partially covered up by the progress of industry. Great Falls, as its name implies, is situated at the great falls of the Missouri River. Meriwether Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame called the falls some 900 feet wide and 80 feet tall the grandest sight he ever saw. Dams and power plants changed much of the scenery, though a small stretch of the river at the aptly named Rivers Edge Trail in Giant Springs State Park offers a vista from the past. Fittingly, this is also where the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is located. The two-story museum, run by U.S. Forest Service in partnership with a nonprofit foundation, gives visitors a crash course in the history of the Corps of Discoverys 8,000-mile expedition in the aftermath of the Louisiana Purchase. Beyond the history of this important chapter in the story of America, there is the art found in the citys two art museums. The C.M. Russell Museum has 16 galleries devoted to its namesake, Charles M. Russell. The artist, who called Great Falls home, distinctively depicted all things Old West around the turn of the last century. Less than a mile away is the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art. The contemporary collection by artists from Montana and across the region is housed in a stately Richardsonian Romanesque former high school. No visit would be complete without a stop at an old church. The Church of the Incarnation (built in 1907) wins the prize for best church architecture, notwithstanding the Episcopal congregations hideous parish hall. The tower with its north porch is a perfectly executed example of Gothic Revival architecture. In fact, if you didnt know better you would mistake the tower for a medieval church somewhere in the English countryside. Where to stay and eat Stay at the Springhill Suites overlooking the Missouri River. The relatively new hotel it opened in 2018 has rooms with balconies. An alternative option is downtown at the Hotel Avron, next to the popular Celtic Cowboy Pub and Restaurant. How to get there Arriving by car makes the most sense, especially since two of the best national parks are within driving distance. Spires and Crosses is a weekly travel column. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram. When coronavirus lockdowns spread nationwide in March, millions of Americans flocked to their local grocery stores and wholesale markets to stock up for what would become months stuck at home. Black Americans did the same, but some had one addendum to their shopping list: a firearm. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been growing interest among African Americans in arming themselves, as evidenced by increased membership in Black gun owner organizations. That interest ballooned in the wake of George Floyds death, which reignited debate about public safety and the role of police in Black communities. Sensationalized stereotypes about Black Americans and guns, however, are also being used by critics of the anti-racism protests to justify a security crackdown in urban areas, many with large Black communities. The rush to purchase weapons and ammunition is not unique to one race more Americans across the board are arming themselves this year, including those who are not legally eligible . However, new Black gun owners see firearms as a tool of both empowerment and self-defense. Phillip Smith, president of the National African American Gun Owners Association, said his organizations annual membership has increased by up to 2,000 new members per day a figure he used to see annually. His organization has grown to more than 30,000 members this year and has an online following of nearly 90,000 people. The influx of interest in gun owning and seeking membership in Black gun owner organizations began as soon as the pandemic set in. Fears of a damaged economy, disrupted supply chain and slow-moving federal response inspired people to take up arms. "If you have a half a brain in your head even saying, 'Oh, this might get serious, let me plan accordingly," Smith explained. The Floyd protests, he added, were a line in the sand for many of his new members. Leaders of other Black gun ownership organizations echo this response, saying the spike owes to a range of concerns many Black Americans have. Story continues "Whether it was fear of a food shortage, lack of a grocery store, the short response times for law enforcement or whether people were just fearful they were going to be attacked, I don't know," said Derrick Morgan, national commander of the Black Gun Owners Association. Morgan said interest in his group grew so quickly that his website crashed from a surge in online traffic. "A lot of people are reaching out to us, mainly new gun owners and people who wouldn't have considered owning a gun or firearm for their protection, have been lining up to purchase firearms and access information from our website." Their reasoning has become much harder to ignore, especially as social media sites and phone videos turned into tools of capturing and responding to instances of police brutality. Floyds death catalyzed international protest in part for this reason. The video of Ahmaud Arbery, who was killed by white vigilantes in a Georgia suburb garnered similar levels of attention, as did that of Atlantas Rayshard Brooks, who was shot in the back by a police officer following a confrontation. Armed members of the New Black Panthers speak to the crowd at a protest rally Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in Decatur, Ga. The protest and rally at the town square brought out hundreds who chanted the name George Floyd and filled the streets demanding justice. (AP Photo/Ron Harris) While the vast majority of demonstrators across the U.S. this summer have been unarmed, some have sought to make a statement with their guns. In Stone Mountain, Georgia, an open carry state, at least 150 African-Americans asserted their Second Amendment Right as a tool of protest. Dressed in black and armed with semi-automatic rifles, the group marched through Stone Mountain park to protest its depiction of Confederate generals. A similar march organized by black gun owners took place in Oklahoma City, Okla. in June, timed to President Donald Trumps rally in nearby Tulsa. Smith said his organization is not affiliated with such groups but empathizes with their members. Any time any community has been pushed and pushed like ours has been pushed, I may not agree with what you do as another organization, but I certainly understand where that stems from, he said, adding that their efforts were done out of survival and being able to protect your community. Their demonstration and others have drawn the ire of some conservatives. Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler decried the mob rule in Atlanta during a June 24 interview on Fox News , as the cable network played images of Black protesters carrying semi-automatic weapons. Were a nation of the rule of law and this is exactly what will happen if we defund the police, Loeffler warned. Her rhetoric echoes that of the White House and other Republicans in Washington, who have taken an increasingly antagonistic tone towards protesters and members of the Black Lives Matter movement over the past month. Trump has referred to the movement as a "hate group" and repeated talking points in favor of tough policing. The president and his supporters, meanwhile, defended a white St. Louis couple captured on video pointing guns at Black protesters marching by. According to Fox News, the couple told police they retrieved their firearms after spotting armed protesters. Other members of his circle have taken to calling Black Lives Matter protesters "Marxists" who have been "planning to destroy the police for years." Attempts to fan fears of armed, militant Black Americans is not a new political tactic. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover described the Black Panther Party , which advocated for African-Americans to take up guns as a form of self-defense, as "the greatest threat to internal security of the country" in 1969. Concerns about the group in the late 1960s even prompted the National Rifle Association, no fan of gun restrictions, to partner with then-California governor Ronald Reagan to pass gun control legislation that limited open carry at the state capitol. Now, as the Trump administration prepares to expand its military presence to major cities, their talking points are turning into policy. Following a week of violent crackdowns on protests in Portland, President Trump announced his plans to deploy hundreds of federal law enforcement agents to Chicago and Albuquerque to help drive down violent crime. Federal officers use chemical irritants and projectiles to disperse Black Lives Matter protesters early late Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Portland, Ore. Since federal officers arrived in downtown Portland in early July, violent protests have largely been limited to a two block radius from the courthouse. (Beth Nakamura /The Oregonian via AP) The federal government has also threatened to deploy federal forces in Baltimore, Detroit, New York, Oakland and Philadelphia all of which have large Black populations. The White House has specifically cited gun violence in African-American communities and the threat of damage to federal property as an excuse for the increased military presence. And its not the first time that government leaders have presented armed African-Americans as a threat: when the Black Panther Party reached its height in the late 1960s, the National Rifle Association, in partnership with then-California governor Ronald Reagan passed gun control legislation that limited open carry at the state capitol. Black gun owners of this era, however, maintain that their firearm ownership is not evidence of something more sinister, nor is it the violent show of force that some conservatives have made it out to be. Its my constitutional freaking right, said Kat Traylor, a political strategist and licensed gun owner based in Aurora, Colo. Her city is home to one of the most violent mass shootings in American history. Traylor said she feels empowered by owning a firearm. At the same time, she is a member of the Moms Demand Action group, which advocates for gun control legislation. In 2018, she helped push through the states Red Flag Law that gives judges the power to seize a persons firearm if they prove to be a danger to themselves or another person. We tussled with the idea of having guns in our home because we've advocated so many gun rights legislation, she explained. We were like, yeah, we need this law because we don't need guns in the hands of people that are clearly going to hurt themselves or others. Traylor is not the only person who has struggled with the implications of owning a gun as a Black American. With shootings on the rise in several American cities, advocates are wary of the trend, saying there isnt enough evidence to prove that guns will make Black Americans any safer. What I really want people to think about is the impact of the presence of guns in Black communities and how there are inherent challenges and more nuanced challenges to saying everyone should arm themselves, said Amber Goodwin, founder and executive director of the Community Justice Action Fund, which aims to prevent gun violence in communities of color. Not everyone has access to gun safety. We don't know how guns can actually make Black people safer in the home or outside of the home. Black gun ownership advocates, who prioritize safety and proper training over rushed and potentially dangerous efforts to secure these weapons, say that their growth in numbers sends a powerful message beyond those from Stone Mountain, Oklahoma City, Aurora or any individual city. The days are over of African Americans sitting around singing Kumbaya and hoping and praying that somebody will come and save them. We're gonna save ourselves, Smith said. And any politician that wants our vote moving forward, they better be on the side of our thinking otherwise, you're not gonna get our vote. We're not gonna be sheep anymore. Fragrant: The citys cathedral by the Rhine For me, Cologne has always been the most fragrant of cities whether its the spicy clouds of incense billowing out of its riverside cathedral, the wafts of salt-crusted pretzels on Schildergasse or Aspreys Purple Water, courtesy of the toiletries at my favourite hotel the Excelsior Hotel Ernst, founded in 1863. From its fragrant interior, its easy to forget that Cologne once looked and smelt very different, although the upside to its former filthiness was the creation of the worlds most famous eau de Cologne: 4711. In the 18th Century, locals always carried umbrellas but not because of the rain, says Helli Schummer, fragrance expert at Colognes House of 4711. There were no flushing toilets, so people emptied their commodes out of the windows. Cologne, like many other cities then, was foul-smelling, dirty and riddled with disease. Luckily, in 1792, entrepreneurial German merchant Wilhelm Mulhens was given a recipe for a fragrant water by a monk who eulogised about its benefits. Mulhens started marketing it as a health-boosting elixir that could be added to wine or beer, and it was an instant hit. However, its popularity almost caused its downfall. Napoleons thirst for the fruit- and herb-infused tonic is thought to be the reason he decreed, in 1810, that recipes for oral medications must be made public. Determined not to reveal his secret recipe, Mulhens started marketing his Kolnisch Wasser which would eventually be renamed 4711 as a refreshing fragrance, instead. The House of 4711 on leafy Glockengasse is where Mulhens set up shop. Today, rooftop chimes start playing their hourly rendition of the Marseillaise, a nod to French troops who unwittingly shaped 4711s history. After their commanding officer decreed that houses should be numbered, Mulhens named his elixir after his new address: 4711 Glockengasse. Inside, apothecary-like fragrance displays glint under a chandelier made from perfume bottles and at the rear, an eau de Cologne fountain fragrances the air. Helli reveals that it was originally by the entrance but was relocated after visitors started filling bottles before beating a hasty retreat. I sign up for one of the House of 4711s fragrance seminars and spend a happy hour tinkering with different fragrance notes. Those with truly insatiable appetites for eau de Cologne can feast on a scent food menu incorporating 4711s ingredients (the lavender-crusted steak is delicious). There are hundreds of fascinating exhibits: slimline 4711 bottles designed to slot into the boots worn by Napoleons troops, historic 4711 adverts (including one that was banned due to depictions of scantily clad women) and fragrance bottles from the late 1700s. Some of the earlier bottles had cork stoppers and tiny corkscrews attached to the side. My favourite exhibit is one of the 4711 fragrance dispensers once found in railway stations. Anyone who needed a top-up could insert a few coins for a quick spritz. Refreshing: Pictured are bottles of 4711, the worlds most famous eau de Cologne Despite 4711s rich history, the worlds first eau de Cologne is actually Farina. The business has operated out of a building on Obenmarspforten within sniffing distance of the House of 4711 since 1723. I visit in July and stifle a giggle when my guide appears. Hes dressed in breeches and a wig as Johann Maria Farina, the perfumer who founded Farina. He recalls the unsanitary conditions of 18th Century Europe, explaining that his frilly sleeves were worn to hide bitemarks of fleas, so common that locals carried portable flea traps capsules containing human blood mixed with honey. The blood lured thirsty fleas from hiding places such as warm armpits, and they would then stick to the honey, making them easy to dispose of. Like Mulhens, Italian-born Farina wanted to mask Colognes unpleasant scents by creating a fragrance that reminded him of, in his words, a spring morning in Italy. It was a success, albeit an expensive one one bottle cost about 2,000 in todays money, although that failed to deter fragrance fiend Napoleon, who apparently doused himself in one bottle a day. Farina marketed his cologne as a luxury one from the outset, adding a tulip logo. In the 1700s, tulips were imported, at great expense, from Russia, and were seen as status symbols. Elegance at Hotel Ernst, which The Mail on Sunday's Tamara said is her favourite hotel In Farinas museum, exhibits include a display case engraved with images of Asian birds, created to seduce Chinese customers. The origami-like case folded down into the size of a suitcase so it could be shipped to the Far East. I start noticing reminders of Colognes connections with fragrance around every corner. Behind the bar at Motel One on Cologne-Waidmarkt, 4711 is picked out in huge LED letters and armchairs are wrapped in teal a nod to the bottles colour scheme. At Colognes Romano-Germanic Museum, exhibits include fragrance bottles dating from Roman times. Found during excavations of nearby grave sites, the bottles resemble shells, sandals and birds. The innovative approaches taken by Roman perfumers and by Farina and Mulhens whether its shippable display cases or fragrance vending machines not only put Cologne on the map but provided a breath of fresh air during the worlds darkest days. And, three centuries after people started dousing themselves in cologne in the hope of staving off plagues, fleas and other unpleasantries, 4711 is enjoying an unexpected boost: Helli Schummer reveals that perfumed wipes are flying off the shelves, bulk-bought by hand-hygiene-conscious consumers weary of Covid-19. Suddenly, portable flea traps look rather cumbersome. Photo: Unsplash OTTAWA - The deputy commander of the Royal Canadian Navy says there is no place in the force for sailors who subscribe to what he describes as "hateful, misogynistic and racist" beliefs. Rear-Admiral Chris Sutherland issued the warning after some sailors and veterans posted online comments criticizing the Navy's decision to drop the term "seaman" when referring to its most junior sailors. Navy officers have said the decision to replace the term with something more gender-neutral is aimed at making the Navy more inclusive and to ensure junior members feel safe and proud of their ranks and jobs. But while the move has been applauded by some as long overdue, there has also been varying degrees of criticism online some of which appear to have crossed a line for navy commanders. Sutherland did not expand on the nature of the offending comments, but said members of the public who make them are disparaging members of the Navy who have dedicated their lives to defending Canada's freedom. And he invited any sailor who wanted to know why the initiative is a priority for the Navy to contact him directly. By Ernest Scheyder July 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives launched a bipartisan caucus on Friday to focus on ways to increase domestic production of specialized minerals used to make missiles, cell phones and other high-tech equipment. The Critical Materials Caucus is the latest effort by officials in Washington to blunt China's prowess as the world's largest producer or processor of rare earths, lithium, titanium and other niche but important minerals. Representative Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Representative Guy Reschenthaler, a Pennsylvania Republican, will chair the group, which was approved by the House Administration Committee's leadership. The Pentagon and a rising number of U.S. tech companies have grown concerned that China could cut off exports of the minerals to the United States - which it did to Japan in 2010 - if relations between Beijing and Washington deteriorate further. "All of us want to make sure America addresses this national security issue," Swalwell told Reuters. "I don't consider China an ally country." The United States has large reserves of many of these minerals and several smaller companies are working to develop them. U.S. scientists are also studying ways to recycle the minerals from old electronics. Caucus members plan to initially focus on legislation Swalwell has introduced to permanently fund rare earths research at U.S. Department of Energy laboratories. China became the top global producer of many of these minerals only in recent decades. The rare earths industry, for instance, began in the United States during World War Two as part of the Manhattan Project, but the technology gradually moved overseas to China. "It is more important than ever for our nation to work towards achieving critical material independence," said Reschenthaler. The caucus will start in the House and could potentially expand to the U.S. Senate, staffers said. (Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Nicknamed big cannon Ren, Ren has been charged with embezzlement and damaging the image of leaders and the state with its criticisms. Party members cannot question the leaders, and state entrepreneurs must align themselves with the regime's decisions. Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Communist Party of China (CPC) has expelled dissident billionaire Ren Zhiqiang, who will now expected to go on trial for using public funds for personal benefit, Chinese authorities announced Thursday evening. Nicknamed "big cannon Ren" for his attacks on the countrys leaders, he went missing on 12 March. He is thought to be currently held in a prison in Taipingzhuang, near the capital. In the previous three years, he lived at his Beijing home under constant surveillance. The real estate tycoon, a member of an important family of revolutionary leaders, became famous for calling Xi Jinping a "power hungry clown". In an online article last March, Ren criticised the Chinese president without ever mentioning his name for the way he handled the pandemic crisis, the Sino-US trade war and Taiwan relations. The CPCs disciplinary body banned him for speaking out against the "four cardinal principles", the theoretical bases on which the Partys undisputed leadership is based. He is also accused of harming the image of the Party and the state. For friends and observers, the charges of embezzlement and wrongful gain are an excuse to discredit Ren. Xu Zhangrun, another well-known Xi critic, recently received the same treatment. A law professor at Tsinghua University, he was arrested on 6 July for "soliciting prostitution". Released a few days later, he was fired by his university for "moral corruption". According to several sources, the disciplinary action against Ren is based on the notion that Party members cannot criticise Party leaders, and state entrepreneurs must always align themselves with the regime's decisions. (Newser) The Sinclair Broadcast Group said Saturday it is pulling from the air an edition of its America This Week program that discusses a conspiracy theory involving Dr. Anthony Fauci and the coronavirus, the AP reports. Sinclair spokesman Michael Padovano said Sinclair hopes to add context and other viewpoints and still air the controversial segment on the next week's edition of America This Week. Meanwhile, Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, talked in detail in a new podcast about the "serious threats" and hate mail directed his way. America This Week is hosted by Eric Bolling, a former Fox News Channel personality, and sent to stations Sinclair owns in 81 markets. story continues below The show it initially distributed for this weekend's show featured an interview with Judy Mikovits, maker of the widely discredited "Plandemic" video, and her lawyer, Larry Klayman. Mikovits, an anti-vaccine activist, said she believed that Fauci manufactured the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and shipped it to China. There has been no evidence that the virus was produced in a lab, much less any of Fauci's involvement. Bolling did not push back on the claim, or show any evidence of checking its veracity. He followed up with a segment interviewing radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Fox News contributor, who said she thought Fauci "in no way, shape or form has been involved in the manufacture of this virus." (Read more Anthony Fauci stories.) The Covid-19 pandemic has had an adverse effect on all sectors of society, including education. Amidst the ongoing crisis, more than 400 first year law students from 12 different colleges in Pune under Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have come together to demand a reduction of 50 per cent fees for the ongoing academic year. They have written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and also to the SPPU vice chancellor. Most of these students come from rural areas and are currently at their villages or home towns. Of the 12 law colleges they are studying at, six law colleges are only aided under SPPU and rest all other colleges are unaided with huge fees. Due to the lockdown the financial condition of the students is weak and so they are united for the reduction of fees demand. In the last academic year, the admissions for first year went on till December 2019 and the actual classroom lectures started very late. While the second semester started late in the month of March this year and hardly 10 classroom lectures took place after which a countrywide lockdown was announced. Since then, none of the students have gone to college and the syllabus is covered online. So our demand is to reduce this academic year fee by 50 per cent and give us instalment options to pay the fees, said Karan Naiknaware from ILS Law College. During May 19 to May 25, 2020, we conducted an online survey of law students from these 12 law colleges about the fees. The result of the survey was that majority of students which is 99.3 per cent students are in favour of fees reduction by 50 per cent for this academic year. he added. BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - It only recently reopened amid the pandemic, but it has been full speed ahead at the Historic RailPark & Train Museum on needed renovations to its historic railcars. Director Jamie Johnson said eight train cars can be found at the RailPark housed at the L&N Depot, five of which are on the attractions railcar tours. Johnson said the park is working on a variety of projects involving the cars. Typically what our real priority is with the five cars that are on the tour is to do anything maintenance-wise to keep them in a good enough manner to bring people over them, Johnson said. Its a lot of little stuff. One of these smaller projects, Johnson said, was the recent repainting of the floors in the engine car. Other ongoing projects include restoring windows in the post office and presidential cars and repairing a roof leak in the dining car. Johnson said another project is underway in the Towering Pines sleeper car. Johnson said the project was broken into three phases, the first of which is to re-upholster seating in the third-class area. We had already started on this path to restore those seats, and it cost about $1,500 per seat to get those restored, Johnson said. Johnson said that there will be 12 seats restored during the first phase. The museum has asked community members to sponsor the repairs with donations, Johnson said. The second phase is reupholstering the second-class seating, where each seat will cost around $1,000 to repair. The final phase of the project, according to Johnson, is restoring the cars flooring, which she said would cost around $3,500. Johnson said the RailPark has received a $1,000 donation toward the third phase but still needs $2,500 to complete it. The RailPark is taking donations for this project via Donor View. When you start getting into the other cars, its just a whole other ballgame, Johnson said, referring to the three cars not yet on the attractions tours. Johnson said work is continuing on a World War II hospital car, including painting and putting in new windows and gaskets. While Johnson said there is no current plan for renovation of the inside of the hospital car, the RailPark has plans for additional exterior painting and striping. She said they expect to have a tentative plan for the interior by the end of 2020. The World War II hospital car was built in 1945 by the American Car and Foundry Company of St. Charles, Missouri, and was one of 100 railcars used to bring injured soldiers home during the war. Were working on these smaller projects to keep the cars in good condition so that we can continue to bring people into the cars, Johnson said. People refusing to wear masks in public claiming it violates their human rights have clashed with police and retail workers as the government doubles down on the mandatory mask requirement on Victoria's deadliest COVID-19 day to date. A video posted on social media by a Bunnings shopper opposing the mandatory mask policy captured a tense and sometimes confused altercation with store employees that ended in threats of a lawsuit. A similar video also posted on social media showed a verbal dispute between Victoria Police and a woman who made the unfounded claim that coronavirus laws did not apply to her and that polices attempts to take her into custody for not wearing a mask amounted to armed kidnapping. Premier Daniel Andrews dismissed the behaviour on Sunday as "a selfish choice". A group of female Muslim volunteers have given up their time to cook free meals for families struggling to put food on the table during Melbourne's second COVID-19 lockdown. Every Friday women from across the city's Muslim community cook up dishes including chicken korma, lentil soup and rice from a commercial kitchen provided by Moreland City Council in Melbourne's north. The head of the volunteer group said she hoped the program would change attitudes about Muslim women's participation in Australian society. A group of volunteers from Muslim Women's Council of Victoria are giving up their time to cook free meals for the community as Melbourne struggles through its second COVID-19 lockdown The food is served in large packs that the council say can last families for as long as three days 'There is a stereotype of women in hijab that they are not doing anything for the community,' Muslim Women's Council of Victoria chairperson Afshan Mantoo told SBS Urdu. 'When someone takes food, they say, 'oh! a Muslim woman is doing something'; it feels good.' She said those who take the food are from a variety of personal backgrounds and religions - from white Australians to Indians and Sikhs. 'Students, families, refugees and people from all walks of life come and take the food we prepare,' she said. The food is served in large packs that can last families for as long as three days - with staff taking additional steps including mask-wearing and regular temperature checks to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines. Ms Mantoo said the group of volunteers themselves came from many different walks of life, giving up time from their regular day jobs to help those suffering the most from the effects of lock down. Melbourne returned to stage three social distancing restrictions on July 8 as COVID-19 infections surged in Australia's second most populated city. The volunteers cook the meals each Friday for those who can't afford to put food on the table during Melbourne's second COVID-19 lockdown The volunteer group cook up dishes including chicken korma, lentil soup and rice from a commercial kitchen provided by Moreland City Council in Melbourne's north Cyclists pictured wearing facemasks in St Kilda in Melbourne's inner-city on Saturday. Melbourne is almost halfway through its six-week lockdown imposed on July 8 after a resurgence in COVID-19 cases Those living in Melbourne and neighbouring Mitchell Shire can only leave home for one four essential reasons - shopping for food and supplies, to give care, exercise or to study and work. Victoria on Sunday confirmed another 459 coronavirus cases and 10 more deaths from the respiratory illness. Premier Daniel Andrews has refused to say whether the six-week lockdown, which is almost halfway through, would be extended or finish on time. The ability to access courthouses without fear of arrest, detention, or deportation is a core tenet of democracy. The ability to defend oneself when accused, to testify when a witness, and to make a claim against another when victimized must be protected for all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has an opportunity to affirm New York state's commitment to uphold the safety and dignity of immigrants by swiftly signing the Protect Our Courts Act into law. The act would effectively end ICE courthouse arrests; it was passed by a wide margin by both the New York Assembly and Senate. David Bowie's surprising obsession with 1980s Australian soap opera A Country Practice has been revealed. In an interview published by Mojo magazine, rockstar Iggy Pop, 73, revealed that he and his late friend Bowie shared a love for the medical drama, which starred Shane Porteous and Brian Wenzel. 'A big favourite of ours,' Iggy said of the program, adding: 'We watched it all the time in Switzerland. David loved that show.' 'A big favourite of ours': David Bowie's surprising obsession with 1980s Australian soap opera A Country Practice has been revealed in an interview with the late rocker's friend Iggy Pop, 73. Pictured: David Bowie in 1983 Bowie was so enamoured with the show that he invited A Country Practice's star Shane Porteous to meet him backstage during the Australian leg of his Glass Spider tour in 1987. Speaking to Private Sydney this Sunday, Shane's daughter Fiona Porteous revealed that she and her two siblings also met Bowie backstage. 'There was no way Dad was going to that concert without his three teenage kids! We got to meet him before the concert,' she told the publication. 'A big favourite of ours': In an interview published by Mojo magazine, rockstar Iggy Pop, 73, (pictured) revealed that he and his late friend Bowie shared a love for the medical drama Cult favourite: Airing from 1981 to 1993, A Country Practice followed the lives of residents living and working in a fictional rural country town named Wandin Valley, in New South Wales, Australia 'It was an amazing experience and I remember we all towered over him, David was quite short, and how exhausted he looked,' she added. Airing from 1981 to 1993, A Country Practice followed the lives of residents living and working in a fictional rural country town named Wandin Valley, in New South Wales. The show focussed on the workings of the town's local hospital and general practice, and often featured guest appearances by celebrity actors. Superfan! Bowie was so enamoured with the show that he invited A Country Practice's star Shane Porteous (pictured) to meet him backstage during the Australian leg of his Glass Spider tour in 1987 Australian love affair: The flamboyant rocker owned a luxury waterfront apartment in Sydney's Elizabeth Bay for a decade up until 1992, arguably the height of his career, but he would keep a low profile to avoid media attention. Pictured: David Bowie in 2004 Bowie, who died in January 2016, had a long-lasting love affair with Australia. The flamboyant rocker owned a luxury waterfront apartment in Sydney's Elizabeth Bay for a decade up until 1992, arguably the height of his career, but he would keep a low profile to avoid media attention. He would stay for at least a month at a time and would often use the flat as a base for outback adventures and trips to far north Queensland to visit the rainforests. Bowie first visited Australia during his 1978 Heroes World Tour, but it wasn't until he returned in 1983 that he started forging a closer relationship - filming China Girl and Let's Dance in Sydney. AMARILLO, Texas Don Caple wont wear a mask. He doesnt think they actually stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, and hes pretty sure mask mandates are a communistic move by the government to see how much people are willing to give up their freedom. But if youre in the market for a mask, does he have a deal for you. For only $10, hell sell you a face mask with a muscly President Donald Trump depicted as a machine-gun-clutching Rambo. Or one with a Trump 2020 campaign slogan. Or one with the coiled rattlesnake from the Gadsden flag and the words Dont tread on me replaced with Dont cough on me. Theyre a hot-ticket-selling item, said Caple, who sells masks from a Trump-themed trailer near the famed Cadillac Ranch art installation in Amarillo. I dont agree with it. But if they want to buy them, Im not gonna argue. Mask mandates are in effect in more than half of U.S. states, and facial coverings are required in many major chains such as Walmart, Target and Starbucks. So, like it or not, most Americans who want to leave their homes must possess some kind of mask leading even the biggest cynics to try and make a buck off of them. On Etsy, online shoppers can choose from scores of homemade cloth facial coverings that say, This mask is useless! Sellers on Amazon hawk masks reading, Wake up, sheeple! And on ebay, the skeptical masker can purchase one that says Scamdemic. Public health experts say masking is essential for the U.S. to climb out of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 145,000 people in the U.S., where cases of the coronavirus have climbed past 4.1 million while crippling the economy and throwing the upcoming school year into chaos. But broad skepticism of masks remains, largely along party lines, with polls showing that Republicans are less likely to wear masks than Democrats or independent voters. Officials in red states that swiftly reopened their economies and are now hard-hit by the virus have said Trump helped seed suspicion about mask-wearing among his supporters. Trump refused to wear a mask in public for months, despite his own administrations guidance that face coverings help slow the spread of the virus. He has mocked presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for wearing one, held campaign events where facial coverings were not required, and told The Wall Street Journal in June that he believed some people wore them to show their disapproval of him. Amid a summer spike in cases, Trump this month called on Americans to wear them, after donning one himself during a July 11 visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. On Monday, he tweeted a photo of himself wearing a mask with the presidential seal, writing that many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you cant socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President! Anything that will encourage people to wear facial coverings even if its making a mask that feels like a fashion statement for the anti-mask crowd is a good thing, said David Aronoff, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. And every little bit of money that can be made in this pandemic-wrecked economy is important, he said. The virus spreads through peoples breath, so the best ways to stop it are creating distance between people or using barriers, like face masks or shields, to physically stop the virus from transmitting from person to person, Aronoff said. Aronoff said it is not entirely surprising that Americans have been resistant to wearing masks in public because theres this idea that if youre wearing a mask, youre sick or vulnerable. But masks, he said, are effective. The reality is we really need people to buy into the idea that we can protect each other from this pandemic. There is mounting evidence that silent spreaders are fueling the transmission of the highly contagious coronavirus, making universal masking essential to slowing its spread, experts say. Aronoff said infected people can transmit the virus for days before symptoms begin, and even if they show no symptoms at all. Nobody wants to think of themselves as being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, capable of killing somebody, especially when they feel normal and have zero symptoms of infection, Aronoff said. It is very hard for people to imagine that they could essentially be a lily pad for this virus hopping from person to person, but this is the absolute reality of the situation. Silent transmission events are fueling this pandemic. Back in Amarillo, Caple, 38, said he sells anywhere from 50 to 250 masks a day from the Trump Trailer, a rolling shop that was chilled on a recent sweaty Saturday by a swamp cooler standing in front of a Confederate flag affixed to the back wall. With cases spiking in the Lone Star State, Gov. Greg Abbott in early July ordered Texans in all counties with more than 20 coronavirus cases to wear a mask in public. In reality, though, it seems like nobody in Texas is enforcing it, said Caple, a father of nine who works as a painter when hes not manning the Trump Trailer. Caple said the only problem he has run into is when he went into a local Tootn Totum gas station maskless and was told to leave. He simply went to another Tootn Totum a few blocks away, where it wasnt an issue. These days, even the cynics are gritting their teeth and buying masks lots of them because theyre now required in so many places, Caple said after handing a complimentary Pocket Constitution to a man with the words We the People tattooed on his right arm who had just bought a Trumpinator T-shirt. I think its pointless, Caple said of the masks. But as a salesman? Im gonna sell them. Outside the Thunder-Rode motorcycle accessories shop on Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz., owner Jack Alexander displays a yellow sign touting Kung-Flu Commie Virus Scamdemic Masks that are locally hand made with designer fabrics. The president has used the phrase kung flu and other racist language in reference to the deadly virus. Arizona has surpassed 152,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 3,000 people in the state have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. But Alexander contends thats a small number in a state of 7.3 million people and that the odds are in his favor. The chances of me or anyone getting or dying from the commie virus scamdemic are microscopic, he said. Alexander wont wear a face covering. But he sells a variety of cloth masks, ranging from about $5 to $15. He sews them himself, with double fabric layers, elastic ear bands or tie strings, and filter pockets so you can put your coffee filter in there, or whatever. He said he gives a quarter of each sale to a charity that benefits homeless veterans. Asked why he sells masks when he doesnt believe they work, Alexander said: Demand. Alexander said he does not believe that facial coverings that are not hospital-grade masks fully filter out coronavirus cooties and that peoples immune systems are designed to fight illness. But people want them because they are increasingly required, he said. People are going to buy these stupid things anyway, he said. I personally would never wear one. I dont want to re-breathe my bodily discharge. Alexander, who described Trump as a great president who doesnt take any bull crap, said he had no issue with him now promoting mask-wearing as long as it is his own preference and not being done to satisfy the media. Seeing the president in a mask, Alexander said, would not influence him to wear one himself. In Southport, N.C., Mike Howard started selling masks from his screen-printing and graphic arts shop, Brandall, as a way to recoup some of the money hes lost this year. He usually makes T-shirts and banners for big annual events, like the Fourth of July festival and a kids fishing tournament. But they all were moved online or canceled, dealing him a big financial blow. North Carolinas Democratic governor issued a statewide mask mandate last month. A few days later, Howard posted a black mask to his companys Facebook page aimed at those who dont like masks with the words This Mask Is as Useless as Our Governor. Howard said he has sold quite a few, but some customers were offended. Frankly, he said, hell print anything on a mask or shirt if someone wants to buy it. In North Carolina, its a big debate people feel so strongly about it on both sides of the aisle, Howard said. We try to stay neutral, but its hard. You dont want to turn any of them down. Howard said he personally doesnt mind wearing a mask. He usually opts for one with the mouth of John Finlay, who was featured in the Netflix series Tiger King as a longtime love interest of the former zookeeper known as Joe Exotic. (Finlay, who was missing front teeth in the show, has since had extensive dental work to get them fixed.) The more you can make the masks stand out, and the more funny they are, he said, the more likely somebodys going to buy it. Hailey Branson-Potts of the Los Angeles Times wrote this story. 2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In a heartfelt note for Sushant Singh Rajput, Rhea Chakrabortys brother Showik Chakraborty reminisced about his happy memories with the late actor and said that the news of his death was difficult to digest. Showik wished he could change Newtons laws and gravitate Sushant back. Showik wrote, I havent processed the fact that you arent here anymore..smiling at the smallest of things,laughing like theres no tomorrow.Happiness for you was not a marker but extreme compassion was.You believed in love and spreading as much love as you could even though you were fighting a battle of your own..You taught me how to look at life with your perspective and I did and saw that you had already lived life more than anyone couldve imagined- you made me live with your perspective ,your vision to change the world. Calling Sushant his brother, Showik said that a part of him would never be able to come to terms with the loss. I dont think anything I say will suffice the relationship we shared.My brother ,I looked up to you and now I look up in the sky and see you but guess what?I dont even need a telescope to see the biggest and brightest star.You always believed in my gut,and now my gut tells me youre at a better place so I believe it. There is a huge part of me which will never be able to reason with the fact that youre not here anymore.How do I generate the flow state in me the way you instilled it in everyone around you.... the most humble human I have ever come across. Also read | Kriti Sanon pens heartbreaking note after watching Sushant Singh Rajputs Dil Bechara: Its not seri Showik imagined Sushant as having unravelled the mysteries of the universe and sitting with your evening chai and watching the sun right beside you. He wrote, You were a catalyst in my life and drove me to effervescence.. The epitome of intelligence.. Only If I could change newtons laws and gravitate you back here. I know you must have already found out everything about the galaxies and the black hole...sitting with your evening chai and watching the sun right beside you.. My love for you will always make my heart feel full.. Showik, who wrote the note before the release of Dil Bechara on Friday, ended it with, The man with the biggest heart and the strongest soul..Today your movie releases and for one last time we can all sit and watch the greatest performer of all time and celebrate him forever. Rest in peace mere bhai. Jai shiv shambhoo. Sushant died by suicide on June 14. He was in a relationship with Rhea, who has appealed to the home ministry to transfer the investigation of his death to the Central Bureau of Investigation from the Mumbai Police. 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. she wrote in an Instagram post. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918 Follow @htshowbiz for more A gang of robbers, which robbed a businessmans house and decamped with valuable items and cash worth Rs 1.5 crore in Rajgarh district, was busted by the Madhya Pradesh Police on Friday. The 10-member gang, which includes seven people from Nepal, was apprehended from Delhis Uttam Nagar, said Upendra Jain, additional director general (ADG) of Police, Bhopal range. They were found involved in many robberies in National Capital Region (NCR). Police also recovered fake Aadhaar cards from their possessions. They confessed to have committed many robberies and we are trying to get the details. One of the robberies was in a house in Patel Nagar in New Delhi last year in January, said Jain. The gangs modus operandi was one of the female members used to get a maids job in the targets house and gather all the information regarding cash and valuables. Later, the other gang members based on the information used to commit the robbery, said Jain. Superintendent of Police, Rajgarh, Pradeep Sharma said, The same modus operandi was followed by them to rob the house of businessman Ram Goyal, a resident of Pachor area of Rajgarh district. One of the gang member Anushka Bhukel, 28, a resident of Janakpur, Nepal, got a job at the house of Goyals daughter Kushangi in Uttam Nagar area in New Delhi as care taker of the Kushangis newborn baby through an agency Asian Maid Service last month. Anushka showed fake IDs to Kushangi to deceive her about her credentials and also shared a mobile number, which was taken from the fake identity card. When Kushangi came to her fathers place in Pachore, Rajgarh from New Delhi on July 11, Anushka also come with her. In just two days, Anushka got all the details of the house and informed the other gang members Tej Rokya and Bharat Thapa, residents of Nepal and presently staying in Lal Kuan area in New Delhi. On July 14 at around 8 pm, Anushka served khichdi to Ram Goyal his wife Sushma Goyal, his daughter Kushangi and six-month-old granddaughter by mixing a drug in it. All the members of the family, including the toddler, fainted after having that khichdi. Anushka with the help of Tej and Bharat robbed valuable items and cash worth Rs 1.53 crore and fled in an Ola cab, which was brought to Rajgarh by Tej and Bharat from New Delhi on rent. On the morning of July 15, a servant Devi Sigh reached Goyals home and found the family members fainted. Devi Singh informed neighbours and the police, said Sharma. Sharma said, After robbery, three police teams were formed. One left for New Delhi to probe the matter, one to Nepal and a cyber expert team in Rajgarh. We first tracked down Pawan Thapa who booked the taxi. Later on the basis of information given by him, a team led by sub-inspector Ramkumar Raghuvanshi installed a tea shop in Uttam Nagar area to know the details of the accused on July 15. They got success in a week and arrested all the accused when they were planning to leave to Nepal. Thapa and other gang members Samrat Dhami, who booked a taxi for the accused; Kamal Singh Thakur, who provided drug to Anushka; Mohammad Hussain and Vikrant Kulkarni from Uttam Nagar New Delhi, who used to purchase jewellery from the accused; Asian Maid agency owner Bilal Hussain, who was a part of the gang; and Sarita Sharma from Nepal, who introduced Anushka to Bilal, were arrested by police. The seven accused belong to Nepal belong to underprivileged families and come to India a few years ago in search of job. Later, they formed a robbery gang All the accused were produced before the court and sent on police remand of three days. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ted Yoho. AP Photo Republican Rep. Ted Yoho on Saturday resigned from the board of the Christian anti-poverty organization Bread for the World days after he verbally attacked Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The non-profit announced that it "sought [Yoho's] resignation" after determining that his attack on Ocasio-Cortez didn't reflect "the values of respect and compassion that Jesus calls on us to exhibit every day." Yoho approached Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol building on Monday and called her "disgusting" and "out of [her] freaking mind," the congresswoman said. A reporter for The Hill heard Yoho refer to Ocasio-Cortez as a "f---ing b---h" as the two lawmakers parted ways. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Republican Rep. Ted Yoho on Saturday resigned from the board of the Christian anti-poverty organization Bread for the World days after he verbally attacked Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The non-profit announced that it "sought [Yoho's] resignation" after determining that his "recent actions and words as reported in the media are not reflective of the ethical standards expected of members of our Board of Directors" and "the values of respect and compassion that Jesus calls on us to exhibit every day." The organization said it hoped to reaffirm "our commitment to coming alongside women and people of color, nationally and globally, as they continue to lead us to a more racially inclusive and equitable world." The group added that it hopes government leaders will "find the moral courage and political will to foster healing and civil dialogue" on policy issues, particularly those concerning the ongoing pandemic. Yoho approached Ocasio-Cortez on the steps of the Capitol building on Monday and called her "disgusting" and "out of [her] freaking mind" over recent comments she made linking the increase in violence during the pandemic to unemployment and poverty. Story continues As Yoho walked away from Ocasio-Cortez, he referred to her as a "f---ing b---h," according to a reporter with The Hill, who witnessed and wrote about the encounter. In remarks delivered on the House floor on Wednesday, Yoho insisted that he never called Ocasio-Cortez the misogynistic slur and said he "cannot apologize for my passion or for loving my God, my family, and my country." He said he was sorry for the "abrupt manner" in which he spoke to her. In a speech on the House floor addressing the incident on Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez said she couldn't accept Yoho's statement as an apology and argued that doing so would implicitly condone attacks on all women. "I could not allow my nieces, I could not allow the little girls I go home to, I could not allow the victims of verbal abuse and worse to see that, to see that excuse, and to see our Congress accept it as legitimate and accept it as an apology," she said. "When a decent man messes up, as we are all bound to do, he tries his best and does apologize." Read the original article on Business Insider Irish-owned Gym + Coffee has opened a new pop-up store at Kildare Village. The athleisure brands first shop opened in 2018. The new store in Kildare is the brands sixth pop up Food Safety Authority's hub to get its teeth into fraud The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is set to establish a central intelligence hub which will help to identify fraudulent and deceptive practice in the agri-food chain. According to the state agency, the move is in response to "instances of fraudulent and deceptive activity in agri-food chains" which have been identified by food authorities. It said European institutions recognised the need to strengthen food control systems through the development of an "intelligence-led" collaborative working arrangement. In a statement to Ergo, the FSAI said: "The establishment of the central intelligence hub will provide the structure and capability to capture and evaluate data and information to enable official agencies in Ireland to support risk-based decision making and ensuring appropriate action is taken. "The system will maximise Ireland's response to fraudulent and deceptive practices in the food chain." In addition to meeting its legal obligations under EU law, the hub will help the authority to facilitate earlier interventions in response to instances of fraudulent practice. It is also set to increase the FSAI's ability to protect consumers and help those in the industry complying with the rules to mitigate the threat from fraud in the agri-food chain. The FSAI has issued a request for tender seeking an electronic intelligence management system with additional investigation and case management functionality for the hub. Interested suppliers have until August 14 to submit tender applications. Temporary change granted for student accommodation Investment fund NTM Capital has been granted permission by An Bord Pleanala to temporarily change its 289-bed student accommodation building on the site of the former Nolan Seafood factory in Rathdown Road, Dublin to accommodation for tourist and visitor use. The fund behind the development, which is under construction, sought the temporary change to a planning condition that the site would only be occupied as student accommodation. The permitted change will apply over the academic year, from September 2020 to the end of May 2021, at which point the original condition will be applicable. The proposal was made due to Covid-19 and the potential impact on the progress of construction at the development. It added student numbers could be reduced due to travel bans. Two hundred and three out of 254 staff at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH),who tested positive for the COVID-19 disease, since the outbreak in the country, have recovered and are back to work. Dr Oheneba Owusu-Danso, Chief Executive of the KATH, told reporters, here, at a meeting that the remaining 50 were currently in isolation, were at various stages of recovery and would soon get back to work. However, he said, one of the staff had died. The meeting was to update the media on the state of the hospital in the fight against COVID-19. Dr Owusu-Danso said so far the hospital, which is one of the testing centres in the country, had tested a total of 2,853 samples of which 812, representing 28.4 per cent had tested positive to the virus. He noted that 421 out of the number had recovered, while 31 samples tested were currently awaiting results. 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 EDWARDSVILLE A judge Friday sentenced a woman to five years in prison for a drunk driving accident that nearly killed a man and left him paralyzed. Associate Judge Neil Schroeder sentenced Christy G. Cummins, 42, of Carlyle, to prison even though the law requires him to impose sentence of probation unless probation would deprecate the seriousness of the crime. Schroeder noted Cummins has a previous conviction for driving under the influence and left the scene of the accident. Cummins was seriously injured in the Aug. 16, 2016, accident on a country road near Highland. Victim Joshua Doerr of Pochahontas had stopped his motorcycle in the road to talk to his sister, Jennifer, who watched in horror as her brother was severely injured and taken by helicopter to a St. Louis hospital On Friday, Cummins pleaded guilty in exchange for a prosecution agreement to cap the sentence at 10 years in prison and to drop a charge of failure to reported an accident. Cummins must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. The victims father, Steve Doerr, said the family was hoping for the maximum 10-year sentence but are happy that prison time was imposed. At least we got some measure of justice, he said. Im happy with the outcome. We know it was an accident, but her cowardly act of running away was what got us, said LaLonna Doerr, the mother of the victim, after the hearing. In court Friday, LaLonna Doerr said doctors gave the family the option of taking her son off life support but, with a faint gesture, he indicated he wanted to fight for his life. I couldnt put the last nail in the coffin that Christy started, she said in her victim impact statement. She said the accident injured nearly every part of her sons body, including a major artery and his face, back, brain and lungs. She said that, after the impact of the crash, her son flew into the air and came down head-first on his motorcycle. She said he cannot walk and has lost the use of his left arm and both legs. He has trouble communicating and remembering things. He must live in a nursing home to care for his basic needs, she said. The Josh I raised, died, she said. Family members all said they are suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome as a result of the crash. Steven Doerr testified the victims brother, Jake, was the first to arrive on the scene. Jennifer Doerr said her brother had stopped in the roadway to talk to her. Can you imagine going to bed, thinking your brother was going to die the next day? she said. She (Cummins) left my brother for dead. Family members claimed Cummins was driving at a high rate of speed. She testified she was going 45 to 50 mph and had had a few beers the night of the accident. She said she left the scene because she panicked and did not know what happened. I had to get in a safe place, she testified, crying throughout the hearing and apologizing several times. Assistant Madison County States Attorney Katie Wycoff said that a man who answered the door at Cummins home asked the responding officer, Is he dead? That would indicate that Cummins told him what had happened, Wycoff contended. Defense attorney Bryce Joiner of Edwardsville argued that what happened to his client could have happened to anybody. He argued that Doerr was stopped in the roadway of a country road at night and there was nothing to indicate that he was there. Joiner said Cummins has a masters degree and works at a St. Louis hospital, earning a good salary and helping to take care of her mother. He said Cummins has completed a course required after a DUI accident and has not been in any trouble since the accident. He said that, aside form a previous driving under the influence charge, she has no criminal record. Schroeder said his decision was among the most difficult a judge must make. However, he noted Cummins previous driving under the influence charge and the fact that she left the scene. He said her claim of having only a few beers is dubious, given that she pleaded guilty to driving with a blood-alcohol level of at least 0.08 percent. Wycoff argued that Cummins, in a pre-trial interview, admitted to having 10 beers. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) Radio Veritas anchor Rev. Fr. Larry Faraon died Sunday due to pneumonia. The Catholic radio station made the announcement in the morning. "Namaalam na ang Radio Veritas anchor at dating station manager nitong ika-26 ng Hulyo sa ganap na alas-3:06 ng umaga dahil sa Pneumonia," @RadyoVeritasPH posted on Twitter. [Translation: Our Radio Veritas anchor and former station manager has passed away this 26th of July at 3:06 a.m. due to pneumonia.] Faraon, of the Dominican religious order, was a radio commentator and station manager of Radio Veritas for 23 years. He also worked as a gospel columnist for national broadsheets and magazines. He ran a Radio Veritas program every Sunday called "Healing Touch" and a daily gospel program "Sounds of the Soul" at Crossover FM Radio. Former senator JV Ejercito expressed grief over the death of his spiritual adviser. "So sad to hear of the passing of Fr. Larry Faraon. He is our spiritual adviser and a very good friend," he said. "So sudden." Fellow Veritas anchor Bro. Marco Evangelista also paid tribute to his colleague on social media. "Eternal joy and peace, Rev. Fr. Larry Faraon! It's a goodbye for now to one of my favorite and wonderful tele-evangelist priest and fellow anchor at Radio Veritas 846," Evangelista said. Have Sheriff Offices in North Carolina, possibly even Beaufort County's Sheriff Office, become too political in the discharging of their sworn constitutional duties? No, the sheriff is a constitutional officer. Yes, the Sheriff Office, on strong occasion, often reverts back to political patronage in the dispensation of their sworn constitutional duties. An FDNY diversity official has said that it's 'most definitely' acceptable to keep a white firefighter off a ceremonial color guard so the flag bearers could all be black, according to a new report. White firefighter Lt. Daniel McWilliams filed a lawsuit claiming racial bias after he was removed from a flag-bearing unit at a November 2017 memorial mass honoring deceased members of the Vulcan Society, a fraternal society of black firefighters. And FDNY's chief diversity and inclusion officer, lawyer Cecilia Loving, has defended the decision at a New York state Division of Human Rights trial, The New York Post reports. McWilliams was one of the three FDNY firefighters seen in an iconic photo as they hoist the American flag at Ground Zero in the days after the 9/11 attacks. According to McWilliams' complaint, he been selected by the FDNY Ceremonial Unit to serve as one of the flag bearers in the color guard at the memorial service. FDNY Lt. Daniel McWilliams (third from left) filed a lawsuit claiming racial bias after he was prevented from being a flag-bearer in a color guard because he's white FDNY diversity official Cecilia Loving (left) testified that it wasn't discrimination to request an all-black color guard, as former Vulcan Society president Regina Wilson (right) had done Being a flag bearer at the event was an 'esteemed honor and privilege' for McWilliams, according to his lawsuit, CNN reported. Upon his arrival at the event, however, McWilliams was barred from participating in the color guard by then-Vulcan Society president Regina Wilson because she allegedly had asked for an all-black color guard at the mass. She then asked McWilliams - a 29-year FDNY veteran - to 'help in a different capacity.' Among those duties was allegedly asking him to escort civilians and muster uniformed officers into formation away from the mass. McWilliams claimed in his suit that he asked Wilson if she was removing him from the color guard because he's not black. She confirmed that was the case, he said. McWilliams (center) was pictured hoisting the American flag in this iconic picture taken at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 McWilliams (center) said that it had been an an 'honor and privilege' to be selected for the color guard at the memorial mass for members of the FDNY black fraternal order in 2017 Wilson, a 21-year FDNY veteran who was also part of the 9/11 rescue efforts, apparently replaced McWilliams with one of the members of the Vulcan Society. McWilliams claimed he left the memorial 'to save himself from further shame, humiliation and embarrassment,' as their exchange was overheard by friends and colleagues, the New York Daily News reported. During her trial testimony, McWilliams' lawyer, Keith Sullivan, asked Loving - who is black - 'So, a request for an all-black color guard is not discriminatory?' 'No, it isnt,' Loving said, according to the New York Post. Sullivan also asked Loving if it's OK to request an all-black color guard, to which she was quoted as saying, 'Most definitely.' By way of explanation, Loving said that it was OK to swap out a white person for a black person to 'uplift our identities and our separate ethnicities in order to instill a sense of pride and community and support for one another.' On 9.11.01 Regina Wilson was called to most inconceivable emergency of her new career w/ FDNY http://t.co/GCEN2frCsU pic.twitter.com/3yJVXaj8bh WomenYouShouldKnow (@WomenYSK) September 11, 2014 Wilson (center in 2017) told McWilliams that he could not carry a flag and that she had requested an all-black color guard for the memorial mass The memorial mass (pictured) was held at St. Philips Episcopal Church in New York City in November 2017, honoring members of the Vulcan Society Loving (second from left) testified that it was 'most definitely' OK to request an all-black color guard and not discriminatory McWilliams first filed his racial bias complaint with the FDNY in January 2018. He then filed a lawsuit against Wilson, the FDNY, the city of New York and unnamed individuals in May 2019. After filing his complaint, Sullivan said that McWilliams was retaliated against and intimidated by Wilson's supporters. At one point, one of her supporters allegedly laid hands on McWilliams and said: 'I've heard about you, they told me you'd act this way, and now you know me.' In a brief, Sullivan wrote that rejecting McWilliams from the mass' color guard position was 'deplorable' and a sign of double standards in the fire department. 'If youre black and you discriminate against a white person in the workplace, you get a slap on the wrist at best,' Sullivan wrote. Wilson, according to the lawsuit, received 'one hour of counseling' over her treatment of McWilliams. Meanwhile, a white person who discriminates against a person of color receives 'heavy-handed discipline and punishment,' Sullivan wrote. 'The FDNY has created a policy and procedure for bending over backwards, coming up with excuses and accommodating members of the Vulcan Society who commit racist acts, and it has to stop,' Sullivan also wrote. The FDNY has not commented on the incident, due to pending court decision. North Korea Locks Down Border City Over Suspected Virus Case SEOUL, South KoreaNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un placed the city of Kaesong, near the border with South Korea, under total lockdown after a person was found there with suspected COVID-19 symptoms, saying the vicious virus may have entered the country, state media reported on July 26. If the person is officially declared a coronavirus patient, he or she would be North Koreas first official case. The North has steadfastly said it has had no cases of the virus, a claim questioned by outside experts. The lockdown was declared on July 24. The Norths official Korean Central News Agency said the suspected virus patient is a runaway who fled to South Korea three years ago before illegally crossing the border into the North early last week. KCNA said respiratory secretion and blood tests showed the person is suspected to have been infected with the coronavirus, and reported the person was placed under quarantine. People who had been in contact with the suspected patient and those who had been to Kaesong in the last five days also were quarantined. Describing its anti-virus efforts as a matter of national existence, North Korea earlier this year stopped almost all cross-border traffic, banned foreign tourists, and mobilized health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms. But the Kaesong lockdown is the first such known measure taken in a North Korean city to stem the pandemic. Kaesong city is seen across the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North Korea from South Korea in this picture taken from Dora observatory in Paju, 55 km (34 miles) north of Seoul, on Sept. 25, 2013. (Lee Jae-Won/Reuters) Foreign experts say a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea could cause dire consequences because of its fragile public health care infrastructure and chronic lack of medical supplies. They are also skeptical about North Koreas claim of having had no infections because the country shares a long, porous border with China, its biggest trading partner, where the worlds first known virus cases were reported in December. Kaesong, a city with an estimated population of 200,000, is located just north of the heavily fortified land border with South Korea. It once hosted the Koreas jointly run industrial complex, which has been shut since 2016 amid nuclear tensions. Last month, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong to protest a campaign by South Korean activists who have been sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. During an emergency Politburo meeting on July 25, Kim also declared a state of emergency in the Kaesong area and clarified the determination of the Party Central Committee to shift from the state emergency anti-epidemic system to the maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert, KCNA said. It quoted Kim as saying there was a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country. Kim said he took the preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City and isolating each district and region from the other on July 24 after receiving the report on it, according to KCNA. Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said a thorough lockdown in Kaesong would make it difficult for a potential virus outbreak to spread beyond the city. But he said virus fears would engulf North Korean leaders. The anxiety and fears about COVID-19 spreading in the North Korean leadership would be much bigger than outsiders can roughly speculate because the country lacks test kits and has virtually no facilities to treat virus patients, Cheong said. The Politburo meeting also discussed the loose guard performance at the border area where the suspected patient crossed over to North Korea, KCNA said. It said that Kim and other leaders were briefed on the results of an intensive investigation of a military unit responsible for the border crossing and discussed administering a severe punishment. More than 33,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea over the past 20 years to avoid poverty and political suppression, mostly via China. But its highly unusual for North Korean refugees to return to their impoverished, authoritarian homeland by crossing the mine-strewn inter-Korean border. South Koreas military said later July 26 that its investigation into who crossed the border into North Korea was being narrowed down to a single, unidentified person. A military statement said authorities were examining footage recorded by front-line surveillance equipment, but it gave no further details. Some observers said authorities likely tried to determine who has been missing since last week among North Korean refugees in South Korea, especially among those originally from Kaesong. People wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the new coronavirus pass by a notice about precautions against the coronavirus disease at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, on July 26, 2020. (Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo) Blaming an alleged return defector for bringing COVID-19 into the country is likely intended to shift blame for the spread of the virus away from China and Pyongyang and on to Seoul, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. This may also be a tactic for ratcheting up diplomatic pressure on (South Korea) and trying to further dissuade North Koreans from defecting to the South, he said. Cheong, however, said it was unlikely that the Norths claim of the person crossing the border was false because it couldnt punish its own military unit with a fabricated announcement. He said North Korea was unlikely to resume dialogue and exchanges with South Korea until its confident about containing a possible virus outbreak. By Hyung-Jin Kim Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation through his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat on Sunday (July 26) and paid tributes to Indian armed forces on the 21st anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas. PM Modi started his address by paying tribute to the Kargil heroes and said that the world witnessed the valour and courage of Indian soldiers in 1999. The prime minister noted that Kargil Vijay Diwas is very special for India as the war happened at a time and in a situation that nobody can forget. He also slammed Pakistan for failing to respect India's borders and said that India wanted good relations with Pakistan, but that did not happen. "21 yrs ago on this day, our Army won the Kargil war. India was then trying to have cordial relations with Pakistan but is said that it is in the nature of the wicked to have enmity with everyone for no reason," said PM Modi. "Pakistan undertook this misadventure with sinister plans to capture India's land and to divert attention from its internal conflicts," he added. PM Modi remembered that he was blessed with the opportunity to go to Kargil and witness the gallantry of Indian soldiers. The prime minister calls that day as one of the most precious moments of his life. PM Modi also urged the people of the country to remember sacrifices of our soldiers and said, "I urge you all to visit www.gallantryaward.gov.in and read about our brave soliders." He also played former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's message from Red Fort on Kargil which "resonates even today." "Before taking any action, let us ask ourselves whether its worth the sacrifice that the soldiers made in Kargil," said the prime minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to armed forces to mark the 21st anniversary of India's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war, saying their valour continues to inspire generations. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. The day is observed as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to commemorate India's victory. "On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations," Modi tweeted, adding that he would speak more about it in his Mann Ki Baat address. On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations. Will speak more about this during todays #MannKiBaat, which begins shortly. #CourageInKargil Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2020 The prime minister used the hashtag #CourageInKargil. Defence minister Rajnath Singh pays tributes at National War Memorial Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes at the National War Memorial on Sunday on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the country's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory after the nearly three-month-long battles in the icy heights of Kargil. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war. "I congratulate all Indian citizens on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The sacrifices made by soldiers, which helped us win the Kargil war, will always be a source of inspiration for the armed forces," Singh told reporters. Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh pays tributes to fallen soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who exhibited exemplary valour and made supreme sacrifice during Kargil War.#CourageInKargil pic.twitter.com/0pa04tRfx4 Rajnathsingh_in (@RajnathSingh_in) July 26, 2020 Along with the defence minister, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General M M Naravane, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh also paid tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the National War Memorial. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back the Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks. The day is observed as "Kargil Vijay Diwas" to commemorate India's victory in the war. Here's an infographic on the chronology of key events on India's Operation Vijay in Kargil: -With inputs from PTI Blinded by his own privilege, Bill Morneau is painfully out of touch with Canadians, Scoffield, July 22 Heather Scoffield was spot on when she wrote about Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneaus use of his position of privilege. Morneau, and particularly Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, display a sense of entitlement and occasionally behave accordingly. There is usually a delayed and often incomplete apology that comes after exposure in the media; hardly ever before. It is disconcerting and disheartening when a politician decides to walk an unethical path. Im certain that most men and women in public service perform admirably in their roles as public servants. But when people like our prime minister and our finance minister knowingly behave unethically, they denigrate Canadian democracy. That is always and completely unacceptable. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is in talks to seal a blockbuster move into green energy by backing a company that turns household rubbish into 'clean' power. City sources said the billionaire founder of budget airline easyJet is in talks with a group of entrepreneurs about licensing his 'easy' brand to a company set up as Easy Power International. The talks come as Easy Power International looks set to be launched with the construction of plants that have the technology to convert waste to clean energy without creating toxic emissions. Clean break: Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyPower would eliminate toxic waste The company was set up last month by a group of businessmen including Jason Ferrando, a director of easyMoney, a peer-to-peer lending platform where savers' money is invested in loans secured on UK property. Easy Power International plans to use a technique called pyrolysis to convert rubbish at high temperatures into clean fossil fuel-style gas. The gas can then be converted into electricity and high-quality liquid fuels. Typically, it takes between 100million and 300million years for the waste decomposition process to happen naturally. The Mail on Sunday understands that the entrepreneurs briefed Haji-Ioannou on how they can make the decomposition process happen in 60 seconds, producing fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, but limiting the toxic by-products. In pyrolysis, waste is fed into a processing unit, where high temperatures cause it to decompose rapidly and the absence of oxygen means that at no point does any of the matter burn. This means that no toxic smoke is emitted into the atmosphere. Most of the matter produced is gas, with some matter remaining as a solid black carbon residue. This high purity carbon can be removed and sold separately. The gas is 'cleaned' ready for use in engines or for generating electricity. Sources claimed that there are 'zero' emissions from creating power in this way and that it is in fact 'carbon negative', meaning it is sustainable as well as profitable the electricity produced by the gas is classed as renewable energy. In pyrolysis, no toxic smoke is emitted into the atmosphere Waste from households, wood and by-products from construction, agriculture and many other areas can be processed in this way, the sources said. It is thought that once easy Power International has secured enough investment it will build the plants and provide the technology so that general household rubbish can be turned into fuel. Haji-Ioannou's move into the green energy industry comes as part of a burgeoning global social and political movement towards protecting the environment. Some of Britain's largest companies are now focusing on making sure their businesses are operating in a manner that is environmentally friendly, following the acceleration in global warming and climate change. The boss of BP has even said that the FTSE 100 oil giant is looking to 'decarbonise' and plans to pump more cash into renewable energy sources. Shell has also said it plans to become carbon neutral by 2050. Haji-Ioannou, who lives in Monaco but was born in Greece, set up easyJet when he was 28 years old, with one flight route between Luton and Scotland. The budget airline has grown to become one of the largest carriers in Europe. He floated the business in 2000 on the London Stock Exchange, making a multi-million pound fortune in the process. He no longer runs easyJet, which is currently valued by stock market investors at 2.7billion, but his family investment vehicle retains a 34 per cent shareholding in the airline. Haji-Ioannou is at loggerheads with the board over the management of the business, particularly the purchase of more than 100 aeroplanes from Airbus for 4.5billion. He now runs easyGroup, which owns the 'easy' brand and licenses it to various ventures, including easyJet. Some of the other 'easy' businesses include vehicle rental company easyCar, coffee shop firm easyCoffee and easyPet, which specialises in transporting dogs and cats from London to the French Riviera. Haji-Ioannou declined to comment. Easy Power International did not return calls for comment. The U.S. ordered the abrupt closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston. The Wall Street Journal reports that the State Department is accusing China of conducting massive illegal spying and influence operations throughout the US against our government officials and citizens. The State Department adds that such activities have increased in recent years. The closure order coincided with Washingtons unveiling on Tuesday of indictments against two hackers in China. They are accused of targeting American firms involved in coronavirus research and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in sensitive information from companies around the globe. This was done, according to the US, on behalf of Beijings main civilian intelligence agency. The Journal adds that US officials have become increasingly concerned in recent years about Chinas use of its Washington embassy and five consulates around the country to advance espionage and political influence operations. The Houston consulate has drawn particular scrutiny. A Chinese official responded: China urges the US to immediately rescind its erroneous decision, otherwise China will undertake legitimate and necessary responses. This is just the latest episode in a long-running conflict between the US and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). The US Defense Secretary said earlier this week that our military is equipping and positioning its forces across Asia for a possible confrontation with China. The US recently declared Chinas claims in the South China Sea to be unlawful. Chinas record on human rights, especially with regard to its minorities, is beyond horrific. The Uighurs, a Muslim minority, have been subjected to forced sterilization and abortion in a form of demographic genocide. Chinese Christians are being pressured to renounce their faith and to spy on other believers. It has been reported that Christians who receive social welfare payments from the Chinese government have been ordered to remove crosses and religious symbols from their homes or lose their subsidies. One official posted portraits of Mao Zedong and Xi Jinping in a Christians home and said, These are the greatest Gods. If you want to worship somebody, they are the ones. My experience in Beijing I was invited some years ago to deliver a series of lectures in Beijing. One request came from a group of professional leaders who asked me to lecture on business ethics. When I asked them to define the problem they most wanted to discuss, they identified corruption and a lack of honesty in their business culture. This is a symptom of the larger worldview at work in the PRC. The second paragraph of the Communist Party of Chinas constitution states that it takes Marxism-Leninism as its first guide. It adds, Marxism-Leninism brings to light the laws governing the development of the history of human society. When I was a seminary professor teaching philosophy of religion, I taught a section on Marxism. Its foundational worldview places the state ahead of the individual and rejects any religious authority or ethical construct. The good of the state is the good of the people. Whatever serves the state is to be valued. If this means spying on competitors, stealing coronavirus research, or oppressing religious minorities considered dangerous to the state, such immorality is embraced. What the participants in my business ethics seminar called corruption and a lack of honesty is how business is done. The bottom line for the state is the bottom line. National Security Advisor Robert OBrien recently stated what has long been true in China: Under communism, individuals are merely a means to be used toward the achievement of the ends of the collective nation-state. Thus, individuals can be easily sacrificed for the nation-states goals. Individuals do not have inherent value under Marxism-Leninism. They exist to serve the state; the state does not exist to serve them. Cancel culture and Christian courage What do recent developments with China mean for Christians? One: We must redouble our intercession for our sisters and brothers who are standing courageously for Christ in their communist country. Let us daily ask God that they would be strengthened with power through his Spirit (Ephesians 3:16). Two: We must follow their courageous example. What is happening in China shows what can happen anywhere a society abandons objective morality. The golden rule then becomes the one who has the gold makes the rules. If the majority rejects biblical ethics, for example, those who embrace them will face ostracism and worse. When the ship has no rudder, it will lean wherever the majority of its passengers lean. Cancel culture is especially a problem for those of us who stand for biblical morality. Like the apostles, we must say to those who would censure and condemn us, Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:1920). Where are you being tempted to compromise with our fallen culture? I encourage you to read Hebrews 10:3239 and claim this promise: Do not throw away your confidence [in God], which has a great reward (v. 35). And remember this assurance from St. Teresa of Avila today: Let nothing frighten you. Who has God, lacks nothing. God alone is enough. Originally posted at denisonforum.org With several major U.S. retailers shifting from recommending to requiring customers to wear face masks, Bristol shoppers also appeared to be changing their habits at area stores this week. Still, when the Bristol Herald Courier visited a dozen stores across Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia, a number of workers questioned how these policies will be fully enforced and described pushback theyve received from some customers. As the country struggles to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, companies like CVS, Dollar General, Food City, Kroger, Walgreens and Walmart recently announced various policies to require people who shop in their stores to wear face coverings and follow public health guidance. Health experts recommend that people wear face masks in public because COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets and individuals can still have the virus without showing any symptoms. Masks are a way to limit the spread of the virus from people who may not know they are infected. States and local governments enacted a patchwork of mask mandates in recent months, but public officials have often hesitated to strictly enforce these requirements and have instead taken a public health education approach. Somewhat similarly, many businesses posted signs throughout the pandemic reminding customers of public health guidance or local regulations, but have not firmly required masks. The week of July 13, several companies announced policy changes that were implemented this past week. Walmart, the worlds largest retail chain, started requiring customers to wear face coverings Monday. The company also stationed health ambassadors at the entrances to its stores to remind shoppers of the rule. These employees will work with customers who show up at a store without a face covering to try and find a solution, Walmart said in its announcement. The National Retail Federation called Walmarts move a tipping point in this public health debate and encouraged others to follow suit. Shopping in a store is a privilege, not a right. If a customer refuses to adhere to store policies, they are putting employees and other customers at undue risk, the NRF, a trade association, said in a release. But stores have varied in their policies and implementation. Walmarts Bristol locations on both sides of the state border took clear measures by posting their health ambassadors in front of the stores, limiting customer flow through one entrance and prominently displaying signs with the policy. And at Food City stores, the grocery chain set up tables at entrances where a customer could get a disposable face covering if they did not already have a mask. Other stores took a more limited approach by just posting notices on their doors and sharing messages over intercoms. The sound system in a CVS, for example, played a recording reminding customers to keep at least 6 feet of distance from others and asked people to protect themselves and store employees before transitioning to Whitney Houstons How Will I Know. Customers generally appeared to be moving through the aisles and going about their shopping with their masks. Only a handful of people across 12 stores did not have a mask. Some did not properly cover their noses and mouths or carried the mask, but did not have them on. I think everyone should wear them because you never know who has a low resistance [to COVID-19], Sullivan County resident Christie Smallwood said after returning her cart outside the Bristol, Virginia Walmart. Smallwood, 44, wore a mask with a Minnie Mouse pattern. Other shoppers said they masked up because they were around strangers or because stores were requesting it. If they require it, Ill wear it, Bristol, Tennessee resident Kenny Hopkins said outside the CVS on Volunteer Parkway. Hopkins, 62, who wore a blue mask, said he recently started wearing a mask after a friend contracted COVID-19. But he still expressed skepticism of some of the ways masks have been used in the countrys pandemic response. The CDC has recommended face coverings as part of K-12 reopening plans, but Hopkins asked how this will actually play out. How are you going to get a first-grader to wear it or a kindergartener? They arent gonna keep it on, he said. Employees at stores in Bristol with customer mask requirements described a mix of responses and observations. Shoppers are often cooperative with store policies, workers said. But some also said they dont believe they can enforce mask wearing for non-compliant customers for a range of reasons, such as uncertainty about whether they have the legal authority to do so and fear of provoking a confrontation. Although Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable has said local mask mandates will not be strictly enforced, the executive orders text says all businesses in the county shall require masks for employees and customers in publicly accessible areas. And in Virginia, which has statewide mask requirements, the government has said businesses can turn customers away if they dont have a face covering. But even when employees do try to remind shoppers to wear masks, interactions can sometimes turn dangerous. In other parts of the country, news outlets have reported instances of retail employees whove been physically assaulted and abused by belligerent customers. Were supposed to avoid confrontation, one Bristol retail worker said. Mask policies usually provide exceptions for medical-related reasons, but some store employees also said they cannot ask if a customer has a health issue that prevents them from wearing a face covering. One worker referenced the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an anti-discrimination law that protects individuals with disabilities. However, the ADA does not provide a blanket exemption to people with disabilities from complying with legitimate safety requirements necessary for safe operations, according to a statement the U.S. Justice Department issued June 30 in response to inaccurate information circulating online. More broadly, the store policies may force some changes in the habits some customers formed in recent months as they visited stores without face coverings. No employees reported physical violence, but some said customers have cursed at them or gestured toward them with middle fingers. One worker said she wasnt going to let a negative interaction stop her from encouraging mask wearing. If it saves one person from getting it [COVID-19], weve done our job, she said. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Youd think that a global pandemic thats killed hundreds of thousands would at least temper the advance of legal killing. It hasnt. While headlines worldwide were praising New Zealands prime minister for her handling of COVID-19, she was working to pass what might be described as the most extreme abortion laws on the planet. In late March, New Zealands parliament voted, in the words of the New York Times, to loosen the nations abortion laws, particularly in the latter half of pregnancy when babies become viable outside of the womb. Loosen may be the understatement of the decade. New Zealands loosened laws now allow abortion on-demand, up to the moment of birth, for essentially any reason. That means sex-selective and disability-selective abortions, including for conditions like cleft lip and Down syndrome. The loosening happened despite the protests of over 1,200 New Zealanders with Down syndrome and their families, who called on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to keep her campaign promise not to allow this kind of deadly discrimination. Even more horrific still, New Zealands new law includes no requirement that babies born alive after botched abortions be given medical support. This was no accident. Prime Minister Ardern was herself among the loudest voices resisting any attempt to add protections for babies born alive. According to the New York Times article, public opinion surveys show that most New Zealanders favored liberalizing their countrys abortion laws. However, independent polling shows that the vast majority oppose specific features in this law. For instance, just 2 percent of Kiwi women support abortion on-demand up to birth. 93 percent oppose sex-selective abortion, in which a child is killed for no other reason than his or her sex. And, 94 percent of women polled support longstanding legal standards for New Zealands abortion providers. In other words, they didnt want them relaxed at all. Perhaps the unpopularity of abortion-on-demand-for-any-reason-whatsoever is why pro-abortion politicians in New Zealand felt the need to rush through this legislation while everyone was distracted by a global pandemic. According to RightToLife.org, as the bill went through successive readings in Parliament, it lost support. In fact, the Abortion Legislation Committee heard from only 139 of the over 25,000 people who submitted public comments on the bill. For perspective, 1,500 people were allowed to speak on a recent climate change bill that received less than half as many submissions. By taking advantage of the few people paying attention and by ignoring those who were, New Zealands government has now enacted the most extreme abortion law in the democratic world. As a spokesperson for New Zealands Voice for Life described, Our Parliament has a duty of care to consider the wellbeing and protection of all New Zealanders, including the vulnerablethey failed in that basic duty of care by passing this extreme Bill, but the hundreds of thousands of voters who opposed this Bill will not forget this failure when it is time to vote in the General Election in a few short months. I hope this spokesperson is right. I know several prominent pro-life spokespersons in New Zealand who care deeply about the unborn, and who mourn this evil law. I also know how entrenched and relentless pro-abortion advocates can be, and how effective they are in passing increasingly extreme legislation. Weve certainly witnessed as much in this country, most memorably in New York, where legislators applauded and lit the One World Trade Center in pink to celebrate. Bad laws are built on bad ideas, and bad ideas have victims. The precious and unique lives made in Gods image which will now be legally targeted is a stain on one of the worlds most naturally beautiful and culturally enjoyable nations. I join so many of my friends in New Zealand who hope and pray that this law will prove a step too far, betraying an abortion movement opposed not just by champions of life, but by growing scientific knowledge, by growing compassion for children with disabilities, by the amazing medical breakthroughs in life-saving technologies, and by the unshakeable truth that unborn persons are fully human and worthy of life. Pro-lifers have a lot of work to do; not just here but around the world. May God strengthen our hands, our hearts, and our voices to stay at the task. Originally posted at breakpoint.org China's Mars spacecraft has embarked on a long journey with great risks and challenges to the Earth's neighbor. China's first Mars exploration mission, Tianwen-1 (meaning Questions to Heaven) aims to orbit, land on and rove Mars in one mission, an unprecedented achievement. Mars will be a focus of China's deep space exploration, and the Mars mission has a higher starting point because China laid good foundations and accumulated experience in its lunar exploration program, said Geng Yan, an official at the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration. China is a latecomer in planetary exploration. Chinese space experts believe that the goal of exploration should be reachable, but not too easy. "We hope the mission will be innovative and help push forward scientific and technological development," Geng said. However, the challenges are also unprecedented. Although China has achieved a series of successes in lunar exploration with four probes sent to the moon, Mars poses new difficulties for Chinese spacecraft designers. One of the biggest differences between the moon and Mars is that the moon has no atmosphere, while Mars has a thin atmosphere. Landing on the moon requires no aerodynamic shape or parachute. The engineers want to use the atmosphere of Mars to help slow the spacecraft, but have only a limited understanding of the unstable atmosphere, Geng said. The difference in gravity also calls for differences in the design of Mars and lunar rovers. The solar panels of Mars probe are unlike those of lunar probes due to the different light intensity. The probe designers also worry about the sandstorms on Mars, and have tried to minimize the risk of damage by sand and dust. The average Earth-Moon distance is about 380,000 km, while the distance to Mars is up to 400 million km, which is a major challenge for communication and control, Geng said. "China's Tianwen-1 mission includes an orbiter and a rover, so actually we're sending two probes to Mars together," said Geng. The designers of the spacecraft had to take into account all aspects of orbiting, landing and roving in one mission. More than 40 Mars missions have been launched since the 1960s, but only about half have succeeded. The success rate for landing is even lower, and only the United States has succeeded in soft landing on Mars. "We only have a limited understanding of Mars. There are still many uncertainties about the environment and great risks," said Geng. The design of the aerodynamic shape and the parachute of the Mars probe are quite different from those of the return capsule of a manned spacecraft on Earth, said Geng. There are many key steps requiring the spacecraft to be highly reliable. The team had a short research and development time and challenges in testing the spacecraft on Earth. "It's immensely difficult to simulate the environment of Mars, and we conducted many special tests of the parachute of the entry capsule and the rover," said Geng. If China can succeed in orbiting, landing and roving on the red planet in Tianwen-1, it will take the challenge of collecting and bringing back samples in the next Mars mission, as well as exploring asteroids and the Jovian system, Geng added. I give thanks to God for bringing me back home safely after spending seven wonderful, memorable and historic days in Gusau with my friend and brother, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state. I was received in Zamfara with joy, love and kindness wherever I went and I was treated as if I was a son of the soil. It really was awesome and I was humbled and surprised. The overwhelming majority of the people of Zamfara state are warm, humble and kind-hearted and I urge every Nigerian to visit the state to see it for themselves. During the course of my trip I saw the wonderful things that Matawalle has done in the state over the last one year since he came to power and how he has restored peace in most parts of the state and brought hope, joy, strength, confidence and prosperity to the people. Whilst there I learnt about the massive gold and diamond reserves and mines in the top soil of the state which, once the ban on mining is lifted and after proper development and extraction, will eventually propel Zamfara to be the richest and most prosperous state in Nigeria. I also visited one of the three massive Ruga settlements that were under construction and discovered how this initiative has resulted in a lasting peace process and healing amongst the various hitherto warring communities in Zamfara state. I saw the massive infrastructural development that is going on in the state and witnessed the strong collaboration that exists between the state and the Federal Government to fight and crush the local terrorists by deploying soldiers and police in strategic locations. I went to every nook.and cranny of the state and when I paid a courtesy call on His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Garba Tambari, the Emir of Maradun, I was warmly received and treated to a massive and sumptuous lunch at the palace which was attended by hundreds of Zamfara people. This was a great honor for me and I was touched by it. What made it all the more moving was the fact that the Emir had been in the defunct National Party of Nigeria with my father and he knew him well. We had much to talk about! The following day His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Muhammad Makwashe, the Emir of Shinkafi, and the Shinkafi Emirate Council conferred me with the ancient and historic title of Sadaukin Shinkafi, which means the warrior/hero of the Shinkafi Emirate. I was deeply humbled by this great honor and this is all the more so because I never expected it. I thank his Royal Highness and the Emirate Council for the confidence they have bestowed in me and I pledge to live up to their expectations and build bridges of peace, mutual respect and harmony between our various communities and people. After meeting so many other leaders in the state and exchanging views and ideas with various political groups and NGOs I spent much of the time resting, thinking and meditating about the importance of peace, bridge-building, unity and understanding in our country which are sentiments that my brother Governor Matawalle of Zamfara also cherishes and holds dear. We spoke extensively into the early hours of the morning virtually every night and we agreed to build bridges between the north and the south and between members of the Christian and Muslim faith in order to save Nigeria and pull her back from the brink. I might add that this is something that he has been in the forefront of doing well before he became Governor and I am glad to see that he has continued, with even greater zest and zeal, after he became Governor. It could well be that this is precisely why God removed his predecessor in office and put him power. The Lord never makes mistakes and His timing is always perfect. In my view the path that Matawalle has chosen proves his quality and worth as a leader and I have a feeling that over the next few years he will play a critical role in the affairs of this country and will be instrumental in keeping her together. In order to make Nigeria a just, noble, civilised, humane and equitable society that regards every single Nigerian as being equal regardless of tribe or faith we must identify those on both sides of the north/south divide that are moderate, reasonable and rational, that believe in fairness, equity, justice and equality and that understand and appreciate the importance of peace, unity, mutual respect and understanding. Once we are in a position to identify such people we must then resolve to join forces and work with them in our quest to build a better, greater, fairer and safer Nigeria in which all of our compatriots can live in peace and harmony. It is because Governor Matawalle believes in this that he and I are close and have been so for years. Thankfully there are many other leaders in the core north that think like the Zamfara governor such as Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, Governor Bala Mohammed, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi (Wambai Shinkafi), former Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Alhaji Tanimu Kabiru Turaki SAN, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, former Governor Sule Lamido, Col. Sambo Dasuki, General Aliyu Gusau and Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim Imam. These are reasonable, rational and enlightened men who have a deep knowledge of history, a keen sense of justice and who represent the last hope for Nigerian unity. I say this because, unlike some that are in power in our country today, they do not believe in using violence as a means to an end and neither do they believe in or are part of any hidden religious or ethnic agenda. They do not believe in hegemony, suppression, subjugation, tyranny or racial and religious domination and persecution and they see themselves as being Nigerians before being anything else. Advertisements These are the type of people that those of us with like minds from the south can work with, join hands with and build a new Nigeria with. We have a duty to our respective people and an obligation to our God to do no less. Most importantly, as leaders, we must never be led, moved or motivated by hate or pain but rather by compassion, understanding and a deep appreciation of the virtues of decency, equity and justice. We must give hope and inspire rather than encourage division and endless strife. We must attempt to heal the wounds of the past rather than attempt to inflict new and even more painful ones. It is leaders that have this mindset, regardless of their faith or where they come from in the country, that can save Nigeria from a frightful and dangerous implosion and total collapse. If we fail to identify and build bridges with such leaders Nigeria is not only doomed but is also destined for a long and terrible war which no sane person wishes for and which will not augur well for our people. Worst of all is the fact that no-one will ever win such a war: we will all lose and we will all end up shedding tears for many years to come. This is why we must build bridges no matter how difficult it may be and no matter how many hurdles may be put in our way. We must build bridges regardless of the insidious motives and misconceptions that many that know no better and that have been poisoned, embittered and blinded by hate have attributed to those of us that have opted to indulge in such a noble gesture and exercise. We must build bridges even though a few shallow, undiscerning, feeble-minded, misguided, naive, gullible, ignorant and politically-motivated individuals believe and see our quest as nothing but an exercise in futility and a total capitulation to tyranny and injustice. We must build bridges even though the extremists on both sides of the divide shall hate us and cast aspertions on the character of those of us that seek to do so. We must build bridges because everything, including the future and very existence of our people, depends on it. The easiest path to tread in any controversy or complex situation is one of conflict, acrimony, confrontation, extremism and ultimately violence and war. We have all trod that path in the past in various degrees but, if pursued to the bitter end, it leads to nothing but mutual annihilation and utter destruction. Both Islam and Christianity confirm the wisdom and beauty of dialogue and bridge-building and only the enlightened can appreciate the fact that dialogue does not mean capitulation. An attempt to make peace and engender good relations with those that have like minds and similar values cannot be described as cowardice, betrayal, compromise or weakness. As a matter of fact the opposite is the case and it is rather those that refuse to seek peace and build bridges and that refuse to even talk to those that they perceive wrongly and erroneously as their adversaries and life-long sworn enemies that are the cowards. Followers can afford to harbour such irresponsible sentiments but leaders cannot do so because it would result in drastic and dire consequences. I believe that it is appropriate and wise to always extend a handshake where one is offered. Only the mad and blind and those that trade, thrive and derive sadistic pleasure in the shedding of innocent blood and the destruction of lives and property refuse to do so. Such people have no place in a civilised society or at the table of peace and we should not allow their negative rantings and cynical disposition to distract or deter us from making that peace and building that bridge. On my 6th day in Zamfara, Governor Matawalle and I went to Sokoto state to meet with our mutual friend and brother Governor Aminu Tambuwal where we spent the night. Again we had fruitful and productive discussions about how to move the country forward and I was once again received with nothing but love and understanding. Contrary to the expectations of many Sokoto is actually a very peaceful and beautiful ancient town and all those I met there treated me with love and respect. Before leaving Sokoto and in the company of the two Governors, I paid a courtesy call on His Eminence, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar IV, the Sultan of Sokoto. I was deeply humbled by his kind words, wise counsel, deep knowledge and insight and genuine warmth and I thank him for receiving me. This was the first time that I had the privilege of meeting with the Sultan and I was very impressed with his deep and profound understanding of the complex issues that our country and people are faced with and his remarkable knowledge and recollection of our history. The Muslim community in Nigeria is blessed with a truly great and wise leader who is worthy of nothing but the greatest respect and the highest honor. I am convinced that as long as we have political leaders and traditional rulers that are ready to work together and that are prepared to communicate regularly and dialogue frankly and candidly, no matter how hard that might be and no matter what we may have said and done to each other in the past, there is still hope for Nigeria. We must forgive one another for past hurts and slights and we must attempt to put our differences aside and recognise our common humanity. That ought to be the guiding principle and focus as from today and it shall certainly be mine. There is no gain saying that in all faiths, in all races and in all tribes we have both good and bad. Not one tribe or faith is free of evil men and not one is made up of solely demons or angels. All tribes and races have both and what is reckless, dangerous, unacceptable and indefensible is for us to demonise a whole race or a whole faith simply because of the actions of a few. And to a large extent many of us have been guilty of doing that in varying degrees over the years. I am committed to continue to resisting all forms of evil and tyranny, to speaking for the voiceless, to defending the defenceless and to stand for the oppressed just as I have been doing, at great risk to my life and liberty, for many years. ===================================== ===================================== That will never change and neither will I ever compromise or prostitute my principles and values. I will never compromise with evil or betray my faith and neither will I ever bow before hegemony or tyranny. I will never be a slave to anyone or allow others to enslave my people and neither will I ever give up on or forsake the struggle for freedom, equality, liberty and equity in our country. I will continue to resist and speak against all forms of subjugation and injustice in the South and the Middle Belt but henceforth I will also speak up for the many victims of oppression, mass murder, ethnic cleansing, slaughter, injustice, wickedness and genocide in the core north as well. They are also being butchered and slaughtered like flies by evil souls, bandits and terrorists from mainly outside our shores and not enough of us acknowledge or recognise this. Not enough of us really care. Not enough of us acknowledge their sufferings or speak against the evil that they have been subjected to by uncaring leaders and vicious and barbaric terrorist organisations. A situation where up until Matawalle came to power in Zamfara just one year ago up to 300 to 500 people were being killed every day is unacceptable. This was the case yet the rest of the country said nothing. Wherever I see injustice and wickedness being unleashed on any Nigerian I will continue to fight it because that is my calling. I will no longer fight for just some of our people but rather for all of them. We cannot just fight for our tribe but we must fight for all tribes. We cannot just fight for our region or zone but we must fight for all regions and all zones. We cannot just fight for our faith but we must fight for all faiths. That is leadership. That is courage. That is righteousness and decency. That is God. I love the people of the core north as much as I love the people of the south east, the south south, the south west and the Middle Belt. I love the people of Zamfara as much as I love the people of Plateau, Southern Kaduna and my great in-laws in the south east who have always and will always have a special place in my heart. We must bring peace to all our people and we must fight for all of them, both Christians and Muslims. We are after all, all Gods children. I thank Matawalle, the man of the moment and the man of peace, for building this bridge and I would encourage other northern and southern leaders to take a cue from him and do the same. We may disagree on many things but there can be no doubt that we all agree on the importance and benefits of peace, unity, love, mutual respect and mutual understanding. That is the only way to make Nigeria what our forefathers wanted her to be. That is the only way to make us strong and relevant in the wider world and in the international community. That is the only way forward. That is the only way to build and establish a new, promising, inspiring and restructured Nigeria. May God guide us. South Africa has become a COVID-19 model for the continent in many ways since it confirmed its index case on 5th March, 2020. From the area of testing through to record number of recoveries, South Africa has been praised for pro-activeness in combating the virus. The economic intervention measures rolled out by President Cyril Ramaphosa has also been classed as one of the most comprehensive across the continent. South Africa was one of the earliest to roll out such measures. That President Ramaphosa is also the current Chairperson of the African Union, AU; means he has the delicate task of juggling national tasks withe the continental as Africa seeks global support to combat the pandemic. Key statistics as at July 21 The total number of confirmed cases = 408,052 The total number of tests so far = 2,632,106 Total death toll = 6,093 Total recoveries = 236,260 Most impacted provinces = Guateng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Kwa Zulu-Natal July 24: Global hot spot South Africa is seeing a huge discrepancy between confirmed COVID-19 deaths and an unusually high number of excess deaths from natural causes, while Africas top health official said Thursday the coronavirus is spreading there like wildfire. A new report by the South African Medical Research Council, released late Wednesday, shows more than 17,000 excess deaths from May 6 to July 14 as compared to data from the past two years, while confirmed COVID-19 deaths have surpassed 6,000. The numbers have shown a relentless increase by the second week of July, there were 59% more deaths from natural causes than would have been expected, the report says. The councils president, Glenda Gray, said the excess deaths could be attributed to COVID-19 as well as other widespread diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis while many health resources are redirected toward the pandemic. Meanwhile, some South Africans are thought to be avoiding health facilities as fears of the new virus spread and public hospitals are overwhelmed. The coronavirus storm has indeed arrived, President Cyril Ramaphosa told the nation Thursday evening as cases surpassed 400,000. He announced that schools would take a break for a month to protect students. South Africa now has the worlds fifth largest caseload. It makes up more than half the confirmed cases on the African continent with 408,052. One of the countrys nurses was buried Thursday, the latest of more than 5,000 infected health workers across South Africa. Duduzile Margaret Mbonane died just a month before her retirement, her husband said. She was 59. Colleagues dressed in white stood at her outdoor memorial and recited the nurses pledge of service. Some were scared. As I speak now, most of our colleagues are so infected, fellow nurse Lindiwe Yeni said. We looked after people not knowing. We only find that after two or three days. She wants a rapid test for the virus. The government must assist our nurses with protective clothing, said Duduziles husband, Herbert Mbonane. Maybe my wife wouldnt have died if personal protective equipment were made available in time. Those on the front lines have been hit hard: The World Health Organization said Thursday more than 10,000 health workers have been infected in its African region, which is largely sub-Saharan Africa. WHO Africa chief Matshidiso Moeti said she wasnt able to say how many health workers, the majority of them nurses, have died. She said 41 million items of personal protective equipment are set to begin shipping from China this weekend. Africas 54 countries now have 768,978 cases overall. South Africa is very concerning, the director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong, told reporters. And now other African countries are a growing problem, notably Kenya, where Nkengasong said cases have taken off very, very quickly. East Africas commercial hub now has more than 15,000 confirmed cases. Local transmission of the virus has begun in many countries across the continent, and once it is seeded in vulnerable communities such as slums it spreads like wildfire, which is what were seeing in South Africa now, Nkengasong said. The true number of cases in Africa is unknown, as shown by the new report in South Africa, the continents most developed country. Testing remains limited by shortages of supplies, with just 7.2 million tests conducted on the continent of 1.3 billion people. Data collection is incomplete as some people die at home or before being tested. Few African countries were equipped to widely track deaths even before the pandemic. Community deaths, we just dont know how countries are capturing that, Nkengasong said. Africas case fatality rate remains relatively low at just over 2%, but that measure is weakened if authorities dont know the real numbers. As cases climb, the Africa CDC director said a universal masking of the continent is very important at this critical stage as some officials in South Africa and elsewhere warn against pandemic fatigue. Many African countries locked down quickly as the pandemic raced across Europe and the United States, delaying its spread at home. But economic pressures have forced most governments to loosen restrictions, though South Africa this month returned to a ban on alcohol sales to help free up precious hospital beds. The continent still, as a whole, has a chance to fight back in a successful manner, Nkengasong said, pointing out that 37 countries have reported less than 5,000 cases. Source: Graphiconline.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 When IDEA Public Schools officials announced their partnership with Midland ISD and plans to bring as many as 10 schools to Midland-Odessa, they said they were not going to take from an already-thin pool of teachers. And less than three weeks before the first day of school at their first campus, IDEA Travis Academy, officials can say mission accomplished. IDEA officials told the Reporter-Telegram that of the 80 staff members at the southeast Midland campus, nearly 3 out of 4 are from outside the region and only seven staff members previously worked for Midland ISD. Staff members are coming to Midland from San Antonio, Dallas-Fort Worth, the Rio Grande Valley, Lubbock, Houston, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Chicago, Georgia, Alabama, Washington and Delaware. One staff member will come from Belize, according to information provided to the Reporter-Telegram. Bethany Solis, executive director of IDEA Public Schools in the Permian Basin, said IDEA is aggressive in its recruiting. For IDEAs Midland campus, the organization is offering staff members a housing stipend of $500 a month and one-time relocation payment. However, these primarily new teachers are committed to IDEAs mission of closing inequities in education and are excited about being part of a turnaround project like Travis, which will come into the 2020-21 school year with one of the longest failing streaks in the state (five straight years). It was the challenge that played a role in bringing executive principal Hailey McCarthy to Midland. She was, as Solis said, the highest performer within a high-performing organization. The Texas Education Agency rated her former campus IDEA South Flores in south San Antonio as an A campus in 2019 and provided the school with marks of 93 and 94 the last two years. Haley is a phenomenal leader, Solis said. When you talk with her, you want to work for her. Generating interest The IDEA partnership with Midland ISD has started with more fanfare than the districts relationships with other charter schools. It might be because of the $55 million in local philanthropy that is expected to help launch a greater IDEA presence in Midland-Odessa. It could be IDEAs record. Six IDEA schools in the Rio Grande Valley -- Brownsville, Mission, San Juan and Edinburg, where are three -- are among the top 33 high schools in the state, according to U.S. News and World Report. Whatever the reason, Solis said IDEA Travis Academy received at least 1,400 applicants. The number of students registered for the first year of IDEA Travis, as of one week ago, was 791, according to Solis. Whats also exciting is that almost 500 of those students attended Travis last year, Solis said. Students are choosing to stay at Travis, which is really meaningful to us because that's why we wanted to partner (with MISD). This is a really important neighborhood school with rich history in the community. And our first priority is making sure that students that have been in a failing school for most of the past many years are now in a very different school with very different outcomes. Solis, a former teacher and principal in the IDEA network, went one step further and said IDEA Travis will be a proof point for what any child can do. She talked about the academic achievement thats possible, not the scaled scores of 50 (overall), 46 (in student achievement), 58 (in school progress) or 30 (in closing the gaps) Travis had in 2019. Their background, their former academic achievement does not matter, Solis said. We've done it at lots of other IDEA schools across the state, and we will do it again. But it will be impossible to argue that it's the fault of the children or the neighborhood or the families. No, it's on us -- the adults in the system to get it right. And these are children that deserve to have a school that gets it right. Starting early IDEA Travis is still scheduled to begin Aug. 11, more than one week before Midland ISDs other schools. Travis families can choose to have in-person or virtual instruction, Solis said. In each option, we are thinking about academic excellence, she said. So, whether you're in person or online, you are working toward really highly rigorous academic goals, achieving those and being rewarded for them just like we've always done. Those attending in-person will have plexiglass around their desk that provides a cubicle feel. It also will be expected that students and teachers wear masks in the common areas. Students will have recess and be able to run and play but in ways that limits exposure to coronavirus. It's important for children to be able to recognize each other and make friends, and that's a big reason that many families are choosing to send their children back in person -- they want them to be with their friends and, you know, pediatricians are saying the same thing, Solis said. Ultimately, it puts the choice in the hands of families, and then it's on us to provide access, she said. What they say about IDEA Travis (Quotes provided by IDEA public schools) I chose IDEA after a while of working at a regular ISD. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. I read about IDEA's mission and I was so excited about a system who sincerely cares about all students not only going to college but being successful throughout the entire journey. I chose to move to Midland after speaking to (Principal) Hailey McCarthy ... I was so inspired by Ms. McCarthy; her determination, flexibility and creativity captivated me, and I knew I had to be part of her team. The kids at Travis deserve to have staff who love them and who will do anything to help them meet their goals. I want to be a part of that staff. --Janette Torres, who is moving from El Paso to teach science at IDEA Travis I chose to work at IDEA because here I am surrounded by leaders that share my vision for equity, my belief that every single student has a right to a quality education, and the capacity to help students achieve the greatness within them. Thanks to the families and community at IDEA Travis, we have an opportunity to build something great. I have not been here long, but this community has been beautiful and welcoming in my time here. I believe I speak for the whole staff when I say I feel privileged to work in the Travis community. Lets get to work. Solomon Jordan, who is moving to Midland from Atlanta to teach English language arts at IDEA Travis She saw what could still be done; that was her great achievement. She understood W.B. Yeats phrase the delighted eye and she gave it an intense and active meaning. There is a bravery and sweep in her gestures as a painter, and a sort of fearlessness. She was not afraid, for example, to repeat herself, to make the same type of marks and see then what surprise the moment of making would bring. She was not afraid either to change what she was doing, to find a whole new set of tones and textures. And she was not afraid of beauty, of finding a set of gorgeous colours and seeing where they would take her. Neither had she any fear of working with a more muted palette, using the colour black, for example, with a magisterial confidence. Emily Kame Kngwarreye in 1992. Credit:Rick Stevens Paul Klee spoke of a drawing as a line going for a walk. For Kngwarreye, a painting was a way of taking a whole vision, a vast store of knowledge historical, visual, spiritual for a walk. The paintings are part of their context, whether we like it or not. Kngwarreye, an Indigenous Australian artist from the Utopia community in the Northern Territory, was born in 1910 and died in 1996. She painted on canvas for less than a decade at the end of her life. There are others who know about the tradition she came from and what her paintings meant to her own community, how they relate to the time when they were done and the timelessness that must also have mattered to her. I look at them with an Irish eye; the context fades, overcome by the weight and density of the dream that is worked on and invoked in these paintings. Serum Institute of India (SII), which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the Oxford vaccine candidate for Covid-19, has sought permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for conducting phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of the potential vaccine, highly-placed sources said on Saturday. The sources told PTI that the Pune-based drug firm submitted its application to the DCGI on Friday seeking permission for conducting the trials of the vaccine candidate 'Covishield'. "According to the application, it would conduct an observer-blind, randomised controlled study to determine the safety and immunogenicity of 'Covishield' in healthy Indian adults. The firm said that an around 1,600 participants of more than 18 years would be enrolled in the study," a source said. For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here Initial results of the first two-phase trials of the vaccine conducted in five trial sites in the UK showed it has an acceptable safety profile and homologous boosting increased antibody responses, the source said. India will ensure regulatory facilitation and actively consider supplementing resources if needed for expediting the Serum Institute of India's phase 3 trial of a vaccine for Covid-19 developed by Oxford University. With the trials of Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University showing encouraging results, Serum Institute of India (SII) on Monday had said it will apply for licence from the Indian regulator to start clinical trials of the shot in a week's time. SII, the largest vaccine manufacturer in the world, has been chosen by Oxford and its partner AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine once it gets ready. To introduce the vaccine, SII, the world's largest vaccine maker by number of doses produced and sold, has signed an agreement to manufacture the potential vaccine developed by the Jenner Institute (Oxford University) in collaboration with British-Swedish pharma company AstraZeneca. CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH On the partnership with AstraZeneca, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla had said, "Serum Institute of India has entered a manufacturing partnership with AstraZeneca to produce and supply 1 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford University." These vaccines will be for India and middle and low income countries across the world (GAVI countries), he had said. The firm plans to start the phase 2 and 3 human trials in India in August. Oxford University on Monday announced satisfactory progress with the vaccine, making it one of the leading ones among the dozens of vaccine candidates being developed around the world. According to a report in the Lancet, the initial trial results showed that the vaccine is safe and prompts protective immune response. Last Monday, NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul had said that India will ensure regulatory facilitation and actively consider supplementing resources if needed for expediting SII's phase 3 trial of the vaccine developed by Oxford University. "Regulatory facilitation will be ensured. It is already being undertaken and being done. If resources need to be supplemented, that will be actively considered. "The government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of India and the international community has access to an Indian vaccine as early as possible," Paul had said. India, China agree on 'complete disengagement of troops' from border region Iran Press TV Saturday, 25 July 2020 6:23 AM India and China have agreed on a fast withdrawal of troops from across a disputed border area in the western Himalayas that was the scene of a deadly clash last month. The Indian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that the diplomats from both sides had reviewed in a virtual meeting the progress made so far in ending a standoff in the Line of Actual Control (LAC) frontier in the northern Himalayan region of Ladakh that divides India-China's long joint border. Last month, twenty Indian soldiers were killed in a fighting in the Galwan Valley, a precipitous and rocky border area that lies between China's Tibet and India's Ladakh regions. There were no confirmed reports of Chinese casualties, with each side blaming the other for breaching the border and the subsequent incident. The clash was the first such deadly fighting between the two nuclear-armed neighbors on the disputed border since 1967. In its statement, the Indian Foreign Ministry said both sides had agreed on "early and complete disengagement" of troops on the control line and de-escalation of border areas to ensure the restoration of peace and smooth relations. "They agreed that early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquility was essential for the smooth overall development of bilateral relations." The two countries' top military commanders were also to meet again soon to ensure complete disengagement "expeditiously," it added. "The two sides agreed that another meeting of the senior commanders may be held soon so as to work out further steps to ensure expeditiously complete disengagement and de-escalation and restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas." India and China have held several rounds of talks so far to restore calm and also reduced the numbers of their troops in the disputed area, while still pouring reinforcements into the region. The LAC frontier was established after a war in 1962, but it remains poorly defined and has been the scene of sporadic clashes over the decades, without leading to cross-border firing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ninety-four Quest Early College High School seniors crossed the stage on Saturday morning they were the last of Humble ISDs six ceremonies during graduation week. In an effort to make sure that every senior had an opportunity to walk the stage before rains from Tropical Storm Hanna reached the area, the presentation of diplomas was moved up in the ceremony and was followed by student speeches. The ceremony was completed about an hour before the rain began at the districts outdoor venue Turner Stadium due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. In total, 2,900 seniors graduated this week from the district. EDUCATION: Humble ISD outlines four options after Harris County delays return to class until at least Sept. 8 Salutatorian Daniel Winter, who is also the Senior President of the National Honor Society, spoke about those who helped bring him to the point he is at today, including his family, teachers and community. He also reminded his fellow classmates about their time in high school, both in light-hearted first experiences and struggling through hurricanes and biology exams. Now, for my fellow graduates, we all know how strong and unique this class of 2020 is, Winter said. We know how we persevered through hurricanes and pandemics, and I hope we all know, oh the places we will go in the future. Valedictorian Katherine Impelman said she used to wake up every morning excited to come to school to see her favorite people and has missed her classmates and teachers. She recalled bringing together funds to throw a teacher a birthday party, which the teacher said said was one of the best he had experienced. Although their time at Quest has not always been easy, Impelman said, it helped them reach their graduation ceremony. Speaking of challenges, these last few months have been particularly challenging not only for Quest but for everyone in the whole world, Impelman said. The COVID-19 pandemic flipped our entire world upside down we had to find different ways to celebrate the end of our senior year by doing everything from family zoom calls to car parades. In the last four months, Impelman said their class has learned to adapt to change and learned that they couldnt always count on plans. They had to make the most of a bad situation and learned that there is much more to the world than their little bubble. Although they are going into a world of uncertainty, Impelman said they are ready. Our class learned to adapt to our changing world. Now we are faced with the same task that every other class is faced with moving on to the next chapter of our life, whether it be going to college, entering the military, or getting a job. But I think we are more prepared because we learned some valuable lessons during these last four months. While it is hard to say goodbye to Quest, Impelman said it is now time for their class to face this new world. Our generation has developed a thirst to mend the broken parts of our society, Impelman said. The Quest class of 2020 is ready to make a difference. TROPICAL STORM HANNA: Tropical Storm Hanna strengthens as it moves through Gulf Student Council Vice President Jasna Jalal said they have experienced a rollercoaster over the last four years. She said despite their obstacles, all-nighters, tears and heartaches, the challenges have helped them become who they are today. Now I fully assure you guys the person we were in August 2016 sitting in bridge camp is nothing but a figment of the past, Jalal said. Together as a class, weve grown, weve persevered, weve learned and we have succeeded. Though we may not all be together any more during these upcoming years of adulthood, I promise you, the spirit of the class of 2020 will always be with us. Jalal encouraged her classmates to live every day and to make the world better than the day before to stand up for the voiceless and to push forward despite any adversities they may face. She said they will accomplish amazing things in their lifetime. We will be the generation of justice, the generation of success, and most importantly the generation of change, Jalal said. I cannot wait to see whats in store for all of us (in) the upcoming years of life. These past four years with you guys, the graduating class of 2020, a class literally like no other, have been a true honor. Senior National Honor Society Program Chairman Madelyn Cahill gave a prayer for the closing invocation. She was thankful for those who have helped to support them to this day, to help them have faith in their abilities, and to have strength as they step out on their own. She also prayed for guidance to places that will keep them safe and secure. savannah.mehrtens@chron.com Who does Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara thinks he is fooling? His decision to exit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress [APC] could not have come at a more convenient time. A time when the current Speaker of the House of Representative Rt. Hon. Olufemi Hakeem Gbajabiamila mandated the Federal Minister of Niger Delta Affair to put his mouth where his money is and produce the names of the supposed federal lawmakers who were recipients of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contract bonanza and related fraud. Just when the Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio responded that the recipients were not the members of the current House of Representatives but the members of the previous House of Representative under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Yabuku Dogara - Dogara woke up and discovered the corrupt nature of PDP in Bauchi State and the pristineness of the APC. He suddenly came to realization he no longer wants a part of it. Who does he expect to believe the tale that he just discovered after more than one year the Government of Bauchi State is corrupt? After partaking in the unholy communion? Who is fooling who? And, who is gullible enough to believe the fairy tale? The Cambridge dictionary defines a hypocrite as someone who says they have particular moral beliefs but behaves in way that shows these are not sincere. And, defines a coward as a person who is not brave and is too eager to avoid danger, difficulty, or pain. If only the Nigerian public knew the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was hot on his trail and had pulled his files, it would be clearer to understand the predicament Dogara finds himself. The EFCC had begun investigating his activities while at the Green Chamber and had concluded on its findings. To arrest the former Speaker was the next move. Dogara was faced with arrest and prosecution in the same manner Senator Godswill Akpabio was faced with arrest prior to his shameful exit. Like Akpabio, Dogara flipped the switch and crossed over for the political cleaners where his sins will be forever forgiven and amnesty granted, at the APC. In Akpabios case, he was rewarded for his crossover, and for the synthetically manufactured battle he waged against the Governor of Akwa Ibom the PDP Governor who took over the Governors seat after his exit. He was awarded a ministerial position in return. In the case of Dogara, the play cards are the same. Off the bat, following his crossover, he launched his version of a synthetically manufactured battle against the PDP Governor of Bauchi State detailing what he termed as corruption with the Bala Mohammed administration. An administration that has won accolades beyond the boundaries of Bauchi State as worthy of emulation. One that has revamped the educational infrastructure within the span of 12months by adding over 350 classroom blocks across the wards that make up the State. Has achieved the erection of world standard molecular laboratory for the testing of Covid19 that presently serves four neighboring States at over 300 samples daily. Road construction networks in proportions never witnessed in the history of the State including water treatment plants to accommodate the increase in population due to migration of IDPs. The question then becomes what is really Dogaras agenda? It cannot be Bala Mohammed or his administration. Apart from freeing himself from the grips of the EFCC, he maybe positioning for the Vice President position against the 2023 presidential elections or a Ministerial position. As a coward battling out of the fear of possible prosecution, it is evident that he has sold his rights and integrity to the drowning APC. A vomit he excreted. With which face will he face his former colleagues whom he lampooned when he defected from the APC to the PDP? After labelling the APC, the party of corruption, he has returned to the party of corruption. Now, he sees the PDP as the party of corruption. Who is he fooling? And to imagine he was the number four citizen of the country for 4years defines the trouble with governance in Nigeria. What happened to the N4.6 billion loan taken from a bank and paid directly into a private company's account? was one of the questions Dogara wanted answered. He claimed it led to his decision to exit the party. Dogara, himself, knows firsthand the truth behind the non-existent loan. But he is earger to play dirty. He wants to play ostrich. Dogara knows the Bauchi Government never secured any N4.6billion loan. The supposed N4.6billion concerns a legitimate contract awarded to a contractor for the purchase of vehicles for the government. The Bauchi State government, as most clever state governments do, issued the contractor an Irrevocable Standing Purchase Order [ISPO] which in laymans term means the Bauchi State government reached an agreement for the contractor to be paid in monthly installments through automatic deductions from the governments bank account. Armed with the ISPO, the contractor approached a financial institution and presented the ISPO as a collateral to secure a loan. The contractor was awarded the loan and the vehicles were delivered. Dogara puzzlingly called simple transaction a loan in an open letter released to the public. And to know that Dogara was among the recipients of the vehicles is disheartening and exposes his hypocrisy. He collected a Toyota Land Cruiser. Yes, he even wrote a thank you letter to the State government acknowledging the receipt of the vehicle. Dogara's defection back to the APC may not be his last defection. It should be understood Dogara left the PDP for his personal gains and not for the benefit of good governance. The fear of EFCC prosecution and/or persecution propelled his exit [cowardice] but to author a letter depicting the government of Bauchi as corrupt is weak and unnecessary. Ikenna Ellis Ezenekwe is a Chemical/Environmental Engineer resides in New York - email:[email protected] A round of negotiations between three key Nile basin countries over Ethiopias contentious hydroelectric dam ended on Monday with no agreement, according to Egyptian and Sudanese officials. The setback sunk modest hopes that the three countries could resolve their differences and ink an agreement before Ethiopia begins to fill its $4.6 billion hydroelectric dam. Ethiopia had previously pledged to start filling the reservoir, even without a deal over its operation, at the start of the wet season in July, when rains flood the Blue Nile. A declared window of two to three weeks to resolve the dispute is closing fast. To Ethiopia, the colossal dam offers a critical opportunity to pull millions of citizens out of poverty and become a major power exporter. To downstream Egypt, which depends on the Nile River to supply its farmers and booming population of 100 million with fresh water, the dam poses an existential threat. Years of talks with a variety of mediators, including the Trump administration, have failed to produce a solution. Last weeks round, mediated by the African Union and observed by American and European officials, proved no different. Filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam without a deal would sharply escalate tensions in the bitter dispute. Experts fear it could push the countries to the brink of military conflict. All of the efforts exerted to reach a solution didnt come to any kind of result, said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry Monday in an interview with Egypts DMC TV channel. Shukry warned Egypt may be compelled to appeal again to the U.N. Security Council to intervene in the dispute, a prospect Ethiopia rejects, preferring regional bodies like the A.U. to mediate. If there is something that threatens the regional security of Egypt and international security, it is the main responsibility of the Security Council to adopt procedures that will prevent this, he said. Meanwhile the countries agreed they would send their reports to the president of the African Union, and reconvene in a week to determine next steps. There was no immediate comment from Ethiopia on the latest round of talks. Between Egypt and Ethiopia lies Sudan, literally and figuratively. The African country stands to benefit from Ethiopias project through access to cheap electricity and reduced flooding, but it has also raised fears over the dams operation, which could endanger its own smaller dams, depending on the amount of water discharged daily downstream. In a press conference on Monday, Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas explained a series of sticking points. While the parties were keen to find a solution, technical and legal disagreements persist over its filling and operation, he said. Most important, he said, are the unresolved questions of how much water Ethiopia will release downstream if a multi-year drought occurs, and how the countries will resolve any future disputes. Hisham Kahin, a member of Sudans legal committee in the dam negotiations, said 70%-80% of negotiations turned on the thorny question of whether an agreement would be legally binding. Ethiopia, he said, fears a binding agreement will hinder its future development projects. Sudan and Egypt consider it critical. All suggestions are under discussion, said Kahin. We have made very little progress. Enhanced transport infrastructure would help expand the development to Hanois southern part and form economic triangles of Hanoi Hai Phong Quang Ninh and Hanoi Thanh Hoa Nghe An. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue (middle) at the meeting. Photo: Thanh Hai. Hanoi should consider building a new airport in its southern part to share the burden of the Noi Bai International Airport, according to Tran Quoc Cuong, vice head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Internal Affairs. For many years, Hanois urbanization has been expanded to the west and the north, new transport projects would help expand the development to the south of the capital city, Cuong said in a meeting on July 24 discussing measures to support Hanois development in the next five years. Moreover, an airport is essential to form economic triangles of Hanoi Hai Phong Quang Ninh and Hanoi Thanh Hoa Nghe An, Cuong added. Meanwhile, Nguyen Huu Nghia, deputy head of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission, said Hanoi needs specific solutions to serve as the driving force for the Northern key economic zone, given its significant position in provincial linkages. This would require Hanoi to grasp opportunities from a new wave of investment as a result of supply chains moving to Vietnam, Nghia said. Deputy Chief of the Party Central Committees Office Nguyen Dac Vinh expected Hanoi to be an example for other provinces in every aspect, especially in setting up new growth models. At the meeting, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue said in the first six months of the year, Hanois economic growth is estimated at 3.34% year-on-year, 1.82 times the national average. For this year, Hanoi aims to achieve a growth rate 1.3 times the national average. Nguyen Van Phong, head of the municipal Party Committees Education and Communication Commission, said in the 2020 2025 term, Hanoi would give priority to modernization and rapid development, focusing on developing transportation infrastructure connecting with Hanois suburban areas and satellite townships. Hanoi plans to invest in digital infrastructure and IT to create the foundation for further development of a social and digital economy. Additionally, Phong highlighted the need for Hanoi to ensure drastic institutional reforms and greater efficiency in social governance, which could be attained via a new model of urban administration and the application of e-government. Hanoitimes Ngoc Thuy - Tran Long Hanoi airport to stop public announcements to reduce noise Hanois Noi Bai International Airport will stop making flight announcements via loudspeakers in a bid to reduce noise. India, Israel Review Military Supplies Amid Continuing Border Tensions with China Sputnik News 15:18 GMT 24.07.2020 New Delhi (Sputnik): India has been trying to enhance its surveillance capabilities and firepower, amid ongoing border tensions with China. The federal government has also provided the armed forces with up to $40 million to buy emergency weapons. India and Israel on Friday reviewed the pending supply of military hardware from Tel Aviv amid continuing tension along the border with China in Eastern Ladakh, which was the scene of a violent clash on 15 June that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and caused an unknown number of Chinese casualties. The issue came up for discussion during Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's phone call with his Israeli counterpart Lieutenant General Benjamin Gantz. Both Singh and Lieutenant General Gantz reviewed the "progress of strategic cooperation between the two countries." India's armed forces wanted to place orders for more Heron surveillance drones and Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel under the emergency financial powers granted by the government. Heron UAVs are already being used for surveillance by the army and air force in Ladakh. The Indian defence ministry has been urging its military suppliers in Russia, France and the United States, as well as Israel, to expedite contractual arms deliveries in view of the current security situation in Ladakh. During a recent visit to Moscow, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sought the early delivery of a high-tech weapon system. New Delhi and Beijing have held several rounds of talks between army commanders and diplomats in an attempt to de-escalate border tensions. But the Chinese army has yet to withdraw from two points of friction, Pangong Tso and Depsang Valley. According to government sources, Chinese troops have encroached almost 8 kilometres deep inside Indian Territory in the Depsang Valley. The India-China border covers the 3,488 km-long loosely demarcated Line of Actual Control (LAC), stretching from northeastern India to inLadakh. While the LAC is mainly a land border in most regions, in Pangong Tso in Eastern Ladakh, it passes through a lake. India controls the western portion of the 45-km long lake, while the rest is under Chinese control. Most of the clashes between the two countries have taken place in the Galwan Valley. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Mumbai Police is currently investigating the reason behind Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. As a part of the ongoing police investigation, they have now summoned the CEO of Dharma Productions, Apoorva Mehta. It is being reported that he will be asked if there exists a group of powerful entities who create hurdles for outsiders in Bollywood, about professional rivalries and other business-related angles. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh issued a media statement and added, "In 1 to 2 days Mahesh Bhatt's statement will be taken. Then under CrPC Kangana Ranaut has also been summoned. Whoever is needed we will summon." On being quizzed by the reporters if Karan Johar would be summoned, he replied, Karan Johar's manager has been summoned, and if needed we'll summon Karan Johar as well." For the unversed, statements of 37 people have been recorded so far in the case including Karans manager Reshma Shetty, who gave her statement with the police on July 11. Meanwhile, Kangana Ranaut was quick to point out the governments reluctance to directly summon Karan Johar in the case. Her team recently took to Twitter and wrote, They wont call him because he is best friend of @AUThackeray. Its their government and they shut this case before Kanganas interview, its evident they are protecting their friends.. (sic) They wont call him because he is best friend of @AUThackeray. Its their government and they shut this case before Kanganas interview, its evident they are protecting their friends.. https://t.co/MOAXUbogFw Team Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) July 25, 2020 For the uninitiated, Kangana has been hitting the headlines ever since she gave an explosive interview to Republic TV's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, in connection with Sushant's death. The actress accused producers like Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra of indulging in nepotism and favouritism. She even said that Bollywood 'movie mafia' was out to get outsiders like Sushant and her by harassing and planting blind items in the media. ALSO READ: Kangana Ranaut Summoned By The Police In Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case? Here's The Truth ALSO READ: Sushant's Death Case: Film Critic And Journalist Rajeev Masand Summoned By Mumbai Police Bachelor In Paradise fans have slammed Mary Viturino for name-calling Keira Maguire. During Sunday night's episode, the 32-year-old referred to Keira, 34, as a 'b***h' after she invited Conor Canning on a date. Fans criticised Mary on social media, with many saying she is acting like a 'petty child'. 'She needs to stop calling women that!' On Sunday, Bachelor In Paradise viewers slammed Mary Viturino (pictured) for calling Keira Maguire the B word One person tweeted: 'Mary calling every female a b***h is setting back girl power big time.' 'Mary stop calling every other woman 'b***h'. You're coming across as a petty child,' another said. Another wrote: 'What happened to Mary? She was harmless funny in the past but now harmful b****ing?' 'So sick of her already!' Fans criticised Mary for name-calling Keira 'Can Mary please stop referring to other women as 'b***h'. It just allows for more men to call us b***hes and w****s,' one person commented. 'Mary, name calling is so freaking low. Stop it. Stop it. You're beautiful, you don't need to tear women down,' another wrote. Another said: 'Mary constantly calling all the girls 'b***ch and bringing them all down is not cute, so sick of her already.' On Sunday night, Keira arrived at Bachelor In Paradise's Fijian resort and was set up on a series of blind dates with the contestants. She choose to go on her first date with Conor Canning On Sunday night, Keira arrived at Bachelor In Paradise's Fijian resort and was set up on a series of blind dates with the contestants. After asking all the males questions, Keira choose to go on her first date with Conor Canning. The other contestants returned to the villa and informed the females that Keira had arrived and was on a date. 'Keira? Freaking hell, how unlucky can I be? Conor is missing and the new b**ch that came is Keira,' Mary said. Bachelor In Paradise continues Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten The Michigan House of Representatives this week approved a bill to house COVID-19 patients in dedicated facilities, sending it to the desk of a governor who has been criticized for her handling of nursing homes early in the pandemic. Related: States handling of COVID in nursing homes worthy of critique, but GOP lawmakers miss mark, experts say Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 18:02:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh reported 2,275 new COVID-19 cases Sunday, taking the total to 223,453. Senior Health Ministry official Nasima Sultana told a media briefing that 54 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours across the country, bringing the death toll to 2,928. According to the official, 10,078 samples were tested in the last 24 hours in labs nationwide. She said the total number of recovered patients in the country stood at 123,882 including 1,792 new recoveries. According to the official, the COVID-19 fatality rate in Bangladesh is 1.31 percent, and the current recovery rate is 54.44 percent. Enditem Imogen Anthony has remained at the $3million farm in the NSW Southern Highlands, she once shared with her radio host ex, Kyle Sandilands. And the 29-year-old was making the most of the property on Sunday, tending to her camel in a rather amusing way. The model serenaded the animal, lip syncing and dancing to the Lady Gaga track, You and I, sharing a number of video clips to Instagram. Fun in the sun: On Sunday, Imogen Anthony (pictured) serenaded her camel, lip syncing and dancing to the Lady Gaga track, You and I, sharing a number of video clips to Instagram She dramatically performed the lyrics, squatting and twirling in front of the unimpressed animal. Imogen wore a black tracksuit, and over the top, a brown suede jacket with fake fur lining. The social media sensation captioned the videos: 'For those who couldn't/didn't want to lose ten mins of their lives by seeing my story yesterday'. Dance dance dance: She dramatically performed the lyrics, squatting and twirling in front of the unimpressed animal The social media sensation captioned the videos: 'For those who couldn't/ didn't want to lose ten mins of their lives by seeing my story yesterday' Imogen and Kyle have held onto the sprawling property because their 100 rescue animals still live there, a spokesperson for the former couple said. 'Kyle and Imogen will never sell the property,' the representative said when asked about the 61 hectare estate in Robertson, 90 minutes south of Sydney. 'The farm is home to over 100 rescue animals who'll continue to be cared for,' they added. Staying put: Imogen and her ex Kyle Sandilands have held onto the sprawling property because their 100 rescue animals still live there, a spokesperson for the former couple said The pair had named the property 'Crimson Peak' after its red A-line roof structure. During their eight-year relationship, Kyle and Imogen had also rented a $5,000-per-week mansion in Mosman and a 3,000-per-week home in Hunters Hill. Kyle announced the couple's split on air in November last year. He is now dating his former personal assistant Tegan Kynaston. She delivered the bombshell allegation that she hooked up with her costar Denise Richards more than once on Wednesday's episode of The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. And almost immediately, Brandi Glanville came under fire from Twitter trolls for her at-home confessional interludes, which they said made it look as if she had had extensive plastic surgery. The 47-year-old reality star fought back this week in a series of tweets in which she blamed her appearance on having to do her own makeup instead of leaving it to professionals. Taking a stand: Brandi Glanville, 47, clapped back at Twitter trolls this week after they accused her of having had plastic surgery based on her appearance on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Brandi had to record her confessionals alone at her own home for the three-part reunion episode, which left some viewers wondering if she'd gotten work done on her face. 'Omg...what in the plastic surgery is going on here,' joked one Twitter user in response to a tweet about the reunion episode. 'What the hell is going on with Brandi Glanvilles face??? That is plastic surgery gone very wrong. And her drunken antics plus lies and exaggerations is why no one wants to associate with her,' wrote another user. But Brandi fought back and offered her own explanation: without a professional crew, she had to do her own makeup for the reunion confessional, which turned out less successful than she hoped. Not a pro: Brandi claimed her unusual appearance was due to taking care of her own makeup while filming at-home confessionals Ouch: Twitter users criticized her appearance and said it looked as if she'd had extensive work done Didn't work: Brandi replied with some salty language of her own and claimed she'd failed at her makeup despite watching tutorials She swears: She went as far as to admit, 'I look horrible,' though she adamantly denied having gone under the knife 'First off you are mean,' she replied to a now-deleted tweet. 'I do look bad but I haven't done anything to my face. I was watching makeup tutorials and trying not to use so much blush and f**k off hater.' She explained to another person, 'I had to do my own makeup & we had virtual lighting. I suck at both hair and makeup. I look horrible,' she wrote, adding a frowning face. Brandi also offered an alternate explanation for why her face might have looked off during the reunion episode. 'The only surgery I've had during quarantine was emergency dental surgery where they ripped two teeth from my skull and I had to do interviews,' she wrote. 'I am still swollen but thank you for making me feel like a complete disgusting monster I have feelings to [sic] people!!' Before and after: Brandi's appearance in November 2009 (L) and in October 2018 (R) Ouch! Brandi also said she'd had 'emergency dental surgery' and was still swollen at the time from having two teeth pulled Kind words: Not everyone was complaining, and some fans offered words of encouragement for the reality star It wasn't all complaints, though, and several fans came to the author and fashion designer's defense. 'Brandi have u seen what the rest of us look like right now? You're all right kid,' wrote one user. Others said she was 'beautiful' and 'gorgeous' and urged her to ignore trolls. Redo: On Friday, Brandi shared a steamy photo of herself in a black fishnet top and looking more like her usual self On Friday, Brandi shared a steamy photo of herself in a black fishnet top and looking more like her usual self. 'Im FINALLY speaking out about Denise!' she captioned the post, which had comments turned off. On Wednesday's reunion episode, Brandi finally delved into claims of an affair with Denise Richards, which were first reported on earlier this year. The former model claimed their first sexual encounter took place the night they met, during a dinner that was shown in season nine of RHOBH. 'We completely click, we get absolutely wasted, we go to the restroom, and all of a sudden, we're making out,' Brandi said. 'I wasn't expecting it, but I was like, "All right, I'll go with it! I'm wasted, you're pretty, let's do this!"' Affair scandal: On Wednesday episode, Brandi claimed to have had multiple trysts with Denise Richards, which the former Bond girl has vehemently denied; pictured in 2012 She claimed Denise later invited her to a set in Northern California, where she spent the night with the actress and her children. 'There was no roll-away bed, conveniently,' Brandi said. 'So I just slept in the bed with Denise.' 'The first night I was there, we just had a good night, we're hanging out,' she told the women. 'The next night we got really drunk; we were so f***ed up, and we kind of hooked up.' 'Like kiss?' Teddi asked. 'Like everything,' Brandi returned. Getting hot: The reality star said the first hookup was at a restaurant the night they met. 'We completely click, we get absolutely wasted, we go to the restroom, and all of a sudden, we're making out' Although Brandi said she was under the impression that Denise had an open relationship with Aaron, in which she could have affairs with other women but not men, she said she later found out that Denise didn't have such an arrangement. 'The next day, she just said to me, ''No matter what you do, you can't tell Aaron. He will kill me'',' Brandi remembered. 'And I'm like, ''What the f*** is happening right now?''' Though she forcefully denied the affair in the Washington Post, Denise has yet to speak about it on RHOBH, though a teaser for next week's episode indicated that Teddi will alert her to Brandi's disclosure. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, July 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- At the invitation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) participated in a virtual international donors meeting on Thursday on development priorities in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on the newly developed socio-economic framework in Yemen. UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen Lise Grande and World Bank Regional Manager in Yemen Raja Kattan co-chaired the meeting, with UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Dr. Nahed Hussein, ambassadors from countries supporting development in Yemen, and representatives of international development organizations in attendance. Grande thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, together with the World Bank, for having "stepped forward right at the start and provided urgent funding to the teams on the ground here in Yemen at the very beginning" of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Without that," she said, "we would not have had a public health response." During the meeting, the SDRPY team emphasized 4 important tracks of the strategic socio-economic framework for Yemen, namely: (1) building the capacity of healthcare institutions to enable them not only to provide curative care, but also to take public health preventive measures to deal with the existing pandemic and future health emergencies; (2) sustainable job creation; (3) effective private sector engagement in economic recovery; and (4) affirmation of the interrelationship between the humanitarian and development path and sustainable peace, known as the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. Prior to this meeting, SDRPY had participated in the 2nd UNDP Country Program Board Meeting in the presence of Yemeni Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Dr. Najib Al-Auj, international development officials and ambassadors. They reviewed development and reconstruction priorities in the context of socio-economic framework under development by the UNDP in Yemen, as well as the transition from humanitarian relief to sustainable development. Thus far SDRPY has implemented 177 projects to improve basic services in key sectors, including establishment of schools, equipment of medical centers, environmental sanitation campaigns, and delivery of essential fuels under a Saudi grant to 64 Yemeni power stations. Projects have helped raise the performance of state institutions in several Yemeni provinces, most notably Aden, Socotra, Mahra, Marib, Al-Jawf and Saada. The program is currently endeavoring to reach other governorates with sustainable initiatives to build Yemeni capacities, promote self-sufficiency and help Yemen achieve economic recovery. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1219520/UNDP___SDRPY_Logo.jpg SOURCE Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 21:30:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close AMMAN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Jordan signed an agreement on Sunday with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) worth 700 million U.S. dollars to provide support to vulnerable Jordanians and refugees in the country. Under the agreement, food and cash assistance will be provided to 1 million vulnerable Jordanians and refugees across the country between 2020-2022. Over the next three years, the WFP will assist in existing and future crises, with a focus on supporting refugees, transitioning to resilience building, and supporting the social protection and livelihoods of Jordanians, as well as building the capacity of national institutions, said the Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation in a statement. Emphasis will be put on the empowerment of women and young people, the ministry said. Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Wissam Rabadi, who signed the deal, called on the international community to continue their generous support. The minister also commended WFP's efforts in support of Jordan throughout years and its response in addressing the impacts of the Syrian crisis. Enditem Clergy spearhead Jerricho March across Brooklyn Bridge, NYPD join; worship goes viral Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A group of clergy rallied elected officials and hundreds of New Yorkers last Wednesday for the Jericho March across the Brooklyn Bridge where they were joined by law enforcement groups and seen worshiping together in a video that has been viewed more than 1 million times. Bishop Gerald G. Seabrooks of Rehoboth Cathedral in Bedford-Stuyvesant told Kings County Politics in an interview last week about the biblical meaning of Jericho. And if they did not tear down the walls of Jericho, division and separation, then they would not have received. Therefore, the walls of Jericho in our city need to come down. We see the walls of hatred, we see the walls of police brutality, we see the walls of redlining, we see the walls of miseducation. Our city needs God, Seabrooks said about the purpose of the march. The event, which started in Cadman Plaza Park, Brooklyn, and ended at City Hall was initially conceived by a coalition of black clergy who are calling for reforms to policing, healthcare and education. Sergeants Benevolent Association, a police union in New York City, also joined the march, describing it as a rally to "support law enforcement" as well as clergy, according to a flyer. "This is a community that respects the police and wants peace," SBA President Ed Mullins told Gothamist about why they joined the march. "Police are the dividing line to keep them safe." Videos of the march have been circulating online where hundreds are seen and heard singing the popular worship song WayMaker. The clip has amassed over 1 million views across various platforms. As churchgoers marched across the iconic bridge, hundreds of NYPD officers both retired and presently serving also joined in and were seen wearing matching blue T-shirts. Kings County Politics reported that different groups of marchers initially started on separate sides of each other but were united as they walked up the on-ramp to get on the bridge. Helicopters and police squad cars cleared a path on the bridge for marchers to peacefully walk. When the swarms of officers reached the Manhattan side of the bridge they were met by Occupy City Hall protesters who incited clashes with police. Marchers were reportedly held ad bay on the ramp for 30 minutes and used it as an opportunity to pray out loud. As they prayed officers arrested 35 violent Occupy City Hall protesters. First and foremost youre protesting God, Tony Herbert, community leader and one of the Jericho March organizers told Kings County Politics in response to the violent protest. At the end of the day, this is about New Yorkers, all New Yorkers, and nobody should be in the position to block that. So were good, were not deterred. Once things settled down, the Jerricho March convened in front of a constructed stage on top of a float where they held an outdoor church service. They shouted, No Peace Without the Prince of Peace. Leader of Progressive Action, Tramell Thompson, helped organize the event with the United Clergy Coalition and took to Facebook afterward to share of the event. He said he found the ministry time extremely powerful but was confused by some police officers who thought the march was a Blue Lives Matter march. There are photos of uniformed officers taking pictures and high-fiving pro-police marchers. NYPD Chief Judith Harrison spoke at a subsequent rally and she said the Black Lives Matter counter-protesters could not stop the march. "Do you know why they didnt stop us?" Harrison declared, "because of the power of prayer. This is an opinion column. Attorney General Steve Marshall said the state was ambushed by a federal report regarding the violent and abusive treatment of prisoners in Alabama. Which is a bit like building your house on the San Andreas Fault and being surprised by the earthquakes. Sure, the report is shocking. It describes instance after instance of guards beating and abusing prisoners, using excessive force and lying about it later. But unexpected? The Alabama Department of Corrections has been under the Justice Departments eye for decades, and state officials keep promising to do better. But somehow, prisoners there keep having accidents, including one inmate who died late last year. The autopsy revealed that the prisoner died from blunt force trauma to the head, the DOJ report said. He sustained multiple areas of intracranial bleeding, fractures of his nose and left eye socket, and had at least six teeth knocked out. The Alabama Department of Corrections told the hospital where the prisoner was treated that he had fallen from a bunk bed. Must be a tall bed, huh? The report details other incidents of staff-on-prisoner violence, including inmates punched and beaten while handcuffed, and one account so sadistic it seems more akin to Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo than something on American soil. Two nurses saw the officer beat the prisoner, and two other nurses could hear the beating from adjacent rooms, the report said. The prisoner did not antagonize the officer before the beating and his hands were handcuffed behind his back. During the beating, all four of the nurses heard the officer yell something to the effect of, I am the reaper of death, now say my name! and the prisoner begged the officer to kill him. Justice Department investigators found no records showing the officer had been referred for prosecution or had been disciplined in any way. You would think Alabamas top law enforcement official might want to get to the bottom of whether state employees might have killed a man and tried to cover it up or at least measure the height of prison bunk beds. Youd think four witnesses describing a guard torturing a handcuffed prisoner might be enough for somebody in Marshalls office to bring charges. But on Thursday, Marshall said his primary concern is making sure Alabama retains control of its prison system and doesnt get forced into another consent decree with the feds. Alabama will not be bullied into a perpetual consent decree to govern our prison system, nor will we be pressured to reach such an agreement with federal bureaucrats, conspicuously, fifty-three days before a presidential election, Marshall said in a statement. In short, a consent decree is unacceptable and nonnegotiable. The State of Alabama shall retain her sovereignty. While the Justice Departments latest report focuses on staff-on-prisoner violence, it is only one of three federal investigations. The other two inquiries one into prisoner-on-prisoner violence and another on prison rape likewise found Alabama prisons violating the Eighth Amendments protections against cruel and unusual punishment. At the drop of a hat, Marshalls office will sue the federal government over the Affordable Care Act. His office routinely joins in similar cases with other states no matter how futile when there are political points to be won at home. But when it comes to rapes, beatings and murders in Alabama prisons? Hes got sovereignty to worry about, yall. Marshalls response is an old Alabama knee-jerk reaction: We shall not be told. Alabamas state motto, after all, is We Dare Defend our Rights. But whose rights? Not the rights of prisoners. And what rights? Not those guaranteed by the Constitution. This is Alabama as its always been, stubbornly refusing to do the minimum until forced by the Justice Department and the federal courts. Is anyone really surprised? Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. You can follow his work on his Facebook page, The War on Dumb. And on Twitter. And on Instagram. More columns by Kyle Whitmire How do we honor John Lewis legacy in a police state? There is no plan Adios, Jeff Sessions Alabama Senate leaders coronavirus plan: Get sick, try not to die Do your job, Kay Ivey Trump ignored facts so he could blame the Black guy. Good luck, America! Alabamas given up. Alabamafication unmasked NASCAR and the GOP have the same problem. Only one is trying to do something about it. Kay Ivey is not your Mee-Maw: What the governor needs to tell Alabama about COVID-19 Alabama monuments law affects more than Confederate monuments Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 arent competing stories. Theyre the same story. Dont be fooled. Huntsvilles Confederate monument isnt going anywhere. Alabama monument law turns AG into stone If Alabama has a coronavirus plan for nursing homes, its hiding it According to the Balearic government, it was in contact with the Spanish government prior to the UK announcement of a quarantine for travellers entering the UK from Spain. The Balearic government wanted to know the scope of the UK's measure. Alarmed by the "serious damage" that a quarantine could cause to what is the second largest foreign tourist market, the government was seeking to establish a "safe air corridor" with the UK. The regional ministry for the economic model, tourism and employment argues that the epidemiological situation in the Balearics justifies there being an air corridor. Over the past fourteen days, there has been a cumulative incidence of eight confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Balearics per 100,000 inhabitants over the past fortnight. This is contrasted with 37.9 for Spain as a whole and 14.1 for the UK. The ministry notes that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel guidance has excluded the Balearics and the Canaries from the recommendation against all non-essential travel (this is for mainland Spain). Nevertheless, the quarantine requirement also applies to people travelling from the Balearics and the Canaries. The FCO, for its part, has highlighted the rise in the number of cases in certain regions of Spain - Aragon, Catalonia and Navarre in particular. Armed groups in this violence-fraught nation of 50 million are imposing new levels of control during the coronavirus outbreak, and enforcing some of the strictest lockdown measures in the world with harsh penalties for violators. In the port city of Tumaco, a narco-trafficking hub in the Colombian southwest, guerrillas posted pamphlets declaring all curfew violators military targets. In a warning to all, a medical transport responding to a call after curfew was torched in early May, its driver and patient killed. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 19:26:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Russian navy's level of military hardware is constantly growing, President Vladimir Putin said Sunday as the country celebrated its Navy Day. This year, 40 warships of various classes will join the Russian navy, Putin said in a speech at a naval parade held in the country's second largest city of St. Petersburg. The modern navy includes ships armed with high-precision weapons, strategic and multi-purpose submarines, the newest aircraft, "unique weapons and special equipment," he noted. The navy will strengthen its unique advantages and increase its combat capabilities by deploying advanced digital technologies, hypersonic strike systems, unmanned underwater vehicles, and the most effective means of defense, Putin said. The naval parade in St. Petersburg involved 46 ships and submarines, more than 40 planes and helicopters, and over 4,000 servicemen. Smaller celebrations were held in the country's other fleet bases. Russia marks its Navy Day annually on the last Sunday of July. Enditem Two brothers who forced a sex slave to work as a prostitute even after becoming pregnant with a client's baby have been jailed. Ilcic Dumitru, 19, and Ioan Dumitru, 24, duped the young woman into coming to the UK on the promise of a factory job but made her sleep with up to 15 men a day. The 20-year-old slavery victim was forced to pick up clients the day she arrived in Britain from Romania and threatened with being attacked if she did not make money for the pair of pimps. Ilcic Dumitru, 19, left, and his 24-year-old brother Ioan, right, were jailed for a combined total of 31 years at Woolwich Crown Court after being convicted of controlling prostitution and modern slavery offences She was forced to sleep with 10 to 15 men a day, sometimes making up to 1,000 a day, which was immediately taken away from her by her captors During one of her first outings on the streets of London, one of her client's condom split and she became pregnant, police said. When she was around seven months' pregnant, she feared the baby was dead as she could no longer feel it move. According to police, this fear came about because of a forced attempted abortion. However she did later give birth to a healthy baby boy. She managed to get away from her captors when a client asked her if she was in touch with her family in Romania and she told him about her ordeal. A week later the mystery man came to see her again and gave her a small mobile phone which she hid and then contacted her family in her homeland. They then contacted Romanian authorities and last December the country's consulate called the Met Police. When the woman first arrived in Britain last April, she was picked up from Luton Airport by the two brothers and taken to a house in Plumstead, south east London, where two other Romanian women were living. Her passport and travel documents were then taken from her so she could not leave Britain and return home, police said. On the evening of her arrival in the UK she was immediately told to get ready in 'sexy clothes' as they were going out to work and was driven to north London. There she was handed a small bag of wipes and condoms and told she was working the streets. The victim told the men she had never done this type of work before, but she was told she 'would learn', police said. She was forced into having her first customer that night and Ioan Dumitru threatened to 'break her head' if she did not make any money for them. Through the fear of violence and the control the brothers had on her, she continued working on the street as a sex worker, Scotland Yard said. She was forced to sleep with 10 to 15 men a day, sometimes making up to 1,000 a day, which was immediately taken away from her by her captors. The woman was regularly beaten and abused by the two men, once with a stick on the back of her legs. She was never allowed to leave the house on her own and always had someone with her, police said. Two Romanian officers, who are seconded to the UK to help with international affairs with Romania, were instrumental in helping detectives once the woman contacted her family without her captors knowledge. They and a team of officers were immediately deployed to the house in Plumstead and both men were arrested for offences under the Modern Slavery Act, controlling prostitution and actual bodily harm. Ilcic was also arrested for supplying drugs after evidence was discovered on his phone at the time of his arrest. At Woolwich Crown Court on Friday, both men were sentenced after pleading guilty earlier this year at the same court. Ilcic Dumitru was jailed for 15 years and three months' for conspiracy to traffic into the UK for sexual exploitation, conspiracy to hold a person in servitude and supplying class A drugs - namely cocaine. Ioan Dumitru was jailed for 16 years' for sex trafficking and conspiracy to hold a person in servitude. Detective Inspector Grant Anderson, from the Met's Modern Slavery and Child Sexual Exploitation Unit (MSCE), said: 'This was an awful crime which subjected a vulnerable young woman to a hideous way of life. 'We know she will never forget her time in captivity but I can report she gave birth to a healthy baby boy. 'I hope she now has some closure after knowing these men will be behind bars for a long time. 'We are committed to bringing these offenders to justice and will continue to work with local and oversea partners to do this.' JP Nadda, the Bharatiya Janata Party president, said on Sunday soldiers of Indian armed forces not only secured the countrys borders but also defeated the malicious intent of Pakistan during the Kargil War in 1999. The senior leader said the high-altitude conflict is a symbol of the valour, bravery and sacrifice of the armed forces personnel while addressing a programme on Kargil Vijay Divas. It becomes my prime responsibility to reiterate on such forums time and again that Pakistan was in a very advantageous position, was on height and had taken strategic positions. Our soldiers attained victory on the basis on their valour and strategy, he said. This was the toughest battle on the highest mountains and you must also remember that the forces fought in a temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius. The future generations will remember how the soldiers ensured the security of our border, of our country and our security with their lives, he added. Nadda said as the armed forces were fighting the battle on Indias border, the political leadership was fighting it on the international arena as he pointed that the then Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif had urged Bill Clinton, the US president, to intervene. Atal ji received many messages, signals and several rounds of talks were held. But Atal ji had clearly said that India will not declare a ceasefire till the time we defeat Pakistan and secure our borders, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, has continued that policy of zero tolerance against intrusions till date. He spends every Diwali with the soldiers and officers of the forces posted on the borders of the country. This sends a message that the Prime Minister is standing with the army. The Prime Minister himself went to Ladakh, stayed there the entire day, held meetings, boosted the morale of our soldiers and met injured personnel, he added. Before addressing the Kargil Vijay Diwas programme, Nadda had tweeted his tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the conflict with Pakistan. The battle of Kargil symbolises the valour of the heroic sons of Mother Bharati. I offer my heartfelt admiration for the indomitable courage, valour and dedication of Indian soldiers, he had tweeted earlier. The entire nation will always be grateful to all the warriors of Mother Bharati who waved the banner of their valour while protecting the sovereignty of the nation, he said. This year India is observing the 21st anniversary of the successful Operation Vijay. India launched Operation Vijay to clear the posts in the high-altitude Kargil sector, which was occupied by the Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC). The armies of the nuclear-armed nations fought the war between May and July in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the LoC. Indian forces took nearly three months to recapture the posts. India lost 527 soldiers in the short but sharp conflict. Spain is scrambling to stay ahead of new outbreaks of the coronavirus that prompted the U.K. to impose a quarantine on travelers returning from the country, dealing a new blow to its tourism-dependent economy. Only weeks after the U.K. included Spain on a list of countries safe for summer holidays, the government reversed course and announced late Saturday it would impose a 14-day quarantine on anyone arriving from Spain. The move came after cases in the country jumped, particularly in the Catalonia region, where authorities are racing to stamp out new outbreaks. Norway on Friday announced a 10-day quarantine for people returning from Spain, and France issued new travel warnings for the Catalonia region, which is home to Barcelona and popular beaches. The moves will further weigh on bookings in the peak travel period for a country that depends on tourism for more than 10% of gross domestic product. Spains health ministry reported more than 920 new cases on both Thursday and Friday, the highest numbers since early May, when the government began easing one of Europes strictest lockdowns. We must be able to take swift, decisive action, said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Sky News on Sunday. Otherwise we risk reinfection into the U.K., potentially a second wave and another lockdown. Catalonia in northeastern Spain is at the epicenter of a new jump in cases and has been expanding restrictions to try to flatten the curve. In Barcelona, nightclubs have been ordered shut for two weeks and imposed there is a midnight curfew on bars. A partial lockdown affecting 200,000 people has been already imposed in the western district of Segria. We are quite frustrated. We actually feel safer here, because everyone is wearing masks, Carolyne Lansell, a British tourist, said in interview with Spanish state-television broadcaster TVE. Tui, the U.K.s biggest tour operator, suspended all its flights from Spain and the Canary Islands that were due to leave today, Sky News reported. The World Travel & Tourism Council called the U.K. decision a bitter blow for travelers and said local lockdowns, not broader travel restrictions would be a better solution. The majority of the country and its islands, which are incredibly popular holiday destinations, have less cases than the U.K., the tourism group said in an emailed statement. Spain was one of the hardest hit countries in Europe by the coronavirus and has already suffered more than 28,000 fatalities, the fourth-highest tally in Europe after the U.K., Italy and France. A national lockdown started in March had largely tamed the spread of Covid-19, but the easing of those restrictions and the start of the summer tourism season has contributed to an uptick, particularly among young people frequenting crowded bars and clubs. Countries around the Mediterranean Sea were praying that a glimpse of tourism would get them through the summer before the cold snap drives people indoors and ushers in a second chapter to the pandemic. Now, it appears the spread of the virus may not wait for the winter months. Governments across the globe have been bracing for a second wave, though there is little appetite for reimposing large scale lockdowns on already crippled economies. The hope is that localizing quarantines to towns, cities and regions will be enough to snuff out bouts of infections as they come. Italy was the first Western democracy to quarantine the entire population as it became apparent its death toll was going to overtake that of China, where the virus originated. A person close to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described that decision as shock therapy that cant be repeated. The euros weakest economy this week became the biggest beneficiary of the European Unions $860 billion rescue package. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was initially reluctant to order a lockdown and then ended up in intensive care fighting for his life after contracting Covid-19. Yet he finds the idea of isolating the nation again so off-putting that he compared it to a nuclear deterrent: I certainly dont want to use it. French Prime Minister Jean Castex, was equally blunt: We wont survive, economically and socially. With the world facing its worst recession since the Great Depression and U.S. President Donald Trump fighting for re-election in November, voters are on edge. Politicians of all stripes are looking for ways to ease the painnot add to itas fear morphs into anger and discontent. Populations can be summoned to heroic acts of collective self-sacrifice for a while, but not forever, political scientist Francis Fukuyama, author of The End of History and the Last Man, wrote in Foreign Affairs magazine. A lingering epidemic combined with deep job losses, a prolonged recession, and an unprecedented debt burden will inevitably create tensions that turn into a political backlashbut against whom is as yet unclear. Restaurants and Bars The political calculus is to try and it ride it out. Yet while efforts to get people back to stores, restaurants, bars and hairdressers demonstrate the urgency among governments of reviving economies, they also show the risks. Europes hardest-hit country, Britain, reopened pubs and is now finding spikes in virus cases. Johnson, who aims to return to significant normality by Christmas, on Friday said his government is preparing the health service for a second wave of infections over the winter. An Israeli delegation led by Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) in Israeli Ministry of Defense, as well as Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Health, will land in Delhi tomorrow, July 27. The delegation will complete a series of tests to determine the effectiveness of several Israeli technologies developed for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19. According to the official press release, the team comprises of approximately 20 experts in various industries associated with the development of the diagnostic solutions. The delegation is led by Israel's Ambassador to India, Dr. Ron Malka. Read: India-Israel Partnership Currently Focussed On Combating COVID-19: EAM Jaishankar Moreover, according to a statement, The aircraft will also carry cutting-edge equipment brought by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the private sector. This special delivery also includes ventilators - exported to India following an exceptional approval. Read: Arrests And Clashes Follow Anti-Netanyahu Protests In Israel AI-based computer systems to analyze samples The India and Israel co-operation will enable the team of researchers to collect tens of thousands of COVID-19 samples in a short period of time. These samples will then be analysed using AI-based computer systems which will help shorten the sample testing time frame. The statement added that all necessary approvals were acquired prior to the joint venture. Read: Kargil Vijay Diwas: France Pays Tribute To Indian Army; Cites Indo-France Defence Ties Read: Coronavirus LIVE Updates: India's Tally Stands At 13,85,522; Recovery Rate At 63.92% Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar face the immediate risk of becoming the new hot spots of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in India, due to a rapid increase in new cases, rising positivity rates and (for the last two) low testing, according to data analysed by HT. To identify the new hot spots of the outbreak, HT analysed data from Indias 20 most populous regions, looking for three factors a rising positivity rate, a high growth rate of daily cases, and low tests performed per million residents that have marked all hot spots globally. These factors were also common to Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Delhi, which became the clear hot spots in the first four months of the spread of the virus in the country. Delhi is the only region in the country that has reported a clear turnaround with performance improving on the three parameters. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have both intensified their testing, but still have high positivity rates, and continue to report high case numbers. Also Read: Rapid antigen kits key in scaling up Covid-19 testing Over the past month, several states appeared to stand out with poor numbers on at least one of the three factors Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar, Kerala, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Odisha. Among them, four Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar have exhibited the most alarming numbers, and confront the immediate risk of the outbreak severely intensifying. To be sure, Telangana, UP and Gujarat, have improved their doubling rate in the above mentioned time period, but remain low on testing, which may have suppressed other Covid-19 statistics. Rate of increase in cases The rate of increase in daily cases can be denoted in what is known as doubling rate the number of days it takes for a given number of infections to double (the higher the number, the better). Andhra Pradesh has the worst doubling rate of all states in the country, followed by Kerala and Karnataka (see chart). What is alarming is that a month ago, these states already had doubling rates much worse than the national average (19.3 days), and have dropped further down. In a month, Andhra Pradeshs doubling rate dropped from 13.2 days to 7 days. For Kerala, the doubling rate fell from 28 days to 11 days and it dropped from 17 days to 11.5 days in Karnataka. The next two states on the list Jharkhand and Bihar have both reported massive drops in their doubling rate. Jharkhands doubling rate fell from 30.9 days to 12.9 in a month, and Bihars, 27.9 days to 12.9. In the last 30 days, only five states Delhi, Telangana, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and UP have improved their doubling rate. Delhi has been, by far, the standout in this regard, with the doubling rate improving from 13 days to 76.6 days in a month. Also Read: Delhi govt data shows Covid-19 deaths down 44% from June Rising positivity rate In 15 of the 20 states, the Covid-19 positivity rate the proportion of people testing positive to those tested was found rising in the last month. Maharashtra, the state that has been the worst-hit by the virus, still has the highest average positivity rate at 21% (up 0.3 percentage points in the last month). West Bengal has reported the third highest positivity rate in the country, 16.1% (up 11.9% from last month). Karnatakas (second highest overall positivity rate) increased 13.5 percentage points in the last month (from 3.2% to 16.7%) while Andhra Pradeshs positivity rate jumped 10.8 points (2.2% to 13%). The overall national average for positivity rate is 8.5%. And among the five that dropped their positivity rate, only Delhi and Telangana saw a sizeable change. Tamil Nadus positivity rate only changed 0.2 percentage points and continues to remain close to 10%. Telangana, which had the highest positivity rate 30 days ago, has managed to improve its performance the number fell from 21.9% to 9.9%. The cause of this improvement can be explained by one factor a rise in testing. In the last week, the state has tested over 14,000 samples a day on an average; this was 3,800 a month ago. However, as mentioned above, the state remains one of the laggards in the country when it comes to testing, with only 9,075 tests per million residents. Also Read: Jumbo rapid antigen testing drive: 76 of 7,962 frontliners test positive in 2 days Rate of testing This is a parameter that offers hope for residents of Andhra Pradesh (30,556 tests per million residents) and Karnataka (17,375 tests per million) both perform much better than the national average of 12,222 tests per million. Bihar remains worst-performing testing state in the country on this front, testing just about a quarter of the national average (3,699 tests per million). It is joined by Jharkhand (6775), UP (7,834), Bengal (8,143) and MP (8323) in the bottom five. Though Gujarat has performed well on doubling rate and positivity rate, testing in the state (9,136 tests per million) remains lower than the national average. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Following Britains sudden re-imposition of a two-week quarantine on traveller returning from Spain, the Spanish government has insisted the coronavirus outbreak there is under control and the country is safe for tourists and locals. Spains foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya told reporters on Sunday that most new cases are asymptomatic and the ministry is in talks with the UK to exclude travellers returning from the Balearic islands and the Canary islands from the quarantine measures. As in every other country, we are seeing outbreaks, which are perfectly under control, she said. Most new cases are asymptomatic. This shows the great effort in identifying and controlling them. The Foreign Office removed Spain from a safe-travel list on Saturday evening with almost immediate effect, and advised against all but essential travel to mainland Spain. It comes after coronavirus cases in Spain have tripled in the last two weeks, rising from 8.8 cases per 100,000 earlier this month to 27.4 per 100,000. 971 new infections were recorded on Thursday, the biggest daily increase since the countrys lockdown lifted, with a further 922 on Friday. On the World Health Organisations ranking of countries with most infections, Spain is 12th on the list with 272,421 cumulative cases, whilst the UK is three spaces above it with 298,685 infections. Dominic Raab warned British tourists they will face uncertainty around their summer holidays and admitted the government could not guarantee other countries or territories would not be removed from the list if there were new surges in Covid-19 transmission rates. The decision has been criticised as shambolic, with ministers concerned British tourists have been left confused and distressed over their summer plans, which many have only just managed to get back on track. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told Sky News Sophy Ridge programme: There are holidaymakers in Spain at the moment confused and distressed, there are people about to go on holiday to Spain and the islands like Tenerife who are confused, and they dont know whether their employers will allow them to take two weeks quarantine the government is just saying, we hope that employers co-operate. Well, to be frank, I hope I win the lottery on Saturday but that doesnt mean its going to happen. Last week, Norway reimposed a 10-day quarantine for travellers arriving from Spain, while France advised people not to travel to Catalonia. 'I will work to form a government that meets the aspirations of all Tunisians and to respond to their legitimate demands,' stated Mechichi Tunisias Islamist Ennahda party, as well as its political allies, has not welcomed the appointment of Hichem Al-Mechichi as the countrys new prime minister. President Kais Saied announced late on Saturday that Al-Mechichi, Tunisia's interior minister and a former advisor on legal affairs for Saied, will lead the new coalition government. "I will work to form a government that meets the aspirations of all Tunisians and to respond to their legitimate demands," stated Mechichi. But, ahead of this announcement, Rached Al-Ghannouchi parliament speaker and Ennahda's leader argued that the "country needs an economist, not a legalist" in order to serve as a "successful manager." Al-Ghannouchi said that Tunisia should have a head of government who has actual experience, not just knowledge about theories. Seifeddine Makhlouf, secretary-general of the conservative Karama Coalition, which has close connections to Ennahda, strongly criticised Al-Mechichi's appointment as premier. According to local Tunisian news sources, Makhlouf believes Saied disregarded all the suggestions from Tunisia's political parties on the new government. He added that Saied has "turned into a real burden on democratic transition in Tunisia," ignoring the country's constitution, MPs and political parties. Al-Mechichi, a member of the National Commission of Investigation on Corruption that was established in 2011, has only one month to form a new ruling coalition. If he fails to do so, Saied will have to dissolve the parliament and call for new parliamentary elections. Tunisia's premiership is being handed to the 46-year-old Al-Mechichi during a critical moment. The country is economically suffering due to coronavirus. The World Bank said in April that the Tunisian economy is expected to contract by 4 percent and poverty will likely go above 3 percent in 2020 on basis of the $3.2 PPP per day line and around 0.3 percent using the international poverty line. Official numbers, moreover, show that tourism revenues decreased by almost 50 percent compared to those of 2019 between 1 January and 10 July. Tunisia counts on tourism for 8 to 14 percent of its GDP. Some 500,000 Tunisians out of the countrys 12 million people work in this sector. This will certainly come at the top of Al-Mechichi's agenda. In the meantime, he will have to deal with the huge divisions between Ennahda and opposition forces. Last week, interim Tunisian Prime Minister Elyes Al-Fakhfakh decided to remove all the Ennahda ministers from his coalition government, meaning that the North African countrys most represented party in parliament will now not be in the cabinet unless a new one is formed. Al-Fakhfakh resigned after Ennahda had reportedly managed to secure the required 109 votes to remove him from his post. This escalation by Ennahda took place after Al-Fakhfakh said he would do a cabinet reshuffle. Ennahda wanted consultations over selecting a new head of government and including new political forces in the coalition government, such as the Qalb Tounes Party, which Al-Fakhfakh refused. But, amid these developments, opposition parties were not standing silent. The parliamentary procedures for withdrawing confidence from Al-Ghannouchi began on Thursday. Opposition MPs earlier submitted an official request to hold a vote of no-confidence against Al-Ghannouchi after securing the support of 73 MPs, the number of backers required to move forward with the process. Yet, to remove Al-Ghannouchi from his post, they need to get the votes of 109 MPs in the 217-seat parliament. Earlier this month, parliamentary sources in Tunisia said that political forces were fed up with Al-Ghannouchis suspicious moves and practices, including his attempt to implement the Muslim Brotherhood agenda in Tunisia, accusing him of seeking to expand his authority by disregarding the president, satellite TV channel Al-Arabiya reported. The opposition believes that a conflict of interest exists between Al-Ghannouchis posts as Ennahdas leader and the speaker of parliament. The opposition includes Al-Kotla Al-Democrateya Party (40 MPs), Tahya Tounes, Al-Islah Al-Watani (15), Al-Kotla Al-Wataneya (nine) and the Free Destourian Party (17). Search Keywords: Short link: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom Sun, July 26, 2020 10:01 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406694b119 2 Art & Culture London,Britain,Tate-Modern,gallery,COVID-19,coronavirus Free One of Britain's leading visitor attractions, the Tate Modern in London, on Friday put the finishing touches to its reopening plans, after four months of closure. Galleries and museums across the country were shut in late March as the coronavirus outbreak took hold and the public was told to stay at home. Now, as lockdown measures are gradually eased, the Tate Modern, on the south bank of the River Thames, is due to reopen on Monday -- but with a difference. Visitors are only allowed in if they have booked in advance online, and will have to follow specially signposted routes through the collections and exhibitions. The gallery, which in 2019 had nearly 6.1 million visitors, is expecting a more home-grown crowd initially, given the impact of the outbreak on overseas tourism and travel. Exhibition director Achim Borchardt-Hume told AFP the gallery is aiming for a more ethnically diverse program, and has erected a huge fountain by African-American artist Kara Walker in its giant Turbine Hall. Read also: Tate Modern shares digital tour of 'Andy Warhol' retrospective "Fons Americanus" is billed as an ironic counterpart to the statue to queen Victoria outside Buckingham Palace, and has been reworked as Queen Vicky. Instead of celebrating the British Empire, the 13-metre (42-foot) tall working fountain referencing the transatlantic slave trade of both Britain and the United States. An Andy Warhol exhibition which had only been open five days before the gallery was forced to close has been extended until November. The Tate Modern's sister galleries, Tate Britain, also in London, Tate St Ives, in Cornwall, southwest England, and Tate Liverpool, in northwest England, are also reopening. Tate Britain has an exhibition devoted to the 19th century British illustrator and printmaker Aubrey Beardsley, which will later travel to the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Books of the week reviews He may be the most publicized person in the Old West. And hes probably New Mexicos most famous or infamous figure of any era. Alone he killed at least four people, maybe more. With fellow desperados, he dispatched Lincoln County Sheriff William Brady. And the gunslinger died when he was only 21, gunned down by deputy sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner. Were talking about the outlaw universally known by the nickname Billy the Kid. Almost 140 years after his death, the Kid is still drawing attention. Hes the subject of two newly published comprehensive companion books, Thunder in the West: The Life and Legends of Billy the Kid and Billy the Kid: A Readers Guide. The author is Richard W. Etulain, professor emeritus of history and former director of the Center of the American West at the University of New Mexico. Thunder in the West tries to do two things in one book that no previous author has done in the same way, Etulain, a Clackamas, Washington, resident, wrote in an email. I first wanted to provide an up-to-date, concise biography of Billy, based on thorough research in published works as well as in all the major manuscript collections. That biography aimed at the general reader takes up the first half of Thunder in the West. The second half would provide an overview of the shifting interpretations (historiography) of Billy from the end of his life to the present. I wanted both of these the life and legends in one book. We have had hundreds of biographies and a handful of studies of Billy legends, but not a book that combined life and legends, Etulain explained. As Etulain was researching the more than 1,000 books and essays published on the Kid, he decided to write the readers guide. It would provide summaries and evaluations of many of the published sources on the Kid. That book furnishes comments on about 500 histories, biographies, novels, movies and a few other items, he said. Etulain thinks of the guide as an aid to saddling up and scouting Billy as well as mapping out where to start reading on the subject or what to read next. Taken together, the two volumes, he contends, are the most extensive study of Billy the Kid published to date. Etulain takes a middle-of-the-road approach to the subject meaning he examines the bad Billy and the good Billy. Besides discussing Billys criminal behavior, the author presents the flip side of the desperado. More than a figure romanticized in dime novels, the author believes the Kid was in fact a likable, sympathetic person to his Anglo cowboy friends, to the women he met and to the Mexican American families he knew. Its a very complex character, he said in a phone interview. He rides life at a gallop. Of the almost 60 books he has published, the new ones are the first that Etulain has ever fully devoted to Billy the Kid. In his email, the historian said that the newly released books are not so much products of new information as they are in presenting different, rather novel, approaches However, he noted that he emphasized the Kid in two UNM courses he had taught and that he had extensively written about him in essays and in two earlier books Re-Imagining the Modern American West and Telling Western Stories. Etulain credits David Holtby for motivating him in writing through the years, including pushing to publish his books at UNM Press. Holtby served as editor-in-chief and associate director of UNM Press before retiring from the press in 2006. Holtby, an Albuquerque author, said he read the manuscripts of Etulains two new Billy the Kid books as part of the University of Oklahoma Press required peer review process. He thinks that Etulains inclusion of literature and popular culture adds depth and insight to the companion volumes. n n Because it was published just months ago, a novel by Peter Meech did not make it in Etulains companion books. The novel is titled Billy (the Kid). Meech reimagines the outlaw being thrust in the middle of a bootleg war in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1932. The text in the inside front dust jacket in part asks rhetorically, But is the legendary gunman whom he claims to be, or is he just a retired dentist with a vivid imagination? A blurb by northern New Mexico author Ginger Gaffney appears on the novels back cover. Gaffney states that Meech turns Billy the Kid into someone we can all root for hes humble, awkward at times, and full of heart. Meech lives in Los Angeles where he is a writer, director and producer in TV and film. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 07/26/2020 ADVERTISEMENT [ Spoiler Warning: This report contains spoilers revealing whether Kalani and Asuelu are still together or if the : Happily Ever After? couple has split.] ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Did Kalani and Asuelu's relationship get back on track or did they eventually split up? Is the couple together now? ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Asuelu Pulaa insisted he's going to apologize to Kalani Faagata and treat her better after a series of fights on Season 5 of : Happily Ever After?, so did the couple stay together or break up -- and are they still a married couple now?Kalani a 31-year-old from Orange County, CA, and Asuelu, a 24-year-old from Samoa, met in July 2016 when she was visiting a resort where Asuelu worked as the activities director. They first starred on Season 6 of in 2019.The couple remained in contact, and after dating long distance, Kalani returned to Samoa to pursue romance.Kalani fell for Asuelu quickly and lost her virginity to him, which resulted in an unplanned and unexpected pregnancy that rocked Kalani's whole Mormon family.Despite her family's disapproval, Kalani went ahead and applied for a K-1 visa so Asuelu could move to the United States and become a hands-on father and husband.When Asuelu moved to America, his son Oliver was already five months old.Although Kalani and Asuelu had their fair share of struggles -- such as Asuelu adapting to American culture and being a new dad -- the pair got married in September 2018.'s sixth season ended with Kalani and Asuelu's wedding as well as Kalani learning she was pregnant again.Kalani and Asuelu found out they were expecting their second child together less than a year after she had given birth to Oliver, which was another big surprise!Kalani reacted to the pregnancy news poorly at first as shown on an episode of 's sixth season and was the target of criticism as a result."I had antepartum depression while pregnant with Oliver, to the point that I wanted to kill myself," Kalani explained in her defense in December 2018."Once the baby came, I had postpartum depression: I wasn't bonding with him, I cried all the time and wanted to die again. Please know that I was concerned about the well-being of my son because of my mental state when I'm pregnant, not that I was ungrateful to be pregnant."Kalani and Asuelu are now parents of two sons: Kennedy, who was born in May 2019, and Oliver, whom the couple welcomed in January 2018.But Kalani apparently became overwhelmed with two young children.In September 2019, Kalani took to her Instagram Stories and posted a poll about gender roles and married life.While she did not name Asuelu directly in her post, she made it clear she was venting about her husband's alleged laziness and his unrealistic expectations of her as a wife and mother of two."Do all husbands expect their wives to pay bills, clean the whole house, do all the laundry, feed/watch the kids 24/7 (unless said husband is in public or wants a selfie)?" Kalani asked in the poll."Asking for my gottdamn self. Is this normal?" she added.Apparently 70 percent of Kalani's followers who participated in the poll answered "No."However, the couple appeared to be a very happy family at Christmas time in December 2019.On : Happily Ever After?'s fifth season, Asuelu was shown at work passing out free samples. The couple had been married for one year and three months at the time of filming.Kalani suggested her marriage was suffering and she was exhausted all the time, so her parents moved in with the couple to help them out with Oliver and Kennedy, which made Asuelu feel a bit uncomfortable since he could no longer be the man of the house.Kalani said she wanted Asuelu to help out more with the babies and also help out more around the house, but Asuelu grew up believing those are the wife's responsibilities.Kalani argued Asuelu would rather play volleyball or video games after work than assist her and spend time with his family. She also complained they hadn't been on a romantic date in four months."I just wish that Asuelu and I could get back to the point where we were in the beginning of our relationship, where we loved to be around each other. I just miss that, and if Asuelu refuses to change, I don't know if I can keep doing this anymore," Kalani said in a confessional.Kalani's dad Low also wanted Asuelu to "step up" and stop "f-cking around." Low said Asuelu would get his "ass whooped or sent back to Samoa" if things didn't change for the better.Asuelu therefore brought Kalani out on a fun date, but their happiness didn't last long because Asuelu asked his wife to travel to Samoa with him so their children could see where he grew up.Not only would the trip cost thousands of dollars in plane fare alone, but Asuelu's sister also told him there had been a Measles outbreak recently and children were dying from it.Asuelu and Kalani's son Kennedy wasn't vaccinated and wasn't supposed to get that MMR vaccine until 12-24 months old, according to his doctor.Given Kennedy was only seven months old at the time, Kalani was worried and decided to postpone the trip until a later date, which left Asuelu feeling angry, resentful and unsupported.Instead of going to Samoa, Kalani drove her family to California in order to celebrate Oliver's second birthday, but Asuelu was noticeably in a bad mood.Kalani said if Asuelu is mad at her or things don't go his way, he'll criticize her and try to make her feel bad about everything she does.During the car ride to California, Asuelu called Kalani's job as a mother "easy" and then admitted he thinks American women's jobs in general are easy. Asuelu rattled off a list of chores such as cleaning, loading the dishwasher and laundry. He said the kids can watch TV while the mother cooks and cleans."Then why don't you do it, if it's so easy?" Kalani asked."Because [there's] other stuff I do," Asuelu replied, later adding that women in Samoa don't complain about the tasks they must do. "I think Kalani can't do what mother in Samoa do."In the car, Kalani told Asuelu that she was the one up all night with both of their sick kids when she was sick too, and Asuelu called her out for being a "lying b-tch.""I'm the one that planned Oliver's birthday. I do everything for them. It's nowhere near fair," Kalani said.But Asuelu insisted "that's a woman job," before telling Kalani that her voice sounded "so f-cking annoying."Kalani's mother was driving the car and scolded Asuelu for talking to her daughter that way, which only made Asuelu more frustrated."I don't know how your husband talk to you when you guys been together. But it's my wife; I can talk whatever," Asuelu said. "Your daughter asks stupid questions."Kalani's mother called Asuelu "disrespectful," and Kalani felt Asuelu was trying to sabotage the weekend and ruin it for everyone as a way to get back at her for canceling their trip to Samoa."It just shows me that he doesn't really care about me and the boys and he's just No. 1 to himself," Kalani complained in a confessional, later adding that she'd never be "subservient" to a man.During a heated confrontation in the backyard, Kalani called Asuelu "a manipulator" because of his attempts to change the subject every time he wanted to back himself out of an uncomfortable conversation.Kalani told Asuelu that she wanted him to change from a boy into "a man" and was tired of making excuses for him. She desired "an equal partnership" and felt she was "doing everything."Since the pair couldn't reach a resolution and Asuelu felt Kalani didn't respect what he contributed, Asuelu took off with his suitcase and left the house. Oliver followed Asuelu out the door, but he just kept walking.After walking all the way down the road, Asuelu hopped on a random bus that was apparently heading to Utah, and he said he was going to find a place to stay. Kalani called Asuelu "ridiculous."That night, Asuelu apparently sent Kalani three false locations to drive to in order to pick him up, and once she was ready to give up, he gave his actual location.Kalani said Asuelu didn't want to talk to her once he got home, and Kalani's sister Kolini said Asuelu "sucked the life" out of her sister and it was hard to see.Kalani agreed with her family that Asuelu was "in the wrong" and had behaved rudely, and so she hoped Asuelu would come around and apologize. But instead, it appeared Asuelu just wanted to play video games alone in their bedroom.Once Oliver's party commenced, Asuelu refused to leave their room, and so Kalani didn't even know if her husband was going to attend. Kalani noted it was "typical Asuelu" to make their son's birthday party all about him.Kalani later talked to Asuelu in the bedroom behind closed doors and essentially begged him to come outside and join the party, but he wouldn't listen and didn't want to budge."It's frustrating. It's like talking to a four year old," Kalani vented to her sister.Kalani's family felt Asuelu was "acting like a little child," and so her father Low decided to pull Asuelu aside for a chat. Low told Asuelu that he needed to put his problems aside because it was his son's birthday and he needed to spend time with his wife and child.Asuelu nodded his head and agreed to put on a good face, and so he went outside and told his wife that the decorations looked good. Kolini said Asuelu was just "putting on a show for everyone, which is what he does.""Asuelu is a fine actor. I know his bullsh-t -- but whatever makes him feel better," Kolini told the cameras.Asuelu felt good about making the babies happy but he didn't apologize to his wife. Kalani said they had a history of sweeping problems under the rug, and so she didn't really know what was happening between them.A few days after Kalani and Asuelu returned home from California, Asuelu said things between Kalani's family and himself were very "tense" and nobody wanted to talk to him -- probably because he didn't want to talk to any of them either.Kalani's father Low then invited Asuelu to walk the dog with him so they could talk.Low acknowledged men in Samoa want to control their wives and that's the culture, but he said he didn't raise his daughters to put up with that behavior and be submissive.Low told Asuelu it wasn't good for his sons to watch him fight Kalani, and Asuelu agreed. Asuelu added that sometimes what he wants to say doesn't translate into English well and so he ends up swearing at Kalani out of frustration.Low told Asuelu that swearing at Lisa and Kalani was "unacceptable," and Asuelu confessed to "doing really bad things." Asuelu realized his actions were particularly bad because he was supposed to celebrate Oliver's birthday.Low pointed out that Asuelu never apologized to Kalani, and he was apparently fed up with giving Asuelu second, third and fourth chances. Low was trying his best "not to get violent," but he demanded, "You need to learn how to treat your wife, because I'm not having that."Asuelu insisted he was really sorry and intended to be more careful with his words and actions. Asuelu also planned to apologize to Kalani.Asuelu is still working at the same nutrition store in Utah -- which is near the home he shares with Kalani -- where he was shown passing out free samples on an episode of : Happily Ever After?.Also, the pair definitely appear to still be married based on their social-media activity.In late July, Asuelu posted a TikTok video of himself dancing in the couple's kitchen, and Kalani can be seen in the background preparing food for her family.Asuelu captioned the video, "Morning routine after riding the bus."In early July, Asuelu wished Kalani a happy birthday on his Instagram account by posting a video of his wife and son. He wrote over the video "love of my life."And in the caption, Asuelu gushed, "My wife's birthday. Cheers for 32nd years my love @kalanifaagata and many more to come."Not only has Kalani also posted recent photos with Asuelu on Instagram, but the couple has additionally shared two YouTube videos on their channel in the last month after not uploading anything on their channel for almost a year.As recently as June 30, Kalani posted a sweet photo of Asuelu cuddling with their boys on Instagram Stories.One week earlier, Kalani posted a smiling selfie with Asuelu, a video of Asuelu laughing in a massage chair, and brief throwback clips of the couple's axe-throwing date.Kalani uploaded the photos and videos shortly after the June 21 episode of : Happily Ever After? aired on TLC, and she captioned the slideshow, "BTS of tonight's episode. What'd y'all think?"On May 24, Kalani posted a video clip on Instagram of Asuelu and herself talking about how they had once walked through a jungle in Samoa and explored a cave together.The couple was promoting a video they had posted on YouTube."In honor of #samoanlanguageweek, we posted a YouTube video where I butcher basic Samoan, and we talk about our dating life in Samoa (pictures included)," Kalani wrote on Instagram.A couple of weeks earlier on May 8, Kalani and Asuelu posted a YouTube video of how they celebrated Kennedy's first birthday.Kalani and Asuelu enjoyed many laughs as Kennedy was spoiled with a fun pool day, gifts, cake, bubbles and a pinata.On April 27, Kalani posted a slideshow of photos with Asuelu and captioned the post, "Pretending we're in Samoa."And going back to March 1, Kalani uploaded a photo of the married pair, revealing they had met Robyn and Kody from TLC's Sister Wives.The two couples met each other while enjoying brunch at a restaurant and Kalani mentioned they should double-date soon.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Yannick Trapman-OBrien, an improv actor, poses for a portrait on the porch of his home in University City. His play, "Telelibrary," which he's been performing over the phone during the pandemic, has a waiting list of more than 100 people. Read more When User 108 began to cry, so did Yannick Trapman-OBrien at least inside. But as the voice of the automated operator in the telephone play Telelibrary, he did not cry in character. Never has. Never will. In Telelibrary, no one can see you cry, Trapman-OBrien said. When the pandemic struck in mid-March, Trapman-OBrien, like many other creative people abruptly deprived of an outlet for their artistic impulses, began to think about what he, as an actor, could offer to a world so suddenly sad, scared, and lonely. That was particularly true in the world of theater, when the audience, in the traditional sense, disappeared. What Trapman-OBrien devised was a work called The Telelibrary. Think of it as personalized phone theater, or maybe Improv One-on-One. Part comedy, part confessional, and part therapy, dialing into Telelibrary connects the caller to Trapman-OBrien, speaking in character as the robotic voice of an automated answering system, ready to guide his audience of one through a thicket of choices. A striking encounter Its all very impersonal on its face and yet, at times, unnervingly personal. Which is how it was that day when User 108 began to cry. As User 108 progressed through the Telelibrary performance, Trapman-OBrien as the operator played some recordings of other callers describing what they could see outside their homes. It was [the Users] first time they had heard someone elses voices since self-isolating, the actor said, describing it as a striking encounter. READ MORE: Wilma Theater is putting on the acclaimed Is God Is as an audio play, recorded from quarantine Trapman-OBrien, as the operator, offered to put User 108 on a brief lyrical hold, so both could regain composure, although the actor in his role as Telelibrary operator never lost his. Yannick was totally crying, Trapman-OBrien said. Yannick was profoundly moved. As tempted as Trapman-OBrien was to abandon his automated voice and comfort the caller, I have to treat everyone the same. I cant break the piece. User 108 declined the brief lyrical hold. No, its important that you learn this, Trapman-OBrien recalled User 108 saying, explaining how isolated life had been. Tears arent bad. Lullabies, jokes, and discovery In 50-minute Telelibrary sessions, callers are prompted to choose among options. In one option, the caller can sing a lullaby. In another option, the caller can access the Lulla-Library and hear recorded lullabies sung by other callers not only in English, but in other languages, including Spanish, Yiddish, and Russian. I adore the Lulla-Library, Trapman-OBrien said. In one call, a young child whooped and hollered in an exuberantly giggly version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Another option invites the caller to tell a joke or explain a concept. Telelibrary reminds me of a neural network like a system that is learning, Trapman-OBrien said. One of the things I was trying to chase was that sense of the unknown and the sense of discovery. If you take as little as possible as a given, its an invitation to explore whatever you like. READ MORE: In Philly theater, union contracts and digital content are feeling out a way to coexist There is no Telelibrary script, per se. As the piece has evolved since March 23 with more than 225 performances, what has emerged instead is a series of rules. They morph with every call, subtly changing the nature of the entire work. Trapman-OBrien guides himself with a series of if-then prompts, scribbled on the backs of recycled envelopes clipped near his microphone. In his Telelibrary persona, for example, the actor will offer callers an opportunity to earn credits (worth nothing) with this prompt: Lets add a credit. Would you like to tell me a story or a joke? If the person chooses a story, Trapman-OBrien will listen and then robotically restate the story and ask for clarification of a key concept. Thanks, I am learning a lot, he will say in his automated Telelibrarian voice. Early in the pandemic, Trapman-OBrien asked his callers one by one, When was the last time someone else touched your face? Then after they answered hed follow up with another question: Can you please tell me about that person? ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters. The isolation was very palpable' I think the piece is a lot about nostalgia and memory, he said. Its about sharing the small things the capacity to get outside ourselves and discover ourselves and discover others, too. Part of it is just the companionship. There was a while in which the isolation was very palpable, he said. Trapman-OBrien, 27, who lives in West Philadelphia and majored in theater at New York Universitys Abu Dhabi campus, calls what he does applied performance or immersive theater. When hes not whittling down his 130-person-long Telelibrary waiting list, he works as a standardized patient for student doctors, acting the role so they can practice bedside manners and diagnostics. Hes also assistant director at Cirque du Nuit, a Philadelphia-based circus and theater group hired for special events, always with the idea of involving the audience in the production. We want to include them and elevate them, he said. Its about making exchanges. How do you navigate contact with the audience and honor their input? Were here to reexamine the world, he continued. We are looking at what gives us life and nourishes us. janevonbtheater@gmail.com Callers to Telelibrary pay as they wish after the performance, with 20% contributed to the Philadelphia Theatre Emergency Relief grant program, Project HOME, Morris Home, and other groups. Sign up at yannickto.com/telelibrary. Michael Hickson should be a household name. From best I can tell, he was a tender soul. He was living in a residential home when he contracted COVID-19. He was transferred to a hospital and was, by all indications -- including a recording of a conversation a doctor had with his wife -- not cherished as a patient with rights and dignity. His cognitive impairment and physical disability marked him, for at least that one doctor, below a quality of life worth fighting for. It is a miserable story. Due to family rifts, his wife and the mother of his children no longer had any say about how he was treated. She had to be to be allowed to see him, had to plead for her seriously ill husband to be treated like a human being, deserving of love and care. Hickson, a quadriplegic, died in the hospital after being withheld treatment for six days, in accordance with the decision of his court-appointed guardian. And, oh, by the way, Michael Hickson was a black man. He didn't die on the streets, but in a hospital bed. And if we're concerned about the need for reform in law enforcement, we ought to be concerned about what's happening to our medical culture, too. Because there is a similar dehumanization that is taking place, and it's increasingly systematic. This is one of those stories that is easier not to know about, because by refusing to look away, action is required. Acknowledging it forces a commitment to something better, to a change in how we value all human life. But it's a difficult commitment to make, and it's even more difficult to carry out. There's a lot of unprocessed grief in the United States of America today. Take my Empire State. We don't even know how many thousands died of coronavirus because of a decision made by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to have patients with COVID-19 transferred from hospitals to nursing homes. In this pandemic moment, we could drown in numbers and misery if we paid too much attention. But how is this all going to change the way we operate in our own families? How is this going to change us? It's been especially galling having to listen to Cuomo talk about the value of every human life, while knowing that he has celebrated expanding abortion in New York. This is of a piece with a recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times that applauded California's assisted suicide practice, urging its extension for patients with dementia. First, physician-assisted suicide was about terminal conditions. But suicide is suicide, and the law is a teacher. Once we make it legal and acceptable and even preferred in some circumstances, of course, not only does it encourage suicide across the board as it becomes a poison in our cultural bloodstream, but we may just go ahead and expand it, just as with abortion. It's impossible for us to know every person who has fallen victim to what Pope John Paul II described as a culture of death, which dehumanizes and makes us anesthetized to a casualty toll that is too much to take. But when we become aware of a case like Michael Hickson's, we can't look away. When we do, we align ourselves with the culture of death. Do we value life? COVID-19 is a time for a cultural examination of conscience. Let's take the opportunity. Kathryn Jean Lopez is senior fellow at the National Review Institute, editor-at-large of National Review magazine and author of the new book "A Year With the Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living." She is also chair of Cardinal Dolan's pro-life commission in New York. She can be contacted at klopez@nationalreview.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 NEW YORK (AP) McDonalds says it will be requiring customers to wear face coverings when entering its U.S. restaurants as the number of new virus cases continue to surge in many states. The move, announced Friday, will be in effect on Aug. 1. A look at the shareholders of Boral Limited (ASX:BLD) can tell us which group is most powerful. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership. With a market capitalization of AU$4.6b, Boral 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. 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 Boral. See our latest analysis for Boral What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Boral? 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. Boral 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. 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 Boral's historic earnings and revenue, below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story. Boral is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that Seven Group Holdings Limited is the largest shareholder with 16% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 7.5% and 4.8% of the stock. After doing some more digging, we found that the top 18 have the combined ownership of 50% in the company, suggesting that no one share holder has significant control over the company. Story continues 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. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily. Insider Ownership Of Boral While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. 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 data suggests that insiders own under 1% of Boral Limited in their own names. It's a big company, so even a small proportional interest can create alignment between the board and shareholders. In this case insiders own AU$6.9m worth of shares. Arguably, recent buying and selling is just as important to consider. You can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public holds a 46% stake in BLD. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Public Company Ownership We can see that public companies hold 16%, of the Boral shares on issue. It's hard to say for sure, but this suggests they have entwined business interests. This might be a strategic stake, so it's worth watching this space for changes in ownership. 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. To that end, you should be aware of the 5 warning signs we've spotted with Boral . Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company. 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. Middle class parents are planning to move their children to private schools over concerns pupils at state schools have 'fallen behind' during lockdown. The Independent Schools Association noted a surge in parents of high school students looking for private school places in September. Several schools across the country are reporting an increase in demand of 20-30 per cent. Middle class parents are planning to move their children to private schools over concerns pupils at state schools have 'fallen behind' during lockdown (File image) Speaking to the Observer, the Independent Schools Association said it had noticed an increased demand from 'high-aspirational, worried' parents looking to transfer their children to private schools in light of the pandemic, amid fears of further disruption to state education for the next academic year. Resources for online learning may be one factor driving parents to consider private schooling. A survey by Teacher Tapp found that to 59% of private primary and 72% of private secondary schools were able to provide live online lessons for their pupils during lockdown. In comparison, just 3% of state-funded primary and 6% of state-funded secondary schools provided such lessons. Diane Reay, emeritus professor of education at Cambridge University, said: 'Many affluent middle-class families sending their children to state schools have become aware and often concerned about the digital divide between state and private sector. 'Fleeing to the private sector is an easier option than campaigning for state schools to be properly resourced and equipped, which is what should be happening. 'The state sector has always been the poor relation in education - around 25 per cent of education spending goes on the seven per cent who are privately educated - but more middle-class flight will impoverish the sector more.' Resources for online learning may be one factor driving parents to consider private schooling (File image) Andrew McCleave, headteacher of Ballard School, an independent day school in the New Forest, pointed out that private schools often have much smaller classes, and compared to state schools, teachers were more available to carry out classes online. 'If staff are in school supervising key workers' children, they can't be delivering online lessons to children who aren't in school. We had a few doctors among our parents, but we didn't have a lot of key workers' children in. 'That meant our staff could deliver live lessons to everyone.' About 10 unidentified armed men at about 0745 hours on Friday attacked a gold dealer at James Town, located at the outskirt of Dompim in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Munincipality and in the process shot and killed a rubber tapper. The deceased whose name was only given as Antobam is about 40 year-old. Information gathered by Ghana News Agency (GNA) indicated that, the suspected robbers went under the pretense of selling gold to the victim, Madam Efua Kitiwaa and she ushered them into her office which is situated in her house. Some of the robbers who opted to stay behind started firing warning shots and ordered the young men who were then sitting outside the victim's compound to lay on the ground. While the robbery was going on, the deceased who lived with his family in the vicinity was in a pub nearby mustered courage and confronted the robbers when he heard the gun shots. Antobam was instructed to lay on the ground, but he refused and instead challenged the robbers, which provoked one of them and he shot and killed him instantly. The robbers were alleged to have subjected the victim and her children to severe beatings and made away with a quantity of gold and unspecified amount of money. A close source told the GNA that the youth mobilized to pursue the robbers when news of the incident got to the community and they even mounted road blocks on the Tarkwa-Takoradi highway at Dompim preventing vehicular moment. It however, took the intervention of police personnel deployed from the Tarkwa Divisional Command to disperse the youth and the crowd. Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Apinto government hospital morgue for preservation, while investigation is ongoing. 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 Islamabad, July 26 : A 101-year-old Pakistani convict, accused of committing seven murders, has sought his release due to multiple ailments, a media report said on Sunday. As convict Mehndi Khan received no response from the concerned authorities, he approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking orders to the Home Department for his release, The Express Tribune said in the report. LHC's Justice Raja Shahid Mehmood Abbasi had ordered the Home Department on July 15 to take a decision within three weeks on the application of the elderly prisoner. His lawyer told the court that the petitioner was in Gujrat District Jail, serving life sentence handed to him in the murder case registered against him in 2006, adding that the petitioner was suffering from various ailments. Meanwhile, a section officer, appearing on behalf of the respondent Home Department additional chief secretary, stated that it was ready to decide about the application sent by jail authorities within a fortnight. Mehndi Khan was 86 years when the case was registered against him. Seattle: Weeks of violent clashes between federal agents and protesters in Portland, Oregon, galvanised thousands of people to march through the streets of US cities, injecting new life into protests that had largely waned. One of the most intense protests was in Seattle, where a day of demonstrations focused on police violence left a trail of broken windows and people flushing pepper spray from their eyes. At least 45 protesters had been arrested as of early evening, and both protesters and police officers suffered injuries. A protester is arrested during the Black Lives Matter demonstration in Seattle. Credit:AP Carrying signs such as "Feds Go Home" and shouting chants of "No justice, no peace", some among the crowd of about 5000 protesters in Seattle stopped at a youth detention centre and lit several construction trailers there on fire. Some smashed windows of nearby businesses, ignited a fire in a coffee shop and blew a 20cm-hole through the wall of the Seattle Police Department's east precinct building, the police said. "At this point, we declared the event to be a riot, and several orders to disperse were given," the Seattle police chief, Carmen Best, said at a news conference. Backers of an innovative, non-profit seniors home might not get the piece of Lakefield parkland they are hoping to build on, but the future of their project is promising. Selwyn Township council flatly rejected a request from the Abbeyfield House Society of Lakefield for two acres of Isabel Morris Park. The no vote could hardly have been more comprehensive. Council members said the land was too valuable to give away, too important to future plans and that such a generous gift would show favouritism over other charities. However, Deputy Mayor Sherry Senis also said the township is committed to helping the group find a home for its planned 12- to14-unit communal living apartment building. That could include helping with fundraising and getting the word out that the group is looking for a donated site. After four years of planning that would be the answer society members were looking for. But given the level of organization they have reached, it should be enough to push on and be successful. Abbeyfield House project are popular in England and have been built sporadically across Canada. Seniors live in their own apartments and contributing labour to upkeep where possible. A paid manager runs the building. Meals are provided and there are common areas for socializing. The big difference is rental rates. An Abbeyfield representative has said the non-profit, shared workload approach allows monthly rents to be held to $1,800, compared to $3,000 in a typical government-subsidized seniors home. Judging by the quality of its presentation to council, the Lakefield group has done a lot of work in the four years since the Abbeyfield concept was first broached. Their plan is to raise $3.6 million from existing provincial and federal housing programs, support from the municipality and fundraising. Selwyn Townships contribution was to be the land. Given the sharp, clear rejection that followed, the request for that piece of parkland was a tactical error. It might be that no amount of convincing could ever pry the property loose, but the possibility becomes more remote after such a strong public stand has been taken. And there are good arguments for giving up that particular parcel. While the site is waterfront parkland, something municipalities wisely like to preserve, it is not a Grade A example. Its an undeveloped section of the park, separated from the original waterfront strip by a road allowance. It sits behind the township arena and a small strip mall. And it represents less than 20 per cent of the entire park area. One councillors estimate that the land is worth $1 million might be high, but within reason. However, the township agrees affordable seniors housing is a high priority. Providing land is the most effective way to help and that land should be close to shopping and services. Any two-acre site in the village core will be worth $500,000 or more. Thats the cost of making a serious commitment. One alternative could see Abbeyfield buy the property at a discounted price. An Abbeyfield Home in Alberta took out a $640,000 mortgage to get started and paid it off in 12 years. Whatever the final answer, Selwyn Township should make good on Seniss promise of help, and the best way to help is donating a workable site. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 10:31:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- In northeast China's Jilin, a major farming province, satellites are making their way into paddy cultivation by producing images of large fields in short time and offering information such as growth and seedling rate of the crop. "With the help of satellites, the output forecast can be more accurate and farming more profitable," said Wang Liying, managing director of a local company engaged in promoting advanced technologies in the agricultural sector. In Jilin, the satellite information industry is expanding rapidly. The province is home to Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co. Ltd., China's first commercial remote sensing satellite firm. Sixteen Jilin-1 satellites, developed by the company, have been launched to promote remote sensing data and services for forestry, shipping and resource and environmental monitoring. The satellite industry is among a number of new growth engines fostered in the old industrial base in recent years. Northeast China, which includes Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, was among the first regions in the country to become industrialized. However, over time, it gradually fell behind coastal areas in part due to shrinking resources and problems like overcapacity. Founded in 1953 in Changchun, capital of Jilin, the state-owned FAW Group is seen as the cradle of China's auto industry. FAW has stepped up efforts to reinforce innovation, research and development and made breakthroughs in fields including new energy and key technologies. The enterprise has started building a test base for new-energy vehicles and intelligent connected vehicles in Changchun, which is expected to provide the automaker with whole-process R&D and test capabilities for passenger cars. Innovative technology is at the heart of the success of many enterprises in the old industrial base. "With the advantage of traditional manufacturing, we now take scientific and technological innovation as the core driving force," said Liu Haifu from a plant of Northeast Light Alloy Co. Ltd. in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province. According to Liu, the company has developed wing panels for China's home-made C919 passenger aircraft. In the first half of this year, orders for its high-end alloy increased 26.3 percent year on year, while sales of high-end alloy products soared 59.8 percent. The northeast industrial heartland is also stepping on the gas to incubate high-tech enterprises. In 2019, the value added of the high-tech manufacturing in Liaoning and Heilongjiang rose by 18.7 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively, according to provincial authorities. In Jilin, the number of high-tech enterprises soared 89 percent last year. A more diverse and innovative industrial structure has been created. The northeastern region is also speeding up construction of 5G-related projects. Jilin plans to build 7,500 5G base stations this year to cover all its prefecture-level cities. The output value of high-tech industries in the three provinces accounted for only 12.8 percent of the total industrial output value, or about half the national average, data with China Academy of Northeast Revitalization showed. Some local high-tech enterprises encounter bottlenecks in their growth, such as lack of technical personnel, incomplete industrial support facilities and insufficient local sales. The heavy chemicals industry and strategic emerging industries in northeast China should seize the opportunity provided by new infrastructure construction and grab larger domestic market share, said Liu Weiqi, a researcher with the academy. "We expect northeast China to pay more attention to the development of micro, small and medium-size high-tech firms, increase support to them, and promote their transformation to quality growth," said Liu Jiren, chairman of leading software developer Neusoft, which is based in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province. Enditem Want to find the coronavirus infamous spike protein that allows it to latch onto human cells? Look no further than Atum, a 17-year-old Newark firm specialized in making synthetic genes and proteins. Like other firms in the biotechnology-heavy Bay Area, Atum has rapidly refocused on the pandemic. Its now playing a vital role supplying cellular pieces to researchers who use them to build coronavirus antibody tests, drugs and vaccine candidates. When the first publicly reported COVID-19 cases arose in the United States several months ago, Atum co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Claes Gustafsson didnt think his company would play such an active role. In fact, the management team started thinking about winding down Atums operations, given that most of the companys clients were working in non-virus areas and some appeared to be shutting down. The first reaction was, Everythings going to come to a screeching halt, Gustafsson said. Then new customers came along and old customers pivoted. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle To our surprise, good and bad, I think we doubled, he said. The next few weeks (were), probably, the biggest weeks weve had when it comes to both orders coming in and production. It went a completely different way. The company, which works out of a roughly 4,500-square-foot office near the Dumbarton Bridge, essentially buys buckets of tiny biological building blocks that it can assemble in various ways, according to Gustafsson. Atums ability to make components such as the spike-shaped protein and antibodies that neutralize the virus is crucial. It helps other researchers begin quickly working with the pieces they need to make tests or therapeutics instead of having to rely on a live, highly infectious virus. It really changes the concept, Gustafsson said. If you go back prior to synthetic genes ... the process to go from research into a product was much, much longer, much more expensive and, frankly, a lot more dangerous. Atum has more than 100 or so employees and thousands of worldwide customers, a few hundred of which are working on the coronavirus, Gustafsson estimated. He couldnt discuss them at length, but the Stanford Daily student newspaper recently reported that Atum helped researchers at the university make an internal test to identify whether someone has antibodies for the coronavirus. All of Atums revenue comes from charging other firms for services, and it became profitable within about two years of its founding, according to Gustafsson, though he declined to share specific figures. He said he and the other co-founders started the company without relying on venture capital or private equity. We started small and have just been growing ever since, he said. To this day, we dont have a single penny from outside investors. Atum joins a long list of Bay Area efforts to beat back the pandemic, from Gilead Sciences COVID-19 drug remdesivir to various initiatives and studies under way at UCSF, Stanford, Kaiser Permanente and elsewhere. Other local companies building tools to combat the coronavirus include LakePharma, which has offices on the Peninsula and in the East Bay, and San Franciscos Twist Bioscience. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Companies that are doing the cutting-edge project development they dont exist in silos, said Sean Randolph, senior director at the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. They depend on a very diverse biotech and life science ecosystem of companies that provide materials and ingredients and different reagents and virus pieces. ... Having companies that fill very specific needs for other companies is part of how the system works. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes One benefit of using synthetic products is that they can be modified, said Gustafsson, the Atum co-founder. For example, Atum can help tweak the virus spike protein to make it more recognizable, make it more soluble, make it express better, he said. Santa Claras Antibody Solutions, a contract research organization, uses Atum products in its work helping other companies identify drug candidates, including to combat the coronavirus. Some people say if youre going to make a fine wine, you have to have great grapes. Maybe in Atums case, theyre really making the grapevines that make the great grapes, said Antibody Solutions co-founder and President John Kenney. As the technology has become more complex ... you cant do everything, Kenney said. You have to rely on people who can create that great tool for you. Randolph compared the efforts of Atum and companies like it to the many different kinds of businesses that support the automotive industry. Their presence in the Bay Area now, he said, should underscore how the regions business importance does not lie solely with the major software companies in Silicon Valley. Whats going on right now with COVID should remind us how important and how big biotech is in the Bay Area, he said. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris As part of a concerted effort to tackle violence and insecurity in the French city of Nice, Prime Minister Jean Castex on Saturday announced a raft of so-called proximity" measures that include an experimental extension of the municipal police powers. Speaking at the Nice prefecture of police alongside Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, Castex said drug offences on a national level would be met with an on-the-spot fixed fine of 200 euros from the start of the school year. In the weeks to come, some 60 new officers are to be deployed to Nice, the capital of the French Riviera, to fight crime and drug-trafficking in several troubled districts. Compensation, meanwhile, is to be paid to police officers stationed in the city for more than two years. The announcement follows a shooting on Monday in front of a supermarket in Nice's flashpoint district of Moulins, which was visited by the three ministers on Saturday morning. In a separate development Saturday, a young man was found dead in a cellar in a troubled area of Nice although the cause of death was unclear. In his speech Castex admitted that justice has been neglected for too long, as he announced the creation of 150 additional jobs to "strengthen local criminal action for the repression of everyday delinquency". The Prime Minister also promised that resources would be redeployed for local justice and the daily police work. In an interview with right-wing daily Le Figaro ahead of the Nice trip, Darmanin said France was witnessing a crisis of authority that needed to be reaffirmed and corrected. We must stop the enslavement of a certain part of society, he said, promising to "bend those who want to bend the republic". Meanwhile Nice mayor Christian Estrosi, who is from the right-wing Les Republicains party and is a vocal supporter of the new measures, himself announced the upcoming recruitment of 80 additional municipal police officers in Nice. (with Wires) By Stella Lorence San Jose Spotlight Barclays Capital executive Ahmad Thomas is the new CEO of the powerful Silicon Valley Leadership Group, becoming the fourth person to lead the 43-year-old organization and its first African-American CEO. "As the economic capital of California, Silicon Valley is looked to as a leader in economic growth, innovation, public policy and now, more than ever social issues," Thomas said in a statement. "Our community has always had serious issues to tackle, but with unprecedented economic challenges brought on by a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic and reckoning with systemic racism, we need to lead with industry-wide initiatives that drive both the national dialogue and bring about real, measurable change." Thomas will take the reins on Aug. 10. He succeeds Carl Guardino, who announced in January that he was leaving SVLG after 23 years. Guardino revealed last month that he's accepted a position as the executive vice president of global government affairs and policy at Bloom Energy. "Running track in school, we learned how to successfully pass the baton on to the next runner," Guardino said in a statement. "After nearly 24 years, I am excited to pass the baton of leadership to someone I have known and respected for 16 years, whose collaboration, courage and creativity will well-serve our 340 member companies, our employees and the communities in which we live and conduct business." Prior to joining SVLG, Thomas worked as an investment banker for Barclays, where he gained experience leading the firm's California and Silicon Valley regional municipal banking teams as well as other social impact projects. Thomas also worked as a senior aide to U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, where he was responsible for tax, financial services, critical infrastructure, federal budget and labor issues. During his time with Feinstein, he helped develop five bills that were signed into law, and began working with SVLG on tax and economic issues. "Ahmad showed a keen understanding of complex subjects, insight that has only grown over the years," Feinstein said in a statement. "Ahmad's practical understanding of how businesses interact with the community will be invaluable as he carries on the work of Carl Guardino, who made transportation, housing and career development cornerstone issues for the SVLG." Thomas's priorities for his new role at SVLG include partnering with community college programs that channel two-year degree candidates into technology jobs and using investments from member companies to bolster affordable housing, renewable energy and social impact infrastructure projects. He also advocates for more racial equity in Silicon Valley by helping member companies hire more minority candidates and funding more Black- and Latinx-owned startups. Thomas is a California native who resides in Menlo Park with his wife, Reena Thomas, and their two sons. Contact Stella Lorence at stella.g.lorence@gmail.com or follow on Twitter @slorence3. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) is expected to announce Maharashtra SSC 10th Results 2020 in a few days. Once declared, the results will be released on the board's official website - mahresult.nic.in, maharashtraeducation.com, and mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in. Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had recently said in an interview that Maharashtra SSC 10th Results 2020 will be announced by July-end. Here's how to check Maharashtra SSC 10th Results 2020 online: -Visit the official website: mahresult.nic.in result 2020. -Click on Maharashtra SSC result 2020 for Class 10 result. -Enter the seat number and his/her mothers first name to check Maharashtra Board SSC 10th result 2020. -Click on the View Result button. -Your result will be displayed on the screen. -Students are advised to download the result for future reference. Students can also check their SSC10th class result by using SMS method. The students just need to type an SMS in the specified format: MH and send it to 57766. Your result will be received on the same number after some time. Around 17 Lakh students appeared for the board exams this year. This year, exams were scheduled to be conducted from March 3-23. At least seven people have been injured after a 'speeding' car ploughed into a crowd near a train station in Germany. One person was reportedly trapped underneath the black Mercedes after it swerved from the road and hit pedestrians in Berlin's Hardenbergplatz, outside the Bahnhof Zoo station. Around 55 firefighters rushed to the scene following the incident at 7am today, alongside armed police with explosive detection dogs, BILD News reported. Three people suffered serious injuries in the crash, according to Berlin's fire department. At least five people have been injured after a car ploughed into a crowd of people near a train station in Germany. Pictured: The scene today One person was reportedly trapped underneath the black Mercedes (pictured) after it swerved from the road and hit pedestrians on the sidewalk One person was resuscitated at the scene and two rescue helicopters were deployed to help, authorities added. A statement said: 'For reasons not yet clear, a car got off the road and drove onto the sidewalk. 'Seven people were injured, three of them seriously. One person had to be resuscitated. Many of those affected are cared for in a pastoral manner.' The driver was arrested at the scene after being apprehended by officers, police told BILD News. A spokesman added they believe the man lost control of his vehicle while turning left from Hardenbergstrae at excessive speed. Officials walk past a car which crashed into a group of seven people at Bahnhof Zoo train station in Berlin, Germany Police secure the area after a car crashed into a group of seven people at Bahnhof Zoo train station in Berlin According to reports, the motorist turned onto the busy Charlottenburg street before crossing a traffic light and crashing into the sidewalk. The force added there is currently no evidence the crash was 'politically or religiously motivated,' the Mirror reported. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. (CNN) The Chinese Consulate General in Houston has closed following Tuesday's order to do so after US officials alleged it was part of a larger Chinese espionage effort using diplomatic facilities around the US, a State Department spokesperson confirmed to CNN late Friday. US federal agents and local law enforcement entered the Chinese consulate compound in Houston earlier Friday in a series of black SUVs, trucks, two white vans and a locksmith's van as a crowd of observers and news cameras observed from the edge of the diplomatic compound. US officials speaking to reporters Friday said the consulate had been implicated in a fraud investigation at a Texas research institution and that Chinese consulate officials "were directly involved in communications with researchers and guided them on what information to collect." The activities of consulate officials in Houston "are a microcosm, we believe, of a broader network of individuals in more than 25 cities that network is supported through the consulates here," a US Justice Department official said Friday. "Consulates have been giving individuals in that network guidance on how to evade [and] obstruct our investigation. And you can infer from that the ability to task that [a] network of associates nationwide." The US had given China roughly 72 hours to "cease all operations and events" at the Houston facility on Tuesday, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which called the move an "unprecedented escalation" amid ongoing tension between the two countries. Relations between China and the United States have plummeted in the past year, amid an ongoing trade war, the coronavirus pandemic, and US criticism of China's human rights abuses in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Washington's demand for the Houston consulate to close set the stage for federal agents to enter the diplomatic compound on Friday afternoon. It also triggered a Chinese demand earlier Friday that the US close its consulate in Chengdu. Late Tuesday evening, police in Houston said they responded to reports of smoke in the courtyard outside the consulate, located on Montrose Boulevard, in the city's Midtown area. Local media shared video of what appeared to be officials inside the compound burning documents. US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said Wednesday the consulate was directed to close "in order to protect American intellectual property and Americans' private information." The idea to close the Houston consulate emerged this spring after China interfered when US officials returned to the consulate in Wuhan to retrieve diplomatic materials, according to a senior State Department official. Chinese authorities refused to let the US officials leave Wuhan with the pouches, saying they had to search them before leaving, an aggressive move that violates the Vienna Convention which governs diplomatic relations. The encounter left Secretary of State Mike Pompeo irate, the State Department official said. The headline and story have been updated to reflect the Chinese Consulate General in Houston has closed. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Chinese consulate in Houston closed following US order." WITH face masks likely to become compulsory in Northern Ireland, fashionistas will be able to step out in style thanks to some enterprising local businesses. Designers are working to ensure medical-style masks aren't the only option on the market and have come up with a selection of cool face coverings. Ministers may make masks compulsory in local shops by August 20 if 70% to 80% of shoppers do not comply with the official advice to wear them. But a number of companies have come up with interesting designs, including leopard-print and sequinned masks. Belfast menswear specialists Suitor Brothers Tailoring, run by Chris and William Suitor, is offering, for example, matching ties and masks for 50. Expand Close Ruedi Maguire Facemask designs / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruedi Maguire Facemask designs They were inspired to come up with the offer by an internet meme of an American office worker sporting a matching mask and tie under the heading 'The Drip Is Real'. "Sadly I can't claim it as an original idea - the meme is the inspiration," Chris said. "I had to look up what 'the drip' meant and it means fashionable and sexy. "We thought it would be a bit of fun to copy it. Expand Close Ruedi Maguire Facemask designs / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruedi Maguire Facemask designs "Instead of a tie and matching pocket square set, we are offering tie and mask sets in a range of colours and designs. "For us, it needs to be stand-out and quirky, something unique. We have a range of bright colours and patterns and people love them." Chris also set up a new firm called Build a Mask in response to the pandemic. It has made thousands of bespoke masks with logos for local companies and businesses worldwide. Expand Close Ruedi Maguire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruedi Maguire Also making outrageous and stylish coverings is Ruedi Maguire from Tyrone, who runs a bespoke fashion design business on Belfast's Lisburn Road. His designs have been in demand since early June and he's bracing himself for another spike in the near future. "I do a lot of weddings and bespoke bridal wear and everything was cancelled until further notice, so our business stopped during the first week in March," he said. "We tried our hands at making scrubs for the NHS for about three months. "Then I realised it was time to try and inject some money back into the business. "I decided to design some face masks. People seemed really intrigued by them and they just took off. Expand Close Chris Suitor masks / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chris Suitor masks "As people here come under more pressure to wear them, we are expecting an increase in demand." Ruedi's approach to design was to make his masks were fabulous and fun but also safe. "The pattern was key as we wanted to ensure the masks protected people from the virus, so we have three layers of fabric and two elastics to keep it tight on the face," he said. "We also worked with fabrics that can be washed at high temperatures because we were conscious of the waste with disposable masks." With practical considerations sorted, the designer let his imagination do its work to come up with a range of 12 very different and daring designs which retail at 25 each. "We've leopard-print masks and masks with bling on them and a very popular sequinned zebra-print mask. We sell to both men and women who want something fabulous to wear on their faces," he added. Flights bringing Vietnamese back from other countries as well as those carrying overseas experts to Da Nang will be redirected to another location. "This direction will be implemented immediately. Domestic flights to and from Da Nang will operate normally until further announcement," said Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. The redirection request was made by acting Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long, he added. Deputy Director of the Da Nang International Airport Hoang Huu Cuong said the airport had welcomed about 10 flights repatriating overseas Vietnamese or welcoming foreign experts to Vietnam this month. "Da Nang Airport was set to welcome more flights from abroad in the coming days. These flights will be rescheduled," Cuong said. The city's Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention announced Friday that a 57-year-old retiree in the city's Lien Chieu district had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Da Nang has quarantined more than 50 people who came into close contact with the man. Large scale testing will be conducted in some areas of the central city, authorities said. Vietnam has recorded 413 Covid-19 cases, of these 48 are active cases. TDT | Manama Markets in the Kingdom are fully prepared to handle the Eid al-Adha rush, said a top BCCI official. Purchasing power, however, is expected to be moderate during this years Eid, according to Khalid Ali Al-Amin, head of the Food Wealth Committee of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Local markets, he said, were preparing for the Eid rush for nearly a week and there wont be shortages of any kind. He assured: All measures are taken to ensure sufficient supply and stable prices for basic food commodities. The meat market is sufficiently prepared for the increased demand before and during Eid. Acknowledging the increased demand for Bahraini veal, he assured, Everything is fine, there is no fear of any crisis. There is sufficient quantities of red meat in the market. Supplies from countries including Somalia, Pakistan, Australia, Sudan, and Kenya, in addition to local Bahrain products, are ready in the market. Al-Amin said preparations are made to meet the increased demand for red meat this week. On the supply of vegetables and fruits, he said market supply has increased by 80 per cent ahead of the holidays. At least 75 truckloads of vegetables and fruits will reach the markets here per day to meet the increased demand, AlAmin said. Vegetables and fruits are currently imported from Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, India and Australia alongside the Gulf and other countries. Offers are available for all kind of commodities at all of the stores and supermarkets in the Kingdom, said Ali Al-Amin. On Tuesday, Cairo, Addis Ababa and Khartoum announced that the talks on the GERDs filling and operation policies would be resumed Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry spoke by phone with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Sunday to discuss the latest developments concerning the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam crisis, the British embassy in Cairo said. On Tuesday, Cairo, Addis Ababa and Khartoum announced that the talks on the GERDs filling and operation policies would be resumed. Later that day, Ethiopia announced it had completed the filling of the mega-dams reservoir scheduled for the first year. Both Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly warned against any unilateral actions by Ethiopia, calling for a binding legal agreement on the dams filling and operation policies. According to the brief statement on Sunday by the British embassy, the ministers also discussed developments in Libya, as well as the peace process in the Middle East. The recent weeks witnessed an extensive collaboration between the two countries on certain issues, including regional security, commerce and joint efforts against the coronavirus pandemic, the UK statement read. In the past few days Shoukry has spoken to a number of European officials about Libya, reasserting Egypts call for a comprehensive political settlement that would halt foreign intervention in the country, especially the transfer of foreign fighters. Search Keywords: Short link: Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and assured him all help from the Centre to restore and repair infrastructure damaged in floods due to incessant rains in the state. The Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) also said that the North Eastern Council (NEC) will extend whatever help required. The minister has offered the Assam chief minister whatever possible assistance needed from his ministry for the damages caused by incessant rains, floods and landslides, an official statement said. The DoNER Ministry will also coordinate financial and other help from other agencies of the government and from other sources, he said, adding that the well-being and concern of the people of the northeast is top priority of the Modi government. Singh said the central government is constantly monitoring the flood situation in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and other affected states in the northeast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has personally enquired about the flood situation and is taking regular updates, he said. Singh said as DoNER minister, he is in constant touch with respective chief ministers and state governments. The flood this year in Assam has severely affected around 56 lakh people in 30 districts and the death toll due to it is over 120 as of now, Singh said. There have already been three waves of flood this year. These have caused extensive damage and disruption to normal life, and created a huge burden on the state, which is now facing the twin challenges along with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Union minister said. The floods have affected human lives and the states rich wildlife, he said. Rescue and relief measures are in full swing and the state government is doing its best to rescue animals, including those in the Kaziranga wildlife sanctuary, with improved techniques and resources, Singh said. Both the central and state governments are working in tandem to deal with the natural disaster, he added. Police in Seattle used flashbang grenades and pepper spray Saturday against protesters who set fire to construction trailers outside a youth jail, amid a wave of public anger over President Donald Trumps planned surge of federal agents into major cities. The sounds of repeated small detonations rang out in the streets of the city in Washington state, and smoke rose from an area where demonstrators had set fire to trailers by a construction site for the youth detention facility, an AFP reporter observed. Demonstrators slashed car tires and smashed trailer windows. Police in riot gear faced off against the demonstrators, some of whom held up umbrellas against falling pellets of pepper spray. The Seattle Times newspaper quoted police as saying 16 people were arrested on suspicion of assault against officers, obstruction and failure to disperse. The latest spasm of violence came after police and federal agents fired tear gas and forcefully dispersed protesters further south in Portland early Saturday, also in anger over Trumps heavily-criticized surge of security forces. The city, the biggest in the state of Oregon, has seen nightly protests against racism and police brutality for nearly two months, initially sparked by the death of unarmed African American George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota. Portland is also a stage for the highly controversial crackdown by federal agents ordered by Trump -- one that is not supported by local officials there, and which many say smacks of authoritarianism. Civil unrest was not only confined to Portland. On Saturday, three members of a black militia were shot in Louisville, Kentucky at a Black Lives Matter protest, local media reported, citing police. Their injuries were not life-threatening. The protest, to demand justice for a black woman who was killed by police as she slept in her home, drew members of the black militia and a rival far-right militia, with the heavily armed groups facing off while separated by riot police. The groups dispersed peacefully later Saturday afternoon. In Portland, Fridays demonstration was mainly peaceful, with crowds playing music and dancing, blowing soap bubbles and setting off fireworks. But it ended -- like many before it -- in a showdown between protesters and police, which escalated in a haze of tear gas and flashbang devices. One group of protesters formed a line with umbrellas and makeshift shields to try to protect themselves, as at least two fires burned outside fences around a federal courthouse. Tear gas was first fired around 11:00 pm. By 2:30 am police and federal agents were clearing the scene outside the courthouse with tear gas, pushing protesters back. Earlier, protesters who spoke to AFP complained of the federal agents presence in the city and voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, which helped drive demonstrations across the country for weeks after Floyds killing. I dont like whats happening down here, what Trump is doing, Mike Shikany, a 55-year-old aerospace engineer, said, adding he did not want to get anywhere near the little green men, meaning the federal troops. Portland retiree Jean Mullen, 74, said that without pressure nothing would change. Its time to become the country we always brag about being. And we cant brag anymore, about anything. We arent first in anything and its a terrible, terrible thing to see at the end of my life, she said. The inspector general of the US Justice Department on Thursday opened an official investigation into the federal crackdown, but a federal judge in Oregon on Friday rejected a legal bid by the state to stop agents from detaining protesters. Trump, who is campaigning for re-election in November on a platform of law and order, announced on Wednesday a surge of federal agents to crime hotspots including Chicago, following an increase in violence in the nations third-largest city. Agents deployed there will partner with local law enforcement, not riot control forces as seen in Portland. Local officials have warned they would draw the line at any Portland-style deployment. The Secretary-General of Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce announced that the volume of Iran's non-oil exports to Iraq dropped forty percent in the second quarter of 2020. According to the Iranian Chamber of Commerce website, Hamid Hosseini said that in the second quarter of this year, Iran exported five million tons of non-oil goods worth $ 1.45 billion to Iraq. Based on the same report, Iran's non-oil exports to Iraq decreased by "forty percent" in terms of volume and 38.3% in terms of value, compared with the same period last year. In addition to the U.S. government sanctions, the coronavirus outbreak crisis that led to the closure of borders between the two countries has also contributed to the decrease in trade. Iran and Iraq have seven border crossings that have been reopened except the "Chazzabeh" in Khuzestan, southwest Iran. Chazzabeh crossing, one of the country's most significant border passages, was scheduled to open on July 26. The sharp decline in trade between the two countries comes as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani recently announced that Tehran and Baghdad were targeting to increase their mutual trade by up to $ 20 billion a year. The prime minister of Iraq Mustafa al-Kadhimi just paid a visit to Iran in recent days and his hosts trumpeted agreements meant to boost mutual business and trade. However, due to U.S. sanctions Baghdad seems to be reluctant in engaging in broader economic relations with Tehran. Before U.S. sanctions Iraq was Iran's second biggest trading partner after China. Iranian government officials say the total trade between Iran and Iraq amounts to $ 12 billion a year. However, since the Islamic Republic stopped providing data on its foreign trade at the beginning of 2019, the details concerning the current volume and value of Iran's imports and exports cannot be determined. Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers. A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBuckets secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you. 1. Verification and registrar choice After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. We also provide a link to our tracking system, where you can communicate with us, check on the status of your transfer, view your invoice, and download your logo files. In most cases, if a domain is moved between accounts at a single registrar, the transfer is quick and usually completes within 48 hours. If a domain changes registrars (in other words, you would like to move it away from where it is currently registered), the transfer is slower. The total transfer time can then be anywhere from 48 hours to 7 days. BrandBucket has vetted and supports the following registrars: GoDaddy Namesilo Uniregistry NameCheap Google Domains Network Solutions Name.com Dynadot Amazon Route 53 123 Reg Gandi 2. We request the name from the seller. Once we know where you would like the domain transferred, BrandBucket will request the domain from the seller. All of our sellers are very responsive, making for a quick process. 3. Transfer the name into your account As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process. 4. Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller. New Delhi, July 26 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his latest Mann Ki Baat radio address on Sunday said that rural India has led by example for the entire country during the coronavirus pandemic. Referring to the developments in Jammu & Kashmir for prevention of coronavirus infection, the Prime Minister said many instances of good efforts by local citizens and village panchayats are coming to the fore. The Prime Minister referred to Balveer Kaur, the sarpanch of village Treva in Jammu, saying, "I am told that Balveer Kaur has built a 30-bed quarantine centre in her panchayat." "She arranged water on the way to the panchayat so that people did not face any difficulty in washing their hands. Not only this, Balveer Kaur hangs the sprayer pump on her shoulder and does sanitisation in the entire panchayat and surrounding areas with volunteers." Modi also lauded the work of Jaituna Begum, the sarpanch of Chantalivar in Ganderbal, Kashmir. He said, "Jaituna Begum decided that her panchayat would fight the war against corona and also create opportunities for earning. She distributed free masks and rations all over the area. At the same time, she also distributed the seeds for crops and apple saplings among the people, enabling them to go in for farming and crop cultivation." The Prime Minister mentioned another inspiring incident from Kashmir. He said, "Mohammad Iqbal is the municipal president in Anantnag who needed a sprayer for sanitisation in his area. He came to know that the machine would have to be brought from another city which would cost Rs 6 lakh. Iqbal himself tried and built a machine for only Rs 50,000." The Prime Minister said that during the corona time, many such inspiring incidents were reported from different nooks and corners of the country. He said that the challenges were faced by the people with tremendous determination. Longtime TV host Regis Philbin, who died Friday at age 88. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) What is a host? A person to welcome you in, to make you comfortable, to show you around and tell you what you need to know. To introduce you to other people you might find interesting. To take any space and make it a home. Regis Philbin, who died Friday, a month before his 89th birthday, was a host. Maybe the greatest of all hosts, if only for the number and variety of shows he hosted: talk shows, game shows, parades, pageants. As has been widely noted, he holds the Guinness World Record for most hours spent on television, a record that will likely stand until the end of television itself. But he was great too for his capacity to enjoy people contrasting his ongoing struggle with things, gadgets and gizmos at least as they came before him on a television stage. (As to "people," in the collective, he might wonder, "What the hell is wrong with them?") He could work himself into a lather in an instant and an instant later be laughing at himself and everything. As his life in media transitioned from daily presence to delightful surprise, he was finally just Regis, a magnet for love. Philbin in his early days was energetic, enthusiastic and personable. (Although he was a New Yorker to the core, he was for many years a West Coast broadcaster, including his first national notice as the sidekick on Joey Bishop's late 1960s talk show, and also as the co-host for many years of "A.M. Los Angeles.") But once he claimed a space and made it his, as he did with "Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee," it was clear he could stick around until he decided to go. He could let his character fill the space, let his freak flag fly, as it were, within the bounds of old-school professionalism. His job was to be himself, which America agreed was a good thing, and that gave him room to grow even more cantankerous with age. Philbin dressed up as Shrek when he visited "Late Show With David Letterman" on April 22, 2009. (Jeffrey R. Staab / CBS) There is a somnolent gentleness to the big network morning shows, as if they want to ease you out of slumber into the day, before your eyes are fully open. Philbin was something else again energetic, extroverted, irritable, relishing tales of mishap. (He began the nationally syndicated version of "Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee" recounting the morning's disasters oversleeping, locking his keys in the car.) His success at that hour seems almost counterintuitive. Story continues Although the symbolic paradigm of the "Live!"-style, co-hosted breakfast show is a married couple who know one another inside and out, that Philbin was married to someone else was made clear daily; that he had a wife named Joy, and much else about their relationship, seems almost common knowledge. But to a viewer, Philbin came across not so much as a husband or father but as a slightly eccentric uncle, charming, fun, comically irascible, bringing jokes, stories and maybe an interesting gift or acquaintance when he comes to visit. Overflowing with vitality, he was the person you'd look at and say, "I hope I'm that lively when I'm his age," when in truth you aren't now, won't be and never were. Philbin's roots were Irish and Italian and Catholic, but growing up in the Bronx and his long association with comedians gave him a touch of the Borscht Belt. (He was never a comic himself, just funny, though there were notes of his pal Don Rickles in his spikier moments.) The resonant announcer's voice, that mix of precise diction with an accent formed in the prewar streets of New York, mirrored the happy duality of his formal-casual, raw-cooked, big-little, celebrity-friend nature. He was not quite something out of "Guys and Dolls," but he would have made a good Nathan Detroit, if anyone had asked. (He could have carried the tunes too.) Regis Philbin and Cyndy Garvey cohost "A.M. Los Angeles" in 1979. (Los Angeles Times) So extensive are his credits that merely to read them is exhausting. That his career flowered from a bed of early failures suggests that the problem was less Philbin's than television's, and the arrival of the right vehicle. He was in his mid-50s not that you could tell when in 1985 he first paired with Kathie Lee Gifford, then Johnson, on the New York-based "The Morning Show," which became the juggernaut known as "Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee" in 1988. Gifford left in 2000, eventually to be replaced by Kelly Ripa, who now cohosts with Ryan Seacrest, to continuing success. That he had a long history in local television gave his national shows something of their hometown homeliness: Regis' Big Apple was yours for the taking. "You were a man about town," Larry King said to him in a 2017 interview on "Larry King Now." "You went to the theater..." "I had to do all that," Philbin replied, "because I wanted to tell everybody what I saw last night, as it came out." It's not too much to say that Philbin's years on "Live!" comprise a kind of incidental diary of New York City life, or a certain segment of it in the late 20th and early 21st century. Where many TV hosts have been famously private about their off-camera lives, Philbin was always forthcoming. Perhaps this has something to do with his greatest success being as a daytime host, working alongside women. ("The Talk" and "The View," both of which had him as a guest, are temperamental kin.) Philbin was a sharer even an oversharer when it came to various medical procedures he'd had to undergo. He felt knowable. Indeed, the sheer number of TV series and films in which he appears as himself including, but not limited to, "The Larry Sanders Show," "Mad About You, All My Children," "Seinfeld," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "The Simpsons," "Caroline in the City," "Spin City," "How I Met Your Mother," "Damages," "Ugly Betty," "30 Rock" and "Fresh Off the Boat" on the smaller screen and "Night and the City," "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "The Breakup Artist" on the bigger attests to his cultural eminence. There were also, from early on, more or less straight acting parts in "Get Smart," "That Girl," "Love, American Style," "Fantasy Island," "Hot in Cleveland" and the soap opera "Ryan's Hope," where he acquits himself well enough to suggest that he might have had a career reading other people's words instead of speaking off the top of his head. And, of course, there was "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," which he hosted in its original and some subsequent iterations, the first season of "America's Got Talent," "Million Dollar Password" and so forth and so on. Regis Philbin on his final episode of "Live! With Regis and Kelly," from which he retired in 2011 at the age of 80. At right is cohost Kelly Ripa. (Charles Sykes / Associated Press) Philbin left "Live!" in 2011, but it was not nearly the end of his presence on television. There were other, briefer hosting gigs, and guest-hosting gigs and guest appearances; he had a rambunctious chemistry with "The Late Late Show" host Craig Ferguson, who would introduce him as "one of the most delightful-smelling entertainers you will ever inhale." He was also a frequent, mocked and mocking presence on the "Late Show With David Letterman," though in a more serious mood, he was a guest on Letterman's first show after 9/11. On his final "Late Show" appearance in 2015 ("You're leaving! So where does that leave Regis?"), the host noted that Philbin had been on the show more than 150 times, the most of any guest. He exited through the theater, as the band played "Sabre Dance," shaking hands. "Go ahead and take your time, Regis," said the host. Even as a guest on someone else's show, Philbin's innate hostliness would come out. He would walk out to waves of adoring applause, and not head straight to the chair, but take a few steps toward the crowd, to acknowledge and bathe in their appreciation, as if it were in some portion his show which, for the moment, it was. Once seated, he would take to addressing the camera directly, leaning forward from the edge of his chair, hands and arms working mightily as he worked himself up into a Philbean lather. In very late life, he might require a little more partnering and prompting names escaped him, as they will you but wherever he went, it was always his show. His last television appearance was a cameo this year on ABC's "Single Parents," a situation comedy co-created by his daughter, J.J. Philbin. It is a perfectly constructed Regis moment, following him at a fast clip through the halls of a hospital as he wrestles with a cellphone, trying to get a signal, purportedly on the line with his old "Live! With" producer, Michael Gelman. "Gelman, can you hear me? Gelman, I've only got one bar. What the hell is wrong with this?" He stuck the landing. The recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a new round of calls for economic reform that will involve the usual issues, such as tax and business regulation. But economic reform can also involve working out smarter ways of shaping social policy. One such case is a proposal to change the criminal law relating to children, now under consideration by state and federal attorneys-general. The plan, which would raise the age of criminal responsibility from the current age of 10 to 14, will be discussed at a meeting on Monday. The proposal would mean that, rather than facing court proceedings and possible incarceration, children under the age of 14 who break the law would be handled by public health and social workers, and dealt with by specialists in rehabilitation and child welfare, as is the case with children under 10. Travellers arriving in Northern Ireland from Spain and its islands will have to quarantine for 14 days, the Department of Health has confirmed. The requirement, announced on Saturday evening, will be in place across the UK and follows a surge in cases in the country. Spain has reported more than 900 new daily infections for the last two days as authorities warn the country that lost 28,000 lives before getting its outbreak under control could be facing the start of a second major wave of infections. Health Minister Robin Swann said the decision has been taken following medical and scientific advice and will come into effect from midnight on Saturday. The decision to remove Spain from the exempt list was not taken lightly. I have always said I will move swiftly and take the necessary action to ensure our citizens are protected," he said. "I have spoken with my counterparts across the UK today and we agree that the recent upsurge in new positive cases in different parts of Spain are a cause for concern. As of midnight tonight, anyone returning or visiting Northern Ireland from Spain, including its islands will be required to quarantine for 14 days. I will continue to monitor the situation in Spain and other countries and make the changes to the regulations when necessary. Meanwhile, confusion remains over the mandatory wearing of face coverings in shops in Northern Ireland. The Executive said it has given itself powers to make the wearing of coverings in stores mandatory from August 1 but that it will not enforce that law until August 20 in the hope people will wear them voluntarily. Robin Swann said he remains unconvinced people will wear masks without being forced to do so, while Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon called for a clear message from the Executive on the issue. Retail groups Retail NI and the Belfast Chamber had said they were concerned about shop workers being left having to enforce the wearing of coverings leaving them open to abuse from non-compliant customers. The news comes ahead of the launch of Northern Ireland's contact tracing app, Stop Covid NI, towards the end of next week. The app will anonymously alert users if they have been in close contact with another user who has tested positive for the virus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 23:19:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People pay tribute to the late former president Benjamin Mkapa at Uhuru stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, July 26, 2020. Tanzania's former president Benjamin Mkapa died on Friday at the age of 81. (Tanzanian State House/Handout via Xinhua) DAR ES SALAAM, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanians on Sunday paid tribute to the country's late former president Benjamin Mkapa who died at the age of 81. At Uhuru Stadium in the country's commercial capital Dar es Salaam, Tanzanians from all walks of life came to pay their last respects. The country's president John Magufuli, and cabinet ministers and other senior government officials also paid their last respects. Mkapa, who died on Friday, will be buried on July 29 in his native village of Lupaso in Masasi district in Mtwara region. Born on Nov. 12, 1938, Mkapa was Tanzania's third president and served two five-year terms from 1995 to 2005. Enditem Revelations of recent years have expanded the range of the thinkable. Four years ago, I would have considered the idea that the Department of Justice, the FBI and the CIA would team up to swing a presidential election to their favored candidate, and failing that, would try to disable the incoming administration, a paranoid fantasy, the stuff of fiction. But it happened. And it was highly successful, due to the predictable behavior of the Democratic Party and its news branch at the New York Times, Washington Post, and so on. If you ran the Chinese Communist Party, what would your number one strategic goal have been in late 2019? Undoubtedly, to get rid of Chinas nemesis, Donald Trump, and replace him with Beijing Joe Biden. How far would Chinas rulers have gone to achieve that goal? Look what they have done to get rid of the Uighurs, a minor annoyance. Could the Chinese have deliberately arranged for the worldwide dissemination of the Wuhan virus? Yes, rather easily. They could have created the virus, too, but that isnt necessary. Once the virus escaped from a laboratory in Wuhan, by means unknown, the rest was probably inevitable. Of course, the virus did some damage within China, but nowhere near enough to pose a threat to the regime. And to the extent that there was collateral damage in Europe and elsewhere around the world, such damage, from the CCPs point of view, was a helpful distraction at a time when China is building up its armed forces and extending its military footprint across Asia. Does anyone think Chinas rulers are either too inept or too principled to unleash the Wuhan virus on purpose? If so, why? They have done worse. And here, they would have been playing for enormous stakesrestoration of the pro-China, globalist regime that preceded Trumps America First rebellion. Hardly any price would have been too much to pay. And, having watched the first three years of the Trump administration unfold, Chinas rulers could well have calculated that a pandemic originating in their homeland stood a good chance of reshaping Americas electoral landscape. The desperate Democrats and their press would blame the president and his administration for the diseasesomething that has never occurred before in American history, but was sure to happen this time. If the Chinese did seek to influence our presidential race, they were successful. President Trump has gone from being a prohibitive favorite in January to an underdog today, and the reason is the Wuhan virus. Do I think Chinas leaders deliberately unleashed the Wuhan virus on the world? I dont know, but I no longer consider the idea outlandish. The viruss origins are shrouded in mystery, and investigation of those origins has been discouraged, to put it mildly. Indeed, even mentioning the diseases place of originWuhanhas been denounced as racist. The virus may bring about the Chinese Communist Partys number one goal. I dont see any reason for a conclusive presumption that this fact is a coincidence. A man who allegedly punched a paramedic in the face and ripped the face mask off another had reportedly taken LSD. Akeeb Ahmed, 27, allegedly assaulted a paramedic in an elevator in an apartment complex on Pelican Street, just off Oxford Street, in Sydney's Surry Hills at 4:15am on Saturday. Ahmed's roommate had called triple zero claiming his friend had suffered a bad reaction to the hallucinogenic drug LSD. When paramedics arrived Ahmed allegedly punched the male medic in the face, leaving him with 'minor injuries'. He also allegedly ripped the face mask off of a female paramedic, prompting the terrified paramedics to call police. Akeeb Ahmed (pictured), 27, allegedly assaulted a paramedic in an elevator in an apartment complex on Pelican Street, just off Oxford Street, in Sydney's Surry Hills at 4:15am on Saturday Luckily, the Surry Hills Police Station was just around the corner and officers quickly arrived to help secure Ahmed to a stretcher. Audio obtained by 9News reveals the moment paramedics contacted police to report the alleged assault. 'Can we please get police here, one of our patients just attacked us,' a female paramedic said. 'Are you sure you're safe? Have you moved away?' the phone operator asked. 'No we are not, we are still in a tussle with the patient,' the paramedic replied. Ahmed was restrained with the assistance of NSW Police before being taken to St Vincents Hospital under police guard. On Saturday morning he was charged with common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Surry Hills Police Station. He then walked back to his apartment, which was just around the corner from the police station. Ahmed appeared at Parramatta Bail Court later in the day. Ahmed was reportedly on LSD when the alleged assault happened. He was restrained with the assistance of NSW Police before being taken to St Vincents Hospital under police guard The apartment complex on Pelican Street where the assault allegedly happened. It is just off bustling Oxford Street and around the corner from Surry Hills Police Station NSW Emergency Services Minister David Elliott described the incident as 'repugnant'. 'If we should have ever shown appreciation to our emergency services workers, it's now,' Mr Elliott told reporters on Saturday. 'We have strict laws when it comes to assaults on our first responders (and) I hope the offenders will receive a swift response to their behaviour. 'The paramedic, or the police officer, or the SES volunteer that you assault today may be the one (who's) going to save your life tomorrow. And I think that would be karma if it does occur.' QUEENSBURY Warren County on Saturday confirmed three more cases of COVID-19. Two of the cases involve people who returned to the United States from international travel. They are members of the same household. Warren County Health Services is quarantining those people. The other new case is a resident of an assisted living facility, who tested positive for the virus when hospitalized for a condition unrelated to the virus, according to a news release. Warren County Health Services is monitoring six active cases. Four have mild illness. Two are in the hospital. One is moderately ill and the other one is critically ill. The county reported no new COVID-19 cases from potential exposures by two health care workers in the county earlier this week. The Warren County Office of Emergency Services is also advising municipalities, government agencies and local nonprofits of three upcoming online informational sessions to determine whether they qualify for coronavirus-related disaster aid. The sessions are scheduled for July 29, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26. They will provide eligible applicants with the information needed to participate in the disaster aid process and submit for reimbursement for expenses incurred as a result of the virus. These sessions are not for individuals or for-profit businesses. To register for one of these online seminars, go to www.dhses.ny.gov/recovery/public/documents/4480-COVID-Applicant-Briefings-PA.pdf On Saturday: The new cases bring the total number of Warren County coronavirus cases since the outbreak began to 273. A total of 117 involved residents in nursing homes, 13 in assisted living and 143 in the community. The number of Washington County cases remained the same at 230. There are two active cases one fewer than Friday. There are a total of 146 people being monitored. A total of 215 have recovered from the virus. Saratoga County announced that an employee at the Bourbon Room at 8 Caroline St. in Saratoga Springs tested positive for COVID-19. The person worked on July 16, July 17 and July 18 from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. The employee was wearing a mask at all times. The county is asking anyone who visited the bar on those dates to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and contact their health care provider to get a diagnostic test. Saratoga County and Essex County do not release updated statistics on the weekend. The number of Saratoga County cases was at 683 as of Friday. Three people are hospitalized. Essex County has 76 cases since the pandemic began. There are four active cases. Statewide, the numbers continue to decline. The number of people hospitalized is 646 and the number of people in the ICU dropped to 149. There were 10 deaths. There were 750 new cases of the virus. The Capital Region continued to lead in the percentage of positive tests at 1.6%. Statewide the figure is just over 1%. Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. With 48,661 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 13,85,522 on Sunday, while the recoveries mounted to 8,85,576, according to the Union health ministry data. IMAGE: Volunteers from Social Democratic Party of India wearing PPE kits perform burial of the body of a COVID-19 victim in Chennai. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo The country's death toll rose to 32,063 with 705 fatalities being recorded in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed. There are 4,67,882 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country. As many as 36,145 patients have recuperated from coronavirus in a span of 24 hours, the highest recorded in a day, pushing the recovery rate to 63.92 per cent, the ministry said on Sunday. The number of recoveries exceed active coronavirus infections by 4,17,694. IMAGE: A health worker arranges tubes containing swab samples in a tray for COVID-19 test at a medical camp, Kasimedu fish market, in Chennai. Photograph: PTI Photo The total number of confirmed cases also includes foreigners. This is the fourth consecutive day when COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 45,000. The total number of tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed the 16 million-mark in the country. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, a cumulative total of 1,62,91,331 samples have been tested up to July 25 with 4,42,263 samples being tested on Saturday. Of the 705 deaths reported, 257 were from Maharashtra, 89 from Tamil Nadu, 72 from Karnataka, 52 from Andhra Pradesh, 42 from West Bengal, 39 from Uttar Pradesh, 29 from Delhi, 22 from Gujarat, 14 from Bihar, 12 from Jharkhand, 11 from Rajasthan and 10 from Odisha. IMAGE: Health workers arrive to conduct door-to-door screening of residents of Dindoshi at Goregaon East in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir have reported nine fatalities each followed by Madhya Pradesh with eight deaths, Haryana seven, Kerala five, Goa four, Chhattisgarh, Puducherry, Uttarakhand and Nagaland three each, while Assam and Ladakh have registered a fatality each. The figures of Telangana, in terms of total coronavirus cases and deaths, were not updated on the website as the same is "awaited" from the state government, the ministry said. Of the total 32,063 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra tops the tally with 13,389 fatalities, followed by Delhi 3,806, Tamil Nadu 3,409 Gujarat 2,300, Karnataka 1,796, Uttar Pradesh 1,387, West Bengal 1,332, Andhra Pradesh 985 and Madhya Pradesh 799. IMAGE: A healthcare worker wearing PPE kit collects swab sample of a Swaminarayan saint COVID-19 test inside a temple in Ahmedabad. Photograph: PTI Photo So far, 613 people have died of COVID-19 in Rajasthan, 455 in Telangana (updated figures awaited from state government), 389 in Haryana, 305 in Jammu and Kashmir, 291 in Punjab, 234 in Bihar, 130 in Odisha, 77 in Assam, 82 in Jharkhand, 63 in Uttarakhand and 59 in Kerala, it said. Chhattisgarh has registered 39 deaths, Puducherry 38, Goa 33, Chandigarh 13, Himachal Pradesh and Tripura 11 each, Meghalaya five, Arunachal Pradesh three, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu two and Ladakh three. Nagaland has reported four fatalities. The health ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of cases at 3,66,368, followed by Tamil Nadu 2,06,737, Delhi 1,29,531, Karnataka 90,942, Andhra Pradesh 88,671, Uttar Pradesh 63,742 and West Bengal 56,377. IMAGE: A specially-abled women holds a packet of test kit as a municipal health worker conducts her screening for COVID-19 at Dadar in Mumbai. Photograph: Mitesh Bhuvad/PTI Photo The number of COVID-19 cases was recorded at 54,626 in Gujarat, 52,466 in Telangana (updated figures awaited from state government), 36,604 in Bihar, 35,298 in Rajasthan, 31,086 in Assam, 30,538 in Haryana and 26,926 in Madhya Pradesh. Odisha has reported 24,013 infections, Jammu and Kashmir 17,305, Kerala 18,098, and Punjab 12,684. A total of 7,836 people have been infected with the virus in Jharkhand, 7,087 in Chhattisgarh, 5,445 in Uttarakhand, 4,686 in Goa, 3,862 in Tripura, 2,654 in Puducherry, 2,176 in Manipur, 2,049 in Himachal Pradesh, and 1,276 in Ladakh. Nagaland has recorded 1,289 COVID-19 cases, Arunachal Pradesh 1,126, and Chandigarh 852. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu together have reported 860 cases. Meghalaya has reported 646 cases, Sikkim 499, Mizoram 361, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands 290 cases. "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives, says he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling ... Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives, says he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) because of the alleged failure of governance in Bauchi, where he hails from. Mai Mala Buni, chairman of the caretaker committee of the APC, broke the news of Dogaras defection to state house correspondents after he led the former speaker to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday. In his letter of resignation addressed to the Bogoro C ward chairman of the PDP, Dogara said Bala Mohammed, the governor, whom he helped into power, has not lived up to expectation. The lawmaker currently representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa federal constituency said failing to tell the truth to power in Bauchi, having done same under the administrations of Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abubakar, former governors of the state, will make him irresponsible. Below is Dogaras letter of resignation: I write to intimate you of my decision to resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This became necessary because the same reasons why we fought hard in 2019 to effect changes in the Governance of our dear state are festering now. I intend to bring these issues to the front burners once again as the fight to install decent and egalitarian government in our dear state continues. Specifically, I intend to ask questions about the following: a. What has happened to LGA allocations since May 2019? b. What happened to our campaign promise to conduct LGA elections within six months of the PDP government? c. What happened to the N4.6 billion loan taken from a bank and paid directly into an private companys account? d. Why are we segmenting salaries and why is payment of salaries of state workers outsourced to a private firm as consultants? e. Why are contracts inflated, awarded and payment of mobilisation done in violation of extant rules on procurement? f. Why are our highly revered Traditional Rulers and Elders treated with odium contrary to the guarantee we gave during the campaign that such will not happen under a PDP government? Mr. Chairman, you will agree with me that I cannot raise these issues and many more questions without a charge of disloyalty levelled against me if I were to remain a member of the PDP. I cannot also fail to raise these questions now, having raised similar ones during the administrations of Governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammed A. Abubakar. If I abdicate this responsibility on the altar of partisan loyalty, I will be the most irresponsible and unprincipled politician in Bauchi State. Thus, by this letter, I have resigned my membership of the PDP to enable me keep faith with my principle of fighting for good governance in our Dear State. Thank you for your kind considerations. One of the biggest challenges for young investors is that they dont have much to save. But that limitation shouldnt stop them from starting to save now. If youre young, youve a great advantage to create wealth over the long run. And one of the best ways to do that is to buy top dividend stocks. Im a great fan of companies that pay regular dividends and then gradually increase them. You can start slowly by buying dividend stocks that are undervalued and have wide economic moats. By identifying such top dividend stocks early in your life, you can build a portfolio that will give you regular returns in the shape of dividends and capital gains. In Canada, some of the top dividend stocks are banks, gas and power utilities, real estate investment trusts, and telecom operators. Pick the top names from these sectors and hold them over the long run. These companies distribute huge amounts of their income in dividends, and they grow these payouts every year as their profits rise. Two examples of top dividend stocks Lets take the example of Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB), North Americas largest pipeline operator. Research has shown that the companies that provide basic services, such power and gas utilities, outperform in economic downturns and recessions. These companies continue to generate cash flows and distribute most of those inflows in dividends. Earning consistent dividends means you are still getting income while waiting for the markets to recover. Enbridge stock, after falling 20% this year, is undervalued in my view. After this plunge, this top dividend stock is now yielding more than 7%, which is a great bargain. The company operates across North America, fuelling the economy and fulfilling consumers energy needs. Enbridge moves nearly two-thirds of Canadas crude oil exports to the U.S. Canadian banks offer another avenue for you to earn a steadily growing stream of income. They are among the top dividend stocks in North America, benefiting from their balance sheet strength and their careful lending practices. Story continues If you decide to buy bank stocks, consider Bank of Montreal (TSX:BMO)(NYSE:BMO), Canadas fourth-largest lender. After the current sell-off, its stock is about 25% cheaper than it was a year ago. With this weakness, its dividend yield has soared to about 6%. BMO is one of the top dividend payers thats been growing payouts regularly. Theres a very strong possibility that the lender will continue to hike its payouts. The stock currently pays a quarterly payout of $1.06 a share. Once you have bought some top dividend stocks, the next step is to keep re-investing your profit back and buy more shares. This step will unlock the power of compounding one of the most important components of a successful long-term investing plan. Bottom line A disciplined investment approach, picking top dividend-paying stocks, and holding them for a long time are the key components of your journey to become a successful stock investor. The post Got $10,000? Buy Top Dividend Stocks That Are Selling Cheap appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada. More reading Fool contributor Haris Anwar owns shares of Enbridge. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020 British foreign minister Dominic Raab on Sunday stood by his government's abrupt decision to impose a two-week coronavirus quarantine on travelers returning from Spain, which has provoked anger and confusion among tourists. The move to take Spain off a safe-travel list was announced late on Saturday and took effect from midnight (2300 GMT on Saturday), leaving travelers with no time to dodge it or plan ahead. Raab defended the imposition of the quarantine as a "real-time response" to a jump in Spanish coronavirus cases reported on Friday, the latest in a month-long resurgence in infections. "We can't make apologies...we must be able to take swift, decisive action," he said on Sky News. The opposition Labour Party's health policy chief, Jonathan Ashworth, slammed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government for its "frankly shambolic" handling of the measure, which has scuppered the plans of many would-be holidaymakers. The move will also hit hard at the Spanish tourism sector just as it is starting to recover from months of coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions. At Madrid's Barajas airport Emily Harrison, who was taking a flight to London and faced the prospect of having to self-isolate for two weeks. "It's really bad because it's just come all of a sudden, it's not given very much time to prepare so everyone is now panicking," said Harrison, from Essex. "We had a wedding to go to and we had plans to visit friends and family who we haven't seen in a very long time and now we are going to have to cancel all those plans, so it's really quite upsetting." Spain had been on a list of countries that the British government had said were safe for travelers to visit - meaning tourists returning home would not have to go into quarantine. But it has seen cases rise in the last few weeks, prompting most regions to impose rules for masks to be worn everywhere and, in several areas including Barcelona, calls for people to stay at home. "We're quite frustrated by it to be honest, because it actually feels safer in Spain," British tourist Carolyne Lansell, said of the quarantine decision. She was flying to Ibiza from Madrid for a 10-day holiday before going home. A Spanish Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said on Saturday evening that Spain "respects decisions of the United Kingdom" and was in touch with the authorities there. Spain was one of the worst hit countries in Europe by the pandemic, with more than 290,000 cases and over 28,000 deaths. It imposed very strict lockdown measures to contain the spread, gradually easing them earlier in the summer. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) Chief Ajay Kumar Lallu on Sunday attacked the Yogi Adityanath-led government as it recorded its highest single-day spike of 3,246 fresh Covid-19 cases. Speaking to the media, Ajay Kumar Lallu said, The Covid-19 situation is getting worse day by day in the state but the government refuses to acknowledge the alarming situation. There is a huge shortage of beds in hospitals across the state, including in Lucknow to treat corona patients, who are being forced to run from pillar to post for medical help. The UPCC chief said that apart from improving the quality of conditions of Covid facilities in the state, the UP government needs to ramp up testing. The state capital Lucknow itself reported over 5,000 Covid-19 cases. However, the city has only four hospitals for treatment. There are 400 beds for infected patients in Era Medical College, 100 beds in Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, 200 in Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) and 200 beds in King George Medical College (KGMU), which is insufficient to treat the rising number of cases. One can only imagine the situation in other parts of the state, Lallu said. In a sharp attack to the BJP government, he said there is complete chaos due to unsanitary and untreated conditions inside hospitals which includes water seepage, lack of food arrangements and lack of medicines. While the Chief Minister is busy handling the media, people are more scared of arrangements made by the government due to the poor condition of hospitals and quarantine conditions, he said. According to the data released by the Uttar Pradesh Health Department, 3,246 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of infections in the state to 66,988. There are 23,921 active cases in the state. As many as 41,641 patients have recovered and been discharged, the bulletin said. Thirty-nine more people died due to virus infection in the state, pushing the toll to 1,426. Pakistani troops shelled forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district on Sunday, officials said. This is the sixth day in a row that Pakistan has violated ceasefire, they said At about 1515 hours today, Pakistan army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars along the LoC in the Balakote sector of Poonch district, a defence spokesman said. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, he said. Pakistan had shelled areas in Rajouri and Poonch districts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. As speaker of the New York Assembly for 21 years and one of the three most powerful people in state government over that time, Sheldon Silver unquestionably had a hand in doing a lot of good work. But any goodwill those good works earned only went so far after Mr. Silver was convicted of acts of corruption that involved handing out taxpayer funds for millions of dollars in personal gain. For that, Mr. Silver will, finally, go to prison. While the six-and-a-half-year sentence is considerably less than the 17 to 22 years he could have gotten under federal guidelines, it's no small stretch for a 76-year-old man. Whether it's a life sentence, only time will tell. For those who find it harsh, consider that the crimes Mr. Silver committed took power, and that kind of power took years to amass. Anti-corruption laws wouldn't mean much if older politicians the ones with the seniority to wield that kind of power got a pass because of their age. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni came up with a sentence that sends a sufficient message to those who hold power in government today, and will in the future: Do good, not bad. Good riddance to racist honors They were traitors to the United States of America, they were racists, and in some cases they were not even particularly good military leaders, yet they're still honored at 10 Army installations that bear their names. That may finally be about to end after the House of Representatives approved a $732 billion National Defense Authorization Act that included provisions to rename the 10 facilities honoring Confederate figures like reputed Ku Klux Klan leader Lt. Gen. John Brown Gordon, and Maj. Gen. George Pickett, leader of the disastrous charge that helped the Union win at Gettysburg and turn the course of the Civil War. As the nation deeply weighs systemic racism, this should be a no-brainer. But President Donald Trump has threatened a veto. So Senate Republicans may well have to decide whether they are willing to stand by a race-baiting president or not. Imagine renaming bases for genuine heroes further down the ranks. New York's Sen. Charles Schumer offers an inspiring choice: Albany's own Henry Johnson, a Black soldier whose courage in World War I was finally recognized with a Medal of Honor in 2015. Fort Henry Johnson. Nice ring to it, in more ways than one. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. A slap to SLAPP suits More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com See More Collapse Free speech can have a high price for ordinary citizens who speak out against well-heeled developers and other companies who use lawsuits to stifle opposition to their projects. So it was good to see the Legislature pass a bill to discourage the so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP suits) by requiring the awarding of legal costs when these often-frivolous actions fail. It was disappointing, though, to see some Capital Region legislators side against the measure, including Sen. George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, a developer himself, and Assembly members Jake Ashby, R-Castleton, and Dan Stec, R-Queensbury. If signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, this would infringe on no one's rights. It would simply let those who try to use the legal system to shut down public debate know that maliciously infringing on free speech can have a price, too. A two-minute video went viral showing a Kuwaiti national slapping an Egyptian worker three times before other store workers and customers intervened Kuwaiti authorities have arrested a Kuwait citizen for assaulting an Egyptian expatriate working as a cashier in a store in the Gulf country, Egypt's emigration ministry announced Sunday. The incident surfaced two days earlier when a two-minute video went viral showing the Kuwaiti national slapping the Egyptian worker three times while on duty before a number of other store workers and customers intervened to stop the assault. The video sparked anger on social media among users who called on Egyptian authorities to take action on the assault. The case has been referred to a misdemeanour court, Egypt's ministry statement added. Minister of Emigration Nabila Makram praised Kuwaiti authorities for treating all workers on its lands equally. Egypt's consul general in Kuwait said it was an isolated incident and does not represent relations between the two countries. Last year a Kuwaiti criminal court upheld a 17-year jail term against a Kuwaiti citizen who was captured in a shocking video severely beating an Egyptian national in 2017. Hundreds of Egyptian expatriates stranded in the country were repatriated recently due to the coronavirus pandemic. The numbers of Egyptians in Kuwait reached around 445,000 in August 2018, according to Egypts Ministry of Manpower. Search Keywords: Short link: When the group behind Burning Man called off the desert gathering amid the coronavirus pandemic in April, it dashed the hopes of thousands of Bay Area burners who build their lives around the annual event, including Kate Greenberg. Like everyone, I went through a period of mourning for the experience I thought was on the horizon, she said. Unlike other burners, Greenberg, a 31-year-old architect in San Francisco, had been tapped to design the pavilion at the center of Black Rock City upon which the eponymous wooden Man stands that is, until the climactic moment when the massive effigy is set aflame. Its an honor among the builders, designers and engineers whose wild creations are a primary attraction for event-goers. The base, the largest standing structure at the event apart from the temple, functions as a central lookout platform with panoramic views of the surrounding city. Greenbergs vision, to fit with the events Multiverse theme, was an interactive framework of large wooden domes bubble universes, she calls them around a centerpiece lined with mirrors. My approach was to see if I could take the place where people go to look out and see if I could get the individual to look inward and find themselves at the center of the event, Greenberg said. It was intended to become an empowering moment that nodded back to the idea that, at the end, Burning Man is to each person what they make of it. But in April, instead of gearing up for her fifth burn, Greenberg found herself, like just about everyone in the Bay Area, stuck at home on lockdown, cut off from her community. I was at my lowest that second week, when this was really becoming a reality, and it was so uncertain and scary, she said. Since then, shes been sketching new ideas for future Burning Man projects, working from home and hosting impromptu dance parties with friends via Zoom. Its not that the uncertainty has gone away, but I think weve begun to find space within it. Rather than scrap the event entirely, Burning Man organizers are cobbling together a digital facsimile of the gathering, which will be hosted online the first week of September. The details of how it will work are vague, but organizers hope the virtual version is more expansive and inclusive than a week-long party in the harsh Nevada desert for which entry costs upwards of $600 and tickets sell out online almost instantaneously. Burning Man has this way in which, if youre not habituated or connected in the travel-to-the-desert version of it, you dont really have access to it, said Kim Cook, Burning Man director of art and civic engagement. The virtual event, she said, will showcase a new generation of digital creatives pushing the boundaries of traditional art. Its a moment for Burning Man to reach outside the playa. More broadly, its a chance to consider whether the burner communitys guiding principles radical inclusion, communal effort and civic engagement, among them can inform our newly energized efforts to rethink public institutions and societal values during the Black Lives Matter movement and coronavirus pandemic. Greenbergs focus is creating meaningful, shared experiences through public art. In a series of phone calls, she spoke about how opening opportunities for artists may help foster more equitable and inclusive communities in the Bay Area. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Q: If theres a silver lining to this period, its that we are re-evaluating all kinds of institutions and behaviors and societal values. Do you think that could extend to the art industry? A: When we talk about the future of art, we should be talking about the equity of art and how we give people the opportunity to share their voices and share their experiences. I dont think its ever been done well or equally. Theres a real disparity in the diversity of the opportunity within the arts for minority artists when you look at traditional venues and the audience theyre trying to reach. Thats one thing thats very special about Burning Man. We often think of museums as the places where art becomes art and is acknowledged, but Burning Man offers new artists a voice. It provides support for pieces but also validation for someone to recognize themselves as an artist. Q: A lot of us are only moving around in our small neighborhoods right now. What can we take from the experience at Burning Man that could help us engage with our neighborhoods? A: Thats hard. People at Burning Man are incredibly invested and engaged with their community because its one that you choose, that you help to create. Theres also this surprise and delight that comes out of Burning Man and casually encountering extraordinary things on a daily basis there. I think theres a way where we can create surprise and delight in our outdoor environment for people to discover. You see some of that every year in the Parking Day, where people take over parklets and turn them into something new for 24 hours. But there are a lot of small spaces in the city medians, alleys, blank walls. Itd be interesting to look at the opportunities around us right now: What are void spaces that we can transform? Q: How can we use art to foster that kind of enthusiasm? Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. A: Art can be a way to communicate with your community. It might be the extent of walking around and feeling safe in asking, Can I do something here? Can I express myself? How can I change what Im seeing in my neighborhood? How can I augment it, make it more beautiful and talk about what Im feeling? Im not sure there are simple answers to those questions, but I think they come when people have a sense of ownership of their space. Q: What do you think about this years virtual Burning Man event? A: I dont believe that the virtual event will ever be a true substitution for the real thing not at this point in time. But what an interesting opportunity, right? For the first time, you can bring art that could never physically be there (in Black Rock City) because you dont need to worry about the 50-80 mph winds and the dust. There are all these challenges to building out there that dont exist in the virtual realm, and this is a chance to showcase new art. Im not that (digital) artist, but there are plenty of creatives out there that could really make something special from this opportunity. Q: Do you think we might come out of this with a new path for public art and how its created or presented? A: Theres certainly a pretty captive audience if people want to make art right now. I walk to Golden Gate Park and the area around the Panhandle, and Ive seen some spontaneous concerts given from doorsteps, which is really exciting. If were shutting down an entire street, for instance, could that street be given over to sidewalk art? Were seeing these feelings spilling onto our doorsteps and sidewalks. Maybe we could organize those ideas a bit more start connecting the dots between those opportunities and presentations. Q: How do you think this moment will translate artistically? A: Im anticipating that the artistic statements that come after this time are going to be something very unique because its really one of the first times that, globally, weve all had this shared experience of uncertainty and trauma. Our individual experiences are all different, but its a shared experience nonetheless, and I think thats pretty unusual. Art that comes out of it could resonate very widely. Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle and outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas A hiker in California recorded harrowing videos of himself after he broke his leg and was stranded for 40 hours on a California desert trail with no cell phone reception Robert Ringo, 67, of La Quinta, wasn't sure he was going to make it out alive when he became stranded at Joshua Tree National Park in early July, so he began recording himself. 'Help! Help!' Ringo screams into the distance. At one point, Ringo tells the camera that 'this might be the last episode.' Ringo, who often hikes and hunts, pans the camera to his injured left leg while in unbearable pain. 'I cant stand and I cant talk, I cant sit and I certainly cant walk,' says Ringo. 'You can see how my foot is just flopping.' He adds that he was 'trying to at least turnover and when [he] did, it was just unbelievable pain.' Breaking your leg is never fun. Worse even is when it happens during a hike and nobody is around. That scenario happened to Robert Ringo on July 15. https://t.co/ZVVZLj5MXo pic.twitter.com/9VcWEMDk2m AccuWeather (@accuweather) July 23, 2020 Robert Ringo (pictured), 67, was hiking along a trail at Joshua Tree National Park in California when he took a bad fall and broke his left leg Ringo, who had no cell phone service and traveled alone, began recording himself on his cell phone. Pictured: Robert Ringo's broken leg In footage he took, Ringo reveals that he's suffering from dehydration. 'It's the first time in my life that I've ever experienced...no saliva,' Ringo says, lying with his shirt unbuttoned under a sliver of shade. Ringo was stuck injured and alone in park for 40 hours while only surviving on two liters of water he brought and juniper berries he found nearby. 'I saw some juniper bushes and I scooted up and ate some juniper berries and then I came up on this flat plateau,' said Ringo. Ringo became dehydrated over the 40-hour wait and admitted 'It's the first time in my life that I've ever experienced...no saliva' Ringo yelled for help and assistance several times, but no one was close enough to hear his calls He kept his leg propped onto a nearby branch to shield himself from the unforgiving sun as temperatures that day reached 109F. With no cell phone service and no mobility, Ringo feared what could happen to him if no one discovered he was up there. Meanwhile, his family had searched for him the next day with little luck. Before Ringo left for his hike, he shared his cell phone location with his son, Ryan, out of habit. 'Of course there was zero service but I had tagged my location and shared it with my son Ryan before I left. That's just something I always do,' Ringo told KESQ. Ringo's family contacted authorities, who around 9am on July 17 finally located the father on the plateau when surveying the wilderness from a helicopter. 'I looked and it showed his last location was in Joshua Tree, and when I saw it, I recognized where it was,' Ryan Ringo told ABC 7. The Ringo family said more than 30 rescuers were out in the National Park searching the area. Ringo (pictured) said he shared in cell phone location with his son, Ryan, and that it helped authorities eventually find him after 40 hours The Joshua Tree Search Rescue team found Ringo and transferred him to the Desert Regional Medical Center to treat his broken femur. 'I never got to the point where I thought, I'm not going to make it. I just had a confidence and a faith,' Ringo said. He underwent surgery for his left leg and his expected to make a full recovery. Ringo says he can't express enough gratitude towards his rescuers, or 'angels' as he calls them. 'I'm grateful because if I had never been found it would've been devastating for my family,' said Ringo. He's also extremely proud of his son, who he now refers to as a hero. 'I don't know how many men can say their hero is their son,' said Ringo, adding that he looks forward to hiking again once his leg heals. The latest incident was reportedly not Ringo's first near-death experience. He said that he's been electrocuted before and survived a shark attack. The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic cyclone season made landfall twice as a Category 1 storm on Saturday afternoon within the space of little over an hour. The first landfall happened at around 5pm local time, about 15 miles (24km) north of Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles (209km) south of Corpus Christi. The second took place nearby in eastern Kenedy County, where Hanna came ashore with maximum sustained winds of 90mph (145kph). Forecasters downgraded Hanna to a tropical storm early on Sunday. The storm had maximum sustained winds at 70mph (115kph), the National Hurricane Centre said. Many parts of Texas, including areas near where Hanna came ashore, have been dealing with a surge in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks, but local officials said they were prepared for whatever the storm might bring. Advertisement Chris Birchfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville, said residents needed to remain alert. Hannas winds weakened, but the storms real threat remained heavy rain. Were not even close to over at this point, he said. Were still expecting catastrophic flooding. Forecasters said Hanna could bring 6in-12in (15cm-30cm) of rain on Sunday night with isolated totals of 18in (46cm) in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Some areas in South Texas had already reported receiving up to 9in (23cm) of rain, including Cameron County, which borders Mexico and where Brownsville is located. Rainfall totals were expected to rise throughout the evening and into Sunday. Its been all day, said Melissa Elizardi, a spokeswoman for Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino. In a tweet, President Donald Trump said his administration was monitoring Hanna, along with Hurricane Douglas, which was heading towards Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Sherry Boehme, who lives in a condo along the beach in Corpus Christi, said the storms approach had increased the anxiety she has felt during the pandemic. The 67-year-old has mostly stayed at home because of health issues related to chronic lung disease. Advertisement Its almost like a double whammy to us, she said. I think its made a lot of people nervous Well get through it. Everybody is good and strong and sticks together. Hanna came nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey made landfall north-east of Corpus Christi. Hanna was not expected to be as destructive as Harvey, which killed 68 people and caused an estimated 125 billion US dollars of damage in Texas. First responders in Corpus Christi proactively placed barricades near intersections to have them ready to go if streets began to flood, Mayor Joe McComb said. More than 43,700 people throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, were without power on Saturday evening, according to AEP Texas. The US Coast Guard was called to help with the rescue of a couple on a boat that was taking on water in a harbour near Corpus Christi, a spokesman said. A swiftwater rescue team assisted in getting the couple back to land without injuries. Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where health officials made headlines when they revealed that 60 infants had tested positive for Covid-19 from July 1 to July 16. Further south in Cameron County, more than 300 confirmed new cases have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks, according to state health figures. The past week has also been the countys deadliest of the pandemic. Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna loomed as the first big test. South Texas officials plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind and incorporate social distancing guidelines and mask wearing. Cameron County planned to open at least three evacuation shelters. Other counties and cities throughout South Texas had also opened shelters, with many requiring face masks. Governor Greg Abbott said on Saturday that some sheltering would take place in hotel rooms so people could be separated. We cannot allow this hurricane to lead to a more catastrophically deadly event by stoking additional spread of Covid-19 that could lead to fatalities, he said. Various resources and personnel to respond to the storm were on stand-by across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft. Mr Abbott said he has issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties in Texas and had asked the federal government to approve a similar declaration. Tornadoes were also possible overnight on Saturday into Sunday for parts of the lower to middle Texas coastal plain. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 03:53:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Saturday said that 72 illegal immigrants have been rescued by the Libyan coast guard off the country's western coast. The UNHCR tweeted that "72 people were brought back to Tripoli Naval Port by Libyan Coast Guard late last night. UNHCR and the International Rescue Committee provided water, food, medical help." It added that the group were being moved to detention on Saturday. The UNHCR stressed that Libya is not a safe port for disembarkation, and called for alternatives to the detention of migrants. The fall of Libya's late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 created a state of insecurity and chaos in the country that made it a preferred point of departure towards Europe for thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Africans. The UNHCR on Friday called for renewed action against human trafficking in Libya, expressing readiness to support the Libyan authorities in identifying and implementing alternatives to detention in Libya and ending arbitrary detention of refugees and asylum-seekers. The UNHCR revealed that, in addition to people held in trafficking camps, more than 2,000 refugees and migrants are being detained in official detention center without judicial review. The commissioner also said that more than 6,000 refugees and migrants have been rescued at sea by the Libyan coast guard and returned to Libya so far in 2020. Enditem Briefing With Senior U.S. Government Officials On the Closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston, Texas Special Briefing Office of the Spokesperson Via Teleconference July 24, 2020 MODERATOR: Hey, good morning, everyone. Thanks, it's [Moderator] here. Thank you for joining us for this background briefing by senior U.S. Government officials on the closure of the Chinese consulate general in Houston, Texas. Yesterday, in a landmark speech at the Nixon Library, Secretary Pompeo talked about the need to demand fairness and reciprocity in our relationship with China, and the imperative to focus on Beijing's actions vice words as a gauge of its intent. Indeed, it's its action the actions of the PRC government that led us to take the decision to close the Houston consulate that we intend to highlight today. For your awareness but not for reporting, our briefers this morning are [Senior State Department Official], [Senior Justice Department Official], and [Senior United States Intelligence Official]. As a reminder, the content of this briefing is embargoed until the end of the call. Our briefers we'll have two briefers who will begin with short introductory remarks, and then we'll have time for your questions. To begin with a framing of the behaviors we were observing that led us to the decision to close this consulate, we'll start with our senior Justice Department official. [Senior Justice Department Official], please, go ahead. SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Thank you, and good morning to all of you. Thank you for joining us this morning. By their very nature, consulates are a base of operations for foreign governments in the United States, including their intelligence services. And it's understood that there will be some activity here by those services. But because of their location within the United States and their status as sovereign[1] territory of a foreign country, they can be exploited. And the espionage and influence activities run out of a consulate can rise ultimately to a level that threatens our national security. Let me give you a few examples of that in the context of the consulate closure in Houston. Yesterday we issued we being the Department of Justice a press release highlighting a network of PLA associates who concealed their military affiliation when applying for student visas here. One of those individuals was a fugitive from justice until last night, having received sanctuary in the San Francisco consulate. That press release and the individuals charged there are a microcosm, we believe, of a broader network of individuals in more than 25 cities. That network is supported through the consulates here. Consulates have been giving individuals in that network guidance on how to evade and obstruct our investigation, and you can infer from that the ability to task that network of associates nationwide. The Houston consulate was also implicated in an investigation of grant fraud at a Texas research institution. Consulate officials directly involved were directly involved in communications with researchers and guided them on what information to collect. The consulates in Houston including Houston promoted talent plan memberships. Memberships in talent plans can create the incentives to steal intellectual property and otherwise create conflicts of interest. Last year we convicted a Houston businessman, Shan Shi, of trade secret theft. He was a Houston area businessman who had established a front company and subsidiary of a Chinese firm and poached local talent and IP from a Houston business for the purpose of developing a dual-use technology that China has wanted to become self-sufficient in. Consulates are also bases of operations for Fox Hunt teams. These are teams of agents sent from China here to coerce economic fugitives meaning political rivals of President Xi, the Communist Party critics, and refugees coercing them, that is, to return to the PRC. Consulates enabled the activities of those teams. Consulates also enabled direct lobbying of state and local officials, as well as business people, to favor Chinese interests. And while that's to be expected by diplomats, when it takes a turn towards the coercive or the covert, that becomes a national security problem. And finally, we've seen consulates publicly criticize pro-Hong Kong democracy activists on campus and support nationalist counter-demonstrators, sometimes leading to violence, in the case of Australia. And I suspect the consulates here have networks of watchers on campus that report on fellow students and undermine the free expression that every student on an American campus should enjoy. The sum total of the Houston consulate's activities went well over the line of what we are willing to accept, and unless we disrupted it, it threatened to become even more aggressive in Houston and at other Chinese consulates nationwide. Our focus is on disrupting this activity out of Houston as well as deterring similar activity by Chinese officials at other consulates. Closing the Houston consulate and preventing relocation of those officials accomplishes both of those goals. The activity we are concerned with, while illegal, is not necessarily amenable to criminal charges, among other reasons, because of the diplomatic immunity that consulate officials enjoy. So you're not necessarily going to see many prosecutions tied specifically to the Houston consulate as a means of disrupting that activity. That tool just isn't as available to us in this context as it would be elsewhere. And the public examples and what I'm discussing here today are merely the tip of the iceberg at Houston. We shared this information and obviously much more detail with the State Department, which ultimately has to decide when enough is enough and what response is justified. But we applaud State Department's leadership in this necessary and justified response. I'll stop there. MODERATOR: Thank you. We appreciate that. And just as a reminder, his remarks will be attributed to a senior Justice Department official. Our next briefer will be referred to as a senior State Department official. [Senior State Department Official], please, go ahead. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Thank you for that and thank you for the (inaudible) that are there. Let me just frame the relationship in the broadest possible terms and then work down into details. So, with the National Security Strategy, this administration finally acknowledged after 40-plus years that this relationship is characterized by strategic competition. That's not to fault anybody that went before. The we tried this has worked in many cases with other countries, the fact that engagement has led to positive outcomes. But the Trump administration acknowledged early on in the National Security Strategy that this is a strategic competition, and now the relationship is going to have to reflect that one acknowledgement and to the reality as described. And so the decision to close the consulate in Houston reflects our longstanding concerns, but also patient U.S. diplomacy. Look, we're positive, optimistic people, but there comes a time when you just have to say enough is enough. For years, we've been asking the PRC to stop these malign and criminal activities. We've been talking to them, explaining. We traveled to meet them in Hawaii in June, as you've heard, New York City last August. And still, Beijing continues to act egregiously and criminally. Beijing's actions warranted a strong response as well as countermeasures, as you heard from Justice, to defend American security and American interests, and that's what we did in Houston. In terms of reciprocal treatment, again, in a higher-level relationship, you don't have to work down to the foundations of reciprocity, but if you're not getting mutual respect and mutual benefit, which is language you hear from Beijing if their actions don't match those words, then you have to get down to the basics. And so for years, the President has emphasized the need to establish reciprocity in this relationship on trade, in diplomatic engagement, on just about everything. So Beijing has enjoyed free and open access to U.S. society, but at the same time, they've denied that same access to U.S. diplomats in China and foreigners just in general. Beijing has also egregiously abused its free and open access to the U.S. as demonstrated by the actions in Houston as described by Justice, but in other PRC diplomatic missions across U.S. universities, businesses, other institutions. And so we've been very clear this going into this, this lack of reciprocity is unacceptable. We've encouraged them to change their behavior and to at least acknowledge our concerns without success. And so Houston is a firm demonstration that we are serious. It's not just the U.S. This is going on pretty much everywhere, so these malign and criminal activities are a worldwide problem. This is how the PRC diplomats and agents that's how they operate, both overtly and undercover. We note that the Houston consulate general was previously posted in Australia. The trouble that PRC agents have been causing here in the U.S. isn't just limited to the U.S. It truly is global. Australia, by the way, has done some really good things to combat this covert, coercive, and/or corrupting interference. The Australian Government has taken a range of measures and Australian civil society and journalists have helped educate the world on the problem. I commend Clive Hamilton's book Silent Invasion to you if you want to look at the background that goes to that. And so with each indictment that's exposed, we learn just how much China has relied on illegal, covert, coercive, corrupt behavior to try to impose its will on the world as well as to gain unfair advantage in normal relationships, whether they're economic, diplomatic, or others. This is part of the problem that Secretary Pompeo highlighted in his speech yesterday. And so I'll conclude by noting that this is part of a deliberate effort by the U.S. Government to put this relationship on solid footing footing that's balanced, footing that respects the interests of both countries, of both sides, and acknowledges that the Chinese Communist Party has been getting away with this for too long. Time is now to act, and that's what we have done. Let me conclude with one last point: I note the Chinese Communist Party this is about their government system; this is not about the people in the country. There are hundreds of thousands of Chinese students. There is far more Chinese people of who are native are Americans or who are visitors of all sorts that are just like you and me they're doing the right thing and they're trying to get by. This is not about them, so we need to be very careful how we address this. That concludes my comments. MODERATOR: Right. Now we have time for your questions. During the question and answer period, if we go to our third briefer, he will be referred to as a senior U.S. Intelligence official. Moderator, if you could give the instructions for getting into the question queue. OPERATOR: Certainly. Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to ask a question, please press 1 then 0 on your telephone keypad. You may withdraw your question at any time by repeating the 1, 0 command. If you are using a speaker phone, please pick up your handset before pressing the numbers. Once again, please press 1 then 0 at this time. MODERATOR: Okay. For our first question, can we go to the line of Carol Morello? QUESTION: I'd like to ask you what you might do if the Chinese don't close the embassy or the consulate on Friday, which they haven't yet committed to. And do you expect them to send the diplomats back to Beijing or to some other consulate? And just broader, you seem to be using the same strategy here that you've used with Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and to some degree with Russia on Ukraine to make demands and keep turning the screws tighter, but nothing ever seems to change. Why do you think this same strategy might work this time? Thank you very much. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Thank you for (inaudible) question, and I'll just point to my earlier statement about putting this relationship in a context that addresses the interests of both parties. I'm not going to speculate about how this rolls out in Houston, but I will note that and your points about distributing and all that stuff, those are details that will be worked and addressed should they come up. But it is about taking a strong stand. And we can deal with the second and third-order effects as we go, but the point is, as our Justice briefer said, that this had just become too big to ignore, and so we are taking positive steps. Over. MODERATOR: Great. If you have a particular when you ask questions, if you have a particular briefer you'd like to hear from, please identify them when you ask your question. For our second question, let's go to let's go to Yuichi from Washington Free Beacon. QUESTION: So obviously, there's a lot of there's several consulates in the United States, Chinese consulates in the United States. MODERATOR: (Inaudible) cut off at the beginning. QUESTION: Sorry, what did you say? MODERATOR: Can you start over, please? QUESTION: Oh, yeah, of course, yeah. So obviously, there's several Chinese consulates in the United States. Was there something in particular about the activities at the Houston consulate that was particularly concerning? I assume all the consulates to an extent are doing some stuff some shady stuff. Would it have anything to do with the fact that there was extensive recruiting of Texas A&M and the University of Texas researchers for the Thousand Talents Program? Was there just anything in particular that really stood out about the Houston consulate? SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Okay, I'll from State I'll just lead off on that one. How we picked it I think Justice laid out a pretty good case. But from where I sit, and if you look at what happened with the corona outbreak in China in 2019, they have been very clear about their intent to be the first to the to market with a vaccine and the medical connections here aren't lost on me. And as the briefer noted, the medical connection in Houston is also pretty specific. Over. SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: And from Justice, you the activities I've described are not by any means exclusive to Houston, but Houston was not a random selection either. I think the way I think about it, and I encourage State Department to correct me if I'm wrong, once you decide that this pattern activity is unacceptable and you're going to respond, you're probably going to respond by closing one facility as opposed to every facility, and the point of that is to send a message to the remaining officials that they've got to knock it off. And so it is certainly not random that we picked Houston. But the I don't think, from the way I look at it, that you could point to one moment that was the straw that broke the camel's back. It has been an increase in malign activity, intelligence activity over time, and at some point you say enough is enough, and then you decide who is a like one of the worst offenders, or the best offender if you're looking at it from the Chinese point of view, and that is the way I think of the decision having been made. Over. SENIOR UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL: Hi, this is [Senior United States Intelligence Official]. Just one last bit to add there to what [Senior Justice Department Official] said. I think from our perspective, when this was discussed, our biggest concern is the theft of intellectual property and a lot of our technology. And when we look across the board at the activities of the consulates, [Senior Justice Department Official] is actually absolutely right: We see this kind of behavior across the board. Houston in particular, though, was their S&T[2] collectors were particularly aggressive and particularly successful, so I think that is the reason why we tended towards Houston as well. MODERATOR: Okay, thank you. For our next question, can we go to the line of Owen Churchill from The South China Morning Post? QUESTION: Yeah, hi. Appreciate this. Thanks a lot. First question for State: So Pompeo said yesterday he spoke in very explicit terms about the need to kind of engage and empower the Chinese people, but, I mean, with Beijing's closure of the Chengdu consulate, I'm assuming that the task will become more difficult for U.S. diplomats there to do outreach, to connect directly with Chinese people on the ground. So, I'm just wondering whether you had anticipated that retaliation and whether you have any concerns about its impact on the administration's ability to engage directly with the Chinese people. And then just a follow-up question on the first briefer's comments about the fugitive in San Francisco: Could you just clarify? It sounded like you said they're no longer a fugitive. Does that mean that they've been apprehended or that they've given themselves up? What's the latest with that? Thank you. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: So [Senior State Department Official] to answer your question. You're exactly right. The intent, the whole point of this is to understand China better, is to engage with the Chinese people better as diplomats, not as foreign not as media. We can talk about designations of foreign media here in the U.S. if you like. But it's to actually start up a conversation and build a relationship and mutual understanding. Here's the problem, though: I mean, you're seeing it firsthand or the people of Hong Kong are seeing that is that ability is nowhere near balanced. The things that Justice described where folks are pretty much spreading out and interacting in a good way and a not-so-good way is not reflected in the PRC. My experience as a diplomat in China reflects this entirely is that I had to ask for permission to have meetings and those were generally denied. And so this is about making things right. I keep using the word "housekeeping." Forty years of broken glass needs to be swept up and put back in order, and given the National Security Strategy, finally acknowledging that this really is a strategic competition, we're going to do that. Now, the second or third-order effects, I think we can mitigate those. I think in an honest negotiation with the PRC we can get back to where we need to be, but we'll see. So over. SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: And as to your second question, yes, the defendant's in custody and I expect she'll make her initial appearance in court later today. Over. MODERATOR: Great. For our next question, can we go to the line of Luis Martinez from ABC? QUESTION: (Inaudible) Francisco, was that voluntary, or was that something to do with a waiver of MODERATOR: Can you start again? QUESTION: Sure. With regards to the San Francisco apprehension, was that because of a waiver of diplomatic immunity, or how was that possible? And also, just to go a question for the senior State Department official about the situation with Chengdu, the PRC now ordering a closure of that consulate, can you provide confirmation of that and additional information about it? SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: On your first question, I won't discuss the circumstances of arrest, but just a terminology issue: as I understand it, "diplomatic immunity" refers to the status a person might have that would make it impossible to prosecute them, and I don't think this individual had that status because, of course, they were not declared as a diplomatic official. In fact, that's the issue here, is that their true status wasn't disclosed on their visa application. That's the essence of the charge. But as to how they came to be arrested, I'm just going to defer to whatever is said in court later today if that comes up. I also should make clear that the charges in that case lie in Sacramento, the Eastern District of California, even though, of course, the alleged individual was a fugitive in San Francisco, which is the Northern District. So just to be clear that the arrest happened in one district, but the charges and the prosecution will move forward in the Eastern District of California. Over. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: And to your second question about the announcement last night about Chengdu, these are two totally different things. The arrest that we just described in Houston[3] and the closure of that consulate [4]are about nefarious activity inside the U.S. Their decision to close Chengdu, you're going to have to ask them about how they picked that, but I will note that activity in Chengdu is to the previous question, it's about understanding and messaging the Chinese people and especially the people in that district, which include Tibet. And I will note that in all this time, the ambassador there has had one been permitted to travel to Tibet one time. It's not like the U.S., and people need to understand that. The diplomatic presence, access, and all those things in the PRC from firsthand experiences of many of the people that work for me it's just not the same and we need to get at reciprocity. It's important. Reciprocity creates balance and balance is stability, and we need to get back to that. Over. MODERATOR: Great. For our next question, can we go to the line of Aruna from The Wall Street Journal? Aruna, are you there? QUESTION: Yes, sorry. I was on mute. Thanks for doing this. So, two quick questions for the DOJ and [Intelligence] folks. Can you provide more detail about the contacts between the consulate and the researchers in the area and how that went beyond normal consular contact sort of with their nationals in the area? How specific was the direction? What types of communications were they having? And also on in a similar vein, you mentioned the coercive methods in dealing with state and local officials. Is that referring to pressures on the officials about not getting not visiting Taiwan and things like that? Or was there something more can you provide examples of what that kind of contact looked like? SENIOR UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL: So this is [Senior United States Intelligence Official]. So I can tell you Houston, the behavior was again not unlike what we've seen throughout the country. We have I think over 50 examples over the last 10 years of the Houston consulate supporting talent plan members and recruitments in the area targeting the various research centers down there. In addition, I'll give you another example: We had, for the Fox Hunt program where China's trying to lure back dissidents or, as they call them, "economic fugitives," we have one instance where the Houston consulate representative delivered a letter to a person in the South, allegedly from his father, imploring the person to come back to the United States I'm sorry, come back to China. So, these folks are the folks in Houston were very much active participants in all the various efforts of collection and influence that the Chinese Government and the Chinese Communist Party is doing here in the U.S. Over. MODERATOR: Okay. We'll move onto our next question, if we could go to the line of Nick Schifrin from PBS NewsHour. QUESTION: [Senior State Department Official], if I could ask you to respond to Chengdu, I know you want to make the point that the two consulates are not similar and the two actions are not similar, but could you just take on the idea out there that this is a reciprocal response by China as an effort not to escalate further? And if I could ask the senior Intelligence official: We've seen more indictments, more spotlight on Chinese actions over the last couple years. Can you talk about whether that is an indication of more Chinese activity or greater U.S. ability and/or willingness to go after that activity? Thanks. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Hey, Nick, thank you for that. And I don't mean to be glib or trite, but I would say that have your counterpart in Beijing ask that to the MFA and help them explain the thought process behind that. You might actually get an answer, but I don't think so, and this is one of those differences we've been talking about in access and all those that we are trying to rectify. Over. MODERATOR: Yeah, and the second part of your question? Can you open the line Nick's line again so he can ask the second part of his question again? OPERATOR: Nick, please press 1 then 0. Your line is open, Nick. (No response.) MODERATOR: Okay. Sorry about that. We'll have to move on. Let's go to the line of David Brunnstrom from Reuters. We may have time for one more question after that. QUESTION: Can you hear me okay? MODERATOR: Yeah. Go ahead, David. QUESTION: Yeah, I just wanted we had a report yesterday about returning of a U.S. diplomat to China. I understand that a flight left bound for Shanghai the night before last. Is that process going to be affected at all? Will that go ahead? Has that flight arrived? Do you have assurances from the Chinese that that process will go ahead? And just on a couple of practical details, what time is the Chinese consulate supposed to close by? And is it reasonable that the Chinese have given the Chengdu consulate only until Monday, including the weekend, in that 72 hours? Thank you. SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Thanks for that. As far as our returning our folks to China, that continues. We still have a job to do out there. This is not this is not related. We for fear of the initial transparency issues we saw where it was really unclear exactly what was happening, we did the prudent thing and moved folks out of Wuhan and the rest of Mission China. So, we will continue moving them back. The Chinese side has been cooperative in that; they understand the need to get back to balance. And as far as the rest, I'm not going to comment on details on the relationship. Over. MODERATOR: Okay. For our last question can we go to Laura Kelly from The Hill? Laura, go ahead. QUESTION: Thanks. I'll just I'll re-ask Nick's question because I wanted to hear the answer to that for the for the Justice Department and maybe [Intelligence] as well. Is the the recent indictments coming out, are they Nick said, is there an indication of more Chinese activity or is it a greater U.S. ability and willingness to go after perpetrators? SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: So, this is [Senior Justice Department Official]. I'll start and then I'll turn it over to the Intelligence official. From my perspective, we've been charging a lot of this activity, including economic espionage and traditional espionage, for years. So same process, same threshold, same willingness to bring those charges. Other areas, such as the talent plans, have more recently been a focus of enforcement effort. And so, there's the answer to your question is, I think all, of the above. Part of it is we are seeing more because victims, particularly in the private sector, are more willing to call us and work with us. I think maybe they're more alert to threats, and so they are getting to us before their employees, for example, take the IP and get to the airport. So we are able to bring that case now whereas before, if they had waited or not spotted red flags, we might not have been able to bring it before. In the academic context, we have increased our outreach and our threat briefings to academics and security officers at universities, and that has led us along with work by the federal funding agencies, the IGs there who are exploring talent plan memberships that weren't disclosed that has led to more cases. As to whether Chinese activity has changed, increased, decreased, or the like, that's a question I would defer to my Intelligence Community colleague to answer. Over. SENIOR UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL: Yeah, thanks, [Senior Justice Department Official]. So this is [Senior United States Intelligence Official]. So I think [Senior Justice Department Official] hit the nail on the head there. So, we have seen we've got about a 1,300 percent increase in cases related to economic espionage and China over the last 10 years, and I attribute a lot of that to enhanced communication and understanding of the threat. China has always been doing this, but I would say that their efforts in talent plan recruitment are something that we are probably just fully understanding the depth and breadth of in the last, I'd say, three years or so. We've focused a lot of our effort on so I'd say the phrase we use is we're not going to arrest our way out of this. The problem posed by China is too large, so we've changed our tack to focus on a communication understanding. We're trying to communicate as much as we can about the problem. That gives people the understanding to know when to interact with us, when we get the FBI involved and when they can handle it themselves, and as [Senior Justice Department Official] said, we have a lot of people coming to us now talking about the issues that they're seeing either in academia, some institution, or whether it be a politician that with some foreign influence. So, it's probably not so much that China is markedly increasing their efforts. We've always been a focus of their collection and their intelligence efforts. I think it's a what we're seeing is the rise, the reflection of us getting the news out that, hey, this is a problem, it needs to be addressed, and it's a recognition by everybody, I think now, that they could play a part in fixing this problem. Over. SENIOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: This is [Senior Justice Department Official] again. Let me just give you what quantitative data I can. Of all the cases we bring and have brought over time alleging the theft of trade secrets, about 60 percent of those cases have some connection to China, whether it's a Chinese company that's the intended beneficiary or the like. Of that of that group of cases, the cases where we have the unclassified proof that allows us to allege that the crime was intended to benefit a government, that's about 80 percent of economic espionage cases. So, we have over time seen consistently that China, meaning the People's Republic of China Government, as well as the companies doing business there, represent a disproportionate share of our trade secret theft and economic espionage prosecutions. Over. SENIOR UNITED STATES INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL: And this is this is [Senior United States Intelligence Official] one more time. Since [Senior Justice Department Official] threw out some stats, I don't want to I don't want to leave you without any stats from the bureau's standpoint. And I think the director said this in his speech last or two weeks ago, but I'll reiterate it. So, we have about 2,000 active counterintelligence investigations tied to the to China, and we open a new case about every 10 hours, just to give you a perspective on how much work we have here. MODERATOR: All right, thank you to our briefers today. As a reminder to everyone on the call, this the contents of the briefing were provided on background to a senior State Department official, a senior DOJ official, and a senior U.S. Intelligence official. And as this is the end of the call, the embargo on the contents is lifted. Thank you all for joining today. -------------------------- [1] The State Department notes that while foreign missions enjoy certain protections under international law, including inviolability, they are still within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Embassy and consulate properties are not considered foreign soil. [2] science and technology [3] San Francisco [4] the Houston consulate NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Aged care workers across Australia will be given paid pandemic leave to encourage them to stay home if they have symptoms of the coronavirus, amid rapidly rising cases of the virus in Victoria. The decision by the national industrial tribunal to upend traditional workplace rules and give workers more leave follows the highest recorded total of cases in Victoria on Monday, with 532 new cases and six deaths, five of them in aged care. St Basil's Aged Care in Fawkner, Melbourne, on Monday. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui Five commissioners on the Fair Work Commission decided aged care workers, including nurses and medical professionals employed in those settings under industry awards should get the extra entitlement because it might help save elderly residents lives. While Victoria has been hit hardest by the virus, the commissioners said the situation in New South Wales was not encouraging and justified the extension of leave to workers in other states. It said casual workers did not have sick leave and full time workers may have exhausted it or be unable to use it if they were not actually sick, but still had to isolate because they had come into contact with a COVID-19 case. Loading The requirement for self-isolation is primarily to prevent the spread of infection which, in the aged care sector is especially critical because of the vulnerability of aged persons to COVID-19 fatalities, the commissioners said. The commission is yet to determine exactly how paid pandemic leave will work, but signalled each worker would get up to two weeks at a time if they have to isolate because they have COVID-19 symptoms or have come into contact with a suspected case. It will apply to those workers under industry awards, which are the minimum pay and conditions rules. Casual workers will be eligible for the new leave but only those employed on a regular and systematic basis. Unlike the federal governments JobKeeper scheme, there is no minimum amount of time casuals have to have been getting regular shifts before qualifying. Employers will bear the cost of the scheme, which industry groups had warned could push some of the agencies that provide badly-needed casual workers to aged care homes out of the market. The commissioners dismissed that concern, saying the cost could be recouped from aged care homes or the federal government through its aid package to the sector in Victoria. Lloyd Williams, national secretary of the Health Services Union, which helped run the union case for the additional leave, welcomed the decision. He said the same leave should be extended to community and home care workers. The additional leave will last for three months, but could be extended. Read the full story here. Those observing the cultural landscape in America attempt to understand why Jews vote for leftwing policies that run counter to their own safety and existence. But many Catholic institutions are also active in disseminating radical left-wing ideology. It was not always thus. At this site, one can see the American Catholic pamphlet series on Communism that highlighted the dangers of this murderous ideology. The following were published in 1947: Communism and Fascism: two of a kind by Hermann Borchardt Communism means slavery by Henry William Chamberlin Enemy in our schools by Eugene Lyons Regarding Eugene Lyons, Harry Stein has written: [I]n The Red Decade, Lyons was, in fact, describing the Communist-dominated American Left of the Depression-wracked 1930s and 1940s. Lyons' observations [are] even more meaningful, for it is sobering to be confronted with how little has been gained by hard experience. The celebration of feelings over reason? The certainty of moral virtue? The disdain for tradition and the revising of history for ideological ends? The embrace of the latest definition of correct thought? Lyons was one of the most gifted reporters of his time, and among the bravest, and his story of the spell cast by Stalinist-tinged social-justice activism over that day's purported best and brightest literary titans, Hollywood celebrities, leading academics, religious leaders, media heavies would be jaw-dropping if it weren't so eerily familiar. Another author and columnist, Ralph de Toledano, penned a piece titled "How Communism Demoralizes Youth." It can also be found in his book America, I-Love-You. In 1947, he wrote, "There are over eight thousand members of American Youth for Democracy (AYD) in our schools and colleges. They are the storm troops of a new totalitarianism which is attempting to put a halter on America's youth, to blindfold it so that can be led down the Communist road to its own destruction." "[A]ny attempt to expose Stalinoid fascism is 'red-baiting.'" Although more than 70 years old, this describes with impeccable accuracy what we are seeing in the halls of universities and the streets of America today. Toledano described these young people as coming from "middle class backgrounds" and having gone to "fairly expensive colleges." Contrary to current belief, idealism had only played a minor part in [the young person's] conversion. But in the main, it was merely that in succumbing to Marxist immoralism, he was taking the final step in a walk which began early in his education. For the blindfold began to be applied when the whole moral structure of our society was questioned by what has been called scientism. Democracy is based on moral premises, self-evident principles. Totalitarianism begins with a total denial of any moral code and sets up in its place power and material advantage, no matter how achieved. In 2020, "while older people still see socialism and communism as dangerous, authoritarian political systems, younger people are more likely to see them as economic systems, and to care far less one way or another." Thus, "a recent poll conducted by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation showed that 36 percent of Millennials have a favorable opinion of communism, as do a quarter of Gen Zers. One in five Millennials thinks the Communist Manifesto better 'guarantees freedom and equality' than the Declaration of Independence and thinks society would be better off if the government abolished private property; one in six thinks the world would be better off if the Soviet Union were still around." In reality, "'[t]he historical amnesia about the dangers of communism and socialism is on full display,' according to Marion Smith, the executive director of the [Victims of Communism Memorial]. 'When we don't educate our youngest generations about the historical truth of 100 million victims murdered at the hands of communist regimes over the past century, we shouldn't be surprised at their willingness to embrace Marxist ideas.'" In 1941, Lyons explained, "College teachers slanted their lessons to match the latest views out of Moscow, and met with the communist faction among their students in conspiratorial caucuses." Hence, "[t]he glorification of youth is a modern development, [because] it puts a premium on lack of experience, mental fuzziness and intuition as against intelligence and maturity." In short, perfect pawns. Not only do we not educate young people about the horrors of communism, but colleges and universities are hotbeds of pro-Marxist teaching. The left-wing "woke" narrative is also alive and well at Christian institutions of higher learning. For example, students who opposed Villanova University's abandonment of its Catholic identity for "woke" ideology have been targeted. In fact, "adherence to 'woke' ideology means changes in doctrine, discipline and worship." They are the "ultimate consequences of neo-Marxist philosophical influence," which emerged from the Frankfurt School in Germany." Donald Sensing, a United Methodist minister, explained the pervasive nature of neo-Marxist influence. The education and social milieu that our clergy and laity have been raised in since the 1930s or so have been increasingly inculcated by the Frankfurt School ... and overturning that basic orientation among them is probably past the point of impossibility. At the College Fix site, headlines like these appear: "Will Georgetown Remain a Catholic University?" and "Catholic University's accreditation at risk because it punished conservative professor for his tweets," and "What does it even mean to be a 'Catholic' university, anymore?" Consequently, "many Catholic universities have adopted the political[ly] correct fads of secular universities." Though "[c]ampus leaders claim that Catholic universities' 'commitment to social justice' differentiates them from non-parochial colleges ... they neglect to mention that they have defined the term 'social justice' so broadly that campuses now welcome chapters of the pro-abortion Law Students for Reproductive Justice." Thus, "professors who support Catholic teachings have come under siege on their own campuses, usually with little support from their academic administration." Hence, "campus progressives, who wanted to move the curriculum away from a focus on Western civilization to an emphasis on race, class, gender, and sexual orientation" prevail in an effort "to render the Catholic identity of ... colleges merely nominal." For example, "Notre Dame awarded its 2016 Laetare Medal," the "oldest and most prestigious honor accorded to American Catholics, to the pro-choice Catholic vice president, Joe Biden, who had helped President Obama implement the HHS mandate that forced Catholic institutions, including Notre Dame, to provide insurance coverage for free contraceptives, including abortion-inducing drugs, to all employees. Kevin C. Rhodes, the presiding bishop of the Notre Dame diocese of Fort WayneSouth Bend, who declared that Biden's 'gravely irresponsible rejection of Catholic teaching on abortion and marriage should disqualify him from Notre Dame's Laetare Medal.' Notre Dame's faithful alumni complained as well, but to no avail." The article "Exploring Intersectionality: A Self-Study of Learning Together"[1] is the product of "teacher educators at a small catholic [sic] liberal arts institution in the mid-Atlantic, USA who infuse intersectionality and social justice topics in classroom discourse attending to [their] students' experiences as first generation college students from immigrant and underrepresented backgrounds." Besides the leftist jargon, it is noteworthy that at this Catholic university, the word "Catholic" was lowercase, and "catholic," which means "all-embracing" or "universal," was chosen. Thus, racism is not good except when it is applied to white people; equality of opportunity is ignored because equality of outcome is the ultimate goal; destruction of property is irrelevant as the "earnest young seeker employs a double standard of political morality, suppresses facts, shuts out the truth by smearing it, [and] shouts so what remains of conscience will not be heard." Those who have lived under communism know only too well its evil as they warn Americans. Toledano asserted that for those lured by the deceptive messages, "mass purges, slave labor empires, and systematic assassination no longer offend [because] it's all for the good of the world [and] if, in order to build the perfect society, all democratic rights and human decencies are jettisoned" so be it. Continual and "dispassionate exposure of the communist and fascist totalitarians and their propaganda" coupled with the ardent belief that "our democratic civilization cannot be jeopardized by flirtations with death" must be the antidote to a "blind acceptance of an irrational doctrine." It must be a never-ending effort. Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com. The pandemic has affected industries around Montana, with unique challenges in documentary filmmaking. One team had to decide whether COVID-19 should become an unavoidable part of an unfolding story. Another had to ask whether they could safely continue a project without endangering themselves and subjects. And several need to examine how a finished movie can reach an audience if the important festival circuit is disrupted and theaters remain closed. Here are three examples of how Missoula filmmakers are forging ahead. Part of the story In the case of one film, COVID-19 entered the narrative and aligned with one of its core themes. In February, during the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, Missoula director Kelly Bouma pitched a short documentary portrait about a local senior and her love of bowling as a lens on senior citizens isolation in American society. She won, securing $25,000 in funding through the IF/Then American West Shorts Pitch from the Tribeca Film Institute in partnership with ESPN, a package that also includes mentoring and professional work on post-production. Bouma envisioned Life in the Slow Lane as an examination of societys isolation of seniors, told through a portrait of Lois Chinadle, an 84-year-old Missoula resident. After moving here three years ago, Lois felt deeply lonely until she found camaraderie and community at the Missoula Senior Center and in a bowling league. Those themes were colored with unexpected tints and shades when the pandemic threatened to reach Montana. "Things got a little weird," Bouma said, and she knew the Senior Center would have to close. In early March, before cases were announced here, Bouma and her cinematographer, Mike Steinberg, shot with Lois for three days, in her home, the Senior Center and the bowling alley. After Gov. Steve Bullock issued a stay-at-home order, they filmed from outside the house as Lois sat in her window, and she discussed the pain of isolation the very thing she had escaped. Once the alley re-opened, the social distancing made her feel as though she was shopping by herself in a grocery store, which Bouma and Steinberg filmed from a distance with masks on. Boumas will be part of the first generation of documentaries about the pandemic, which she considers a mixed blessing. They secured their funding before Tribeca Film Institute announced that it would close. The IF/Then Shorts Program became Field of Vision, and if they think the film has potential, they would help guide her through the distribution process, Bouma said. Bouma thinks that because its part of the first round of COVID-19 films, it might draw more attention, although she's saddened by the fact that the pandemic is part of it. She wonders, will people want to watch movies about coronavirus? But shes encouraged by the growth of online platforms for films. Who knows? Maybe itll get a bigger audience than it would have if everything was normal, she said. Shooting goes on pause When They Were Here, a documentary about the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, had gained serious momentum. After three to four years of advocacy, short films, pre-production shoots and fundraising and more, siblings Ivan and Ivy MacDonald were set to begin production on a feature-length movie this summer. They planned to shoot the majority of the movie on the Blackfeet and Crow reservations. In Browning, Kimberly Loring has been searching for her sister, Ashley Loring HeavyRunner, who has been missing since 2017. On the Crow reservation, Jennifer White Bear and her family seek justice for her daughter, Bonnie Three Irons, who was murdered in 2017. In Missoula, Lonette Keehner was murdered at her workplace, the Super 8 Motel, by a meth addict, and her daughter, Nicole Walksalong, has advocated to share more of her mother's story and campaign for justice. "We got a really amazing headwind in production funding" from Vision Maker Media, Ivan said. The two had earned the backing of various kinds from a huge list of supporters: the Independent Television Service, the International Documentary Association, the Big Sky Film Institutes Native Filmmaker Initiative, Tribeca Film Institute, Humanities Montana and more. The notion of filming on reservations, which around the United States have been disproportionately hard-hit by the spread of COVID, has forced them to pause for at least a year. "Knowing that we have family there, would it be wise for us to come in as technically outsiders, even though we are Blackfeet? You know, coming in and possibly exposing these vulnerable families and communities?" said Ivan, who also noted that he himself is high-risk. Ivy said that as a filmmaker, it's hard she loves shooting, after all. But the two said the postponement has given them more time to work on their treatment. "It's been good to kind of step back and re-examine all of the footage that we already have right now, and re-examine the story and kind of dial it down to the point so that when we start shooting again, well just kind of be able to go with the flow and shoot exactly what we want to shoot," she said. It will also give them more time to work with mentors on various parts of the project. In the interim, they're staying in touch constantly with the families, and working on a fundraiser to help Loring with searches. The issue hasn't gone away with the pandemic, either. "Thats something were always try to tell people, that even though our project is on pause theres still all of these ways that you can support this movement," Ivan said. Distribution during a pandemic Daughter of a Lost Bird is a trans-racial adoption story about seven years in the making, exploring a large issue through the lens of a Missoula woman's personal experience. What does blood have to do with identity?" their log line reads. "Kendra Mylnechuk, an adult Native adoptee, born in 1980 at the cusp of the enactment of the Indian Child Welfare Act, is on a journey to reconnect with her birth family and discover her Lummi heritage. Shooting for the film is mostly complete, they have finish-line funding, and are heading into post-production, said Brooke Swaney, whos director and is co-producing with Mylnechuk. While they've had to conduct a few shoots with safety precautions such as masks, the main disruption for them comes in traditional distribution models, Swaney said. "In normal times, we would be looking towards doing a robust festival run with the film, she said, including cross-country screenings at festivals in addition to educational showings at colleges and in Indigenous communities. Swaney, who is Blackfeet-Salish and was a Sundance NativeLab Fellow in 2012, said their goal is to have the film accepted to Sundance Film Festival, which is planning on adding at least 20 locations besides its home base in Utah. Shes also optimistic about the interest in online festivals and streaming platforms since movie theaters are closed and audiences are watching more at home than ever. For instance, the Missoula-based International Wildlife Film Festival moved to a streaming-only model in March and had one of its best years ever. "It's not all bad news," Swaney said, it's just a question of what roll-outs could look like as they move toward a winter release. Now that people are stuck at home, they want content to watch. In a way, rather than having all these public screenings, it's just having access to these streaming platforms and digital platforms that I think are really important for the life of a film anyway, but even more so now, she said. Through their funding, they have connections with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and hope that PBS could use the film in its broadcasts, reaching yet another audience. Before the pandemic, their hope was to screen the film for Native communities around the country. Since those communities are at risk to be significantly more affected by the pandemic, that will have to wait until its safe, Swaney said. "We're hopeful that we can do it someday," she said. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. LINCOLN The owner of Tavern on the Square and the Other Room in Lincolns Haymarket estimates that 85% to 90% of the patrons entering his bars willingly wear masks when indoors. Matt Taylor said he or another employee ask the other 10% to 15% of bar patrons, who arent so willing, to put one on. Since last Monday when Lincolns mask mandate took effect, Taylor has made masks available for purchase. Before that, both of the downtown locations recommended masks indoors but did not require them. We take this very, very seriously, and more than anything, I want the health of my employees, Taylor said. Most Lincoln residents are abiding by the citys new directed health measure and wearing masks, says the head of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. The majority of people in Lincoln have been focused on doing the right thing in helping Lincoln move forward, Pat Lopez, interim director of the Health Department, said via email Friday. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 13:27:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Outstanding loans extended by China's micro-credit companies stood at 884.1 billion yuan (about 126.4 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of June, according to central bank data. The figure was down 24.9 billion yuan from the beginning of the year. By the end of last month, the number of micro-credit companies in China came in at 7,333, the People's Bank of China said in an online statement. Micro-lenders largely target small companies and low-income groups in need of capital. In recent years, China has tightened regulations for the sector to rein in financial risks. The central bank report showed east China's Jiangsu Province had 564 small-credit companies by June, the most in any provincial-level region. Enditem TEHRAN, Iran, July 26 Trend: Iran is to hold the Mourning of Muharram on August 21 by following health protocols, said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trend reports via IRNA. "The Mourning of Muharram can be held only if the health protocols are observed, to prevent the coronavirus spread," Rouhani said. "The mourning would be held in red, yellow and white zones with low crowd density and following social distancing" he said. As many as 2,333 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran. According to recent reports, over 291,100 people have been infected and 15,700 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 253,200 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The Islamic Republic announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. "Large gatherings in small spaces should be avoided. The health protocols include disinfecting the gathering places and wearing face masks at all time," Rouhani said. "Food donations during the commemoration rituals should be prepared and distributed by through health protocols, while it is recommended that food items such as meat and rice distributed instead of cooked meals," he added. The Mourning of Muharram is a set of commemoration rituals observed by Shia Muslims, as well as some non-Muslims. The commemoration falls in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The event marks the anniversary of the Battle of Karbala (AD 680/AH 61), when Imam Hussein ibn Ali, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was martyred by the forces of the second Umayyad caliph. Family members and companions accompanying him were either killed or subjected to humiliation. The commemoration of this event during the yearly mourning season, with the Day of Ashura as the focal date, serves to define Shia communal identity. Muharram observances are carried out in countries with a sizable Shia population. Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta has waded into Auditor-General's fight with Senior Minister, Osafo-Marfo over the Kroll contract. Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Marfo is in a court battle with the office of the Auditor-General over a $1million Kroll contract. Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo and four other officials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, initiated a court action against the Auditor-General, Mr Daniel Yaw Domelevo to clear their names in relation to what the latter found to be breaches of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) that resulted in their payment of US$1 million to an international private audit firm, Kroll and Associates. This was after the Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo who is currently on leave, concluded that Kroll was paid for no work done and surcharged the Senior Minister, Mr Osafo-Marfo and the four other officials from the Ministry of Finance. Asked on his take on the brouhaha on Peace FM's Morning Show 'Kokrokoo' by Kwami Sefa Kayi, the Finance Minister said he "doesn't understand what is going on; I'm even embarrassed". According to him, "there were a lot of problems at COCOBOD and we went for reputable international investigators to look into it. The Senior Minister was responsible for that . . . " But "I really don't understand why just looking for evidence will end up in court . . ." He added: "the company (Kroll) was to look at value for money for a number of things that had happened at COCOBOD. What was worrisome was that the AG also surcharged a number of public servants in addition and with that, you create a certain unnecessary fear as to how they do their work, but I'm sure it will be resolved". The Auditor-General has cited the Senior Minister for causing financial loss to the state, amounting to GHC5.5mThe Auditor-General, during an audit on the accounts and other documents of the Finance Ministry between July 2017 and December 2018 found out that Yaw Osafo-Marfo reportedly entered into an agreement with M/S Kroll and Associates of the United Kingdom on behalf of the ruling governmentThe company was reportedly paid without approval from parliament and the Public Procurement Authority (PPA). Kroll Associates was engaged by the NPP government in 2017, to undertake proper forensic investigations of some complex cases of allegations of corruption. But the Auditor-General says Kroll Associates has been paid for no work done! The A-G has been asking for documents of their work to be disclosed to him. Kroll is insisting that their work is highly classified during investigations, and qualified to be withheld from public scrutiny for the time being. However, they are prepared to disclose them in-camera in court (strictly out of open court scrutiny). The documents requested are of details of the work done and being done by Kroll to justify fees paid to them. It could be recalled that the Akufo-Addo administration, under the expressed supervision of the Senior Minister, contracted reputable auditing firms and other investigation firms to help undertake preliminary but forensic investigations into several of the cases of alleged corruption which emerged when NPP came into office. Their modus operandi is: once they establish a basis per their forensic work, the file is then handed over to a statutory body, like the CID, and subsequently the Attorney General, to take it up from there. It was for this purpose that Kroll Associates, a global leader in forensic intelligence, corruption, bribery and global asset tracing, was engaged. Already some of Krolls work has formed the basis of a docket, leading to a criminal trial, such as the alleged 100m bad fertilizer purchase case involving former Cocobod CEO. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/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 The raging fire under the feet of Mrs. Jean Mensa, Electoral Commissioner, and Daniel Domelevo, Auditor-General, are interesting developments that call for a deep national introspection in appointing heads of our nations governance institutions. Invariably, building a strong democratic Ghana would ultimately require having strong and independent institutions that will guarantee fair and equal treatment of all the citizenry. However, 28 years down the line, in our democratic dispensation, it is apparent that we need to rethink how to make these governance institutions strong and independent to enable them play their rightful roles as envisaged by the framers of the 1992 constitution. Mandate of governance institutions The constitution of Ghana, guarantees the independence of these governance institutions namely EC, A-G, CHRAJ, NMC and security of tenure for its office holders. This guaranteed independence by the constitution is in consonance with the important roles the institutions are created to play, and perhaps the risk the office bearers are likely to face in the hands of powerful executive organs of government, relative to discharging their mandates. It is not out of place for those of us who know the electoral commissioner and the auditor general to opine about them. Jean Mensa is a dignified woman, with unblemished integrity, capable of administering EC without bias, and the same can be said of the indefatigable Domelevo, a man of integrity and honesty known for his high sense of equity and incorruptibility. These traits in both Jean and Domelevo are well known to many Ghanaians, including; some of our political actors. Why are political actors determined to tarnish their image and discredit their work? Is it because President Mahama appointed Daniel Domelevo or because President Akufo-Addo appointed Jean Mensa? I believe many people have prior knowledge that these two Ghanaians have excelled in their individual endeavours. The references to Mrs. Mensa and Domelevo in this specific piece is not to say that they are the only victims of this cancerous political tumor, but the ones within the radar currently. In July 2015, the then deputy minority leader in Parliament, and now Minister for Defence, Mr Diminic Nitiwul lambasted the EC and Mrs. Charlotte Osei at the launch of Ms Adjoa Safos re-election campaign we are the ones having a contest with the NDC and not her. Her actions show that she has become the captain of the NDC Team he said, refereeing to Mrs Osei as having an agenda to favour the then governing NDC. The litany of accusations and allegations against Mrs. Charlotte Osei of trying to rig the 2016 elections were rampant, tarnishing her image and hard-won reputation. Today, the positions are on the reverse, and the NDC is also accusing Mrs. Jean Mensa of working to rig the 2020 elections for the NPP candidate and the current president, Nana Akufo-Addo. Many unprintable words are used on Mrs. Mensa, including; allegations of breaches of the ECs procurement rules for personal benefit. According to NDCs scribe, Johnson Asiedu Nketia: we have been led to the impression that the current chairman of the EC sees her mandate only in terms of getting Nana Akufo-Addo re-elected even if it means subverting the hard-won reputation of that otherwise respected institution he said. I have no doubt that NPP, when the tables turn and they find themselves, where NDC is presently, will turn against Madam Jean Mensa with the same venom like NDC is doing. Dr Afari Gyan, distinguished former EC chairman, suffered this brute predicament in the hands of these two parties, especially when any of them found themselves in opposition. Many Ghanaians are worried at the trend and direction we are moving in our democratic process. The rush deployment of political mad dogs by their pay masters to desecrate public servants high-earned reputations is debilitating. This denies and prevents Ghana from accessing many highly skilled, experienced and incorruptible people to join the national building efforts. In Ghana, and outside it, our nation has abundance of exceptional professionals with talents and leadership, yearning to play their part in building Ghana. But these incessant abuses and hostilities against public servants and the unnecessary antagonistic political tagging and labeling of respected professionals because they are appointed or served in government A or B is scaring. Ghana, certainly, cannot continue in this tandem and the need to re-engineer the governance process to engender confidence in public service and attract people of relevant expertise to support Ghanas nation building is imperative. Ya-Nas counsel In a thought-provoking speech in the ancient town of Kyebi, capital of Akyem Abuakwa State in the Eastern Region, in December last year, His Royal Majesty, Ya-Na Abukari II, King and Overlord of the Dagbon State, speaking as the special guest of honour at the 20th anniversary celebration of the ascension of His Majesty, Osaygefuo Amotia Ofori Panin, as King of Akyem Abuakwa State, the Ya-Na eloquently said: I want to make proposals for the consideration of the people of Ghana, especially government. It is high time Ghana amended its Constitution and replaced the current Council of State with a Senate or Upper House ( call it what you may) composed of prominent chiefs, distinguished Ghanaian men and women with power to consider certain bills, put before Parliament. The said Senate will be the appointing authority for positions such as the Auditor-General, Inspector General of Police, and Chairperson and Members of Electoral Commission, Vice Chancellors of State Universities and Executive head of the National Media Commission. The appointment of the heads of these five vital institutions by the president has been a source of great disagreement between every ruling government and the opposition. This is not good for our budding democracy. When we transfer the power to appoint the heads of these institutions to the Senate it will be good for our democracy. Recommendations This thought-provoking proposals presented by the charismatic King, Ya-Na Abukari II is gradually receiving some attention as Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, at a workshop organized by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, endorsed the proposal of the Ya-Na and called for a bi-partisan appointment of heads of the governance institutions. To build a strong democratic Ghana, capable of commanding the respect and confidence of the people and attracting the right expertise and highly skilled manpower, we should go no further than to holistically buy into the Ya-Nas proposal and amend the constitution to strip the president of the power to arbitrarily appoint people into these supposedly independent institutions. This will promote competence and enhance the nations democratic accountability and cure the cancerous tumor that plagues governance institutions, thereby exposing every respectable person appointed into the offices to the dangers of abuse and hostilities by political attack dogs. 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 MEDELLIN, Colombia - Lorena Paredes sat in the passenger seat of a silver SUV as it sped through the night roads of Colombia's Pacific coast. The 28-year-old lawyer was nervous. She was returning from a doctor's appointment late - well past the start of a coronavirus curfew that can be as deadly as the virus itself. Armed groups in this violence-fraught nation of 50 million are imposing new levels of control during the coronavirus outbreak, and enforcing some of the strictest lockdown measures in the world - with harsh penalties for violators. In the port city of Tumaco, a narco-trafficking hub in the Colombian southwest, guerrillas posted pamphlets declaring all curfew violators "military targets." In a warning to all, a medical transport responding to a call after curfew was torched in early May, its driver and patient killed. Paredes, driven by a friend, thought she might get lucky. Then she saw the roadblock. Enforcers with shotguns and automatic weapons opened fire, piercing the SUV. Paredes felt stabs of pain as three bullets struck her leg. Her friend, hit in the face and arm, nevertheless managed to pull over, where the pair begged for their lives. They were released with a warning, to seek assistance on their own. "Absolutely no one helped us," Paredes, a prosecutor in Tumaco who handles domestic abuse cases, said from the safety of a neighboring city. "One person approached us, because I screamed. I begged for help because my friend was bleeding out horribly. He came close to the window of our car and told us, 'Hey, quiet, because here, it is prohibited to help.' " Human rights groups, community leaders and government officials say a toxic slate of leftist guerrillas, right-wing paramilitaries and drug cartels are using the outbreak to consolidate control over parts of a country still reeling from the aftermath of five decades of armed conflict. The increasingly violent competition shows the power of the pandemic to deepen pre-existing societal challenges and loosen the grip of government in fragile states. "For these groups, this isn't a health issue," said Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, Andes director at the Washington Office on Latin America. "It's about exerting social control on the population." While the government of President Ivan Duque is focusing on a worsening coronavirus outbreak - the country has reported more than 204,000 infections and nearly 7,000 deaths - the draconian measures imposed by armed groups are serving at least two purposes: to expand control over roads and communities central to narcotrafficking and illegal mining, and to reinforce their standing as the absolute rulers of their territories. The conditions here echo a global trend of armed groups moving to supplant weak governments during the pandemic. The Taliban in Afghanistan, Comando Vermehlo in Rio and MS-13 in El Salvador, among others, have imposed their own curfews and, in some instances, distributed food, masks and disinfectant in areas they control. But the Colombian groups have distinguished themselves in the level of violence they're applying to enforcement. Observers fear they're accelerating an already dangerous drift away from the 2016 peace accord that ended the 52-year conflict between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC. Critics blame Duque, who opposed the peace accord before he became president in 2018, for the slow pace of promised land reform and faltering efforts to reintegrate former FARC fighters into society. They say his conservative administration has not done enough to stop the killings of leftist community leaders and ex-rebels. Now, FARC dissidents - guerrillas who have taken up arms again, or never put them down - are among the groups solidifying their hold on hot spots that never completely cooled. Human Rights Watch this month reported that armed groups had imposed coronavirus lockdowns in 11 of Colombia's 32 states, leading to at least eight deaths and 10 injuries since the outbreak began. "I think they are seriously concerned about their own ranks," said Juan Pappier, Human Rights Watch's Colombia researcher. "They know the towns they're operating in don't have serious health facilities and are without a significant number of doctors. "But they also see this as an opportunity to show that they are in charge," he continued. "They see these lockdowns as helping give them some sense of legitimacy." The penalty for violating the rules can be death. In the troubled western state of Cauca, Human Rights Watch documented six killings by armed groups to enforce coronavirus restrictions. They included the shooting of a local farmer by the National Liberation Army after he allegedly violated lockdown rules by meeting friends in a nearby town. Another group targeted four Venezuelan migrants for drinking alcohol in public. In Tumaco, FARC dissidents forced a local family out of their home because one member tested positive for the coronavirus. Now residents are terrified to get tested themselves. They say they must seek permission for even basic activities, such as shopping for groceries. "They've practically taken total control with coronavirus," said Leticia, who declined to give her last name out of fear for reprisal. A senior security official investigating the Paredes shooting said armed groups have been able to solidify their grip because police and soldiers have withdrawn during the outbreak. The groups, as dangerous as they are, have filled the void left by the absent state. "In a way, they do what the national government has done, but they're threatening," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety. "If they see you out (after curfew), they'll attack." The Duque administration has said little publicly on the armed groups' lockdowns. The Presidential office for Human Rights and International Affairs said this month that the government was moving to counter an attempt by irregular groups "to gain more control." Emilio Archila, Duque's special adviser on the peace accords, insisted the attempts by armed groups to expand control would not derail the peace process. He denied that the government had pulled back from communities. "There is no area of the country in which the position of the government is just to leave the criminals to go ahead," he said. "That is definitely not the case." A group that calls itself the Unified Guerrillas of the Pacific says a harsh curfew is necessary because the region has been "forgotten by the Colombian state." In a pamphlet that circulated in a small community outside Tumaco, the group listed rules including a prohibition on boats arriving from elsewhere, a stay-at-home order for all but grocery shopping, and a ban on any social or recreational activity. Anyone seen on the streets after 2:30 p.m. "will face the consequences," the group warned. "We are not playing." Armed groups have frequently changed curfew times with little notice, and the sheer number of different groups controlling abutting territories and issuing different rules has left residents dangerously confused. Paredes, for instance, thought the curfew in the zone of Tumaco in which she was traveling that May evening was 6 p.m. She didn't know the group had moved it up to 4 p.m. Either way, she was late. She's now recovering in a nearby city with the help of her family. She is struggling to walk again. Her friend faces multiple surgeries to recover vision in one eye and reconstruct his nose, broken by a bullet. The Colombian government, she said, has completely lost control in Tumaco. "I'm terrified just thinking about the idea of having to return," she said. "And when I have to return, I'll have to do it on the same road." - - - Faiola reported from Miami. Marcus Sharp, left, and Justin Mayes spread rose petals representing blood shed on the bridge for the final crossing of Rep. John Lewis over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, site of the historic 1965 voting rights marches, on Sunday in Selma, Ala. The congressman from Georgia and civil rights icon died July 17 at age 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Read more SELMA, Ala. The late U.S. Rep. John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, for the final time Sunday as remembrances continue for the civil rights icon. The bridge became a landmark in the fight for racial justice when Lewis and other civil rights marchers were beaten there 55 years ago on Bloody Sunday, a key event that helped galvanize support for the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Lewis returned to Selma each March in commemoration. Sunday found him crossing alone instead of arm-in-arm with civil rights and political leaders after his coffin was loaded atop a horse-drawn wagon that retraced the route through Selma from Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the 1965 march began. As the black wagon pulled by a team of dark-colored horses approached the bridge, members of the crowd shouted Thank you, John Lewis! and Good trouble! the phrase Lewis used to describe his tangles with white authorities during the civil rights movement. Some crowd members sang the gospel song Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus. Later, some onlookers sang the civil rights anthem We Shall Overcome and other gospel tunes. Lewis died July 17 at 80, months after he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Lewis served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgias 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death. The wagon rolled over a carpet of rose petals, pausing atop the bridge over the Alabama River in the summer heat so family members could walk behind it. On the south side of the bridge, where Lewis was beaten by Alabama state troopers in 1965, family members placed red roses that the carriage rolled over, marking the spot where Lewis spilled his blood and suffered a head injury. As a military honor guard lifted Lewis' casket from the horse-drawn wagon into an automobile hearse, Alabama state troopers, including some African American ones, saluted Lewis. Franz and Ellen Hill drove more that four hours from Monroe, Louisiana, to watch the procession. Franz Hill, 60, said he remembers, as an African American child, watching news footage of Lewis and other civil rights marchers being beaten by law enforcement officers. I had to come back and see John Lewis cross this bridge for the last time, said Hill. Its funny to see the state troopers waiting on him for a whole different reason, to honor and respect him rather than beat the crap out of him. There has been a movement to rename the Edmund Pettus Bridge after Lewis, but the idea has also faced opposition from those who note that Lewis wasn't the only activist beaten on the bridge that day. Lewis body was then taken to the Alabama Capitol in the afternoon to lie in repose, retracing the route marchers took in the days after Bloody Sunday to demand justice from Alabama Gov. George Wallace. Bertha Surles and Edna Goldsmith stood along the highway between Selma and Montgomery to pay their final respects. Both carried signs, reading Thank you. He fought for equal rights up unto his death, said Surles, 70. She was in high school on Bloody Sunday and remembered watching the news footage of Lewis being beaten with horror. They didnt give up and something good came from it. Still need some improvement, but something good came from it. Lewis left his family's farm in Pike County, Alabama, in the 1950s to begin the fight against segregation and racial oppression. He received a hero's welcome on his final stop in his home state. After tracing the route of the completed Selma to Montgomery march, an honor guard carried Lewis' flag-draped casket into the Alabama Capitol, which had served as the first capitol of the Confederacy. Peggy Wallace Kennedy, the daughter of former segregationist governor Wallace, was among those in the Capitol for the receiving ceremony, along with most of Alabama's congressional delegation. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey placed a wreath of flowers shaped like the Alabama flag by the casket. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell placed a wreath shaped like the American flag. His family members, many wearing shirts with the phrase Good Trouble, were led first into the Capitol before the public viewing later in the afternoon. A line of people, some carrying umbrellas for shade, waited under the brutal midday Alabama sun to go inside and pay their respects. After the viewing, his casket was carried out as the song Amazing Grace was sung. Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., spoke at a vigil for Lewis across the street from the Capitol. Standing in front of large letters, spelling out the word VOTE,she recalled the man her father called the boy from Troy and her family called Uncle John. The most astounding thing about Congressman Lewis being left for dead on that bridge (in 1965) is how he got up both physically and spiritually. When he recovered, he recovered without a trace of bitterness or hostility or without losing hope in Democracy, Bernice King said. She called for today's young activists to take inspiration from Lewis' non-violent leadership and for Congress to honor Lewis' life legacy by restoring and expanding the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This would be a fitting tribute and a way to honor this non-violent warrior who said the vote is the most powerful tool that we have, she said. A series of events began Saturday in Lewis hometown of Troy, Alabama, to pay tribute the late congressman and his legacy. He will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol next week before his private funeral Thursday at Atlantas historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once led. Labor unions and gun control groups primarily endorse Democrats. Theyve made an exception in New Jersey. Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., was the only state Republican endorsed by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, and one of only two House GOP lawmakers in the nation backed by Giffords, the gun control group named for the former Arizona congresswoman who was shot and seriously injured. That makes the road to victory for the Democratic nominee, retired Foreign Service Office Stephanie Schmid, much harder. Its a gerrymandered district to protect Republicans so a Democrat needs to get all the resources possible in order to run a competitive campaign, said Ben Dworkin, director of Rowan Universitys Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship. When Smith is able to lock in labor support, gun control support, etc, it makes it that much more of an uphill battle for any Democratic challenger. The national AFL-CIO spent $3 million in 2018, almost all of it to elect congressional Democrats. Giffords spent $7 million, all of it on behalf of Democratic candidates. Smith holds a lifetime AFL-CIO voting record of 54%, higher than any other House Republican except Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Bucks County, Pa. He has received the New Jersey union endorsement in other elections as well. He was one of only two House Republicans to vote last year against requiring mandatory arbitration for employment and other issues. He and Fitzpatrick were two of the three Republicans who voted to increase the minimum wage. And Smith and Fitzpatrick were two of only eight Republicans to support legislation expanding background checks for gun purchases. When an overwhelming majority of Americans demanded universal background checks, they answered the call to protect our communities from the epidemic of gun violence, said Giffords, an Arizona Democrat. At a time when Washington seems more divided than ever, these champions proved its still possible to pass real, bipartisan reform to build a stronger, safer America. Schmid, however, said Smith was part of the House Republican majority that for years blocked all efforts to address gun violence. On his watch and with him in the majority for years, Congress blocked all common-sense gun safety legislation, as families across the country felt the tragedy of gun violence, Schmid said. Anyone in New Jersey looking for real action on standing up for workers or for common sense gun safety has a clearly better option. And Schmid is running as a Moms Demand Action Gun Sense Candidate, though it doesnt carry the formal endorsement of the parent group, Everytown for Gun Safety. In addition, Smith last year broke with President Donald Trump more than any other congressional Republican except Fitzpatrick, according to Nate Silvers FiveThirtyEight. His moderate positions on labor issues and gun control have helped him continue to win re-election, have helped him continue to win re-election, but have hurt him in his effort to ascend to Republican leadership in the House, which is much more conservative than he is, Dworkin said. The support for Smith by groups that traditionally support Democrats is just another obstacle that Schmid needs to overcome in a race that Cook Political Report and Inside Elections, which track congressional races, rate as safe Republican and where the House Democrats political arm is not getting involved. Schmid, who won a three-way primary July 7, entered this month with just $76,671 in the bank, compared with $660,115 for Smith. She did pick up some help Thursday from the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, which announced it would work to elect her in November and solicited donations to its federal account to spend on congressional races. With your support she can defeat Chris Smith and we can elect a former foreign services officer, human rights advocate, lawyer and someone who will fight for our families, our values, and our communities in Washington, the party said in a fundraising email. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. New Delhi: Banks across India opened on Monday after two days of restrictive entry, and heavy rush is expected for cash operations. On Saturday, banks were open only for senior citizens and own-customers but other-bank-customers were not allowed to exchange old notes. Sunday was a usual off-day. Monday is the 13th day post demonetisation. Since morning, people made a beeline at the banks and outside ATMs to wait for the banks to reopen and cash-dispensing van to arrive at ATMs respectively. As banks opened after a day's break on Monday, people rushed to exchange old defunct bills or withdraw cash. On the 13thday of demonetisation, people still have to stand in queues for hours at ATMs as most of the cash vending machines are either dysfunctional or running out of cash due to huge rush. There have been reports coming from different parts of the country about people being frustrated with shortage of cash at branches, leading to scuffle with bank staff and rioting at some branches. Besides, those having wedding in their families are still not able to withdraw Rs 2.5 lakh from their accounts, even after the relaxation announced by the Centre five days ago. Banks said they have not yet received operational guidelines from the RBI in this regard. People are visiting their branches with gazette notification that talks of relaxation being provided tofarmers and for marriage, but to no avail. "Withdrawal for marriage purpose can be availed onlyafter RBI's notification, which will have clear direction about the various formalities needed to be furnished by the customers for withdrawal," said a senior public sector bank official. To screen repeat customers, banks at many places have started using ink mark on fingers of people who are exchanging old notes. Besides, the government last week also reduced the exchange limit of old defunct notes to Rs 2,000 from the earlier Rs 4,500. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mukesh Ranjan By Express News Service RANCHI: Jailed RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav, currently admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi, underwent a test for COVID-19 on Saturday after one of his aides complained of cold and cough. The doctors have, however, claimed that the test was a part of the precautionary measures taken in the wake of increasing caseload of coronavirus in the state in the last few days. "Since the number of cases in the state has been increasing in the past few days in the state, it was decided to get the former Bihar chief minister tested as a precautionary measure. His swab samples were taken on Saturday, and the result is expected to reach us by Sunday evening," said Dr Umesh Prasad, the lead doctor of the team deployed for the RJD chief. Yadav has not shown any symptoms of coronavirus so far, the doctor added. ALSO READ: Covid-19 haunts Lalu Prasad Yadav as cop deployed for his security tests positive Meanwhile, the hospital is taking all precautions possible to prevent the RJD chief from getting exposed to the virus. Looking at Yadav's old age and other serious ailments, it was obligatory to get his tested, said doctos. Sources at the hospital have also confirmed that Yadav, who was earlier not ready to undertake the test, readily agreed for the same after doctors' advised him on Saturday. After being convicted by a special CBI court on December 23, 2017 in the second fodder scam, the 72-year-old RJD chief was lodged in Birsa munda Central Jail in Ranchi. He was shifted to RIMS after his health deteriorated, and is currently admitted to the 100-bed paying ward. Yadav, who is also a heart patient and has kidney-related ailments, had undergone a fistula operatopn at Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai. Jharkhand, on Saturday, registered its 83rd death due to coronavirus. A total of 7626 cases have been recorded in the state so far. Of these, 3354 patients have already recovered and discharged. Dana Gas, the Middle Easts largest regional private sector natural gas company, announced today that it had appointed Houlihan Lokey as the companys financial adviser in relation to its Nile Delta Sukuk. The Nile Delta Sukuk currently has $379.6 million outstanding and matures on October 31, 2020, the company said. Dana Gas has exploration and production assets in Egypt, Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and UAE, with 2P reserves exceeding one billion boe and average production of 66,200 boepd in 2019. With sizeable assets in Egypt, KRI and the UAE, and further plans for expansion, Dana Gas is playing an important role in the rapidly growing natural gas sector of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region, it said. - TradeArabia News Service Chinese and Lao employees monitor device operation at the centralized control center of the Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project. (Photo: People's Daily/Sun Guangyong) The Nam Ou River hydrological monitoring and reporting system, a supporting project of Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project invested and constructed by the Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), is the first project of its kind for a river basin in Laos, as well as the largest one in the country that covers the widest area. It is hailed as an "eye" of the Nam Ou River basin. Put into service in May 2014, the system automatically collects, transmits and processes hydrological, meteorological and project operation information in the basin. It is also able to complete hydrological forecasting and send warning alarms. On the monitoring screen of the system in the centralized control center of the Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project, thousands pieces of Chinese and English hydrological information are popping up. "The system can operate by itself 24 hours a day without human attendance," the head of the center told People's Daily. "These science-based and reliable meteorological information help us control the water volume in each station, allocate generator load, and improve the utility rate of the water and benefits of power generation based on the water level and flow of the reservoir," the head of the center continued. Thanks to the system, the Nam Ou River basin has effectively coped with natural disasters and extreme weathers such as floods, droughts, and typhoons, protecting the lives and property of the people, as well as the operation of the power station. Eric is an employee of the Nam Ou Power Co., Ltd. under PowerChina. He lives in a village along the Nam Ou River, and his family has lived on fishing for generations. According to him, it was very difficult for them to deal with the sudden rise of water level in the old days. Now thanks to the hydrological monitoring and reporting system, his family feel assured when going out fishing, as they are always informed with the change of weathers. "We are thankful that the Chinese enterprise has brought the system to Laos," said Sinava Souphanouvong, Vice Minister for Energy and Mines of Laos, adding that the system offers reliable technical support for the irrigation, fishing, navigation and tourism in the Nam Ou River basin. Laos is exploring feasible plans to establish such system in other river basins, and is also actively launching a long-term cooperation mechanism with China's Yunnan province, so as to enrich the country' s hydrological database and build new models of disaster prevention and relief. Tenants will be able to negotiate with landlords to install solar panels under a new government program aimed at subsidising installations. The Victorian government will offer interest-free loans to subsidise household solar panel installations in a bid to make energy more affordable for renters and landlords. Solar Homes Minister Lily DAmbrosio announced on Monday that eligible households can apply for loans of up to $1850 to supplement existing rebates for homeowners who introduce the renewable power into their energy mix. We know renters often dream of the chance to cut their energy costs and this expansion will help thousands more get that chance, said Solar Homes Minister Lily DAmbrosio. Credit:The Age The government said landlords could work with their renters for a loan-repayment system where both parties contribute up to $19.27 a month to pay off the panels they say can reduce electricity bills by up to $74 a month. The flood situation worsened in Assam and Bihar on Sunday with five more deaths and nearly 40 lakh people affected in the two states, as another spell of monsoon rain lashed Delhi but a sultry weather prevailed in Punjab and Haryana. The five fresh deaths raised the flood-related toll in Assam to 102. Another 26 people have died in landslides triggered by rainfall, the state disaster management authority said. Over 24.76 lakh people are hit due to floods in 23 districts of Assam. Goalpara is the worst-hit with over 4.7 lakh people affected. Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and assured him help from the Centre and the North Eastern Council to restore and repair the infrastructure damaged in floods. Singh said the central government is constantly monitoring the flood situation in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and other affected states in the northeast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking regular updates on the situation, he added. In Bihar, at least 10 people have died and 15 lakh have been hit in 11 districts. Nearly 10 lakh were affected by floods till Saturday in 10 districts. According to the state disaster management authority, Darbhanga is the worst-affected district with 5.36 lakh people either being displaced or trapped inside home. Several rivers such as Baghmati, Burhi Gandak, Kamlabalan, Lalbakeya, Adhwara, Khiroi, Mahananda and Ghaghra have swollen dangerously due to incessant rainfall. Many trains on Muzaffarpur-Narkatiaganj and Samastipur-Darbhanga sections had to change their routes while others had to short-terminated, a railway official said. Meanwhile, a 25-year-old woman gave birth to a baby girl on board an NDRF rescue boat plying on the swollen Burhi Gandak river in East Champaran district. The woman was rescued from her marooned house when she developed severe labour pain and later delivered the baby, NDRF officials said. The mother and the newborn girl have been admitted to a public health facility and they are stable. A total of 21 NDRF teams are deployed in northern Bihar. Light-to-moderate rainfall lashed parts of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of the areas inundated by heavy rainfall in Gorakhpur district and asked officials to ensure safety of all dams. He directed the district administration to ensure adequate deployment of boats in flood-affected areas. The India Meteorological Department said thunderstorms and rain drenched parts of central and northeast Delhi, Shahdara, Mundaka, Rohini, Bawana and adjoining areas. Sporadic rains will continue in Delhi-NCR and UP on Monday, the weatherman said. Thereafter, widespread rains are likely in northwest India, including Delhi-NCR, on Tuesday and Wednesday. A sultry weather prevailed in Haryana and Punjab, with the maximum temperature hovering slightly above normal in the states. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recorded a high of 35.4 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal. In Haryana, Hisar recorded a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius. In Punjab, Patiala recorded a maximum temperature of 36.3 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. Amaravati, July 26 : In another heartwarming gesture, actor Sonu Sood on Sunday provided a tractor to a farmer in Andhra Pradesh within hours after he learnt that the farmer was using his daughters for ploughing as he couldn't afford to rent bulls. As a video of the farmer's daughters ploughing the field by working like bulls with yoke on their shoulders went viral over social media, Sonu Sood promised Sunday morning that the family will get a tractor by evening. True to his promise, the actor ensured that the tractor reached the farmer's family in Mahalrajuvari Palle village in Chittoor district. He had tweeted on Saturday night that by Sunday morning the farmer will have a pair of oxen. "By tomorrow morning he will have a pair of oxen to plough the fields. Let the girls focus on their education," he had tweeted. However, in the morning he tweeted: "This family doesn't deserve a pair of ox.. They deserve a tractor. So sending you one. By evening a tractor will be ploughing your fields. Stay blessed". A video of a tomato farmer had gone viral on social media on Saturday, in which he was seen using his teenage daughter in place of bulls for ploughing. Veerathallu Nageswara Rao had no money to rent bulls for ploughing as he suffered huge losses during COVID-19 induced lockdown. He was forced to use his daughters Vennela (class 12) and Chandana (class X) in place of bulls while he was holding the blade for softening the earth and his wife Lalitha was spraying seeds. Rao was originally running a tea stall at Madanapalle for about two decades. But the lockdown forced closure of the business. With hardly any money in hand, the family moved back to their native village to take up farming on their two acre land. Sonu Sood's gesture won hearts as netizens heaped praise on him for acting like 'superman' to help the family. Rao, his wife, and their two daughters reacted with disbelief when the local tractor dealer came to their village and delivered the tractor. Incidentally, the Bollywood actor is quite popular in Tollywood movies. He gained wide recognition as the villain in Telugu blockbuster movie 'Arundhati' which was released a decade ago. "I don't know how to thank him for this help. A day ago we did not have money to hire bulls and today he has made us owner of this tractor," said the farmer as his eyes welled up with tears of joy. By ANI BHOPAL: A day after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the Chirayu Hospital for treatment, Chouhan on Sunday said that he is fine and saluted the corona warriors of the state for their services. Taking to Twitter, Chouhan urged people to inform health officials if they develop any symptoms of coronavirus. "Friends, I'm fine. The dedication of #CoronaWarriors is commendable. I salute all the Corona warriors of the state serving the #COVID-19 victims by risking their lives selflessly," Chouhan said in a tweet (translated from Hindi). In a subsequent tweet, he said, "Instead of being afraid of #COVID-19, we should fight it with full confidence. Keeping two yards distance, washing hands and wearing masks are the biggest weapons to save yourself from coronavirus. I appeal to all the people to use these weapons for yourself and your loved ones." In another tweet, the Chief Minister urged people not to be afraid if they get infected with coronavirus, but tell health officials about it. "If you have become infected then there is no need to fear. If you show symptoms, do not hide them. Tell them immediately so that treatment can be started on time. Timely treatment will make you fully healthy. Be careful. I pray to god that you all remain safe and healthy," he tweeted. (Natural News) Two human rights groups have condemned a recent New York Times (NYT) report for what they described as an open display of religious bigotry against the spiritual group Falun Gong, which is severely persecuted in China. (Article by Cathy He republished from TheEpochTimes.com) U.S.-based nonprofits Lantos Foundation and 21 Wilberforce said a July 4 NYT article unfairly singled out developers of an internet firewall circumvention tool, Ultrasurf, due to their personal beliefs in Falun Gong. Adherents in China have been persecuted by the communist regime for the past 21 years. The article highlighted a recent change of leadership at the Open Technology Fund (OTF). The internet freedom group is overseen by the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), a federal agency that also supervises government-funded media outlets such as Voice of America. Citing experts, the article authors suggested that circumvention tools such as Ultrasurf were not suitable for funding from OTF. In describing tools used to circumvent the internet firewall in closed countries, the reporters made no fewer than 9 references to the personal beliefs and religious practices of two developers, the joint statement said. Though several other technology companies, NGOs, and other individuals were written about, none of their religious affiliations were mentioned. The nonprofits said, had the report applied the same treatment to developers who were Catholic, Muslim, or Jewish, [t]here would have been an outcry, and rightly so. Yet the Times denigrating coverage of Falun Gong is no different and should be condemned in equal terms, they said. Choosing a small, persecuted religion to single out does not make the bigotry any more palatable. They said the way the article was framed implied that the developers faith in Falun Gong had a direct bearing on the legitimacy of the tools that they have developed and whether they deserve to be among those that receive funds from the U.S. Government. The groups said that while they welcomed open debate on the merits of technology aimed at advancing internet freedom, [i]t remains entirely unacceptable, and frankly un-American, to dismiss or disqualify or even describe an individual or product largely on the basis of religious affiliation or belief. We would never have imagined such a lapse in journalistic ethics from Americas self-proclaimed newspaper of record, the statement said. Both nonprofits advocate for technology to circumvent Chinas Great Firewall, the regimes massive internet censorship apparatus, so Chinese citizens may access unfiltered information about the CCPs abuses. In a June 9 letter to the State Departments Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the foundations president Katrina Lantos Swett proposed dedicating $20 million of federal funding to censorship circumvention initiatives Freegate, Lantern, Psiphon, and Ultrasurf. Their statement in response to The New York Times was released on July 20, which coincided with the 21st anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party launching its campaign of violence against Falun Gong. Since then, millions of practitioners have been detained in Chinese labor camps, prisons, and brainwashing centers, according to estimates by the Falun Dafa Information Center. Inside these facilities, adherents are tortured and abused in an attempt to coerce them into giving up their faith, More than 4,000 practitioners are confirmed to have died from torture, according to Minghui.org, an online clearinghouse for information on the persecution of Falun Gong, although the actual figure is likely to be far greater given the tight controls of information in China. The United States on July 20 called for an immediate end to the Chinese regimes persecution and unconditional release of all detained practitioners, joining hundreds of officials from dozens of countries in their condemnation of the regimes actions. The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The nonprofits said the NYT article was not an isolated case of religious bigotry against practitioners of Falun Gong. In recent interviews with several reporters regarding the future of the Open Technology Fund, the same inappropriate questions about the developers religious beliefs have been raised time and againthough occasionally strong pushback against such bigotry has encouraged journalists not to include this angle in their reporting, they said. This has clearly become part of the narrative being pushed, and bought in to, across the journalistic world. The advocates said they have also witnessed over the years disparaging remarks about certain developers religious affiliation by U.S. officials who control funding for internet freedom initiatives. They called on those in positions of power, such as editors and policymakers, to take an unwavering stand against this form of intolerance. To allow such prejudice to persist against a small and persecuted spiritual movement will erode this nations longstanding commitment to ensuring that a persons religious beliefs cannot be used as a justification to delegitimize them or deny them opportunities, the statement read. We must not allow efforts to open the internet across the globe to be marred by religious discrimination at home. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com A pop-up coronavirus testing site will open in Chatham on Monday for people who attended a July 12 party linked to a cluster of COVID-19 cases in the Cape Cod town. The town, in cooperation with the Barnstable County Department of Health & Environment and Cape Cod Healthcare, is having the pop-up clinic in the parking lot of the Town Office Annex Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The testing is for anyone who attended the July 12 party or is a close contact of someone who attended the party. People were asked to pre-register. Chatham officials were notified July 21 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health that a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases was linked to a house party held in town on July 12. There were at least 10 people, as of last week, who attended the party and are now positive for COVID-19 including one Chatham resident, officials said. Authorities said contact tracing is being conducted. The Chatham Police Department received no reports or complaints regarding the house party. The amount of information known to the town on the party is limited other than approximately 30-50 persons were in attendance and not wearing masks according to the VNA, officials said. A number of individuals testing positive reportedly work in the restaurant industry and accordingly the Health Division contacted local food service establishments requesting that employees be asked if they attended the party and to closely monitor all workers for symptoms. A few local restaurants temporarily closed due to employees testing positive, or employees who are close contacts to positive individuals. Related Content: The Three Gorges Dam, a gigantic hydropower project on the Yangtze River, is discharging flood water in Yichang, central China's Hubei Province on July 19, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Chinas Third Peak of Flooding This Year Hits Yangtze River The Chinese regime announced on July 26 that the third peak of this years flooding season has arrived in the upstream region of Yangtze River, while the second peak reached the midstream area. Roughly 459 million people live in the Yangtze River drainage basin as of the end of 2017, with 51 percent of them living in rural areas, according to Chinas Ministry of Water Resources (MWR). Since early June, heavy rain has hit the river basin area and large swathes of southern and central China. Floods and mudslides have been reported in over 27 provinces and regions. To protect the cities, Chinese authorities opened dikes and dams to discharge overflowing stormwater from rivers and lakes into rural areas, which caused tens of millions to lose their homes. By evening July 27, the peak will reach Three Gorges Dam, Chinas largest, according to the MWR. Due to rising water levels, regions along Chinas longest river, Yangtze, and its tributaries Chu and Jing, as well as the areas around Chinas two largest lakes, Poyang and Dongting, are at risk of being submerged or inundated, the MWR added. The Huai River, which runs through central China, is also facing more floods. The MWR Huai River commission announced on Sunday that water levels of the 620-mile-long Huai River reached past the alert line. A building is inundated by flood in Zhenjiang, China on July 20, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) On July 20, local authorities opened up the Wangjiaba Dam to discharge floodwaters from the Huai River for over 76 hours, submerging the Mengwa region in Anhui Province, home to 195,000 residents. Two days later, authorities discharged Huai River waters to the Jingshanhu area, home to 855 residents. This area is the eighth region along the Huai to be submerged intentionally. The Chinese regime has arranged for 28 locales along Huai River to discharge water due to heavy rainfall, according to state-run media Anhui Pictorial. The total area spans 1,507 square miles, 883 of them farmland. Authorities have also discharged waters from the Yangtze River to rural areas, but did not disclose details. An aerial view of the Guanyinge Temple in the middle of the flooded Yangtze River in Ezhou, central Chinas Hubei province on July 24, 2020. (Getty Images) Floods, Mudslides On Sunday, Yibin city in southwestern Sichuan Province reported one mudslide, which killed at least two people, and buried local factories and houses. Yibin is upstream of the Yangtze River. On Saturday, Mao County, about 400 miles north of Yibin city, reported two mudslides, which damaged houses, gas stations, and roads. Since July 22, Chongqing city has reported mudslides in its Wulong district. On Sunday, a mudslide blocked a local river and threatened the safety of more than 520 residents downstream. Chongqing is also upstream of the Yangtze River. Though state media and authorities have kept mum about the flooding since early June, netizens across China shared flooding videos online, revealing the severity of the disaster. In central Hubei Province, stormwater inundated cities. Especially in Jianshi county, Enshi city, flood waters reached into residential compounds. In rural areas, the floods submerged houses and farms. In downtown Jianshi, the floods washed away cars and peoples valuables. At least two people died and three were missing in Jianshi. Authorities said the flooding in Hubei was the worst in over a hundred years. As flooding overwhelmed Nanjing city in eastern Chinas Jiangsu Province, local authorities recently admitted that a state-run construction company, Jiangning Urban Construction, had dug into a dam located on the Yangtze Rivers tributary, the Qinhuai River, in order to build about ten restaurants and bars. The construction, which reached half the dams height, has damaged the structure and could cause an embankment breach if the dam collapses. Nanjing, downstream of the Yangtze, is home to roughly 10.31 million. Since early July, part of the city has been inundated by floodwaters. On July 18, the city reported that the flooding was at the highest level since records were kept in 1954. Next Saturday, right here in Twin Falls, therell be a wide assortment of fringe-right groups, each calling for Gov. Brad Littles political head. Theyll take the microphone successively from 10 am to 2 pm at the Soccer Field and Splash Park, each given 15 minutes or so to say whats wrong with Idaho today. Which isnt nearly what they claim. If were all lucky, theyll get minimal attention in the media and will go home splashed with some common sense, their looney ideas left in the trash heap of Idaho history. Fat chance the media will ignore them. The lead-off harpie is Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who rather than offer leadership for the state, prefers to attack Little at every turn. Shell be followed by Wayne Hoffman, Idahos own little rightist tyrant, then firebrand Ammon Bundy, whos been going around the state telling small groups how evil our police are. Also scheduled are several backwoods legislators including gun toter Christy Zito, Hammett; III 3 percenter and toy militia soldier Chad Christensen, Ammon; and Rep. Tami Nichols, Middleton. These folks are Idahos own Harpies of the House who shrilly blame every twig on Little, harridans who think they have the right to tell us how we ought to live and whom to elect. The radio trolls will carry it all the following week. Theyre all mad at Little and the states general leadership on everything from crimes against the People to over-crowded prisons. They blame the Coronavirus for restrictions on so-called individual liberty and freedom but what they really want is control of Idahoans way of life in which we now think for ourselves. Their mission is to turn Idaho into a rightist enclave, taking political directives from out-of-state extremist groups on everything from currency manipulation to dismantling of our education and public employee retirement systems, to legalizing drugs and reaping the profit there from. Why are they here, this mixed bag of malcontents, gun nuts, tin-soldiers, puffed-up politicos, radio blabbers and tired old John Birch Society members who still think President Eisenhower was a communist agent? Why have they come to little ole serene Southern Idaho on a Saturday morning in August? Simple: theyre here to recruit more members, if they can, to their various causes. Its been more than 30 years since political rightism has reared its ugly positions locally, when some misguided Jerome County folks did a nighttime cross burning. Yet, Idahos backwater country has since become a haven for flat-earthers, anti-science minstrel-followers and anti-governmentals of all stripes. For at least half that time since Ruby Ridge in 1992 they illustrate yet another showing of how the nation makes room for all manner of the misguided. Regional and national media will likely swarm in as magpies on a roadside deer kill, always alert to depict Idaho as, well, the Mississippi of the North, a frontier fort on the edge of humanity. Sure, theyll get plenty of press attention. Fringies always do. But the real danger lies in that when they are handed political power, they then use it to bash others. They never propose real solutions. They dont know how actually to govern anything, much less a state. They just know how to yell and rant. Almost none of them have any public service administrative experience; even MGeachin, whose roles in Boise are largely ceremonial crowd-incite events. Lets see. Theres Eric Parker, Hailey, who was last seen in photo aiming a rifle at federal officials. And Sara Brady, who helped the Idaho Freedom Foundation with a stunt at a Meridian park against local police for a phony arrest. And of course, our own Rep. Christy Zito, whose first education funding votes in the House were against CSI funding, but who has never seen a gun-carrying bill she didnt like. And the ever-opportunistic McGeachin who ran as a drain the swamp in Boise candidate, which presumably means getting rid of other office-holders. The real rap on McGeachin, folks, is that she believes she is above the law. She drove hundreds of miles this year from Idaho Falls to tiny, remote Kendrick in North Idaho to protest a lawful order closing a bar. (Shes a bar owner herself.) Just what we need is a public official who thinks shes above the law. Now, she tells every group that shes just a heartbeat away from the governors chair. Dont remind us, Janice. And of course, theres Bundy, who just last week led a noisy anti-mask anti-government crowd which caused cancellation of a District Health Board meeting in Caldwell. Yep, well get all types at the park on Saturday. Its a free country and people can say what they want, (peacefully), but it would be good for most Idahoans to stay away. Our Founding Fathers knew that without listening to the reasonable perspectives of others, there would be no new nation. Our own rightists will have none of that. Theyre prefer secession, just like in the Civil War or at least nullification by which states can choose which pieces of the US Constitution they dont like, which is a lot of it. Their objective is to take over the Republican Party primary process and turn it into a screed-spewing blast of ideological rant and misinformation. Theyll make a lot of noise. Then, we hope, theyll go home. Stephen Hartgen, Twin Falls, is a retired five-term Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives, where he served as chairman of the Commerce & Human Resources Committee. Previously, he was editor and publisher of The Times-News (1982-2005). He is the author of the new book Tradition & Progress: Southern Idahos Growth Since 1990. This column was first published in www.idahopoliticsweekly.com. He can be reached at Stephen_Hartgen@hotmail.com Love 5 Funny 4 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 5 Ruth Morrissey is dead. She knew she would die from this disease. What she didn't know, or reckon on, was that she would spend the last two years of her life fighting. Fighting the State, the HSE and labs who were responsible for negligent errors in the reading of her slides in the longest-running medical negligence case in the history of the State. And fighting the machinery of the State, who would use her case as a test case in order to set a precedent. Let that sink in - senior officials in government, the Department of Health and the HSE, on the advice of the State Claims Agency (SCA), saw fit to use the case of a terminally ill young mother as a test case. Ruth's husband, Paul, issued a statement after her death last Sunday morning. It was devastating - and damning. At no point did the HSE or the State ever apologise to Ruth for the ordeal that the State put her through "and now it is too late", he said. When I read Paul's words, my sadness and grief at Ruth's death turned to anger, the same anger I felt two years ago when I was the one in court waiting for an apology, which came too late, and an admission of liability, which never came. Taoiseach Micheal Martin's apology to Ruth in the Dail last Tuesday was followed by a statement from the CEO of the HSE, Paul Reid, offering an apology to Ruth's husband on the day of her funeral. I was at that funeral and, after it, I felt compelled to put down my thoughts, as the woman who exposed the CervicalCheck scandal which brought Ruth's case to light. I'm also writing as a woman living with a terminal illness, who is under no illusion that, in a few short years, I will also be dead. And I know many of the very same people who spoke about Ruth, after her death, will be paying tribute to me - and promising the earth, moon and stars in my honour. I am here to tell you now, while I still can, that I don't want your apologies. I don't want your tributes. I don't want your aide de camp at my funeral. I don't want your accolades or your broken promises. I want action. I want change. I want accountability. And I want to see it happen while I am still alive, not after I am dead. When I stood on the steps of the Four Courts, I hoped that by going public some good would come of my case.Now, more than two years later, where are we? I fear any ground gained with the publication of the Scally Report, the introduction of a Patient Safety Bill and the establishment of a tribunal, has been lost. The majority of the recommendations from the Scally Report have been implemented. Some of the more serious recommendations, however, have yet to be implemented, such as the introduction of mandatory open disclosure. This is provided for in the new Patient Safety Bill but it is still in draft form and needs to be enacted. Dr Scally recommended two patient advocates be involved in the oversight of clinical audits for screening services and on the new board of the HSE. Clinical audits have yet to be resumed by CervicalCheck and one patient advocate, Mark Molloy, has already stepped down from the board of the HSE after less than six months in protest at the "tokenistic" treatment of patients. Indeed, this was a view shared by Lorraine Walsh, one of the two patient advocates who was hand-picked by Dr Scally to sit on the CervicalCheck Steering Committee and who resigned in December 2019. There have been huge delays with the establishment of the CervicalCheck Tribunal, and not just because of Covid-19. Two of three judges are now no longer available. If we were concerned about 45pc of Irish women's smears going to US labs at the time of my case, should we not be alarmed that that figure is now 90pc? And this is happening without having an Irish inspector on the ground. The list goes on and on After a 36-day trial, Ruth won her case and achieved something I could not. The State was finally found responsible for negligent errors which occurred in laboratories contracted by the HSE, something I had been unable to prove with my case. This was a huge victory - for Ruth, for her family and for the women she stood up for, in a case she should never have been put through. On that day in May 2019, when Ruth made history, all she wanted to do was to move on with her life and spend whatever quality time she had left with her then seven-year old daughter, Libby. Unfortunately, that was not to be. An appeal was lodged by both labs shortly after the high of her short-lived victory. It remained to be seen whether or not the State Claims Agency (SCA) would also lodge an appeal. A short few weeks later, the Business Post revealed on its front page that the SCA was going to appeal. This was the first the Morrisseys heard of it. It wasn't the first time a woman caught up in the CervicalCheck debacle had not been properly communicated to. The Scally Report had been leaked to the media without any consideration for the women and families affected. With regard to the controversial test of 'absolute confidence', the High Court had ruled that this test was the appropriate standard for screeners. The judgment caused a frenzy in the medical profession with claims the standard was "impossible to attain" and would "render population-based screening unviable". Some elements of the media weren't much better. Some high-profile media commentators made sensational claims such as that "the legal profession's failure to understand the limitations of screening means it is very likely now that screening in Ireland will grind to a halt". (Ciara Kelly, Twitter, May 4, 2019.) On March 19, 2020, almost 12 months after Ruth won her case in the High Court, and with Ruth's health failing, the five-judge Supreme Court unanimously dismissed appeals by the HSE and the two labs. On the controversial issue of the test of 'absolute confidence', Chief Justice Frank Clarke was at pains to state anyone who had "taken the trouble" to read the original High Court decision would not have reached some of the conclusions that were reached. Since the Supreme Court ruling last March, no apologies have been made by any of the clinical bodies for their rush to judgment at the time. The time for a meaningful apology to be given to Ruth Morrissey was in March, when the Supreme Court reached its unanimous verdict and vindicated Ruth. She was still alive to hear it then. It is not too late to give meaning to Ruth's fight for justice and to honour her memory and the memories of the other women who have lost their lives as a result of failures in the CervicalCheck screening programme. Women like Emma Mhic Mhathuna, Orla Church, Julie O'Reilly and Irene Teap, the wife of Stephen Teap, whose third anniversary he is commemorating today with his two young sons. My name will soon be added to this list. I appeal to our new Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and all members of the 33rd Dail: please do not wait until I am dead to do the right thing and right the wrongs of the past. Enact the legislation to provide for mandatory open disclosure. Implement all the outstanding recommendations from the Scally Report. Set up a new Steering Committee to oversee CervicalCheck which is independently chaired and gives more than a tokenistic nod to patient advocates. Make the necessary changes to the CervicalCheck Tribunal, in Ruth's honour, and replace it with a new tribunal that is non-adversarial and does not involve confrontation with the laboratories, which should instead be pursued by the State. Assist Alan Kelly TD, who has promised to introduce legislation to amend the Civil Liabilities Act, so the dependants of women affected by the CervicalCheck scandal could claim for losses and not have to go to court a second time. Commit to the establishment and resourcing of a National Laboratory for Cervical Testing and bring screening home. Let that be Ruth's legacy. And, for me, personally, sign into law the Dying for Dignity Bill which Gino Kenny TD will be bringing to Cabinet when the Dail resumes, and which I will be supporting. Allow me to die with dignity, on my own terms. Let that be my legacy. Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire was kicked out of his post in an unexpected vote of no confidence, plunging the embattled East African country into a constitutional crisis ahead of national elections. But Khaire rejected the vote, with his office saying the process was not legitimate. Parliamentary Speaker, Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, accused the ousted prime minister and his cabinet of failing to finalise a draft constitution, which could pave the way for fairer elections. The unexpected decision to fire the prime minister comes after heated discussions, last week, over the model for upcoming national elections, with the central government in Mogadishu sparring with the federal states over the details. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia expressed concern about the move, calling it an irregular process. It said its a setback for the reform agenda Somalia has pursued with the support of the U.S. The embassy also threatened to take measures against spoilers, who seek to undermine Somalias progress towards stability, peace, inclusive governance and prosperity. We do not want Somalia to go in the wrong direction, it said in a statement. The row centres around the reintroduction of universal suffrage, or a system of one person, one vote, after over 50 years, as opposed to the clan-based system used until now, in which lawmakers were voted in by about 14,000 clan delegates chosen by elders. This system was widely criticised for corruption and the marginalisation of young people, women and minorities. The next round of discussions to resolve the crisis the third round is due to take place in the central Somalian town of Dhusa-Mareb in mid-August. The mandate for the current parliament expires in December, leaving little time to reach an agreement. Presidential elections are also expected to take place in early 2021. Under the Somali system, the prime minister has less power than the president. The prime minister is named by the president and has the role of managing the day-to-day activities of the governments executive branch. (dpa/NAN) Some elections are just about "the economy," but despite the downturn, 2020 is about much more; there's just too much else happening. And while there's no big edge for either President Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden regarding who can revive the nation's economic fortunes, we do see glaring divisions over the matters shaping the nation's cultural and race relations and public health, all of which are strongly tied to vote, and which as of now accrue to Joe Biden's advantage. While the president leads among Americans who approve of using of federal agents in U.S. cities, who are skeptical of the Black Lives Matter movement, and who continue to downplay the impact of the virus, all of those groups are outnumbered in America at the moment. Instead, more Americans are very concerned about the virus. Most parents are wary of sending their children back to school in the face of it, and they feel the president doesn't care as much about the risks to their kids. Most Americans support the aim of the protests and Biden leads among all of them. In the upper Midwest, we see this playing out in two key states the president flipped from Democrats in 2016: Biden leads in Michigan by six points, and the president has the slightest one-point edge in Ohio, where he won by a comfortable margin four years ago. Ohio is also a critical part of the president's overall electoral map in 2020. A majority of Biden's support in both these states comes from people who are mainly voting against Mr. Trump rather than for him. Seventy percent of Michigan's registered voters dislike how the president handles himself personally. Biden only receives mixed support on this measure himself but still does better than Mr. Trump by double-digits. Coronavirus impact In Michigan in particular, views on how the president has handled the coronavirus appear to weigh on him: Many more say the Trump administration has hurt rather than helped the state's efforts to control the virus. And now, just as many want the administration to focus on containment as on economic recovery. Story continues Republicans in Michigan are also comparably less likely than Democrats or independents to call coronavirus a factor in their presidential vote. Six in 10 say things are going well in Michigan's efforts to deal with the outbreak of coronavirus, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer gets a 64% approval rating on her handling of it. That's higher than the 42% who give Mr. Trump positive marks on handling coronavirus. Two-thirds of Democrats in the state want Biden to consider her for vice president. Any election with an incumbent is at least partly a referendum on the officeholder. Aside from Republicans, voters in Michigan and Ohio say the Trump presidency has not met their expectations. They are more likely to say it has gone worse than expected than better. And in both states, the president is underwater with independents on this measure. That's correlated with vote: the president draws almost no votes from independents who say it's going worse, and most of his votes come from those who say it's going better. School reopening Parents and schools around the country are wrestling with decisions over what to do this fall. And among parents, there's a perceived empathy gap between the candidates. Among parents of school-age kids nationwide, 63% feel Biden cares a lot or at least some about the virus' risk to children like theirs, compared to 48% who feel Mr. Trump does. Despite calls from the Trump administration to reopen schools, most Americans, as well as most voters in Michigan and Ohio, don't think they should open as normal, with full classrooms. Instead, most want either a partial reopening (34% nationwide) or for schools to remain closed (46%). And even if schools were to reopen, just 32% of parents with school-aged children say they would send their kids, with 37% taking a wait-and-see approach, and 31% saying they would not. Those wary of schools reopening also describe the Trump administration as trying to put pressure on schools to reopen. Economy Assessments of the economy in Michigan and Ohio aren't good, but they're relatively better than how Americans see the national economy. Michigan voters see a negative economic impact from the coronavirus outbreak but vary on how bad it'll be. Forty-six percent say it has had either little impact or the downturn will only be temporary, while 54% call it either a recession or a depression. Neither candidate earns a big edge on economic matters, but relatively, Trump is viewed as better handling economic matters in Ohio than in Michigan, which helps explain his better overall numbers there today. (This also has echoes of 2016, when Trump also was seen as better on economics in Ohio, but not in Michigan.) Looking forward, views are mixed on whether either candidate's policies would help recovery and are driven, as with many things, by partisan divides. Empathy is always part of picking a candidate, and views are mixed on which candidate cares about your economic situation. Importantly, in both states, being seen as caring and as having effective policies are each correlated with vote choice. Mr. Trump elicits more polarized views than Biden on caring, with more people saying he either cares a lot or not much/not at all. In both states, Mr. Trump is bolstered by support from White voters without college degrees, and in Ohio, he is seen as better at protecting manufacturing jobs. If part of the Trump campaign's argument is reminding voters of how successful the economy was prior to the outbreak, that, too, might resonate a little more in Ohio than in Michigan, but it doesn't find much traction in either state. Looking back, somewhat more Ohio voters say his policies were helping than hurting, but in Michigan, that retrospective view is evenly mixed. The horse race While President Trump continues to lead among White men a group he won in Michigan and Ohio in 2016 it's now a much narrower lead in both states. The story is similar with White voters without college degrees, more generally. In both states, they currently support the president by double-digit margins, but with over a third now saying they're voting Democratic, it's enough to make Ohio very competitive and would represent gains for the Democrats from last cycle if it came to pass. Biden has also gained among younger voters. In both states, he leads among those under age 45 by over 20 points, substantially building on Hillary Clinton's margins four years ago. Biden currently has a double-digit leads among white women with a college degree in these states a group Clinton lost to Mr. Trump in Ohio and won by just six points in Michigan. In Michigan, Biden has a lead among those calling themselves independent, has reversed Mr. Trump's 2016 lead with White women and is cutting into his margins with seniors. He's also adding some voters who say they'll show up this time which is a political story as much as a polling one, since Biden's fortunes do partly depend on turning out younger and first-time voters here. There's no enthusiasm gap in Michigan six in ten of both candidates' supporters are enthusiastic about voting. Nationally, Biden leads Mr. Trump by 10 points among likely voters. But the national vote tally doesn't determine the presidency. The Electoral College does. CBS News Battleground Tracker mapThe protests We asked voters in Michigan and Ohio what the focus of the Trump administration ought to be right now, given their expressed aims. At the top of the list of what is most important, voters ranked stopping the spread of the virus and getting economic relief to people as top goals, more than twice as many as wanted them to limit Black Lives Matter protests. Even among Republicans, who tend to agree with the president on protests, the virus and economic relief ranked higher in importance. Nationwide, as well as in Ohio and Michigan, more Americans agree with the ideas expressed by Black Lives Matter than disagree with them. This is sharply divided by partisanship and is strongly correlated with vote. So, too, is the president's current handling of protests, more generally. His voters strongly approve, and Biden's voters do not. Nationally, we see a majority who feel dealing with protests and demonstrations ought to be left to local law enforcement (61%), rather than the federal government getting involved (39%). It's most conservatives who say the federal government ought to, though a third disagree; and over 80 percent of liberals pick local law enforcement. On the specific protests in Portland, we find more even splits nationwide. Here it's very clear along partisan lines, with Republicans and conservatives strongly in approval, and Democrats and liberals against. Surveys were conducted on behalf of CBS News by YouGov between July 21-24, 2020. They are based on representative samples of 1,177 registered voters in Michigan and 1,227 in Ohio. Margins of error for registered voters: Michigan +/- 3.4 points, Ohio +/- 3.6 points. The national survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2,008 U.S. adult residents. The margin of error for U.S. adults is 2.5 pts. Ohio toplines: Michigan toplines: Battleground tracker toplines: Hurricane Hanna makes landfall in South Texas, expected to dump several inches of rain From 2005: The iconic Regis Philbin Is the United States "hitting bottom"? The over a month long devastating flood in Assam continued to remain grim , with one more death on Saturday in Morigaon district, taking the toll to 97 while, 26.37 lakh people in 27 of the states 33 districts were distressed, officials said. Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that eight major rivers flowing down from neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, including the Brahmaputra, are in spate. According to the Forest Department officials at least 127 wild animals have died in floods and 157 rescued even as over 90 per cent of the 430 sq km, world-famous Kaziranga National Park, home to more than 2,200 one-horned Indian rhinos, remained flooded. The animals that have perished in the annual deluge include 13 rhinos, 94 hog deer, eight wild boars, five wild buffaloes, three porcupines and two swamp deer. The official said that not only Kaziranga National Park, located on edge of the eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspots of Golaghat and Nagaon districts, the Manas, R.G. Orang and Tinsukia national parks, the Pabitora and Tinsukia wildlife sanctuaries were also affected and many wild animals have perished. As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Assam has recorded 17 per cent excess rainfall so far since June 1, when the four month-long monsoon season started. Since June 1 and till Saturday, Assam recorded 929.5 mm rainfall against the normal 792.3 mm. According to the ASDMA officials of the state's 26.37 lakh people currently affected, around 18 lakh are only in the state's five western districts -- Goalpara (470,253), Barpeta (423,656), Morigaon (375,250), Dhubri (278,841) and South Salmara (249,423). The floods had claimed at least 97 lives so far in Kokrajhar, Kamrup (Metro), Baksa, South Salmara, Darrang, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Tinsukia, Lakhimpur, Bongaigaon, Kamrup, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Morigaon, Dhubri, Nagaon, Nalbari, Barpeta, Dhemaji, Udalguri, Goalpara and Dibrugarh districts, while 26 others were killed in separate landslides since May 22. The swollen Brahmaputra has been flowing above the danger mark in a large number of places in five districts, as many as seven more rivers -- Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Kopili, Dharamtul, Beki, Kushiyara, Sankosh -- are flowing above the danger mark in a large number of places in seven districts. The monsoon floods, triggered by heavy rains, have inundated 2,370 villages and also affected 116,939 hectares of crop area in 27 districts and damaged hundreds of houses partially and completely. The district administrations have set up around 564 relief camps and distribution centres in 27 districts, where around 48,000 people have taken shelter. Of the 27 affected districts, 15 -- Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Morigaon, South Sakmara, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Darrang, Nalbari, Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Nagaon, Golaghat, Majuli, Bongaigaon -- are the worst-hit. Besides erosion of river banks at a large number of places, roads, embankments, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure were damaged at many locations in 24 districts, the officials said, adding that hundred of houses were fully or partially damaged due to the floods. Around 14 lakh domesticated animals and over 8 lakh poultry birds were affected. A total of 16 National Disaster Response Force teams and many teams of State Disaster Response Force, along with the local administration, are continuously working to rescue affected people and render relief services, including distribution of necessary material to the marooned villagers. Pakistan troops violated ceasefire for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday by resorting to mortar shelling and firing at forward posts along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said. The Pakistani troops fired from small arms and shelled mortars along the LoC in Mankote sector this evening, they said. The officials said the Indian Army retaliated befittingly. This was the fifth day that the Pakistani forces have violated the ceasefire along the LoC. The Pakistani troops had shelled areas along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Ghanas covid-19 case count is now at 32,969. This was announced by the President, Nana Akufo-Addo during his 14th address to the nation on Sunday, 26, 2020. According to him, 29,494 persons who contracted the virus have also been discharged. He said the current active cases in the country stand at 3,307. When I delivered Update No. 13, the number of active cases in the country, i.e. those who, as of 27th June 2020, had the virus, stood at four thousand, two hundred and forty-five (4,245). As at midnight of 24th July, nearly a month later, the number of active cases in Ghana stands at three thousand, three hundred and seven (3,307). Again, a month ago, the number of recoveries stood at twelve thousand, nine hundred and ninety-four (12,994). Today, it is twenty-eight thousand, nine hundred, and twenty-seven (29,494). President Akufo-Addo said, this means our recovery rate has improved from seventy-five percent (75%) of positives, a month ago, to eighty-nine point five percent (89.5%), all in one month currently. ---citinewsroom Pakistani nationals remain at the leadership levels in terror groups such as al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and many of them are yet to be blacklisted, according to a UN report. The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said that in April and May, the Afghan special forces conducted a series of countrywide operations and arrested the head of the ISIL-K Aslam Farooqi (also known as Abdullah Orokzai) and his predecessor Zia ul-Haq (also known as Abu Omar Khorasani) and others. Farooqi, who hails from Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is the mastermind behind the deadly terror attack on a prominent gurudwara in Kabul in March that killed 25 Sikhs. He is not blacklisted by the UN Security Council's 1267 al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee. Similarly, Haq is also a Pakistani national and has not been blacklisted yet. Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Afghanistan's Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces and its current leader is Pakistan-born Osama Mahmood, who is also not listed under the UNSC sanctions. Mahmood succeeded Asim Umar. The report said that the group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan and is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader. The Sanctions Monitoring Team report said that the "large terrorist group present in Afghanistan Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is led by Amir Noor Wali Mehsud. Pakistan-born Mehsud was designated a global terrorist by the UNSC sanctions committee only this month, more than two years after he was named the TTP leader, following the death of former TTP head Maulana Fazlullah. Mehsud is supported by his deputy Qari Amjad and TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani, both not listed under the UNSC sanctions. This demonstrates that the Pakistani nationals operate at leadership levels in the terror organisations and point to the terror groups' Pakistani links. The report said that al-Qaida is covertly active in 12 Afghan provinces and its leader Aiman al-Zawahiri remains based in the country. The monitoring team estimates the total number of al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan at between 400 and 600. The leadership maintains a close contact with the Haqqani Network. In February 2020, al-Zawahiri met with Yahya Haqqani, the primary Haqqani Network contact with al-Qaida since mid-2009, to discuss the ongoing cooperation. Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the worlds largest aluminium smelter ex-China, has reported a loss of BD10.6 million ($28.3 million) for the first half of 2020, down by 44% year-on-year (YoY) versus a loss of BD19.1 million ($50.9 million) for the same period in 2019. For the first half of 2020, Alba reported basic and diluted loss per share of fils 8 versus basic and diluted loss per share of fils 14 for the same period in 2019. Albas total comprehensive loss for H1 2020 was BD19.8 million ($52.7 million), up by 4% YoY, compared to a total comprehensive loss of BD19.1million ($50.9 million) in H1 2019. Gross profit for the first half of 2020 was BD55.2 million ($146.8 million) versus BD16.2 million ($43.2 million) in H1 2019 up by 241% YoY. The company reported a loss of BD16.4 million ($43.6 million) for the second quarter of 2020, an increase of 392% year-over-year (YoY) versus a loss of BD3.3 million ($8.9 million) for the same period in 2019. The company reported basic and diluted loss per share of fils 12 versus basic and diluted loss per share of fils 2 for the same period in 2019. The total comprehensive loss for Q2 2020 stood at BD18.2 million ($48.4 million) compared to BD3.3 million ($8.9 million) during the same period in 2019. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2020 was BD21.6 million ($57.6 million) versus BD15.4 million ($40.9 million) in Q2 2019 up by 41% YoY. Total equity as at 30 June 2020 stood at BD1,057.1 million ($ 2,811.5 million), down by 2%, versus BD1,078.6 million ($2,868.6 million) as at 31 December 2019. Albas total assets as at 30 June 2020 topped BD2,380.7 million ($6,331.7 million) versus BD2,420.2 million ($6,436.8 million) as at 31 December 2019 - down by 2%. With regards to the revenue from contracts with customers in the second quarter of 2020, Alba generated BD244 million ($649 million) versus BD245 million ($651.8 million) in Q2 2019 - down by 0.4% YoY. For the First Half of 2020, total revenue from contracts with customers reached BD519.9 million ($1,382.9 million), up by 16% YoY, compared to BD448.6 million ($1,193 million) for the same period in 2019. Albas top-line was driven in the second quarter of 2020 by higher metal sales volume thanks to Line 6 and impacted by lower LME price, which was down by 17% year-over-year ($1,494/t in Q2 2020 versus $1,793/t in Q2 2019), while the bottom-line was impacted by higher depreciation and financial charges. Alba board chairman Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Bin Daij Al Khalifa stated: As Covid-19 unfolds, we continue to focus on adapting to the new life norm and keeping our people safe as we navigate together through this crisis. Despite the challenging market conditions, we are unlocking our strength as we aim to close 2020 by meeting our production target of 1,540,000 metric tonnes. Alba Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali said: Today, the world is going through radical transformation and the Aluminium industry is not an exception. Despite the odds, we have been able to maintain a stable performance by delivering on our commitments. In the face of this crisis, we choose to get better by capitalising on our Safety culture and operational resilience which has led us to achieve more than 24 million safe working-hours without LTI as of to-date. Q2 2020 Alba Highlights *Sales volume topped 390,750 metric tonnes (MT) - up by 25% YoY while Production reached 378,558 MT - up by 24% YoY. * Value Added Sales averaged 34% of the total shipments. * Achieved 23 million working-hours w/o LTIs for the first time in Albas commercial operations on 29 June 2020. * 7-year winning streak with Gold Medal Health & Safety Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). * Alba was honoured with British Safety Councils International Safety Award with Merit 2020. * Titan Phase IV achieved savings were $74 million against 2020 target of $100 million. * Spent Pot Lining (SPL) Treatment Plant in progress (overall progress exceeded 21%). Q2 2020 industry highlights * The global spread of Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the worlds economy. Governments strategies have been focused to contain the spread of Covid-19 from restricting travels to closing public services and limiting industrial activity. Commodities have taken the hardest hit and aluminium supply-chain is not an exception. * World consumption down by 9% year-over-year. * World ex-China has seen the largest-ever decline in aluminium consumption (a drop of 28% YoY). * Covid-19 pandemic takes its toll on aluminium demand in major markets: a drop of 35% in US, 30% in Europe and 22% in Mena. * Chinese economy has been recovering from the pandemic-driven shutdown thanks to the governments stimulus measures which has led to 5% YoY growth in aluminium demand (mainly via a rebound in construction and auto sectors). * Global production witnessed a modest growth of 1% YoY. Primary aluminium production in Mena continues - up by 25% YoY [mainly on the back of Albas Line 6 metal]. US manufacturing continues with production in North America up by 5% YoY. Better Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) prices has led the Chinese supply to grow by 2% YoY. Europe supply down by 3% YoY due to COVID-19 disruptions to the Aluminium downstream. This has led the world market to be in surplus with China (+445Kt) and (+1,622Kt) without China. * LME inventories at ~1.6 million MT as of June-end (up by 66% YoY). LME-Cash averaged $1,494/t (down by 17% YoY) and the physical premium prices continue to be under downward pressure. TradeArabia News Service The history of asbestos in America, aside from being a tragic story of workplace negligence, unspeakable agony, and shocking, one hundred percent preventable loss of life, counted in the millions. is a story of the failure of environmental regulation. Keeping its citizens safe from lethal danger that threatens everyone in the country is at the foundation of federal government. However small one thinks government should be, that duty is not to be shirked. It is at the foundation of everything from the armed forces to the FAA to the CDC to OSHA and to the EPA. To fail in this role even on a short-term basis calls into question governments efficacy. To fail in this role for a century or more is an outrage beyond measure. The danger of asbestos is no secret. It is not a new discovery. It has been known for literally centuries, and known in staggering quantity and detail throughout much of the 20th century. Countless thousands of American World War II veterans died of the exposure they received in the military. Exposure continued to be a hazard to U.S. service members who served in Korea and Vietnam, and many of them, too, have died of asbestos-related disease. Throughout, industry has actively kept the threat maximized, in ways ranging from faking test results to hiding deaths, lying to workers and fighting regulation at every turn. This is absolutely true in Montana, where workers and their families and other townspeople in Libby and Troy have died by the hundreds, exposed to asbestos-laden dust from the W.R. Grace Co. Zonolite mine. In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency mustered the courage to enact an administrative ban on the importation, manufacture and sale of asbestos. But by 1991, the regulation was thrown out by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the victim of a well-financed court challenge by industry. Since then, there have been repeated efforts to get Congress to pass a ban. After reading about Libbys plight in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington fought for years to enact a legislative ban. She thought she had ultimately succeeded in 2007, but wording changes introduced by lobbyists at the last minute emasculated the bill. Which leads us to the fact that today it remains legal to import, manufacture and sell products containing asbestos in the United States despite the fact that more than 60 countries worldwide have banned the deadly fiber. For the last several years, the fight to ban asbestos in Congress has been spearheaded by Linda Reinstein, head of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and the widow of Alan Reinstein, who died of asbestos-related disease. She has courageously advocated, encouraged, and just flat fought for Congress to do the right thing. Finally, this year, victory appears to be within reach. But a serious complication has arisen and threatens to blow the effort up yet again. In November of 2019, the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act seemed to have real momentum. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, on a bipartisan 47-1 vote, recommended it be sent to the full House. But ironically, a lobbyist generally in favor of asbestos-ban legislation the trial-lawyer organization American Association for Justice is using its enormous power particularly among Democratic lawmakers to hold up the bill, saying it cannot support the bill as written. AAJ is seeking arcane language changes that it believes will provide a more favorable litigation environment for its members. But this bill was never about courtrooms. It is about people. It is designed not to facilitate lawsuits but to improve public health. Now, time is critical. To his great credit, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines is all in on supporting the measure, and is poised to join the bill on the Senate side as a cosponsor with Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana also has long backed the current bill. But House approval, once seemingly assured, must come first. It's important to note that bill as written has attracted the support of many other public officials, including state attorneys general, the AFL-CIO, the American Public Health Association, and many physicians and others involved in the treatment of victims of asbestos-related disease. Dr. Raja Flores, chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, says, "For years, I've spoken to Congressional members and staffers and told them the simple truth: these deaths were preventable. Congress can do more with a pen to save lives than I can with a scalpel. We need to pass ARBAN now." Montanas shameful asbestos past and present looms large. We urge Montanans to contact Tester, Daines and Rep. Greg Gianforte and urge them to do everything they can to get this very good bill across the finish line. The fact that we are still killing 40,000 people a year with asbestos-related disease in this country is a failure and an outrage that can no longer be accepted. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A police horse named in honour of slain Toronto officer Ryan Russell died suddenly in its stall Friday. A cause of death had not been determined for the 10-year-old Clydesdale, which stood 17 hands high and was added to the Toronto Police Service Mounted Unit in October 2016. According to police, Russell the horse bought from Carson Farms as a four-year-old did not have any pre-existing conditions and police horses typically serve 15 years, while living as long as 30. Sgt. Ryan Russell was struck and killed by a man driving a stolen snowplow in 2011. The 11-year officer was 35. Ryan was a fantastic man who exemplified all the great qualities in policing, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said when Russell the horse was named. We wanted to make sure that we could replicate the hard work and dedication, and the best way to do that is to pick one of our finest horses, right here, as we get to name him Russell. We are so excited about this as Ryans legacy lives on. The Mounted Unit, based at Exhibition Place, includes about 25 horses and 45 officers and is primarily used for crowd management and patrols. Margaryta Ignatenko is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @MargarytaIgnat1 The Apostolic Administrator of Makeni Diocese in Sierra Leone, Bishop Natale Paganelli has issued a statement appealing for calm in the wake of the recent violent unrest in the city of Makeni and urged everyone to focus on the fight against COVID-19. Festus Tarawalie Vatican City The unrest broke out on the night of the 17 July. Youths of the city tried to prevent the relocation of a 1.65 Mega Watts thermal power generator to the town of Lungi where the countrys international airport is located. Security forces are reported to have shot and killed at least 5 people and critically wounded many others. A troubling time Bishop Paganelli in his 26 July statement expressed concern about the senseless loss of young lives. He said the Church would continue to pray for the peaceful repose of the departed souls and for the speedy recovery of the wounded in hospitals of Makeni and in the capital, Freetown. As a Diocese, we register our deepest and heartfelt sympathy and condolences to their grieving parents, family members and friends. May Almighty God grant them the comfort and consolation they desperately need at this troubling time, the Bishop wrote. Need for an independent investigation While applauding the gesture of the republican president for sending a high-powered delegation to the city to examine the cause of the unrest, Bishop Paganelli said the Diocese supports the appeal of the people of Makeni for an independent investigation. An immediate, independent and transparent investigation be set up to address the cause of the violence, and that those held in custody be immediately released, said Bishop Paganelli. The Bishop further said the release of those arrested would help reduce tension and ease the bitterness and anger among the sons and daughters of the city of Makeni, both at home and abroad. Stay focused on combatting COVID-19 This is not the time to lose our focus on the fight against our common enemy, COVID-19, and its devastating socio-economic effects on all of us, said the Makeni Diocese Apostolic Administrator. As a Church, he continued, We condemn all forms of violence, which we consider self-destructive and counterproductive. He went on to reiterate the teaching of the Church, that every human life is sacred and is of inestimable value in the sight of God, the creator. He appealed to everyone to respect, protect, love and serve life, every human life, as we read in number 5 of Evangelium Vitae, the Church document on the value and inviolability of Human Life. A call for dialogue and reconciliation The statement called on all to pursue always the path of honest and constructive dialogue, mutual respect and fruitful reconciliation. Bishop Paganelli reiterated Pope Emeritus Benedict XVIs words in the second African synod document, Africae Munus, that, reconciliation overcomes crisis, restores the dignity of individuals and opens up the path to development and lasting peace between peoples at every level. Bishop Paganelli, a member of the Xaverian Missionaries, called on everyone to preserve the peace, stability and cohesion of the country and to avoid divisive politics. That the dark clouds of hate will give way to goodwill and unity In concussion, Bishop Paganelli invited all parishioners and people of goodwill to continue to pray fervently and work passionately for the country that the dark clouds of division, hate, mistrust and bad politics which are currently hovering over her head will soon pass away and the radiant stars of goodwill, understanding, unity and reconciliation will shine brightly over this land that we love, Sierra Leone. This is the second statement by Bishop Paganelli in just over two months. In the previous statement issued on 13 May following unrest in two cities and the killing of many inmates at the Pademba Road prison in Freetown, he urged Sierra Leoneans to stay the course of peace, avoid tribal divisions and embrace dialogue. He also called for an investigation into the spate of violence and for respect of human life. Kai Agyepong was arrested by police who raided his home after reports he had been seen with a gun. (PA) A Met police commander has defended the decision of officers to arrest a 12-year-old boy seen playing with a toy gun. The force has come under fire after a team of officers with sniffer dogs stormed the home of Kai Agyepong in Camden, north London, on the evening of July 17 after receiving a call from a member of the public who claimed to have seen a black male holding a firearm. In reality, the weapon was a BB pellet gun that had been fitted with a blue slider to distinguish it from the real thing. Alice Agyepong, Kais mother, said her son had undoubtedly been racially profiled and the family was left feeling utterly violated by the incident. She is now pursuing a complain against the Met Police, which has referred the incident to the Independent Office for Police Complaints (IOPC). The incident comes just weeks after the Met was accused of racially profiling team GB sprinter Biana Williams who was stopped and searched in Maida Vale with her partner. The weapon was a BB pellet gun that had been fitted with a blue slider to distinguish it from the real thing. (PA) But Commander Kyle Gordon, the Mets lead for firearms, has defended his officers, saying he had watched the body-worn video of the incident and was content with their professionalism. He said: There have been a number of well-publicised shootings in London in recent months where members of the public have been injured. Read more: Woman speaks out after friend poisoned her by lacing her coffee with drugs As the public would rightly expect, we take every report of a firearm seriously in order to protect our communities. Officers attending reports such as this must treat them as genuine until they can verify whether or not an actual firearm is present. Based on the information at hand, the officers acted in line with their training and my expectations, enabling the incident to be concluded as quickly and safely as possible. Alice Agyepong said her son had undoubtedly been racially profiled. (PA) He said Agyepong had been immediately dearrested as soon as officers had established the only weapon in the house was the BB gun. The reporting member of the public was right to call us and we would encourage others who see similar weapons to do the same, he added. Story continues We are committed to bearing down on violence and we rely on our communities to help us do this. But Agyepongs mother, who also has two daughters living at home aged 16 and 23, said her son had been left traumatised by the incident, becoming anxious if she even leaves him just to nip to the shops. It was very, very humiliating but more than that, for me and my kids it was terrifying, she said. In my mind there was no question they were going to shoot us. Their guns were drawn in such a way they were aiming their rifles at me and my kids. Alice Agyepong said her son had been left traumatised by the incident. (PA) She said the Met had thrown every single resource except a helicopter at the incident, adding that in addition to the armed officers and dog unit, there were two vans of ordinary PCs and an ambulance. Even after being shown the BB gun, the police still conducted a full search of the premises lasting more than an hour, she said. The familys solicitor Iain Gould said in a blog post the force had major questions to answer about the strength of its response. Deadly force could so easily and tragically have been unleashed upon (Ms Agyepong) and her children, he said. O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. You may get another $1,200 stimulus check, and perhaps a bonus if you go back to work. You wont immediately face eviction if you cant pay the rent. But if there is no job for you to return to, you likely will see a cut to your unemployment benefits. Those are the provisions in the Senate Republicans $1 trillion stimulus bill to be proposed Monday with White House support, two months after House Democrats passed their own $3 trillion package to respond to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Theres a $1,200 check coming. That is going to be part of the new package, White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Sunday on CNNs State of the Union. The check is there. The re-employment bonus is there. The retention bonus is there. There will be breaks for small tax credits for small businesses and restaurants. Thats all going to be there. In addition, the White House supports extending the four-month eviction moratorium that is scheduled to expire at the end of July, Kudlow said. Whats not going to be in the Republican proposal, however, is aid for state and local governments, which the Democrats set aside $875 billion for. Nor will there be a continuation of the full $600 federal unemployment benefit under the plan. Because the expanded benefits are scheduled to expire this week, administration officials suggested that an extension be approved quickly, as well as a few other areas such as protecting businesses against coronavirus-related lawsuits. We can move very quickly with the Democrats on these issues, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday. Weve moved quickly before and I see no reason why we cant move quickly again. And if there are issues that take longer, well deal with those as well. But broad liability limits, a long-sought goal of the business community, are anathema to congressional Democrats, though they have not ruled out some targeted protections. You dont go into a negotiation with a red line, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on CBSs Face the Nation. But you do go in with your values. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said that the Republican bill, instead of offering $600 a week in extra unemployment benefits, would ensure that workers get 70% of their regular pay. In N.J., the state currently pays out benefits at 60% of an employees salary, and unemployed workers have been receiving the $600 added benefit since late March. The original unemployment benefits actually paid people to stay home and actually a lot of people got more money staying at home than they would going back to work, Meadows said on ABCs This Week. So the president has been very clear, our Republican senators have been very clear, were not going to extend that provision. House Democrats voted in May to keep the $600 payments through Jan. 31, 2021, but President Donald Trump has threatened to veto the legislation. Theyre resenting $600 for single moms to be able to put food on the table, for dads to maintain the dignity of keeping their families intact, and with unemployment insurance, with assistance for rent, with food, Pelosi said on CBS. This is an emergency that maybe they dont understand. I dont know what they have against working families in America. An ABC News/Washington Post poll released last month said 58% percent of Americans supported extending the $600 benefit, while only 35% said they should end at the end of July. Kudlow said that the other benefits in the Republican bill would offset the loss of any unemployment insurance payments. We want to pay folks to go back to work, he said on CNN. And, incidentally, we are going to have, on top of the cap of wages, 70 percent, which is quite generous by any standard, on top of that, we will have a re-employment bonus and a retention tax credit bonus for going back to work. So thats going to more than offset any of this. Pelosi said the $600 across-the-board figure was designed to make it easy to provide the extra benefits. The reason we had $600 was its simplicity, Pelosi said. And figuring out 70 percent of somebodys wages. People dont all make a salary. Maybe they do. They make wages and they sometimes have it vary. So why dont we just keep it simple? Indeed, state unemployment offices have struggled to handle the deluge of claims theyve received during the pandemic, let alone take on the extra burden of calculating each recipients extra federal benefit based on his or her salary. Meadows said the federal government would step in if necessary. Its our goal to make sure that its not antiquated computers that keep people from getting their benefits, he said. Theres been a debate on whether the expanded unemployment insurance dissuaded workers from returning to their jobs. There are a lot of people who are not going back to work because they know its not safe, said Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., on CNN. Theres also an awful lot of people that dont have the jobs to go back to. So, I think that this is all about, essentially, a state of denial, that we should just get the economy back and everything is going to go away. In addition, the $600 payments helped prop up an economy that went into recession as a result of the coronavirus. A study by the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive research group, said cutting the extra payment to $200 from $600 would cost New Jersey 98,607 jobs over the next year, as unemployed workers have less money to spend. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. RTHK: UK to boost ability to tackle China 'space threat' Britain will boost its ability to handle threats posed by China and Russia in space as part of a foreign, security and defence policy review being conducted by the UK government, says Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. On Thursday, Britain said it was concerned about a Russian satellite test which involved the launch of a projectile with the "characteristics of a weapon". "This week we have been reminded of the threat Russia poses to our national security with the provocative test of a weapon-like projectile from a satellite threatening the peaceful use of space", Wallace wrote in The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, adding that China also posed a threat. "China, too, is developing offensive space weapons and both nations are upgrading their capabilities. Such behaviour only underlines the importance of the review the (UK) government is currently conducting", he added. Tensions between Britain and Russia have been high in recent weeks, as Britain has targeted Russians with new sanctions, accused Russian actors of trying to meddle in last year's election and said Moscow has tried to hack into vaccine research. Separately, Britain announced on Monday it would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in an escalation of a dispute with Beijing over its introduction of the national security law for the SAR. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered equipment from China's Huawei Technologies to be purged completely from Britain's 5G network by the end of 2027. China - once courted as the prime source of investment in British infrastructure projects - has accused Britain of pandering to the United States. The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that Johnson was also set to overhaul the United Kingdom's treason laws to counter threats posed by China and Russia, with the step likely to see a new Treason Act, a new Espionage Act and a rewriting of the Official Secrets Act. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2020-07-26. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. By Kazeem Ugbodaga Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has questioned the silence of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo in the midst of high level insecurity and corruption in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. He wondered why Obasanjo was curiously silent unlike before when he would have blown hot. Fayose, in tweets, accused Obasanjo of teaming up with others to foist Buhari on Nigeria on the basis of alleged corruption and insecurity. According him, It is either Baba is tired, timid, afraid or he is no longer the Obasanjo that they used to know. With the level of corruption and insecurity that we are seeing in Nigeria under this APC govt, former President Obasanjo is curiously silent. And it was because of alleged corruption and insecurity that Obasanjo teamed up with others to foist Buhari on Nigeria, he tweeted. Fayose then mocked Obasanjo by asking: Isnt Obasanjos silence worrisome? It is either Baba is tired, timid, afraid or he is no longer the Obasanjo that we used to know. Will he keep silent while the entire country is being looted away and Nigerians anywhere in the country cant sleep with their two eyes closed? Related Public Health England's conclusions come as ministers consider new measures to combat obesity. Being obese or overweight puts you at greater risk of serious illness or death from Covid-19, experts say after examining existing studies. The review of evidence by Public Health England found excess weight put people at greater risk of needing hospital admission or intensive care. And the risk grew substantially as weight increased. The release comes ahead of an expected government announcement of new measures to curb obesity. Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England, said the current evidence was clear, that being overweight or obese puts you at greater risk of serious illness or death from Covid-19, as well as from many other life-threatening diseases. "Losing weight can bring huge benefits for health - and may also help protect against the health risks of Covid-19," she said. "The case for action on obesity has never been stronger." The UK has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe. Almost two-thirds of adults in England are overweight or obese, with similar figures in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Am I overweight? The NHS says most adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 are overweight, while those with a BMI of 30 to 39.9 are classed as obese. Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person's mass in kilograms by the square of their height in metres. Another measure of excess fat is waist size - men with a waist of 94cm or more and women with a waist of 80cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related problems. Supporting people to achieve and maintain a healthy weight may reduce the severe effects of Covid-19 on the population, especially among vulnerable groups who are most affected by obesity, the report said. Prof Susan Jebb of the University of Oxford, said we already know that older people, men, those from South Asian and some other ethnic groups, and people living in more deprived areas, are at increased risk from Covid-19. "Over and above these things, this review shows that excess weight is another very important risk factor," she said. There was anecdotal evidence that some people were struggling with their weight during the pandemic, she added, which offered a "re-set moment" for everyone to think about their lifestyle. According to the report, while some data suggests that more people have exercised during lockdown, evidence indicates that the nation's exercise levels have not increased overall. Meanwhile, snack food and alcohol sales from High Street shops have increased. Boris Johnson is expected to announce new measures soon to combat obesity, including a ban on TV junk food adverts before 21:00. The measures are yet to be finalised, but are also likely to include a ban on online ads for unhealthy foods, and limits on in-store promotions. BBC Naked Athena. Have you heard of her? Shes the woman who was so christened after she strolled into a recent Portland protest one that was ostensibly, crucially, about Black lives stark naked, save a mask (kudos to that) and skullcap. She sat down with her legs wide, and proceeded to do some yoga poses. Some say she was putting herself between protesters and police, that she was turning the cultural sacredness of a white (or at least a white-passing) womans body into a shield against rubber bullets and tear gas. Naked Athena whose friend describes her as a light-skinned person of color and outspoken feminist said nada during her demonstration and hasnt been interviewed, so I cant know her intentions. What I can say with confidence is that what she did was aligned with the weird that Portland espouses in its beloved slogan: Keep Portland Weird. What I can say with reasonable assurance is that, were she a Black woman, she wouldve reaped a different public reaction than the ample awe and admiration Ive seen on social media. And what I must say is that no matter her intentions, for a moment at least, she mightve upstaged the movement, and not in a way I could discern as connected to its stated objectives. Dont get me wrong, I appreciate Naked Athena, and the white Navy veteran whose passivity exposed the bellicose bent of federal agents. Im thankful for the passion and courage of other white allies during this movement. But Ive also been musing on the subject of weirdness how that quality requires freedom, or at least the belief that one possesses it. How the ability to express passion and courage and weirdness is a product of that privilege; how a sense of utopianism of the sort that exists for white people in Portland, my hometown, leads to a certain audacity when it comes to both self-expression and political radicalism; how that audacity can make a city into a tempting target for a federal government thats determined to look tough against a purported paragon of eccentric liberalism. KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian authorities launched a search on Sunday for 24 Rohingya refugees who went missing while trying to swim to shore from a boat off the resort island of Langkawi. Muslim-majority Malaysia has long been a favoured destination for Rohingya Muslims seeking a better life after escaping a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar and, more recently, refugee camps in Bangladesh. Malaysia's coastguard said 25 people had tried to swim to shore late on Saturday when their boat was near the west coast of the island but only one reached land. Two boats and one aircraft were sent out on Sunday to scour an area of more than 100 square nautical miles, according to Mohd Zawawi Abdullah, provincial director for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. "We have relayed information to other rescue agencies and local fishing communities and will also inform the Thai authorities ... to assist in the search," Zawawi said in a statement. Police detained the person who reached shore for questioning. They did not say what happened to the boat. Last month, 269 Rohingya were detained on arrival in Langkawi. At the time, the head of the MMEA said the 269 were transferred from a larger "motherboat" on which dozens of people were believed to have died and were thrown into the sea over a four-month voyage. Malaysia does not recognise refugee status. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said last month the country could not take in any more Rohingya, citing a struggling economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic. (Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Robert Birsel) A medical costs comparison website set up with $2.5 million of federal government funding to tackle bill shock has been accessed by fewer than 10,000 people in six months as consumer advocates fear surgeons scrambling to make up for income lost in the pandemic will charge even higher gap fees. The Medical Costs Finder website, which Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced last year as part of the Morrison government's plan to address "excessive" fees charged by specialist doctors had just 9861 unique visitors in the six months to June 17, official data shows. The federal government's medical fees comparison website has failed to gain traction. Credit:iStock Consumers Health Forum chief executive Leanne Wells said the website must be overhauled so that prices charged by individual doctors, which leave some patients owing thousands of dollars, would be "visible and comparable". Ms Wells said out-of-pocket health costs would "hurt families more than ever as a result of the economic impacts of the pandemic" and called on surgeons to "take into account the financial stress on individuals and families" when setting their fees. A Met commander has defended his police officers after it emerged they had arrested a 12-year-old boy playing with a toy gun, believing it to be real. A team of officers with sniffer dogs stormed the home of Kai Agyepong in Camden, north London, on the evening of July 17 after a call from a member of the public claiming to have seen a black male holding a firearm. In reality, it was a BB pellet gun that had been fitted with a blue slider to distinguish it from the real thing. Kai's mother Alice criticised the police, saying her family felt 'utterly violated' by the incident. Catholic schoolboy Kai Agyepong, pictured, was dragged out of his home at night after a passerby saw him playing with a BB gun in his Camden home In reality, the 'firearm' was a BB pellet gun that had been fitted with a blue slider to distinguish it from the real thing Alice, who also has two daughters living at home aged 16 and 23, told the PA news agency: 'In my mind there was no question they were going to shoot us. 'Their guns were drawn in such a way they were aiming their rifles at me and my kids.' The schoolboy was playing on a laptop while sat on the sofa with his mum Alice when the gun cops stormed in. A passer-by claimed he had seen a black male with a gun inside their home and reported it to police. In fact he had just been playing with a BB pellet gun in the living room. Scared Kai had red laser guided guns aimed at him as he was nicked and put in a police car outside. The boy's mother Alice, pictured, has accused the Met of racially profiling her family The schoolboy was playing on a laptop while sat on the sofa with his mum Alice when the gun cops stormed in. Kai pictured with mother Alice above But he was de-arrested after cops realised it was just a fake gun and cops were forced to apologise. Mum-of-three Alice, of Somers Town, Camden, north London - had fallen asleep - and woke up to see cops holding assault rifles. 'They had visors on and sniffer dogs and there was commotion and barking. Kai was immediately handcuffed. 'My daughter noticed he was so distressed and was saying: 'Kai, calm down.' 'They took him away and I didn't know if he had been taken to a police station. 'It was so surreal - my initial reaction was utter disbelief because I had gone from being asleep on a normal Friday night to having the cavalry dressed at my door with very big guns. The family said they feared they would be shot after armed officers stormed their home at night. Catholic schoolboy Kai pictured above 'I went from utter disbelief to trauma because my children were at significant risk of being shot. 'I knew none of us were safe because if they got spooked or felt threatened they're going to shoot us and when one starts shooting they all start. 'They had proper killing machines and they were aiming at us. I looked at the kids and could see the lasers on their bodies.' Once Kai had been taken away, Alice and her daughter were moved out into the street so cops could search the house. Alice added: 'When we went outside it was like a scene from Terminator. 'All I saw was flashing lights and so many police vehicles. I felt like the entire police station was there.' Alice said the Met had thrown 'every single resource except a helicopter' at the incident, adding that in addition to the armed officers and dog unit, there were two vans of ordinary PCs and an ambulance. Even after being shown the BB gun, the police still conducted a full search of the premises lasting more than an hour. Alice said her son had 'undoubtedly' been racially profiled. Kai Agyepong with his mother Alice who has described what happened as an 'occupational hazard' for a young black boy She said the Met had explained the incident by saying senior gang members often leave knives and firearms with younger boys in the hope they will be less likely to be discovered. Commander Kyle Gordon, the Met's lead for firearms, said: 'There have been a number of well-publicised shootings in London in recent months where members of the public have been injured. Alice, who also has two daughters living at home aged 16 and 23, told the PA news agency: 'In my mind there was no question they were going to shoot us'. Alice pictured with her son Kai, above 'As the public would rightly expect, we take every report of a firearm seriously in order to protect our communities. 'Officers attending reports such as this must treat them as genuine until they can verify whether or not an actual firearm is present. 'Based on the information at hand, the officers acted in line with their training and my expectations, enabling the incident to be concluded as quickly and safely as possible.' Commander Gordon said he had watched the body-worn video of the incident and said he was 'content' with the officers' professionalism and how they had explained to residents what was going on. 'The reporting member of the public was right to call us and we would encourage others who see similar weapons to do the same,' he said. 'We are committed to bearing down on violence and we rely on our communities to help us do this.' He added that Kai had been immediately dearrested as soon as officers had established the only weapon in the house was the BB gun. Ms Agyepong said Kai had been left traumatised by the incident, becoming anxious if she even leaves him just to nip to the shops. 'It was very, very humiliating but more than that, for me and my kids it was terrifying.' By Nina Shapiro, The Seattle Times SEATTLE As the novel coronavirus ravaged nursing homes in the early weeks of the pandemic, a doctor continued to see elderly and frail patients at one Renton facility despite having symptoms and then testing positive for COVID-19, a lawsuit alleges. Dr. Nishita Bhumkar under the direction of her boss, Dr. Darren Swenson, who runs Swenson Health Care, a service that places doctors in post-acute care facilities told no one at the nursing home and filled out a screening checklist as if everything was fine, according to the allegations. In time, at least 52 residents and 47 staff members became infected with the coronavirus at Renton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center an outbreak that the lawsuit attributes to Bhumkar and Swenson. Nine people have died. Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter The thing that is really shocking is the doctor knew she was infected and went on to sign a form that said she wasnt, said Dan Weiskopf, a lawyer representing the rehabilitation center, which cares for people who are sick or have recently left a hospital. While the pandemic has generated many lawsuits, the intentional conduct makes this one stands out, he said. I havent seen anything like it in the country. The lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court by the nursing home against the doctors, Swenson Healthcare and another company Swenson runs may also test who can be blamed for the spread of the virus during a chaotic time. In long-term care facilities and other congregate settings, it is hard to trace back where each person got infected and who they got infected from, said Sharon Bogan, a spokeswoman for Public Health Seattle & King County. For example, there may be transmission between residents, between health care workers, and between health care workers and residents. Francis Floyd, the attorney representing the defendants, said the Renton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center patients who contracted COVID-19 did so well after the facility ended its contract with Swenson Healthcare. The nursing home wont be able to prove that Bhumkar caused the outbreak, Floyd said. The lawyer also said Bhumkar followed the guidelines issued at the time by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health. He added the complaint contained totally, absolutely false statements. According to the timeline laid out in the complaint, Bhumkar, an internal medicine specialist, came down with COVID-19 symptoms March 10 and let Swenson know the following day. Swenson had by that time issued a memo saying that employees with such symptoms will not be permitted to return to work until cleared by their physician in coordination with health department and/or CDC officials as appropriate. Yet, according to the lawsuit, he told Bhumkar not to get tested or treated and instructed her to keep working rather than quarantining herself. On March 13, she went to the Renton nursing home to see patients. Like many facilities for seniors, which were then experiencing the most devastating losses from the virus, the Renton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center had banned most visitors. Those deemed essential, like doctors, could only come in after completing a checklist asking whether they had been exposed to the virus and were showing any symptoms of respiratory infection associated with COVID-19, such as a fever, cough or sore throat. Bhumkar, who worked at other facilities, including ones where patients had tested positive, answered no to both questions, according to a copy of the form included in the complaint. She didnt lie about anything, said Floyd. She never had symptoms when she went into the facility. According to the lawsuit, Bhumkar took a COVID-19 test March 16 and got positive results back eight days later. Again, Swenson told her to keep working, the complaint said. One day after getting her results, Bhumkar went to the Renton nursing home and answered no to the questions on the checklist. Floyd would not discuss the details of Bhumkars test or how she responded to it. But he said that guidelines allowed someone who tested positive to work after a period of time of being symptom-free. He emailed DOH guidelines from March 20, which stipulated that health care workers with a confirmed COVID-19 infection should not return to work until seven days after symptoms first appeared and three days after a fever went away. Symptoms were to improve before someone went back to work. Weiskopf, the nursing homes lawyer, maintained that Bhumkar had an obligation to tell the facility that she had tested positive and experienced symptoms. She shouldnt be the one deciding whether she was safe to see patients there, he said. In the end, many of the patients Bhumkar examined ranging in age from 55 to 99, and with conditions like heart disease and dementia contracted the virus, as did their roommates and a nurse who made the rounds with the doctor, according to the lawsuit. It alleges, among other things, negligence and violation of the state Consumer Protection Act and seeks unspecified damages for harm to the nursing home. The exact timeline and details of Bhumkars health will undoubtedly be crucial to the case. As yet, its uncertain whether they will play out in court. The doctors are arguing that the case should go to arbitration because of a clause in the contract with Swenson, who served as the facilitys medical director. Renton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is fighting that, saying this is a case of public interest that should be heard by the public. A judge has yet to make a decision. Advertisement Black Lives Matter protests erupted into violence across the country last night as 'explosive devices' were used against federal officers in Seattle and Portland, and a demonstrator was shot dead during a march in Austin. One protester was shot and killed when gunshots were fired during a protest in downtown Austin, Texas, Saturday night. Shocking footage showed people marching along the street holding banners demanding an end to police brutality and racism when loud shots rang out. This comes as protests gathered steam across several US cities Saturday, two months on from the Memorial Day 'murder' of George Floyd and in a show of solidarity for Portland where demonstrators and federal agents have clashed ever since Trump sent federal troops in. The president has so far deployed federal agents to Portland, Seattle and Chicago. On Sunday morning he retweeted a series of posts, one which cited Antifa to be a 'racist terror-group', and another, authored by Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, who fumed at demonstrators in Portland for assaulting 'FEDERAL officers on FEDERAL property, while the city 'did nothing'. The streets of Seattle turned violent Saturday when protesters set fire to a youth detention center and a police precinct. Other protesters threw rocks, bottles, fireworks and other explosives at cops, with the unrest leading local authorities to declare protests had turned into 'riots that afternoon'. Portland geared up for its 59th night of unrest Saturday with swathes of demonstrators marching from the federal building to the Portland Marriott where they believe federal officers are staying, in the wake of a violent night Friday that ended with at least one person stabbed. Meanwhile, tensions mounted in Chicago, with protests taking place all across the Windy City Saturday including a Back the Blue rally in support of cops, while residents brace for the force of the feds. Cities that have so far avoided the wrath of the feds also ramped up protests Saturday night with police cruisers being damaged in New York and Los Angeles police issuing a citywide tactical alert to get more cops on standby for escalating unrest. AUSTIN: A protester has been shot dead during a march in Austin Saturday night as tensions mount across the US SEATTLE: The streets of Seattle turned violent Saturday when protesters set fire to a youth detention center and a police precinct, leading cops to declare protests had turned into 'riots' that afternoon PORTLAND: Portland geared up for its 59th night of unrest Saturday with swathes of demonstrators marching from the federal building to the Portland Marriott where they believe federal officers are staying, in the wake of a violent night Friday that ended with at least one person stabbed CHICAGO: Tensions mounted in Chicago, with protests taking place all across the Windy City Saturday including a Back the Blue rally in support of cops, while residents brace for the force of the feds NEW YORK: New York Police Department officers clash with demonstrators during a 'Solidarity with Portland' protest Austin Austin police confirmed that an adult male was shot and killed near an intersection in the city's downtown around 9:52 p.m. during the protest Saturday night. Social media footage shows demonstrators marching through the streets shouting 'black lives' and waving banners reading 'BLM' before several shots are fired. Screams are heard and the video loses focus as protesters run for cover from the scene. Senior Police Officer Katerina Ratcliff said in a late night press conference that cops were on the scene monitoring the protest when shots rang out in the area. Initial reports indicate the victim was carrying a rifle and approached the suspect's vehicle, who then opened fire fatally shooting the man. Medics on the scene performed CPR on the man and he was taken to hospital in a critical condition, where he was pronounced dead soon after. Austin police said the suspect had been detained and that no other injuries were reported. AUSTIN: One protester was shot and killed and several other people were injured when gunshots were fired during a protest in downtown Austin, Texas, Saturday night AUSTIN: Shocking footage showed people marching along the street holding banners demanding an end to police brutality and racism when loud shots rung out Seattle In Seattle, violence flared long before nightfall when people went on a rampage, torching buildings in the city, while a Wall of Moms and Vets took to the streets vowing to protect demonstrators from law enforcement. Around 2,000 people descended on the city as protests that had tempered following the dismantling of the CHOP zone earlier this month inflamed once more, after Trump said he was sending in federal troops as part of his sweeping law and order takeover in cities across the nation. Seattle police declared the protest in Seattle a 'riot' just before 4:30 p.m. local time Saturday afternoon as people vandalized the East Police Precinct, set a small fire and an explosive was let off inside the building. Surveillance cameras were damaged in the onslaught, while some demonstrators tried to tear down a fence protecting the precinct. 'Individuals spray painting on East Precinct at 12th and Pine and attempting to disable cameras and damage fence perimeter around building,' Seattle Police Department tweeted. 'Due to the ongoing damage and public safety risks associated with this incident, SPD is declaring it a riot.' The construction site of the new King County Juvenile Detention Facility was also engulfed in flames after a group marched on the building demanding it be closed before setting fire to the area. Firefighters fought to tackle the raging flames billowing out of the construction area at 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street. Protester in Seattle threw rocks, bottles, fireworks and other explosives at cops, with the unrest leading local authorities to declare protests had turned into 'riots that afternoon' SEATTLE: Cops have declared a Seattle protest a riot as a youth detention center is engulfed in flames (pictured) and a Wall of Moms and Vets have taken to the streets to protect demonstrators from law enforcement SEATTLE: Construction buildings burn near the King County Juvenile Detention Center, Saturday SEATTLE: Fire crews battle to put out the blaze as the city descends into carnage Saturday afternoon I have shifted up to Seattle today to follow a large demonstration that's in solidarity with Portland. I'd estimate a crowd of 2,000 already. They just torched construction buildings at the site of a new youth detention center. Meanwhile, feds are here https://t.co/rPuSTAuKkt pic.twitter.com/jWvFqipRo4 Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) July 25, 2020 Law enforcement hit back at the crowds using flashbangs to get people to disperse, hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked a new law banning cops from using pepper spray and other crowd control tools. Protesters were tear-gassed and thrown to the ground as tensions escalated and a wall of cops pushed them back along the streets. At least 45 people have been arrested and 21 cops were injured, including one who was rushed to hospital after an explosive went off on his leg. There was still no sign of Trump's federal troops in the early hours of Sunday despite the repeated threats from the president that his agents would restore law and order in Democrat-led cities. A so-called 'Wall of Moms' joined the Seattle protests - in solidarity with the similar 'walls' that have sprung up in Portland over the last week. Mothers in Portland have come out in force every night since Saturday sporting their signature yellow t-shirts and bike helmets and forming human barricades to protect Black Lives Matter protesters from federal agents sent into the city. SEATTLE: Police pepper spray protesters Saturday near the Seattle Central Community College in Seattle SEATTLE: The construction site of the new King County Juvenile Detention Facility at 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street was also engulfed in flames after a group marched on the building demanding it be closed before setting fire to the area SEATTLE: A firefighter turns on a hydrant as construction buildings burn near the King County Juvenile Detention Center SEATTLE: Smoke billows from the detention center in the afternoon as tensions escalate in the city Seattle police declared the protest in Seattle a 'riot' just before 4:30 p.m. local time Saturday SEATTLE: Seattle Police officers stand near vandalized cars at the King County Juvenile Detention Center which is up in flames SEATTLE: Raging flames were billowing out of the new youth detention center Saturday afternoon, as crowds of around 2,000 descended on the city and some set fire to buildings SEATTLE: Protests that had tempered in Seattle following the dismantling of the CHOP zone earlier this month have inflamed once more They were joined Friday night by a new 'Wall of Vets' who said they decided to take action after shocking footage emerged showing federal agents tear gassing and beating Navy veteran Christopher David, 53, last weekend. The Seattle group of women sported yellow bands reading 'Mom' as they marched toward the area by the detention center Saturday afternoon, while veteran protesters held up signs reading #WallofVets. The group wrote on Twitter that they were attacked by Seattle cops and 'unmarked federal contractors' in broad daylight while protesting peacefully. 'We marched peacefully until SPD & unmarked Federal Contractors tear gassed a bunch of moms, allies and Youth today,' the Wall of Moms Seattle group wrote. 'In broad daylight. With no provocation from peaceful media, or marchers. All Moms (and allies) know we can do better than this.' Shocking footage on Twitter showed peaceful protesters marching through the streets as explosions rang out behind them. Several people broke out into a run before protesters appeared to realize it was cops following them with gas canisters. SEATTLE: Protesters marched on the East Police Precinct. Some vandalized the precinct and set a fire inside SEATTLE: Protests have grown again since Donald Trump said he was sending in federal troops as part of his sweeping law and order takeover in cities across the nation Much of the group had dispersed by early evening with a smaller crowd of protesters and law enforcement facing off against each other near the police precinct soon after 7 p.m. before tensions bubbled over again. Standoffs continued into the night in what used to be the CHOP zone - the 'autonomous zone' occupied by protesters around a police precinct. Protests demanding an end to police brutality and racism have taken place in Seattle for two months now, ever since the Memorial Day 'murder' of black man George Floyd at the hands of a white cop. Tensions in the city had simmered down following the removal of the CHOP zone in early July, but crowds have amassed once more to protest against the move from the Trump administration to send in federal troops. Residents and local officials including Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Police Chief Carmen Best have voiced concerns that the city will head the way of Portland where feds have been accused of bundling protesters off in unmarked vehicles and violent clashes have erupted across the city. Agents were sent in to Seattle Thursday evening on standby to help other federal law enforcement officials protect federal facilities in the city, according to two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the plans. They were drafted in after businesses were vandalized in the downtown area and in the nearby Capitol Hill neighborhood, they said. But Durkan blasted Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf Friday saying he misled her, having assured her the government had no plans to send federal agents to Seattle. 'I don't want to say I was lied to, but I think there was maybe semantics that weren't forthcoming,' Durkan said Friday. 'I cannot overstate it enough, what is happening is frightening to me,' Durkan said. 'It is frightening that you would use federal agents for political purposes.' A federal judge dealt another blow to the city earlier Saturday ruling that cops can use pepper spray and other crowd control tools on protesters in the city. Last month, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a bill - sponsored by far-left councilwoman Kshama Sawant - banning cops from deploying 'kinetic impact projectiles, chemical irritants, acoustic weapons, directed energy weapons, water cannons, disorientation devices, and ultrasonic cannons'. The law, which was set to go into effect on Sunday, sparked outrage among officers, who claimed they would be unable to protect both peaceful protesters and property if demonstrations turned violent. On Friday, Police Chief Carmen Best slammed the City Council for their new law, writing: 'As City Council's legislation goes into effect, it will create even more dangerous circumstances for our officers to intervene using what they have left riot shields and riot batons.' US District Judge James Robart granted a request from the federal government to block the new law Saturday afternoon, clearing the way for the deployment of crowd control tactics on the night's protests. Atlanta Atlanta also endured a night of unrest across Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday as protesters took aim at the city's ICE and DHS field office, smashing windows and attempting to set fire to the building. Reports suggest that nobody was inside the building at the time, however extensive damage was caused to the front of the facility. Agents were seen patrolling the grounds early Sunday, as FBI officers snapped pictures of the shattered windows and what appeared to be scorch marks left from fireworks on the office's walls. A considerable amount of graffiti was also spray-painted across the building. One of the messages read 'No more peace'. Another called for 'No cops, no ICE, no borders'. Footage shared to social media appeared to show protesters starting a fire near to the office, located at 180 Ted Turner Drive, and erecting barricades. Masked protesters were seen throwing fireworks through the office's broken windows as they chanted 'Black Lives Matter'. Social media posts made by at least one group, Acid Vitalist League, claimed the vandalism was 'in solidarity with the freedom fighters of the #PortlandProtests.' Atlanta also endured a night of unrest across Saturday evening into the early hours of Sunday as protesters took aim at the city's ICE and DHS field office, smashing windows and attempting to set fire to the building Reports suggest that nobody was inside the building at the time, however extensive damage was caused to the front of the facility Masked protesters were seen throwing fireworks through the office's broken windows as they chanted 'Black Lives Matter' A heavily armed officer stands guard as the damage to the ICE building is surveyed by agents early Sunday morning Graffiti spray-painted along the street Saturday night reads 'Abolish police, abolish ICE, End Racism' Agents were seen patrolling the grounds early Sunday, as FBI officers snapped pictures of the shattered windows and what appeared to be scorch marks left from fireworks on the office's walls Portland Tensions continued to boil over in Portland Saturday night when a crowd of around 1,000 protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Marriott hotel on the waterfront where the federal agents are rumored to be staying. People chanted 'feds go home' outside the hotel on what marked the 59th night of protests to have rocked the city. The Portland Police Department declared a riot in the city early Sunday, shortly after a group of protesters toppled part of a fence outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse. The police said that the riot was declared in response to the 'violent conduct' of people who were creating 'grave risk of public alarm.' At around 1am, the crowd attached a chain to the fence surrounding the courthouse and managed to pull a section of it down to the pavement. Federal officers exited the courthouse and deployed multiple rounds of teargas to disperse the crowd in response. In a statement, the Portland PD claimed that demonstrators had thrown bottles and shot 'mortar style fireworks' at officers as they attempted to clear the crowd. In total, 26 people were arrested, police said. The crowd was even bigger than the previous night, as around 5,000 people descended on the streets to protest and demand the feds leave the city. Members of the now dismantled CHOP zone in Seattle joined the crowds in Portland, and the yellow-clad 'Wall of Moms' showed up again, marking the seventh straight night that the group have come out to support Black Lives Matter protesters from Trump's troops. Someone brought along a llama - dubbed 'Caesar The No Drama Lama' - and several protesters were seen posing for selfies with it in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center as night fell. PORTLAND: Someone brought along a llama - dubbed 'Caesar The No Drama Lama' - and several protesters were seen posing for selfies with it in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center as night fell PORTLAND: The crowd was even bigger than Friday night, as more people have descended on the streets each night this week to protest and demand the feds leave the city PORTLAND: Protester images are displayed on the barricade front wall of the Multnomah County Justice Center PORTLAND: A llama was brought along to Saturday's protest where tensions continued to boil over between protesters and law enforcement PORTLAND: A crowd of around 1,000 protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Marriott hotel on the waterfront where the federal agents are rumored to be staying PORTLAND: People chanted 'feds go home' on what marked the 59th night of protests to have rocked the city PORTLAND: A makeshift tear gas deposit along the perimeter barricade of the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in anticipation of more violent stand-offs with law enforcement This came after a new 'Wall of Vets' joined the Wall of Moms and Wall of Dads for the first time Friday night to 'protect' Black Lives Matter protesters from the federal agents in what marked the 58th night of unrest in the city. Police said one person was stabbed in downtown Portland early Saturday morning and a suspect was taken into custody, as scenes turned ugly overnight. About 4,000 protesters gathered at the federal courthouse and Justice Center chanting 'feds go home' and 'black lives matter'. Chaos later erupted when demonstrators set off fireworks and federal agents hurled tear gas into the crowds. The 'Wall of Vets' group appeared at the demonstration for the first time, alongside the yellow-clad 'Wall of Moms' who have gathered every night this week. The Vets said they decided to take action after shocking footage emerged showing federal agents tear gassing and beating Navy veteran Christopher David, 53, last weekend. Local officials, including Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, have been outspoken in their opposition to federal law enforcement's presence. Wheeler, who has publicly called for the agents to leave numerous times, was hit with tear gas on Wednesday night as he joined protesters outside the courthouse. 'This is not a de-escalation strategy. This is flat-out urban warfare,' Wheeler said. 'And it's being wrought on the people of this country by the president of the United States and it's got to stop.' Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell released a video statement Sunday, following the 59th consecutive night of unrest in the city. 'Across the country people are committing violence, supposedly in support of Portland,' he said. 'If you want to support Portland then stop the violence, work for peace. Portland police officers and police facilities have been threatened. Now more than ever Portland Police needs your support.' Chicago Protests ramped up in Chicago again Saturday as the Windy City braces for an influx of federal agents on the streets. During the day, several protests took place at Grant Park, where just days earlier the controversial statue of Christopher Columbus was taken down under the cover of darkness. Black Lives Matter protesters gathered, as did a 'Back the Blue' rally in support of law enforcement who chanted 'we love CPD'. As night fell, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters continued to march peacefully southbound through the city. CHICAGO: Protests ramped up in Chicago again Saturday as the Windy City braces for an influx of federal agents on the streets CHICAGO: As night fell, hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters continued to march peacefully southbound through the city CHICAGO: Protesters take part in a demonstration against police violence and racial inequality in Chicago Saturday before night falls New York Violence erupted in the Big Apple Saturday night as protesters and NYPD cops clashed amid a march in solidarity with Portland Saturday. NYPD cops in riot gear faced off against a wall of protesters and at least one demonstrator was seen being tasered as things turned ugly after dark. The clashes came one day after Trump warned New York could be next on his list of cities where federal agents will be deployed as he said Friday he is 'sending people in to New York'. 'You look at what they're doing to cities - every city is run by a liberal Democrat, and they're going to hell,' Trump told Barstool Sports. 'We just sent people in to Chicago. We've sent people in to Portland. 'We're sending people to New York, to help out.' Trump's comments came 24 hours after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he had received reassurances from the president that federal agents were not being sent. NEW YORK: New York Police Department officers block a street during a 'Solidarity with Portland' protest NEW YORK: Cops are seen pinning a protesters to the ground as they detain them in the Big Apple NEW YORK: NYPD cops follow the crowds of protesters through the streets Saturday night NEW YORK: NYPD cops in riot gear face off against a wall of protesters demanding an end to racial injustice NEW YORK: One protester was seen grappling with cops who deployed their stun gun on him NEW YORK: A New York Police Department officer pulls out a stun gun on a demonstrator during the 'Solidarity with Portland' protest Los Angeles In downtown Los Angeles, protesters and cops faced off in front of the federal courthouse with both sides reportedly hurling missiles at each other. Cops used their batons to push back the crowds and several protesters were seen being detained on the ground. This came after LA police issued a citywide tactical alert in order to deploy extra cops to downtown LA Saturday night amid concerns that protests were escalating once more in the city. Sgt. Anthony Costello said extra cops and resources were on standby after a rising spate of vandalism at the federal building downtown. LOS ANGELES: Police and protesters clash in front the federal courthouse during a Black Lives Matter and Anti Fascist protest LOS ANGELES: In downtown Los Angeles, protesters and cops faced off in front of the federal courthouse with both sides LOS ANGELES: A man with no shoes is arrested by cops in downtown LA Saturday LOS ANGELES: Tensions flared after both sides reportedly hurled missiles at each other Louisville Meanwhile, three people were shot in Louisville Saturday as a black militia group carrying semiautomatic weapons and a far-right organization carrying heavy firearms came face-to-face during demonstrations. An argument erupted between Black Lives Matter supporters and members of the far-right Three Percenters militia on the corner of Fifth and Jefferson Streets in Louisville on Saturday shortly after 1pm local time, according to local reports. A shooting then took place a few blocks away in Baxter Park, where an estimated 200 armed members of the Atlanta-based 'Not F*****g Around Coaltion' gathered before marching toward the main protest site in downtown. The Louisville Metro Police Department later confirmed that the shooting was a result of a firearm that accidentally discharged. The three wounded victims were rushed to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. LOUISVILLE: Meanwhile, three people were shot in Louisville Saturday as a black militia group carrying semiautomatic weapons and a far-right organization carrying heavy firearms came face-to-face during demonstrations Paramedics push a stretcher as police officers investigate a shooting that happened during an armed rally held by an all-black militia group called NFAC in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday LOUISVILLE: An argument erupted between Black Lives Matter supporters and members of the far-right Three Percenters militia on the corner of Fifth and Jefferson Streets in Louisville on Saturday shortly after 1pm local time, according to local reports. Members of the Kentucky Three Percenters Militia line up as members and supporters of an all-black militia group called NFAC hold an armed rally in Louisville There's no arguing that super sire Camluck was instrumental in putting Seelster Farms on the map. And while Walter Parkinson's eye is always on the lookout for another of Camluck's stature, he is confident that Seelster's current string of stallions can keep the Lucan, Ont., farm at the forefront of the breeding industry in Ontario. "We always want to promote quality over quantity," said Parkinson, who serves as assistant farm manager at Seelster Farms, along with his roles as the president of the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association and a director on the Ontario Racing board. In addition to handling any number of tasks ranging from barn work and marketing, Parkinson handles Seelster's string of nine stallions for collections during breeding season. Seelster's group of stallions including State Treasurer and Sunshine Beach surely stands up with any other major breeding operation, but the prospect of another icon like Camluck would no doubt bolster an already strong roster. "Camluck's shoes are certainly a tough pair to fill," Parkinson said of Seelster's flagship stallion who stood at stud for 23 years until he was pensioned in 2014 and passed in August 2015. "His dominance was felt throughout North America. He didn't just set the stage for the Ontario Sires Stakes; he took the farm and the pacing breed to a different level." Camluck, a true game-changer in Standardbred breeding, saw his progeny 30 millionaires among them bank nearly a quarter-billion dollars in their careers. As for the next Camluck? It would be a boost for business, no doubt, but Parkinson is high on Seelster's current stallion roster and for many reasons. "Trying to find another one of him is always a long-term goal, but I think the farm has a lot of nice up and coming stallions stallions who are proving to be perennial top performers like Big Jim, and Sunshine Beach is starting to show himself," continued Parkinson. "On the trotting side, we have Wheeling N Dealin. And then new stallions that are just coming with their foals on the ground this season All Bets Off and Lookslikeachpndale. But on balance, I think we have a really nice group. "As to who's going to be the next Camluck, that's what you're looking for and they're few and far between. It's certainly a process: You want to attract the best you can, but you know that you're having to against other Ontario farms farms in Pennsylvania and New York are major competitors. Certainly, you want the combination of on-track performance and pedigree, and hopefully the conformation to go with it. Once you start narrowing it down that much, the stallions that everyone wants becomes a narrow pool in any given year." Given the strength and depth of the Ontario Sires Stakes program, the breeding industry in the province and beyond is an extremely competitive one. But Parkinson feels that the competitiveness buoyed by a spirit of cooperation can only bode well for everyone long-term. "It only benefits everyone to work together," he concluded. "We want to have the best and be the best, but that doesn't mean wishing not well on other people. We're friends with everyone we wish them well, they wish us well. And we know that it's going to come down to a small pool of people ... a handful of operations. What each group of owners decides to be their ultimate selection is certainly something we can respect, and we hope that it's often us, but we know it's not always going to be us." The complete interview, courtesy COSA TV, appears below. Down the street from my Rio Rancho home is a spacious community park that my family has not visited in weeks due to COVID-19. Yet, when we go for evening walks to get my young daughters out of the house, the park is full of life but not full of masks or social distancing. This keeps me up at night, for the doors to our schools need to reopen, and when they do, many of my teacher friends and colleagues will be waiting behind them with smiling faces, no matter the worry that resides in their hearts and minds. As I continue my duties as New Mexico Teacher of the Year, I will not be back in the classroom until January. However, this doesnt limit my concerns as a teacher or parent. Many teachers share similar fears. As the moderator of the recent educator town hall held by the New Mexico Public Education Department, I read thousands of comments from teachers across the state who have serious concerns about safety. Yet, educators also long to be back in the classroom, cultivating the teacher-student bonds that are so essential for learning. While balancing the many sides of this story weighs heavily, there is no substitute for in-person connection. Still, we should not put lives at risk. So I ask you, our New Mexico families, to do all you can to safeguard our schools so that teachers can welcome students back with the confidence that all are truly safe. While texting a teacher friend last week, she revealed that she has been ill with stomach issues and canker sores and attributes it to her worry of returning to school. My social media feeds show teachers talking about increasing their life insurance and seeking out help with living wills, all while our numbers surge toward 17,000 cases and 600 deaths. These numbers may be lower than other states, but teachers and families are watching with concern. Children cannot get the best education if their teacher gets sick, which could leave that teacher out for weeks or even months. Substitute teachers already are hard to come by, and our current situation makes it more difficult. Education does not move forward without educators. We also must consider that the Latinx, Native American and African American populations, who already are underrepresented among our teacher ranks, are at a higher risk. We desperately need teachers of color in classrooms, and these communities have been up to three times as likely to become infected. Here are things that the Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov) recommends that could keep teachers and students safe: Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Wear a cloth face cover in public and when around people who dont live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Wash your hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Avoid crowded places and close-contact settings. Educators willingly play many roles and make many sacrifices, but this is a global pandemic and educators arent superheroes. We cant keep students safe at school if families are not being safe outside of school. The Journal of the American Medical Association released a statement last week stating 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. We must work together to not only put us on a path toward in-person school, but to also make sure that once students return, that the focus can be on learning and emotional well-being. Our students and teachers deserve your consideration and our willingness, together, to put them first. Mandi Torrez is currently on sabbatical to carry out duties as the 2020 New Mexico Teacher of the Year. She is a Teach Plus Policy Fellow. A Delhi-based lawyer has called for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput citing several lapses on part of the police as he pressed for the need to restore peoples confidence in the judicial system. Ishkaran Singh Bhandari, who is leading a peoples movement for justice, said Sushant Singh Rajputs death should be treated as one of mysterious death until facts are ascertained by CBI. The 34-year-year-old actor was found dead in his Mumbai flat in June this year. Police have said he died by suicide. Watch: Sushant changed 50 SIM cards, other missing links cited for CBI probe Several people, including Rajputs close friend Rhea Chakraborty, have called for a CBI inquiry into his death. Actor Shekhar Suman and Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentarian Subramanian Swamy were also among those who have called for a CBI investigation. However, Maharashtras home minister Anil Deshmukh has ruled out requests for a CBI probe in the case. Deshmukh has said that Mumbai Police ate capable of handling the case. Bhandari said the word suicide came in within minutes of his death and that became a defining narrative on the entire media. The normal thing is to call it a mysterious death, investigate it and after you investigate it you may come to a conclusion that its a tragedy, its abetment to suicide, or its a foul murder, he said. But how do you come to that conclusion in a few minutes? So that means you have a predetermined conclusion. That was something which started me off. After that the questions kept on piling up, the deeper I went into it, he added. The lawyer cited lapses on part of the police and other aspects that Rajput allegedly changed 50 SIM cards on his phone. He said he has written to the Mumbai Police, which is investigating the actors death, regarding these aspects. In the first letter, I said that there is source-based, not even source-based, name-based information that Sushant Singh Rajput changed his SIM cards 50 times. I wrote to them asking whether they had ceased all those SIM cards, the electronic evidence of all of them as well as the electronic evidence of people incidental and connected to him. Thats basic, he said. Thats an extraordinarily high number and that is why I wrote that this evidence must be sealed. If Mumbai Police investigate it, hopefully, they would have already done it. If they have not done it, then that is raising more and more questions, he said. He said he also asked them whether they had sealed the flat and conducted forensic search citing reports in reliable mainstream media that they did so after a day of Rajputs death. That is very surprising and a very glaring lapse of a procedure because we all know evidence can get contaminated. In fact, they say even the family pets should not be there in the room after there is an occurrence because even a pet can contaminate a scene, leave alone humans. So, why was that basic thing not done and I wrote a letter to them saying at the end of the day justice is about public confidence. Law and order is also about public confidence, he said. Bhandari pointed out that nobody has come forward to say that the police followed procedures. Those statements are not coming and the judgements of the highest courts of this country, which is the Supreme Court, says that public confidence is an integral part of justice delivery system and also where influential people are involved, he said. Police have said they have recorded the statements of dozens of people, including his family, friends, co-stars and close aides, in the investigations ordered by the Maharashtra government into the actors death on June 14. He also said the police took days to record statements of prominent people in connection with the case. So, anybody being questioned is by definition an influential person, is by definition a person with means and sources, is by definition a person close to all administrations. So, it has to go out of the local police to avoid any conflicts of interest and it has to a central agency, he pointed out. The lawyer pointed to the old maxim of law that justice not only is done, but it should also be seen to be done. So, this has to go to CBI. In this case, there are lapses also. I am saying even without lapses, this was a case which should have gone to CBI. The Maharashtra government as a best practice will give it to a central agency. In case they do not, one may need to go to the court and because people demand satisfaction in this case and they must have the satisfaction that justice and transparent justice is being done. Here are some of the top photos of the week, as selected by the Associated Press. BURWELL The Nebraska Department of Education and Burwell Public Schools have both received grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture which will allow them to partner with Nebraska Extension to bring fresh, local foods into schools. The Nebraska Department of Education and Burwell Public schools received $99,070 and $38,725, respectively, through the grant program, which aims to increase the amount of local foods served in child nutrition programs, teach children about food and agriculture and foster economic opportunity for farmers and ranchers in surrounding communities. Each grant will be distributed over two years. Nebraska Extension educators will work directly in the state department of education in order to identify interested school districts, build relationships between school administrators and producers and develop resources for both extension educators and local schools interested in serving more locally grown foods. Nebraska Extension has a really unique role potentially to play in farm-to-school efforts because of our statewide network of educators who have great connections and relationships in the communities that they work in, said extension educator Ben McShane-Jewell, who is part of the Nebraska Regional Food Systems Initiative. Advertisement Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden pledged months ago to pick a woman as his running mate. Now hes under increasing pressure to make that pick a Black woman. Biden has no shortage of candidates if he goes that route, among them Sen. Kamala Harris of California, former national security advisor Susan Rice, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Rep. Val Demings of Florida and Rep. Karen Bass of Los Angeles. These women are well known to the public, have good political credentials and are Democratic Party stalwarts. Thats all good, but unfortunately, none of them is perfect. With Donald Trump in possession of the bully pulpit of the presidency, the race is likely to get much tighter, and Biden will need a vice presidential candidate who is a strong draw for the kind of voters essential to his defeating Trump. He also needs someone who can help make up for a key Biden liability: his age. If elected, Biden will be 78 on inauguration day, the age of average life expectancy for U.S. men. That means his vice presidential pick will be scrutinized carefully for her readiness to assume the presidency should Biden die in office. Harris has repeatedly been named as Bidens likeliest choice. She has name recognition, was a top state prosecutor and is a tough campaigner. But, like the other candidates, she also has liabilities. Chief among them, in the era of George Floyd, is her background as a prosecutor. Many Black voters are wary of someone on the prosecutors side of a justice system seen as racially biased and have loudly said so. In a Civiqs-Data For Progress poll of battleground states last month, Abrams was the top pick of Black voters, with Elizabeth Warren coming in second, ahead of Harris. And if Black voters are wary of Harris, moderate to conservative independent voters will be wary because she is a California liberal. Rice has foreign policy experience, a deep Obama administration connection, and name recognition. Unfortunately, part of that recognition can be summed up in one word: Benghazi. The GOP would have a field day hammering her all over again for her alleged failures in the wake of the attack on U.S. diplomatic outposts there in 2012, when Rice was ambassador to the United Nations. Rice also has held no elected office, so shes an unknown on the campaign trail. Demings gives Biden a possible leg up in Florida, a potentially crucial state for him. She gets high marks for her stint as Orlando police chief, where she managed to mix law and order with compassion. However, with police practices under a hot glare, her law enforcement background could torpedo her with some Black voters. Bottoms has a reputation as a tough local administrator, and she has national name recognition from her battle to rein in the scandal-ridden Atlanta Police Department and for standing up to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemps bullying attempt to force her to reopen Atlanta schools. The operative word with her, though, is local. Running a city and running a vice presidential office are far different things. Abrams would have been at the center of the VP conversation if she had won the governorship in Georgia, which is fast becoming a key swing state. But she didnt, which likely makes her a nonstarter. Bass is a staunch progressive, and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Shes been in the forefront of the charge against Trumps policy wrecking ball on everything from healthcare to police abuse. Unfortunately, despite Bass sterling credentials and political savvy, she would be Cuba-baited to death by Trump and the GOP for her trips to Cuba and alleged softness on the Castros. In 2020, theres more on the line for a Black female on the ticket than simply being another first. Shell be ruthlessly picked apart, scrutinized and vilified by the GOP, drawing far more fire, I suspect, than any other vice presidential candidate in living memory. Ultimately, any of the Black women on Bidens short list would give him something of a boost with Black voters, who are essential to his election. But thats not enough. His pick will need to provide a strong motivation for Blacks to turn out, since a big drop-off of Black voters in 2016 in key states was a big part of why Hillary Clinton lost. And it will also need to draw other voters who may not be incentivized to turn out for a white moderate in his seventies. For those reasons, Harris should be the pick. Shes tough, experienced, relatively young and progressive. And her background as a prosecutor could help cancel her negatives among voters in the heartland. One more plus is that theres no risk in losing a Democratic Senate seat, since her replacement would undoubtedly be a Democrat. Harris or no, a Black womans job on the ticket will be to give Biden a real boost. Thats a big assignment, and it ensures that whoever gets the nod will be on the hot seat for the next three months. For most Americans, relying on Social Security income during retirement is the expectation. Surveys conducted by national pollster Gallup earlier this year found that 88% of future retirees expect to lean on Social Security income, to some degree, to make ends meet. For nonretirees, this represents an all-time high, dating back through two decades of surveys. It's an equally important source of income for current retirees, with Social Security Administration data showing that better than 3 in 5 seniors leans on their monthly stipend to account for at least half of their income. In other words, it's an indispensable program that's singlehandedly responsible for keeping more than 22 million people a year out of poverty. And it's also in trouble. Could you survive a $5,800 annual reduction to your Social Security retirement benefit? Every year, the Social Security Board of Trustees releases a report that examines the program's short-term (10-year) and long-term (75-year) outlook. For the past 35 years, the trustees' report has cautioned that long-term revenue collection would be insufficient to cover outlays. Or, in English, Social Security won't bring in enough money to sustain its current payout level. It's been estimated that the program's $2.9 trillion in asset reserves will be completely exhausted by 2035. The good news, if there's any to be plucked from this forecast, is that Social Security is in no danger of going bankrupt or becoming insolvent. Two of Social Security's three sources of revenue -- the 12.4% payroll tax on earned income and the taxation of benefits -- are recurring, which means that as along as Americans keep working, money will always be flowing into the program for disbursement to eligible recipients. However, once Social Security's asset reserves are depleted, sweeping benefit cuts may be needed to sustain payouts. Based on the latest trustees' report, retired workers and survivors are looking at an up to 24% benefit cut by 2035. What would this actually look like for the typical retired worker? For context, the average retired worker was receiving approximately $1,503 a month when 2020 began. Assuming cost-of-living adjustments averaged 2% a year through 2035, the typical retired worker would net $2,022.84 a month. If benefit cuts are enacted in 2035 to preserve payouts for the long-term, the average retired worker would lose $485.48 a month in income, or $5,826 over the course of a year. Here's why Social Security finds itself in big trouble How does a program that's been paying retired worker benefits without fail for more than eight decades suddenly get to the point where massive benefit cuts are just 15 years (or less) away? The answer lies with a number of ongoing demographic changes. Aside from the most obvious changes, such as baby boomers leaving the work force and longevity increasing, growing income inequality is one issue to blame. The wealthy often have little or no financial constraints when it comes to paying for preventative care, medical care, or prescription medicines. The same cannot be said for low-income folks. This disparity allows the rich to live notably longer, and thereby collect a bigger monthly check for a longer period of time. Over multiple decades, this has weighed on the Social Security program. Some blame can also be assigned to record-low birth rates. The Social Security program counts on a steady number babies being born so that the worker-to-beneficiary ratio won't fall when future generations of workers retire. But with millennials waiting longer to get married and have children, the worker-to-beneficiary ratio could be under added pressure. Even immigration is a problem -- but probably not in the way you're thinking. Social Security relies on steady levels of net legal immigration into the U.S. every year. Most migrants tend to be young, and therefore spend decades in the labor force contributing via the payroll tax. Over the past 20 years, net legal immigration levels have been halved, which threatens the worker-to-beneficiary ratio. And just to be clear, illegal immigration isn't to blame, and Congress didn't steal a dime from Social Security. Hope for a fix, but don't count on one You're probably also wondering why lawmakers in Washington, D.C., haven't fixed this mess. There's a twofold answer to that question. First, it's not for a lack of solutions. Both Democrats and Republicans have a core solution that works to strengthen the program. Rather, the issue is that both parties have a workable solution, and therefore have zero incentive to find common ground with their opposition. In other words, political hubris is part of the blame. The second problem is that all Social Security fixes have consequences. No matter what fix is chosen, some group of people will be worse off than they were before. If the wealthy are taxed without receiving a commensurate increase in retirement benefits, then they're worse off. If the full retirement age is gradually raised, then millennials and generation Z will net less in lifetime benefits. Because every solution results in some group of people losing out, politicians are afraid of enacting Social Security reform and losing their elected seats. Historically, lawmakers do act to save Social Security when it's in trouble, but they often wait until the 11th hour to do so. We can certainly hope that Congress comes to the rescue of the Social Security program, as it's done in the past, but we shouldn't count on it. Instead, the tried-and-true method of budgeting, saving money, and investing for the future, is going to the best way to minimize our reliance on Social Security income during retirement. TORONTO, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Datametrex AI Limited (Datametrex or the Company) (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G, OTC: DTMXF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Yuan, BA, CPA, CGA as new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This new addition to the Companys executive leadership team brings with her nearly 26 years of financial experience in accounting and financial control with a combination of private and public companies in a variety of industries including cannabis, resource, and financial services. Andrea Yuan will work to ensure Datametrexs financial health through strategic planning and management of the companys finances. Prior to joining Datametrex, Ms. Yuan was Chief Financial Officer for several public companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. She and has been involved in several private placements, prospectus filings, flow-through financings, and corporate audits. Andrea is fluent in both English and Mandarin (oral and written). I am thrilled to join Datametrex and this impressive leadership team with a history of growing great companies, said Andrea Yuan. Datametrexs newly announced Health Security with selling Covid-19 test kit is well positioned for success, and I am happy to be a part of this journey. Ms. Yuan is a Certified General Accountant in British Columbia and a Certified Public Accountant in New Hampshire. She obtained her Bachelor of Economics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics in 1994. Ms. Yuan started her career as an internal auditor and then as team head of the internal audit department at the Bank of China's Shanghai Pudong branch in China from 1994 through to 1999. After arriving in Canada in spring of 1999, Andrea worked as an accountant at a small accounting firm while she worked towards her CGA designation. Andrea moved to Davidson and Company LLP, Chartered Accountants, in 2004 where she worked in the firms audit group. From November 2006 until 2009, Andrea was employed as an audit manager at Davidson. From 2009 until October 2011, Ms. Yuan was employed as an audit principal at Davidson. In addition to overseeing a variety of Canadian public company audit files, she was also responsible for conducting the audits of various foreign public companies including Chinese and Korean companies. Story continues On behalf of the executive team and our Board of Directors, I would like to thank Steve Kang for his dedication and hard work during his tenure as CFO. I wish Steve nothing but success in his future endeavours. The appointment of Ms. Yuan as the Companys new CFO represents a great addition to our leadership team, and I look forward to working with Andrea as we move the Company forward, said Marshall Gunter, CEO of the Company. Steve Kang, the current CFO of the Company, has resigned from his position and will stay on for the next several weeks to support Datametrex during the transition of the financial leadership. About Datametrex Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Datametrexs mission is to provide tools that support companies in fulfilling their operational goals, including Health and Safety, with predictive and preventive technologies. By working with companies to set a new standard of protocols through Artificial Intelligence and health diagnostics, the Company provides progressive solutions to support the supply chain. Additional information on Datametrex is available at www.datametrex.com For further information, please contact: Marshall Gunter CEO Phone: (514) 295-2300 Email: mgunter@datametrex.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. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as may, will, expect, likely, should, would, plan, anticipate, intend, potential, proposed, estimate, believe or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will happen, or by discussions of strategy. Readers are cautioned to consider these and other factors, uncertainties and potential events carefully and not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the beliefs, estimates, expectations and opinions of management on the date such forward-looking information is made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law. (Reuters) - One person was killed when several shots were fired amid a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Austin, Texas, on Saturday, authorities said. Footage posted during a Facebook Live showed the moment when several shots rang out in the Texas capital as about 100 people marched and chanted, "Fists up! Fight back!" Austin police and emergency medical services said on Twitter that one person was killed during the shooting. There were no other deaths or people shot, according to the EMS department. Initial reports indicate the suspect was carrying a rifle and shot at the victim, who was in his car, police told a briefing. The suspect has been detained, they said. Protests against racism and police brutality were sparked worldwide following the May killing of African-American George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis. Floyd died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while detaining him. (Reporting by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas; additional reporting by Aakriti Bhalla in Bengaluru, Editing by Sam Holmes and William Mallard) Orlando Dugi conjures the night sky in shimmering silk sparkling with beadwork. The first dress the Dine designer entered into the Santa Fe Indian Market took first place in about 2009. This year organizers crowned him featured designer in the annual events virtual market opening Saturday, Aug. 1, at swaia.org. Slated for the third weekend in August, the traditional market was canceled due to the pandemic. Many of the artists earn up to 50% of their income from the Santa Fe event. Today online sales drive the bulk of Dugis income; the online market marks the first time he has shown his work at Santa Fe in four years. Dugi was born in Grey Mountain, Arizona, about 40 miles north of Flagstaff. He often spent summers on his paternal grandparents sheep ranch. It was too hot to sleep inside, so the family often dragged mattresses outside and slept beneath the velvet night sky with its glimmering stars. They used to point out the stars and the constellations and wed sing the (Dine) songs, he said. Dugi learned beadwork from his parents when he was 5 years old. The family embellished hair pieces and fans for use in the Native American Church. He remembers seeing fashion magazines, but he never studied them. He started beading bags and clutches in floral and animal designs for sale. It was sort of like coloring with beads, he said. Some of his glass seed beads are as fine as a grain of sugar. I really dont like to follow fashion, he explained. I dont follow trends. I do everything myself. Dugi never thought about making garments until he heard the Santa Fe Indian Market had added a contemporary category to its annual clothing competition. All of my grandparents made their own clothes, he said. So I knew how to sew. I sketched it out and got a dress form and started draping. He stitched the results, In Full Bloom, from silk chiffon and satin with beaded florals. He works exclusively in silk. I love the feel of silk, he said. Its luxurious. I love the sheen it gives. Next he created three or four pieces for a fashion show at what is now the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts with the family of jewelry artist Connie Tsosie Gaussoin (Navajo/Picuris/French). It proved an inspirational turning point. I hand-stitched everything, he said. I wasnt using a sewing machine. I loved the way the model carried herself; she just stood taller. He accepted invitations to the Plitzs New York City Fashion Week and the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Oklahoma City. The designer hopes to create 10 garments for the virtual market, all reflecting the Navajo story of the Hero Twins. The progeny of the sun and Changing Woman, they are known as the Monster Slayer and Born for Water. The sun gave them flint tools to kill monsters. Todays monsters are a disease, Dugi said. The designer will embellish a silk black gown using a golden arrow motif. A grid pattern in beading and embroidery will represent the twins flint armor. The pandemics descent prevented Dugi from ordering the silk fabric he wanted, so he turned to improvisation. It freed me to think about making a collection, he said. I have boxes and boxes of fabric scraps that Im going to use to make garments. The as-yet-unnamed collection will have all these elements in them about fighting a pandemic, he said. Theyre not super-literal; I think the only literal translation will be the arrows. Hes sprinkling each with crystals, sequins and gold metal thread. Some will bloom with ostrich plumes. In Native American cultures, we use a lot of feathers in prayers, Dugi said. So far, he has completed three pieces. One features arms wrapped around the body in protection. A lot of the garments are close to the body, he said. I wanted to keep them very fitted. I wanted to keep it clean, like you have to wash your hands. All that extra fabric catches germs. Neha Kirpal By Express News Service Palestinian American writer and political activist Susan Abulhawa was born to refugees of the Six Day War of 1967. Born in Kuwait, she moved to the US as a teenager and currently lives with her daughter in Pennsylvania. Her debut novel, Mornings in Jenin - which came out in 2010 - was an international bestseller. It was translated into 30 languages. Likewise, her second book in 2015The Blue Between Sky and Waterwas a bestseller and translated into 20 languages. She spoke to us, among other things, about her latest novel Against the Loveless World. It is the story of Nahrfrom her beginnings in Kuwait as the daughter of Palestinian refugees to her transformative love affair with her homeland, Palestineand a man dedicated to its liberation. Is your protagonist, Nahr, inspired by someone in real life? Nahr began as an indistinct outline of a character. But over the course of writing, I fell in love with her and let her write her own story. I dont like calling her a character anymore, because she feels very real to me. She is the product of imagination that roams reality. In her case, the reality was that of refugees, sex workers, patriarchy, war, imperialism, colonialism and finally, love and armed resistance. Ultimately, Nahr is a composite of real and imagined women. Would you like to share with us some of your earliest memories? My first memories were in Charlotte, North Carolina, where we lived in a poor neighbourhood. I went back to Kuwait around the age of five and started school there, not speaking Arabic. So, while English is the first language I learned to speak, Arabic is the first language I learned to read and write. Some of my early memories are trying to sort out what was being said around me. From Kuwait, I spent three years in an orphanage in Jerusalem. My memories of those formidable years in three distinct places vary, but they are bound by the common theme of dislocated people trying to find continuity in our indigenous traditionsfood, large gatherings of family and friends, storytellingand sorting through the trauma of never really getting a foothold anywhere else in the world. In 2001, you founded Playgrounds for Palestine, an NGO that advocates for Palestinian children by building playgrounds in refugee camps in Lebanon. Could you share with us some interesting incidents that you encountered while working for it? This project has been a labour of love from its inception. Weve built numerous playgrounds and sponsored many childrens programmes, including skateboarding summer camps, kindergartens, theatre, circus acrobatics and more. One project that has stood out was a playground we installed in Khan Younis in Gaza around 2004. The children were so excited about it and anxious for us to finish. They would come early in the morning to watch us build and then run back to the site after school to see how much we had gotten done by the afternoon. Who are some of your literary inspirations and favourite authors? There are quite a few. Some of my favourites include One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Time of the White Horses by Ibrahim Nasrallah; The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy; The Color Purple by Alice Walker; Men in The Sun by Ghassan Kanafani; Before the Queen Sleeps by Huzama Habayeb; and There There by Tommy Orange. Do writers like yourself still face repression or government backlash for expressing your ideas? Yes, we do face censorship. For example, in my most recent book, I had to remove a line by one of the characters who made a disparaging remark related to the events of 9/11 in the US. I was told that keeping the fictional characters honest antipathy toward Americans following their total destruction of Iraq would greatly diminish the books chances of being sold in the US. So, I had to make a choice between loyalty to that character and loyalty to Nahr, the protagonist. I chose the latter, but that choice stands as an example of the ways in which Palestinians (and Arabs in general) are censored in the US. Also, we are often ignored by mainstream media if our work challenges popular notions of Israeli benevolence. This has been the case with both my previous novels, despite the international success of my first novel. Government censorship is another matter, and occurs sometimes in the Arab world. For example, the Arabic translation of Mornings in Jeninbut not the English originalis banned in Jordan for a single line that criticises a historic instance of duplicity by the King of Jordan in 1948. Ndokuitira ma original eku University of Zimbabwe (UZ) (I can manufacture original UZ degree for you). It will look authentic. If you face any challenges with the document, you can come and see me for a refund, one of the culprits from Mutare, only identified as Mutasa, reassured this writer. Nina L. Diaz wanted more. She arrived at MTV in 1997 as a young freelancer and, within a few years, became a staff executive producer with MTV News and documentaries. Though this was a grittier branch of the operation than the slick, glossy world of music videos, Diaz still felt like the artists she interviewed were stifled by the traditional sit-down, Q&A format. "I wanted to go deeper," Diaz said. "I wanted to know who they were when they were off-campus, if you will." A self-described TV junkie who grew up watching "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and other ur-reality programs, Diaz had an idea: What if you could follow your favorite celebrity home? What if you could see how they really lived: what snacks they stashed in their pantry, how messy their bedrooms were, what photos were on the walls? What if, in their most intimate places, they felt looser and at ease and revealed more of their true selves? Diaz pitched this vision to her bosses at MTV: "Cribs" would be a remix of a classic, lifting the basic DNA of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" but with one crucial twist. While "Lifestyles" was narrated by Robin Leach, on "Cribs," the celebrities would narrate the episodes themselves. "I was clear that I didn't want a host," she said. "I wanted it to be first-person. I wanted that unfiltered, raw, real, let-your-hair-down version of these artists and celebrities." Diaz got the green light, and the series premiered on Sept. 12, 2000. "Oh my God, I was obsessed with the show. Obsessed!" said Sharon Osbourne, whose family home was featured in the series premiere and who would soon be an early reality-TV star herself when "The Osbournes" premiered on MTV in 2002. "'Cribs' was the first time, really, that kids could watch their idols at home and see how they lived," she said. "Which everybody just loves to do, that looky-loo. It's the best thing ever." Twenty years since its debut, "Cribs" is back in a plot twist no writers room could have scripted. COVID-19 and the stay-at-home orders that followed have kept most of the country isolated, or something close to it, for months, which means we've all found ourselves relying on video chat more than ever before, exposing our living spaces to everyone we see. Every time we post on social media, attend a Zoom meeting, or go on a FaceTime date, our rooms are getting rated, our bookshelves dissected, all our interior design scrutinized. "Anybody who is on camera has now accidentally been forced to be in an episode of 'Cribs,'" said Robert J. Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University's Newhouse School. But this 2020 edition comes with a late-capitalism bent: As COVID-19's toll exacerbates the deep, growing inequality in this country, the ostentatious splendor in which celebrities (and wealthy civilians) get to ride out the pandemic may be more likely to inspire class rage than early-aughts glee. "I think in 2000, there was a strong appetite and no real problem," Thompson said. "But somebody's opulent house has all kinds of conflicted meaning today that I think is more powerful and more dangerous than it had in 2000." Getting MTV to shoot a "Cribs" pilot, as Diaz recalls, was pretty easy. Getting celebrities to sign on? Not so much. "All of the record labels and many of the people told us it was impossible," she said. "We got the flat-out: 'You're crazy. This will never happen. No one is ever letting you into their house.' We're talking pre-'Housewives,' pre-Instagram and social media, all of this." Reality television was still in its toddlerhood, and the idea that a person would open up their home to a production crew and broadcast their everyday existence to the world was still so novel as to seem absurd (or dystopian, as with "Big Brother"). A handful of young exhibitionists might be down to move into a swanky house and allow their lives to be taped for "The Real World." But would real-deal celebrities open their doors to the masses? Though it is quaint to consider this now, our access to boldfaced names was relatively limited then. The only images we saw of their lives were the shots provided by media outlets and paparazzi; the only communication we heard from them was through interviews, often chaperoned by a PR flack. "You weren't supposed to have the peek behind the gates. You did not have access, as a fan, to that level of information about your favorite artist," Diaz said. "Celebrities had a high level of privacy. Outside of those promotional venues, they didn't need to let you that deep inside their world, and they had an image that they needed to maintain." It took a lot of banging on doors, but finally she secured some yeses. The first season managed to draw in an impressive roster, including OutKast, the Wu-Tang Clan and Snoop Dogg. In the fourth episode, Beyonce-before-she-was-Beyonce and her Destiny's Child bandmates ate Popeye's chicken at the Knowleses' kitchen counter. For Diaz, the best early get was rapper-producer Jermaine Dupri. "That was huge," Diaz said. "Jermaine Dupri embraced it because that's the aesthetic of hip-hop: the braggadocio, the status." Dupri was living in a 5,000-square-foot Atlanta mansion so new it was almost empty. "I don't even think it was furnished," he says now. But he was a natural, revealing the hybrid of absurdity and mundanity that is a rich, famous person's existence. In what would become tropes of the series, he had a stockpile of expensive champagne, a garage full of luxury cars "You know what the big B is for right there?" he said, Vanna White-ing at his Bentley. "They tell me every big dog has got to have this car" and a barely stocked fridge, save for Tombstone pizza and a shelf full of beer. With celebrities talking straight to the camera, the distance between the fans and the stars all but evaporated. Absent any on-screen interloper and shot with the frenetic energy of a music video, the segments had the candid, casual feel that at the time was totally new but would eventually become commonplace, first on YouTube and, later, on Instagram Live and TikTok. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Before long, everybody who was anybody was throwing open their front doors to the world and saying, "Welcome to my crib." You could turn on MTV, and there was Ludacris, taking you into "the chilling area" of his palatial Atlanta home, nuzzling a lush throw on his couch: "This is called Russian sable. It's more priceless than mink." "'Cribs' actually would reward people who watched carefully with little brushes of intimacy," Thompson said. "The participants in 'Cribs' were still innocent enough back then that some semblance of their actual intimate space was being revealed." "The show wasn't traditional," explained Darryl Smith, the director of photography who helped develop the series's distinctive filming style. "You couldn't stop and restart. You had to just reset on the fly. ... We moved, and we captured so much that way, versus stopping and setting up all the time. And it added to the flow of 'Cribs.'" Catchphrases from "Cribs," like "This is where the magic happens," slipped into the vernacular. Not being able to find celebrity participants quickly became a thing of the past. "Cribs" went from shooting a few times a month to almost every week, Smith remembers, and started to feature a broader range of stars: "Not only musical artists ... but now we're talking to everybody. We've got athletes; we have celebrities. We even have old celebrities like Wayne Newton who pulled a helicopter out of his garage." "It got to a point where everybody was wanting to do it," Dupri said. "People that you thought would never do it. Like Mariah! I would never have thought Mariah would do 'Cribs.'" In Mariah Carey's 2002 episode, she pop icon fully committed to the "Cribs" experience, indulging in multiple wardrobe changes and one brief, headline-making slide into her bathtub as she glided through her 11,000-square-foot tri-level Tribeca penthouse, which included a full-service salon, a closet just for her lingerie and a "mermaid room" movie theater where the saltwater aquarium was full of fish she said were "changed to be nocturnal" to match her sleep schedule. This was the real joy of "Cribs." It had none of the stuffiness of old money. This was new money, spent by stars who were boisterous and over the top, unabashed in their desire to luxuriate in their success. To see somebody's "Cribs" was to observe the explosion of their id: every whim indulged, every material dream realized, no matter how extravagant or bizarre. If the original "Cribs" had certain set pieces infinity pools, fridges full of Cristal, shoe closets larger than many apartments so, too, does the inadvertent "Cribs" revival of 2020: self-consciously curated bookshelves, the luscious greenery of well-tended houseplants; halfway-decent lighting. In mid-April, Claude Taylor and his girlfriend, Jessie Bahrey, started the Twitter account Room Raters, which does exactly what the name implies. They have over 250,000 followers; engagement really picked up once pundits started responding to their room ratings, which evaluate decor, lighting, art selections and floral arrangements. "We're not going to claim complete credit," Taylor said. "But when we started in April versus now, the quality of the Skype rooms and Zoom rooms have just improved dramatically." He pointed to Al Roker as a model: Taylor had a few critiques for Roker's room, and the next day, "He'd taken our advice to heart, made a couple specific changes we recommended, and the room he had then was just spectacular, just perfect. Ten out of 10." An Indian court has summoned Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma in a case in which a former employee in India says he was wrongfully fired after objecting to what he saw as censorship and fake news on company apps, documents seen by Reuters showed. The case comes weeks after India cited security concerns in banning Alibaba's UC News, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps after a clash between the two countries' forces on their border. Following the ban, which China has criticized, India sought written answers from all affected companies, including whether they censored content ... Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 20:35:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned Syria and Lebanon that they will "bear responsibility" for attacks emanating from their territory, amidst tensions along the border. Speaking at the start of the Israeli cabinet's weekly meeting, Netanyahu told the ministers that he and Defense Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz are holding "ongoing assessments of the situation" together with the military's chief-of-staff. "The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is prepared to respond to any threat," he said, in a reference to "munitions" fired on Friday from the Syrian side of the disputed border towards Israeli positions in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. "Regarding the northern front, we are acting according to our consistent policy of not allowing Iran to entrench militarily on our northern border," Netanyahu said. He warned that Lebanon and Syria will "bear the responsibility for any attack against Israel emanating from their territories," adding that "We will not tolerate attacks on our forces." Last Thursday, Israel's army was boosting infantry forces along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, days after a fighter with the Lebanon-based Hezbollah group was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike. Israel and Iran have been in an ongoing shadow war on Syrian soil over the past years, with Israel carrying out "hundreds" of fatal airstrikes against Iranian targets. Enditem Britons arriving back from Spain will have to quarantine for 14 days - after the government added it to the list of at-risk countries with just a few hours' notice. It means people arriving back from Spain, the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands from today - and those who have booked a summer holiday there - face the prospect of two weeks in isolation upon returning. An announcement was made by the Department for Transport on Saturday evening, with the government asking employers to be "understanding" of workers who need to self-isolate. It may need to follow its own advice after it emerged that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is currently in Spain on holiday. He has said he will stay there for the duration of his break then self-isolate as required. According to The Sunday Times, Mr Shapps had to dial in from Spain at the weekend to discuss altering the guidance with Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet minister Michael Gove. The Scottish government lifted its quarantine rules on Spain this week - but says it will now reimpose them. Northern Ireland and Wales have also followed suit in suspending the so-called "travel corridor". A UK government spokesperson said: "Following a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace of change in confirmed cases, Spain has been removed from the list of countries where people do not have to self-isolate when arriving into to the UK. "People currently on holiday in Spain are encouraged to follow the local rules, return home as normal and check the FCO's [The Foreign and Commonwealth Office] travel advice pages on gov.uk for further information." The spokesperson added: "Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK. "We've always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary." Britons have been advised against all but essential travel to mainland Spain by the FCO. Story continues Holiday company Tui responded by cancelling all flights to Spain scheduled for Sunday - while British Airways and easyJet said flights would not be immediately affected. The announcement has caused disappointment among many thousands of holidaymakers. Chloe Harris, 23, from Kent, booked a last-minute trip to Lanzarote and arrived on the Spanish island on Saturday morning. She said: "When I heard the news I was quite shocked because I thought they would have given us some warning. Even just some warning that this was something they were going to consider. "I think a lot of people are going to rush to the airport, but because we are only here for four days, and we only arrived this morning, it doesn't seem worth it." Labour's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the news would be "deeply concerning for families" currently in Spain or who were planning a trip, and called for ministers to release details explaining how people affected would be supported. On Friday, Spain logged 922 infections, slightly down from 971 the day before, but officials are tracking more than 280 active outbreaks across the country. Spain's government has warned it could already be having a "second wave" of the illness, as France, Germany and Belgium all reported steep rises in their number of cases. But the foreign ministry released a statement following the UK's decision to reimpose quarantine restrictions, saying: "The Spanish government considers that the situation is under control. Outbreaks are localised, isolated and controlled. "Spain is a safe country. We respect the decisions of the United Kingdom with whose authorities we are in contact." Spain joins countries such as the US, Portugal, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, Iran, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China on England's at-risk list, meaning people returning have to quarantine. It comes a day after five more countries were added to the list of countries that English holidaymakers could visit without the need to quarantine. The full list of no-quarantine countries for English holidaymakers is below - while the list of Scottish exemptions can be found here: A huge fire destroyed a 20,000-square-metre warehouse at a food factory in Gizas 6 October City on Sunday. The warehouse was full of corn and other items including machines used in producing potato chips and corn snacks. Thirty fire engines from Giza and Qalioubiya governorates were involved in putting out the blaze, the black smoke from which was visible from miles away. No casualties have been reported. The Giza prosecution is investigating the incident. Search Keywords: Short link: Westerly, RI (02891) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Snow may mix in late. Low 34F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Snow may mix in late. Low 34F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Uttarakhand on Sunday crossed the 6,000-mark with 143 fresh Covid-19 positive cases, taking the state tally to 6,104. According to the health bulletin released by the state health department on Sunday evening, 143 fresh cases included a maximum 51 from US Nagar district. The other districts reported; Almora (3), Chamoli (1), Dehradun (46) Haridwar (26), Nainital (5), Pauri (3), Rudraprayag (1), Tehri (1) and Uttarkashi (6). Of the 143 cases, 78 cases were found to be close contacts of earlier detected positive patients and travel history was not available (at the time of the release of the bulletin) in 52 cases. Nine persons were also detected positive at flu clinics across the state. A total of 63 Covid-19 positive patients have died in Uttarakhand till now with nine patients dying due to coronavirus, according to the health officials. The rest of the positive patients died due to comorbidities and other causes, added health officials. Seventy-one Covid-19 patients were also discharged from different hospitals in the state on Sunday with a maximum of 43 from Dehradun district. The rate of doubling of cases based on the last seven days now stands at 22.45 days, while the infection rate is 4.60%. The state has so far tested over 1.41 lakh samples of which results of over 6000 are awaited. Uttarakhand currently has 223 containment zones in four districts including maximum 182 in Haridwar, followed by 26 in US Nagar, 12 in Dehradun in 3 in Uttarkashi district. Meanwhile, 33 jail inmates have tested positive from the state in the past two days informed officials. PVK Prasad, inspector general (IG) jail in the state said that over 120 jail inmates were tested in the past two days and 26 tested positive from Dehradun, while seven tested positive from Nainital district. From Monday, I have asked all jail authorities to conduct minimum hundred Covid-19 tests in each prison, be it in Dehradun, Nainital or Sitarganj. We plan to gradually increase the number. The positive patients from Dehradun have been currently isolated separately in the prison itself, as they are asymptomatic. If their health condition deteriorates then they will be shifted to a medical facility, said Prasad. On June 26, a small South San Francisco company called Vaxart made a surprise announcement: A coronavirus vaccine it was working on had been selected by the US government to be part of Operation Warp Speed, the flagship federal initiative to quickly develop drugs to combat COVID-19. Vaxarts shares soared. Company insiders, who weeks earlier had received stock options worth a few million dollars, saw the value of those awards increase sixfold. And a hedge fund that partly controlled the company walked away with more than $200 million in instant profits. The race is on to develop a coronavirus vaccine, and some companies and investors are betting that the winners stand to earn vast profits from selling hundreds of millions or even billions of doses to a desperate public. Across the pharmaceutical and medical industries, senior executives and board members are capitalizing on that dynamic. They are making millions of dollars after announcing positive developments, including support from the government, in their efforts to fight COVID-19. After such announcements, insiders from at least 11 companies most of them smaller firms whose fortunes often hinge on the success or failure of a single drug have sold shares worth well over $1 billion since March, according to figures compiled for The New York Times by Equilar, a data provider. In some cases, company insiders are profiting from regularly scheduled compensation or automatic stock trades. But in other situations, senior officials appear to be pouncing on opportunities to cash out while their stock prices are sky high. And some companies have awarded stock options to executives shortly before market-moving announcements about their vaccine progress. The sudden windfalls highlight the powerful financial incentives for company officials to generate positive headlines in the race for coronavirus vaccines and treatments, even if the drugs might never pan out. Some companies are attracting government scrutiny for potentially using their associations with Operation Warp Speed as marketing ploys. Story continues For example, the headline on Vaxarts news release declared: Vaxarts COVID-19 Vaccine Selected for the U.S. Governments Operation Warp Speed. But the reality is more complex. Vaxarts vaccine candidate was included in a trial on primates that a federal agency was organizing in conjunction with Operation Warp Speed. But Vaxart is not among the companies selected to receive significant financial support from Warp Speed to produce hundreds of millions of vaccine doses. The US Department of Health and Human Services has entered into funding agreements with certain vaccine manufacturers, and we are negotiating with others. Neither is the case with Vaxart, said Michael R. Caputo, the departments assistant secretary for public affairs. Vaxarts vaccine candidate was selected to participate in preliminary U.S. government studies to determine potential areas for possible Operation Warp Speed partnership and support. At this time, those studies are ongoing, and no determinations have been made. Some officials at the Department of Health and Human Services have grown concerned about whether companies including Vaxart are trying to inflate their stock prices by exaggerating their roles in Warp Speed, a senior Trump administration official said. The department has relayed those concerns to the Securities and Exchange Commission, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. It isnt clear if the commission is looking into the matter. An SEC spokeswoman declined to comment. Vaxart abides by good corporate governance guidelines and policies and makes decisions in accordance with the best interests of the company and its shareholders, Vaxarts chief executive, Andrei Floroiu, said in a statement Friday. Referring to Operation Warp Speed, he added, We believe that Vaxarts COVID-19 vaccine is the most exciting one in OWS because it is the only oral vaccine (a pill) in OWS. Well-timed stock transactions are generally legal. But investors and corporate governance experts say they can create the appearance that executives are profiting from inside information, and could erode public confidence in the pharmaceutical industry when the world is looking to these companies to cure COVID-19. It is inappropriate for drug company executives to cash in on a crisis, said Ben Wakana, executive director of Patients for Affordable Drugs, a nonprofit advocacy group. Every day, Americans wake up and make sacrifices during this pandemic. Drug companies see this as a payday. Executives at a long list of companies have reaped seven- or eight-figure profits thanks to their work on coronavirus vaccines and treatments. Shares of Regeneron, a biotech company in Tarrytown, New York, have climbed nearly 80% since early February, when it announced a collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a COVID-19 treatment. Since then, the companys top executives and board members have sold nearly $700 million in stock. The chief executive, Leonard Schleifer, sold $178 million of shares on a single day in May. Alexandra Bowie, a spokeswoman for Regeneron, said most of those sales had been scheduled in advance through programs that automatically sell executives shares if the stock hits a certain price. Moderna, a 10-year-old vaccine developer based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that has never brought a product to market, announced in late January that it was working on a coronavirus vaccine. It has issued a stream of news releases hailing its vaccine progress, and its stock has more than tripled, giving the company a market value of almost $30 billion. Moderna insiders have sold about $248 million of shares since that January announcement, most of it after the company was selected in April to receive federal funding to support its vaccine efforts. While some of those sales were scheduled in advance, others were more spur of the moment. Flagship Ventures, an investment fund run by the companys founder and chairman, Noubar Afeyan, sold more than $68 million worth of Moderna shares on May 21. Those transactions were not scheduled in advance, according to securities filings. Executives and board members at Luminex, Quidel and Emergent BioSolutions have sold shares worth a combined $85 million after announcing they were working on vaccines, treatments or testing solutions. At other companies, executives and board members received large grants of stock options shortly before the companies announced good news that lifted the value of those options. Novavax, a drugmaker in Gaithersburg, Maryland, began working on a vaccine early this year. This spring, the company reported promising preliminary test results and a $1.6 billion deal with the Trump administration. In April, with its shares below $24, Novavax issued a batch of new stock awards to all its employees in acknowledgment of the extraordinary work of our employees to implement a new vaccine program. Four senior executives, including the chief executive, Stanley Erck, received stock options that were worth less than $20 million at the time. Since then, Novavaxs stock has rocketed to more than $130 a share. At least on paper, the four executives stock options are worth more than $100 million. So long as the company hits a milestone with its vaccine testing, which it is expected to achieve soon, the executives will be able to use the options to buy discounted Novavax shares as early as next year, regardless of whether the company develops a successful vaccine. Silvia Taylor, a Novavax spokeswoman, said the stock awards were designed to incentivize and retain our employees during this critical time. She added that there is no guarantee they will retain their value. Two other drugmakers, Translate Bio and Inovio, awarded large batches of stock options to executives and board members shortly before they announced progress on their coronavirus vaccines, sending shares higher. Representatives of the companies said the options were regularly scheduled annual grants. Vaxart, though, is where the most money was made the fastest. At the start of the year, its shares were around 35 cents. Then in late January, Vaxart began working on an orally administered coronavirus vaccine, and its shares started rising. Vaxarts largest shareholder was a New York hedge fund, Armistice Capital, which last year acquired nearly two-thirds of the companys shares. Two Armistice executives, including the hedge funds founder, Steven Boyd, joined Vaxarts board of directors. The hedge fund also purchased rights, known as warrants, to buy 21 million more Vaxart shares at some point in the future for as little as 30 cents each. Vaxart has never brought a vaccine to market. It has just 15 employees. But throughout the spring, Vaxart announced positive preliminary data for its vaccine, along with a partnership with a company that could manufacture it. By late April, with investors sensing the potential for big profits, the companys shares had reached $3.66 a tenfold increase from January. On June 8, Vaxart changed the terms of its warrants agreement with Armistice, making it easier for the hedge fund to rapidly acquire the 21 million shares, rather than having to buy and sell in smaller batches. One week later, Vaxart announced that its chief executive was stepping down, though he would remain chairman. The new CEO, Floroiu, had previously worked with Boyd, Armistices founder, at the hedge fund and the consulting firm McKinsey. On June 25, Vaxart announced that it had signed a letter of intent with another company that might help it mass-produce a coronavirus vaccine. Vaxarts shares nearly doubled that day. The next day, Vaxart issued its news release saying it had been selected for Operation Warp Speed. Its shares instantly doubled again, at one pointing hitting $14, their highest level in years. We are very pleased to be one of the few companies selected by Operation Warp Speed, and that ours is the only oral vaccine being evaluated, Floroiu said. Armistice took advantage of the stocks exponential increase at that point up more than 3,600% since January. On June 26, a Friday, and the next Monday, the hedge fund exercised its warrants to buy nearly 21 million Vaxart shares for either 30 cents or $1.10 a share purchases it would not have been able to make as quickly had its agreement with Vaxart not been modified weeks earlier. Armistice then immediately sold the shares at prices from $6.58 to $12.89 a share, according to securities filings. The hedge funds profits were immense: more than $197 million. It looks like the warrants may have been reconfigured at a time when they knew good news was coming, said Robert Daines, a professor at Stanford Law School who is an expert on corporate governance. Thats a valuable change, made right as the companys stock price was about to rise. At the same time, the hedge fund also unloaded some of the Vaxart shares it had previously bought, notching tens of millions of dollars in additional profits. By the end of that Monday, June 29, Armistice had sold almost all of its Vaxart shares. Boyd and Armistice declined to comment. Floroiu said the change to the Armistice agreement was in the best interests of Vaxart and its stockholders and helped it raise money to work on the COVID-19 vaccine. He and other Vaxart board members also were positioned for big personal profits. When he became chief executive in mid-June, Floroiu received stock options that were worth about $4.3 million. A month later, those options were worth more than $28 million. Normally when companies issue stock options to executives, the options cant be exercised for months or years. Because of the unusual terms and the run-up in Vaxarts stock price, most of Floroius can be cashed in now. Vaxarts board members also received large grants of stock options, giving them the right to buy shares in the company at prices well below where the stock is now trading. The higher the shares fly, the bigger the profits. Vaxart is disrupting the vaccine world, Floroiu boasted during a virtual investor conference Thursday. He added that his impression was that its OK to make a profit from COVID vaccines, as long as youre not profiteering. David Gelles and Jesse Drucker c.2020 The New York Times Company Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 14:18:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A firefighter in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region donated 300 life vests to rescue workers in flood-affected Jiangxi Province, which is over 1,000 miles away. Since July, the northwestern part of Jiangxi has experienced continuous heavy downpour, and water level in the Poyang Lake has risen rapidly. And flood control face serious challenge. On July 12, firefighter Zhang Zhigang accidentally saw a video about situation of the disaster-stricken people from the Poyang Lake Reserve. He immediately contacted the staff of the reserve, enquiring about the flood situation there and then sent them 300 life jackets. COVID-19 wasnt always the talk of the Street. The rapid pace of climate change has made finding renewable energy sources and limiting pollution more important than ever before, and as such, the spotlight has landed on electric car companies. Already making some serious headway, demand is expected to persist in the long-term as more and more countries roll out programs designed to encourage the purchase of these vehicles. According to a report published by Cairn Energy Research Advisors, a research firm focused on the battery and electric vehicle (EV) industries, in 2021, global sales of EVs are expected to exceed 3 million for the first time ever. The implication? Major gains could be in store for stocks belonging to this burgeoning space. That being said, analysts remind investors that not all EV stocks are created equal, with some significantly more compelling than others. Taking this into consideration, we used TipRanks database to take a closer look at two EV stocks that have received quite a bit of attention recently. As it turns out, one has scored rave reviews from some analysts, while the other gets a thumbs down. Nikola Corporation (NKLA) Specializing in the production of electric and hydrogen-powered semi-trucks, Nikola is also working on an alternative-fuel pickup truck called the Badger, a network of sustainable hydrogen fueling stations and electric recreational vehicles. Despite the significant drop posted by shares over the last month, some members of the Street believe that several potential catalysts could propel it forward. Calling NKLA a story-stock, J.P. Morgan analyst Paul Coster points out it is trading on a massive multiple of distant-future earnings. In turn, this has caused investors to focus on the potential pitfalls, but he argues its also worth dwelling on what could go right here, which is that the company executes to plan, captures a significant share of the global truck market, and emerges as a key infrastructure provider in a future Hydrogen-based economy. He also stated, If the company does execute to plan, then investors will be holding a stock that systematically de-risks with each passing implementation milestone, which could lead to a lower discount rate. Story continues Offering an explanation for the recent volatility, Coster notes that trading volumes are currently very high even though float is limited. The analyst has interpreted this to mean that the stock movement has been driven by short-term traders, with institutional investor focus landing primarily on warrants. We sense that the stock will remain volatile until the SPAC shares are registered and the warrant calls are exercised (by the company), which could lead to some additional selling (easily absorbed by current trading volumes), and then some degree of stabilization as the stock finds its way to higher conviction investors, Coster explained. As for recent developments that bode well for NKLA, the European Commission unveiled its plans to promote clean hydrogen, as part of the Green Deal economic recovery plan. Hyundai has already started shipping (10) hydrogen XCIENT fuel cell trucks to Switzerland, with the goal of selling 1,600 FCEL vehicles by 2025. What does this mean? According to Coster, it sets the bar high for NKLA. In addition, initial demand for the Badger BEV pickup truck has been robust. Adding to the good news, the company is expected to announce an OEM partner for the Badger truck, an H2 station deployment plan for the UK and possibly even accelerated implementation plans for the FCEL truck in the U.S. Coster added, Californias CARB ACT ruling could lead to accelerated adoption of H2 infrastructure on the West Coast, beyond Nikolas original plan. We think the stock will react favorably to any developments that shorten and/or de-risk the BEV and FCEL truck implementation plans. In line with his optimistic take, Coster stepped over to the bulls side. In addition to upgrading the rating from Neutral to Overweight, he put a $45 price target on the stock. A twelve-month gain of 50% could be in store, should the analysts thesis play out in the year ahead. (To watch Costers track record, click here) Turning now to the rest of the Street, opinions are split evenly. 2 Buys and 2 Holds add up to a Moderate Buy consensus rating. At $56, the average price target is more aggressive than Costers and brings the upside potential to 87%. (See Nikola stock analysis on TipRanks) Nio (NIO) As for the other EV stock on our list, Nio shares have been charging forward, with it already having gained 199% since the start of 2020. That being said, some analysts believe that there isnt any more fuel left in the tank. Not long ago, Goldman Sachs analyst Fei Fang was bullish on the stock. At the beginning of June, the analyst upgraded Nio to Buy before it reported its vehicle deliveries. The company was able to deliver 3,436 vehicles in May, which reflected a year-over-year gain of 215.5% and blew estimates out of the water. While this achievement was a new record for the company, Fang started seeing problems with NIOs long-term growth narrative. On top of this, NIO reported that despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, June sales climbed 179% higher from the prior-year period. Not to mention the EV maker saw quarterly shipments exceed 10,000 for the first time in its history. This was met by applause from investors, but Fang became worried that the valuation was skyrocketing too high. And thus, although the underlying fundamentals are strong, the analyst stepped onto the sidelines. Now, Fang believes the stock has surged enough for now. Post the 89% share price rally in the past month, we downgrade NIO to Sell on valuation, as we believe the current share price reflects over-optimism given no substantial changes to volume/profit expectations, the analyst explained. It should be noted that since the pandemics onset, Nio has secured funding and gotten cash infusions that have largely removed any liquidity risk for the company between now and our expected break-even in 2022E. Additionally, several factors would make Fang more optimistic about the companys growth prospects. Successful deployment of these resources could lead to faster product launches, which could expand demand and accelerate break-even, Fang stated. He also noted, The Nio brands positioning provides the premium pricing power that we expect the company to leverage across model cycles and powertrain technologies. Due to all of the above, Fang joined the Nio bears. Along with the call, a $7 price target is left on the stock. This figure implies shares could decline 41% in the next year. (To watch Fangs track record, click here) Looking at the consensus breakdown, 2 Buys, 2 Holds and 2 Sells have been assigned in the last three months. So, NIO gets a Hold consensus rating. Given the $7.26 average price target, the downside potential comes in at 39%. (See Nio stock analysis on TipRanks) A grieving father has revealed how he answers heartbreaking questions from his young daughter, whose mother recently took her own life. Canberra man Nick Brown tells two-year-old Winnie the last time they saw mum, she was off to save four people's lives. Winnie was just eight months old when Mr Brown's wife of seven years, Leanne Brown, took her own life in February last year. Mrs Brown was a registered organ donor. Despite the traumatic experience of Ms Brown's death, Mr Brown said organ donation added another chapter to her life. Canberra man Nick Brown tells two-year-old daughter Winnie the last time they saw mum, she was off to save four people's lives 'In the last month my little girl has asked me where her mum is,' he said. 'I'm able to say, ''Actually, the last time we saw your mum she was going off to save four lives''.' He received a letter from the daughter of one of the recipients, who told Mr Brown her mother was able to walk her down the aisle thanks to Mrs Brown. 'When I got that news I went for a run afterwards and I felt 10 feet tall and bulletproof,' Mr Brown said. 'This has given us something that I will hold on to really tightly.' The couple signed up to organ donation five years into their relationship after they were told a family friend needed a new heart. The Organ and Tissue Authority is calling on more Australians to sign up to the scheme on the back of a new survey. The poll, released on Sunday, shows there is huge support for organ donation but only one-third of Australians are signed up. Australians overwhelmingly believe in the benefits of organ donation and of those not registered as donors, only one in five are unwilling to sign up. Survey respondents said often families didn't allow their loved ones to be organ donors because they didn't know their wishes before they died. Facebook users poured their love onto a post about Leanne donating her organs In 2019, nine out of 10 families agreed to donation when their family member was a registered donor. Australians aged 65 and over were the most likely to be registered, while younger Australians were the least likely, the survey found. 'It's not something that's easy to discuss around the dinner table,' Mr Brown said. 'We live in such a good country with such an amazing health system. Mortality is not something we typically plan on confronting for a really long time.' Organ and Tissue Authority chief executive Lucinda Barry says it takes less than a minute for people to sign up online and they only need a Medicare card. 'Tell your family and take that next step to register,' she said. 'There will always be people who need a transplant. We will never meet the demand. It means they really are getting a second chance at life.' For confidential support call the Lifeline 24-hour crisis support on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on : 1300 659 467 The local bar that remained open despite Texas Governor Greg Abbotts order had its business temporarily closed until late August. On June 30, the City of Laredo filed a petition for a temporary restraining order, temporary and permanent injunction and request for disclosures after a Laredo Morning Times article was published stating that while the bar provides alcohol, it does not sell it. According to online court records, on July 15, Robert John Anthony, owner of La Oveja Negra, came to an agreement with his attorney to close down his business until the next court hearing. Abbott ordered that all establishments which receive more than 51% of their revenue from alcohol sales had to close indefinitely. On July 1, 341st District Court Judge Beckie Palomo issued a temporary restraining order on La Oveja Negra stating that Anthonys establishment is temporarily restrained from operating or maintaining on the property and the propertys certificate of occupancy is revoked. Palomos order expired on July 15. The establishments main commodity is selling playing time, so the owner said they did not fall under the executive order and could remain open. According to Anthony, patrons do not pay to drink at La Oveja Negra but rather pay an hourly fee to be in the establishment and play any games they want while also being able to drink alcohol. The business model is similar to many slot machine establishments in the city also known as maquinitas as they provide alcoholic beverages but do not sell them directly. They are complementary with the playing fee. With this business model, Anthony said the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission allowed him to operate as usual as he does not count as a bar under the governors decree. When Abbott made the announcement, Anthony quickly researched and discovered his business could remain open. However, he said they must abide by certain rules to keep their doors opened. READ MORE: Laredo Diocese schools to start remotely Aug. 10 Anthony hopes that staying open while other bars in the downtown area close can be beneficial since business has been slow with the 50% capacity rule that they were recently following, the LMT article stated. According to the petition, the City of Laredo COVID-19 operation team worked on June 26 to enforce the citys emergency order. Fire Marshall Andres Jimenez, Jr. observed the property and noticed they were operating and providing alcoholic beverages to patrons who paid a fee to enter the establishment, documents state. (Anthony) was informed that his business would have to close since they were in violation of the governors executive order and the citys emergency order. Fire Marshall Jimenez returned to the business on (June 28) at 1 a.m. and inspected the property and observed they were still operating and providing alcoholic beverages to patrons. The petition further states that the establishment provided alcoholic beverages without a permit to paying customers only in violation of the TABC while also holding a certificate of occupancy classifying it as a bar in violation of the citys emergency order and the governors executive order. The City of Laredos Emergency Order prohibits all non-essential services from operating in the city while the emergency order is in effect until July 31, 2020, including bars or similar establishments and businesses where alcoholic beverages are served or made available to customers at no charge, according to the petition. READ MORE: Gov. Abbott hasnt responded to Laredos orders on restaurants, social gatherings Anthony was not immediately available for comment. However, a post written last Friday on La Oveja Negras Facebook page states, Hello fellow black sheeps. Weve decided to extend our temporary closure until further notice in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Please message us if you have any questions. We miss you! Stay safe!! The City of Laredo said it does not comment on ongoing litigation. A hearing for the citys motion for a permanent injunction is scheduled for Aug. 31 in the 341st District Court. Published on 2020/07/26 | Source Samsung's new foldable Galaxy Fold 2 phone will be a little cheaper than the previous model when it is unveiled next month. Advertisement According to industry insiders Monday, Samsung is in talks with mobile providers to set the price tag of the Galaxy Fold 2 at around W2.3 million (US$1=W1,204). The Galaxy Fold 1 cost W2.39 million. Samsung will also unveil its latest Galaxy Note 20 with wireless headphones at an event on Aug. 5. The Galaxy Fold 2's screen is expected to measure 7.6 to 7.7 inches when spread out and 6.23 inches when folded. Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 20 start on Aug. 7 and for the Galaxy Fold 2 in late September or early October. The Galaxy Note 20 is expected to cost between W1.2 million and W1.45 million. Samsung has already put a teaser image of the Galaxy Fold 2 on Twitter, showing it in a "mystic bronze" hue. Read this article in Korean A new biography of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has offered a unique insight into what led the couple to step down from royal duties. Finding Freedom, by royal reporters Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, describes the wall of resentment that slowly built up between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the royal family. Neither Harry nor Meghan have contributed to the book; it is based on the authors own experiences as members of the royal press and incorporates quotes from sources close to the couple. Extracts from the biography are being serialised in The Times and The Sunday Times ahead of its publication in August. From the rumoured rift between Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge to how the Duke of Cambridge allegedly told Harry not to rush things with Meghan, heres everything we know so far about Finding Freedom. Meghan felt she gave up her entire life for the royal family The book states that Meghan told a friend in March that she had given up her entire life for the royal family and was hurt by reports that leaving the royal family was purely her idea. The courtiers blame Meghan, and some family do, a source is quoted as saying in Finding Freedom. But the source adds that Meghan sacrificed a lot to slot into royal life. As Meghan tearfully told a friend in March: I gave up my entire life for this family. I was willing to do whatever it takes. But here we are. Its very sad, the book states. Prince William wanted to make sure Harry wasnt blinded by lust with Meghan The Duke of Cambridge was cautious of his brothers relationship with Meghan at the start, the book claims, and was keen to make sure that Meghan had the right intentions with Harry. After all, these are two brothers that have spent their whole lives with people trying to take advantage of them, the source is quoted as saying in the book. Theyve both developed a radar to detect that type of person, but as William didnt know a whole lot about Meghan, he wanted to make sure Harry wasnt blindsided by lust. Harry had fallouts with his inner circle over potential prejudice In the early days of their relationship Prince Harry was given a closer picture of the ugly realities of racism than he had ever previously seen, the books authors say. And when those close to him began to question the suitability of his relationship, he was quick to consider whether their critiques came from a place of prejudice. The authors write: When some questioned his new relationship, and whether she was suitable, he would wonder, Is this about race? Is it snobbery? An old friend of Harrys spent an afternoon gossiping about Meghan, making disparaging remarks about her Hollywood background. Word got back to Harry, and the prince immediately cut him off. Reports of a rift between Meghan and Kate were not true Finding Freedom claims there was no feud between the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex they simply had nothing in common. The book states that the press were too quick to blame the decision of the Sussexes to move to Windsor removing themselves from the Kensington Palace umbrella on the duelling duchesses, the authors say, when it was Harry who felt suffocated by his brother. Ms Durand and Mr Scobie write: The truth was that Meghan and Kate just didnt know each other that well. They address one particular rumour that Meghan made Kate cry during a bridesmaids dress fitting for Princess Charlotte, stating that it is completely false. Reports that Meghans strict demands had left Kate in tears puzzled those who were present, the book states. World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Show all 24 1 /24 World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Canada World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Italy World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Canada World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Argentina World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Belgiam World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down US World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Brazil World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Chile World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Belgiam World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down Canada World reacts to Prince Harry and Meghan stepping down UK A source who was there said: Some of the children werent cooperating, and there was a lot going on. Everyone tried to help where they could, but its never easy with kids at fittings. There were no tears from anyone. And in the end, the fitting was fine. Kate and Meghan were both a little stressed but professional in the room, and there were other people there. Prince William told Harry not to rush things with Meghan William is said to have sat Harry down at the start of his relationship with Meghan and urged him to take things slowly with her. Dont feel you need to rush this, he said, according to sources. Take as much time as you need to get to know this girl. The words this girl are said to have irritated Harry, leading him to describe his brother as a snob. Harry could see through Williams words. He was being a snob, a source close to Harry is quoted as saying in the book. Palace staff were wary of Meghan The book details how several members of the royal family did not trust Meghan, or have faith in her relationship with Harry. At least two other family members also voiced concerns to each other over the pace at which Harrys relationship had moved, the book states. Meanwhile, when Meghan and Harry started dating, one senior royal allegedly referred to the Suits actor as Harrys showgirl. Another is reported to have told an aide, She comes with a lot of baggage, while one high-ranking courtier was overheard telling a colleague, Theres just something about her I dont trust. Meghan felt like her father was a victim of the media The authors write that an unnamed trusted confidant of Meghan expressed to them that she blamed the media for corrupting her father, Thomas Markle, from whom she is estranged. According to the source, Meghan told them: My dad never sought this out. I really believe that hes the victim, and now I feel sad because I believe hes been fully corrupted. Harry and Meghan felt like they took a back seat in royal family The book states that the couple grew frustrated that they often took a back seat to other family members when they were part of the royal family. While they both respected the hierarchy of the institution, it was difficult when they wanted to focus on a project and were told that a more senior ranking family member, be it Prince William or Prince Charles, had an initiative or tour being announced at the same time so they would just have to wait, the book reads. Prince Harry told Meghan Markle I love you three months after they started dating The Duke of Sussex told his future wife that he loved her three months into their relationship, the co-authors of Finding Freedom have claimed in their new book. According to a friend of Meghan, Prince Harry was the first to profess his love, with the former Suits actor immediately replying I love you, too. For Meghan, she was all in. Nothing could get her to slow down, not even a friend who cautioned her about getting involved with Harry, the book states. Three months into their relationship, a Meghan friend said [sic], they had already begun swapping the words I love you. This prompted the couple to begin talking in non-oblique terms about their future, it added. Meghan reportedly left clues on social media hinting at her relationship with Prince Harry, including a photograph on Instagram of a Love Hearts sweet inscribed with the words Kiss Me alongside the caption Lovehearts in London on the night she and Prince Harry went on a date. Meghan 'used to tip the paparazzi off' about stories before meeting Harry In the latest extract from Finding Freedom, the authors claim that Meghan used to tip the press off with stories about her when she was an actor in the US legal drama Suits. The book reads: While Meghan, before she met Harry, had occasionally set up a paparazzi photo here and there or let info slip out to the press, she did everything in her power to protect the privacy of her relationship with the prince. Harry 'refused' trial period prior to leaving the royal family Prince Harry was reportedly so intent on quitting royal life that he refused the offer of a trial period when he initially raised his wishes to step down. According to a source quoted in the book, the prince was adamantly opposed to the review process. However, another source close to the couple did not rule out a return to royal life. Do I rule out them taking on roles for the family in the future? Absolutely not, they said. But a full-scale return soon is not likely. That is not down to animosity or anything like that. They have not yet reached what they were seeking to do. The late Rep. John Lewis -- a civil rights and voting rights icon known as the "conscience of the U.S. Congress" -- crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, for a final time this weekend. It was part of a six-day celebration of life paying tribute to his legacy, which began on Saturday in his hometown of Troy, Alabama. Over the next week, Lewis will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, Alabama State Capitol and Georgia State Capitol. MORE: John Lewis, Civil Rights activist and Congressman from American civil rights leader and activist John Lewis To cheers and applause, the casket of longtime congressman and civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis is carried across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on a horse-drawn caisson in Selma, Alabama. https://t.co/QcpKciVHL3 pic.twitter.com/16yOITUcPW ABC News (@ABC) July 26, 2020 A public service celebrating "The Boy from Troy" took place Saturday morning at Troy University. Saturday evening, Lewis was honored in a private ceremony at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma, ahead of another public viewing. The casket of Rep. John Lewis, draped in an American flag, is carried into Troy University ahead of a memorial service celebrating the civil rights icon's life. https://t.co/T38bqZ3g4G pic.twitter.com/7QdG5szWs4 ABC News (@ABC) July 25, 2020 MORE: 'The Boy from Troy': Funeral services begin for the late Rep. John Lewis On Sunday morning, the procession across the bridge took place in Selma where Lewis and other voting rights demonstrators were beaten 55 years ago on "Bloody Sunday." Sunday's march from Brown Chapel to the Edmund Pettus Bridge was titled "#Good Trouble: Courage, Sacrifice & the Long March for Freedom." Story continues IN HIS OWN WORDS: Civil rights icon and congressman Rep. John Lewis recalls the events of "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, Alabama: "I thought I saw death. I thought I was going to die." https://t.co/JfOQMFbKGF pic.twitter.com/OLZGcAhi07 ABC News (@ABC) July 26, 2020 MORE: Rep. John Lewis taken across Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma Lewis was then taken to lie in state at the Alabama State Capitol following the procession. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced late Thursday that Lewis will be honored in a private, invitation-only ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Monday at 1:30 p.m., followed by an unprecedented public viewing taking place outside, as opposed to inside, the Capitol building due to coronavirus concerns. MORE: House holds emotional moment of silence to honor John Lewis On Monday, a procession through Washington will shut down several streets from about 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. as Lewis' body is transported to the Capitol. The city listed what streets will be closed and advised motorists of an anticipated increase in pedestrian traffic. Lewis will lie in state at the top of the east front steps of the U.S. Capitol for the public viewing, and the public will file past on the east plaza. The public viewing take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday. Masks are required and social distancing will be enforced. PHOTO: The office of the late Rep. John Lewis is draped in black fabric at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, July 23, 2020. (Erin Scott/Reuters) The Georgia Democrat will be the second Black lawmaker to lie in state at the Capitol, a tribute reserved for the most revered Americans, following the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who died last October. PHOTO: Civil Rights icon Congressman John Lewis pauses during a memorial ceremony on Capitol Hill on Oct. 24, 2019, in Washington. (Melina Mara/Pool via Getty Images, FILE) On Wednesday, Lewis will lie in state at the Georgia State Capitol. MORE: The two versions of John Lewis' March on Washington speech reveal the complexity of a young leader Lewis will be laid to rest on Thursday at South View Cemetery in Atlanta following a private funeral at Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once led. A military honor guard will accompany Lewis' body during all the events. PHOTO: Rep. John Lewis crosses the Edmund Pettus Bridge before the 55th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday crossing, in Selma, Ala., March 1, 2020. (Al Drago/EPA via Shutterstock, FILE) Citing coronavirus precautions, Lewis' family asked members of the public not travel from across the country to pay their respects. They instead have suggested people pay tribute online using the hashtags #BelovedCommunity and #HumanDignity. The ceremonies will be live-streamed on multiple platforms, including ABC News Live. His family also encouraged the public to tie a blue or purple ribbon on their front doors or in their yards to commemorate Lewis' life. Lewis, 80, died last Friday, after a months-long battle with pancreatic cancer. The civil rights icon served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives serving the 5th Congressional District of Georgia. MORE: John Lewis, congressman and civil rights icon, dies at 80 His final public appearance was a visit on to the Black Lives Matter Plaza across from the White House on June 7. ABC News' John Parkinson and Mariam Khan contributed to this report. 6-day celebration of life for Rep. John Lewis continues Monday originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Representative Image State-owned NMDC's steel plant at Nagarnar, Chhattisgarh, is facing delays in commissioning due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a top company official has said. The steel plant, which had missed its completion schedule earlier as well, is now expected to take one more year to start production. The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) was first expected to commence steel production at its Nagarnar plant in July 2019, but failed to do so and then the commissioning deadline was shifted to 2020. NMDC's outgoing chairman and managing director N Baijendra Kumar told PTI, "Due to COVID-19 outbreak, workers have gone back (to villages) and as there are travel restrictions, experts are unable to travel to India to carry out certain trials at the site." Kumar will superannuate on July 31, and Sumit Deb will succeed him. NMDC, under the Ministry of Steel, is setting up its first steel plant having capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Nagarnar in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh at a cost of about Rs 20,000 crore. It is an ambitious project of the country's largest iron ore miner as it would mark NMDC's foray into the growing domestic steel sector. On the project's timelines, Kumar said it was to be completed in July 2020, but "now it will take another one year". The CMD said that apart from labour issues, there are other factors like machinery used in the plant has to be imported. Kumar said that after the COVID-19 outbreak, experts from European countries like Denmark and Austria could not come to conduct certain trials required before commissioning the plant. After the coronavirus lockdown in March, the construction work of the plant was completely stopped. The work resumed only in April after the government announced fresh guidelines for enforcing the second phase of lockdown. As per the guidelines, the construction activity was allowed from April 20 with strict safety measures. A company official said there are about 10,000-12,000 workers involved in the construction of the plant, but as almost half of them are unavailable, the progress of the work is extremely slow and will take months to complete. Earlier, the plant faced commissioning delays due to local agitation over talks of privatisation and BHEL not being able to complete raw material handling. The plant was in the list of public sector enterprises lined up by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) for strategic divestment. However, the proposal for strategic divestment of the steel plant was later differed by an Inter-Ministerial Group for Divestment until the unit becomes operational. A year after manhunt for teen murder suspects, some in Manitoba town are forever changed It was an unusual sight: a barking police dog in northern Manitoba's remote dense brush and heavily armed tactical officers in camouflage as a drone flew overhead. The officers were draped in head net mesh to keep thousands of swarming bugs away. This scene that played out a year ago this week near Gillam, Man., would mark the start of a nationwide hunt for Canada's two most wanted men B.C. teenagers Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, and Kam McLeod, 19. The RCMP say the teens, who were first reported as missing, murdered Chynna Deese, an American, her Australian boyfriend, Lucas Fowler, and University of British Columbia botany lecturer Leonard Dyck before going on the run triggering what may be the largest manhunt in Canadian history. Hundreds of RCMP officers worked on the case in Manitoba and B.C., the FBI and Australian police were involved and military aircraft were brought in. Gillam, which has an airport, served as the base for the RCMP during the search. It's where the Mounties' detachment is located and where many officers slept. But most of the ground search took place away from the town in areas closer to the Fox Lake Cree Nation. Mayor Dwayne Forman said for the most part, his town, located about 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg, has gone back to a sense of normalcy, but "there are a few people that are still negatively affected and will always be affected by this." New South Wales Police; University of British Columbia Even after the teens' bodies were found last August less than an hour's drive from the town, he said, some in the community were still scared. As an example, he pointed to a father who had never slept apart from his wife for 20 years. But once the manhunt began and the military was called in, he started sleeping in the living room with a gun. Forman said when he talked to the man about six months after the ordeal, he was still sleeping in the living room. "Obviously it's still in his mind and he's still under the protection mode." Story continues Story gripped the world The discovery of the fugitives' bodies along the Nelson River, near the Fox Lake Cree Nation, provided a sense of relief for residents who had been looking over their shoulders for weeks. It calmed Canadians who thought they spotted the teens in other provinces and marked the end to a story that gripped the world. "I think it would've been a totally different scenario if they were never found. Them being found, I think, put a lot of people's minds at ease that this hopefully once-in-a-lifetime situation that happened up here, worldwide manhunt, ended with closure," Forman said. But the discovery, which happened with the help of Fox Lake resident Billy Beardy, didn't provide answers to the big question: Why? CBC Why gun down a loving couple who were on vacation travelling to the Canadian Rockies in a van in cold blood? A pathologist determined that Deese, 24, and Fowler, 23, were shot multiple times and said it appeared the shooter(s) stood behind the victims for at least some of the shots. Why drive another seven and a half hours and shoot a third person, 64-year-old Dyck, and leave him with injuries the RCMP wouldn't release? And why go to northern Manitoba, of all places? The bodies of Fowler and Deese were found on July 15 at the side of the Alaska Highway near Liard Hot Springs in northern B.C. Dyck's body was found four days later in a highway pullout near Dease Lake, about 500 kilometres to the southwest. WATCH | Schmegelsky, McLeod manhunt had lasting impact on Manitoba community: "It dumbfounds me," Forman said. Finally, who was the tipster who knew the teens and alerted the RCMP in B.C. two days after they were reported missing, saying they may actually have been involved in the murders? 'It does give me chills sometimes' Sandra Broughton, a resident of Fort Nelson, B.C., said she still wonders what would have happened if Fowler and Deese took her and her husband up on an offer of help while their van was broken down on the Alaska Highway. "You always have the what ifs in the back of your head," she said. Broughton and her husband, Curtis, who is a mechanic, were among the last people to see Deese and Fowler alive before they were gunned down. They had pulled over after spotting the young couple's van, with the hood up, on the side of the road in a remote area without cellphone service. "It's surreal, like a weird dream in a way. You know in that moment that destiny could have been changed," Broughton said. "We were there offering help and to be helpful, like being the good in the world, and yet the same day they met the worst out there in the world." Broughton recalls Fowler's Aussie accent while he politely turned down the couple's offer of help. Austin Grabish/CBC "I just remember him explaining what was wrong, like really well," she said, adding it later made sense when she learned he had completed a mechanic apprenticeship in high school. A year later, Broughton said, her husband still pulls over to offer others help, and she still thinks about their interaction last summer. "It does give me chills sometimes," she said. "When I found out what happened, I knew right away that it was them. Because I had this bad feeling that as we came up to help them, somebody could pull up and harm them just as easy as somebody could help them and that's what happened, unfortunately." Ben Nelms/CBC Close-knit community has changed In Gillam, Suman Adhikari had come up with a plan for what he would do if the murder suspects walked into the town's bar. The bartender, who is from Nepal and is used to a military presence, recalls being surprised when police stormed into Gillam and said he was "scared all the time." Officers and reporters from around the world filled the Kettle River Inn & Suites, which has a bar and beer vendor that Adhikari operates. He said he told himself that if the teens walked in, he'd try to act normal and give them a beer while he quietly called the RCMP. Lyzaville Sale/CBC While many residents of Gillam and Fox Lake Cree Nation were staying in their homes during the manhunt, some still ventured to the bar. Adhikari said he remembers a request from one woman. "Can you watch me, please. I don't want to walk along this road. I feel very bad. Maybe these murdering guys can do something wrong to me. Please, can you drop [me at my] house," he said, quoting the woman. The request was unusual, since people in the town didn't lock their doors and were never scared to walk home from the bar. "Gillam is like a small town, zero crime, and we know each other, and [it has a] strong community and we love each other," Adhikari said. The manhunt changed that, Forman said. "In that aspect, there are some people that have changed, that have gotten to a locking system and that's unfortunate because being a close-knit community, we've always had that open-door policy." 'We found them. Thank goodness' At the time of the manhunt last year, Jane MacLatchy, the RCMP's assistant commissioner for D Division in Manitoba, had been on the job for only about six months, and it was her first major public case. In an interview with CBC this week, the veteran officer who joined the Mounties in 1988 in B.C. spoke about the immense challenges posed by the search. Austin Grabish/CBC "There's muskeg, there's dense forests, there's swamps, there's wildlife. It was a very challenging place," MacLatchy said. "And we also had people looking for these two suspects and knowing they were going into harm's way every day. So they had to take the tactical approach as well, just in case they were confronted by an armed suspect." When she could finally announce that the bodies of the two suspects had been found, "it was mixed feelings really for sure," the officer said. "We found them. Thank goodness. We knew there was a likelihood that they were deceased.... And if we hadn't found them ... the communities [would] be living in fear serious, serious fear in their own homes for who knows how long," she said. "So I was really relieved that we'd found them. As for why the murders happened, MacLatchy said, "I'll be honest, I would like to know why those two young men decided to take the steps they took, but I don't think we ever will." Teens had plans to kill more people In videos the teens made on a digital camera belonging to Dyck that the RCMP found with their bodies, they took credit for the killings and showed no remorse. They also talked about going to Hudson Bay, where they would "hijack" a boat and travel to Europe or Africa. During the start of the manhunt, it was thought Schmegelsky and McLeod might try to get on a train from Gillam to Churchill, Man., but that never happened. Instead, they went to the fast-moving Nelson River, about eight kilometres northeast of where they burnt Dyck's Toyota RAV4. They shaved while preparing for their own deaths and talked about their plan to kill more people. The RCMP found a full box of ammunition in a backpack belonging to McLeod six days before the suspects' bodies and two rifles were found on Aug. 7 near the Nelson River. Internal RCMP documents obtained by CBC News list the contents of Dyck's Nikon COOLPIX camera. The documents, obtained through an access to information request, reveal that in one video, Schmegelsky who would have turned 19 on Aug. 4 "advises they have found a nice little spot by the river where they are going to shoot themselves." David Lipnowsk/The Canadian Press But the list of contents on the camera is heavily redacted and doesn't provide a full picture of what the RCMP found. The fact that the suspects were armed and said they planned to kill more people is still unsettling for Forman, who gets emotional while talking about the discovery of the teens' bodies. "I'm just thankful that no one else was hurt," he said. "That was scary for me knowing how close they were to Fox Lake." WATCH | Manhunt leaves lasting impact on Gillam, woman among last to see couple alive: A small plane carrying six people crashed into a Utah backyard on Saturday afternoon, sending fireballs more than hundreds of feet into the air. Officials, who rushed at the scene of the accident, said three people died, while the rest of the passengers suffured injuries. According to the West Jordan Police Department, a nine-month-old baby, a woman and the pilot died when the plane crashed in a residential section of a West Jordan neighborhood, as reported by USA Today. Authorities are withholding names until the victims' next of kin are notified. Officer Jennifer Worthen, a spokeswoman for the police department, did not disclose specifics during the news conference. According to a report by The New York Times, the plane crashed into the backyard of two homes in small Utah neighborhood. Authorities responded to a call about the crash around 1:40 p.m. At least one home caught on fire following the incident. Three other houses were damaged, but police did not release information about how extensive the damages were. Police eventually reported more persons suffering from burns and other life-threatening injuries. Police said an unnamed female victim is in critical condition, while a two-year-old child is in stable condition. Another child was released from the hospital after receiving medical attention. It is unclear whether the victims were passengers of the Piper PA-32. An older woman, whose house at 8691 S. 3780 West was caught in the crash, is in critical condition. Joe Murillo, who claims he is the 72-year-old woman's brother, said the victim suffered burns. Her home, which she had been living in for more than two decades, allegedly took the brunt of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Piper PA-32 had taken off from South Valley Regional Airport at around 1:30 p.m. The airport, which is located in Salt Lake City, is less than five miles from the crash site. Officers working with the FAA said they are collaborating with the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate what led to the crash. West Jordan Mayor Dirk Burton said neighbors rushed to the crash site to help the woman and other people out of their homes. Many of the victims had to be airlifted to nearby hospitals. Worthen praised the community for helping people out of their homes and out of the plane. Terry Robinson, a 68-year-old resident, called 911 immediately after the crash. "It is scary," she said. "You could see the fire go up in the air and then it was just black smoke." The neighborhood is about 40 years old. Most of the residents are the original homeowners. Following the crash, neighbouring communities, including South Jordan, helped. Small planes from the nearby international airport often fly over the area. While few had crashed in the area before, none had caused extensive damage to the homes. Chinas crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia rose 15% in June from a year ago, as refiners ordered record volumes of the fuel in March and April when oil prices tumbled, cementing the kingdoms position as the top oil supplier to China. Imports from Saudi Arabia rose to 8.88 million tonnes in June, or 2.16 million bpd, in June, according to data from the General Administration of Customs on Sunday. That was in line with Mays volumes, but well above 1.89 million bpd during the same period last year. The record imports follow a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, the worlds top oil exporters, during March and April when the coronavirus pandemic dampened demand and caused a global fuel glut. Shipments from Russia were at 7.98 million tonnes last month, or 1.95 million barrels per day (bpd), up around 7% from 1.82 million bpd in May and 1.73 million bpd in June 2019. Saudi, however, delivered bigger oil cuts from June and raised crude prices as a plunge in oil prices weighed on the kingdoms budget. China, the worlds biggest crude oil importer, took in a record 53.18 million tonnes last month, according to customs data. China also boosted inflows from Brazil, Norway and Angola, said Emma Li, analyst from Refinitiv. Brazil, whose massive offshore projects are coming online, offered Asian refiners competitive deals on relatively high-quality oil just as China and other Asian countries contained the coronavirus and reopened their economies. Analysts expect China to see another record amount of crude imports in July as some May-loading cargoes are still underway while swelling oil inventory at major Chinese ports slows new arrivals. - The deputy speaker of the Niger state House of Assembly, Bako Alfa, has resigned - Following his resignation, Jibrin Ndagi Baba was elected for the position - The new deputy speaker said his nomination came as a great surprise and appreciated the lawmakers for the opportunity given to him to serve PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed! The leadership of the Niger state House of Assembly witnessed a shakeup on Thursday, July 23, as the deputy speaker Bako Alfa resigned while Jibrin Ndagi Baba was elected as his replacement. The resignation of Alfa, member representing Bida I, Bako Alfa, was announced in a notification letter read by the speaker, Abdullahi Wuse, during the plenary, according to Daily Nigerian. The former deputy speaker appreciated the leadership of the house for the opportunity given to him to serve. Afterwards, the clerk of the house, Abdullahi Kagara, called for the nomination of a new deputy speaker. Niger Assembly deputy speaker resigns, new one elected. Photo Credit: Niger state House of Assembly Source: Facebook Baba, the lawmaker representing Lavun constituency was nominated for the position by Suleiman Gambo, and seconded by Ibrahim Salihu. There was no other nomination and Baba emerged victorious by unanimous vote. In his acceptance speech, Baba said his nomination came as a great surprise, and appreciated the lawmakers for the opportunity given to him to serve. Its a great surprise to me, because I am too small for the position, that is because there are many of my colleagues here that are bigger than I, but still went ahead to nominate me, he said. He gave assurance to work towards the welfare and development of the house. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! In another report, the governor of Niger state, Abubakar Bello, on Tuesday, June 30, ordered a 30 per cent slash in the salaries and allowances of all political officers in the state. Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane, made the announced in a statement in Minna, the state capital. Those to be affected by the order include the governor, his deputy, commissioners, special advisers, and all other political appointees, the statement said. It said that the temporary slash was in view of the economic situation occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic. Government will transparently resume full payment of salaries and allowances when the economic situation improves, the statement revealed. NWC dissolution: I remain loyal to President Buhari - Oshiomhole | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng The Minneapolis City Council Budget Committee has approved taking $500,000 from the police budget and transferring it to the Office of Violence Prevention to help pay for civilian safety patrols. That sounds reasonable. I mean, what could go wrong if a city suddenly rife with violent crime reallocates half a million dollars from trained, well-equipped police officers to Sierra Club, PETA and Emilys List members? A paid consultant with the Office of Violence Prevention told a local television station that hes been asked to put together a plan to implement the patrols. Jamil Jackson said his proposal would consist of having 100 civilians on patrol in the city, split into five 20-person groups, two on the north side of the city, two on the south side, and one in the downtown area. Jackson noted that those locations are not finalized yet, those are just proposals, and added, "This is to hire men to engage in the community and patrol our community but also help by bringing in resources that allow these youth to have something to do other than what they are doing now." Such as looting and burning stores. Perhaps they could look for a job. Bob Kroll, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation, told the station he would like to know more details about the civilian patrols. A spokesperson for Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said the chief was unavailable for comment and that, in any case, it "would not be appropriate to comment at this time." We can easily guess what that comment might be. Jackson says the civilian patrols will not be doing any police work and will not be armed. He further stated that they will not be out in the community fighting crime. That is surely comforting to Minneapolis residents. He added, We are not going to be out there shooting things up. If there is something happening, and a crime is being committed we will call police and report that kind of activity. That is truly mind-boggling. The city is going to take a large sum of money from its police force and give it to people who willsummon the police when they see a crime being committed? Yes, lets hire a group of ill-equipped middlemen to wander around town, pay them with funds that otherwise wouldve gone to the police, and have them callthe policeif they spot a crime. That way, we can reduce efficiency while inflating response times for emergencies. Brilliant! Only progressive government could come up with a plan like that. 911? Id like to report an ongoing case of felony stupidity 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. Aditya Puri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HDFC Bank, has sold 95 per cent of his stake in the bank valued at Rs 843 crore this week. Puri sold 74.2 lakh shares of the bank between July 21 and 24, according to stock exchange filings. According to the disclosures, Puri had 0.14 per cent stake or 77.96 lakh equity shares in his name in the bank as on March 31. He now holds 3.76 lakh shares or 0.01 per cent stake in HDFC Bank. An HDFC Bank spokesperson said that the shares were allotted to Puri at different times and at different price points, which is why the net amount realised by him would not be Rs 843 crore. Acquisition cost of shares and tax payable would be accounted as well. Aditya Puri had sold shares worth Rs 200 crore in HDB Financial Services, an unlisted NBFC arm of HDFC Bank in December last year. The shares were held through a family trust Vistra ITCL (India). Puri, who is one of the highest paid bankers, would retire in October. The 70-year-old banker who is credited for building HDFC Bank into the largest private bank by assets in the last 25 years saw a 38 per cent jump in salary and prerequisites to Rs 18.92 crore in FY 2019-20. He earned Rs 161.56 crore by exercising stock options during the year, the bank's annual report said. As for Puri's successor, Sashidhar Jagdishan and Kaizad Barucha are amongst the top two internal candidates. Barucha, who has the highest board experience, is the senior most while Jagdishan is the dark horse. Sunil Garg from Citibank is also in the fray while Bhavesh Zaveri , another internal candidate has also been screened by the six-member succession committee. Also read: HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri to wind up with shares worth Rs 800 cr Also read: HDFC Bank's Aditya Puri highest paid banker after 38% jump in FY20 salary to Rs 18.92 crore A woman alleged to have been driving drunk killed a Texas judge on Saturday night when police say she drove the wrong way and collided with two vehicles. Megan Smith, 32, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after the fatal collision which took place in the northern Texas town of Royse City at around 9:30pm on Saturday. According to local police, Smith, a resident of Royse City, was driving the wrong way in the westbound lanes of Interstate 30, NBCDFW reported. She then struck two vehicles who were driving from the opposite direction. Justice David L. Bridges, 65, a longtime judge who had served on the bench of the Texas 5th Court of Appeals, was in one of the vehicles that was struck by Smiths car, according to authorities. Megan Smith (left), 32, of Royse City, Texas, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after police said she drove the wrong way down an interstate on Saturday night, crashing into a car driven by Justice David L. Bridges (right). Bridges was pronounced dead at the scene Bridges car then burst into flames. The judge was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the second vehicle was not injured. Smith was rushed to a nearby hospital and treated for minor injuries. She was booked into Hunt County Jail after she was released from the hospital. Bridges was elected to a judgeship in the 5th District Court of Appeals in 1996, according to his biography. He served in the United States Army in 1973 and 1974. After his military service, he worked at the General Electric plant to put himself through Tyler Junior College and the University of Texas at Tyler. After a stint working as a petroleum landman along the Appalachian Mountain range, Bridges attended the Texas Tech School of Law. After graduating law school, Bridges served as assistant district attorney in Smith and Upshur Counties. He was also a senior disciplinary counsel and first assistant in charge of litigation for the State Bar of Texas. Has all the bad news been priced into the stock markets? Not only are UK assets deeply unfashionable at the moment compared with those of other countries, but there is the wider concern that the world economy will have a second plunge in the autumn when the present support measures fade away. Explaining why the UK is unfashionable is easy. There is a blast of negative publicity about the Government's handling of the coronavirus crisis in the foreign media and much of the domestic media too. The FTSE 100 index is skewed toward sectors that are struggling, including banks and oil companies, so it has lagged other markets. Jobs time-bomb: Jobs are being artificially supported and this cannot go on much longer, but this is 'in the markets', says Hamish McRae There are the stories about the likely failure of the trade negotiations with the EU. And, crucially, there are a string of announcements of job losses to come, the latest being from Dyson. Even successful companies are shedding labour. So there is a jobs time-bomb. Unemployment lags the economy and is bound to rise in the autumn and winter. We don't know by how much; we do know that jobs are being artificially supported and that this cannot go on much longer. But investors know all this too. They also know that there is a danger of a second wave of the virus, just as they can see the tsunami of money pumped into the markets by the central banks that has to go somewhere. All this is, in the jargon, 'in the markets'. As far as UK assets are concerned and to a lesser extent global assets too the surprises are more likely to come on the upside than the down. Where are these surprises? Well, think nine months ahead to next spring. We will have clarity on the UK's trading relationship with Europe. At the moment the markets are assuming no deal, so even a minimal agreement would be a plus. Actually, given the way the EU works there will probably be some sort of 11th-hour accord, just as there was last weekend over the coronavirus support programme. But even if there isn't, UK-EU trade will have settled down. Next, there will be a new President in America. Because the commentators were so wrong last time, they are loath to voice the obvious now, but I think we can assume a Biden presidency. Dividends were savaged ... but will climb next year There will be clarity of policy, which will help asset prices in general and end the 'flight to safety' that has worked against the UK. We will no longer be perceived as a risky bet. Third, it is overwhelmingly probable that there will be a vaccine, and certain that treatments for Covid-19 will be much more effective. There may even be a vaccine in the autumn if the Oxford AstraZeneca one lives up to its promise. But even if the virus were to return in some other form, at least we will know what we are dealing with. Governments and public health officials will no longer be flying blind. Finally, the world economy will be growing strongly. It may be that we won't be able to recover all the ground lost in 2020 by the end of 2021, and some industries such as the airlines will still be struggling. But there will be growth, and for the winners from all this, hugely profitable growth. Amazon last year spent $36billion on R&D, more than any other company in the world. Winners have the resources to invest to stay winners. As far as UK assets are concerned and to a lesser extent global assets too the surprises are more likely to come on the upside than the down, says McRae Translate all this into the likely movement of equity prices and what do we have? Those of us who, like myself, are optimists by temperament have to aim off a bit. But two points seem clear. One is that at some stage the UK will stop being unfashionable. The discount on UK assets will disappear, and sterling will recover to its long-term normal levels. The question is not whether, but when. The other is that in a world where bonds have negative yields, investment in equities must make sense. Dividends in the UK have this year been savaged, with the payout on the FTSE 100 cut from 100billion last year to 55-60billion this. But dividends will clamber up a bit next year, and with ten-year gilts yielding a mere 0.15 per cent on Friday well, anything is better than that. 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For more info and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/how-to-find-cheaper-car-insurance-after-losing-your-job/. The current coronavirus outbreak has caused millions to lose their jobs. Many people are struggling to pay their rent and utilities, even though they have no income or they have to rely on an unemployment check. Car insurance might be one place where many can reduce their expenses. Unemployed drivers who are looking to save money on car insurance should do the following: Seek help from the current car insurance provider. Many car insurance companies are offering discounts, refunds, bill payment flexibility, and other options as many drivers are struggling in these challenging times. Although most companies had resumed normal billing by the end of May 2020, they are still ready to help customers who are going through difficulties. The best solution for unemployed drivers is to contact them directly and let them know about their job status. Review the current policy and stick to only what's essential. Keeping full coverage on an older vehicle while being unemployed is just a waste of money and unemployed drivers should avoid doing so at least until they get a new job. Raising the deductible to pay lower premiums is another great move drivers can make to save some money on car insurance. Most unemployed drivers are no longer required to make a commute and they have a reduced driving risk. For this reason, they should contact their insurers and ask for a low-mileage discount. Be a safe driver and avoid committing traffic violations or an at-fault accident. While being unemployed, drivers should avoid getting a DUI, speeding ticket, or a moving violation on their driving records. By doing so, drivers will keep their premiums low. Maintain a good credit score. Not paying bills on time can backfire. The credit score is a major factor in how the rates are set in every state but California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. Drivers with poor credit can pay nearly twice as much for the same policy as someone with excellent credit. Compare prices before choosing an insurance deal . Don't pick the first option that looks good. Unemployed drivers should have plenty of time to check around and compare multiple quotes from different insurance companies. Check for all available discounts. Unemployed drivers who are also students can get a good student discount if they have good grades in school. Drivers who are moving to a work-from-home career or are driving little should look for providers who are offering pay-per-mile insurance policies. Also, drivers who already have homeowners, renters, condo, life insurance, or other insurance, should think about bundling all household policies with the same company to get a multi-policy discount. Install a telematics device . These policies usually use an under-the-dash plug-in device or smartphone app to check the driving habits. The acceleration, braking, distance, speed, route choice, and time of day can all affect the total savings. Not going back and forth to work five days a week should qualify unemployed drivers for a reduced rate. Apply and pay online for coverage. Buying car insurance on the internet can give the driver a discount. Also, drivers can get a slightly larger discount for electronic payments from their bank account rather than a credit card because of the lack of processing fees. Furthermore, unemployed drivers can save money by paying for the whole policy up front. Story continues For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/. Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "The best way to find affordable car insurance while being unemployed is by comparing online quotes from insurance providers that are available in the area," said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing Company Person for contact: Gurgu C Phone Number: (818) 359-3898 Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org/ SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/598947/Jobless-Drivers-Can-Get-Cheaper-Car-Insurance-If-They-Follow-the-Next-Tips Schoolchildren will be given greater access to counsellors and child psychologists as part of a comprehensive plan to reopen schools from the end of August. Education Minister Norma Foley is tomorrow due to unveil the detailed measures that will be put in place to allow all primary and secondary schools to reopen next month - nearly seven months after they were shut due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The plan will include extra funding for guidance counsellors and the National Educational Psychological Service in the wake of the pandemic which saw the traditional Junior and Leaving Certificate exams cancelled. Around 75m will be made available under the minor works grant scheme to help primary and post-primary schools adapt their classrooms for social distancing and improve their toilet facilities, while more than 45m is on offer for enhanced cleaning measures. The Department of Education will centrally procure all hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment and distribute it to schools. Generally, teachers and students will not be advised or required to wear face masks but they will be allowed to do so if they wish and the advice will differ in the case of special schools. Schools will also receive extra funding for additional substitute teachers ahead of an anticipated increase in sick leave, while there will also be curriculum changes to allow students a greater choice in State exams. Teachers' Union of Ireland general secretary John MacGabhann said it is important the plan to reopen schools is sustainable, and does not eventually lead to a pattern of school closures because of Covid-19 outbreaks. He said teachers currently working part-time could be used to cover additional hours in cases where colleagues are unavailable due to illness or isolation. "What we are attempting to do with the department and the other partners is to ensure we have arrangements that are workable not just on day one, but are sustainable. We don't want to arrive at a situation where not long after being back at school, you have a domino pattern of school closures. You want to avoid that," MacGabhann said. Meanwhile, research by the ESRI shows teachers suffered heightened stress and anxiety responding to the Covid-19 crisis and coping with extra workloads. It also shows many principals and senior staff felt overwhelmed managing issues for colleagues, students and parents without receiving the support they needed. It raises new concerns about teaching staff and principals as schools return. ESRI professor Selina McCoy said teacher well-being has still not been addressed. "As the start of the next academic year draws closer, and uncertainty over what the school will look like on a day-to-day basis lingers, it is vital that school leaders think about and plan for their own well-being within general plans for reopening schools," she said. "With the potential for a long period of disruption ahead, the ad hoc reactive response which was so effective from March to June simply will not be sustainable for schools or school leaders." She said the ESRI study showed school leaders were concerned about a lack of guidance through the crisis. 'Learning for all? Second-level education during Covid-19 in Ireland' shows how respondents to the survey said uncertainty around the Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations was a particular cause of stress. Teachers and principals looking ahead to the return of schooling said they were determined to come back "as close to 'business as usual' as possible", according to the study. It also said senior figures in schools expressed a "need for centralised guidelines to guide decision-making" and "flexibility" to use their own judgment to respond to the crisis in their area as they see fit. However, it made clear school leaders feel they will require a range of supports. "These will include resources for ICT, professional development, Covid-19 management supports and well-being supports. For students entering sixth year, measures will also need to be put into place to maximise teaching time in examination subjects," it says. In just two years Christian O'Connell has gone from being a British import with a "stiff upper lip" to Melbourne's top-rating FM breakfast host. "The first six months was a baptism by fire," O'Connell says. "There was a huge backlash." In the broadcaster's first standalone survey of 2018, Gold FM suffered the biggest drop in audience share of any Melbourne breakfast show. O'Connell was also 2.9 percentage points behind Fox FM rivals Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola and Byron Cooke. Melbourne's top-rating FM breakfast host Christian O'Connell. Credit:Eddie Jim "I've been doing breakfast radio for 20-odd years," O'Connell says. "But coming here I was a complete outsider. And not just an unknown, but the worst kind a Pom. I was going to work every day and there were texts going, 'Who are you, you're not funny, go away.' A teenage daredevil famed for free-climbing tall buildings has risked his life again by scaling a bridge in Scotland. Adam Lockwood, 19, and three friends posed for selfies at the top of Forth Road Bridge, which towers around 500ft above the River Forth in central Scotland. A film of the stunt last Thursday shows the climbers scaling one of the tower's cables with just two wires on either side for support. Adam Lockwood, 19, posed for a selfie at the top of Forth Road Bridge which towers 500ft above the River Forth in central Scotland Mr Lockwood can just be heard saying 'my lungs are bursting' after completing the ascent and taking in the view as the winds blow around the structure. The neighbouring Forth Bridge and Queensferry Bridge can be seen straddling the bridge on both sides. Mr Lockwood later said: 'The last time I came to Scotland I wanted to climb this bridge but the weather was too bad so I couldn't. 'We had a last-minute spontaneous idea to come to Scotland and within 30 minutes of us arriving we climbed the bridge. 'It was decent to be up there, windy but it was still a nice walk up the cable. Earlier this year, Mr Lockwood clung to the edge of a 590ft-high balcony on the Madison apartment block in Canary Wharf, central London 'From the bottom to the top took around 10 minutes I'd say, it's just really steep so hard on your legs.' After returning to ground level after the dawn ascent on July 23, Mr Lockwood was arrested by police on suspicion of 'culpable and reckless conduct' though he has not been charged. The mile-and-a-half long bridge is the latest in a list of structures scaled by Mr Lockwood and his friends. Earlier this year he clung to the edge of a 590ft-high balcony on the Madison apartment block in Canary Wharf, central London. A 56-year-old judge of the district court in Madhya Pradesh's Betul and his son died in a hospital in Nagpur in neighbouring Maharashtra while being treated for suspected food poisoning, police said on Sunday. Additional Superintendent of Police Shraddha Joshisaid Betul Additional District and Sessions Judge Mahendra Tripathi died on Sunday morning while his son Abhiyanraj (33)died on Saturday night. "As per our information, the judge and his son had dined with other family members on July 20. While the two ate chapatis, the judge's wife had only rice. The judge and his son were admitted in the local Padhar Hospital after they took ill on July 23. They were shifted to a hospital in Nagpur on Saturday as their condition deteriorated," the Additional SP said. "Flour samples will be sent for tests. The viscera will be examined. The post mortem will be held in Nagpur and the bodies will be sent to their hometown Katni," Joshi added. Amanda Holden sent her fans into frenzy after sharing a sweet family snap as they claimed her eldest daughter looks just like Holly Willoughby. The TV star, 49, posed in a sweet snap from a family getaway to St Tropez alongside husband Chris Hughes with daughters Lexi, 14, and eight-year-old Hollie. But all eyes were on Lexi as fans commented on her likeness to the This Morning presenter, 39. Sweet: Amanda Holden, 49, fans have gone into frenzy after claiming that her eldest daughter Lexi, 14, bears a striking resemblance to This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby in the snap posted to Instagram on Friday Amanda posted the Instagram, taken by friend and F1 icon David Coulthard, on Friday captioned: 'Ma famille.' One wrote: 'Your daughter so reminds me of a young Holly Willoughby! I knew her at 15!' Another added: 'I was thinking the exact same thing!!' Likeness: Fans said that Lexi looked just like This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby 'Is it just me that thinks your daughter is like Holly from This Morning,' a third penned. Amanda was seen in a pink plunging cover-up with a cleavage-enhancing bikini underneath as she laughed alongside her husband and girls. Meanwhile Lexi donned a purple and white printed dress with button detailing and opted for a fresh-faced look with a slick of pink gloss. Resemblance: Fans commented on Amanda Holden's Instagram post over the likeness between Lexi and Holly Willoughby She wore her blonde locks with dark lowlights loose over her shoulders as she linked arms with her mum. However other fans claimed Lexi looked just like her mum after Amanda shared a sweet selfie of the pair last week enjoying their sun-drenched break. Amanda smiled towards the camera in the glowing image wearing delicate gold jewellery and a white summery blouse. Her daughter, Lexi also opted for a feminine outfit choice as she wore a bright patterned top with white trim detailing. Family: The BGT star posed in a sweet snap from a family getaway to St Tropez alongside husband Chris Hughes with daughters Lexi, 14, and eight-year-old Hollie The mother-daughter duo looked angelic and relaxed in their holiday snap posted on Instagram. It comes as Amanda was pictured stepping off a boat ahead of a star-studded lunch with her family, Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan and F1 icon David Coulthard on Thursday. David, 49, is a good friend of the family and when Amanda tied the knot in Somerset in December 2008, he acted as best man to her husband Chris. Beaming: Amanda posted an angelic snap from her holiday last Sunday accompanied by her fourteen-year old lookalike daughter, Alexa Hughes They were joined by David's stunning wife Karen Minier, 47, a Belgian TV presenter who he met through Formula One and wed in 2013. Amanda lives in Richmond-upon-Thames with her family and met originally met musician Chris in 2003 in Los Angeles but began dating a year later. They tied the knot in 2008 at St Margaret's Church in Somerset and held their reception at Babington House - the same lavish wedding location as TV host James Corden and his wife, Julia Carey. Leix was two at the time and she attended the extravagant ceremony. As Hurricane Hanna marched closer to landfall in the far south Texas Gulf Coast, bands of rain brought scattered showers to Southeast Texas and raised water levels near coastal communities. The storm reached Category 1 status as it rolled onto shore south of Corpus Christi Saturday afternoon, creating winds more than 90 mph. As predicted by forecasters, Hanna was a rainmaker, drenching south Texas and causing major flooding around Corpus Christi and Padre Island well before landfall. Hanna also was expected to bring a healthy dose of rain and chances of flooding to Southeast Texas as well, but water levels stayed relatively in check Saturday. The region received showers and some slight gusty winds throughout the day as outer rain bands from Hanna crossed through the area, as they were expected to do until around this afternoon. The coastline throughout Southeast Texas was put under a coastal flood warning earlier in the week, which is just under the 3-foot mark of a surge warning, and forecasters gave a 10% chance of flash floods below the Interstate 10 corridor. Water levels at the tide station near Sabine Pass reached 4 feet at 10 a.m., which has historically caused flooding on streets through the community and several inches of water on the highways leading in and out of the coast, but levels receded slightly into the afternoon. Jefferson County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike White said there hadnt been any reports of impassable roads or flooding issues by Saturday evening. Further north, the Sabine River neared 24 feet at Deweyville, but also slacked off by Saturday evening. It was still within the 23-foot action level, which is the point where water levels are close to spilling out of the banks. At 24 feet, lowland flooding is possible. Billy Smith, Emergency Management Coordinator for Jasper, Newton and Sabine counties, said there hadnt been any reported problems Saturday afternoon, but he was keeping an eye out on some isolated spots receiving heavy rains. We had a few downpours in Buna and Kirbyville, he said. The river is up, but its nothing unusual just yet. Smith said there could be chances of high levels later in the night. Chances of showers in Southeast Texas are near 80% for most of the day today. The 1 to 3 inches of rain expected by the National Weather Service through Monday didnt include precipitation from a low pressure system making its way east into Southeast Texas. NWS Lake Charles meteorologist Donald Jones said the added pressure would increase chances of flooding and rainfall through the rest of the week, at least. This isnt going to be the end of the rain just because Hanna is moving inland now, he said. There will be tropical pressure sitting over the area for the next several days and chances for rainfall will remain high for the next several days. Hanna was expected to move quickly through Texas after it made landfall and dissipate over the mountains in central Mexico next week, but Jones said there could be a chance that rain bands from the dying storm could drift north through Texas. The previously named Tropical Storm Gonzalo was expected to die out before the end of the weekend before it exited the Caribbean. There is a system off of the west coast of Africa that the NWS Hurricane Center is giving a 60% of formation, but could take up to 10 days before nearing the Gulf Coast if it happens to take that path. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jd_journalism Amid a sharp surge in COVID-19 cases, Bengaluru has reported over 3,000 "untraceable" people who have been infected, and authorities are searching for the missing patients. 3,338 people infected with the novel coronavirus are untraceable, accounting for 7 percent of Bengaluru's total cases, according to an NDTV report. "We could trace some of the positive patients with the help of police but 3,338 are still untraceable. Some of them provided wrong mobile number and address at the time of giving samples. They disappeared after getting positive results," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said as per the report. Also Read: Bengaluru civic body uses metal sheets to seal flats of COVID-19 patients, faces public ire Authorities said as per the report that they have no means of tracking the patients' activity, and could not ascertain if the individuals are in quarantine. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show "We have to ensure that all the infected persons have to be traced and quarantined. We have prioritised it so that they could be traced and isolated," said Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan, as quoted in the report. Following the incident, authorities have issued instructions to collect government-issued identity proofs and mobile numbers before collecting samples for COVID-19 testing, the report said. Karnataka has so far reported over 90,000 cases of the novel coronavirus, of which 55,396 are active cases. Bengaluru's tally of COVID-19 cases is currently more than 43,000, accounting for around half of the cases in the state. The sentence comes a few weeks after Egypt set jail terms as penalties for bullying A Giza misdemeanour court has sentenced two young men to two years in prison on Sunday for bullying and assaulting a Sudanese child. The sentence comes a few weeks after Egypt set jail terms as penalties for bullying. The bullying incident which took place in June was caught on video and sparked an outcry online. The viral video shows one of the defendants tossing a stone at the Sudanese child, who was walking in the working-class neighbourhood of Imbaba, while the other defendant filmed the incident. One of the defendants is also heard insulting the child over his nationality and colour. The two men were convicted of insulting the child and discriminating on the basis of origin, thereby disturbing public peace. They were also found guilty of violating the right to privacy by posting the video online without the victims consent, as well as for stealing his personal belongings. The court also fined the two defendants EGP 100,000 ($6,253). The sentence can still be appealed. The courts ruling comes few weeks after the prosecution ordered the detention of the two defendants pending investigation. A similar incident, which was also caught on film, took place in November 2019, where two young men are seen assaulting and berating a South Sudanese teenager wearing school uniform. The video sparked anger on social media, with some users reporting the incident to the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the Ministry of Interior, calling for the arrest of the young men. The men were arrested and later released after they reconciled with the South Sudanese student. Earlier this month, Egypt approved draft amendments criminalising bullying in the country for the first time, introducing penalties including jail terms. The new article to the countrys penal code defines bullying as a show of force or control by the offender, or the abuse of a vulnerable victim, or as an offence committed on the basis of gender, race, religion, physical attributes, health or mental status, or social class. The penalties include a prison term of no less than six months and/or a fine ranging from EGP 10,000 to EGP 100,000. Search Keywords: Short link: NEW DELHI: On the 21st anniversary of the Kargil War victory, President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday donated Rs 20 lakh to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) in Delhi, as a tribute to the soldiers who fought valiantly and sacrificed their lives in the war. The money presented to the Army Hospital (Research and Referral), will be used to purchase equipment to help doctors and paramedics combat the Covid-19 pandemic effectively, a statement from the Presidents office said. The Presidents contribution to the Army Hospital has been made possible due to an exercise to economise expenditure in the Rashtrapati Bhavan and thus make more resources available to contain Covid-19. The President had earlier issued directions to reduce expenses by initiating a slew of measures in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. As a sequel to this initiative, he had earlier deferred the proposal to buy a limousine which was to be used for ceremonial occasions, the statement said. In his role as the supreme commander of the armed forces, the presidents gesture will boost the morale of the front-line Covid warriors of the Army hospital, it said. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of Operation Vijay, declaring victory over Pakistani forces, after the nearly three-month war on the icy heights of Kargil district of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The day is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas to commemorate Indias victory in the war. Prime Minister Narendra Mod also paid homage to the armed forces saying that the valour of the soldiers continues to inspire generations. On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations, the PM tweeted. Union defence minister Rajanth Singh visited the National War Memorial in the Capital on the occasion. I congratulate all Indian citizens on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. The sacrifices made by soldiers, which helped us win the Kargil war, will always be a source of inspiration for the armed forces, Singh said at a ceremony held to pay homage to the soldiers. Union home minister Amit Shah said Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of Indias self-respect, unparalleled bravery and strong leadership. I bow to the bravehearts, who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the difficult hills of Kargil and waved the tricolour there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India who are dedicated to protecting the motherland, he said in a tweet in Hindi. Big Sean has paid an emotional tribute to his former fiancee Naya Rivera after her body was found in a California lake, saying he is still grieving and in shock. The rapper and the Glee actress got engaged in 2013 but split up the following year. Rivera, 33, was on a boating trip with her four-year-old son Josey Hollis at Lake Piru when she drowned. Her death was ruled an accident by Ventura County Medical Examiners Office. Her death was confirmed on Monday when her body was recovered from the popular spot for swimmers about 56 miles north-west of central Los Angeles. Police said her final act may have been to help her son back into their rented boat before she became too exhausted to save herself. Big Sean, real name Sean Anderson, wrote on Instagram: Rest In Peace Naya, God Bless your Soul! Thank you for blessing us all with your talent and presence. you are a hero! Not just because of how you saved your son, also because of the barriers you knocked down for so many people to make them feel confident in themselves and to stand tall and be proud when they couldnt achieve that on their own. I appreciate and cherish everything that ever happened between us for making me wiser and a better person. Im still grieving and in shock, I cant believe this is real. Im praying for you and your family and I know your watching over them and protecting them. Rest In Peace Naya. During their relationship, Sean featured on Riveras debut single, Sorry, released in September 2013. Russian Upper House Passes Bill on Multi-Day Voting in Elections Sputnik News 09:17 GMT 24.07.2020 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The upper house of the Russian parliament passed on Friday a bill on multi-day voting in elections of all levels. The format will now be extended to local elections and elections to the lower house of the Russian legislature. In compliance with the decision of the electoral commission, a referendum and a vote in elections (including a run-off vote) can be held during several consecutive days, but no longer than three days. The vote count will start immediately after the closure of polling places on the last day of the vote. The bill will now be submitted to Russian President Vladimir Putin for signing. Bill Qualifying Alienation of Territories as Extremism The upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, has also passed a bill qualifying violations of Russia's territorial integrity, including alienation of territories, as extremism. The bill, initiated by lower chamber lawmaker Pavel Krasheninnikov and upper chamber lawmaker Andrey Klishas, was drafted as part of the implementation of the constitutional amendments. The bill will now be submitted to Russian President Vladimir Putin for signing. Agreement on Balkhash Radar Station Transfer The Federation Council has denounced the 2014 agreement with Kazakhstan on using the Balkhash radar station as part of the Russian missile warning system and its transfer to Russia. The Balkhash node includes the Dnepr radar, used as part of the Russian missile warning and space control system. The Russian Defence Ministry has explained that the Balkhash node has become redundant after the commissioning of four new radar stations in Russia. The Balkhash radar station will be transferred to Russia before the agreement expires. The agreement can be denounced by any party and the relevant notification must be sent at least six months before its expiration. The commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Alexander Golovko previously said that the Balkhash was capable of detecting missiles at the distance of up to 1,900 miles, while the range of new radar stations in Barnaul, Omsk and Armavir is two times wider. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Representative image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More State-owned Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) looks to rope in a partner with strong financial health to help it expedite ore output capacity to over 20 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), its CMD Arun Kumar Shukla has said. He said all statutory clearances are in place for the first phase of expansion. Speaking to PTI, the HCL chairman and managing director said the company will enhance its ore production capacity from the current level of 4 MTPA to 12.2 MTPA in the first phase, and subsequently to 20.2 MTPA, in line with the government's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative. To achieve this target, he said HCL "is looking for a suitable partner with strong financial background to expedite its future mine expansion project at a faster pace". Kumar said three-fold rise in ore production under first phase is expected to be achieved in next seven to eight years and this includes a major shift from open pit mining to underground mining at Malanjkhand Copper Project (MCP) -- the flagship unit of HCL. HCL is presently struggling with the issue of low grade ore. However, it is expected that by the end of 2020-2021 ore production from underground mine will start and the issue will be partially addressed, the CMD explained. Earlier, Shukla had said that the financial condition of HCL is in "dire straits" primarily due to the dismal performance of the PSU in 2019-20 and had asked the employees to brace up for tough times ahead. Hindustan Copper had posted a consolidated loss of Rs 514.27 crore for the quarter ended March 2020. For the year ended March 2020, the company had a consolidated loss of Rs 569.21 crore. The company had said that "profit (loss) for the period was from continuing and discontinued operations after tax". Recent news brought two alarming stories. In Milwaukee, an unknown person shot and killed Bernell Trammell, a black Trump supporter. In Portland, an Antifa member attempted to kill Andrew Duncomb, aka Black Rebel, a black conservative. Since we currently dont know who shot Trammell, we cant say with certainty that his murder was tied to his politics. Nevertheless, the fact that two black conservatives were targeted over two days is deeply troubling. Bernell Trammell owned a business called eXpressions Journal in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He had covered the business with signs supporting President Trump. On Thursday morning, he gave a video interview explaining his support for Trump: To Trammell, Trump was a sign of the times. That is, Trumps actions were in keeping with prophetic signs and blacks needed to pay attention. Trammell believed that the first example of Trumps prophetic nature was his decision to do something no president has ever done, which was to hire an African-American woman to work closely with him. (That would be Omarosa Manigault Newman, who repaid Trump with ingratitude.) Trammell also felt strongly that Trump had distinguished himself by sitting down and really talking to African-Americans. Just a few hours after giving that interview, an unknown person shot Trammell to death. Because Trammell was a well-known Trump supporter, the Republican Party of Wisconsin asked the U.S. attorney to look into the murder: Because of Trammells well-known political activism and the possibility that his murder could be politically motivated, I respectfully request that United States Attorney Matthew Krueger open an investigation, said Andrew Hitt, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, late Friday. Meanwhile, in Portland, in the wee hours of Saturday morning, police arrested Blake David Hampe for attempting to stab Andrew Duncomb to death. Duncomb is also known as Black Rebel because, in addition to supporting conservative principles and Donald Trump, he likes the Confederate flag. He contends that it has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with heritage. In a Periscope live stream from his hospital bed, Duncomb told what had happened to him. He said that hed been stabbed seven inches inside of my flank [actually, from the look of things, he was stabbed seven inches into his abdomen]. Luckily, the knife missed all major organs and arteries. Duncomb was clear that Hampe tried to murder him: The knife was long enough, and he stabbed me to kill me. Hampe had been stalking Duncomb and his friends all night. When Duncomb saw Hampe, he went up to him, clapped him on the shoulder and asked, in a bright, friendly voice, Whats up, buddy? Why do you keep trying to follow us around? Thats when Hampe tried to kill him. It turns out that Hampe is a bit more than your average violent, immoral Antifa thug. Back in 2007, Hampe was indicted in the U.S. District Court in Maine for knowingly possessing child pornography. When he was arrested, his car was filled with objects that made it look as if he were preparing to entice children so as to rape them. (Its worth noting that pedophiles and Antifa seem to be something of a matched set. Consider, too, the fact that the whole Epstein and Maxwell story indicates that the rich and famous here and in England may have serious pedophile issues. Maybe its just random coincidence, or maybe theres something about leftism, immorality, and predations against children that all goes together.) But back to the main point: Over two days, two high profile black conservatives were on the receiving end of very targeted violence. One, thankfully, lived; the other, sadly, died. Ive long said that black conservatives are the most courageous people in America. The insults leveled against them from the left for daring to depart from Democrat orthodoxy are staggering. They would make an antebellum Confederate or Jim Crow racist feel that hed been a rank amateur when it came to verbally demeaning blacks. If you want some insight into what happens to blacks who blexit, I recommend Larry Elders Uncle Tom. Looking at what happened to Trammell and Duncomb, those same black conservatives are going to need their courage if the left is transitioning from verbal assaults to real ones. Image: YouTube screengrab If asked to describe President Muhammadu Buhari and his mode of governance, political watchers and Nigerians in general will have a lot to say: good, bad and ugly. However, one common characteristic that will be mentioned, is his laid-back attitude to crises in the political parties he belongs to. Mr Buhari has, over the years, been criticised for taking the back seat in the face of internal party crisis, despite being the national leader of the party. He seldom intervenes in such crises and only does so when he appears to have been forced or when they seem to be getting out of hand or when the entire universe comes begging for his intervention. Although, the constitution of his current party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), does not recognise positions like national leader, it is sometimes expected that as a high ranking member of the party, a member of the National Executive Council, supposed member of the Board of Trustees, one of the founders and the president, he would intervene during such crises and make things right. The presidents prolonged silence in the recent crisis in the APC which led to the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as the partys national chairman, is one of many instances where he (Mr Buhari) has acted so. Adams Oshiomhole, former APC National Chairman. Many have said his attitude is perceived lack of interest in the affairs of the party. Others have also likened this attitude to his attitude towards insecurity and other ills ravaging the country. The president has also been advised to resign if he is too tired and overwhelmed to handle such crises. On the flip side, some political analysts believe the president is right to stay away from party crises. This, some said, will let democracy thrive within the party, which they considered supreme, and also give room for members of the party to resolve issues themselves. Dates back to his CPC days Mr Buharis apathetic attitude to internal party crises can be traced back to his days in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), where he contested for his third presidential election in 2011. Being one of the founders and the national leader of the party, Mr Buhari had many disciples who were loyal to him and to his cause. One of such people was Mike Ahamba with whom he subsequently fell out. Mr Ahamba, a senior Nigerian lawyer from Imo State had been Mr Buharis lead counsel at the tribunals where he challenged his loss to former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 and Umaru Musa YarAdua in 2007. Trouble started in 2010 when Mr Ahamba declared interest in running for the position of the national chairman. He had informed Mr Buhari who gave him his blessings. The party had decided to give the position to the South-east geo-political zone. But while preparations for the convention were ongoing, the party leadership rezoned the position to the South-south and in the end, Tony Momoh, a former information minister from Edo State, emerged national chairman while Buba Galadima was voted National Secretary of the party. In January 2011, Mr Ahamba, announced his resignation from the CPC and politics to return to his law profession following disagreements with the party leadership. After which he disclosed that Mr Buhari had promised to pick the vice-presidential candidate from the Southeast but failed to do so his main reason for leaving the party. In fact I am shocked and embarrassed that Buhari has not been able to stand for me. I am shocked that he will stand and let a party board he presides over humiliate me and zone the position to the South-south, against the partys constitution. I consider it a betrayal. There is nothing I have not done for the party and for Buhari, except that I have not committed a crime for him, he said in a press conference. In all of the drama, Mr Buhari, after sometime, merely wrote a letter urging Mr Ahamba to return to the party. One would have expected him to also address the internal crisis of confidence rocking the party and taking measures to remove the dead woods holding back the party. He however, failed to address those fundamental issues of concern raised by the lawyer. Many CPC supporters were privately convinced that Buhari was morally nervous to confront the alleged misbehaviour of those he trusts so much. Some analysts believe Mr Buhari seemingly allows the unwholesome activities of the opportunists around him who have undermined the larger interest of the party in no small measure. In APC, same story Since his emergence as president under the APC in 2015, the narrative has not changed. The APC has witnessed a series of leadership crises since its inception till date, most of which occur in the build up to elections at different levels. And the national leader, Mr Buhari, is always found wanting at the start of every hassle. It is almost as though he had to be briefed about happenings in the party and the need for him to intervene. It is almost as though he had to be reminded that he has the power to call to order, those who seem to be failing in their responsibilities to run the party; that he has the power to step in and make things right. Zamfara, Rivers example The APC lost all its seats to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections majorly because of party crisis in Zamfara State. The dispute among leaders of the APC in the north-west state led to the inability to hold the primaries within the stipulated time. Advertisements The state chapter had two factions; one loyal to the former governor AbdulAziz Yari which claimed it held congresses and had candidates and another faction loyal to ex-senator Kabiru Marafa which insisted that no primary was held. After weeks of legal battles, the court ruled that the party did not conduct valid primaries to select its governorship, national and state assembly candidates in the build-up to the elections. And during this period, the president only expressed hope of resolving the crisis in the state. Same thing happened in Rivers State because factions of the party loyal to the Nigerian minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Magnus Abe, a former senator, could not reach a compromise on the partys flagbearer. The controversy between the APC leaders in the state paved the way for the incumbent governor, Nyesom Wike, who got a smooth ride to victory in the election. Tinubu/Oyegun feud Not forgetting the earlier feud between APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu and the partys former chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, which started in 2016. The duo confronted themselves publicly over the partys governorship primary election in Ondo State. Mr Tinubu accused Mr Odigie-Oyegun of playing an undignified role in forwarding the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the partys candidate in the November 26 Ondo State governorship election, despite the recommendation of the Appeal Panel that a fresh primary be held. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu He demanded Mr Odigie-Oyeguns resignation for duping the party and INEC. Mr Odigie-Oyegun not only denied Mr Tinubus allegation of corruption against him, he described it as reckless and baseless. Up uuntil 2018, Mr Tinubu still accused the former chairman of sabotaging his presidential assignments. This came weeks after he was asked by the president to lead the APC consultation, reconciliation and confidence-building efforts ahead of 2019 elections. The latter simply pledged to show support. Again, the president was absent during this brawl which nearly wrecked the party. Mr Oyegun was forced to go meet with Mr Buhari who simply told him to ignore Mr Tinubu and refrain from replying in like manner. John Odigie-Oyegun, APC Chairman Same attitude was displayed in the most recent crisis in the party which saw the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman. Amid the leadership tussle which lasted for almost two weeks following Mr Oshiomholes suspension, the president kept mum on the matter. This prompted several groups and members of the party to urge him to intervene. Both APC governors and the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, met with Mr Buhari on the issue while some federal lawmakers called for his intervention via letters and press releases. The president finally intervened and when he did, threw his support behind one of the contenders for the position of acting national chairman, Victor Giadom. In Buharis defence While some APC officials have frowned at Mr Buharis style of looking the other way, while the party was falling apart, his spokesperson, Femi Adesina said the president was a democrat who would rather prefer to allow the process to run its course. In a recent video interview with a UK-based Nigerian, Ata Ikiddeh, on the Edo APC crisis, he said the president likes to be fair to everybody and those complaining about his stillness do not know what he has done. What he has done is to meet with the parties separately. And he has been doing this for more than a year since the crisis in Edo began. So if the people are in entrenched positions and refuse to shift ground, what would the president do as a democrat? You allow the process to run its course. What people expect the president to do is to legislate things, to order Obaseki No, step down or order Oshiomhole No, give him the ticket. That is not democracy. When you begin to order and legislate things like that you would be unfair to one party, Mr Adesina said. Experts views Experts who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES expressed conflicting views on the presidents style. While some say Mr Buhari is right not to interfere in party crisis, others criticise him for ignoring the happenings in the party when his intervention as father of all is most needed. Ezenwa Nwagwu, chairman of Partners for Electoral Reform and Convener of Say No Campaign, said there is an extent to which Mr Buhari should meddle in the affairs of the party and that the president was right to have stayed aloof for most part of the crisis. Coming from the blackmail of being a military dictator, you will see a president that is restrained and does not want to interfere with workings within the political party. In a presidential democracy, the candidate of a party and the government are not fully participatory in the activities of the party immediately after elections are over. I dont think he is nonchalant. I think it is a cautious strategic response to what it has always been. If the president is aloof in the matters of his political party, that is the correct thing to do. It is for us to ask the organs of the party that has responsibility to whip members when they are misbehaving, to be alive to such responsibilities. People want to drag the president into party affairs just because it is a governing party, he said. He wondered why Nigerians and the media talk less about internal party democracy and the functioning of the Board of Trustees. The reason people talk about the president, he explained, is because we want him to solve every problem. Is it possible? If we want our political parties to grow, we must allow and understand that it is the organs of that party that should function effectively. We had a PDP government that was funding the party. When a government funds a party, it means members of the party will not have a say in the running of the party. We dont want a situation where the president begins to feel like it is a monarchy and can dictate what happens in the party and let other members have a say. Do not blame Buhari for not interfering. He eventually intervened but that is wrong. He, like other members, has only one APC card. His will should not be imposed on other members because he is the president. Public Affairs Analyst, Jide Ojo, noted that the constitution of APC does not recognise the title, national leader and the president is just a leader of the party and member of the NEC. The president is like a father figure. You cant jump in at the earliest smell of trouble. You allow the party organs to resolve the crisis. it is when they refuse, that you come in and that is what happened. Ordinarily, the NWC should constitute a conflict management committee for the crisis but as it stands out, they are the ones involved in the whole crisis. These are issues surrounding the presidents late interference. Mr Ojo also faulted the manner in which the president intervened as he said due process was not followed. Article 23b of the constitution of APC says in the event of an emergency NEC meeting, you need seven days notice but that notice was not up to two days. If the NWC had gone to court, they would have humiliated the president because due process for the meeting was not followed and as such, decisions taken there were null and void. He argued that the reason the president intervened was because there was an ambush where the ranks of the governors had been divided into pro and anti Oshiomhole and that at the end of the day, he had to wave the big stick. Mr Ojo cited lack of internal democracy as a challenge within political parties. He said if parties would obey their own constitution, electoral guidelines and the likes, there would be no more problem. Samson Itodo (Photo Credit: THISDAYLIVE) The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, explains how running under the platform of a political party does not make the president the national leader. For him, it does not mean that the president and other high ranking members are above the party. He also believes the president did right by staying aloof. I think his non-interference is a principled position that should be encouraged because there is a difference between party politics and governance. He should face the business of governance to deliver on the manifesto of the party. It was a good decision to have done that. But you can see that at times when he intervened, what became of the party. I dont see the difference between the Oyegun-Tinubu crisis and this one because his interference has been like on the order of the president. It reaffirms the fact that we dont really have political parties in the true sense of the word. Because if a ruling party cannot resolve its internal dispute until the president intervenes, it speaks to constitutionalism and the democratic credentials of the political party. It means the party cannot uphold its own rules and their constitution. He further explained that a disadvantage of the presidents intervention means if the president has an agenda, regardless of party rules and policies, he will have his way. It also means the party structure is around an individual and Mr Buhari remains that individual. He is a rallying point and you dont build a party like that, he said. Inibehe Effiong Inibehe Effiong, lawyer and human rights activist, disagrees. He said the apathy the president has shown towards crisis in the party is the same apathy he has shown towards governance generally. A president, he noted, is supposed to know and be interested in the happening in his party. The leader of the party is usually the president that the party has produced, not delivered officially but in terms of giving directions to the dealings of the party. Same is recognised in the US, UK and other countries where a party has produced the leader of the country, Mr Effiong said. But what we have in Nigeria are just vehicles for attainment of political power not necessarily political parties. So, the president has been showing this indifference openly towards the affairs of his party. It took him six months to appoint ministers, three years to constitute federal boards. We have a president that is very slow to govern and inefficient as well so that leadership deficit that the president has shown, has been replicated in the party. Momen told IANS that he had urged US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R. Miller to send Chowdhury back, telling the envoy that the US brings back its convicted fugitives from other countries. Bangladesh, on a number of occasions, urged the US to hand over former army officer Chowdhury, who had been granted political asylum there 15 years ago. Amid Bangladesh's efforts to get back the fugitive to execute his death sentence, a US media report suggests his US protection could be revoked. US Attorney General William Barr has set a July 31 deadline for all parties to the response to the petition. Late last month, the Attorney General quietly reopened the case that spans four decades and two continents, a report on online portal Politico said. It also said that Chowdhury's legal team maintains that if the US deports him to Bangladesh, he is all but certain to be executed. "He thought he had asylum. Now, he could face a death sentence - Rashed Chowdhury was a bit player in a years-old coup. His home country wants him back. And now, his fate is in William Barr's hands. "For almost 15 years, the case was closed. But now, thanks to Barr, it's back. And immigration lawyers say the move sends a chilling message to people who have received asylum in the US. It signals, they argue, that even after years of successful legal battles, any protection could still be revoked out of the blue," said the report, based on exclusive interviews and legal documents reviewed by Politico Momen emphasised that Bangladesh wants to bring back the fugitive self-proclaimed killer who had been convicted by a court under a free trial. During his meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Momen raised the issue of Chowdhury and sought US support to send the killer back to Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujib, the first President of Bangladesh, was killed along with 18 of his family members, including his wife, sons and brother, and aides on August 15, 1975 at his Dhaka home. Only two family members survived - Sheikh Hasina, the incumbent Prime Minister, and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, as they were in Germany at that time. The investigation into the deaths was stopped through an Indemnity Ordinance by the then dictator and acting Army Chief Maj General Ziaur Rahman, and this had saved the self-proclaimed killers from facing justice. The ordinance was, however, abrogated in November 1996 when Sheikh Hasina's Awami League returned to power, paving the way to bringing the killers to justice. After a lengthy trial, the court convicted 12 and sentenced them to death in 2010. Five were hanged on January 28, 2010, one died of natural causes and six more are absconding. Rashed Chowdhury is in the the US and S.H.M.B. Noor Chowdhury is living in Canada. With the yearlong birth centenary of Bangabandhu being celebrating from March 17 this year, the government is pushing the US and Canada to send both of the convicts back. "We are continuing our efforts to bring them back," Momen told IANS, adding the US had earlier deported Mohiuddin Ahmed, another convicted killer of Bangabandhu, to Bangladesh. Meanwhile, a joint operation by the intelligence agencies of India and Bangladesh led to the arrest of another fugitive - Capt Abdul Majed (retd). Hiding in India, he was arrested in April and his death sentence was carried in the same month. Momen said it was the biggest gift for Bangladesh from India in this remarkable year. "We were very lucky that India responded to our application with firm and positive action." The government wants to bring back the convicted killers of Bangabandhu to implement the court verdict, the minister stressed. --IANS sumi/vd/pgh Two people were killed and two others hospitalized after a passenger bus was hit by a trailer truck at an intersection in the northern Vietnamese province of Hung Yen on Saturday afternoon. The truck driven by 31-year-old Bui Van Hung was heading toward the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway prior to the accident, according to preliminary information. After reaching an intersection with National Highway No. 38 in An Thi District, Hung Yen Province, the vehicle crashed into a 24-seater passenger bus. A passenger bus is on its side after being hit by a trailer truck at an intersection in Hung Yen Province, Vietnam, July 25, 2020. Photo: Giang Long / Tuoi Tre The bus was damaged and on its side following the collision, while the front of the trailer truck was distorted. The passenger bus was carrying eight people at the time, the provincial traffic safety committee confirmed. Two people on the bus were killed and two others admitted to the hospital for emergency treatment. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Data network solutions provider Sterlite Technologies ' receivables from BSNL has come down to less than 100 crore now, and the company is hopeful that substantial part of pending dues will be cleared by the state-owned telco this year, Group CEO Anand Agarwal said. The dues from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) were close to 230 crore at the end of 2018. "Our dues from BSNL have come down to below 100 crore now...and we believe a large part of it should get paid off within the current calendar year. At one point of time...end of 2018, it was 220-230 crore," Agarwal told PTI. The pending dues were for optical fibre cable sales to BSNL, the supplies for which happened in 2018, he said, adding that the payment issue was limited only to telco's capex-related maintenance and upgrade work, and not state rural broadband and other projects. "We have received more than half of the dues anyway, and we see that the fund flow has now started with BSNL' revival plan in place. We are getting assurances from the ecosystem," Agarwal said. Sterlite Technologies recently posted a 96% fall in consolidated net profit to 5.96 crore for June quarter, as business was impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Its total income for the first quarter ended June 2020 dropped 38.5% to 885.7 crore as compared with the year ago period. Asked when the company is expected to return to growth, Agarwal said that while Q2 of the current fiscal is expected to "definitely see some growth", a full recovery will happen in the third quarter. "Last quarter, we almost lost one full month on plant operations, and two full months on projects and services. Now, projects are running, and I see this being a growth quarter, but a full throttle recovery is expected in December quarter," he said. With a portfolio ranging from optical fibre and cables, to network design, deployment and network software, Pune-based Sterlite Technologies positions itself as integrated solutions provider for global data networks. It has optical preform, fibre and cable manufacturing facilities in India, Italy, China and Brazil. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When Joe Bullock became a Labor senator in 2013, he hoped his vote could make a difference. He hoped it would stop same-sex marriage becoming law. The Western Australian Labor powerbroker and former state secretary of the shoppies union was left disappointed. The party gave its parliamentarians a conscience vote for two terms of Parliament and then bound them to back same-sex marriage after what Bullock remembers as a 499 to one vote at the ALP national conference in 2015. "Mate, you start to feel youre in a bit of a minority," Bullock says. He quit the Senate that year, adamant "marriage is between a man and a woman, full stop". Then-senator Joe Bullock delivers his first speech in 2014. He said he found Parliament obsessed with "artificial" battles. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Bullock, who worked for the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association, better known as the shoppies or SDA, for 38 years was one of the last of his kind in the unions. The type of people (usually committed Catholics) who used to put "anti-Communist" as their occupation in the census and built the SDA into a socially conservative, strike-averse union that has been at times Australia's largest and arguably most powerful. As other unions have declined, the SDA has retained its status as the biggest private-sector union with just over 200,000 members. It is a huge total at a time when unions represent about 15 per cent of the workforce, down from about half when Bob Hawke sat atop the movement throughout the 1970s. But critics accuse the shoppies of having won their membership through matey relationships with employers built on questionable pay deals and using their numbers to fight progressive views on everything from stem cell research to reproductive rights. Gerard Dwyer, the union's national secretary, has taken a different tack. In his first major interview since winning the position uncontested in 2014, he stands by the union's history. As an official since 1987, he has been a part of a lot of it. But he is equally determined to stay out of social fights and so-called "culture wars" debates. Asked whether the union has a view on any of the social issues that were so prominent in its agenda, Dwyer says it is for "individuals to make up their own position". Some SDA-linked politicians, including James Merlino, the Victorian Deputy Premier, and Greg Donnelly, a NSW Labor upper house member, have made their views clear. Merlino came to support same-sex marriage but was an opponent of voluntary assisted dying legislation, which passed in Victoria in 2017. Donnelly, who is the president of the NSW branch of the SDA as well as sitting in Parliament, campaigned against same-sex marriage and is a leading anti-abortion voice. Gerard Dwyer, SDA national secretary, has turned his union's public advocacy away from social issues. Credit:Nick Moir But Dwyer says he is more interested in "facts" than "hyperbole", something he credits to his upbringing in the small northern NSW town of Casino, where he was born in 1963 to a union family. His uncle once ran as a state ALP candidate and his grandfather was a union delegate at a butter factory but Dwyer studied education at the Australian Catholic University. After working as a teacher and social worker, Dwyer found himself picking up more hours at a bottle shop where he had a job when studying. He says he was looking for a job when he joined the SDA and worked his way up. At a time when the coronavirus has put more stress on workers than at any time since the Second World War, Dwyer is determined to focus on two watchwords: "dignity and respect". Advertisement He will not comment on Bullock's decision to leave the Senate, short of saying it was "interesting" and does not see the union's transition from an organisation that did more than any other to forestall Labor's eventual support of same-sex marriage to one that has no public stance on the issue as a defining shift. "You might see it as a significant change," Dwyer says. "I think it's more of a changing context." That context is now COVID-19. The union has thrown its energy behind a push for bonus payments to workers keeping shelves stocked, paid pandemic leave for those who show symptoms of the virus and maintained some of its old objectives, like the fight against reduced penalty rates. So far, so traditional. But many in Labor see that as a marked change. One senior union leader from outside the Shoppies, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says there has been a "quiet revolution". Several federal Labor politicians, including some who have clashed with the union historically, agree. Even Josh Cullinan, Dwyer's chief antagonist and secretary of the rival Retail and Fast Food Workers Union, which numbers about 2500 members, concedes the SDA no longer pursues a socially-conservative agenda publicly, though he is suspicious of its longstanding leadership. "It didnt really have a choice anymore," Cullinan says. Whether the change is a rupture or evolution, the largest socially conservative voice among the unions has vacated the public square. SDA national president Joe de Bruyn stayed seated as ALP National Conference gave Senator Penny Wong a standing ovation after her speech on same-sex marriage in Melbourne in 2015. Credit:Andrew Meares Most Labor figures who spoke to The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald attribute it to the departure of Joe de Bruyn, the union's national secretary of more than 30 years once branded the "Dutchman who hates dykes" by Gough Whitlam. De Bruyn, who retired as national secretary in 2014 and president in 2018, declined to comment. Dwyer has nothing but praise for his old boss. De Bruyn, he says, is "a very fair minded, compassionate individual with an incredible work ethic". Asked what he would like to see from the ongoing negotiations with businesses and the government over industrial relations reform, Dwyer says he would like enterprise agreements to be dealt faster by the Fair Work Commission, which is the industrial umpire. "If it's not up to scratch, make the decision and kick it out," he says. "Or if it is, give us a decision and let us get on with it." At stake in enterprise bargain decisions are the pay and conditions of tens of thousands of retail workers, and the profitability of some of Australia's largest companies. Dwyer points to the Kmart enterprise agreement, which was approved in 2019 after more than a year of legal battles, as one that took too long. The ambition is one employers and unions could both get behind but it also skirts territory that has prompted the SDA's critics to skewer it for having a "cosy" relationship with employers. Advertisement One reason the Kmart agreement took so long to approve was the commission ruled its thin pay rise for employees in some cases 1 cent an hour above the award was not enough to compensate employees for the downside of being placed in the REST super fund linked with the SDA. In 2016 The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed retail workers at major chains including Coles and McDonald's were being underpaid millions a year compared with the award under deals struck with the union. Those revelations prompted criticism, including allegations the SDA had sold out workers. The commission, which is supposed to check whether the deals signed by unions and employers make workers "better off overall" (known as the BOOT test), ultimately struck down the Coles agreement and only approved the Kmart deal after the superannuation clause was removed. Loading Dwyer says the union believes its deals did make workers better off, but "we're not the union that gets bogged down in in fighting yesterday's battles". But he is voluble and detailed on industrial matters. Even as some chains have walked away from the enterprise agreement, including McDonald's, Dwyer points to several agreements the SDA has signed in recent years with businesses from Hungry Jack's to KFC that meet industrial standards. "Fully BOOT compliant," he says. He points to public holidays and safety measures the union has fought for too. The SDA has signed pay deals with companies including Hungry Jack's in recent years. Credit:Sahlan Hayes Cullinan, who has challenged many of the SDA's agreements, is not convinced. He argues the union's deals favour employers because they allow the SDA to recruit members at company inductions. "They are only implementing any changes and returning the billion dollars that was stolen because of RAFFWU action," he says. There are some indications the SDA claims victories it was not wholly responsible for. At least one employer, Bunnings, which paid workers a $1000 "thank you" payment in a "union win", said it did so of its own accord. Loading Bullock, retired and a Liberal Party member living in Tasmania, has no regrets. He argues that unlike militant unions like the CFMMEU, the SDA's mostly younger, often casual workforce meant the union did not have the "weapon" of strike action and had to rely on persuasion to convince employers. Still, he says, he had fun, and feels he improved working people's lives and would do it all again. The union is doing fine without him, he says. Advertisement Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) President Rodrigo Duterte is set to address a nation that is grappling with an economic slowdown and a health crisis amid COVID-19 cases rising to more than 80,000 in the country. Dutertes fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday will outline a recovery plan for a post-pandemic Philippines, as well as report on the governments COVID-19 response, the Palace said. The President will be physically present at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City, the traditional venue for the constitutionally mandated SONA, but other time-honored practices are being scrapped due to the pandemic. LIVE UPDATES: President Duterte's fifth State of the Nation Address Heres what to expect: Limited guests Only a few Cabinet members and lawmakers, who tested negative for coronavirus in their RT-PCR and rapid tests, can enter the session hall. Previous SONAs had always seen a jam-packed audience, with the red carpet a chance for government officials and their wives to show off their fashion sense and advocacies. But this year, even media personnel are not allowed inside the Batasan premises. They can only tap into the broadcast feed of state-run Radio Television Malacanang for their coverage. READ: Dutertes 5th SONA to be aired unedited, RTVM assures RTVM, as well as the House of Representatives, had confirmed COVID-19 cases among their personnel but authorities assured that only those who are coronavirus-free will be deployed. COVID-19 recovery plan Duterte is expected to discuss the coronavirus crisis in much detail, his spokesman Harry Roque told CNN Philippines. The President will unveil a road map for recovery, Roque said, as the economy contracted for the first time since 1998. While restrictions are slowly being eased to reopen the economy, experts say bringing back the millions of jobs lost during the pandemic could take at least two years. Labor issues are among the protesters concerns, but they cannot hold their rallies along Commonwealth Avenue, where the groups traditionally converge. No Commonwealth Avenue protests This year, the closest the protesters could get is the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City. The city government did not grant permits for any public assembly, in line with the national governments ban on mass gatherings. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said demonstrations could be held in privately-owned properties or school campuses instead. Different cause-oriented groups condemned the new pronouncement, calling it an affront to freedom of speech and assembly. They said they will push through with the planned rallies in UP or other venues, assuring that health protocols will be observed, including the wearing of face masks and physical distancing. Amid the global health crisis, the Duterte government is being criticized for focusing on the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act and shutting down ABS-CBN, instead of concentrating its efforts and resources to curb the spread of COVID-19. Hundreds gathered for the Saturate OC worship event held north of the pier in Huntington Beach, on Friday, July 10. (Raul Roa / Times Community News) Along Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, electronic road signs were programmed to read: CANCELED SATURATE OC. But the evangelical worship event took place on the sand near Lifeguard Tower 20 for the fourth Friday in a row, despite warnings that it was violating public health orders and permitting rules, officials said. Its organizers estimate as many as 1,800 people attended for nearly two hours of musical performances, baptisms and prayers. Days earlier, minister and musician Sean Feucht urged his fellow Christians to join him under the Sundial Bridge in Redding for a night of worship. Bring a mask (well have some if you need). Spread out. Lets worship Jesus and love on our city! he said on Twitter. But videos of the July 22 gathering show people crowded together with no masks, waving their hands in the air and singing songs of praise. Its been nearly two weeks since Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered the re-closure of churches in much of the state amid a worrying resurgence of new coronavirus cases. Though outdoor worship services are still permitted, participants are supposed to wear face coverings and keep six feet apart, as is required when Californians are around anyone who is not a member of their household. But from Orange County to Northern California, people continue to gather for large outdoor ceremonies without following the rules, prompting stern reprimands from public health officials. The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency recommended that anyone who attended the Redding service get tested for the coronavirus and self-quarantine for 14 days. We truly empathize with all who have had to change the way they worship in the past few months, the agency said in a news release. Very sadly, some of our local cases of COVID-19, including hospitalizations, have resulted from faith gatherings, and its critical that our faith community leaders continue to offer safe services that follow the state guidelines. Story continues The health agency noted in its statement that there was much physical touching at the event, and the crowd was too large to fit in the area around the bridge while maintaining social distancing. As of Friday, Shasta County had 291 confirmed coronavirus cases, with five people hospitalized and eight dead from the virus. The city of Huntington Beach said in a statement that it firmly supports the right of any religious group to worship, but that they must follow permitting and safety protocols. "Unfortunately, the Saturate OC event promoters have not instituted safety protocols prescribed by the state and county, and they have refused to obtain a permit for their event," the city said. The event's directors said they thought they were being singled out because of their religion. I think it's more of a political statement that anything at this point, for people to actually shut down a worship service when theres mass protests with hundreds of thousands of people in L.A. and then were getting highlighted in the news for spreading the virus, said Parker Green, 34, who organized the recurring event with his wife Jessi, 35. Huntington Beach Police officers visited the Greens home ahead of the 6 p.m. service and cited Parker for promoting an event without a permit. They planned to expand the charge to holding an event without a permit, and officers were also recommending that his wife be cited, Angela Bennett, public information officer for the Huntington Beach Police Department, said Saturday. Each municipal code violation carries a potential fine of $1,000, she said. The Greens had been planning Saturate OC for more than a year and initially planned to host it at the Hyatt hotel, but then the coronavirus pandemic put an indefinite end to large indoor gatherings, they said. They held their first event at Huntington Beach on July 3, and theyve seen attendance grow every week, surpassing their expectations, they said. Suicide rates have shot up since COVID and we have people crying on the beach because theyre getting set free from suicidal thoughts and they're saying this is the thing that theyve needed, Jessi Green said. And I think thats why theres so many people coming to the beach. On Friday, the Greens provided participants with hand sanitizer and gave out hundreds of masks, they said, but they estimated at least 60% of people chose not to wear them. Its Orange County, Parker Green said, referencing the strong resistance to following public health orders that many county residents have become noted for. Obviously [coronavirus] is a concern that we have in our mind, especially with people that are more vulnerable, but Im driving through Main Street in Huntington Beach right now, and there are no masks, hundreds of people bumping into each other, he said Saturday. When is it enforceable and when is it not? Public health officials have said there are potential hazards associated with churches namely, the prevalence of singing and chanting, which can increase the likelihood of transmission through droplet spread. Even in less hard-hit counties where churches have been allowed to remain open for indoor services, the state has required that they not have singing and chanting indoors and limit attendance to either 25% of building capacity or 100 people, whichever is lower. When it comes to outdoor services, state guidelines advise local health authorities to consider appropriate limitations based on local conditions. Orange County has seen a recent surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations, reporting more than 33,900 cases and 560 deaths as of Saturday, with 685 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals. Based on the countys transmission rate, its public health department determined the Saturate OC event should be limited to 100 people or less, the city of Huntington Beach said Friday in a news release. When the organizers declined to limit attendance, the public health department declared the event to be in violation of public health orders, the city said. It wasnt immediately clear whether the declaration carried any weight. The Greens said they received no communication from county authorities about violating health orders. The health department did not respond to a request for comment. Still, the couple has decided Friday's Saturate OC was the last one they'll hold in Huntington Beach. Theyre hoping to find somewhere else in Orange County instead. They kind of put us between a rock and a hard place because they're saying churches, as a whole, that they cant meet inside buildings because of the health codes, to go outside, Jessi Green said. So were just trying to find places to go outside to share the gospel and practice our religion, but then were being told the public city beach is not an option. So where exactly is it OK, according to California municipalities and the state government, for me to practice my religion? Parker Green said. Feucht, who could not be reached for comment, is holding Let Us Worship events around the country, including in Pasadena and Bakersfield earlier this week and Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas in the coming weeks. A flier for one of the events, in San Diego on Sunday, urges attendees to Please bring a mask and practice social distancing between households. In a video filmed Friday before the Bakersfield event, Feucht appeared in a park with the citys mayor, Karen Goh. Were socially distanced, we want to follow the guidelines, we want to worship, he said. Pasadena police did not receive any calls about the gathering at 400 W. Claremont St. on Thursday evening, said Lt. Marcia Taglioretti. Officers are not making arrests for social distancing or mask violations, but they attempt to educate the public about the requirements, she said. In a video on Feuchts Twitter page, labeled Let Us Worship Live Pasadena, Feucht plays the guitar, accompanied by a drummer. The crowd, closely packed and maskless, sings: Hes got the whole world in his hands. A young Australian business owner has shared how she devised a unique wearable product that helps ease period pain and doesn't cause any negative side effects. The Ovira product launched in March 2020 and provides instant, drug-free period pain relief through the use of gentle pulsating currents. Founder Alice Williams, from Melbourne, told FEMAIL she has always experienced bad period pain and wanted to stop relying on medication to relieve the discomfort. The 27-year-old entrepreneur, who had no previous experience in business, said the product idea originally sparked at the beginning of 2019 and took months to design, manufacture and register the device. Registered nurse and anti-ageing specialist from The Wellness Group, Madeline Calfas, said period pain, also known as Dysmenorrhoea, is a 'widespread female problem that affects 40 to 90 per cent of women'. A young Australian business owner has shared how she devised a unique wearable product that helps ease period pain and doesn't cause any negative side effects The Ovira product (pictured) launched in March 2020 and provides instant, drug-free period pain relief and operates through the use of gentle pulsating currents 'During a women's period a hormone called prostaglandin makes the uterus contract, but if it contracts too strongly this can result in compressing nearby blood vessels,' Madeline said. 'This then cuts off the oxygen supply to the muscle and causes the period pain to occur.' The new $189 product is a Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) device and uses electrotherapy technology to reduce this pain. Users operate Ovira by applying the electrode patches called 'love handles' to the lower abdomen area or lower back. Madeline said small electrical currents run through the electrodes and helps the muscles in the uterus to relax, which means the blood flow is not being restricted, and cannot create pain. These vibrations are controlled through a small remote and users can choose between different intensity levels. Many women are often prescribed the contraceptive pill to assist with period pain, though this hormonal treatment can often cause physical or emotional side effects. Founder Alice Williams (pictured) told FEMAIL she has always experienced bad period pain and wanted to stop relying on pharmaceuticals to relieve the discomfort HOW DOES THE PRODUCT WORK AND IS IT SAFE? The Ovira product uses electrotherapy that sends electronic energy to pulsate vibrations into the body tissue This technology sends electrical vibrations to the nerves that stops pain signals being perceived by the brain Users operate the device by first applying the electrode patches called 'love handles' to the lower abdomen area or lower back These vibrations are controlled through a small remote and users can choose between different intensity levels Ovira has been designed to be small and portable, meaning you don't have to stay at home to use it; It's small, discreet and can be worn under your clothes The product can be used when needed and for hygiene reasons the circular disks should be replaced after 100 uses Nurse Madeline Calfas said there have been several trials that have shown this technology is a very effective treatment for period pain, and there are none of the side effects such as nausea and drowsiness that can be associated with pain relief drugs She said this type of therapy is safe, beneficial and doesn't cause any side effects Using medications such as paracetamol over an extended period of time to relieve pain can also have long term consequences on the liver Advertisement Madeline said Ovira sends electrical vibrations to the nerves that stops pain signals being perceived by the brain. Nurse Madeline Calfas (pictured) said period pain effects 40 to 90 per cent of women This type of medical treatment is known as electrotherapy as it uses electronic energy to pulsate vibrations into the body tissue. She said there have been several trials that have shown this technology to be a very effective treatment for period pain, and there are no side effects (such as nausea and drowsiness) that can be associated with pain relief drugs. The product can be used when needed and for hygiene reasons the circular disks should be replaced after 100 uses. Prior to starting the business, Alice said she was sick of taking prescribed medication to help with her period pain and endometriosis, but no matter who she spoke to she was told the only options available were strong pain killers or the pill. 'After researching alternative options myself, I came across electrotherapy and found it worked but isn't well recognised,' she said. Prior to creating the business, Alice said she was sick of taking pharmaceuticals to help with her period pain and endometriosis, so she researched alternative options and came across electrotherapy Madeline said there have been several trials that have shown electrotherapy to be a very effective treatment for period pain WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF PERIOD PAIN? Nurse Madeline Calfas from The Wellness Group said there are two different types of common period pain - primary and secondary Primary period pain are common menstrual cramps - they come back with each period, and are not caused by anything other than the fact that you have your period The pain often begins one to two days before, or when your period begins, and usually occurs in the lower back, lower abdomen or down the thighs, and will usually last anywhere from 24 to 72 hours The intensity of pain can range from mild to severe, and may or may not be accompanied by nausea and/or vomiting, fatigue, and even diarrhoea Secondary period pain is pain that is caused by a reproductive disorder such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infection such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or adenomyosis (where the tissue that is lining the inside of the womb is found growing into the muscle wall of the uterus) It will often begin sooner in your cycle, and last much longer than primary period pain Rarely do you get vomiting, nausea and diarrhoea from secondary period pain Advertisement With the new found information and the product idea in mind, Alice turned to a close friend who's a hardware engineer and helped her design the medical item. 'The design process was quite quick because we knew what we wanted the product to look like and how it would work, but the manufacturing and regulatory process took a lot longer,' she said. Ovira has been designed to be small and portable, meaning you don't have to stay at home to use it; it's small, discreet and can be worn under your clothes. As the product is a medical device it needed to receive approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA in order to be legally certified and sold - which Alice described as a long, time consuming process. 'Since we were creating a medical device, we had multiple conversations with manufacturers about what we can and can't do,' she said. 'For example, we originally designed the buttons on the control to be hard buttons but for regulatory approval they needed to be soft.' The electrotherapy vibrations are controlled through a small remote and users can choose between different intensity levels (pictured) 'The design process was quite quick because we knew what we wanted the product to look like and how it would work,' Alice said Before starting the business, Alice worked as a film production manager and had studied health science at university, so Ovira was a great way of combining her creative skills and passion for health together. By mid-2019 she left her previous role and dedicated herself to working full time for the business and is now in the process of recruiting a small team. Late last year Alice also took part in the Startmate program where she networked with other small business owners and investors. The program, which is designed to assist new start-up brands, helped Alice promote the product to those who may consider investing in her business. By the end of the program, she was invited to pitch her idea further which lead to a six-month fundraising process that closed in February 2020 and helped raise $1.5 million - which will be used to develop the business. Ovira has been designed to be small and portable, meaning you don't have to stay at home to use it; It's small and discreet, and can be worn under your clothes Since officially launching the product on the market in March, Alice said the brand has received a fantastic response from customers in both Australia and America. She has described the experience as stressful but positive, and she feels very grateful to have developed a product that can help others. Alice is currently recruiting a small team of people to grow the brand further, which she is very excited about. When asked what's next for the brand, Alice said she aims to continue growing the business and extend the product range to help solve other health issues women face. Patricia Hruby Powell teaches Write Your Story for the Parkland College Community Education. Her newest book, Lift As You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker, is available, signed from Jane Addams Bookstore or available wherever you buy books. talesforallages.com. John Saxon, the versatile actor whose career dated back to the early 1950s, died of complications from pneumonia at the age of 83. The Brooklyn, New York native played a wide array of characters and ethnicities in more than 200 movie and television appearances over a span of about 60 years. He was best known for his work in westerns and horror movies that included high-profile roles alongside Marlon Brando in The Appaloosa (1966), martial arts legend Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon (1973) and the original Nightmare On Elm Street (1984). RIP: Actor John Saxon, whose career dated back to the early 1950s, passed away in Tennessee on Saturday, July 25, from complications of pneumonia at the age of 83 Saxon died on Saturday, July 25, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, his wife Gloria told The Hollywood Reporter. He studied acting with famed actress and acting teacher Stella Adler before beginning his career as a contract actor at Universal Pictures. Saxon (born Carmine Orrico) went on to make his film debut in 1954 with roles in the romantic comedy It Should Happen To You starring Judy Holliday, Jack Lemon and Peter Lawford and the musical A Star Is Born starring Judy Garland and James Mason. Film breakthrough: Saxon also starred alongside Sal Mineo in the musical comedy Rock, Pretty Baby in 1956; he is pictured with Rod McKuen and April Kent Acclaimed: The Brooklyn, New York native earned a Golden Globe for his role in Western film The Appaloosa, opposite Marlon Brando, in 1966 His film career was soon followed up by a more prominent role alongside Sal Mineo in the comedy musical film Rock, Pretty Baby (1956). Although born to Italian parents, Saxon was frequently cast to play tough guy roles and different ethnicities such as the Mexican bandit, opposite Marlon Brando, in the Western The Appaloosa (1966), which earned him a Golden Globe. 'Brooklyn was a tough place to grow up in, but it taught you survival, and if you were ambitious, it taught you to want better things,' he once said in an interview. Saxon would also score several roles in martial arts projects; most notably was Enter The Dragon, which was Bruce Lee's first mainstream movie and last before his sudden death in 1973 at the age of 32. Tough guy roles: Along with Westerns, Saxon also appeared in a number of martial arts productions, most notably in 1973's Enter The Dragon , alongside Bruce Lee; he is pictured with co-star Ahna Capri His long career in television included appearances Gunsmoke (1965-75), Bonanza (1967-69), Ironside (1967-70), Kung Fu (1972), The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-76), Wonder Woman (1976) and Fantasy Island (1978-84), among many others. He also portrayed a Middle Eastern tycoon who romanced Joan Collins' character Alexis Coby in a recurring role on the ABC hit primetime soap opera series Dynasty from 1982-84. Saxon also played the father of Lorenzo Lamas' character on CBS primetime soap Falcon Crest from 1982-88. Horror classic: Saxon also played a police officer in the original horror film A Nightmare On Elm Street in 1984 New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his ambitious housing scheme known as the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojna in Agra on November 20. He said that common mans sacrifice wont go in vain. On the Patna-Indore train derailment, PM Modi said that the government will investigate into the matter. # On the derailment of the Indore-Patna express, he assured that the Centre will investigate the matter. # On Demonetisation, he said peoples sacrifice will not go in vain. He said, I had said that people would face inconvenience, but I want to commend the people who are still supporting our decision...I can assure all of you that your sacrifice wont go in vain. # He also said those in fake currency rackets have been hit badly by demonetisation. Five hundred and thousand rupee notes ceasing to be legal tender has adversely affected those in fake currency rackets and narcotics. # We launched Ujjwala Yojana so that poor mothers do not breathe the smoke of wood and coal and instead get to cook with gas stoves. # This Government is dedicated to the poor, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana was started so that the poor can have a bank account, Aadhaar so that they get what is their right. # Fake currency worth crores have been funnelled into the country and with this drugs and terrorism has flourished. Should this be allowed? For 70 years it has been allowed. # Modi also attacked opposition leaders for protesting against governments demonetisation move saying those involved in corrupt activities are having tough time. # Those who hoarded money through the chit fund scam, they have been effected due to this (demonetisation of Rs 1000 and 500 banknote). For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Its summertime, and the livin is anything but easy. Normally, society would be deep in the throes of vacations, lounging by the pool, festivals and more, but as the Lehigh Valley is in the middle of the long road to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, those activities have taken a backseat. Congolese Nobel peace laureate Denis Mukwege spoke out Sunday against killings in eastern DR Congo, joining a chorus of voices that have blamed a recent massacre on Banyamulenge militiamen. "They are the same ones who are still killing in the DRC. The macabre stories from Kipupu are in a straight line from the massacres that have hit the DRC since 1996," the 2018 peace prize winner said in a tweet. Civilians in Kipupu, a village in South Kivu on the Fizi heights overlooking Lake Tanganyika, came under attack on July 16, with the death toll ranging widely between 18 and 220. Kivu Security Tracker (KST) researchers gave a death toll of 18 based on a network of local sources, while provincial lawmakers released a statement saying 220 people were killed. The UN peacekeeping force known by its French acronym MONUSCO has launched a probe into the massacre, blamed by all sources on a coalition of three Banyamulenge militias. It noted that neither MONUSCO nor the Congolese army were present in the area of the massacre. Soldiers have since been deployed to the village, the army said Thursday. The area has seen violence between the Banyamulenge community -- the descendants of ethnic Tutsi migrants who came from Rwanda -- and other local communities such as the Babembe for the past year. Social media and a citizens' group, Filimbi, levelled harsh criticism at MONUSCO and the central government of the vast central African country. "What justifies this silence and this indifference on the part of everyone -- the national authorities (and) MONUSCO?" Filimbi said. On Saturday, a readout of a cabinet meeting the day before made no mention of the Kipupu killings. KST is a joint project of the Congo Research Group, based at New York University's Center on International Cooperation, and Human Rights Watch. Mukwege, a gynaecologist from South Kivu, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work treating women victims of sexual violence. Dozens of armed groups exert a bloody grip over the provinces of North and South Kivu and Ituri, largely as a legacy of the region's two wars of the 1990s. The tormented men, along with a butchered body, reflect the paranoias and struggles of our times, when the body needs constant attention, care and protection from the deadly coronavirus When Kiran Nadar made one of her first purchases as an art collector in 1998, her husband Shiv, in her own words, was horrified. Being the founder of IT major HCL Technologies who went on to become one of Indias richest men, the price of the painting, by well-known painter Rameshwar Broota (b 1941), was the least of his concerns. It was the subject matter of the painting that bothered him. The painting, a 1982 oil-on-canvas titled Runners, depicted two muscular men in the nude. It appeared that one of the bald, ghostly forms had had his eyes gouged out, revealing him in a state of immeasurable despair. Adjacent to these unheroic-looking men, was a carcass, hung upside down, recalling the sight of slaughterhouses selling meat. The form of the carcass seemed to blur the distinction between an animal and human. How can we have the painting of a male nude in the house? Weve got a young daughter, and my mother lives with us, Shiv told his wife. Kiran Nadar, the founder and chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, recollected this anecdote in an interview published by KNMA. The painting, part of a 2014 retrospective at the museum, finally made it to their collection, once Shiv viewed it in person at the artists studio at New Delhis Triveni Kala Sangam, which he joined as the head of department in 1967. If the Nadars were convinced about the intensity of the painting then, viewing the same work now, nearly forty years after it was made, conveys a different meaning. The tormented men, along with a butchered body, reflect the paranoias and struggles of our times, when the body needs constant attention, care and protection from the deadly coronavirus. It is in the context of a terrifying global scenario that the museum has revisited one of its past shows, Visions of Interiority - Interrogating the Male Body: Rameshwar Broota - A Retrospective (1963 - 2013). Glimpses from the exhibition are available on the museums website, in the form of a virtual walkthrough of Brootas paintings, along with press clippings on his work, short films made by the artist, and a recording of his interview. Roobina Karode, KNMAs director and chief curator, situates the practice of Broota, who is known for his sustained exploration of the body and its vulnerabilities, in the present times: Life at present is gripped by the fear of mortality and death, pain and helplessness, fighting an invisible enemy. The KNMA team felt it was pertinent to re-present the retrospective that would bring to the audiences, the overbearing emphasis in Broota on the human body and its predicament. Broota was born into an artistically inclined family. His parents had a flair for singing, he recalled in an interview. His brothers, who later pursued teaching in psychology and philosophy, drew and painted with a great deal of imagination and likeness to their subjects. They had a natural command over art. They should have been artists, instead of me, he said in an interview with Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi. As a schoolboy, he was inspired by a fellow student who could draw the figure of Krishna on the class blackboard, with the help of a chalk. Excited about this new discovery, Broota went back home and tried to create the same figure on the walls of his house. After failing miserably at getting the forms right, he drew his human figures with the help of a bowl that he placed on the wall. Soon, he began drawing and using watercolours on his own. His early gravitation towards developing and honing the perfect form continues to shape his practice even today. It predates his graduate studies in fine arts, which began in the 1960s at the Delhi College of Art, and where the training in anatomy cemented his career-long engagement with the human form. It is an engagement that is deeply tied to his own understanding of beauty, even though his visual language does not adhere to conventional ideas of beauty. My sense of beauty is more about the structure, and not about it being smooth, lyrical, or beautiful. Instead of being beautiful, aesthetics are a must in the painting, he said in the Lalit Kala Akademi interview. In Broota, who has been painting for the last five to six decades, the body acquires many forms, primarily as the man and the ape. One of his earliest works in the exhibition, from 1963, is an oil-on-canvas portrait of himself, which is rendered in a realist style taught in art schools. Staring at no one in particular, the image of a contemplative and lost young man anticipates the mood of his later works, such as the paintings showing emaciated labourers and migrant workers. Later, these melancholic sights would metamorphose into the form of the omnipresent image of a bald, naked, solitary man, who looks increasingly dehumanised. It is a form that has been a defining feature of Brootas practice. This primal looking predatory man, whose body and face are bereft of human characteristics and features, could be capable of gory violence, Broota suggests in his paintings. And yet, in all the canvases, he appears to be the victim of his own making, lost in a self-created trap. In his other paintings, Broota introduces elements from the urban and automated life, by showing the invasion of technologies and architectural forms in our life, as if they are slowly attacking the very core of our being. Metal scaffoldings, sharp objects, robotic masks either surround or pierce Brootas men. From showing the so-called civilised looking man in his 1963 painting to an increasingly distorted being, with a few paintings only showing some of the body parts, the painters theme is that of mans fall from grace. The dramatic luminous effect in his monochromatic paintings is achieved through a simple technique, which is both laborious and time-consuming. It involves scraping away at the canvas with a knife or blade, after applying multiple layers of paint over it. The result is two-fold. His forms appear sculptural, where the bones or veins stand out sharply, with a distinct tactile feel. The powerful textural nature of some of these paintings loosely recalls the art of etching, a printmaking technique in which lines are etched onto a metal plate, using a sharp tool. There is no respite or escape from Brootas grim world, not least when he depicts, in vibrant colours, the caricaturised images of bloated apes as a corrupt class of politicians and bureaucrats. The artists satirical lens shows them in multiple avatars: huddled up on a garish sofa as if scheming against a competitor; or wearing sunglasses, and carrying files under their arms, beaming with mock self-importance. In the latter, they wear only pyjamas and a set of polka-dot bras. Women or children are conspicuous by their absence in Brootas paintings, which depict a cloyingly monolithic world, where even the animals appear extremely masculine. It is a question that has often been posed to Broota in interviews. To this, he said: I didnt make a female figure because I wasnt sure if I would have been able to make it or not. And I didnt want to move towards beauty. Being a man, I have gone through so much struggle, maybe I am closer to the male figure. But a key takeaway from this retrospective is not the omnipresence of man, but his gradual disappearance. The paintings from the 1980s onwards show the man in traces, with a faint outline of his face and body. In some other works, such as the Traces of Man series, he has been removed completely from the picture plane. Where the man is obliterated, different forms of nature, like a tree or a mountain, betray a sense of ferocity, while creating an atmosphere of an incoming cataclysmic event. In others, indecipherable lettering, reminiscent of an ancient hieroglyph, and fossilised forms replace the man, suggesting a bygone era. Is Broota imagining a world without humans? Are we going to start our history all over again? He makes us ponder over these imaginary possibilities at a time when we face our own moment of reckoning with a world that is already looking very different from what we have known until now. All images courtesy of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art MILAN (Reuters) - EssilorLuxottica has filed a legal action to obtain information from its acquisition target GrandVision about its management of the coronavirus crisis, the French-Italian maker of Ray-Ban said on Saturday. EssilorLuxottica announced a 7.2-billion-euro bid for GrandVision in July last year, aiming to control the Dutch eyewear group's more than 7,000 outlets across the world. It filed the legal proceedings before a district court in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, after GrandVision did not respond to its requests for information on its handling of the pandemic, EssilorLuxottica said in a statement. "This is to assess the way GrandVision has managed the course of its business during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the extent to which GrandVision has breached its obligations under the support agreement," EssilorLuxottica said, referring to the terms of the M&A deal. "Despite repeated requests, GrandVision has not provided this information on a voluntary basis, leaving EssilorLuxottica with no other option but to resort to legal proceedings," it added, without elaborating. GrandVision said in a statement it "strongly disagrees" with EssilorLuxottica's demands, adding it has "full confidence" that the claims would be rejected in court. Earlier this week EU antitrust authorities extended their investigation on the deal to Aug. 27. The coronavirus pandemic has caused setbacks to M&A transactions in recent months, in some cases triggering requests from prospective buyers to amend agreed terms. Sources have told Reuters that LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault has been exploring ways to potentially pressure M&A target Tiffany to lower the agreed price of $135 per share for their planned deal. And Dutch bank NIBC earlier this week said it had agreed a proposed takeover by Blackstone , despite the U.S. private equity firm lowering its bid by around a quarter in light of the pandemic. EssilorLuxottica, formed last year from the merger of French lens maker Essilor and Italian eyewear group Luxottica, also owns the Oakley and Persol brands and Varilux lenses. (Reporting by Francesca Landini and Bart Meijer, editing by Clelia Oziel) The vice-president of the Junta de Andalucia and regional minister for Tourism, Juan Marin, has described the UK's decision to re-impose self-isolation on travellers from Spain as "very bad news". Speaking during a visit to the Jerez motor racing circuit on Sunday for the Andalusian motorcycle grand prix, Marin stressed the importance of British tourism for Spain and Andalucia and expressed his view that the decision would have negative repercussions, especially for the Costa del Sol. "We know the significance of British tourism because, although it isn't at the levels of other years, it is one of our main [markets]," said the vice-president, who said he understood that "the British government has taken the measure to save lives, but it is very bad news". Spanish government response Meanwhile the Spanish government has said that, despite the local Covid-19 outbreaks, the situation in Spain is "under control". The statement came on Sunday in response to quarantine imposed on travellers from Spain by the governments of UK and Norway and to France's recommendation to its citizens not to travel to Catalonia. "The government of Spain considers that the situation is under control, the outbreaks are localised, and have been isolated and controlled," sources from the Spanish Foriegn Ministry told AFP. "Spain is a safe country," stressed sources, who added that in the case of the United Kingdom, Madrid was "in contact" with London, whose decisions "we respect". The British government imposed a 14-day quarantine on travellers from Spain on Saturday night and advised against "all but essential" travel to the Spanish mainland. Norway has also brought in self-isolation rules for people arriving from Spain, in its case for ten days. France has advised against travel across the border to Catalonia, one of the Spanish regions where cases have increased most. In Spain on Sunday morning, official figures showed 280 local outbreaks of Covid-19 and case figures have tripled in recent days. In Catalonia, with more than half of the new cases detected, the authorities called ten days ago for residents in the Barcelona to stay at home unless outings were necessary. The Spanish government has ruled out the possibility that Spain is experiencing a "second wave" of the pandemic and said that regions are prepared to deal with outbreaks. NPP-USA is struck with consternation to hear the comments from Bishop Agyin Asare, the founder and leader of Perez Chapel, on the much-needed financial sector clean up. It is very regrettable that the minister of the Gospel is using the pulpit to make these sweeping statements which are not only unfortunate, but factually inaccurate and deliberately intended to spite the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. It is also sad that in the Bishop's quest to absolve these financial institutions from blame, he deliberately glossed over the facts which are already available to the public with all discerning minds having read them. The venerable Bishop tried hard to blame government for the inability of some financial institutions to survive the much-needed financial sector cleanup. These assertions are palpable falsehood, factually inaccurate, borne out of malice which are only intended to achieve some sectarian interest. NPP-USA wishes to correct these untruths immediately before they begin to fester. The Bible says, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). It stands to reason that a former board chairman of one of the financial institutions that went under during the cleanup will feel aggrieved and lash out at regulators and the government in the way that Bishop Agyin Asare has done, but his comments are however, unfounded at worst. As enshrined in the 1992 constitution, Bishop Agyin Asare, like any other citizen, has the right to criticize the government anytime he so wishes but this criticism should be constructive given the level of sophistication of his devotees and his audience. Unfortunately, however, his facts are uninformed and grossly misleading and therefore should not be entertained. The government of Nana Akufo-Addo has the powers to protect the average Ghanaian from the greed of a group of shylocks who operate as directors and executives of these financial institutions whose sole aim is to fleece the innocent citizens with impunity through pervasive corrupt practices which have become a regular feature in the financial sector. The following are verifiable and incontrovertible facts regarding the banking sector cleanup: 1. Some banks were saved, including Kofi Amoabengs UT Bank which he referenced in his speech, while some were taken over by bigger banks others were consolidated into stronger banks. 2. Government of Ghana made severance payouts to former bank workers who lost their jobs. 3. Most financial institutions were insolvent, and liabilities exceeded their assets. 4. Falsification of initial capital during the application for a banking license (Heritage Bank Limited) Bishop Agyin Asare, as a board chairman of First Trust Savings and Loans (2014 - 2018), had a primary fiduciary duty in respect of the shareholders; that is, he had financial and other responsibilities to keep the efficient running of the corporation so that the shareholders did not lose their monies. The financial malpractice - loot and share - happened under his watch. Bishop owes an explanation to Ghanaians on measures he put in place to ensure that executive authority was only granted to appropriate persons, and that adequate reporting systems were put in place to enable it to maintain overall control. This is no different from being a good shepherd and making sure your sheep are adequately taken care of. Bishop Agyin Asare betrayed and dishonored depositors. Having attained such an eminent status in society, this might not be the last time he will have the honor to oversee the affairs of a business entity. Thus, we would like to remind him that being ignorant is not so much of a shame as being unwilling to learn and to speak the truth on crimes perpetrated against the average Ghanaian depositor. Whilst a certain incompetent and lackadaisical government sat unperturbed and watched their cronies criminally siphon moneys from innocent Ghanaians, the altruistic and empathetic government of the NPP and Nana Akufo Addo swiftly sprang into action to protect the average depositor. Let us be reminded that the continued existence of these financial institutions posed severe threats to the stability of the financial system and the interests of their depositors. The Bretton Wood Institutions, after a stress test conducted before 2016, had called for the financial sector cleanup but the loot-and-share Mahama government failed to do the needful. The tragedy of Agyin Asare's unfortunate comments: he is not unaware of the undiluted facts, but rather, to have no compassion on the average Ghanaian, the same people who revere him, will send chills down the spine of many Ghanaians. C. S Lewis said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because I see everything else". Until we believe that except the least of us is taken care of - - the best of us cannot survive - - we will not take any pragmatic measures to help those who are vulnerable in our society. The NPP government led by Nana Addo had no choice but to take such hard but empathetic decision to help save our entire banking sector from total collapse. Furthermore, at a time when the world is still facing an unprecedented level of uncertainties due to Covid-19, the least he could have done was to have commended the Nana Akufo Addos government on the policies it has put in place on how financial institutions can better cope with the challenges resulting from rising solvency risks. Ghana now boasts of a resilient banking sector and the new banking regime has placed comprehensive corporate governance including adherence to acceptable Anti Money Laundering /Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) standards at the forefront of banking practices. To this end, we need to remind ourselves that The three "C's" of Life - Choices, Chances, and Changes must be the guiding principle in our quest to become a great nation and we cannot but make a choice to take a chance or our lives will never change for our citizens who desire to become the best in their endeavors. We remain informed citizens! NPP-USA Communications & Research Directorate Source: NPP-USA Communications & Research Directorate/[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 Family problems and vandalism to vehicles belonging to Siete Viejo street gang members led to the July 19 shooting that left one man in critical condition and two others with non-life-threatening injuries, according to an arrest affidavit. Records also state that the suspect, Rodrigo Huerta, fired in self-defense. The case unfolded at about 6:18 a.m., when police officers responded to a shooting in the 3100 block of San Ignacio Avenue. First officers on the scene discovered three males outside the residence with gunshot wounds. Police identified them as Ruben Hernandez-Contreras, 23, Edgar Guadalupe Bernadac, 15, and Huerta, 19. The homeowner identified Hernandez-Contreras as her boyfriend of five years and Huerta as her son. Bernadac was identified as Hernandez-Contreras nephew. Laredo Fire Department crews transported Hernandez-Contreras to Laredo Medical Center in critical condition. Paramedics said he was shot in the head/face/neck area and his lower extremities. Huerta and Bernadac were also taken to LMC. Huerta sustained a gunshot wound to his leg while Bernadac was shot in the abdomen. Their injuries were not life-threatening, according to court documents. Several spent casings and knives were visible throughout the front of the residence with most of the casings coming from Huertas gun, according to police. Crimes against persons detectives followed up on the case. Investigators canvassed the area and obtained surveillance video. The footage showed Huerta walking up to the front of the home while shooting in the air and approaching Bernadac and Hernandez-Contreras. Authorities said they recovered a handgun hidden in a vacant lot next door. A second handgun was seized from the backyard of the home in the 3100 block of San Ignacio Avenue. Huerta allegedly agreed to talk to authorities. Huerta acknowledged that he shot his mothers boyfriend, Hernandez-Contreras, and Bernadac, who is Hernandez-Contreras nephew. Rodrigo (Huerta) alleged that he fired in self-defense as he claimed that Hernandez-Contreras held a knife in his hand. Rodrigo stated that the incident stemmed from Edgar (Bernadac) moving into their home two months ago and creating problems between the family, states the arrest affidavit. READ MORE: Homeland Security special agents arrest three men in Laredo, takes 107 immigrants into custody Siete Viejo Huerta also accused Bernadac of vandalizing several vehicles that belonged to Siete Viejo street gang members who were neighborhood friends of Huerta. Huerta warned Bernadac that gang members were looking for him. Huerta also told Bernadac that he was putting him in a bad situation, states the affidavit. Earlier in the night, Huerta was visiting a friend when Hernandez-Contreras called the friend saying that several people had assaulted Bernadac. Upset, Hernandez-Contreras then asked for the whereabouts of Huerta. The friend falsely told Hernandez-Contreras that he did not know where Huerta was. Huerta arrived home at the residence on San Ignacio and noticed Hernandez-Contreras and Bernadac waiting outside their black Chevy Avalanche. Huerta alleged that Hernandez-Contreras brandished a knife At that moment, Rodrigo (Huerta) stated that he fired several warning shots in the air, hoping that Ruben (Hernandez-Contreras) would drop the knife. However, at that time, Edgar (Bernadac) took out his own gun and fired toward Rodrigo (Huerta), states the affidavit. Huerta then returned fire and wounded Bernadac and Hernandez-Contreras. Huerta went to hide his gun in an empty lot and waited there until police arrived. Huerta then realized he had been shot. (A doctor) indicated that Ruben (Hernandez-Contreras) would be airlifted to a San Antonio hospital in critical condition and stated that it was possible that he would not survive, states the affidavit. Police later said that Hernandez-Contreras remained at LMC. He was in critical but stable condition as of Friday afternoon, according to police. Bernadac was uncooperative with police the day of the shooting and appeared to be under the influence of drugs, according to court documents. Huerta was arrested and charged with aggravated assault of a date, family, household member with a weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Huerta remained behind bars on a combined bond of $500,000 as of Friday afternoon, according to Webb County Jail records. Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Eun Sung-soo, center in the right, attends a breakfast meeting with five leaders of major financial holding firms here in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung Hana Financial Group and Woori Financial Group will invest 10 trillion won ($8.3 billion), respectively, in the Korean New Deal initiative in response to a top regulator's call for them to join the national development strategy. The two financial holding firms shared their vision Sunday on supporting the drive by injecting capital into the new policy's two pillars the Green New Deal and the Digital New Deal. The Korean New Deal initiative is a top economic vision recently introduced by President Moon Jae-in and his administration to create more jobs and reinvigorate the COVID-19 hit economy The injected capital will be used to help establish smart industrial clusters across the nation and develop local parts and equipment industries, according to Hana. It also said it would expand support on building equipment and facilities for the fifth-generation (5G) network and data centers. For the growth of environmentally-friendly industries, the financial group is also set to invest in low-carbon energy businesses. As a first step to fulfill the vision, Hana formed a partnership with Doosan Group to support the latter's green energy businesses using wind power and hydrogen fuel cells. "We are going to play a role of primer for the success of the Korean New Deal," Hana Financial Group Chairman Kim Jung-tai said. "Hana will offer financial support for the nation to overcome the ongoing economic difficulties." The decision came three days after Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Eun Sung-soo held a breakfast meeting with leaders of the nation's five major financial holding firms KB, Shinhan, Hana, Woori and NongHyup. Woori Financial Group also expressed its willingness to back up the New Deal drive by pledging to invest 10 trillion won for the next five years in the government's digital and green economic growth initiative. The company plans to offer 3.3 trillion won for the Digital New Deal for which Woori plans to place a focus on building a data-driven ecosystem, digitalizing social overhead capital and developing contactless industries, the financial holding firm said. Woori will invest 4.5 trillion won to support the Green New Deal. The company plans to focus on helping develop new renewable energy and eco-friendly industries. It also plans to establish what it calls the "Green New Deal Investment Platform" to raise more awareness of green industries and provide financial aid in the area. "We will provide financial support for the Korean New Deal, and remain more socially responsible amid the economic downturn induced by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic," Woori Financial Group Chairman Son Tae-seung said. During the meeting with Eun, the leaders of Hana and Woori decided to extend loan maturities and interest payments, scheduled for the end of September, for virus-hit companies and small business owners. The decision came as the local economy is expected to continue reeling from the virus in the second half of the year, as the COVID-19 spread is unlikely to come to a complete end by then and will continue freezing the already sagging economy. It was not easy for Kriti Sanon to watch the last film of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Her heart literally broke while watching Sushant's performance in "Dil Bechara". Taking to Instagram, Kriti penned an emotional note for Sushant, sharing how does she feel seeing the latter in his last movie. "It's not seri (ok) And it will never sink in.. This broke my heart..again.In Manny, I saw YOU come alive in so so many moments. I knew exactly where you had put in a bit of yourself in the character..And as always, your most magical bits were your silences.. those bits where you said nothing and yet you said so much," Kriti wrote. Directed by Mukesh Chhabra, "Dil Bechara", which released a few days ago on the OTT platform, is the official remake of 2014 Hollywood romantic drama "The Fault in our Stars", based on John Green's popular novel of the same name. It also stars debutante actress Sanjana Sanghi in the lead role. "@castingchhabra I know this film will always mean a lot more to you than what we had thought.. you made us feel too many emotions in your first! Wish you and @sanjanasanghi96 a beautiful journey ahead," Kriti added. Kriti was rumoured to be in a relationship with Sushant. The two even starred in the 2017 film "Raabta". For as long as the novel coronavirus has existed in Laredo, Dr. Ricardo Cigarroa has been near it. Over the months that he has led the covid unit at Laredo Medical Center, paid house visits to patients and even driven them to the hospital, Cigarroa estimates he has been exposed to around 1,000 patients. But he consistently protected himself wearing a mask, gloves, a gown and never experienced any symptoms of the virus until early July. I did not get this from a patient. I got this sitting at a table with a friend and having a conversation. We did not have our masks on because we were going to dine, Cigarroa said. Five or 10 minutes into their conversation, it became clear to Cigarroa that his friend was ill, likely with COVID-19. This person got tested the next day, and the results confirmed the doctors suspicion. Then four days after their meeting, Cigarroa experienced his first symptom: fatigue. He took a three-hour nap in the afternoon, a rarity for him. The next day, he felt too ill to work. He stayed home for five more days with a worsening fever. Knowing that 85% of COVID-19 patients experience corona light with minor symptoms, Cigarroa assumed his case would fall in this camp. But then he woke up a few mornings in a panic, short of breath. The doctor was able to calm himself down, but looking back, he was in denial, Cigarroa said. His daughter Alyssa noticed that he wasnt making the right decisions for himself and called up her brother, also a doctor. Cigarroa was transferred to University Hospital in San Antonio where his brother Dr. Francisco Cigarroa is a physician. His chest was X-rayed, and he asked to see the image. READ MORE: More than 100 people have died from COVID-19 in Laredo And they turned the camera, and I looked at it, and I said, Please turn it away. Because it was I knew I probably had it, but I was just denying. When I saw the X-ray, it was appalling, Cigarroa said. You then go through what anybody goes through the fear of not making it. Two days before I left for the hospital, the two physicians from Nuevo Laredo died. So that was weighing on me. Cigarroa had severe bilateral pneumonia. Critically, there was remdesivir available in San Antonio, an antiviral drug that has shown to help coronavirus patients recover more quickly. At this time in Laredo there were only one or two vials of remdesivir left, and Cigarroa was not interested in taking the last available dose, he said. The physician believes it saved his life. Immediately after I got the remdesivir I felt, Im going to be OK. I just could tell the difference, Cigarroa said. My oxygen saturations began to improve, and over the next 24 hours I started feeling a little bit better, respiratory-wise. He stayed in the hospital for six days, still with extreme fatigue. Watching TV or even staying on the phone with a loved one for longer than 10 seconds was not tenable. He just lied motionless, slept and counted the days, knowing that remdesivir is typically a five-day treatment. The toughest part was the loneliness, Cigarroa recalled. Now, after recovering at home for a week and taking three COVID-19 tests to ensure he was no longer contagious, the doctor is back at work, still experiencing some fatigue, but with a refreshed perspective. As a physician, Cigarroa said he strives to be as kind and empathetic as he can. But after seeing so many coronavirus patients one after the other, he developed a bit of distance so that he could manage it all. I think God sends physicians illnesses at times to remind them to be kinder and to remind them to be more empathetic. And it worked! I got the message, Cigarroa laughed. READ MORE: Spread of virus concerns families of inmates at Rio Grande Detention Center In retrospect, he can say hes glad he experienced this illness. He now knows exactly what his patients are going through, and he can give them hope of survival. But in the midst of it, Cigarroa wouldnt have said it was worth it. He was afraid for his life. If you do read the newspaper, or you do see the news, and you see how many people are dying every day, even just in our community, you say, Well, that could very easily be me if this stuff doesnt work, he said. But when you come out on the other side, youre just so happy to be alive. And you realize that all the things you worry about if it doesnt have to do with health, its really not worth worrying about. God sends you a strong message. So Im happy to be alive, thats the bottom line. And Im happy to get back to work. I hope my energy gets back quickly. Theres still a lot to do for some time. I should start this article off by telling you something shocking about some random person running some random company you've never heard of, preferably female because that grabs more attention now. It needs to be either supremely positive or voyeuristically negative. Ms X, we'll call her, should either have retired at 27 with enough dollars to sit on a beach in Hawaii sipping kale mojitos for the rest of her life, or I should go into great detail about how at just 27, she was already burnt out and had already suffered a stress-caused heart attack. It has to be something shocking enough for you to sit up and take notice, but it has to be anecdotal to make it real and relatable. Why? Because in this day and age of 3-second attention spans, you, dear reader, I will do no such thing. Which means fewer people will read this article when it's online, and I will have broken rules of SEO and also general modern writing guides. So be it. Grab you by the ***** Let your imagination insert whatever part of your anatomy you choose, behind those asterisks. One way to grab you is to come up with nice buzzwords. Whether it's a creative journalist or an entrepreneur who comes up with the buzzword, all of us in the tech industry adopt it in a flash because buzzwords result in search traffic. The reason you see so many articles online with the intros and buzzwords I'm talking about is because that's what is being clicked on, so you really only have yourself to blame for the cacophony. If we were to equate modern article writing to producing porn, then you can draw some parallels. With porn, at first, even drawing shapes of naked bodies and sharing them felt voyeuristic and ingenious. Those would be comparable to the very first magazines that started doing the rounds in the 1700s with content that wasnt just simple news reporting. Eventually, thanks to technology, porn moved on to still images, and we moved to regular magazines in colour, where the written word had to work less, as beautiful visuals picked up the slack. Then came video, and boy do we love our videos! However, when you get inundated with so much, the mind starts to shut out the cacophony of sameness thats shrieking at you everywhere you go, and it becomes far harder to, err, grab your *****. Most of us who have lived through the online porn revolution dont even notice the naked ads on some of the more dubious sites we visit (torrent sites or illegal free streaming video sites, especially). Were also immune to articles like this one, because there are thousands like it online, many worse, and many better, perhaps. You, dear reader, are merely a small percentage of people who saw this headline, and then read the article. Thank you for that. What Im getting at is our love for everything shocking (everything BuzzFeed-y, basically), and us coming up with some weird word for it, and the irritating habit of slapping porn on the end of it to arrive at a buzzword. Zen porn, gadget porn, property porn, food porn, pod porn, not porn, etc., are all examples of porns, but this article will look at the ones that matter to us tech lovers. Remember to send me your thoughts about these buzzwords and practices. Hustle Hustle Porn is a term that is attributed to Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, the worlds biggest online discussion forum. The term hustle itself comes earlier, from the entrepreneurs who popularised it. Whether it was Steve Jobs agonising for months over tiny details of a product and making people work overtime to perfect it, or SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk working long hours and expecting the same from his employees as well, its all Hustle Porn. Ohanian was criticising the fetishization of working long hours with no breaks thats rampant in the tech industry, especially in the US and India. This always-working state is called hustling, and people who do it hustlers, etc. Many of the inspirational videos that are shared on social media give off the message that if youre not struggling, and not working non-stop, youre not achieving anything and not pushing the boundaries, this is called Hustle Porn. To be fair, Ohanian has a few very valid points. If you think the only way to succeed is to work all day and night, get no rest and devote your life to your company (whether you own it or not), with little or no overtime, you certainly arent spending enough time with family, enriching yourself, and arent doing your health any favours. However, the other extreme is no better and just makes for failed businesses. That said, if you go down the rabbit hole of trying to emulate people who work harder than you, youre eventually going to be left feeling pretty useless, when you see someone who does the impossible. This can result in depression, and sometimes worse Then there is the simple fact of competition to consider, and if youre not willing to do it, someone else will be. Theres a good reason why its called a rat race rats are ruthless, and the hardest working of them survive, and yes, they are not necessarily the happiest rats, but a happy rat might soon be a dead one! Far smarter people like me debate this subject and arent able to reach a consensus. What do you think? Is Hustle porn a good or a bad thing? Zen The opposite of Hustle in many ways, Zen is the chill way to do things and goes hand in hand with being a minimalist. While the origins of the word are Japanese and Buddhist, in terms of startups and online usage, it essentially means simplification of everything. You will often see Zen used in headlines that say Do more by doing nothing! or some offshoot of that, which obviously, sounds incredible. Then again, if it sounds too good to be true There are tonnes of ways in which people are advocating being more productive and happier in life, and there are so many self-help books and videos out there on the topic. While hustle porn claims you should be struggling, Zen porn wants you to never feel trapped or find yourself struggling. Take a deep breath, take a step back, think, take a break, go on a holiday, spend time with family, meditate, etc., are all Zen ways to do better in life. Needless to say, with so many proponents of this method, it is no doubt helping many people out there, just as hustle porn is. The site zenhabits.net is by far the most popular for this method and actually uses Buddhist techniques and meditation to try and help you get results. While its called Zen, we Indians already know about most of it, because most of us grew up with meditation and yoga and the likes in our lives. Weve all had spiritual gurus share thoughts with us, and now share videos of inspirational messages from them with the spread of social networking. All of that would come under the umbrella term of Zen in silicon valley terminology. Bottom-line, Zen advocates for all of us to chase happiness and contentment, rather than mere sales results or money, and to focus on living while we can, rather than chase the impossible dream that may never come. Zen feels like a very happy path to take for most of us, but breakaway success seems to come more from the hustlers than the Zen-folk, and there are always going to be some amongst us who need the success to be happy. Minimalist While there might be a large overlap between Zens and minimalists, theyre not the same thing. Minimalists are the people who want to own as little as possible and move their focus away from things and focus more on people or experiences. Again, as Indians, were well versed in this way of thinking, and its something that some of us have been doing for thousands of years. However, minimalism isnt just about people anymore and has spread to how many tech companies design their products, apps, websites, offices, and more. Its almost a rebellion of sorts from the consumerist culture that has spread all over the west, and its also a little ironic that India (the home of minimalism) is now going more consumerist, while the west (home of consumerism) is espousing ideas of minimalism. Minimalism porn is again the fetishization of people and ideas that go to the extreme. You will hear inspiring stories being told to you in forwarded videos, with heart touching music playing in the background to set you in the right mood, and hear about how some people who have started multi-million dollar businesses spend most of their time living in the woods and meditating, or dont even own a car or a smartphone the stories are unique and designed to make you gasp, while the settings in the videos are decidedly beautiful and natural, and usually all way beyond the capability of normal people like you and me. As a resident of Mumbai, personally, I find it hard enough to block out the sounds of car horns and trucks revving, and I need to own a car in order to be able to drive for 6 hours in rush hour traffic just to get to a spot where I thought I could be one with nature. Then, when I get there I find that everyone else had the same idea on a weekend, and so Im back to sitting around with 300 other people enjoying my solitude! I know Im often criticised for being too negative (thats where my nickname and subsequent pen name came from), and that is not at all the aim of this article. I reserve that negativity solely for my column. All of the three porns I have listed here (and the dozens I havent), all have something going for them. We all want to be successful, we all want to be happy, we all want to enjoy life and family and friends, and experiences, travel, see the world, find time to develop a hobby, give back to society, and do a hundred more things that make us feel like more complete versions of ourselves. Some of those we will be able to do, some we wont, and thats OK! There's no harm in us being hustlers at some point, zen in another, and minimalists in some aspects of life. We're way too complex as individuals for me to be silly enough to recommend any one way to you, because maybe it's all of them or even none of them, and only we can choose for ourselves. The best self-help books are the ones you write yourself. Just do yourself a favor, and prevent all of the above from getting to the stage where it can be called "porn", because that's when you know it's got out of hand New Delhi, July 26 : The pace of innovation in beauty tech is accelerating, but the innovations in beauty retail today don't fully solve the customer's requirements, believes Ritika Sharma, Founder, and CEO, House of Beauty. The beauty and wellness company recently launched a new e-commerce platform Boddess.com. which synergizes cutting-edge digital technology with personalised product curation to bring to consumers the convenience of online shopping with individualised attention. IANSlife spoke to Sharma to know how Augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) are redefining the concept of beauty tech and if it's the future. Excerpts: Q: How are you using AI and AR technologies at Boddess? A: Our teams have spent the past few months building out our machine learning database of skin types in partnership with leading dermatologists in India. We took thousands of high resolution images of men and women, tagged their skin condition with our proprietary collection of skin metrics (things like hydration, wrinkles, dark spots, skin age etc.). While we do this collection, we make sure to train our algorithms on a diverse array of skin colours, ages, and ethnicities. We then train our algorithms on this data set, and build supervised machine learning models to improve this algorithm every week. The more images we collect, the better it gets. What does this mean for the Boddess customer? Because of our obsession with customer experience and our technological investments in the ML powered AR/VR tech stack, we can hyper-personalise the app to each individual as they use the app more and more. Through the Make Up try on, users can try on all kinds of products like lipsticks etc. without leaving their house, or applying actual makeup. Our Virtual Skin Analyser analyses a user's skin every time they submit a photo, and recommend products especially for their skin type. We serve personalised product recommendations, and learn each user's skin as they use the app. Q: What is the end goal? A: My goal is to help customers make informed, product decisions, letting them find the joy in discovery, learning, and engagement. This is why Boddess invested in its own in house proprietary AR/VR skin diagnostic and make up try on tools, and hand-picked artist talent in areas of hair, skin and make up who are on board full time. The future of experts and how experts powered with data will be the future of how we buy products. We are not limited to an online platform, but truly believe the physical retail experience being at the heart of our business too. This is why, customers will meet us in person at their go-to shopping mall locations in Delhi and Mumbai. And we can't wait to meet them. Q: The pandemic has pushed brands to take the new digital initiatives in order to reach their consumers virtually. Comment. A: The pace of innovation in beauty tech is accelerating. I believe that innovation happening in beauty retail today doesn't fully solve the customer's requirements. Customers are not looking for the fastest or cheapest product anymore, but a product that works for them and one they can rely on rain or shine. I spent a lot of my career in brick and mortar retail with exposure to technology and digital transformation. I am stunned by the scale and reach technology provides. I want to combine the two to hit the sweet spot - and that's where the future of retail is. There is a real opportunity in how we think about beauty retail to better personalise through technology and data. Q: What's your opinion on AR and AI? Will it be the new normal for the beauty industry? A: At Boddess, we recognize that people's relationship with the traditional salons may have fundamentally changed post Covid. The use of technology for trying, discovering and personalizing products and routines - is disrupting in-person beauty consultations, and product testing for customers. AR/VR is the next evolution in product try on. Boddess launched its own state of the art technology in March 2020; The Boddess Virtual Pro allowing customers to accurately diagnose their skin condition, 'try on' make up virtually, get recommended product solutions and enable their decisions, all from the comfort of their homes. The Boddess Virtual Pro Skin Diagnostic tool assesses Wrinkles, Fine Lines, Blemishes and Inflammation, Pigmentation, Sensitivity/Redness, Pores, Dark Spots and Circles. The Virtual Make up Tool allows customers to choose SKUs across all Colour Cosmetic brands including Lip, Eye, Foundation, Blush and Eye Products, in real time. Boddess Virtual Pro is also launching the Eyebrow Virtual Pro soon. Today's consumers are drowning in content across social platforms, tips from friends and family, commercials and so much more. Through Boddess Edit, we aim to make sense of that content with our Beauty Experts. For example, some of our content focuses on detoxifying beauty routines with homemade masks made from food ingredients, exfoliating treatments few times a week that are customized, and all-natural without preservatives. We are going back to basics. In terms of Make Up, customers are now focused on purchasing products that have a high impact on video calls like bronzers and brow enhancers. Q: You launched the brand during the lockdown, was it a strategic decision to launch in an unstable economic situation? A: The beauty industry has been resilient over the past decades with generations of loyal customers, with high bounce back rates post crises. Today, while in store sales are difficult to replicate online, more luxury brands are exploring new channels to distribute and better offers to acquire new customers. In addition, rise of digital, platforms and marketplaces are increasing vigorously, and the pace of innovation with new products and brands is at an all-time high. The entry barrier is lowered and the only way to outshine competitors is to be simply brilliant both on product and communication fronts. In addition, DIY for hair and nails has observed a tenfold spike with tremendous growth in content consumption. Beauty overall will remain strong and attractive compared to other categories in the long run- and won't require re-invention completely. Rather the Beauty Industry will continue to accelerate its digital and technology trends that were already in place. With Covid limiting physical interactions in stores, AR/VR is the next evolution in product try on. Q: You are also going to launch the mobile application, are you not? A: We are now meeting our amazing customer where they are, with our latest mobile app launch. The Boddess Beauty mobile app puts the entire world of Boddess and its brands in the palm of your hand. The app will expand the ways our customers can reach our every growing portfolio of products and brands, as well as utilise our cutting edge AR/VR technologies. We're so excited for them to get their hands on it. Boddess AR/VR - personalize your looks directly from the app and get product recommendations. This is easier to use on a phone because of your camera quality and configuration, makes it more accessible to all users. Boddess Rewards - our loyalty program allows users to earn points while they shop, engage with our content and use out AR/VR tools - and redeem their points towards discount on purchases Through the Make-Up try on, users can try all kinds of products like lipsticks, blush, foundation, eyeshadow, etc. without leaving their house or actually testing the makeup. The app's Virtual Skin analyser analyses a user's skin every time they submit a photo and recommend products especially for their skin type. The app is assembled to serve personalized product recommendations, and learn each user's skin as they use the app. We aim to reach a larger audience through the app and it is made it available to download on both IOS and Android app stores. (Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in) Ajay Kanth By Express News Service KOCHI: Referring to the latest UN Report on the presence of a significant number of operatives of the so-called Islamic State terror outfit in Kerala and Karnataka, state police chief Loknath Behera on Saturday said, There is nothing alarming. But we are really concerned. The agencies are on alert and monitoring the development. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) is tracking the activities of suspected groups which are into IS-related activities in the state.Its a fact that the IS had managed to attract a few people from Kerala to its ranks and already both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and state police are probing different cases related to IS recruitment in Kerala, he told TNIE. According to the UN report, there is a significant number of IS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka. The al-Qaeda terror group in Indian subcontinent reportedly has between 150 and 200 operatives from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar and they are planning attacks in the region. The 26th report of Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team on IS, al-Qaeda and associated individuals and entities, said the al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan. It said, One member state reported that the Islamic States Indian affiliate (Hind Wilayah), which was announced on May 10, 2019, has between 180 and 200 operatives. There is a significant number of IS operatives in Kerala and Karnataka. Kerala woke up to the reality that IS modules were active in the state and recruiting people when 24 people had been reported missing from Kasaragod in June 2016. A subsequent probe revealed that the people had left India on their own to join the IS in Syria and the follow-up probe busted several IS modules in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Reports said while many Malayalis were killed in US drone attacks at IS hideouts in Afghanistan, many people from Kerala were among the hundreds of IS militants who surrendered before the government forces in Afghanistans Nangarhar province after IS fighters had been overrun in Syria. A brief and ambiguous Twitter exchange between Tesla boss Elon Musk and his partner Grimes has left many confused. While Musk tweeted 'Pronouns suck', soon after tweeting "Twitter sucks", Grimes "I cannot support hate. Please stop this. I know this isn't your heart." "I love you but please turn off ur phone or give me a dall (sic)," she wrote in a reply. Twitter sucks Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2020 Pronouns suck Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 25, 2020 Grimes, who gave birth to their first baby in May, did not elaborate on the tweet and was later deleted. However, pronouns, like 'they' or 'it', have been in discussion recently. LGBTQ activists are emphasising on these words to be used while referring to people. Even though it is not clear if this is what Musk meant by 'pronouns', but many on Twitter seemed to take it that way and expressed their anguish over it. We should all just use they/them by default unless someone asks to be called he/him she/her, etc will (@31WA) July 25, 2020 you/you are so stupid Molly Lambert (@mollylambert) July 25, 2020 ...bro...just because your identity is easily recognized/accepted in society does not mean that pronouns "suck".Incredibly insensitive, but not unexpected from Elon. Albert Einstein turned down presidency of Israel stating that he had... Mayank Tyagi (@doinkershnauzz) July 25, 2020 Pretty disgusting to see from you. What's so hard about calling someone a pronoun? It literally does absolutely nothing to you to call them it and it's what they like to be referred as so why not just do it? I genuinely don't understand why you people don't like them. Alex (@Its_Revan) July 25, 2020 How would you feel if I called you by the wrong pronoun all the time just because I felt like it? SuperNovan (@malin_hall) July 25, 2020 Musk and Grimes had their first baby in May this year and named him X A-Xii. In February, Grimes was asked in an interview if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl. "They may decide their fate and destiny," she had said back then. In a recent interview, Musk has said that Grimes has a bigger role to play for their two-month-old son right now as she is the one caring for him. 'Well, babies are just eating and pooping machines, you know? Right now there's not much I can do,' he said an interview with the New York Times published on Saturday. Canadians under the age of 39 make up a clear majority of new cases of COVID-19 in Canada, health authorities said Sunday, warning young adults they are not "invincible" against the disease. "Recent national surveillance data show that young adults aged 20-39 years of age account for the highest incidence rates across all ages in Canada," Canada's chief public health officer Theresa Tam said in a statement. For the week ending July 22, the incidence rate was highest among young men and women aged 20-29 (14.4 and 13.8 cases per 100,000 people respectively), followed by those aged 30-39. "Younger Canadians are not invincible" to the disease, Tam warned, noting that it is not only the elderly who are at risk of serious health problems if infected. She pointed out that, of the cases of COVID-19 reported to public health last week, 63 percent involved people under 39 years of age, of whom roughly one-third were hospitalized. There was an average of 485 new cases reported daily across the country last week. As Canada continues to lift lockdown restrictions, Tam called on fellow citizens to be cautious and to respect social distancing and hygiene measures. "In the absence of a vaccine, living with COVID-19 is not without risk," she added. According to the latest available figures, Canada has so far recorded some 113,800 cases of the new coronavirus and 8,900 deaths. Search Keywords: Short link: Scientists have described a new native Hawaiian land snail species, sounding a rare, hopeful note in a story rife with extinction. Pacific island land snails are among the world's most imperiled wildlife, with more recorded extinctions since 1600 than any other group of animals. Hawaii's once-teeming land snail scene of more than 750 species has shrunk by more than half, ravaged by habitat loss and invasive species such as rats, Jackson's chameleons and the carnivorous rosy wolf snail. Auriculella gagneorum, a small candy-striped snail from Oahu's Waianae Mountains, represents the first new species of a living Hawaiian land snail described in 60 years. The species "brings that little glimmer of hope that this isn't all a depressing story," said the study's lead author Norine Yeung, malacology curator at the Bishop Museum. A team of researchers found A. gagneorum during a large-scale, decade-long survey of land snails that spanned 1,000 sites throughout the Hawaiian Islands. They then used the Bishop Museum's collection of land snails to match individuals collected during the survey to unidentified specimens from the 1940s. "This is a happy story where we discovered a snail that is still around," Yeung said. "There are so many things in our collection that we can no longer find in the wild. But in this snail's case, we can finally put a name to it and describe it, which is huge for the conservation of this species." The tree-dwelling snail shows pronounced variation in coloring, from burnished tiger's-eye patterning to dramatic sable and white stripes. At less than two-tenths of an inch long, "you might be able to fit a dozen on your fingernail," said study co-author John Slapcinsky, collection manager of invertebrate zoology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. advertisement Land snails play a crucial role as decomposers and fungivores in Hawaii's ecosystems, essentially "our first recyclers," Yeung said. The researchers deposited a selection of A. gagneorum snails in Hawaii's captive breeding program, with the goal of increasing their numbers and returning them to the wild. They named the species in honor of the late Hawaiian naturalists Betsy and Wayne Gagne, who were "powerhouses for conservation," Yeung said. "They cared about the whole ecosystem, whether it was a tiny little bug or plants or one of Hawaii's charismatic, beautiful forest birds." The team's survey also produced new records of three snail species last documented in the 1950s and others feared extinct, as well as nearly 30 new species. The researchers failed to find two species, A. auricula and A. minuta, whose populations may have died out. But while the status of Hawaii's land snails is dire, it's too early to despair, said Slapcinsky, who gamely struggled through skin-ripping raspberry thickets and nearly slid off a cliff while sieving for snails. "People used to think it wasn't even worth studying Hawaiian land snails because they were all extinct. Now we know they're not," he said. "If we work at it, there's still a chance to do something about it. That's why it's important to be out there surveying, finding the remaining populations of these species." Yeung said previous reports estimated that 90% of Hawaii's land snails were extinct, but the team's survey shows that about 300 species still survive in remote, isolated parts of the Hawaiian Islands. advertisement "The challenge now is trying to identify all of these because we have lost a lot of experts, and a lot of these snails are super tiny," she said. "If you're not a trained malacologist, the small brown snails might all look the same to you. But when you take a closer look at their shells, bodies and genetics, these little things are all different and can be tied to different valleys and ridges. When one species turns out to be three, we can run into problems with conservation." The researchers used a combination of physical characteristics and DNA to describe the new species. While its shell size and shape mimic A. perpusilla snails from the Koolau Range on east Oahu, molecular evidence shows A. gagneorum is more closely related to A. tenella, a slender, high-spired snail from the Waianae Range in the west. A. gagneorum belongs to a long-overlooked group of snails known as Auriculellinae. The majority of attention and conservation efforts have focused on the larger, more colorful snails in the subfamily Achatinellinae, Lonesome George, the last known snail of its species, being the most famous example. While an entire genus of Achatinellinae is listed under the Endangered Species Act, the smaller, less obvious snails in the subfamily Auriculellinae remain understudied and unprotected, Slapcinsky said. "We're not bemoaning that Achatinellinae are getting attention. They do need help," he said. "What we're concerned about is that these other things are getting ignored." Meanwhile, the team pushes forward in its analysis of a decade's worth of data and many new species descriptions. Afterwards, the researchers can turn their attention to the evolution and ecology of Hawaii's land snails, traditionally considered by native Hawaiians as important symbols and good omens that represent change, romance and song. "The diversity is amazing, the species are amazing, and there are so many evolutionary stories you could tell," Yeung said, describing malacology as a "wide-open frontier." "But first we have to identify these snails. If you ask about their habitat and life history, it's like, I wish I could tell you. Right now, I can just tell you this is a different species and put a name on it. It's hard work, but it's so gratifying." The researchers published their findings in ZooKeys. Many take time on Memorial Day to remember the Americans who have given their lives in service to our country. For veterans and their families, that sentiment of remembrance is felt year-round. Many veterans suffer lifelong anguish over the loss of their brothers and sisters in arms. For them, Memorial Day is a day like every other day a day they remember those who died at war. This shared grief is just one way some veterans are affected by their military service. Veterans are also molded by military culture a unique set of values, traditions, language and even humor. Military culture has unique subcultures, but it has enough consistency across different branches, ranks and time periods to make most veterans feel a kinship. Recognizing this kinship has led veteran service and health care organizations to encourage veterans to build trusting relationships and support each other. Researchers have learned that veterans are more likely to share personal information and ask advice about many things, including health care, from fellow veterans. Thats why the VA offers employment to veterans as peer specialists. Im a mental health services researcher at the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. I focus on increasing the availability of social supports and improving the efficacy of mental health treatment options for veterans and their families. Last year I had the opportunity to study the Texas-funded Military Veteran Peer Network, a statewide program that provides peer-to-peer support in 37 communities. My research supports the idea that veterans are an important resource who can be trained to support fellow veterans in need. Whats more, Ive learned that civilian care for veterans can be improved when civilians are trained in military culture. The MVPN offers military-informed care training to civilian providers and law enforcement personnel throughout the state. Understanding the need Mental health issues are acute for a significant number of veterans. As many as 25 percent experience some form of mental health concern, such as depression. The VA reports that veterans have a higher risk of suicide compared to the U.S. population. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another well-known concern. Estimates of the prevalence of PTSD vary widely due to the variety of study samples and assessment tools. A conservative measure suggests PTSD affects eight percent of service members returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Veteran peer support shows promise in addressing these common mental health issues. An example is the Vet to Vet program, a VA program developed by Moe Armstrong, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, in 2002. Research has shown that veterans who receive peer support have greater levels of empowerment and confidence, improved functioning and reduced alcohol use compared to those who didnt receive peer support. Researchers are increasingly understanding the value of incorporating veteran peers into health care teams. Given the large numbers of veterans returning from prolonged combat, the documented shortage of trained behavioral health providers to treat mental health problems, overly long wait times for treatment and stigma felt by veterans regarding seeking help, veteran peer support offers great promise in improving treatment outcomes. While peer counseling is not new it was formally recognized in the 1970s its value in treating veterans has gained recognition since President George W. Bushs New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, which was released in 2003. President Barack Obama has also seen the value of peer support. His Executive Order 13625 of 2012 sought to improve access to mental health services for veterans, service members and military families by including the hiring of peer specialists. As of 2015, the hiring of peer specialists has exceeded the goal set in the executive order. In 2015, President Obama renewed his support by calling for more peer support as part of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. Research on the role of veteran peers has shown their positive impact in assisting homeless veterans to transition to housing. There is early evidence that veterans charged with misdemeanors and arraigned in Veteran Treatment Courts receive invaluable support from veteran peers throughout their probation and treatment for mental health, substance use problems and receive help with housing, transportation and employment. These are two among many other areas that veteran peers are providing effective supports. Getting civilians into the act The mental health care provided by civilians for veterans can also benefit from lessons learned from these veteran-driven programs. Understanding the unique culture shared by military members and their families can be a daunting task for Americans who have not experienced the military lifestyle. Given the volunteer nature of our armed services and the historically small size of our current force, this culture is familiar to only a small proportion of American citizens. Instead of assuming this cultural gap cannot be breached, we are learning the powerful impact that civilian health care professionals can make when they become trained in military culture and practice military-informed care. Research efforts are underway to understand how to best train practitioners to better understand the clinical impact of this cultural competency. Research can assess, for example, whether this knowledge can help improve veterans engagement in care, increase their treatment completion and improve their clinical outcomes. The VA has hired 800 peers as of 2013 with 100 more planned annually. In addition to Texas, New York, Michigan and California, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom, have veteran peer support programs. Although most of us can never truly understand what war is like, we can honor all veterans, including those who didnt make it home, by valuing the special knowledge and connection that veterans bring to bear in therapeutic care settings. By prioritizing veterans experiences and knowledge, we can build a society that promotes real healing and a respectful homecoming. Research Associate, University of Texas at Austin Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 T he Foreign Office has warned Brits "against all but essential travel" to mainland Spain as coronavirus cases surge in the European country. It comes as the Department for Transport confirmed Grant Shapps is currently holidaying in Spain and could be forced to quarantine upon his arrival back in the UK. The Transport Secretary is understood to have flown out on Saturday morning when the travel corridor with Spain remained open, but the Government has since taken the decision to alter its advice. From midnight on Saturday those coming back from Spain and the Canary and Balearic Islands, will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to UK. Mr Shapps plans to complete his holiday before returning to work and will follow quarantine rules should they still be in place at the end of his trip, reports the Press Association. Other holidaymakers have expressed their shock and "confusion" at the change in quarantine rules. The Government department's official website states that due to an assessment of "Covid-19 risks" it is changing its travel advice to mainland Spain. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) website states: "From 26 July, the FCO advises against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks. Grant Shapps reportedly left for Spain on Saturday morning / 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty "Only the Canary Islands (Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa) and Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera) are exempt from the FCO advice against all non-essential international travel. "This advice is based on evidence of increases in cases of Covid-19 in several regions, but particularly in Aragon, Navarra and Catalonia (which include the cities of Zaragoza, Pamplona and Barcelona). "The FCO is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave at this time." Brits are advised to follow the guidance of local authorities in Spain. Spain Forced To Shut 55 Beaches In Costa Del Sol And Turn Away British Tourists Amid Social Distancing Fears Those who are travelling to Spain will not have to self-isolate once they arrive but will have to provide the Spanish Ministry of Health with contact details and any history of exposure to Covid-19 within 48 hours prior to travelling. Travellers arriving in Spain may also have to undergo a health check and a visual health assessment. The UKs biggest tour operator Tui revealed on Saturday it had cancelled all flights due to depart to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands on Sunday. Andrew Flintham, managing director of TUI UK & Ireland, said the company would contact customers to arrange refunds or rebookings. Customers currently on holiday will be able to return on their intended flight home, he said. Mr Flintham added: Were incredibly disappointed that we didnt get more notice of this announcement, or that this decision wasnt made yesterday, as many Brits travel on holiday at the weekend. We also look to understand why quarantine has been issued for a whole country, including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, when the travel advice isnt aligned (only applying to mainland Spain). It demonstrates why clear regional travel corridors need to be considered. The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1 /60 The World on Coronavirus lockdown Getty Images A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images Rome AFP via Getty Images An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP Venice Beach, California Getty Images Los Angeles, California Getty Images Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images Caracas AFP via Getty Images Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images Florida Keys AP The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA The health and safety of our customers and colleagues is always our highest priority and welcome travel advice that protects those that holiday with us. However, the UK Government must work closely with the travel industry as this level of uncertainty and confusion is damaging for business and disappointing for those looking forward to a well-deserved break. Airlines British Airways and Easyjet shared their disappointment at the new guidance with British Airways saying the news was yet another blow for British holidaymakers. In a statement Easyjet said: We are disappointed that the Government has decided to impose a quarantine requirement for those travelling from the whole of Spain since the increased occurrence of coronavirus is regional rather than nationwide. We plan to operate our full schedule in the coming days. Association of British Travel Agents (ABta) called on the Government to consider lifting the quarantine rules for flights to and from certain regions of Spain. Spain is British holidaymakers most popular destination attracting over 18 million of us each year, and the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) advising against all but essential travel to the mainland will be disappointing to British holidaymakers and the industry alike," said the ABta spokesperson. ABTA has said consistently that protecting public health must be the priority at this time, and it is vital to base decisions about travel on the best health and scientific advice. We suggest the Government considers lifting the quarantine rules for flights to and from certain regions with lower infection rates, or to places such as the Balearic Islands or The Canaries which are geographically distinct from mainland Spain to avoid further damage to the UK inbound and outbound tourism industries. There is not much action, barely even a plot, in The Persians. People just mill about, talking (admittedly rather intensely) about events (admittedly of the tragic kind) that happened far away. Yet this National Theater of Greece production unleashes gale-force sound and fury. At its peak, the show hits like a blow to the solar plexus, taking your breath away the impact is only slightly dulled by watching online. First produced in 472 B.C., Aeschyluss The Persians is considered the oldest surviving Greek play. This Dimitris Lignadis staging was broadcast live on Saturday from the ancient amphitheater of Epidaurus; in the spirit of the theater, no recording exists online. The venue was originally conceived as part of the citys asclepeion (a healing center) because the Greeks considered the balance between body and soul essential to good health. Lets all wistfully ponder that philosophy. The show deals with the aftermath of Salamis, a naval battle in which the outnumbered Greeks routed the mighty Persian army 2,500 years ago. At a time when our horizons are closing in, it is downright vertigo-inducing to virtually join a live audience in watching (subtitled) live actors all the way in Greece as they perform a millenniums-old play. 26.07.2020 LISTEN The Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa has called on the security agency to as a matter of urgency bring to book the killers of a 90-year-old woman at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region. Incensed by the action, the king described as barbaric and unacceptable the lynching of the poor woman accused of witchcraft. In a statement, the Registrar of the Gonja Traditional Council, Mr.Kapori Abutu said the inhumane and atrocious act was perpetrated at the blind side of the traditional authority. He added that the news of the alleged brutal killing of one of its subjects by some individuals who allegedly accused her of witchcraft was received with shock by the council. According to him, Yagbonwura wants the security agencies to as a matter of urgency to bring the perpetrators to book. He also called on his subjects to desist from such barbaric acts and allow customary law and the laws of Ghana to be used in resolving such challenges. By far the biggest moment of Milan Fashion Week SS20 came at the end of the Versace show, when Jennifer Lopez strode down the curved catwalk wearing a recreation of the iconic jungle print dress that broke the internet back in 2000, when she wore it to the Grammys (and we didn't even know that breaking the internet was a thing then). Celebrating 20 years since that iconic moment, La Lopez joined Donatella Versace, who featured the green and blue leaf print heavily throughout the spring/summer collection. Versace wasn't the only designer brand that delved into the jungle for inspiration this season, however. Dolce and Gabbana's 'Sicilian Jungle' collection was a riot of lush foliage and floral prints, with giant giraffes and prickly pineapples emblazoned on bra tops and strappy dresses. At Valentino, the forest theme was somewhat more subtle, with stylised bright florals on billowing maxidresses and a smattering of adorable monkey motifs. With designs this desirable, it's no wonder that jungle motifs have now migrated from the catwalks to the high street - and what better time to add a bit of Amazonian flavour to your wardrobe? If there's one thing we could use this year it's mood-boosting fashion, plus with lockdown restrictions easing in many areas right now, we've actually got a reason to get dressed up again. How to wear the jazzy jungle trend? Go the JLo route with a printed frock, completing your look with rope sandals and a basket bag. Or take your cue from Valentino and D&G by adding a pop of colour with sunset-hued palm prints. This trend lends itself beautifully to beachwear too, so even if you won't get to enjoy a holiday in the tropics this year, you can elevate your staycation style with a bold printed swimsuit or kaftan. Here are eight of the best jungle print pieces in the shops right now... :: Figleaves Bali Palm Beach Shirt, 34.82 :: Dorothy Perkins Multi Colour Tropical Print Frill Dress, 41.60 (was 52); Black Enamel Clasp Box Clutch Bag, 30.40 (was 38) :: M&Co Birds Of Paradise Tummy Control Swimsuit, 44 :: Sosandar White & Green Palm Print Tie Back Midi Dress, 64.19 :: Joe Browns Jungle Palm Top, 25 (was 42) :: Roman Yellow Palm Print Wide Leg Trousers, 28 (was 36) :: Topshop Yellow And Green Palm Print Cami, 16 :: Principles Yellow Jungle Print Midi Skirt, 30.40 (was 38), Debenhams The several species of crocodiles plying rivers and brackish byways in the Americas -- from Florida to Peru -- all came from Africa, according to a study published Thursday. They may have descended, researchers speculate, from a single pregnant specimen that bobbed along Atlantic Ocean currents to the New World at least five million years ago, probably longer. Based on the high-tech analysis of a skull fragment unearthed from the Libyan desert in 1939, the findings are bolstered by genetic evidence pointing in the same direction, they reported in the journal Scientific Reports. "This is a really exciting discovery," lead authors Massimo Delfino from the University of Turin and Dawid Iurino, a palaeontologist at Sapienza University in Rome, told AFP by email. "It supports the results of molecular biologists that proposed the origin of American crocodiles had to be found in Africa." The out-of-Africa narrative is based on the re-examination of the skull and upper jaw of a seven-million-year-old fossil that had been tucked away for decades in a university museum drawer. It belonged to an extinct species called Crocodylus checchiai. Using CT-scans and 3D-modelling, the scientists identified a tell-tale protrusion in the middle of the animal's snout not found in any other African crocodile, living or extinct, but present in all four species currently found in the Americas. In the world of palaeontology, this is pretty close to a smoking gun. "Our results are solid," the researchers said when asked if the evidence was conclusive. "The main problem for palaeobiologists is the rarity and fragmentary nature of fossil remains." Four other fossils dug up in Libya at the same time -- including a complete skull and jaw -- were either destroyed during World War II or lost. C. checchiai rewrites the story of how crocodiles spread across the planet in at least two ways. It lays to rest the already fading hypothesis that the giant, flesh-ripping reptiles -- which first emerged from Asia -- arrived in the Americas before moving on to Africa, and not the other way around. The long-neglected fossil also supplants another contender from Africa -- Crocodylus niloticus, aka the Nile crocodile -- as the closest forebear of the American species. "According to our results, C. checchiai nests between the Nile crocodile and the American species," the authors told AFP. "It represents the missing link between the African and American lineages." "We can therefore assume one or more specimens -- perhaps a pregnant female -- dispersed from Africa to America about seven million years ago, at the very least five million." That such a voyage is possible has been demonstrated by a present-day cousin, Australia's saltwater crocodile, which satellite tracking has shown can travel 500 kilometres (310 miles) in about a month while passively transported by ocean currents. More closely related to birds than dinosaurs, egg-laying crocodiles have been around for about 55 million years. There are 16 species spread across the tropics of Africa, Asia, Australia and, of course, the Americas. They vary in size from less than two metres (six feet) for the dwarf crocodile, to more than seven metres and 1,000 kilos (2,200 pounds) for the saltwater species. The carnivores are able to replace each of their 80 teeth up to 50 times during their lifespan, which can top 60 years. FOUR high-density suburbs have been singled out the hotspots of the Covid-19 pandemic in Bulawayo, with authorities hinting that considerations were being put in place to introduce stiffer lockdown measures in those areas. Bulawayo has the second highest Covid-19 cases in the country with figures released by the Ministry of Health and Child Care stating that as on Friday the city had 618 confirmed cases. Of these, 569 are local transmissions with 15 deaths recorded in the city. There were 2 296 confirmed cases countrywide on Friday with 32 deaths and 514 recoveries since the outbreak in the country on 20 March. Health authorities in the city have since identified Cowdray Park, Magwegwe West, Nkulumane and Emganwini suburbs as having the highest number of infections while in terms of institutions, the hotspots have been identified as Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Khami Maximum Prison and Bulawayo Prison. Nonetheless, it could not be established how many confirmed cases were attributed to each locality. Speaking on the sidelines of a provincial Covid-19 taskforce meeting at Ekusileni Hospital yesterday, Bulawayo City Council Director of Health Services, Dr Edwin Sibanda said of all the confirmed 59 cases had been admitted to Thorngrove Hospital and Elangeni Isolation facilities. The hotspots that have been identified in the Metropolitan Province of Bulawayo are the two central hospitals, Mpilo and UBH, Khami Maximum Prison, Bulawayo Prison, Cowdray Park, Magwegwe West, Nkulumane and Emganwini suburbs. What we have done is that we have upped health education in these areas noting that this is key in public health intervention. Public Health Surveillance systems are currently in place to assist in the early detection, monitoring, prediction and prevention of human illness, said Dr Sibanda. He noted that of the confirmed cases 115 are health workers of which 51 are student nurses, 37 registered general nurses, seven nurse aids, five general hands, four doctors, three administration clerks, three medical students, a health information clerk, an environmental health technician, a community health nurse, a physiotherapist and a matron. A total of 51 percent of the cases are female, with the 25-34 years age group being the most affected. Within the identified suburbs, we have noted that the major threat to containing the spread will be the public transport industry (Zupco buses) and bowser water distribution points. Our immediate recommendations are the need to expedite completion of admission facilities and the testing of everyone within hotspots and the scaling up of preventive measures, said Dr Sibanda. Speaking at the same meeting, Minister of Local Government and Public Works, who leads the provincial Covid-19 response team, Cde July Moyo said President Mnangagwa has since directed that all ministers who are assigned to provinces should interface with the provincial Covid-19 taskforce teams so that they can fully understand what is happening on the ground. He revealed that with the hotspots being identified in the city there was now a need to come up with specified lockdown measures to prevent the pandemic spreading to other areas. Bulawayo and Harare are the epicentres of the upswing in the number of positive cases. Officials have told us that in the beginning, here in Bulawayo, the number of cases were more concentrated in the eastern suburbs but now it has moved to the western suburbs with Magwegwe West, Nkulumane, Emganwini and Cowdray Park being the hotspots. We are now working on modalities where after we see that there is a concentration of Covid-19 cases in one area, as the President announced, we will look at these particular localities so that we isolate and lock them down so the virus does not spread, in this case we are talking of the four suburbs that have been identified as the epicentre of this pandemic in the city, said Cde Moyo. He said the strategy they would adopt was that authorities, both administratively and political, will embark on an awareness campaign, informing people about the dangers of the pandemic. We have also noted that the transmission might not be local but be of border jumpers who interface with the communities; therefore, we encourage the communities to report such individuals, he said. Cde Moyo also took the opportunity to hand over food parcels that were sourced by President Mnangagwa meant for frontline staff in the city. Of the consignment 1 000 will go to Mpilo, 400 to UBH and 300 to Thorngrove. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 deaths in the country are becoming worrisome as deaths are now being recorded almost on a daily basis. Last week saw seven people succumbing to the virus with four of them dying just in one day (Friday). Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya said it was important to test all patients upon admission in hospital, as opposed to testing bodies upon death. We are saying that people are dying and not knowing that they have Covid-19 and they are only tested when they are dead already. So, it means the relatives bringing in that person to seek treatment are not aware that the patient has Covid-19. So, the infection keeps on spreading. A person from a funeral parlour can handle a deceaseds body and he or she is not aware of the cause of death and they go on to another place to collect a body. Its a problem and spreads infection too, he said. MBABANE Government and individuals are spending millions of Emalangeni on specialised medical treatment in South Africa. This is due to the fact that local health institutions tend to refer some of their patients with complicated illnesses, requiring sophisticated medical technologies, to the neighbouring republic. At some point, government owed South African hospitals over E170 million. In the past, there was a reported case of a patient who incurred a medical bill of E2.4 million through the Ministry of Healths Phalala Referral Fund. Notably, there are programmes in place to build a 250-bed public referral hospital, and external loans have been solicited for this project. In the meantime, government reportedly spends a lot of money on patient referrals to South Africa and Mozambique. Can Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accident Funds (SMVAF) state-of-the -art clinic come to the rescue? The Times SUNDAY can mention that the Funds health institution, christened Ekuphileni Clinic by His Majesty the King, has the essential advanced medical equipment, which could possibly cater for those special medical cases. The available equipment is valued at E52 million. The clinic was ideally or originally established to treat SMVAF claimants. However, David Myeni, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SMVAF, has some good news for Eswatini as he announces that the clinic is now open to the public. Myeni announced that SMVAF would launch the facility on August 12, 2020. Its a fullyfledged facility, he said. The CEO, in an interview, explained that Ekuphileni would complement the other health institutions as medical practitioners would be allowed to use their facility to treat patients. He mentioned that hospitals, health centres and clinics did not have some of the equipment available at the clinic, saying it was imperative, therefore, for SMVAF to offer a solution. He observed that it was very expensive for government and emaSwati to send patients to South Africa and Mozambique to access health facilities, which Ekuphileni Clinic could easily provide at a cheaper rate. The SMVAF CEO pointed to the fact that money which could have been remitted to South Africa would be retained for local circulation. He said the Ministry of Healths Phalala Medical Referral Fund could benefit tremendously from the facility. Myeni said medical practitioners taken on tour of the facility were surprised at seeing state-of-the-art equipment in the country. Black and ethnic minority figures are set to feature on British currency for the first time, with Gurkha heroes and a wartime nurse among those being considered, it has been revealed today. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is considering proposals by campaigners to have influential BAME people featured on a set of coins, Treasury minister John Glen told The Sunday Telegraph. British-Jamaican Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole, and Noor Inayat Khan, a World War II agent and one of only four women have received the prestigious George Cross, are both under consideration, according to reports. The first Indian and Gurkha soldiers who received the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system, are also under consideration, the Telegraph reports. Black and ethnic minority figures are set to feature on British currency for the first time, with Gurkha heroes and a wartime nurse set to be considered, it has been revealed today British-Jamaican Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole (right), and Noor Inayat Khan (left), a World War II agent and one of only four women have received the prestigious George Cross, are both under consideration, according to reports. Plans have been submitted to the Royal Mint, which has been encouraged by the Treasury to draft proposals and designs for potential coins. Mr Glen told the paper Mr Sunak was 'keen to support' the 'timely proposal'. 'The Chancellor is aware of this. We are obviously supportive and keen to be positive about it, we need to see some firm proposals from the Royal Mint but we are keen for this to happen,' Mr Glen said. No non-white person has ever featured on British coins or notes. Currently on Britain's new polymer bank notes, Second World War Prime Minister Winston Churchill features on the 5 note, novelist Jane Austen was chosen to appear on the plastic 10 note after a campaign and artist JMW Turner features on the 20 notes. Plans have been submitted to the Royal Mint and are being considered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) Currently on Britain's new polymer bank notes, Second World War Prime Minister Winston Churchill features on the 5 note (pictured), novelist Jane Austen was chosen to appear on the plastic 10 note after a campaign and artist JMW Turner features on the 20 notes Computer pioneer and codebreaker Alan Turing will feature on the new design of the Bank of England's 50 note, which are set to enter circulation by the end of 2021. Others to have previously featured on notes include the pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, playwright William Shakespeare and naturalist Charles Darwin. On coins, author Beatrix Potter, legendary civil engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel and First World War nurse Edith Cavell have all previously featured. The Banknotes of Colour campaign, led by Zehra Zaidi - a former Conservative Party parliamentary candidate - has been fighting for representation. Mr Sunak has previously expressed support for the anti-racist cause highlighted by the Black Lives Matter protests, and supported calls for widespread changes in attitudes. He said: 'As a British Asian of course I know that racism exists in this country. And I know people are angry and frustrated. They want to see, and feel, change.' WASHINGTON As the coronavirus pandemic spread across the country, federal relief efforts directed billions toward hospitals and health clinics. But providers are now worried they might be asked to return some of that money. At the time, lawmakers and administration officials were trying to get money out the door as quickly as possible. They wanted to ensure hospitals kept operating with full staffing in the face of the outbreak. But as time went on, the Department of Health and Human Services adjusted the formula it was using to allocate the money. In some cases that has meant providers receiving less than they expected and it has left others wondering whether the overpayments from previous allocations will have to be returned. There is some concern that they will turn around and say You know what, youve got to pay us back this amount, said Michael Feagler, vice president of finance at the Nebraska Hospitals Association. An early distribution of money in April allocated more than $522 million to health centers in Iowa and Nebraska, according to a pair of Midlands House members who are working across the aisle and the Missouri River to ensure the government wont come seeking repayment. Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, recently sent a letter to officials at the Department of Health and Human Services laying out the problem. They wrote that providers had been assured the money was for immediate financial relief and are now in limbo wondering how much they will owe and when they will owe it. Our health providers are being held responsible for a decision made by HHS that was entirely out of their control, they wrote. They noted that providers are caring for COVID-19 patients while paying for expensive personal protective equipment, testing supplies and overtime pay. We applaud HHS quick action to get funding to our health providers, but our hospitals and health care providers should not have to return relief funds due to the departments change in methodology, they wrote. Nathan Baugh, director of government affairs at the National Association of Rural Health Clinics, echoed those points in a press release about the impact on rural health care. Rural providers need to focus on providing care during this pandemic, Baugh said. They shouldnt have to worry about paying CARES Act money back because the governments formulas were changed after the fact. Five days before the residents of Paterson, N.J., selected new members of their city council in May, a postal employee in a neighboring town spotted something suspicious in a local post office: 347 mail-in ballots, bundled together. The discovery kicked off weeks of tumult in New Jersey's third-largest city, a densely populated and diverse community. Four men, including a city councilman, have been charged with fraud. Amid the controversy, the county election board disqualified 19% of ballots cast in the race. The episode probably would have remained a local dust-up but for the sudden interest of President Donald Trump, who has spent the past several months attacking voting by mail as a practice he claims is susceptible to massive fraud. In recent weeks, he has seized on the situation in Paterson as the prime exhibit in the case he is making about why the November election will be "rigged," as he has repeatedly put it. In a tweet Sunday afternoon in which he misspelled the name of the city, he wrote, "The 2020 Election will be totally rigged if Mail-In Voting is allowed to take place, & everyone knows it. So much time is taken talking about foreign influence, but the same people won't even discuss Mail-In election corruption. Look at Patterson, N.J. 20% of vote was corrupted!" This month, he told reporters that they should look into Paterson, "where massive percentages of the vote was a fraud." White House officials said the president has complained privately to his advisers about the New Jersey city's election. And conservative groups have launched their own efforts to highlight the problems in Paterson, including Judicial Watch and the Honest Elections Project, which is supported by attorney Leonard Leo, a close Trump ally. But those involved in the Paterson case said the president is vastly oversimplifying what took place in a local election, using it to serve his own political purposes and overstating the extent to which problems in their city serve as some kind of national cautionary tale. "He's not telling the entire truth," said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh, a political rival of those who were charged and a Democrat who has held the nonpartisan office since 2018. "But then again, he's Donald Trump." In fact, they say the alleged scheme in Paterson was a complicated one made possible by a series of unique circumstances that would be difficult to reproduce in other cities, much less on a national scale. They also challenged Trump's claim that all of the 3,274 ballots thrown out by election officials were potentially fraudulent - local leaders said many were rejected because of what they see as a minor errors on the part of voters. And while the problems with the May vote illustrate what could potentially go wrong with mail ballots, they also show how attempts at fraud are caught - in this case, the bundles of ballots were spotted by alert postal workers. "We're not saying vote by mail is inherently wrong or problematic," said William McKoy, a 20-year incumbent of the Paterson City Council, who, according to final vote tallies, was defeated in May by former school board member Alex Mendez, who has been implicated in the scheme. Added McKoy's lawyer, Scott Salmon, "This is a case study in what could go wrong. But we know from experience and from other towns, the chances of everything going this wrong are so slim that they just don't happen anywhere else." Mendez, who has been barred by court order from taking office, has been charged with six felonies by the New Jersey attorney general's office, including election fraud, unauthorized possession of ballots and tampering with public records. He denies all wrongdoing, his lawyer said. Three other men have also been charged with felonies, including a councilman and the brother of a second councilman. All deny wrongdoing. "The president's spin on mail-in voting is absolutely 100% inaccurate and wrong," said Gregg Paster, a lawyer representing Mendez. Paster noted that Trump has talked repeatedly about Paterson, a Democratic city with large Latino and Muslim populations - but has said nothing about a Republican congressman from Kansas charged this month with voter fraud, and remained silent in 2018 about a Republican ballot-harvesting scheme in North Carolina that resulted in the indictment of a longtime state GOP operative. Asked about the Kansas case on July 16, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she had not heard of the charges nor discussed them with the president. She then pivoted to talk about Trump's "very real concerns about voter fraud" - citing the New Jersey episode. A White House spokesman referred questions to Trump's campaign, which did not respond to a request for comment. - - - New Jersey has offered a vote-by-mail option for years, but in March, as the deadly coronavirus swept through the state, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy declared that upcoming elections would be the first to be conducted entirely by mail. Under new rules, election officials mailed a ballot to every active registered voter. Election experts say such programs can drive up participation, but should be accompanied by rigorous efforts to make sure that voting rolls are accurate and up-to-date. One of the nation's most densely populated cities, Paterson is home to many large apartment buildings where residents share communal mail rooms. Photographs from local media outlets included in a lawsuit filed by McKoy show that in some buildings, postal workers did not deliver ballots properly to individual mailboxes, instead leaving them unattended in a stack in the mail room. Martha Johnson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service, said the agency's Office of Inspector General was made aware of "few blank absentee ballots" discovered in the lobby of one Paterson apartment building, investigated and took "appropriate action." "The U.S. mail remains a secure, efficient and effective means for citizens and campaigns to participate in the electoral process," she said. Under New Jersey law, people who vote absentee are supposed to mail or drop off their own ballots, or designate someone else to do it for them - but no one is allowed to deliver more than three ballots during a single election. Amid the raging virus, many voters were fearful about leaving home and were happy to have friends, neighbors or volunteer campaign workers offer to take their completed ballots out to a mailbox, Paster said. In addition, many voters were unfamiliar with the rules for filling out mail-in ballots, particularly older voters and immigrants who are not fluent English speakers, he said. The various issues combined to create the "perfect storm" of conditions for possible fraud, Salmon said. The state attorney general's office has offered few details about the specific allegations against the four men who have been charged. A spokesman for the office declined to comment. But in a formal complaint filed in court contesting the results of the election, McKoy, the longtime city councilman, lays out his claims of what happened this spring. He contends that some loose ballots were stolen from apartment mailrooms. Then, he alleges, campaign workers filled out and cast the ballots for their preferred candidates, affixing to the blank ballots images of signatures they had gathered and saved from past petition drives. McKoy's complaint also outlines other problems with the vote. It says that some voters never received a ballot and that the post office failed to deliver some completed ballots on time, and cites videos posted to social media showing a campaign worker filling out a ballot for a voter and another worker flipping through a stack of ballots. The bundled ballots spotted five days before the election by an alert postal worker was one of several groups of ballots found at post offices in the days just before the election, according to the attorney general's office. A statement from the state attorney general's office said that the investigation that led to criminal charges began with the tip from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and that a number of the charges related "to the improper collection of mail-in ballots." If McKoy's allegations are true, the scheme he outlined would represent a sophisticated effort to manufacture votes. Still, even McKoy said he believes such an endeavor would only be possible on a small scale, such as his city council race against Mendez, in which 4,565 votes were cast. It would require operatives with databases of voter signatures and tightknit political machines willing to keep quiet about the fraud - and access to loose ballots. Such an effort could not be replicated, Salmon said, in places where fewer voters lived in communities with communal mail rooms - or if the post office properly delivered ballots in the first place. "What happened in Paterson doesn't happen everywhere else. That's why it should get attention," Salmon said, "because it's so rare." Paster, speaking on behalf of Mendez, denied the claims in McKoy's suit. He said Mendez believes he will be vindicated. While Paster said Mendez did not break any rules, he said it was possible that some campaign workers in the city helped voters fill out their ballots or mailed more than three ballots because of the unusual circumstances of the pandemic election. "The ones that were sick couldn't go out, and the ones who weren't were petrified," he said. "There was not a great deal of concern by voters about who was taking their ballots out to the mail." The lawyer said those who have been charged are being targeted, noting that they are all opponents of the current mayor, including Mendez, who unsuccessfully ran against him in 2018. With two seats on the nine-member council now contested and vacant, the mayor has maintained a majority bloc on the body. Sayegh called those accusations "absolutely absurd." The attorney general's office declined to comment. - - - One thing both sides agree on: Not all of the 19% of ballots tossed by the Passaic County Board of Elections were potentially fraudulent. After the discovery of the bundle of ballots at the post office, elections officials began applying extra scrutiny to mail-in votes - an approach that led to a number of ballots being tossed for minor voter errors, according to people on both sides of the contested election. Board officials did not respond to requests for comment. To properly return a ballot in New Jersey, voters must insert it into a specially provided envelope, which voters must sign with their correct address. They must then place that envelope into a second envelope. If they have allowed someone else to mail their ballot, the approved "bearer" must fill out a special certification form. Candidates are not allowed to serve as bearers. Ballots can be rejected if any voters miss any steps or if their signature does not appear to match ones kept on file by the Board of Elections, which can compare signatures to decades-old documents. According to information released by the board, nearly 1,400 out of the 3,274 ballots thrown out were rejected because the board assessed that a voter's signature did not match one held on file. Another roughly 900 votes found at post offices were disqualified because the portion of the ballot for designating a "bearer" was improperly completed. Benjie Wimberly, a Democratic New Jersey assemblyman who represents the area, said he dropped off his own vote, along with that of his wife and two sons, at the main post office in Paterson. Later, he learned from local media that he and his family's ballots were among the 19% that had been discarded. According to elections board, it was rejected for having an "incomplete bearer portion." "I was furious," said Wimberly, who said he mailed his own ballot. "This was a complete disaster for Paterson." Sayegh, Paterson's mayor who is an ally of McKoy, said there were clearly serious problems with the May vote. But he said that by citing the high percentage of disqualified ballots, Trump is overstating the extent of the potential fraud. "Some of it was just errors," he said of disqualified ballots. The situation in Paterson is not unique. This year, tens of thousands of mail ballots have been discarded by election officials across the country, many because of errors completing the forms or problems verifying voter signatures. Many jurisdictions that have had small rates of absentee voting in the past do not have clear protocols in place to verify mail ballots. For that reason, mail balloting is far more likely to exclude legitimate votes than it is to allow fraudulent ones to be cast, despite Trump's assertions, election experts said. "I'm much more concerned about the potential for disenfranchisement - especially inadvertent disenfranchisement - than I am about fraud," said Richard Hasen, a voting-law expert and law professor at University of California at Irvine. Despite the problems in his city, Sayegh said he thinks voting by mail is "the way of the future." He called on New Jersey and other states to do more to educate voters before the November election on the proper way to fill out and submit a ballot, including that they should not allow other people to touch their ballots. "It's going to take a robust awareness campaign. We have to be better prepared," he said. "Paterson was not." - - - The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey contributed to this report. If you are like me, you face each day knowing that some other crazy claim will sweep up millions of uncritical people, people willing to live in a contrafactual and contralegal world. There are too many examples of these waves of lunatic hysteria to recount here but let me note two: Russiagate and BLM. Russiagate Media coverage of the developments debunking the preposterous claim that the President colluded with Russia is both spotty and sparse. Theres a reason for it. Major media almost entirely swallowed the claim, conspired with its promoters, endlessly and prominently mongered it and has never apologized for so doing. This week Professor Charles Lipson wrote the very best chronicle of the most serious domestic political crime I can think of. I urge you not only to read it but also clip and save it as textbook level recounting of the events. Heres a sample of this well-organized account of the critical facts: Mueller was appointed in May 2017. But the FBI and DOJ had all this vital information in hand by February 2017. They knew the stories about Trump contacts with Russian intelligence were false. They knew the Steele Dossier was worthless. No one seemed to care. Senior officials at the FBI and Justice Department ignored the evidence, continued their probe, and then handed it off to Special Counsel Mueller. Mueller and his team had all the FBIs information and conclusions in hand the day they started their investigation. Instead of assessing these materials, finishing their work promptly, and giving the American public the results, they ramped it up, hyped it up, kept it up, and turned it up to 11. Their efforts and the resulting media narrative made Russia collusion the dominant issue in American politics for over three years. It had very little foundation and, not surprisingly, produced only meager legal results. The political consequences were not meager at all. The ongoing investigations tied up the president, damaged his party, and may have cost Republicans their House majority in 2018. These effects were well understood at the time. They were welcomed by those who continued the investigations and the reporters and politicians who crafted the public narrative. Those of us who pay attention despair of the likelihood that any of the top miscreants in this scandal will be called to account for their criminality. From time to time, whispers that the axe will fall any day now appear. Former Fox reporter Adam Housely, was among those who assert inside information gives us reason for optimism: Adam Housley @adamhousley Durham and Barr do not want this investigation to be used for political points, which is the way it should be. There are major rumors that there are already indictments. There are some indictments in the pipeline also for sure. The scope of this investigation is huge. Massive. So much of what we know is already on the public record as a result of declassifications and court records, its hard to comprehend why we still see no indictments. I understand that when you charge someone high up with a crime, you can be sure you will face well-paid, skillful defense counsel and as the cases will be tried in Washington D.C. (about 96% of whose denizens are Democrats) the cases must be very solid. Still, it is puzzlement, and were running out of time and patience. Systemic Racism and BLM Every few years it seems that the Democrats gin up riots in response to the death of a black criminal at the hands of the police. And each time the media play along. I dont need to remind you of the Holder DoJ stirring up the Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown cases, which fell apart before juries when the facts were finally presented in open court. Not before the false tales precipitated substantial destruction to lives and property -- largely of those minorities living in the areas of these incidents. This time, the race baiting has gone beyond targeting the individual citizens and cops involved to argue that there is systemic racism in law enforcement. And the claim has been the rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter gangs. Matt Walsh at the Daily Wire busts that narrative wide open, systematically examining every police shooting and finding that: It is by now well publicized -- at least in some corners -- that, despite all of the panicking and rioting over race-based police brutality, only a very small number of unarmed black men are killed by police each year. But an even closer look at the data, and a study of each unarmed killing, reveals that the real number of unjustified police shootings of actual unarmed people -- black, white, or any other race -- is much smaller still. First, to put the statistics into perspective, its helpful to begin with the overall number of arrests. According to the DOJ, police make about 10 million arrests each year. As a rough average, 7 million of the arrested suspects are white and 3 million are black. Out of that number, last year, 25 unarmed white people were killed by police, compared to 14 unarmed black people, according to the Washington Post database of police shootings. That means about .0004 percent of all blacks arrested were killed while unarmed. The percentage for whites is comparable. In total, 1,000 people were shot and killed by police in 2019, the vast majority of whom were armed. Still, thats a mere .01 percent of all arrests. He analyzes eight cases tagged as the killings of eight unarmed suspects and shows why No reasonable person could describe any of the cases just listed as cold-blooded murder, much less racist hate crimes. These were violent criminals shot while in the act of physically attacking and threatening officers. Still, BLM, linking up with Antifa and just plan looters, screams systemic racism, and far too many corporations and colleges play along. While, for the most part, the press is reporting the thuggery in places like Portland and Seattle as peaceful protests or mostly peaceful protests, theyve hidden from the readers and viewers what has been going on there. Portland From the New York Post: A federal agents hand was impaled by planted nails, another federal agent was shot with a pellet gun, leaving a wound deep to the bone, and tragically, three federal officers were likely left permanently blinded by the rioters using lasers pointed directly into their eyes, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Friday. The press cut away from the conference when McEnany showed videos of the destruction. Federal officers have guarded federal facilities there because local authorities refuse to enforce the law. As if to prove that the local authorities are complicit in this mayhem, Oregons Attorney General Ellen Rosenbaum sought a restraining order against the federal officers but lost. The judge accepted the argument by the federal government that the state lacked standing to sue on behalf of the protestors. Apart from lack of standing, the government attorney asserted that the claim itself was based on a few threadbare declarations from witnesses and a Twitter video. (Maybe Rosenbaum confused this court with FISC.) Federal officers have arrested 18 people in Portland for their lawless acts at the federal courthouse. Seattle is much the same. There the riot-friendly city council banned the police from using necessary and standard riot control techniques. Chief of Police Carmen Best warned owners and residents that given these restrictions the force could not be deployed to handle rioting: July 24, 2020 Dear Business Owner and/or Resident: Please know that the Seattle Police Department is committed to addressing life safety incidents and calls for service, and responding to ongoing demonstrations and unrest in the city. Please also know that the City Council Ordinance 119805 Crowd Control Tool goes into effect this weekend on Sunday, July 26, 2020. This ordinance bans Seattle Police officers the use of less lethal tools, including pepper spray that is commonly used to disperse crowds that have turned violent. Simply put, the legislation gives officers NO ability to safely intercede to preserve property in the midst of a large, violent crowd. It is important to bring to your attention that yesterday, I sent the City Council a letter ensuring them that as the Chief of Police, I have done my due diligence of informing them numerous times of the foreseeable impact of this ordinance on upcoming events. The letter is attached for your reference. For these reasons, Seattle Police will have an adjusted deployment in response to any demonstrations this weekend -- as I will never ask our officers to risk their personal safety to protect property without the tools to do so in a safe way. Sincerely, Carmen Best Chief of Police Again, the federal government went to court to halt this idiocy and protect the people of Seattle who elected these leftist nitwits. And once again a federal judge issued a restraining order (temporarily) to block the measure. I suppose these Democrat politicians think this will win them hearts and votes from minorities, but if this weeks Rasmussen poll is any indication, it seems to be boomeranging. And why shouldnt it? The suburban white kids who seem at the forefront of these rampages can go home to safety, but those who live in the urban ghettos cannot: Rasmussen FOR - July 24, 2020 National Likely Voter (LV) Job Approval of@POTUS - 49% Men LV App -48% Women LV App - 50% GOP LV App - 81% Dem LV App - 27% Ind LV App - 41% White LV App - 48% Black Total LV App - 49% Other Non-White Total LV App - 57% Its early. Polls are iffy and premature so far in front of November, but this has been a consistent trend -- minorities are not supporting the far-left orientation of the party they once supported in great numbers. If these crazy times (and the lockdowns) are stressing you out, theres a glimmer of hope. Tucker Carlson reports, The Pentagon has been conducting classified hearings on UFOs for more than a decade. We know very little about what they found, but apparently just recovered are off-world vehicles not made on this earth. Im trying to book the first flight out of here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has acknowledged a letter by former Cabinet Minister Subramanian Swamy, requesting a CBI enquiry in the suicide case of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. While the Mumbai police is still investigating the case and questioning people, senior BJP leader Swamy had written to the Prime Minister to request him to initiate a CBI investigation. Now, it has been revealed that PM Modi has acknowledged Subramanian Swamy's letter. Swamy has re-tweeted tweets sharing a copy of the letter from Prime Minister's office which read: "I have received your letter of July 15, 2020". In his letter, Swamy had claimed that his sources have revealed that several bigwigs from the film industry are trying to cover up the case. He wrote: "I learn from my sources in Mumbai that many big names in the Bollywood Film World with links to Dons in Dubai are seeking to ensure a cover-up is carried out by the Police so that voluntary suicide is concluded as the reason for the demise of Mr Rajput." On June 14, Sushant was found hanging in his Bandra residence by his domestic help, which left everyone shocked. It has been said that he was reportedly battling depression over the past few months and undergoing treatment. Sushant's demise sparked off discussions around a lot of things -- from nepotism to the ruthless favouritism that Bollywood power camps allegedly engage in. Manchego put on a display of devastating speed in a gate-to-wire victory in the $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot at Plainridge Park on Sunday (July 26) and set a new world record of 1:49.3 for older trotting mares over a five-eighths-mile track. Manchego broke her own world record of 1:50.1 set at Hollywood Dayton Raceway in 2019. The time also smashed the all-age track trotting record at Plainridge Park, besting the 1:51.2 set by JL Cruze in the 2017 Spirit Trot. Dexter Dunn had Manchego revved up off the gate, and they shot right for the lead with Atlanta (Yannick Gingras) dropping in the pocket from post seven through a blistering :25.2 first quarter. The field remained single file as Manchego marched to the half in :53.3 and three-quarters in 1:21 with Atalanta in deliberate pursuit. As the pair trotted away from the field around the last turn, Gingras pulled Atlanta off the pylons to take her best shot at the leader. But as soon as she pulled, Manchego accelerated, opened up two lengths and proceeded to the finish under no urging at all to win wrapped up by 2-1/2 lengths. Atlanta held on for second and Run Director (David Miller) closed rapidly to finish third. It was the 31st career win for Manchego ($3.00), and it pushed her lifetime earnings to over $2,342,705. The five-year-old daughter of Muscle Hill and Secret Magic is owned by Black Horse Racing and trained by Nancy Takter. One race earlier, in the $100,000 Clara Barton Distaff Pace, Shartin N made herself right at home again at Plainridge as she broke the all-age track record that she set just last year. Shartin N broke her own all-age track record at Plainridge Park with a 1:48.1 score in the Clara Barton Distaff Pace. Shartin N broke her own all-age track record at Plainridge Park with a 1:48.1 score in the Clara Barton Distaff Pace. Tim Tetrick put Shartin N on the point immediately as Kissin In The Sand (Yannick Gingras) left from post four and followed closely with a two-hole trip. After a quick :26.2 quarter and with no pressure at all, Tetrick backed down the second panel to :28.1 and the race seemed well in control for him at that point. By the five-eighths, Gingras pulled Kissin In The Sand and tried to draw alongside Shartin N, but never got closer than a length around the far turn. Tetrick eased the lines a bit and gave Shartin N her head turning for home, and the mare swelled up down the lane, opening up 2-1/4 lengths and winning in 1:48.1. Stablemate Soho Burning Love A (Jordan Stratton) rallied late to finish second, and 38-1 shot Philly Hanover (Dunn) completed the board. The time was a new all-age track record at Plainridge Park, which was set last year in this same stake by Shartin N when she cruised home in 1:49.1. It was only one-fifth of a second off the 1:48 world record for older pacing mares over a five-eighths mile-track that she shares with Somwherovrarainbow. This was the 44th career victory for Shartin N ($2.60), who campaigns for trainer Jim King Jr. and the partnership of Richard Poillucci, Jo Ann Looney-King and Tim Tetrick. The seven-year-old daughter of Tintin In America and Bagdarin has now earned $2,244,946. (Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts) It has been 21 years since the conflict took place at the icy heights of Kargil and history was written with the blood of more than 534 men of the Indian armed forces. After the first week of May 1999, it became clear that the Pakistani irregulars along with its soldiers had captured vantage posts in Kargil left by the Indian army in the winters. It was then the troops were moved to Kargil Drass sector. On May 16, the troops were ordered to move to Kargil Drass sector and instructions were not clear. Brigadier Khushal Thakur was then a Colonel commanding 18 grenadiers. We were told that only 5-6 mujahideens have occupied the posts. Our target was to capture Tololing and were informed that there were four-five Mujahideens but what we saw was a company of 120 men of Pakistans Northern Light Infantry, he states. The 18 Grenadiers had launched three unsuccessful attacks on Tololing. On June 2, Thakur himself led the attack and his second-in-command Lt Col R Vishwanathan volunteered to go. Meanwhile, the troops were trying to retrieve the body of Major Rajesh Adhikari (Maha Vir Chakra) and in the ensuing battle Lt Col Vishwanathan (Vir Chakra) was also hit. I ordered my men to get Vishwanathan. When I pulled my radio operator towards me he was hit and the Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) right beside me was also hit. When they got Vishwanathan to me I kept his head on my lap and he passed away. He was my friend and it was a great loss for the battalion but at the end of the day, despite losses we had to continue because the country is above everything else, he remembers. Twenty five soldiers from the unit were killed in action before Tololing was captured. The next task of 18 Grenadiers was to capture Tiger Hill that was captured between July 3-July 4, 1999. Brig Thakur was awarded the Yudh Sewa Medal. The Indian Air Force launches Operation Safed Sagar After dilly dallying over the use of Indian Air Force (IAF), the government gave a go-ahead for the operations to commence on May 26, 1999 but the orders were clear-Line of Control (LoC) should not be crossed. Air Commodore Rohit Verma, then a Wing Commander was posted as a staff officer with Air Headquarters states that the Pakistanis had planned for everything but the air attack. The initial requirement for us was to support the army in three sectors- Drass, Mushkoh and Muntho Dhalo. We used to get airborne from Adampur and deliver weapons. One of the biggest challenges was to find the targets in the desolate landscape. The critical thing was the imagery that was provided to us by the Air Headquarters. We were looking for the valley that looked like the pictures given to us. Fortunately, one pilot who had gone for a laser designator pod mission got the pictures on his film which looked exactly like the pictures we have got. After that we got the coordinates, Verma recalls. We had gone for a target recce before the operation and while coming back we provided casualty evacuation for two injured Indian soldiers. The morale of the soldiers was extremely high. Initially it was difficult to locate the targets but once we zeroed in we made the life of the intruders very difficult! he says. The staff officer to the then chief of the IAF, Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis, Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur recalls that during the initial stages of the conflict helicopters were planned to be used as the primary strike weapons against intruders housed at fortifications made of rocks and boulders that could only be damaged by a direct hit. It was known that Pakistan had shoulder-fired surface-to-air-missiles (SAM). The IAF had only five kits OF Counter Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) to be strapped to the helicopters. An infra-red seeking SAM would go after the flares fired by the (CMDS) rather than the helicopter. It was decided that the first helicopter would have both CMDS kit and armour plates, while others would have to do with some deficiency. A plan was drawn that a fighter strike would closely precede a helicopter mission so that their heavy ordnance delivery would force Pakistani intruders to keep their heads down while the helicopters came in for their attack run, Bahadur says. There were 1,343 Indian Army personnel who were hurt out of which 700 or so, were flown out to safety by IAF helicopters, Bahadur states. Operation Talwar- Indian navy's offensive posture constrained Pakistan from escalation The Indian Navy christened Operation Talwar and deployed submarines, combatant ships closer to the Pakistan coast. The Indian Navy was made ready for conflict quite early on because submarines and the ships needed to be deployed at considerable distances. The covert placing of the submarines and the potential firepower of the fleets constrained Pakistan from escalation. I imagine that a few missing submarines from Mumbai would have greatly concerned the Pakistan Navy. As Executive Officer of INS Delhi, I can say that our ship and crew were ready as part of the Western fleet. We remained at sea for several days at a time. Our crew was absolutely gung ho to give battle to the enemy whenever the order to hoist the battle ensign came. I feel so proud of them, Rear Admiral Sudarshan Y Shrikhande recalls. Its the kind of place thats not easy to find unless you go looking for it. Back of St. Georges Anglican Church in downtown St. Catharines, on the left is a brown metal door. Look for the hand-drawn STEPs sign and go on inside. Youll be welcome there. No questions asked. The STEPs program opened quietly last October to help young people living on the street, or struggling with their mental health or addictions get their lives pointed in the right direction. Since then close to 40 have come through, anywhere from their late teens up to 30. Some stayed, others didnt STEPs has no government ties and no one is referred there. No one is forced to attend or return. Operated through the church in a basement room laid out like a big rec room, the program is funded by a single, anonymous benefactor. Her vision was to get kids off the street, says lead addictions counsellor Louis Muscat. Im just getting things together to make sure that happens. Its an evolving format. The whole thing is new and not bound to rules older programs or ones affiliated with official agencies might be. If youre in a bad moment and need counselling with Muscat, just drop in and see him. If youre on the street and need a place to be, come inside. Its open weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Most days, its only Muscat and Adam Pierce, who provides security to ensure no drugs are brought inside or on the church property. Them, and whoever drops in. Muscats background is mostly in the railroad, where he ran an employee assistance program for one of the major carriers. He studied at McMaster University and has worked at several addiction centres over the years. But he has sold cars, too, in addition to other jobs. A few years ago he owned a chain restaurant in downtown Hamilton. It failed, he says, and he lost about $500,000. As he says, he has plenty of life experience to pass on. When someone says, this is what Im going through, I can say, well, this is what I went through, Muscat says. And now Im picking myself up and moving forward. Its about being resilient in life. Fair or not, young adults are known as the snowflake generation, raised in such a protective way they cant handle disappointment or rejection. Muscat says when he counsels, I want to go back to the old parenting scenario, because were not teaching them anything. Starting from scratch in October, he and Pierce had to do outreach, seeking out young people hanging around the library or just downtown and telling them about STEPs and inviting them to stop by. Here they can walk in and say, Lou, I need to talk to you. And Ill make time for them, Muscat says. He sees them from all over the region. A few have apartments but many are basically homeless, having left home for any number of reasons anger issues, restlessness, addiction, an unhappy family life. He sees people with drug problems, lack of education, low self-esteem. Whatever. What he wants is for them to learn to handle their anger, see the world through other peoples eyes, be able to build relationships. Take responsibility for the things they do. And set goals for themselves. Pierce, who has worked at a drug rehab house and group homes in the past, is also a musician and leads an Advent Cafe at the church. He says a lot of these youths 90 per cent that come in here have never been told theyre worth anything. The one kid that came in here, he drew a picture. I offered to buy the picture. He hasnt been the same since. He never thought it would be worth anything. Its like, to make a resume, they go, I can work? They dont have the concept in their head that theyre worth anything theyve never been praised for just being them. Muscat says, Not being from the addiction or having a problem myself, you always get, Well, what do you know? And I dont know. Im here to help you, whether its with my life skills or my education or just being Lou. What hes found, he says, is you need to get out there and talk to these kids, because all they want is respect. And to be treated like adults, not to be treated like kids. I speak on their level, I dont talk above their level I just deal with them one on one. Again, Im a parent, Ive gone through life skills, Ive gone through ups and downs in my life. If you dont have those skills, a textbook cant teach you. One man in his early 20 who goes to STEPs, Jesse, wrote Muscat to say I think this program is saving my life. He is applying for jobs now, he says, and his depression is lifting. He calls Muscat his mentor. The fact that I am doing all these new things and learning new skills makes me feel like Im really worth it in this world, he wrote. Muscat is proud of that letter. But if it was just a matter of kids needing a confidence boost, Pierce wouldnt still have to be on the lookout for drugs 10 months in. Recently, Muscat says, a bag was found on the property filled with about 300 new syringes, likely dropped off there for a dealer to pick up. The message he tries to reinforce is: Respect the property and remember why you came here. When they show up for counselling or one of the daily sessions on addictions and mental health, he expects them to be serious about turning their own lives around. If you had a job, would the boss allow you to go outside and smoke a joint? No, he says. So Im teaching them to understand I want to show them to regulate themselves you know what, this is how life is. If you dont like it, Im sorry, but you have to leave. With help from church volunteers, he wants to start music therapy, and possibly meditation and spirituality sessions. And have a visiting doctor who can diagnose psychological issues. The kids usually govern themselves, says Pierce. They look forward to seeing one another here, because a lot of them dont have families, or their families split and they moved away. So they come here of their own accord and feel like theyre part of a family. In an interview, one Niagara woman call her Leigh said at one point the situation with her son was so bad she called police to get him out of her house. In his late teens, she says, he struggled with anger and issues related to his father and the breakup of her marriage. He self-medicated with drugs he began having some really bad trips, bad ones. Marijuana is all he would admit to. When he left home, she was certain his story wouldnt end well. There was lots of praying for him, she says. It was a real mess, and he was carrying all this guilt and blame. Lots of anger. Leigh doesnt know how her son ended up going to STEPs. She first met Muscat in court; both, it turns out, were there to support her son. The violent outbursts had stopped. He was able to speak to me without wanting to hit me, she says. Yeah, he had changed. He has moved back home, she says, and is finishing high school. He has been clean for I dont know how long now, its been months. What he gets from STEPs, she figures, is mentorship. When someone else talks to a troubled kid, she says, its different somehow. I dont know why they listen when its not mom and dad. Its just, they do. She adds: I think theres just not enough opportunities for kids, especially in St. Catharines. There just doesnt seem to be any places for them to even do anything in the city like theres not any place for them to go. Just to have this place where they can just sit and talk or just do something, and its safe. If they want to talk, they can talk were very blessed to have it where my son can turn things around. It doesnt always happen. Advertisement A: Corona viruses are not a living organism like bacteria or fungus. 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They should be changed every 4-6 hours after dipping them in antiseptic solution for 15 minutes, washed and dried in sunlight, as ultraviolet rays sterilise them.Those who ignored wearing mask and not maintained physical distance were the most infected by the pandemic, as evident from the whopping number of cases in all countries the world over, including the US, Brazil, India, Russia, South Africa, Peru, Mexico, Chile, the UK and Iran.Social distancing has to be maintained as a person standing even 3 feet of an infected being is sprayed with millions of viruses, as smaller droplets float in the air up to 33 feet.If an infected person is in an enclosure like an office, mall, community hall or party hall, the virus spreads to everyone present, as it happened in South Korea, where a single infected lady from Wuhan spread it 900 people in a church.Hence, large gatherings in grounds, religious places, movie halls, malls, schools, colleges, stadiums and markets have been banned to prevent the virus spread.Repeated hand wash is also compulsory for infected as well as non-infected persons to prevent the virus spread.The fat covering (lipid capsule) over the Coronavirus gets destroyed in soap water and sugar (carbohydrate) molecule that helps to disguise gets dissolved in water. By rubbing hands, the thorns (spikes) on the surface get damaged making it impossible for the virus to stick or enter body cells as key to the lock.Toilet hygiene is most important as the virus shred from 22-feet long small intestine can contaminate toilets. Stool and farts contain billions of coronaviruses and can infect anyone using common toilets. While community toilets were sealed in cities like Seattle in the US, open defecation is banned in India.The reason for avoid travelling is that an estimated 4.5-lakh infected people travelled from China to the US, especially New York, spreading the Coronavirus. Travelling increases transmission of the infection.Going out of house unnecessarily to market or visiting relatives and friends, especially by a infected person can trigger community transmission, which is the most dangerous phase of the virus, as it will double or treble the cases, making it impossible for any government or healthcare system to contain it.Senior citizens and elders with comorbid conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, bronchial asthma, cancer, kidney diseases and other chronic debilitating diseases with immune compromised state should stay at home till the virus is found to treat it, as mortality in them is very high.Q: What are signs and symptoms of Corona infection and how fatal it is?A: If a person is not able to smell anything or taste sugar or salt and is having fever with a bitter tongue, he or she should immediately take a Covid test, as they are signs or symptoms of Corona infection. 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An x-ray will show the damaged lungs while pulse oxymeter indicates drop in oxygen saturation.As the virus spreads from lungs to heart, brain, kidney and all blood vessels by 14th day, it causes multi-organ failure and eventual death.Q: How quarantine helps in preventing or treating the virus?A: Those coming from hot spots like Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi to Karnataka have to undergo 14-day quarantine, including a week institutional and a week at home because they may not show the symptoms on arrival but develop after 3-4 days. If they test positive, they are shifted to a designated hospital for treatment. If they are asymptomatic, they get quarantined at home or a Covid care centre to recover.Source: IANS Controversial former Central African Republic head of state Francois Bozize on Saturday announced he is running in the December presidential election, a high-risk vote in a country ravaged by civil war since his ouster in 2013. Militants of Bozize's Kwa Na Kwa (KNK) party have been meeting in Bangui since Friday and the announcement was widely expected. "The party congress has just designated me candidate of the Kwa Na Kwa for the next presidential election ... I solemnly accept the mission you have entrusted me," he said in a speech that was also transmitted live on Facebook. Bozize returned from exile in Uganda last December. The veteran politician took power following a 2003 coup, before being overthrown himself 10 years later by Michel Djotodia, head of the mainly Muslim Seleka rebellion in the predominantly Christian country. Since then, the poor, landlocked country has spiralled further into bloodshed, marked by vicious intercommunal violence. "The many sufferings of the Central African people, as well as the call of the activists have pushed you to come back to the fold," said the KNK's secretary general, Bertin Bea, addressing Bozize earlier. France intervened militarily in its former colony from 2013 to 2016 to push out the Seleka, winding down the operation after Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected president. Touadera governs today with the support of a large UN peacekeeping operation, but most of the country is controlled by ex-rebels and militias. The government signed a peace deal in February 2019 with 14 armed groups, who typically claim to defend the interests of specific communities or religions. Violence has since generally receded, but there are still bloody flare-ups, typically sparked by fighting over resources. The fighting has forced nearly a quarter of the country's 4.7 million people to flee their homes. UN sanctions Bozize is still under sanctions by the United Nations for his role in the 2013 crisis, during which he is accused of supporting the Christian anti-Balaka militias. At the end of January, he said that "nothing" would prevent him from running as a candidate in the president election and that he would ask the UN to consider dropping the sanctions against him. Bozize will very likely run against the incumbent Touadera, whose candidacy has not yet been officially announced, even if observers regard it as a certainty. There have been flare-ups of violence between militias, who often exploit ethnic tensions. UN experts warned in mid-July that the "prospect of elections has provided armed groups with another reason to maintain and increase their territorial control". Their report pointed to an influx of foreign fighters, principally from Sudan, which shares a border with the northeast of the CAR and regularly sees inter-militia fighting. A Serbian army MiG-29 jet fighter performs during exercise at a ceremony marking 72 years since the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany, at Nikinci training ground, 60 kilometers west of Belgrade, Serbia, on May 9, 2017. (Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo) Serbia Seeks More Warplanes Amid Balkan Tensions BELGRADE, SerbiaSerbia will strengthen its armed forces and is seeking to purchase more warplanes amid simmering tensions in the Balkans, the Serbian president said Sunday. President Aleksandar Vucic said certain initiatives have been made to buy a fleet of fighter-bombers, accusing the U.S. and other Western countries of arming Serbias NATO neighbors and its breakaway former province of Kosovo. The Americans, Turks and Germans are taking care of their beloved child, Vucic said, referring to Kosovo. He said the U.S. has recently delivered a number of armored vehicles to Kosovos security forces. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, left, watches exercise at a ceremony marking 72 years since the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany, at Nikinci training ground, 60 kilometers west of Belgrade, Serbia, on May 9, 2017. (Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo)During a tour of a Serbian army tank brigade, Vucic said his country cannot compete with NATO donations to its neighbors when it comes to weapons, therefore we must do it alone. Vucic did not specify what type of warplanes Serbia plans to buy, but the pro-government media said his government has officially asked the U.S. for the delivery of 20 fighter-bombers. The reports said Washington has not yet responded to Belgrades request and that in case of a refusal, it is likely to purchase Russian-made Sukhoi-25 attack aircraft. Serbia, which claims military neutrality, has recently received a sophisticated anti-aircraft system from Russia, which has also provided fighter jets, attack helicopters and armored vehicles. Another Serbian ally, China, has delivered military drones. A Serbian army tank performs during exercise at a ceremony marking 72 years since the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany, at Nikinci training ground, 60 kilometers west of Belgrade, Serbia, on May 9, 2017. (Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo) U.S. officials have in the past spoken openly about introducing sanctions against Serbia if Moscow sends more arms to the country, especially those that could jeopardize the security of neighboring NATO-member states. The Russian and Chinese arming of Serbia is being watched with unease in the West and among Serbias neighbors. Tensions are growing in the Balkans, which went through a devastating civil war in the 1990s. NATO intervened in Serbia to stop a bloody Serb crackdown against Kosovo Albanian separatists in 1999. A Serbian army tank performs during exercise at a ceremony marking 72 years since the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany, at Nikinci training ground, 60 kilometers west of Belgrade, Serbia, on May 9, 2017. (Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo) Despite formally seeking to join the European Union, Serbias leadership has further strengthened close political and military ties with the Kremlin, as well as Beijing. Serbia, as well as Russia and China, dont accept Kosovos independence, which is recognized by the U.S. and most of the West. By Dusan Stojanovic Emanuel Pastreich stands at Imjingak's Pyeonghwa-Nuri Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, June 25, 2020. Courtesy of Emanuel Pastreich By Emanuel Pastreich Exactly 70 years ago, the Korean People's Army crossed over from up there and set out to invade, or (as those in the North thought) to liberate, the southern part of Korea. The division into North and South was artificial, a product of the geopolitical struggles between the United States and the Soviet Union that emerged as the consensus on the need for a new international approach to governance that had powered the struggle against fascism faded into the background. The United States and the Soviet Union had worked together as allies against the ruthless fascist push to destroy wide swaths of humanity in the pursuit of profit and against an agenda of eugenics that assumed much of humanity had no rights at all, not even the right to exist. This invasion of the South was not the start of the conflict, but it transformed it. Getting right the historical and cultural significance of what happened 70 years ago is critical to the future of the United States and above all, to the continued role of the United States in East Asia. As an American who was trained as an Asia expert and has spent a career trying to understand Asia, and to make a concrete contribution to Asia's future, this question of what the United States' role has been, and what is can be, is critical. Although it is clear that there are numerous examples of Americans, and of American institutions, that have made positive contributions in Korea to the lives of the people, those efforts were mixed with other, far less benign, activities. As the United States turns back to extreme isolationism, as racist and anti-Asian rhetoric spills out from the corporate media in the United States, as we see the commitment in the United States to Korea increasingly conditional on the sales of weapons, the hyping of a China threat and a North Korea threat, the greatest danger is that everything that the United States did of value will be buried in a wave of anti-American sentiment, some of it with justification. We can already see that wave coming. But the response cannot be to embrace the American flag and try to defend the indefensible. If we Americans do that, we will no longer have any positive role in East Asia, and I fear we will no longer have any role in the world either. Our only choice is to condemn the racist and destructive efforts to blame the American culture of decadence and corruption on East Asia and to go forward with a new vision for America's role in Asia, and in the world, that makes a clean break from the destructive habit of promoting conflict, competition, containment and consumption. We can, we must, embrace a vision based on cooperation, coexistence, climate science and cultural exchange. Let us go back to the moment on June 25, 1950 when the Korean People's Army swept down though Gaeseong toward Seoul, through Chuncheon to Hongcheon and through Gangneung towards Pohang. It was a tremendous shift in the nature of society. Family members would not be able to see each other again, millions would die in a war that produced one of the highest percentages of civilian deaths in history. Nothing would be normal again. As we today anxiously await a return to "normal," a return to an environment in which we can work as we did before, travel as we did before, we cannot help thinking about that terrible transformation of Korea 70 years ago. But the invasion was most certainly not the start of the conflict. The uprising against the administration of Rhee Syngman in the south that started on Jeju on April 3, 1948, would leave tens of thousands dead. It was, in effect, a war. So also conflicts between Christian and socialist groups in Pyongyang were equally catastrophic and tragic in the years before 1950. The conflict was a continuation of the battle against colonialism and imperialism that had been going on for decades beneath the surface in Korea, and in China, in Vietnam and even in Japan itself. The nature of the political and cultural struggle in Asia started to shift even before June 25. The collapse of the Chinese economy in 1948 and the collapse of the Guomindang (Republican Party) of China altered the political landscape. When Mao Zedong made his declaration of the People's Republic of China on October 3, 1949, the United States was pushed by domestic factions to move away from the anti-fascism alliance with the Soviet Union, and the efforts to avoid taking a stand against the Chinese Communist Party. Pro-business groups in the United States campaigned for close affiliation with the British Empire, for the United States to take advantage of the opportunities for power and financial advantage to be gained from accepting the mantle of a decayed London-based global system. The battle against fascism, the battle against eugenics and racism was buried in a cynical campaign of "Who lost China?" That campaign was designed to remove all sense of complexity about the political and economic situation and to make the United States the bastion for an anti-communist global campaign. It was a tragic choice that was made in Washington D.C. The United Nations was not able to realize its sacred mission as an international organization, promoting internationalism, and the gates were opened for a treacherous form of globalism that would lead the United States in a dangerous direction. That is not all. The dream of establishing a culturally and politically open Korea, a unified Korea freed from the shackles of colonialism that had been held up by the Shanghai provisional government under Kim Gu, and also by other Korean groups across Asia, was shunted aside. Voices of reason and cooperation in the United States were silenced through a campaign that suppressed all so-called "leftist" discourse in policy. The Senate Internal Security Subcommittee was formed in 1950 in the United States and set out to destroy thoughtful Americans who tried to cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party in any way in the pursuit of peace. Most notable was the attack on the thoughtful and insightful Chinese scholar Owen Lattimore for his promotion of the investigation of the truth. That campaign made cooperation impossible and permanently altered the United States' role in Korea, and in East Asia. The battle against fascism, against colonialism, against racism a battle that had been supported by many thoughtful Americans was buried. Where do we stand today, 70 years later? The United States still has many troops here in Korea and the Korean Peninsula is still divided. The political establishment in Washington D.C. and in Seoul assumes that somehow the United States must have troops in South Korea forever. There is no vision at all for when American troops will go home, or how Koreans will be brought together again. But the United States constitution says nothing about the United States stationing the military abroad for 70 years. When President Donald Trump says that American troops will be withdrawn unless the Republic of Korea coughs up an enormous amount of money, he is representing cynical financial interests that want to squeeze more out of Koreans. But he is also appealing to a profound truth: the United States is not supposed to have troops in Korea forever and a military alliance is something that requires a state of war and should not be the driving force in a relationship between two nations. Cooperation in education, science, culture, cooperation in understanding the true threats of our age and responding to them must be the true goal of our relationship. As an independent candidate for president of the United States, I would like to put forth a new vision today for what the United States relationship with Korea will be from this day forward, from the 70th anniversary of the start of the Korean War. We will promote cooperation between Koreans and Americans to respond to the true security challenges of the 21st century. The development of nuclear weapons by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is not anywhere near the top of that list and the question of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula cannot be solved until the United States itself completely commits itself to the principles of the nonproliferation treaty and sets a plan for the United States to quickly get rid of all the dangerous nuclear weapons that remain in our country. Cooperation between Americans and Koreans will not be limited to South Koreans. Americans should work with all thoughtful, brave and peace-loving Koreans, whether they are in South Korea, North Korea, China, Japan, Russia or the United States itself, to pursue an inspiring vision for what can be realized on the peninsula. Security will be a critical part of that project. But we will have to redefine security. Security must be a global response to the four horsemen of the apocalypse. That response must be along the lines of the battle against fascism of the 1930s and 1940s, and not the tragic division of the Korean Peninsula in the 1950s. That tragic division must end, and it must end now. It must end today. What are the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Well, at this point, the term "apocalypse" is no longer hyperbole. The apocalypse is no longer for fundamentalists anymore. "Halleluiah! I believe!" The first horseman of the apocalypse is the collapse of the climate, the death of the oceans, the spread of deserts and horrific destruction of biodiversity brought on by the thoughtless pursuit of a consumption and growth economy. The second horseman of the apocalypse is the radical concentration of wealth in the hands of a few billionaires who plot now to control finance and currency completely through their supercomputer networks and to create a human-free economy for their own profit and amusement. The third horseman of the apocalypse is the rapid evolution of technology that is rendering humans as passive animals that have lost all agency and are incapable of meaningful political action. This transformation is pushed forward by the promotion of artificial intelligence and automation in a cynical effort to increase profits for the few while dumbing down citizens through the promotion of consumption. The fourth horseman of the apocalypse is the extreme militarization of the economy, often out of sight for citizens, which has set off an unlimited global arms race on land, on the oceans, and now even in space that could easily be the end of humanity. These horrific developments must be the focus of an international effort to create a sustainable future for our children and that effort must be at the center of any cooperation between the United States and Korea. To put it more sharply, if cooperation with Korea is not directly related to a concrete and immediate response to those four horsemen of the apocalypse, then that cooperation should stop. We do not have the funds, the manpower, or the time to pursue projects that are unrelated to the central imperative of saving humanity. Finally, the unification of the Korean Peninsula offers us a tremendous opportunity, one that comes only once in 500 years, an opportunity for Koreans to lay the foundations for a nation that will not only offer inspiration for its citizens, but a new hope for all citizens on Earth. Koreans can create new institutions on a massive scale that cannot be easily done in other nations precisely because Korea is in the midst of a massive transformation. Korea can end the use of fossil fuels, create finance that is focused on citizens, not international investment banks and pursue an honest and brave internationalism that brings us together for true cooperation. The frugal and modest lives of North Koreans are not something that must be quickly replaced by mindless consumption or thoughtless development. If anything, North Korea is perfectly positioned to be a nation that is 100 percent fossil-fuel free. North Korea can take the brave position that the minerals and the coal beneath its forests and fields shall remain there, untouched by multinational corporations because it is the people, and the ecosystem, that are far, far more valuable than money. This tradition of sustainability, of humanism, and of moral philosophy date far back in Korea. I have had occasion to learn about Korean concepts like "hongik" (the spread of benefit to all members of society, or "seonbi" (the intellectual committed to social justice). Those ideas will bring Koreans together, will unify Korea. It will not be the investment banks or sovereign wealth funds. The United States, or more accurately, those in the United States who are deeply committed to peace, to freedom and to the fight against totalitarianism and against the destruction of our ecosystem, must combine forces with similar movements around the world much as we did in the 1930s and 1940s. There will be a struggle, but it must be one that is inspiring based on the pursuit and on a scientific approach to policy, and that brings back the best of the American traditions of internationalism from that time, traditions that have been buried for so long. That means tearing down the DMZ. That means reaching out to those with the will to address real security threats; that means creating a new future for Korea, for Northeast Asia and for the world. I cannot support Donald Trump's rhetoric, especially the racist message of "Make American Great Again." But I will say that, with the help of all citizens of Korea, of Northeast Asia and of our precious Earth, we can work together to give hope again to the discouraged and the oppressed. In that process, I believe, we can take the first steps towards making America great for the first time. New Delhi: A combined Opposition on Monday disrupted the proceedings of Parliament for the fourth consecutive day demanding discussion on demonetisation under a rule that entails voting, leading to adjournment of the both the Houses for the day. Also read full coverage of: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 Here are the live updates: #Rajya sabha adjourned for the day (3:05pm) #Lok Sabha adjourned for the day (2:10pm); Rajya Sabha till 3:00pm #Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2:00pm (12:35pm) #Lok Saha adjourned till 2:00pm #Rail Min Suresh Prabhu addressing the House on Kanpur Train Tragedy (12:05pm) - Train accident is very unfortunate - Forensic probe ordered -Culprits will be punished strictly Mayawati: #SP govt knows that they will not come back in power #We did not want to play with people's life, we don't mind that SP got credit #During my regime we built Noida Expressway but it was incomplete before elections and we did not inuagrate it #PM must speak in the House #Rajya Sabha adjourned till 1200hrs, Mayawati demands PM to speak in House #Rajya Sabha adjourned till 1200hrs (11:36am) #Lok Sabha session continues amid ruckus (11:18 am) #Rajya Sabha is adjourned till 11:30am (11:15) #Debate in RS: Opposition demands for PM Modi's presence in House #Opposition comes to den in Rajya sabha, shouts 'Shame Shame Narendra Modi' #Debate later, but first accept our tributes for people who have died standing in queues, and other bank officials: Sitaram Yechury in RS #Opposition not ready for debate, trying new tactics everyday to disrupt the Parliament proceedings: FM Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha #Kanpur train tragedy victims paid homage; Opposition demands homage to currency ban victims (11:10 am) #Rajya Sabha passes resolution to pay homage to Kanpur tragedy victims #Ghulam Nabi Azad speaks on demonetisation, Kanpur tragedy #Mayawati speaking Rajya Sabha #Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha session begins #Opposition parties post meet decide to stage a protest at Gandhi statue in Parliament on November 23 (Wednesday), against demonetisation #Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to make statement today in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Kanpur train tragedy #We are ready to discuss & are open to suggestions from opposition but demonetisation will not be rolled back: Arjun Ram Meghwal,MoS Finance #Congress strategy meeting begins #Rahul Gandhi reaches Parliament #Delhi: Opposition parties in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to meet, Congress VP Rahul Gandhi arrives at the Parliament #Will insist for PM Modi's presence as the debate on demonetisation starts in the Parliament: Mallikarjun Kharge,Congress For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: While paying tributes to the martyred soldiers on Kargil Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi quoted former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's popular speech which the latter delivered from Red Fort in 1999. In his speech, Vajpayee had cited Mahatma Gandhi's talisman and gave it his own spin. Vajpayee had said, "Before taking any important decision we must think whether the step taken is worthy of the sacrifice made by our brave soliders." PM Modi said this message delivered by Vajpayee in 1999 is still very relevant and that our actions should never lower the morale of our brave forces. He added that sometimes, we forward content on social media despite knowing that it is fake and this could lower the morale of the forces, their families or harm national unity. He stated, "Nowadays, wars are not fought only on the borders, they are fought simultaneously on many fronts in the country as well, and every countryman has to decide his role therein." These points can be linked with the recent remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has not only questioned the bravery of Indian forces, but also tried to demoralise them. In Sunday's Mann Ki Baat, there was a subtle and not-so-subtle warning for China. During the radio programme PM Modi recited a Sanskrit couplet which roughly translates to: "The nature of the wicked is to do enmity with everyone for no reason." Citing Kargil as an example, PM Modi conveyed a stern warning, he said that such enmity will eventually prove costly for the 'Dusht' itself, like Kargil did in the case of Pakistan. The alarms finally went off at San Antonios Metropolitan Health District on June 10. Until then, officials were satisfied with the number of case investigators who were calling COVID-19 patients to identify their close contacts and control the spread of the disease. Only 25 investigators were working at that point, a fraction of the 175 that a panel of health experts had recommended in April. Nonetheless, a Metro Health working group reported June 8 that the agencys contact tracing capacity was in good shape. Two days later, the tone had changed dramatically. We have seen an increase of over 500 positive COVID-19 cases in just 4 days, Jennifer Herriott, deputy director of Metro Health, wrote in an email asking for 30 staff members to help with case investigations. I know this may sound crazy and unexpected, but this is REALLY important and REALLY urgent. And no, this is unfortunately not a joke. To others, the emergency was not unexpected. Despite repeated warnings that Metro Health did not have enough people to track the spread of COVID-19, leaders were slow to build up their fleet of investigators as the virus began to ravage Bexar County. Now, at least 2,692 cases are backlogged for investigation, and Metro Health officials have written off an untold number from before June as pointless to pursue. Tom Reel /Staff photographer This account is based on interviews with city officials and public health experts and a review of email traffic between Metro Health leaders, elected officials and others through the month of June. In all, the Express-News examined 6,000 pages of emails obtained through a Texas Public Information Act request. Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, an epidemiologist who served on the panel that recommended 175 investigators in April, watched with dismay for weeks as the agency waited to bolster its workforce for investigations, a primary function of health departments charged with controlling the spread of any contagion. For each new COVID-19 case, an investigator is assigned to call the patient and collect information on any close contacts, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated. The investigators share that information with contact tracers, who warn the close contacts that theyve been exposed to the virus and encourage them to get tested and to self-quarantine. Until the surge in June, Metro Health was adhering to what it called the 70-15-90 rule: a gradual accumulation of 175 case investigators over four months as cases increased. The formula called for training 15 new investigators should COVID-19 cases reach 70 a day for a sustained period and deploying them once the growth in cases reached 90 per day. It was a ridiculous plan, Rohr-Allegrini said. It made no sense in terms of outbreak investigation. Once you start getting into more than 20 or 30 a day, those numbers start doubling. And anybody who knows epidemiology would know that. You dont wait until after the outbreak starts to get people trained. Infections here began to show up in March and remained mostly in the double digits until a steady rise in cases started in late May. Dawn Emerick, the former director of Metro Health who resigned last month, had asked Rohr-Allegrini to recruit and train more than 100 case investigators in April. The epidemiologist began to coordinate UT School of Nursing students and others to volunteer for the critical work. About two weeks later, Emerick halted those plans after getting push-back from Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger, with whom she would clash bitterly throughout her six-month tenure at Metro Health. Bridger took over as director of the agency after Emericks June 25 resignation. Dr. Bridger wants to do the recruiting and training of contact tracers completely different than the original vision I had, Emerick wrote Rohr-Allegrini on May 11. This changes the way we hire, training approach everything. Right now currently we do not need to rush to train anyone. Case tracing capacity is OK at Metro Health. Emerick declined to comment for this article. Rohr-Allegrini knew then that capacity was not OK. It never ramped up, she said. If we had set it up within that week and been ready by May 15 like we intended, we would have a much better handle on the situation. Pressure builds With COVID-19 now out of control hundreds of daily cases have become the norm in San Antonio, and more than 300 people have died from the disease Metro Health has made some progress on case investigations and contact tracing. In May, the agency outsourced its contact tracing to eMocha, a mobile technology company. But that service had reached only 1,177 residents June 15, records show. Metro Health recently expanded its contract with the firm, increasing the number of eMocha contact tracers from just three to 12, Bridger said. Next week, the health agency will begin to integrate its contact tracing into a statewide system called Texas Health Trace. Metro Health has moved 116 case investigators, or about 70 a day, into a large space at the Alamodome. Most of them are Metro Health employees. By the end of August, a $2 million contract with the UTHealth School of Public Health will yield a total of 400 case investigators 200 from the university and 200 from the Metro Health as well as 175 contact tracers. That should be more than enough, Bridger said. Unless we start having more and more days where we have 2,000 cases, that should be more than enough. The 400 investigators gradually will ramp up in groups of 50 over the next month, Bridger said. When we are fully, fully up and running between UT and the city, it will be 400, she said. Now, if our case numbers are down and thats another reason were doing it in clumps of 50 if our case numbers start to go down like we hope they will, then we wont bring on more people than we need. Thats the other thing to remember. If were having 400 cases a day, we dont need 400 case investigators. Tom Reel /Staff photographer Rohr-Allegrini, whos now co-chair of a Metro Health contact tracing work group, bristled at that strategy. You dont just have the 400 (cases) from today. You have the (thousands) from the past month that you dont have investigated, she said. We have to be careful not to repeat the same mistake as we did earlier by not hiring people when we have the chance. Despite the backlog, City Manager Erik Walsh said a measured approach to bringing on investigators was appropriate. But it has to be an engine that can be throttled quickly, Walsh said. And I think weve probably seen in the midst of everything that happened in June, as cases started to go up and that pressure started building within the public health world here locally, I think we all asked ourselves, If schools open up, are we going to see another spike 30 days later in October or November? And how do we start to plan for those peaks? I dont think everybody anticipated the peak. Sense of anxiety Health officials across the country not just in San Antonio have been overwhelmed by surges in COVID-19 cases. Before the novel coronavirus emerged this year, health departments in America largely were equipped to contain outbreaks of other diseases, said Dr. Oscar Alleyne, chief program officer for the National Association of County and City Health Officials. We have not previously had to ramp up our workforce to the capacity where were seeing now, Alleyne said. The public health governance enterprise has never had to stand up to the volume and capacity that is going to be necessary for containing this disease. In collaboration with the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at George Washington University, NACCHO created an online tool that estimates how many case investigators and contact tracers are needed to control COVID-19 in counties across the nation. Jerry Lara /Staff photographer In Bexar County, given the current outbreak, 540 case investigators are needed, according to its Contact Tracing Workforce Estimator. Last month, city leaders were flummoxed by a growing backlog of cases that had yet to undergo investigation or contact tracing. The number of people pending contact tracing appears to be 350. Is that true? Bridger emailed Emerick on June 10. Why is it so high? I thought we had a bunch of contact tracers trained and ready to go. We need to get that number down. Emerick reacted the next day. Starting immediately we are redeploying Metro Health staff, SA Fire and volunteers to assist with case investigations and contact tracing, she wrote to employees June 11. Unfortunately, we are considering this the beginning of a second wave. In another email, Emerick wrote, We are seeing signs of a second wave and it has me and my team spinning. Leaders at the highest levels of the citys COVID-19 response also were alarmed. On June 13, Walsh called a meeting with Emerick, Bridger, hospital leaders, Fire Chief Charles Hood, Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. There is a sense of anxiety among this group, Emerick told her team that day. That same day, Emerick sent an email arguing that Metro Health should stick with eMocha, at least temporarily. I think theres significant value in continuing to use them for at least another 30 days, Emerick wrote. The problem they are solving for us right now is taking on the contact tracing load so we can focus on case investigations. The states system isnt up and running yet and it would be mistake to turn a contact tracing resource away right now. Rita Espinoza, Metro Healths chief of epidemiology, agreed with a caveat. The one thing that I feel was overlooked was a transition plan on what to do once the (eMocha) pilot ended, Espinoza wrote. Not enough Four days after Herriott first sounded the alarm, she sent an email June 14 urging Metro Health employees to work overtime hours on case investigations and contact tracing. To assist, Emerick also began to pull employees from other Metro Health divisions, including epidemiologists who normally would be tracking the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. She asked UT Health and the University of the Incarnate Word to send volunteers to help out. The need also was apparent to outsiders. On June 19, a sales manager for National Commercial Collections Group, a debt collection agency, pitched the company to Emerick as ideal to take on contact tracing a proposal Emerick forwarded to her staff. Despite the pressing need to bolster the number of people tracking the spread of the virus, Bridger twice denied Emericks requests to pull employees from other city departments to help with the investigations, Emerick wrote in a June 23 email. While I know that we are doing the best we can, while I know all of us are putting new systems in place and directing staff to help, its not enough and its taking too long, Emerick wrote to two Metro Health officials. I am extremely uneasy with the growing number of back-logged cases. Its ultimately my responsibility to fix this and its concerning to me that we are not pulling in all resources and options. Case investigators have had a hard time getting people who have tested positive for the virus to return phone calls. Upon hearing that people under age 25 were particularly bad about returning calls, Emerick on June 25 joking, not joking floated the idea of tricking younger people into answering the phone by using misleading caller ID names. Tom Reel /Staff photographer Among the names Emerick suggested on the same day that she resigned: Mom, Dad, Free Beer, Work, Tinder, Netflix, University of Texas and Matthew McConaughey. A lot of mistakes Since Emericks departure, Metro Health has applied a more straightforward solution: Calls by case investigators now are identified as coming from the SA Health Department. Asked whether more patients are answering calls, Bridger said: It has gotten a little bit better. She added, Clearly, there were a lot of mistakes that everybody made. But none of it was intentional, and all of it was to make the next iteration and the next iteration better. This month, Bridger sent a memo to the city manager, mayor and other members of city council outlining Metro Healths progress in the COVID-19 response. She acknowledged numerous challenges during Emericks tenure, including insufficient staff to do case investigations/contact tracing, resulting in delays beyond the infectious period of 14 days. Among the solutions, Bridger wrote that Metro Health has flipped its own case investigation process so the newest cases are contacted first. Bridger noted in the memo that nationally, less than 50 percent of case investigations are completed. I understand 100 percent may be an unrealistic goal, said District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, chair of the councils Community Health and Equity committee. But if theres anything we can do to make sure that were in contact with everyone who tested positive and contain that disease, of course we should try to do it. Sandoval, who has a masters in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health, said she had difficulty grasping the now-abandoned 70-15-90 formula. She said Emerick told her that the formula was designed to avoid overwhelming Metro Health. Initial plans to ramp up the number of case investigators were based on projected peaks of 75 new cases a day, Sandoval said, citing past remarks from Bridger. On Thursday, the county reported 1,078 new cases. Tom Reel /Staff photographer Nirenberg said the necessary workforce has clearly expanded far beyond the citys previous goals. My concern is that if were not getting the job done with the amount of contact tracers we currently have, then we need more, Nirenberg said. That is a pretty simple formula. How we bring them on is an operational issue. But lets get the job done. Rohr-Allegrini, the epidemiologist, said it might be too late. My goal as a public health professional is not to focus on all the screwups that already happened, but to focus on moving forward, she said. But that also means understanding the mistakes so we dont repeat that. Looking back, our mistake was not hiring the first batch of 175 in May. And now weve lost two and half months. Now we have to ramp up at rapid speed. We are so far behind, were never going to catch up. But its not OK to just let the fire burn. Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio government and politics. To read more from Joshua, become a subscriber. jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports Bull run for a sixth week, what's in it for you? Indian benchmark indices kept the gains coming for the sixth consecutive week, as Sensex closed 3 percent higher while the Nifty50 rose 2.6 percent for the week ended July 24. With rising US-China tensions and COVID-19 cases surging in India and the US remaining worries, read here to know where experts see the short run going. Big Story The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that the bad-loan crisis currently plaguing the Indian banking sector is likely to get worse. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought with it waves of financial and economic disruptions, the gross non-performing asset ratio could balloon instead of slowly recover. What will it take to hit reset? Read more to find out. Your money Cyprus is not just another tourist spot Cyprus, known globally for its scenic beaches and relaxed lifestyle has now caught the attention of a certain class of individuals from India: High net worth individuals (HNIs). With low tax rates, a business-friendly environment, and easy citizenship rules, read here to know why HNIs are flocking to the third-largest island in the Mediterranean. Global Watch Pin drop silence As several countries moved to impose lockdowns globally, this has resulted in a 50 percent drop in seismic noise. Research led by Royal Observatory of Belgium and other institutions, including Imperial College London and the University of Auckland in New Zealand, found that there could be a correlation between seismic noise and human mobility. How did the pandemic help bring down noise levels globally? Read more to find out. Tech Tattle Cryptic notes on Cryptocurrency Global payments technology company Visa is now placing its bets on cryptocurrency. Acknowledging the general skepticism on cryptos, the company said it would work in consultation with leaders in the space and the public sector to continue this plan. Visa sees that digital currencies have gained traction beyond fintech, cashing in over $10 billion in May. Turns out they aren't the only one. Read more to find out. Startup Tales The wrist has it all "Muse Wearables", a Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras incubated startup, along with a National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal alumni have developed a wearable wrist tracker that can develop COVID-19 symptoms at the early stage. Armed with a vision to launch in 70 countries, and funding of Rs 22 crore, the devices will be made available for consumers to purchase by August. Read here to find out more about the project. Tailpiece Tracing heritage through food Food is an essential part of everyone's life. What you eat says a lot about who you are a person, and even more so where you come from. In Why we need people to unearth family recipes and take ownership of regional cuisine, Nikita Puri talks about the importance of preserving local heritage in the best way possible: by feeding them a hearty meal. Discover more about her relationship with indigenous Kerela cuisine and how you can use food as a vehicle for your own journey with culture. The crisis arising out of Covid-19 will lead to economic setbacks across the board in the US and the manufacturing industry has been heavily impacted. Declining exports and difficulty in planning are leading to uncertainty in the manufacturing industry. However, Equipment-as-a-Service business models are becoming increasingly popular. The global nature of the pandemic has led to bottlenecks in supply chains, turnover, and orders. To learn more about the current situation, relayr, a global industrial internet of things (IIoT) company, worked with the research firm, forsa, to survey over 200 leaders in the US and Germany manufacturing industries. Topics ranged from how the crisis affects their operations and how they're dealing with challenges presented by the pandemic to their assessment of future economic development. Most respondents (67%) in the US say the crisis has had a somewhat negative or very negative impact on their businesses. Their biggest challenges are a decline in new orders (58%), their employees' concerns about a possible Covid-19 infection (56%), and a decrease in sales (54%). However, only 11% of US companies are seriously concerned about remaining in business. A complete business model overhaul was an option for only a few of the surveyed companies: 16% of US companies are planning to transform at the moment. However, a majority of those surveyed recognise that new business models, such as pay-per-use models ("equipment-as-a-service"), represent an advantage for both the supply and demand sides in the current crisis. In the US, 34% said pay-per-use models represent a big or a very big advantage, while 29% consider it a slight advantage. Almost half of the companies surveyed also stated that they use a pay-per-use model themselves (18%), offer it (15%), or do both (9%). The respondents are adopting various technologies to gain a competitive advantage. In the US, 38% of businesses are implementing predictive analytics, followed by big data (33%) and IIoT (32%). Of note, more German companies (47%) use IIoT and AI to gain a competitive advantage, while US manufacturers have higher usage rates of predictive analytics. These innovative technologies not only represent a fundamental advantage for the respective businesses but are especially beneficial in the current situation. Among the companies that use one or more of the listed technologies, 99% of the US respondents believe technology will help their company in the crisis. The first loosening of lockdown measures is already leading to positive effects. Since restrictions have lifted, 14% of US companies have felt a significant increase in demand for their products, and 45% have had a slight increase compared to the weeks before the easing. Half of the US companies surveyed expect their investment behaviours to be lower than 2019, while 14% are unsure. In contrast, just over a third (36%) plan to make investments at the same level or higher than last year. What measures have the surveyed companies taken to meet the challenges of the crisis? "Increased flexibility" was at the top of the list for US manufacturers (59%). Other top measures include improving customer service and relying on technical innovations to counteract the crisis's effects. Josef Brunner, CEO, relayr, said: "These unprecedented times and developments cannot be compared to anything in the recent past. Therefore, it's encouraging that the manufacturing industry is fairly optimistic about the future. It clearly shows modern technology, flexibility, and customer focus are extremely critical factors for economic success in general and for building resilience as a business. Thus, even in these unusual times, companies can build the most solid basis for shaping and securing their future and the future of the industry." -- Tradearabia News Service New York, July 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Australia Green Mining Market By Mining Type, By Technology, By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05916698/?utm_source=GNW Australia green mining market is projected to grow at a robust CAGR during the forecast period.The reason for the growth of the green mining market in Australia includes power reduction, fuel and maintenance reduction, emission reduction along with water conservation. Moreover, rising environmental concerns coupled with climate changes and its effects on the mining industry are some other key reasons due to which the Australia green mining market is anticipated to rev up over the coming years. Furthermore, expansion of the middle-class population in the developing economies along with rapid technological advancements is positively influencing the growth of green mining market in the country. Australia green mining market can be segmented based on mining type, technology, company and region.Based on mining type, the market can be segmented into surface and underground. Out of which, surface mining segment is estimated to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period, which can be attributed to the higher productivity and lower labour costs. In addition to this, open pit equipment offers large production scale, which is further anticipated to drive the segment growth during the coming years. Major players operating in the green mining market of Australia include Vale S.A, BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Rio Tinto, Dundee precious, Glencore Australia, Tata Steel, Freeport-McMoRan and others. The companies are developing advanced technologies in order to stay competitive in the market and to expand their geographic reach. Years considered for this report: Historical Years: 2015-2018 Base Year: 2019 Estimated Year: 2020 Forecast Period: 20212025 Objective of the Study: To analyze and forecast the market size of Australia green mining market. To classify and forecast Australia green mining market based on mining type, technology, company and regional distribution. To identify drivers and challenges for Australia green mining market. To examine competitive developments such as expansions, new product launches, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in Australia green mining market. To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in the Australia green mining market The analyst performed both primary as well as exhaustive secondary research for this study.Initially, the analyst sourced a list of companies across the region. Subsequently, the analyst conducted primary research surveys with the identified companies.While interviewing, the respondents were also enquired about their competitors. Through this technique, the analyst could include the manufacturers which could not be identified due to the limitations of secondary research. The analyst examined the suppliers, distribution channels and presence of all major companies across the region. The analyst calculated the market size of Australia green mining market using a bottom-up approach, where data for various end-user segments was recorded and forecast for the future years. The analyst sourced these values from the industry experts and company representatives and externally validated through analyzing historical data of these product types and applications for getting an appropriate, overall market size. Various secondary sources such as company websites, news articles, press releases, company annual reports, investor presentations and financial reports were also studied by the analyst. Key Target Audience: Green mining companies, contractors and other stakeholders Trade & industry associations, organizations, forums and alliances related to green mining market Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers Market research and consulting firms The study is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as manufacturers and partners, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities. Report Scope: In this report, Australia green mining market has been segmented into following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below: Market, by Mining Type: o Surface o Underground Market, by Technology: o Power Reduction o Fuel and Maintenance Reduction o Toxicity Reduction o Emission Reduction o Water Reduction Market, by Region: o New South Wales o Northern Territory o Queensland o South Australia o Tasmania o Victoria o Western Australia Competitive Landscape Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in Australia green mining market. Available Customizations: With the given market data, we offers customizations according to a companys specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report: Company Information Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five). Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05916698/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal With the pandemic shuttering all the major Santa Fe summer markets, Blue Rain Gallery is stepping in for devotional art. The 27-year-old showplace is offering a streamlined Spanish Market through Aug. 8 at 544 S. Guadalupe St. and at blueraingallery.com. Executive Director Denise Phetteplace has gathered works by eight artists with the help of famed Taos santero Victor Goler. The roster includes Alcario Otero, Lorrie Garcia, Marie Romero Cash, Jean Anaya Moya, Nicolas Otero, Frankie Lucero and Jose A. Lucero, as well as Goler. Each boasts a long history of exhibiting at Spanish Market. Los Lunas santero Alcario Otero created a series of bultos (carvings) and retablos (paintings) dedicated to Santo Nino de Atocha, Mary the Good Shepherdess and San Jose con Nino Jesus. His work is just so lovely and so beautifully executed, Phetteplace said. You can tell hes been doing this his entire life. His Santo Nino features the saint holding a traditional staff and drinking gourd, as well as a bread basket. The figure wears a cape with a shell, symbolic of the pilgrimage to St. James. Santa Fe native Marie Romero Cash, known for spicing her work with humor, alphabetized 28 saints. Its a wonderful little shrine or altar piece, Phettplace said. Its very simple and sweet. Theres more of a folk art quality to this piece. Galisteo artist Jean Anaya Moyas En el Rio is a relief carving on bass wood with gesso, natural mineral pigment, pinon sap varnish and wax buffing. Moya also is an award-winning straw applique artist The winged fisherman dangles a trout in one hand and his fishing pole in another. Cattails ascend the frame. Prev 1 of 4 Next I love the northern New Mexico setting, Phetteplace said. The multitalented Moya also created a streamlined treasure box with geometric straw applique. In this piece, she combines old materials with new. She uses soft pine, hand-carved designs, homemade gesso, wheat straw, corn husk and some natural pigments. Then she adds such modern materials as acrylic black paint, commercial glues and varnish. Its a beautiful little storage box, Phetteplace said, with every little detail attended to. Its very regal looking. Often referred to as the Picasso santero, the paintings of Jose Lucero dance across boundaries between traditional devotional art and outsider sensibilities. His work is part of the City of Santa Fe Art In Public Places Program. Goler carved a St. Abigail, the patron queen of bee keepers. Goler was raised in Santa Fe among a family of Latin American art conservators and restorers. He spent his early years apprenticing in the family conservation studios, where he was taught to carve. This is where his interest in saints developed. Later, he studied at the University of New Mexico, and earned a degree in graphics and advertising design from the Colorado Institute of Art. In 1986, Goler returned to Santa Fe to open a conservation and restoration studio, specializing in the repair of religious carvings from around the world, and became specifically involved with working with New Mexico santos. Golers work can be seen in the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, the Harwood Museum in Taos and in Santa Fes Museum of International Folk Art, as well as in churches across the country. The markets were cancelled this summer, Phetteplace said They provide the livelihood for these artists for the rest of the year. We wanted to give them an opportunity to have a show. Online Blue Rain Gallery is offering a version of the canceled Spanish Market at 544 S. Guadalupe St. or blueraingallery.com India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist Unlock 3.0: Cinema halls, gyms likely to open; Schools, metros to remain shut India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, July 27: With the unlock 2.0 nearing its end in July, the government is set to frame fresh guidelines for Unlock 3.0 which will come into force from August 1. In the third phase, a few more relaxations are being worked upon by the government. Reportedly, opening up of cinema halls and gyms has been proposed with strict SOPs to be followed, while schools and metro train services are likely to remain shut across the country. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) has passed a recommendation to the Union Home Ministry to allow the movie theatres across the country to reopen from August. Coronavirus cases have tripled in Rajasthan since July 1: Governor I&B secretary Amit Khare, as reported by news agency IANS, take up this matter at a closed-door meeting with the CII Media Committee on Friday. He, however, also said that the final decision on the reopening of theatres will be taken up by his counterpart in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ajay Bhalla. He also suggested an alternative formula to practice social distancing and other COVID norms. As per his recommendations, theatres will have alternate seats in the first row and then the next row to be kept vacant and proceeding in this fashion throughout. Though Centre allows lifting of further restrictions in unlock 3 notification, states will be given the freedom to continue with restrictions in the interest of public health. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News With 48,661 people testing positive for coronavirus infection in a day, India's Covid-19 tally climbed to 13,85,522 on Sunday, while the death toll rose to 32,063 with 705 new fatalities. The number of coronavirus cases has doubled in nearly three weeks since July 2, when the country crossed the six lakh-mark. The country's COVID tally touched the 10 lakh-mark last Friday. Sunday is the fourth consecutive day when COVID-19 cases increased by more than 45,000. Notably, as many as 36,145 patients have recuperated from Covid-19 in a span of 24 hours, the highest recorded in a day, pushing the recovery rate to 63.92 per cent. The total recoveries have surged to 8,85,576 so far, as India's Covid-19 tally climbed to 13,85,522 on Sunday. More patients are recovering and their total number exceeds active coronavirus infections by 4,17,694. U.S. congressional Democratic leaders Friday blamed Republicans for their "months-long disarray and delay" as the enhanced federal unemployment benefits millions of Americans rely upon are set to expire in a few days. "This weekend, millions of Americans will lose their Unemployment Insurance, will be at risk of being evicted from their homes, and could be laid off by state and local government, and there is only one reason: Republicans have been dithering for months while America's crisis deepens," U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said in a joint statement. "We had expected to be working throughout this weekend to find common ground on the next COVID response package. It is simply unacceptable that Republicans have had this entire time to reach consensus among themselves and continue to flail," the statement said. On Tuesday evening, Pelosi expressed her dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump's response to the novel coronavirus, dubbing COVID-19 the "Trump virus." "Well, I think with the president's comments today, he recognized the mistakes he has made by now embracing mask-wearing and the recognition this is not a hoax. It is a pandemic that has gotten worse before it will get better because of his inaction," Pelosi said in a CNN interview. "In fact, it is the Trump virus." Senate Republicans and the Trump administration have reached an agreement in principle on the next COVID-19 relief package, but the final proposal will be released next week as the Trump administration has requested additional time to review the fine details, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday. As part of the 2.2-trillion-U.S.-dollar coronavirus relief bill passed in March, Congress had agreed to provide extra 600-dollar unemployment benefits per week, which are set to expire at the end of this month. While Democrats desired to extend the extra 600-dollar unemployment benefits through January, the White House and Republicans held an opposite view, arguing that it has created a financial disincentive for people to return to work. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday that the administration will replace it with a roughly 70 percent match of a worker's wages before they were laid off. "As we've said before, we're not going to continue within its current form because we're not going to pay people more money to stay at home than work, but we want to make sure that the people that are out there that can't find jobs do get a reasonable wage replacement, so it will be based on approximately 70 percent wage replacement," Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC. U.S. lawmakers are under immense pressure to craft a new fiscal package as a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country, which surpassed 4 million on Thursday, threatens to derail the nascent economic recovery. As fall approaches and Oregon health officials wrestle with an ever-fluctuating tide of new coronavirus cases, school districts across the state have begun releasing their tentative plans for the coming academic year. State officials have made it clear all schools will have to offer students reliable learning opportunities but have said those can be all-online, fully in-person or a hybrid of the two. A rumor has been circulating on social media that the "Elztalhotel" would not allow guests from Luxembourg on their premises, even if they were in possession of a negative test. Ever since the Robert Koch Institute declared Luxembourg an at-risk zone for the coronavirus, rumours of German institutions prohibiting Luxembourgish travellers from staying have grown. The Elztalhotel initially shared a post on Facebook, in which it stated that even in possession of negative test results, Luxembourgish tourists would not be welcome. The hotel now released a follow-up statement to denounce any act of xenophobia in its decision process and explain how the institution was trying to adapt to the ever-changing situation. Officials had only recently received news that the German government would continue to allow Luxembourgish tourists to travel to the country if they had a negative test no older than 48 hours. They further communicated that they were still in contact with the administration to get official confirmation on the matter. Also, the school will work so that students stay with the same teacher throughout the course. That way, if someone does become ill, we wont necessarily need to shut down the entire school, just quarantine members of this one class, Minkhorst said. And everyone students, as well as instructors are required to wear masks. We know this is a difficult issue, and weve had some families tell us they would wait about enrolling in the school until things had returned to normal, Minkhorst said. We understand that they are doing what they think is best for them. Minkhorst said the schools curriculum has also been modified. All classes that involve close contact have been suspended, for example. We just cant be doing pas de deux and lifts and partnering as things are now, Minkhorst said. So our adult students will be doing a lot more solo work. The safety of our students and faculty is paramount, and were doing what we think is best to ensure that safety, she said. Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, a self-proclaimed descendant of the Mughals has offered a gold brick weighing one kilogram to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it could be used for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, reported ANI. Habeebuddin Tucy was also in news last year when he demanded to be appointed the caretaker of the Babri Masjid that once stood over the Ramjanmabhoomi land in Ayodhya, now handed over by the Supreme Court to the government for construction of a Ram Temple after prolonged court battle over the ownership of the land between Hindu and Muslim parties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone for the temple on August 5 at 12.15 pm, considered to be an auspicious occasion for starting the construction of the temple. Tucy said it was a matter of happiness that an issue involving the faith and emotions of over 100 crore Hindus had been resolved in an amicable way. My hearty congratulations to my Hindu brothers of India and the 1 kg gold brick that I promised is ready. I have asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for time to handover this gold brick to him, Tucy said in an interview to news agency ANI. Also Read: Ram temple bhoomi pujan can be done via video link: Uddhav Thackeray A century-long dispute over the site was resolved last year following the BJPs landslide election victory. In November, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the temple trust, saying that Muslim petitioners would be given five acres at an alternative site. Symbolism of Tucys offer can be understood in the context of the popular belief that the Mughals had originally razed the temple to build a mosque over it in the ancient city of Ayodhya. The Bhumi Pujan ceremony to be held on August 5 is planned to be celebrated with lighting of earthen lamps and decoration with flowers to recreate the Hindu festival of Diwali which marks the homecoming of Lord Rama after several years in exile. Several top leaders of the Central and state governments are also expected to attend the function in Ayodhya along with the proponents of the movement including LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradeshs chief minister had yesterday requested that temples in the city be cleaned and decorated before lighting of oil lamps in the evening. He also said the moment had arrived after 500-years of struggle. Also Read: Donations from all faiths to be accepted for Ram temple construction: Trust member Earlier today, a member of the Ram Temple Trust formed to oversee its construction and management on the instructions of the apex court had said that members of all communities were free to donate for the cause of temple construction. We will accept donations from whoever has devotion towards and faith in Lord Ram, Vishwaprasanna Teertha Swamy, head of Udupi-based Pejawar Mutt in Karnataka was quoted as saying by PTI. He was asked if contributions would be accepted from all communities and not just Hindus. The trust had earlier indicated that it will collect the money for temple construction through a nationwide campaign for donation and not ask for government funds. The seer quoted above added that it was suggested in the last meeting of the trust that a sum of Rs ten per head and Rs 100 from each household be collected as part of the effort. Its just a suggestion, its not like tax. Its kind of a road-map for people who are desirous of participating in the construction of the Mandir, the seer told PTI. KRONSTADT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th July, 2020) Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the city and naval base of Kronstadt on Sunday morning to review warships an hour before the Navy Day parade. The supreme commander-in-chief boarded a vessel to review warships standing in parade formation in the Gulf of Finland. "I congratulate you on the Navy Day," Putin greeted the crews. The Naval Day is annually celebrated in Russia on the last Sunday of July. During the parade, the country will showcase both cutting edge and historic vessels. AKRON, Ohio A criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday that accuses FirstEnergy Corp. of bribing Ohio Rep. Larry Householder, speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, and four others to secure a bailout of the utilitys nuclear plants, refers to high level company employees but not by name. RELATED: Meet the man who helped the FBI expose Ohio House Speaker Larry Householders alleged $60M bribery scheme Even FirstEnergy is referred to discreetly as Company A, although its clear that the complaint is referencing the Akron-based utility. The company has acknowledged receiving subpoenas related to the investigation into House Bill 6, the nuclear bailout bill that Householder helped shepherd through the legislature in 2019. Details in the criminal complaint also clearly point to the identity of two company officials that are mentioned. The complaint states that from February 2017 to July 2019, Householder had 84 phone contacts with FirstEnergys CEO, 14 phone contacts with FirstEnergy Service Co.s Vice President of External Affairs, and 188 contacts with FirstEnergys Ohio Director of State Affairs. The CEO is clearly Chuck Jones, who has been with FirstEnergy and subsidiary companies since 1978, according to FirstEnergys website. He was promoted to president and CEO in 2015. In a teleconference on Friday to update investors on company earnings and the investigation into Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, Jones said, I think that the CEO referenced in some of the affidavit wasnt me. I dont know who it was, but it was not me, and Ive never made a payment directly to a lobbyist in my life, nor asked any lobbyist to make a payment on behalf of our company in my life. FirstEnergy CEO Charles Jones commented publicly for the first time Thursday about the federal case that connects the company to a $60 million bribery conspiracy to secure a $1.3 billion bailout for two Ohio nuclear power plants. The complaint also says Company A actively sought a legislative solution for its two nuclear power plants in Ohio, as evidenced by a quote from Company A Corp. President and CEO from a fourth-quarter 2016 earnings call. That quote can be attributed to FirstEnergy President and CEO Charles Jones, according to a report at the time by POWER Magazine. Information contained in the complaint also points to one of the other company officials as Michael Dowling, senior vice president of external affairs. The complaint makes several references to Householder having calls with the Sr. VP of External Affairs for Company A Service Co. FirstEnergys website lists Michael J. Dowling as the Senior Vice President, External Affairs, FirstEnergy Service Company. Michael J. Dowling, senior vice president of external affairs at FirstEnergy. Dowling became the senior vice president of external affairs in 2011 after being promoted multiple times in roles that oversaw FirstEnergys governmental involvement on federal, state and local levels. As for the reference to FirstEnergys Ohio director of state affairs, the connection is not as clear. The job title does not appear to exactly match any searches for FirstEnergy employees. A LinkedIn profile shows a FirstEnergy employees job title in 2018, at the time of the Householder phone calls, as Director, State Regulatory Affairs Ohio. This employees name is also registered with the State of Ohio as a lobbyist for FirstEnergy. When asked whether this person held this job in 2018, a FirstEnergy spokeswoman said she could not disclose information about employees. Trump President Donald Trump speaks during an event to sign executive orders on lowering drug prices, in the South Court Auditorium in the White House complex, Friday, July 24, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON (AP) Unable to land the big deal with Congress to curb drug costs, President Donald Trump has moved on his own to allow imports of cheaper medicines, along with other limited steps that could have some election-year appeal. At a White House ceremony Friday, Trump signed four executive orders. One was about importation. The others would direct drugmaker rebates straight to patients, provide insulin and EpiPens at steep discounts to low-income people, and use lower international prices to pay for some Medicare drugs. Trump cast his directives as far-reaching, but they mostly update earlier administration ideas that have not yet gone into effect. Im unrigging the system that is many decades old, he declared, promising massive savings. Consumers may not notice immediate changes, since the orders must be carried out by the federal bureaucracy and could face court challenges. Democrats, meanwhile, are eager to draw a contrast between Trump and their own sweeping plans to authorize Medicare to negotiate lower prices with pharmaceutical companies, an idea the president had backed as a candidate. A bill by Speaker Nancy Pelosi already passed the House and aligns with presidential candidate Joe Biden's approach. Friday's event was definitely not the bill-signing the White House had once hoped for. Trump came into office complaining that pharmaceutical companies were getting away with murder and promising to bring them under control. Nearly four years later, things are much the same despite some recent moderation in price increases. Trump pulled his punches, Pelosi said in a statement. After promising that he would negotiate like crazy for lower prescription drug prices, it is clear that President Trump meant not negotiate at all, she said, adding that if Trump is serious about lowering prices he should tell Senate Republicans to pass her bill. A drive to enact major legislation this year stalled in Congress. Although Trump told Republican senators that lowering prescription prices is something you have to do, many remain reluctant to use federal authority to force drugmakers to charge less. Story continues Meanwhile, congressional Democrats calculate that the election will strengthen their hand, and they'll finally be able to enact a law that authorizes Medicare to negotiate prices directly. Neither side in Congress has had an incentive to deal, and the White House has been unable to work Trump's will. Last year the House did pass Pelosi's Medicare negotiations bill, which would have capped out-of-pocket drug costs for older people and expanded program benefits as well. It had no path forward in the Republican Senate, and the White House calls it unworkable. But there was an alternative. A bipartisan Senate bill backed by Trump stopped short of giving Medicare bargaining power, but would have limited annual price increases and capped costs for older people. The bill passed out of a Senate committee but was never brought to the full body. Its not clear why the administration hasnt made a bigger push to line up votes to get a bill through the Senate and a deal with Congress, given strong public support to lower drug costs, said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Americans remain worried about drug costs, with nearly 9 in 10 saying in a recent Gallup-West Health poll that they're concerned the pharmaceutical industry will take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to raise prices. Another Gallup-West Health survey found 65% saying the Trump administration had made little or no progress limiting increases in prescription drug costs. It's a particularly important issue for older people, who rely on medications to manage the medical problems associated with advancing age. Trump's support has eroded among the elderly during the haphazard federal response to COVID-19. Drugmakers remain adamantly opposed to government efforts to curb prices. Trump's administration "has decided to pursue a radical and dangerous policy to set prices based on rates paid in countries that he has labeled as socialist, which will harm patients today and into the future," Stephen Ubl, head of the pharmaceutical lobby, said in a statement. Trump delayed the effective date of the international pricing order for a month, to see if he can get a deal with industry. The four orders would: Allow states, wholesalers and pharmacies to import FDA-approved drugs from foreign countries and sell them in the U.S. Trump has long complained that countries where the government sets the price of drugs are taking advantage of American consumers. The order includes a special provision to allow wholesalers and pharmacies to re-import insulin and biological drugs. Use the lowest price among other economically advanced countries to set what Medicare pays for certain drugs administered in a doctor's office, including many cancer medications. This would apply to the most expensive medications covered by Medicare's Part B, which pays for outpatient care. Drugmakers are particularly leery of the approach, since Democrats want to use it more broadly to allow Medicare to directly negotiate prices. Direct federally funded community health centers to pass discounts they now get for insulin and EpiPens directly to low-income patients. Ensure that rebates drugmakers now pay to benefit managers and insurers get passed directly to patients when they buy a medication. The White House last year withdrew an earlier version of the proposal, after the Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost taxpayers $177 billion over 10 years. Largest US public university system requires ethnic studies Ethnic and social justice studies will join English and science courses as graduation requirements at California State University, after the Board of Trustees at the nations largest four-year public university system approved the idea Wednesday. The change made amid the national reckoning over racism and police brutality will take effect in three years and represent the first change to the schools general education curriculum in over 40 years. Meanwhile, the state Legislature is considering a bill to require ethnic studies, a more narrowly focused proposal that wouldnt count social justice classes. If passed and signed by the governor, the measure would overrule the action by California State University, a possible scenario denounced by school leaders as an intrusion into academia. ADVERTISEMENT The Assembly has to review minor amendments before the bill could be sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom. The plan approved by California State University trustees allows students to choose from a wider array of ethnic studies topics to fulfill the course requirement than the Legislatures bill. It lets students take courses on social justice that explore issues such as the criminal justice system and public health disparities. Its grounded in ethnic studies, but it is broader, more inclusive, gives students choice, Chancellor Timothy White said before voting in favor of the change. Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, a San Diego Democrat and former professor, authored the Legislatures bill. While trustees and legislators agree on the need for more ethnic studies, Weber and supporters of her proposal say the mandate adopted by the university system is weaker because it allows social justice classes. This is not a requirement for ethnic studies, trustee Silas Abrego said ahead of the vote. He was one of the few members to vote against the plan, saying the ethnic studies faculty was not consulted on the proposal. He favors Webers bill. Her bill would take effect in the 2021-2022 academic year and require students to take one course focusing on Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans or Latina and Latino Americans. ADVERTISEMENT The universitys proposal would take effect in the 2023-2023 academic year. The universitys plan would cost $3 million to $4 million, while the bill is estimated to need $16 million for implementation. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who sits on the Cal State board, voted against the proposal. He spoke in favor of the bills approach to the four ethnic groups. As chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, Weber has written that her legislation was prompted because the university was too slow on setting a requirement after announcing ethnic studies plans almost five years ago. She noted the California Faculty Association supports her bill. The association, which represents 29,000 faculty members at California State University, has said the aim should be teaching students about the experiences of minorities and people of color in the U.S. Trustee Lateefah Simon called the schools proposal exhaustive and thoughtful but voted against it, saying its social justice umbrella approach might allow students to forgo ethnic studies curricula. Grounded aircraft with high fuel loads are still a serious fire risk at Australia's major airports even though they are flying radically reduced schedules due to COVID-19, the United Firefighters Union of Australia has said while warning against further staffing cuts. But Airservices Australia countered that it would "always ensure it has the appropriate staffing numbers to meet [Civil Aviation Safety Authority] requirements and to ensure the safety of the travelling public". Qantas planes grounded at Avalon Airport. Credit:Jason South Federal agency Airservices Australia has foreshadowed job cuts among emergency staff in its Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting Services after already reducing numbers by enforcing leave to lower costs. The union claims further cuts would mean firefighting capacity at Australia's airports would fall below international best practice. For this 26-year-old from Rohtak, it was the opportunity to play a part in potentially saving lives that drove him to volunteer for the human trials of Covaxin, the vaccine that India is currently pinning its hopes on amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Having received the first dose (0.5ml) of the vaccine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, on July 17, he is waiting for the second dose to be administered on July 31. I had once appeared for the Army recruitment drive but couldnt pass it but this is my chance to do my bit in saving lives, the way the men on the border do. Doctors say that if this vaccine passes the test and we (volunteers) dont develop any adverse effects, it could save crores of lives, he says. The sense of service comes to him from his family, he says. I belong to a family of blood donors and my entire family is into social service. We organise blood donation camps, eye donation camps etc. Ask him how he found out about the trials, he says, I read in a newspaper that PGIMS was looking for volunteers for human trials. After discussing it with my father, I called PGIMS and appeared for the tests on July 14 and was selected for the trial. He adds that he is fit and has so far not developed any side effects. He adds that he was able to travel to Madhya Pradesh just two days after the trial and is now back to normal routine. The 26-year-old adds that a team of doctors from PGIMS calls him about three to four times a day to check up on his health. I am eagerly waiting for July 31 when I will get the second dose of the vaccine, which is very important for the trial, he adds. T he Mayor of Luton and two other councillors were pictured breaking lockdown rules at a party just days before Public Health England issued a warning about a rise of coronavirus cases in the town. Pictures shared on Facebook showed Mayor Tahir Malik and councillors Waheed Akbar and Asif Masood at an outdoor gathering on Tuesday with nine other men. Current Covid-19 guidance from the Government allows gatherings of only up to six people. Few of the men at the gathering are wearing face masks in the pictures and in one image Mr Malik is seen with a mask hanging below his face. It comes after Luton joined Blackburn, Darwen and Leicester at the top of Public Health England's Covid-19 watchlist. According to the latest data on the rolling seven-day rate of new cases in local authorities, the rate of infections in Luton has jumped from 23.4 to 37.4 cases per 100,000 people. The pictures sparked outrage from residents as more than a hundred people signed a petition calling for the Mayor to resign. 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 Kieran Jones who launched the petition wrote: "This disregard for the rules from members of the council from people in positions of power who should be leading by example shows a complete lack of respect for the town and the people that live here and sets a precedent that leads other to do the same thing... this is the exact reason Covid levels are so high in our town." In a statement to Luton Today the three Labour councillors apologised "unreservedly to the people of Luton" for their breach of the lockdown rules. "We attended what we believed was going to be a small socially distanced gathering, in line with the Government guidelines," they said in the statement. Loading.... "During the course of the event, the arrival of additional guests meant the rules were breached. "We should have left immediately, and it is a matter of sincere regret for each of us that we did not do so. "It is all of our responsibility to follow the guidelines. We are sorry that we did not live up to the standards that are rightly expected of us." Here is the list in full, showing the rate of new cases in the seven days to July 21, followed by the equivalent figure for the previous seven days to July 14. A spokesman for Luton Borough Council added: "The council has received complaints concerning the alleged conduct of three councillors. "We take all such complaints extremely seriously and an investigation into their alleged behaviour will be started and a decision arrived at. "The council has recently re-issued its guidance concerning coronavirus and expects everyone to follow this in order to stop the spread of the virus and save lives." Labour's Chief Whip is investigating the lockdown breach. A spokesman from the eastern branch of the local Labour Party said it was important "for those in positions of authority to be setting the right example". "It is essential that everybody follows social distancing measures in order to protect the public from Covid-19," the spokesman told Luton Today. "The Labour Party investigates all complaints received and where rules have been breached, action will be taken in line with the Labour Party's processes." New York, 26 July 2020 (SPS) - The Polisario Front's Representative to the United Nations, Sidi Mohamed Omar, denounced on Friday Morocco's constant recourse to "blackmail" in the implementation of UN resolutions on the Sahrawi issue, arguing that the only path sought by Rabat is the "indefinite irresolution of the conflict" in Western Sahara. Faced with the failure of the Security Council to ensure the implementation of its resolutions on Western Sahara, Sidi Omar said that "the only solution sought by the Moroccan regime is the indefinite irresolution of the conflict while it persists in its vain attempts to normalize its illegal occupation of certain parts of Western Sahara." He also pointed to "Morocco's constant recourse to blackmail" and the policy of "empty threats as a means of concealing the fact that it has no real political will" to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in accordance with UN resolutions and its doctrine on decolonisation. "The UN-sponsored peace process in Western Sahara, launched in 1991, is now completely paralysed because of Morocco's obstructionism on the one hand, and the tendency of some parties in the Security Council and the UN Secretariat to link the entire peace process to the appointment of a new personal envoy on the other, which is only a pretext for taking no action or initiative in this regard," he stressed. As for the delay in appointing a new personal envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara to replace former German President Horst Kohler, who resigned in May 2019, Sidi Omar said that the main reason is "the preconditions" that Morocco has set itself regarding potential candidates. In this context, the Sahrawi diplomat reaffirmed the position of the Polisario that "the appointment of a new UN envoy is not an end in itself." (SPS) 062/SPS/700 Twice as many women than men will have wage subsidy payments halved from late-September as the federal government's JobKeeper scheme cuts the $1500-a-fortnight boost to $750 for part-time workers. Nationally, 22 per cent of women work fewer than 20 hours a week compared to 10.6 per cent of men, data analysed by the Parliamentary Library supplied by the Greens shows. The federal government has extended JobKeeper through to March 2021 but cut the rates paid. Credit:Jason South, Alex Ellinghausen A similar gender gap is represented across the capital cities and regional areas, including in Greater Sydney where 9.6 per cent of men work part-time, compared to 19.3 per cent of women. In Greater Melbourne 10.7 per cent of men work up to 20 hours a week compared to 21.7 per cent of women. The federal government's extension of the JobKeeper scheme, which has helped keep 700,000 people out of the Centrelink queue, has expanded the scheme from $70 billion to $86 billion by keeping the payments going until March 2021. Members of the NFAC in Louisville. Brett Carlsen / Getty A trainee in an armed militia group, NFAC (Not F---ing Around Coalition), accidentally fired her gun at a Breonna Taylor protest in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday. Three other members from the militia group were injured and rushed to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Louisville Metro's interim Chief of Police Robert Schroeder said there are no outstanding suspects, and the investigation is ongoing. The leader of the group, John "Grand Master Jay" Johnson said, "We're dealing with humans who make mistakes." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Three members of an armed militia group were rushed to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries in Lousiville, Kentucky on Saturday at a Breonna Taylor protest after a militia member's firearm accidentally fired. John "Grand Master Jay" Johnson, the founder of NFAC (Not F---ing Around Coalition), told ABC News that they were inspecting firearms when a trainee accidentally fired hers. "Today, shortly before 1:00 pm, three people were struck by gunfire as the result of a discharge of someone's gun who was participating in the NFAC demonstration at Baxter Park," Louisville Metro's interim Chief of Police Robert Schroeder said in a statement to ABC News. "Louisville Division of Fire and LMEMS arrived a short time later and transported all three victims to the University of Louisville Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All involved are members of the NFAC and there are no outstanding suspects." NFAC is a militant group that dresses in all black and carries assault weapons to call for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor, who was shot in her home by police officers in March. The Black Lives Matter organization in Louisville has distanced itself from NFAC, calling the group "outside agitators." Story continues "I believe that everyone should exercise the utmost responsibility when handling firearms, but then again, we're dealing with humans who make mistakes," Johnson told ABC News. The investigation is ongoing. Read the original article on Insider For a while, it seemed that TikTok might dodge the techlash. After all, what could be problematic about a short-form video app featuring a bunch of teenagers and 20-somethings doing choreographed dances, roller skating, hanging out in influencer mansions and cutting into photorealistic cakes? The answer turns out to be: Plenty. In the past year, as it has become one of the most popular apps in the world, TikTok has accumulated many of the same problems that other large-scale social networks have. In addition to all the harmless Gen Z fun, there are TikTok conspiracy theories, TikTok misinformation and TikTok extremism. There are even activists using TikTok to influence our elections, including a network of teenagers and K-pop fans who claimed they used the app to sabotage President Trumps rally in Tulsa, Okla., last month by registering for tickets under false identities. All of this might have been overlooked or forgiven, except for one fact. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, one of the largest tech companies in China. TikToks Chinese ownership has become a subject of intense scrutiny by lawmakers, regulators and privacy activists in recent weeks. Mr. Trump is considering taking steps to ban the app in the United States. Companies including Wells Fargo, and government agencies including the Transportation Security Administration, have instructed their employees to delete TikTok from their work phones because of concerns that it could be used for surveillance or espionage. Advertisement President Vladimir Putin said the Russian navy will get 40 new ships this year, as he attended a naval parade in St Petersburg on Sunday marking the country's Navy Day. The parade in the port city and the nearby town of Kronshtadt featured 200 ships and vessels and over 4,000 troops and aimed to 'demonstrate the growing power of our navy,' Putin said on Friday. He said 40 ships of different classes will enter service this year, and that the Russian navy will be equipped with hypersonic weapons to boost its combat capabilities. Opening the parade, he said that 'six more vessels for the far-sea zone were laid down at Russia's three leading shipyards' in the past few days. The Kremlin has made military modernization its top priority amid tensions with the West that followed Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Similar parades marking Russia's Navy Day on Sunday took place in the Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsk, Sevastopol in the annexed Crimea, the seaport towns of Severomorsk and Baltiysk, Kaspirsk in the south of Russia and the port city of Tartus in Syria. Russia's President Vladimir Putin (centre), Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov (left), Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, and Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (right) inspect warships in the Kronstadt roadstead on board a Raptor boat ahead of a military parade on Russian Navy Day Russian servicemen march during a military parade on Russian Navy Day. The event is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of July Russian warships sail during the Navy Day parade in Kronstadt near Saint Petersburg, Russia, today as part of the day's celebrations Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to attend the military parade during the Navy Day celebration in St Petersburg, Russia, today Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Commander of the Western Military District of Russian Armed Forces Alexander Zhuravlyov are pictured aboard the Raptor patrol boat before the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg Earlier this week Putin attended a ceremony of keel-laying of new warships in Crimea and pledged to continue an ambitious program of building new warships, saying that Russia needs a strong navy to defend its interests and 'help maintain a strategic balance and global stability.' Traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of July, the Navy Day is a national holiday in the Russian Federation that honours the sailors in units of the Russian Navy and its specialised arms. Vladimir Putin and Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu were photographed on board a Raptor boat in the Kronstadt roadstead ahead of inspecting warships participating in the military parade. Putin did not specify when Russia would receive new hypersonic weapons, but suggested that day was drawing closer. 'The widespread deployment of advanced digital technologies that have no equals in the world, including hypersonic strike systems and underwater drones, will give the fleet unique advantages and increased combat capabilities,' Putin said. The Nakhimovets counter sabotage boat takes part in a military parade on Russian Navy Day. The Navy Day is a national holiday in the Russian Federation Russian servicemen take part in a military parade on Russian Navy Day. The event honours the sailors in units of the Russian Navy and its specialised arms Combat divers take part in a military parade on Russian Navy Day. The parade in the port city and the nearby town of Kronshtadt featured 200 ships and vessels and over 4,000 troops A Tupolev Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft (left) and a Sukhoi Su-33 fighter aircraft take part in a military parade on Russian Navy Day Russian servicemen take part in a military parade by the monument to the Sunken Ships on Russian Navy Day on Sunday In a separate statement released via Russian news agencies, the defence ministry said testing of the Belgorod, the first submarine capable of carrying the Poseidon drones, was underway and testing of the weapons systems was nearing completion. 'Work is being successfully completed to create modern weapons systems for the Navy,' it was cited as saying. Putin last year threatened to deploy hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines that could lurk outside U.S. territorial waters if the United States moved to deploy intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe. Washington has not deployed such missiles in Europe, but Moscow is worried it might. Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, also attended the event in a traditional navy outfit. Putin also gave a speech at the event where hundreds of soldiers sailed in small missile ships to celebrate the day. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday: 'Overall, the festivities will involve about 200 warships of various classes, more than 100 items of combat hardware, up to 80 aircraft and about 15,000 personnel.' Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to attend the military parade during the Navy Day celebration in St Petersburg, Russia today The Kalmykia anti-submarine ship (front) takes part in Russian Navy Day celebrations. Russia is commemorating its annual Navy Day with a major military parade in St Petersburg, involving around 200 warships The crew aboard the Kalmykia anti-submarine ship during Russian Navy Day celebrations on Sunday in the port city of St Petersburg The Vladimir Yemelyanov minesweeper (left) and the Dimitrovgrad large missile boat take part in a military parade on Russian Navy Day Russian Navy landing ship Petr Morgunov takes part in the 'Russia Navy Day' parade in St Petersburg, Russia on Sunday, as Putin announces Russia will get more military ships The Chuvashia missile boat (Project 1241) is pictured in the Kronstadt roadstead ahead of a military parade on Russian Navy Day The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) does not want condotels converted into houses and does not want to grant red books (land-use right certificates) to all apartments. But the legal documents of the Ministry of Construction (MOC) and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) are unclear about condotels. MPS against, MOC doesnt prohibit Deputy Minister of Construction on July 16 said MOC doesnt prohibit conversion of condotels into houses, but the current laws on housing lack regulations on the conversion of the functions of commercial works in general, and condotels to houses. Therefore, project developers who want to convert condotels into houses have to consider their ideas carefully and strictly comply with current regulations on investment, urban planning and construction; and ensure conformity with approved construction planning, land use planning, and local housing development planning, as well as the local technical and social infrastructure conditions. The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) does not want condotels converted into houses and does not want to grant red books (land-use right certificates) to all apartments. Meanwhile, MPS strongly protests against the conversion of condotels into houses. The ministry has named a series of real estate firms which have announced they have temporarily stopped paying profit to condotel buyers as committed. Thanh Do Investment Development and Construction JSC, for example, has failed to pay profits as committed, citing financial difficulties. MPS has recently sent a report to the Prime Minister about the legal problems related to condotels and officetels. It cited a report of the Vietnam Real Estate Association (VNREA) as showing that there are 83,000 condotels, 28,000 tourism villas, more than 12,600 hotel rooms and 15,600 shophouses, mostly located in Hanoi, HCM City, Quy Nhon, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Da Nang, Kien Giang and Quang Ninh. There are 16,523 offictels. It pointed out that the investment, trade and transfer of these types of properties have been carried out under many complicated forms. Meanwhile, the current legal framework is not good enough, with many loopholes existing, thus causing difficulties for state management, risks for buyers and affecting economic security and social order. According to MPS, the current regulations dont clearly stipulate the subjects to be granted the certificates on property (condotel and tourism villa) ownership. The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE), in a legal document, only says the land to build condotel, officetel and sea villas is commercial land and the products meet the requirements to be transferred under the Real Estate Business Law. However, MONRE doesnt say clearly to whom the property (condotel, offictel and tourism villa) ownership certificates should be granted the investors of the projects or to each apartment. If certificates are granted to each buyer of projects, security problems will arise. The unclear regulation on granting red books may pose threats to credit institutions safety, because most condotel projects are used as mortgage by investors at banks for loans. Kim Chi Investors return to condotel market, with caution Investors have once again shown interest in condotels as the legal issues for this kind of real estate product have been clarified. However, the market remains cool. A fashion blogger has wowed social media users after transforming her small, dingy bathroom into a stunning pink wet-room. Kate Spiers, from Glasgow, shared before-and-after snaps of the space on Twitter, explaining that she had been able to plan the incredible renovation with 'lots of moodboards, measuring and online bathroom design tools'. She switched the drab flooring for a geometric 'millennial pink' tiles, and painted the walls with a warm cream colour, before adding blush furnishings, hanging plants and gold accents. Kate Spiers, from Glasgow, left social media users wowed after transformation her bathroom from a drab monochrome space into a stunning wet-room (pictured, before) The fashion blogger, who often shares snaps of her home on her Instagram page @Katie.lavie, renovated the space into a millennial pink haven Her tweet about the transformation quickly went viral, with social media users saying they were wowed by the stunning room makeover. The fashion blogger, who is also presenter for Scotland's Home of the Year, often shares snaps of her renovations on her Instagram page @kate.lavie. Kate shared tweets about her room transformation online, tweeting: 'After/before/during of our new bathroom. What a project!' The incredible makeover wowed social media users, with over 12.4k liking her tweet in just days. Kate transformed the room with a lick of paint, and a selection of beautifully detailed geometric patterned tiles to create a modern space. Kate, who is also presenter for BBC show Scotland's Home of the Year, wowed social media users with the renovation project. The pretty pink tiles and brushed gold fittings have transformed the bathroom She added a selection of plants to the walls and decorated the space with vases full of dry flowers. As well as the incredible before-and-after snaps of the space, she posted a picture during the renovation, revealing the extent to which the room had been torn apart. Other social media users were wowed by the room transformation, with one commenting: 'The result is amazing!! Seriously you guys did a great job. 'The things you can do with a little creativity...and I absolutely LOVE that you have plants in there.' The fashion blogger and presenter also shared snaps of the renovation as it was underway, revealing the original bathroom had been completely ripped out Another added: 'Fantastic use of the space and to have fitted in a shower too! A great way to water the plants at the same time aha.' A third wrote: 'What a stunning transformation! I also live in a Glasgow tenement and never thought it could be turned into a wet room. Also love the pink.' 'Can't wait to have my own house and have it all in my way,' one commented. 'How do you even start something like this?' one added, 'It is absolutely amazing.' A rubbish lorry has been set on fire as protesters faced off with police in Virginia during a demonstration in support of protesters in Portland, Oregon. Police worked to clear the crowd of a several hundred protesters late on Saturday and declared an unlawful assembly at around 11pm local time. What appeared to be tear gas was deployed to disperse the group. Protesters had been planning the demonstration called Richmond Stands With Portland for days, news outlets reported, in an apparent reaction to ongoing tensions between protesters and US agents at the federal courthouse in Oregons largest city. Police are thought to have deployed tear gas (James H Wallace/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP) Weeks of nationwide unrest have struck several US cities since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25. Saturdays protest in Richmond started at a park and then demonstrators marched to police headquarters, according to news outlets. Police tweeted a photo of rocks, batteries and other items the department said were thrown at its officers during the protest. A video also showed an officer setting a mattress on fire in the middle of a road. Glass windows were also shattered at a Chipotle restaurant and accommodation at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. HELENA, Mont. A Montana county became the latest battleground in the debate over face masks after local residents pushed back against stricter rules in a virtual face-off with public health officials. The scene in Gallatin County, located near Yellowstone National Park echoed confrontations that have played out in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, where local officials imposed new mask rules and were met with fierce resistance from those citing Constitutional reasons against wearing them. Mask opponents in Gallatin County sent hundreds of written comments and dominated a six-hour virtual hearing largely focused on whether to adopt a local mask mandate. That didnt stop health officials from approving measures Friday that go further than a statewide rule issued by Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock last week. Some choked up as they spoke Friday. Two women said that wearing a mask triggers memories of sexual abuse they experienced as children, and that they have faced backlash for not wearing a mask in public. Bobbi Robinson, of Belgrade, said she has experienced panic attacks while grocery shopping with a mask. Having a mask on my face suffocates me just as the pedophile suffocated me, Robinson said. Both the statewide and local mandate include exemptions for those with medical conditions. Health experts say masks can prevent the spread of the coronavirus by catching virus-containing respiratory droplets expelled when people exhale or cough. Face coverings are promoted as vital to the resumption of economic activity and the reopening of schools. The Gallatin County mandate will require students in grades 6-12 to wear a face covering in all schools, including private schools. It also requires mask use on construction sites and in lines outside of businesses. Fridays meeting was held after an in-person meeting was canceled when members of the public refused to observe social distancing. Around 200 people gathered at the original meeting, which could only accommodate 100 people keeping distance, according to county officials. Some chanted, my body, my choice when the sheriff asked them to leave. Some people seemed more interested in disruption and hostility, said Matt Kelley, Gallatin County health officer. Across the U.S., meetings have been disrupted or postponed amid outrage over virus-related restrictions. In Idaho, a health board meeting held via teleconference to discuss a mask mandate was canceled after 50 protesters showed up, some forcing their way into the building, KTVB7 reported. A postponed Utah meeting on a statewide mask regulation in schools received national attention after people packed the room, few of them in masks. A Montana meeting on wastewater regulations was scuttled in early July over objections to social distancing rules, the Ravalli Republic reported. The public health officer resigned after police refused to issue citations for violating the state mask order. Bullock, Montanas Democratic governor, said he believed masks were becoming more acceptable as people realize their potential benefits in curbing rising infection rates. He said enforcement was less important. Its not the directives that will guide things; its peoples behavior, he said. A public records requested filed by the Associated Press showed that Bullocks office received nearly 800 calls against the mask directive after he issued it last week, more than double the number of comments in support. Gallatin County critics said they plan to soldier on. You have lit a fire under the silent majority, and let me tell you, we are not going away, said Brooke Carlson. Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON, July 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, 100 days from the General Election, When We All Vote released a video message from Michelle Obama calling on all eligible voters to get registered, organized and take action with When We All Vote. In the video message, Mrs. Obama announced that When We All Vote is launching a Week of Action from September 20th to 27th to mobilize a national network of volunteers around voter registration and turnout. When We All Vote has registered more than 100,000 people to vote, and set a goal to register over 100,000 more in the lead up to the General Election. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, nationwide there has been a dip in voter registration and When We All Vote is working diligently to help fill the gap as a digitally focused organization. When We All Vote is meeting eligible voters where they are through virtual events, digital grassroots organizing and strong community and corporate partnerships. The results of this work include: More than 100,000 people registered to vote; Over one million eligible voters reached through successful digital events, including the #CouchParty with DJ D-Nice, virtual prom with MTV to celebrate the Class of 2020 and the virtual Roots Picnic ; through successful digital events, including the with DJ D-Nice, to celebrate the Class of 2020 and the ; More than 20,000 people trained to be Voting Squad Captains ; ; More than 8,000 students and educators signed up for the My School Votes program, and 700 students trained as ambassadors ; and signed up for the program, and ; and Over 250 organizations are When We All Vote partners focused on increasing participation and turnout in November, including The Links, Incorporated, Children's Defense Fund and National Urban League. Everyone can register to vote, and everyone can sign up to help get their community registered now and during the Week of Action in September today at weall.vote/100days . Watch Mrs. Obama's full video message here . A full transcript of her remarks is included below. FULL TRANSCRIPT Hey everybody! It's official we are just 100 days out from the 2020 election! And with everything that's been going on this year, this election could not be more important for the future of our country. So all that good work you've been doingall the outreach... the voter registration parties... the efforts to make sure no American has to choose between their health or their vote on Election Daythat work is more important than ever before. Because every American deserves to have their voice heard at the ballot box... every American deserves to have a say in the future of this country we all love. So keep that foot on the gas! First, let's make sure everyone we know is registered and ready to vote come November. Then, take it a step further by signing up at WhenWeAllVote.org to participate in our Week of Action this September. That's when we'll be activating our nationwide network of volunteers to get engaged and get more people registered to vote than ever before. I hope you'll join us. We've only got 100 days left and we've got to direct every ounce of energy we have into making sure everyone we know understands the importance of their voice and their vote. I know that you all understand that let's make sure that everyone in our communities does, too. Thanks again everybodynow let's get this done. ABOUT When We All Vote: When We All Vote is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit that brings together citizens, institutions, brands, and organizations to increase participation in every election. Launched by Michelle Obama, the organization is committed to closing the race and age voting gap and empowering all eligible voters to cast their ballot by harnessing grassroots energy, establishing strategic partnerships, and implementing digital organizing strategies, with the ultimate goal of changing the culture around voting. Michelle Obama is joined in this effort by fellow Co-Chairs Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, Selena Gomez, Liza Koshy, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, and Rita Wilson. In the leadup to the 2018 Midterm Elections, When We All Vote organized over 2,500 local voter registration events across the country, engaged 200 million Americans online about the significance of voting, and texted nearly four million voters the resources to register and get out to vote. In 2020, When We All Vote is helping to lead in voter education, registration and volunteer engagement. In response to COVID-19, When We All Vote is leading the fight for fair and safe elections by supporting the expansion of access to vote-by-mail, early in-person voting and online voter registration so every American can make their voices heard on Election Day. SOURCE When We All Vote Related Links whenweallvote.org https://www.aish.com/sp/pg/The-Bad-Habit-We-All-Need-to-Eliminate.html This is the time we need to work on judging fairly and accurately. There's a good chance at various points in your day, you've engaged in lots of judgment. You may have judged how someone looks or dresses, judged how he speaks, what he says or even how he eats. Maybe you judged someone for running late, for the position she has taken on something or for something she has failed to do. This pandemic has understandably brought out even more judgment from us in ways and about things we never imagined. It is hard not to judge those in leadership on all levels and on all sides for their responses. It is difficult not to judge friends and family for their level of commitment to observe guidelines. In a way it reminds me of a comedians observation: Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? Being judgmental feeds anxiety and depression, and negatively impacts overall wellbeing. Being judgmental is not only unfair to others, it is also terribly unfair to ourselves. Research shows that being judgmental feeds anxiety and depression, and negatively impacts overall wellbeing. When we are judged, we reflexively feel it has been unfairly with a failure to see the whole picture or understand our side of the story. If we want others to give us the benefit of the doubt, we must be willing to reciprocate. In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the Jewish people of the appointment of judges. I instructed your judges at that time saying, listen among your brethren and judge righteously between a man and his brother or his litigant. Moses encourages those who serve as judges not to rush to conclusions or to make assumptions, but rather to listen attentively, discerningly, and thereby arrive at the truth. There is a prohibition in the Torah for a judge to listen to one of the parties in a dispute when the other party is not present. (The American legal system has similar prohibitions against these ex parte communications.) This rule seems to be terribly inefficient and can lead to a great waste of time. What is the great risk of meeting with the parties one by one or allowing one party to begin talking even though the other is not in the room? The Maharal (Nesivos Olam, Nesiv HaDin) explains that first impressions are very powerful. When we listen to one side of a story, it penetrates and leaves an impression upon us. That position becomes our default and now the burden rests on the other person to undo the assumed truth and accuracy of the first position. Of course, there is no way to avoid one person speaking at a time. Nevertheless, when both parties are present before the judge, the judge is less likely to presume the first side he hears is automatically the truth. Moreover, the parties themselves will be more careful with their words when in the presence of their adversary. When I spent a summer in Kelloggs Advanced Executive Program we took a class on negotiations. The most important rule of negotiations, we were taught, is anchoring. Whoever lowers the anchor controls the conversation and controls the negotiation. For example, if you are purchasing something from me and I mention a price, now you are responding to my proposal and the negotiation will revolve around the number that I set. I have laid the anchor. Dr. Thomas Mussweiler, of the Institute of Psychology at the University of Wurzburg in Germany, had customers approach German mechanicsindividuals expected to be knowledgeable about the true value of carswith a used car that needed numerous repairs. After offering their own opinion of the car's value, the customers asked the mechanics for an estimate. Half the time, the mechanics were given a low anchor, with the customer proposing 2,800. The other half were given a high anchor, with the customers proposing 5,000. Sure enough, the mechanics estimated the car to be worth 1,000 more when they were given the high-anchor value. While anchoring may be a critical tool in negotiations, in the area of conflict it serves to pervert justice. The Maharal explains that to hear one side when the other is not present sets an anchor for the judge and the burden placed on the other side is rendered unfair and unjust. The impartiality necessary to arrive at true justice demands that no anchors are lowered and that both sides are heard as close to simultaneously as possible. While most of us are not judges in the legal sense, we sit in judgment all the time. We judge the people we meet, the institutions, organizations and schools we are connected with, the stories we are told, and the motivations and intentions of those around us. We may not be literal judges but our judgment must not be perverted by only hearing one side. We do a disservice to others and to ourselves when we accept as truth and as fact our first impressions, or what one side tells us, or what we assume to be true. Like true judges, we must make sure not to arrive at conclusions without both parties perspectives being present in the room. It is well known that in the disputes between Beis Hillel and Beis Shamai, we follow the opinions of Beis Hillel. The Talmud tells us that in truth, the students of Beis Shamai were sharper in their thinking and yet we embrace Beis Hillel. Why? Because Beis Hillel always listened to and studied the position of Beis Shamai before announcing their own position. (Eruvin 13b) In a few short days from now we will sit on the ground, unshaven, sad, melancholy and in mourning. Through our exploration of the Kinnos we will review and revisit the tragedies of Jewish history the destruction of the two temples, the inquisition, the expulsion from Spain, the Crusades, and the most horrific atrocity known to mankind, the Holocaust. Our rabbis, in seeking to understand why these things happened, encouraged us to examine how we treat others. Do we sit in judgment, do we draw unfair conclusions, and do we reject people who disagree with us or think differently than we do? When we are critical of community institutions like the shul or school, are we like Beis Hillel, first seeking to understand before trying to be understood? When we are told unfavorable and unflattering information about people we know, do presume the version we heard is correct, accurate and the truth? Or are we careful to make sure all sides are metaphorically represented in the room before arriving at a decision? When we see public leaders trying to balance concerns for public health, economic distress, and mental and emotional wellbeing of adults, children, and everyone in between, will we seek to understand policies and decisions before reflexively criticizing? And while we certainly must not tolerate anyone who knowingly endangers others, can we seek to be less judgmental of the guidelines people have chosen to follow for themselves while still strongly advocating for safe behavior from all? If we truly and genuinely yearn for our Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and for a time of peace, tranquility, and prosperity, then we must work on judging fairly and accurately. We must be more like Beis Hillel listening and hearing others position before arguing our own. Some 6,500 People Join Rally in Support of Arrested Ex-Governor in Khabarovsk, Authorities Say Sputnik News 06:10 GMT 25.07.2020(updated 16:00 GMT 25.07.2020) KHABAROVSK, Russia (Sputnik) Some 6,500 people are taking part in an unauthorised rally in Russia's Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, the 15th day of protests in support of arrested former Governor Sergey Furgal, the city administration said. "The capital of the [Khabarovsk] territory is witnessing a new rally in support of arrested [former] Governor Sergey Furgal. About 3,000 people have gathered today on the square in front of the regional government. During the rally, some 3,000 more people joined the crowd. A total of 6,500 people have joined the rally," the administration said in a statement. According to the statement, the protesters are calling for the release of Furgal or an open trial for the arrested ex-governor. A Sputnik correspondent reported that the traffic plan has been changed in Khabarovsk because of the massive demonstration. Then-Governor of the Khabarovsk Territory Furgal, from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), was detained on July 9 as part of the probe into an organised criminal group involved in killings of businesspeople in the Khabarovsk Territory and the Amur Region in 2004-2005. The detention of Furgal sparked protests across the Khabarovsk Territory. On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Mikhail Degtyarev (also from LDPR) an interim governor of the Khabarovsk Territory, but the protests are still underway. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MBABANE The Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, yesterday admitted that the countrys heath system was close to being overwhelmed by the coronavirus outbreak and announced revised response strategies to counter the pandemic. The new strategies touch on laboratory testing, clinical care, discharge of confirmed COVID-19 cases, and management of contacts. In terms of testing, the minister said this will be prioritised for all people who meet the case definition for COVID-19 suspects who are showing symptoms of the disease. Nkosi said all those who are asymptomatic contacts will not be tested immediately but should self-isolate for 10 days, counted from day of last exposure to the confirmed case, according to the risk profile. They should monitor themselves daily for development of symptoms and visit their health provider, for assessment when symptoms appear, she said and advised that they should continue to observe all precautions, which include wearing masks, hand-washing and social distancing when travelling to seek care. She said laboratory testing would not be required for decision to discharge confirmed COVID-19 patients. The minister said when it comes to clinical care, admission to COVID-19 facilities will be prioritised for patients with moderate to severe and critical illness and those with mild disease, with co-morbidities, for instance aged 50 and above with underlying medical conditions. She said home care would be prioritised for follow up of patients with mild symptoms and those who are vulnerable, for instance children and people with disability or aged 50 and above, who have no pre-existing illness, in order to assess medical care needs and to timely refer those with worsening clinical conditions. Asymptomatic cases can monitor themselves at home and call 977 (COVID-19 Desk) at onset of new symptoms. Work on decentralisation of COVID-19 treatment centres to regional hospitals, and the use of private hospitals has started, Nkosi said. She stated that all patients being provided COVID-19 care would be discharged from home care or treatment facility based on two strategies. The first being for asymptomatic patients, who shall be discharged 10 days after first testing positive, which is 10 days from date specimen with positive result, was collected. TDT | Manama Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani received yesterday Strategic Security Bureau (SSB) chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Khalifa. The Foreign Minister extended his congratulations to Shaikh Ahmed on the royal trust bestowed upon him for being appointed as the SSB chief, stressing the important role that will be played by the bureau in supporting national efforts to promote security and stability in the Kingdom. They reviewed means of promoting cooperation and coordination in a way that serves the highest interests of Bahrain. Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister earlier this week received a telephone call from his Brazilian counterpart Ernesto Araujo. The two ministers exchanged views on the track of bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation between both countries, especially in the economic, commercial and investment fields. They also discussed areas of cooperation to face the repercussions of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and ways to recover from it, in addition to the political and security developments in the region and issues of shared interest. Reparations for Black Americans are gaining traction among local U.S. governments, but advocates say federal restitution is needed for the multigenerational harm done by slavery and other forms of oppression. Earlier this month, Asheville, N.C., city council members unanimously approved a measure supporting community reparations for Black residents. In Rhode Island, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza recently signed an executive order to begin examining the viability of a reparations program for residents of African or indigenous backgrounds. And in June, the California Assembly voted to establish a task force to study and propose recommendations on the issue. Proponents of federal reparations argue that localized efforts at atonement, while appreciated, do not go far enough. And they argue that nationwide protests and shifting views on Black Lives Matter could be fertile ground for a long-desired federal bill on reparations, with renewed calls for H.R. 40 a House bill that would designate a commission to study and develop reparation proposals for African-Americans to finally get its day on the House floor. I am very pleased and thank them for their affirmation, but the country doesnt run by local cities jurisdictions, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, told Yahoo News of local efforts at reparations. Its run by the federal government. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee listens during a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing about reparations for the descendants of slaves on June 19, 2019. (Cheriss May/NurPhoto) Jackson Lee is the lead sponsor of H.R. 40, named after the broken 1865 promise to redistribute Confederate land to former slaves popularized as 40 acres and a mule and introduced by the late Rep. John Conyers Jr. every legislative session from 1989 to 2017. H.R. 40 now has 140 co-sponsors, all Democrats, but there has been no action since a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing in June of last year. A related bill was also introduced last year by Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., but hasnt seen any movement in the GOP-controlled Senate. I am fully confident that we will see a floor action. I cant tell you whether it will be in the early fall or late fall in actuality, but I do know were gaining more and more outside support, Jackson Lee said. Story continues She is one of many advocates who argue that local efforts in cities and states do not amount to the restitution needed for real reparation. William A. Darity Jr., an economist at Duke University and co-author of From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century, said the federal government is the culpable party on the issue. Because its responsible for the legal and authority framework that enabled slavery to be something that was under the law in the United States, Darity told Yahoo News. It allowed legal segregation in the United States. It has permitted a variety of atrocities to take place that have gone unpunished. And so it is the nations federal government that should pay the bill for reparations as a matter of principle. Rather than direct payments to Black residents a method often associated with reparations the city of Asheville intends to provide funding to programs that will increase homeownership and business opportunities for Black residents. In their resolution, Asheville leaders also called on North Carolina and the federal government to provide reparations funding at the state and national levels. If we think about individual towns or cities like Asheville, N.C., that profess to have adopted a reparations plan of some sort, if you look carefully at the content of that proposal, it really means that theyre trying to provide some services to the Black community that they have long not provided. And so thats a prevention of an ongoing harm, but it is not the same as a compensatory action, Darity said. By many estimates, the federal government is the only party that could even come close to being able to afford to pay the bill for reparations. Darity said the elimination of the racial wealth gap in the U.S. which he says should be the goal of reparations would require $10 trillion to $12 trillion. Estimates by Yahoo Finance last year concluded that the cost of reparations could reach as high as $17.1 trillion. Enslaved people work on a plantation in South Carolina in 1862. (Adoc-photos/Corbis via Getty Images) And while theres no broad consensus on exactly how much reparations would cost or what form they should take, general support for reparations appears to be becoming a bit more mainstream. In June, the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously endorsed the creation of a federal commission to study and develop reparation proposals. And most Democrats running for president in 2020 said they were in favor of forming a commission to study reparations. But any form of reparations legislation may face an uphill battle in Congress. A Gallup poll in 2019 found that 67 percent of Americans were opposed to cash payments to descendants of slaves. Support among Republicans was particularly low, with 92 percent saying they would not support reparations. I dont think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago for whom none of us currently living are responsible is a good idea," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said last year when asked whether reparations should be paid or a public apology should be made by Congress or the president. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the only Black Republican senator, offered a similar perspective in 2019, according to The Hill. Theres no question that slavery is a scourge on the history of America. The question is: Is reparations a realistic path forward? The answer is no, Scott said. If you just try to unscramble that egg and figure out who are we compensating, whos actually paying for it and who was here in 1865 you start seeing a formula that its impossible to unscramble that egg, Scott continued. So I think that its a nonstarter. But those in favor of a federal reparations bill disagree. I would encourage him to read the legislation more thoroughly and also to know his history more thoroughly, Jackson Lee said of McConnell. He obviously is deficient in the knowledge of his history. This is not something that happened 150 years ago. It is a continuing stigma and sin, original sin, of the United States. Everyone here in the United States has benefited from slavery because of the economic wealth that was conveyed to this nation and because of the fact that there are remnants of all of what slaves did, she continued. They built the United States Congress thats a benefit to Sen. McConnell; maybe they built his office in the Capitol. They built the White House thats a benefit to the people of the United States. McConnells office had no comment on Jackson Lees remarks. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Anyone who attended either of the restaurants at those times should monitor for symptoms and immediately isolate and be tested if symptoms appear, NSW Health said. Meanwhile, the NSW outbreak linked to the Thai Rock restaurant in western Sydney continues to grow, with almost half of the 14 new cases reported on Sunday linked to the venue. Six of the new cases reported on Sunday were traced to the Thai Rock in Wetherill Park, while four attended funeral and church services. But one NSW senior minister told the Herald the case numbers were still low and showed contact tracing was "incredibly effective" and the virus was not "getting away from us at the moment". The minister spoke on the condition of anonymity because there is concern from some within cabinet that mixed messages have been aired which were creating "unnecessary panic". "We have little if any community transmission, we know where these cases are from, so while everyone is still nervous, I would say I am quietly optimistic about NSW," one minister said. Another minister said focusing on numbers was not as important as knowing the source of the virus. The minister also spoke anonymously in response to a report that a minister had identified 250 as the number of cases that would force tougher restrictions. "There is no magic number, there never has been. It's about being able to trace where the source came from," the senior minister said. NSW tightened restrictions on pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes on Friday and the minister said it was unlikely any more changes would be introduced "at the moment". Rather, encouraging masks to be worn on public transport and by hospitality workers is more likely. In Victoria, the deaths included seven men aged in their 40s to their 70s, while three women who died were aged in their 70s and 80s. Seven of those deaths were related to aged care outbreaks. There are 282 people in hospital, including 42 in intensive care. There have been 8881 coronavirus cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said: "There is no reason for anybody to think that because they are otherwise fit or because they are not in their 80s, then somehow they have essentially got a vaccine for this. They just don't. Everybody is susceptible." NSW Health has warned anyone who attended funeral and church services in south-western Sydney are considered close contacts and must isolate, get tested regardless of symptoms and continue to self-isolate for 14 days even if the test is negative. This includes all mourners at Ausia Funeral Services at Fairfield East on July 17 between 1pm and 8pm and those who attended a funeral at St Brendans Catholic Church Bankstown for one hour from 10am on July 18. The other services are: July 16 at St Brendans Catholic Church Bankstown for one hour from 6.30pm; July 18 for a burial service at St John of God Lawn at Rookwood between 11.30-1pm; and July 19 at Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Mt Pritchard for one hour from 7.30am. Loading Two new cases reported on Sunday are from the Our Lady of Lebanon church, three are returned travellers and one is under investigation. There were 25,139 COVID-19 tests in the 24-hour reporting period, compared with the record 30,535 in the previous 24 hours. NSW Health says it is treating 99 people, including two in intensive care. One patient is ventilated, while another is on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The government is continuing to urge people to avoid non-essential travel and gatherings, particularly in venues such as hotels and restaurants, gyms and social gatherings. After a tumultuous decade marked by enrollment declines, financial woes, layoffs, constant turnover at the top, allegations of cadet hazing, and other discipline problems, Valley Forge Military Academy and College and its vocal stakeholders thought theyd found a savior when Walter T. Lord took over as president less than a year ago. Last weeks news of the abrupt and unexpected departure of Lord a 54-year-old retired Army major general and prominent Valley Forge grad has roiled alumni and other stakeholders, with some comparing the drama to the 1981 movie Taps, which was filmed on the Radnor Township campus and was centered on a scheme to close a military academy, with students barricading themselves inside to save it. Many of the alumni and parents whove been venting their anger online and sharing speculation about the reasons behind Lords resignation say they now plan to storm a meeting slated for 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the school to address the turmoil, which has prompted at least two Valley Forge trustees to resign. I agree with what so many others are saying ... that this is our Taps moment, wrote one cadets parent, in a private online posting shared with The Inquirer. We need to make a stand. More than 2,000 alumni and others have signed a Change.org petition urging more transparency and a resolution from the trustees and to keep Lord in command. Neither school trustees including the chairman, John English nor Lord himself have said much about the retired generals March 8 announcement on Facebook that Ive had a philosophical disagreement with our board chairman and Ive come to realize that a bridge between our perspectives was not reachable. In a sign of the escalating uproar, English on Sunday wrote to Lord who said hed offered to stay on through June 30 and terminated him immediately, stating that while initially the presidents departure date had been open-ended, the rising chorus of commentaries about what had happened have created separate issues detrimental to the institution. On Friday, Lord reposted a message from a year ago on Facebook: When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you. The information will feel unfair, but stay above it, trusting that other people will eventually see the truth just like you did. English, whod said initially that Lord had resigned of his own accord because of irreconcilable differences, did not return calls this week seeking comment. And Lord who shortly before his resignation had written on Twitter, Wisdom is knowing the right path to take. ... Integrity is taking it also could not be reached. Everybodys guessing, because the board of trustees doesnt tell anybody anything, said one Valley Forge alumnus, who like others requested anonymity. He said that stakeholders are reeling from the loss of the military academys third leader in four years and that Lord had immediately started righting the ship by increasing enrollment and alumni donations when he arrived last April. Reality is [that] General Lord is the face of our school [and] a walking billboard of all our school has to offer, another alumnus wrote in the Facebook group, one of many praising the South Philadelphia native. His passion is magnetic and attracts support. Founded in 1928, Valley Forge Military Academy and College an all-boys private school for cadets in grades 6-12, and also offering a two-year coed college program is the only recognized military academy in Pennsylvania. It has produced famous alumni including Iraq War Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, former National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, Catcher in the Rye author J.D. Salinger, and Arizona Cardinals all-pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Tuition is about $45,000 a year for boarding students and $30,000 for day students. However, the last decade, an era of struggle generally for military high schools, has been a time of upheaval on the Valley Forge campus. In 2016, a reported annual loss of $300,000 and a dip in enrollment came as the then-president was ousted and 16 staffers laid off. The prior year, according to the Main Line Times, the academys former Title IX compliance officer filed a whistle-blower complaint with the U.S. Department of Education citing violent hazing rituals and allegations that included sexual assault by students. A number of alumni have said that Lord was on track to resolving many of those problems. In the wake of his departure, many online posters raised questions about whether Valley Forge was again considering admitting non-military students who wouldnt wear uniforms similar to a failed experiment several years earlier or whether trustees wish to sell some of its valuable Main Line real estate. One trustee, Roque Schipilliti, said on Facebook Monday hes quitting the board but remaining as president of the schools alumni association. Another trustee, Maj. Gen. Jessica Garfola Wright, a former undersecretary in the Department of Defense, posted that she quit the day after Lords initial resignation but would have voted against accepting the move and making his departure immediate. This is our seventh president since I entered the Valley Forge life in 2012, another alumnus said, anonymously. The board of trustees want people who are yes men General Lord was the most pro-active president Ive seen. - Over five months ago a Kenyan man went viral on social media after he was captured on camera being beaten by a Chinese national - The matter sparked public outrage with Kenyans calling for government intervention to have the Chinese national deported - A raid was conducted at the restaurant and four Chinese nationals were deported for being in the country illegally - The victim moved to court accusing CS Fred Matiang'i and other government officials for violating the law by deporting the man A Kenyan man who went viral on social media after he was whipped by a Chinese national at a Chez Wou Restaurant in Kileleshwa has sued Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i for deporting the suspect. Others in waiter Simon Oseko's suit include the Chinese government, Inspector General of police Hillary Mutyambai, Attorney General Paul Kihara and the Chinese restaurant where the incident happened. READ ALSO: COVID-19 update: Kenya records 375 new cases bringing total infections to 16, 643 Chinese restaurant where Simon Oseko was assaulted by a Chinese national. Photo: Citizen Source: UGC READ ALSO: Boni Khalwale: Kakamega county raids sanitising booth donated by ex-senator In court documents filed at the High Court, Oseko sued his former manager arguing that the failure to subject his assaulter, Deng Hailan, to the Kenyan justice system was a violation of the law, as reported by Nairobi News. In his suit, Oseko claimed he was subjected to torture and indecent treatment adding that he was sexually assaulted by Hailan. He claimed that Hailan had made sexual advancements in 2019 when he was working at the hotel. READ ALSO: Gavana Sonko asema alipewa pombe Ikulu kabla ya kutia sahihi mkataba He also sued the hotel for issuing him with public health certificates mandatory for a food handler without signing a work contract. He accused the management of having hired him orally and not following the legal procedure and dismissing him without his KSh 12,000 monthly salary. Oseko was captured on camera being whipped by the Chinese boss which led to public outcry over five months ago. READ ALSO: Homa Bay: Man escaping police arrest rolls down hill, dies Following the incident, police raided the restaurant and arrested Hailan, Ou Giang, Yu Ling, and Chang Yueping who were later arraigned in court. The four were found to be using invalid visas and their work permits had expired prior to the incident. They were later deported to China. Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Follow us on Telegram: Tuko news Source: TUKO.co.ke We tend to mark moments with objects. I use the word moment very loosely. A moment can be an actual moment the instant a nuclear bomb explodes and kills tens of thousands, marked later by the Hiroshima Peace Memorial. A moment can be a life marked with a grave or a statue. A moment can be a history of racial terrorism by lynching, marked now by the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. Then there is the moment we live in now, a moment defined by a global pandemic and a national reckoning. How can we possibly mark this moment? The writers and editors for Throughline are fine at asking questions, but we leave it to smarter people to answer them. For this question How can we possibly mark this moment? we turned to Indira Allegra, an Oakland poet and artist who uses pronouns they and them. Their practice, as they put it, re-imagines what a memorial can feel like, the scale on which it can exist and how it can function through the practices of performance, sculpture and installation. When we first reached out to Allegra, we told the artist we imagined two monuments. One monument to remember the victims of a novel coronavirus; another monument to remember the Black, brown and indigenous victims of ongoing police violence. We imagined they might conceptualize one of the two. We imagined their idea might take up space in the same way the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., fills up 2 acres. They had something else in mind. Before Allegra began to work with wood and fiber and physical space, they worked with words and ideas and spun them into poems. They describe poetry as a technology for exploring memory and trauma and intimacy all of those types of human things in a nonlinear way. Eventually, they say, they got to a place where the poems were asking them to be more visual, but for this project, they turned back to words. Rather than a memorial spanning acres, made of concrete and wood and steel, Allegra offers eight prompts and a potential practice. Rather than separate the lives lost from two concurrent crises, Allegra combines the grief, knowing full well their respective impact on Black people and communities of color. (With all due respect the splitting of the two felt really mypoic to me. It was so flattening. I think the way in which we are experiencing loss or I am experiencing loss right now is this very layered thing.) Rather than offer an imaginary concept for a physical memorial, they offer a very real way to honor this moment. To be honest I feel like folks who how do I want to say this? I think that the people we feel most calm around or nourished by, in our lives, are folks who have dealt with the losses in their life and who have a kind of regular hygiene mental, spiritual, otherwise around acknowledging loss and, I almost want to say, greeting it on a daily basis. It doesnt mean that has to be your full-time job. It shouldnt be a full-time job for anyone. But I do think that courage and care in the face of loss is something which makes an adult an adult. We tend to mark moments with objects. We can also mark them with actions. What follows are Allegras eight prompts, each with a notation drawn from an edited and condensed interview with the artist. These rituals can be performed however and whenever you wish. When our interview had ended, I asked Allegra if there was anything else they might add. They paused for a moment, grew quiet. Then they said this: When youre a part of a community or communities that have a history of living with some kind of precarity or vulnerability, losing and the ability to lose almost becomes part of the fabric of your culture. I feel like one of the things thats happening right now is that everyone has to be preoccupied with loss. Now Playing: Indira Allegra's eight practices to honor tragedy in the era of the coronavirus pandemic and protests. Video: San Francisco Chronicle The Grammar of Grief in Real Time By Indira Allegra Hold your breath once a day. For as long as you can. Feel your heart thundering. This, too, is a memorial. I feel like (breath is) the theme of 2020 right? Its either your ability to breathe has been impacted because of a virus, your ability to breathe has been impacted because someone has their knee on your neck, your ability to breathe has been impacted because youre being tear gassed, your ability to breathe has been impacted because youre bracing yourself for a loss that you know is coming. When you feel like you need to cry but cant, pour a pot of tea into the smallest cup you have. Keep pouring. For me that came about because I was literally standing at my kitchen sink and feeling kind of spaced out and tired. And I continued to pour more tea than that vessel could possibly hold. Its a really simple idea. Sometimes I have an experience of feeling like I need to cry about something, but not being able to do so for any number of reasons. I feel like other people might be able to relate to that. That was actually more in the moment more gratifying than actually drinking the damn thing. You know? Cuz sometimes you just need to make a fing mess because its a fing mess. Make eight hours of your own hold music. Start the playlist with Chuck Berrys Worried Life Blues. Eight hours being a length of a typical workday. Who knows what that even means in the Bay Area, especially if you hold multiple jobs. I have spent so much time on hold for different things during this whole experience. And I think anyone who is also trying to interface if youre trying to interface with your doctor, if youre trying to check on something that should have been shipped to your place five days ago but still hasnt arrived. If youre trying to get online with the unemployment people if you can to actually speak with someone. I think part of this whole experience of social slowdown around quarantine and shelter in place and whatnot is this feeling of being on hold, not only with your speakerphone going but just in terms of your life in general. Everything is on hold. I feel like thats the workday right now. And Chuck Berry. Hes the godfather of rock n roll. Bake a birthday cake for someone who died this year. Plate two slices. Eat yours. In my home I have an altar to blood and chosen and queer and artistic ancestors. And one of the things which has been important to me is to put something out, to make an offering (on any given ancestor's) birthday. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Remember someones last words this year. Imagine what their first words might have been. You now have a poem. Recite at dusk. Recite at dawn. The way in which Breonna Taylor will be most widely known is by what happened to her at the end of her life which is no doubt important and we all need to be grieving and responding to (this). And at the same time she had a whole legacy and I dont know the details of that, but I know that she had one. We all do. Its a way of acknowledging the beginning of a story rather than just focusing on the end. Walk through a room. Which objects have you wept in front of? Fill a bag with objects you have not wept in front of. Donate. Recycle. I turned 40 this year. For me part of that has been taking stock of my own life, in a way. Artists dont have a reputation for living extremely long lives. (They laugh.) So I really have to think about, Is this the midpoint for me? And which objects, photographs, music what has actually helped facilitate some kind of emotional movement for me, some kind of transformation or release for me? Consider your legacy. Make a list. You have 8 minutes and 46 seconds. (Editors note: 8 minutes, 46 seconds is the amount of time it took the police officer to kill George Floyd by kneeling on his neck.) There are so many time segments that you could you know what I mean? He had 8 minutes and 46 seconds. I think theres something about the pandemic plus the gratuitous violence that folks who maybe werent paying attention before are paying attention now. Choose an area of your body which has not been felt by another person in several weeks. Find clothing which leaves this area exposed. Stand at an open window for the temperature of the day to touch you. So, I had ovarian surgery in March. Because performance is part of my practice, normally a huge part of my week is going to take class, going to get body work done, going to see an acupuncturist. So in addition to whatever intimate touch might be available to me in my life, theres this touch Im also experiencing, just to take care of my body. It was a weird experience for me to be healing from surgery when shelter in place kicked in because friends who would normally come to my house with a meal and be able to offer a hug or physical encouragement none of that was available. I was like, How do I heal without the amount of loving touch in my life that Im accustomed to? I think we can memorialize the loss of touch in our lives as well. Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @RyanKost Radio host Charlamagne Tha God slams Joe Biden for claiming Trump is first racist president Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Prominent black New York City radio host Charlamagne Tha God slammed presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden Thursday for claiming President Donald Trump is Americas first racist president. The former vice president claimed Trump was the nations first racist president during a virtual town hall Wednesday in response to the president, along with others in his circle calling the coronavirus the China virus, the kung flu and the Wuhan virus. No sitting president has ever done this, never, never, never. No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. Weve had racists, and theyve existed, and theyve tried to get elected president. But hes the first one that has, Biden claimed. Charlamagne called Bidens comments a lie that relinquishes America of all responsibility of its bigotry. He also said Biden should stop talking forever. "I really wish Joe Biden would shut the eff up forever and continue to act like he's starring in the movie 'A Quiet Place' because as soon as he opens his mouth and makes noise, he gets us all killed, OK?" Charlamagne said on the Donkey of the Day segment of his show. "There's already so many people who are reluctantly only voting for Joe Biden because he's the only option and because Donald J. Trump is that trash." The New York City radio host cited polls showing that voters who support President Trump are more excited about reelecting him than supporters of Biden. The moral of the story is people arent enthused about Biden. They just dont like Trump. Thats not a great motivator. Thats not something that makes you get up on Election Day and say Hey! I have to vote. And when Joe Biden says certain things it causes even more of a lack of enthusiasm, Charlamagne said. "Old white male leadership has failed America and there is nothing worse than an old white male [who] can't recognize the faults and flaws of other old white males. Racism is the American way. Donald Trump is not the first. And sadly, he won't be the last, right? He's just more overt with his racism than most presidents in recent times." During a viral interview with Biden in May, Charlamagne questioned Biden about reports that he was considering Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is white, to be his vice president even though his campaign was saved by loyal black women voters from the South. What I say to them is that Im not acknowledging anybody who is being considered but I guarantee you, there are multiple black women being considered. Multiple," Biden said, before he was interrupted by a handler for a second time during the interview telling him they had to wrap up. Charlamagne protested the interruption but Biden insisted he had to leave. Charlamagne urged him to visit the shows studio in New York City for a sit down interview in response because its a long way until November and we got more questions. You got more questions but I tell you, if you have a problem figuring out whether youre for me or Trump, you aint black, Biden shot back. People wear facemasks as they arrive at Belfast City Airport (Brian Lawless/PA) Holidaymakers returning from Spain to Northern Ireland on Sunday morning will have to quarantine for 14 days over fears of a second wave in Covid cases. The so-called travel corridor with Spain was closed from midnight. The decision comes after Spain reported more than 900 new daily infections for the past two days. The decision means those coming back from the popular holiday destination, including its islands, will have to self-isolate for two weeks upon their return to Northern Ireland. The decision to remove Spain from the exempt list was not taken lightly Robin Swann The move will come as a surprise to returning holidaymakers who left when Spain was part of the safe travel list. In a statement, the Department of Health said: The decision to introduce a quarantine period has been taken following medical and scientific advice. The new regulations will take effect from midnight, therefore anyone arriving after that time must self-isolate. Health Minister Robin Swann said: The decision to remove Spain from the exempt list was not taken lightly. I have always said I will move swiftly and take the necessary action to ensure our citizens are protected. I have spoken with my counterparts across the UK today and we agree that the recent upsurge in new positive cases in different parts of Spain are a cause for concern. As of midnight tonight, anyone returning or visiting Northern Ireland from Spain, including its islands, will be required to quarantine for 14 days. Travellers from Spain will have to quarantine for 14 days as of Midnight tonight https://t.co/AVIfUTmAeg Department of Health (@healthdpt) July 25, 2020 I will continue to monitor the situation in Spain and other countries, and make the changes to the regulations when necessary. There are five flights arriving into Belfast International Airport from Spain on Sunday. They include flights from Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza. There are also three flights departing the airport to Spain, with hundreds of holidaymakers from Northern Ireland. The flights are being operated by EasyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair. A woman in Canada is appealing for the return of a teddy bear which has a voice message from her dying mother - an appeal which has been supported by Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds. Mara Soriano, 28, placed the bear in a backpack, which was briefly left by the side of a road in Vancouver on Friday, as she was moving house and unloading a U-Haul. The Build A Bear contains an audio recording from her mother, Marilyn Soriano, who died of cancer in June 2019 at age 53. Mara Soriano is appealing for the safe return of her teddy bear, stolen in Vancouver on Friday Soriano's mother Marilyn, who died of cancer in June 2019 aged 53, recorded a voice message The Hollywood actor has now offered a reward for the safe return of the bear to Soriano 'That bear is the last memory I have of her speaking in her normal voice,' Soriano told CBC. Once she went in to the hospice, Soriano said, her voice changed and became softer, less familiar. 'She said that she loved me and she was proud of me and that she'll always be with me.' While Soriano and her fiance were unloading their U-Haul, she got a call from a friend who was biking over to help them, who said he had been hit by a work van a short distance away. Soriano immediately put down the backpack containing the bear, a book of blank checks, her citizenship card, her and her fiance's passports and social insurance cards, plus an iPad and a Nintendo Switch. She leaned the backpack against the U-Haul. Soriano then drove over to her friend, in a different vehicle, to take him back to his home. But in her 'frazzled state' she said she forgot to tell her fiance that the backpack was still in the road. After being unattended for just a few minutes, she said, it went missing. 'It just makes me feel devastated,' Soriano said. 'I'm absolutely crushed.' Soriano said after looking through all their boxes and calling U-Haul to see if it was left in the van, she asked her building concierge to check the security footage. 'Lo and behold on the security footage, this guy was seen looking around, making sure nobody was looking first,' she told the broadcaster. 'And he just took the bag and ran.' She said the concierge wouldn't let her have the footage or take photos of the screen without the building manager's permission and the manager won't be able to do that until Monday. Soriano and her mom moved to Canada from the Philippines; the message is in their language Soriano said she has filed a police report and is asking anyone who has it or sees it to bring it back. Ryan Reynolds has now offered a $5,000 reward on Twitter for the bear's return. Soriano said she was 'overwhelmed' with gratitude for the search. 'I am overwhelmed by Vancouver coming together right now. Thank you for giving me hope, Vancity,' she said, referring to Reynolds by his Twitter name. 'It was just absolutely crushing to me that that was the one thing that was stolen from us,' Soriano said. Soriano, who was born in the Philippines, moved to Toronto when she was nine. She moved to Vancouver five years ago. 'It's a reminder of home,' she said. 'The bear has a message in it in Filipino. It says "I love you," but in our language. 'So it's very specific and very unique. 'I just really want to find my bear. That's all that I care about.' Existing legal loopholes have been exploited by many investors taking advantage of incentives given to rooftop solar power projects. Le Anh Tung, chair of Ecotech Vietnam, who has visited many cities/provinces to implement renewable power projects, said in many localities, investors lease agricultural land or fallow land to develop solar power projects with capacity of less than 1 MW, but they enjoy the treatment offered only to rooftop solar power projects. The Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) also complained that at many solar power projects, solar panels are installed on frames put on the ground, with no roof. They have capacity of less than 1 MW and are connected to the electricity network with the voltage of 35 KV, the voltage level used for connection with rooftop solar power. In other cases, investors only install small solar panels on roofs, while the other panels are installed on the ground. The Prime Ministers Decision No 13 on the mechanism to encourage the development of rooftop solar power clearly defines rooftop solar power as a power system with photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs of construction works which have capacity of no more than 1 MW. The Prime Ministers Decision No 13 on the mechanism to encourage the development of rooftop solar power clearly defines rooftop solar power as a power system with photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs of construction works which have capacity of no more than 1 MW. There is ambiguity here in that all the solar power projects with the capacity of less than 1 MW are listed as rooftop solar power. In fact, since there are numerous projects with capacity of less than 1 MW, EVN asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to consider these projects as rooftop solar power projects, believing that the presence of the projects would help ease the electricity shortage. Under current regulations, solar power projects only can connect to the national grid and enjoy preferential purchase prices if they were approved by agencies prior to November 23, 2019, or they were projects mentioned in power development plans at different levels and were put into commercial operation between July 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. Meanwhile, the prices of remaining projects are defined based on competition. Investors therefore have been trying to dodge the laws to enjoy preferences. Experts warned that the connection of so many projects with the national grid may pose challenges to the grid. The 35KV network is used to distribute electricity to households, and if the connection with the network increases without any controls, there will be unstable power supply to the final consumers. Tran Viet Ngai, chair of the Vietnam Energy Association, has urged to stop this activity, suggesting that management agencies control investment in projects of this kind by checking residence registration books and installation areas. Tung also said that necessary measures are needed to prevent this activity from investors, saying that the projects cause injustices in the market. Le Ha Solar power plants accelerate connection to grid to enjoy incentive Many solar power plants have managed to get hooked to the power grid early to enjoy the high electricity prices, thus overloading the grid. The global death toll from the coronavirus is more than 640,000, with more than 16 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the respiratory illness. Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions. Iran Iranian President Hassan Rohani has dampened hopes of an early end to the country's COVID-19 crisis, saying on July 25 that people should not assume that the problem will be resolved within a few weeks. "We should think in the longer term and prepare now for next year," said Rohani, according to the state news agency IRNA. In the past week, there have been more than 1,500 coronavirus deaths in Iran, raising the death toll to 15,484, according to Ministry of Health on July 25. Serbia In Serbia, health officials reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases. Health authorities said July 26 that 467 people had tested positive for the virus in the previous 24 hours, the highest number since the start of the outbreak. They said eight people have died. As of July 26, Serbia had reportted more than 23,700 confirmed coronavirus infections with 534 deaths. Ukraine Anton Hudaev, the Ukrainian national soccer team's doctor, has died from COVID-19 at the age of 48, the domestic football association (UAF) said. "On behalf of the President of the Ukrainian Association of Football Andriy Pavelka, head coach of the national team Andriy Shevchenko, and the entire football family of Ukraine, we extend our deepest condolences to his family," the UAF said in a statement. "The whole national team is in great sorrow." Hudaev was also team doctor for the Metalist Kharkiv football club. Ukraine has reported nearly 65,000 infections and more than 1,600 fatalities. Russia In Russia, the Moscow region confirmed at least 148 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, the regional coronavirus crisis center said in a statement on July 25. To date, the Moscow Region has 62,609 cases of the coronavirus, with 1,089 fatalities, the statement said, according to TASS. Russias overall death toll is 13,192, according to government data. With reporting by AP Representative image Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has dared the opposition to topple his government and said though it is a "three-wheeler" government, he is firmly in control of its steering wheel. Thackeray, who is also president of the Shiv Sena, said his alliance partners - NCP and Congress - are "positive" and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is benefitting from their experience. He also took an aim at the Centre's ambitious Mumbai- Ahmedabad bullet train project, saying he would rather prefer such a high speed link between the state capital and Nagpur. "The future of my government is not in the hands of the opposition. The steering is in my hands. A three-wheeler (auto-rickshaw) is a vehicle of poor people. The other two are sitting behind," Thackeray said in the second and last part of his interview published in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Sunday, ahead of his 60th birthday on Monday. "Why wait for September-October as is being speculated. Topple the government right now since you get pleasure in toppling. Some people derive pleasure in constructive work while some are happy in destruction. If you feel happy in destruction, go ahead," he said. "You say the MVA government is formed against the democratic principles but when you topple it, is it democracy?" the chief minister asked. Notably, his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis earlier compared the ruling MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena and its ideological opponents Congress and NCP, with a three-wheeler, auto-rickshaw, and raised doubts over its stability. To a question, Thackeray said he hadn't switched sides, but only entered into an alliance. "I did this because the purpose with which I had joined hands earlier turned out to be hollow," he said. Asserting that the party ideology is important, he said, "Show me one leader who has reached the top position in the party which he has defected to. It is all use and throw policy." Targeting the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, he said, "A three-wheeler is a vehicle of poor people. If I have to choose between a bullet train and an auto-rickshaw,I will chose the auto-rickshaw. If people don't want a bullet train, then it will not happen," he said. "If my government is a three-wheeler, it is moving in a proper direction, why should you have stomachache?" he said in a veiled attack at the opposition BJP. Thackeray said when he attended the NDA meeting last time, "there were 30 to 35 wheels like a railway train". The chief minister said he would scrap projects which people feel are unwanted. He said MoUs worth Rs 16,000 crore signed recently are in initial stages and more investments are on the anvil. "If the state requires a bullet train, I would demand a bullet train to connect Mumbai and Nagpur. I would like a bullet train which connects my state capital and the second capital. The feeling of neglect among people of Vidarbha would be wiped out. Just like the Mumbai Nagpur Samruddhi corridor, I would be happy with a bullet train," he said. He also said the Congress's grievance of being neglected in the three-party alliance government was resolved after his meeting with the state Congress leaders. "I have good coordination with (NCP chief) Sharad Pawar. I make a phone call to (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi some times," he said. Thackeray asserted that the tripartite MVA government was functioning well. "I admit that in the last few months, face-to-face meetings haven't happened. One more minister is coronavirus positive now after Jitendra Awhad, Ashok Chavan and Dhananjay Munde. All ministers are in touch with each other over phone or through video conferencing," he said. Thackeray admitted the state's economy is not in good shape, but noted the entire world is facing such a crisis. He said Prime MinisterNarendra Modi has asked all chief ministers not to announce any waivers or subsidies as populist measures due to which the economy would be further burdened. In an apparent reference to his criticism over not moving out during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thackeray said discussions and deliberations as well as signing of MoUs were being done by him sitting at home. Asked about the participation of Chinese firms in investing in the state, he said more than the presence of Chinese firms in the recent MoUs, what is important is whether Chinese investments should remain in the country or not. "During a video conference meeting with the prime minister, I had requested him to frame a national policy on doing business with China," he said. Thackeray also said his government had kept the MoUs with Chinese firms on hold. "There should be a policy on whether Chinese companies should be allowed to do business in the country. If tomorrow, the situation improves and the Chinese prime minister is welcomed in India, why should we miss the business opportunities now?" he asked. The chief minister also rejected criticism that bureaucracy has an upper hand in his government. "The government is the decision-maker and bureaucracy implements the decisions," he added. Thirty people rallied outside the Manitoba Legislative Building Saturday afternoon, calling for a rollback of pandemic-related public health regulations and more transparency from government. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/7/2020 (542 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Thirty people rallied outside the Manitoba Legislative Building Saturday afternoon, calling for a rollback of pandemic-related public health regulations and more transparency from government. Everyone from small children with signs to seniors in lawn chairs participated in the protest. One sign read "Save Grandma from Isolation and Oppression" while another had "Enough is Enough". Monique Os, a speaker at the event, declared to the crowd that the effects lockdown measures have on small businesses are devastating. "How many people do you know that would be on the streets if they missed a paycheque?" she asked those in attendance. 'I do believe in these measures (but) you also have to think about the trauma and the repercussions of COVID People are dying from COVID, but people are dying from the lockdown' Theo Landry She said people who want a fully reopened province are seen as selfish, but thats not the case theyre just trying to get by. "Personally, I need to feed my family. I need money to pay a mortgage, to buy food otherwise Im on the street." Os added that people will become depressed and suicidal amidst a crashing economy. Theo Landry, 29, also spoke at the protest Saturday. He said he isnt against all restrictions put in place because of the pandemic. However, he has some concerns, he said. "I do believe in these measures (but) you also have to think about the trauma and the repercussions of COVID," Landry said to the Free Press before the rally began. "People are dying from COVID, but people are dying from the lockdown." He cited people overdosing during the pandemic as something to be worried about. "You kind of have to weigh the damages," Landry said. Like Os, Landry said he was worried about Canadas smaller companies. "(Social distancing measures are) really attacking the small business sector," he said. "For the sake of what were seeing, there has to be accountability, there has to be transparency." He said hes heard conflicting information regarding public health protocols, and he wants the federal government to be more transparent about how they make decisions. One solution would be to livestream meetings they have when planning new safety measures, he said. "Keep the public very much updated with this kind of information," he said. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Landry added that officials should improve seniors homes especially after the reports of uncleanliness and neglect that have come out across Canada during the pandemic. "It should be an eye opener," Landry said. "This is where (the governments) maximum amount of energy should be put in." Meanwile, four new cases of COVID-19 had been detected in Manitoba as of Saturday morning. There are now 388 total cases of the virus in the province the province announced in a tweet. gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca with files from staff Amid the growing threats of China and Russia, the UK has decided to enhance its abilities as a part of a foreign, security and defence policy review that will be conducted by the British government. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on July 25 that this week, the government has been alerted by the threat Russia poses to UKs national security with provocative test of weapon-like projectile and China with its development of "offensive space weapons". While writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Wallace noted that both nations are slowly boosting their capabilities, therefore, the UK government has decided to conduct a review. The review, Ben Wallace elaborated, would emerge from the UKs Ministry of Defence and will be more inclined towards a threat-lead organisation. It would be pivoting away from what Britain was used to in recent decades and will be reshaped to boost its operations in the latest domains of space, cyber and sub-sea. The UK Defence minister called it next-generation Defence with its forces being prepared for persistent global engagement. Read - UK Removes Spain From List Of Virus Safe Countries Read - Brexit: After Failure Of Recent Talks, Germany's Merkel Reprimands UK Administration UK's tensions with Russia, China This comes in the backdrop of tensions between the nations. The UK not only called out China on its controversial law in Hong Kong that according to London, undermines the freedom of the former British colony. In the wake of same national security law, the UK would suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Furthermore, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also ordered the removal of the Chinese tech giant Huaweis involvement in countrys 5G networks and announced that its technologies would be completely purged by the end of 2027. This triggered an angered response from the Asian superpower who accused Britain of pandering the United States, that is already attempting to corner China. Meanwhile, the tensions between Britain and Russia are also escalating in recent weeks. The UK has not only targetted Russians with new sanctions but also accused the latters actors of meddling in Britains elections. London has also said that Moscow attempted to hack into UKs COVID-19 vaccine research. Read - UK: Johnson To Unveil $12 Million Campaign Against Obesity As Part Of COVID-19 Response Read - UFO Sightings Reported In UK, People Say It Was 'too Fast, Too Bright' To Be Satellite For years, not much was known about the love life of Ramon Abbas, the Nigerian Instagram celebrity accused of fraud. Popularly cal... For years, not much was known about the love life of Ramon Abbas, the Nigerian Instagram celebrity accused of fraud. Before his arrest, the 37-year-old was resident in Dubai and known for flaunting extravagant lifestyles on his Instagram page but never for once, did he reveal the women in his life. Although he has been romantically linked with some Nigerian celebrities and Instagram socialites in the past, he never publicly identified with them; at least not on his verified Instagram handle which boasts 2.5 million followers. His Instagram page was a mini catalog dedicated to showing off his cars, clothes, shoes, and jet-set lifestyle. It screamed luxury and nothing more. Expose As part of his ongoing celebrated trial, Hushpuppi has revealed that he has three children from three different women. He said two of the children live in London and the third lives in New York City. He told Pretrial Services that he has had an on-again/off-again relationship with the last childs mother for the last five years. Pretrial Services Programs are procedures in the U.S. to prepare cases for trial in court. Pretrial services said the womans uncle lives in the Chicago area where he works as a Uber driver. He offered to be a third-party custodian for Abbas and would allow Abbas to live with him. They added that there is no indication that Abbas knows or ever has met the man as Abbas has never been to Chicago. Pretrial Services did not recommend this residential placement and the court agreed. The United States Court sitting in Illinois listed the information above as one of the five major reasons for Hushpuppis continued detention. St. Kitts and Nevis The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis issued a statement concerning Hushpuppis citizenship status on its official website on July 6. The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis said it became aware of reports and rumours concerning Hushpuppis Federations citizenship. It read, We note that the Nigeria-born Mr. Abbas, 37, was granted a St. Kitts and Nevis passport in February 2020 by virtue of his marriage to Shawana Nakesia Chapman, 32, a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis by birth and the United States of America. Ms. Chapman, a resident of North Carolina, USA, married Mr. Abbas in Nigeria in October 2018, thereby conferring him with the right to St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship. They also added that any suggestion that the citizenship was obtained through means other than marriage such as the countrys Citizenship by Investment program, which includes rigorous background checks is therefore utterly false and willfully misleading. Roadblocks In a comprehensive report on the detention hearing, the court gave some reasons for the refusal to grant his bail. The report released on Monday was based on the recommendations of the Pretrial services, which provides the court with quality information about the defendants. The court concluded that the defendant must be detained pending trial because the government has proven that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the defendants appearance as required. The court agreed with the recommendation of Pretrial Services that Mr Abbas presents a risk of non-appearance and that he should be removed to the charging district in California in custody. In addition to the findings made on the record at the hearing, the court cited five major factors for the detention. The factors include the fact that Mr Abbas is subject to a lengthy period of incarceration if convicted, lacks significant community or family ties to the district, has significant family or other ties outside the United States, lacks legal status in the country and will be subjected to removal or deportation for serving any period of incarceration. The Order says, The court agrees with the recommendation of Pretrial Services that Mr Abbas presents a serious risk of nonappearance and that he should be removed to the charging district in California in custody. In addition, the Court finds Abbas presents a serious risk of flight to avoid this prosecution with the meaning of 18 USC 3142(f)(2). The Court stated the reasons for its ruling on the record during the removal hearing held on July 13, 2020. The additional notes contained in this Order are consistent with the reasons stated on the record and are intended to supplement rather than supplant those statements. Abbas is not a United States citizen and has no significant ties to the United States. If he is convicted of the charges, he faces deportation once he serves any custodial sentence that might be imposed. If the allegations in the complaint are true, Abbas has sufficient assets to fund a flight to anywhere in the world, and he has ties to many foreign countries. Abbas reportedly rents an apartment in Dubai for $10,000 a month and drives a Bentley. He is alleged to have committed financial crimes that netted tens of millions of dollars or more. He might spend the next twenty years in prison if convicted of the crime. culled: PremiumTimes Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, July 26, 2020 19:42 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a406695a936 1 City COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta,anies-baswedan,Jakarta-governor,Bundaran-HI,Hotel-Indonesia-traffic-circle,Thamrin,Sudirman,Car-Free-Day Free Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has said that crowds at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle are not a cause for concern as long as attendees comply with health protocols. The city administration suspended Car Free Day (CFD) in the area after briefly reinstating it at the end of June because of concerns about the large crowds the event attracted. Despite the suspension, a number of bicyclists and pedestrians have continued to go to the area on Sunday mornings. As we see, the volume of residents joining the event on Jl. Sudirman and Thamrin is lower, Anies told the press on Sunday. Even though there are many people, they are still fewer than those at previous CFD events. The most important thing is that people are wearing masks when they go out. He said that exercising in an open area was good but that that bringing young children to crowded places was not advisable. Be a responsible parent who understands the risk for your children. If you want to bring your kids along, its preferable to do it near your home, he said. According to the official government count, Jakarta had 19,125 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 759 deaths as of Sunday. (trn) Satellite Landsat 8 has captured images of winds transporting dust and sediments from Namibia into the Atlantic Ocean. The satellite which belongs to the United States Geological Survey regularly monitors the earth. The images were reported captures using Operational Land Imager (OLI) which is a multispectral imager with wide dynamic range. Dust Streams from the Namibian Coast https://t.co/dDBvvLx4HG pic.twitter.com/voacMLGLMS NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) July 24, 2020 According to international media reports, the images which were captured on July 17 showed a huge amount of sand and fine sediments being carried from the South African nation by the berg winds into the ocean. The berg winds travel from mountains and higher landform further inland during winters. They are also known to raise temperatures up to 20 degrees. Geography of Namibia Namibia is situated between two deserts, the Kalahari and Namib and shares its western border with the Atlantic ocean. It has only two permanent lakes. The Namibian landscape consists generally of five geographical areas, each with characteristic abiotic conditions and vegetation with some variation within and overlap between them: the Central Plateau, the Namib Desert, the Great Escarpment, the Bushveld, and the Kalahari Desert. Read: NASA's Mars 2020 Rover Mission To Return Martian Meteorite Fragment To Its Red Planet Home Read: Alien Cube Ship Captured Near The Sun By NASA Is Ten Times Bigger Than Earth Last week, British Satellite caught another stunning phenomenon from space. According to reports, a colossal swarm of flying ants was spotted flying over the United Kingdom. Discovered by the weather radar of UKs Meteorological office, the 50-mile wide swarm took everyone by surprise. As per the Met, the flying ants have been spotted over Kent and Sussex, both on Britains Southeast coast. However, the weather services have warned that smaller swarms could be seen flying over London. Speaking to international media reporters, a spokesman for the department wrote that there could be thousands of ants within the group. (Image credits: Pixabay) Read: NASA To Broadcast Return Of SpaceX's Historic Crewed Mission Read: Latest News: BJP Ally Demands Gehlot's Resignation; Pompeo Slams China; NASA's New Mission The Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Dery yesterday inaugurated an extended health facility for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) Clinic at the headquarters of the GIS in Accra. The facility has three consulting rooms, a laboratory to be fitted with medical machinery, including mammogram for breast cancer diagnosis as well as prostate cancer diagnosis. Aside from the free healthcare to officers of the Service in the Greater Accra Region, the facility would now serve retirees, while plans were afoot to have it opened to the general public. What is also exciting about this is that, you are going to be given care for free; and its not only when you are in service, its also extended to immigration officers on retirement, Mr Dery said at the ceremony attended by immigration stakeholders. He urged the management of the GIS to extend the opening and operation of clinics to other regions in the country to enable the officers to access health care within the GIS facilities and also recruit the right personnel to manage them. I an encouraging management to open similar clinics in the other regions to enable service personnel to in those regions to get medical services, Mr Dery stated. The Ghana Immigration service should do well to recruit the appropriate personnel that will enable them to be able to check the health status of people. Mr Dery also mentioned that the extension health facility was in line with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos commitment to ensuring that personnel in the security services and other workers in the country were well taken care of. For his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Saint Johns Hospital and Fertility Centre, partners for the construction of the GIS clinic explained that the extended facility would provide healthcare services to immigrants, immigration officers and the general public. The essence of the extension is to provide immigrants who are already in the country with medical examinations, give protection to the citizens of the country as well as immigration officials, he stated. The project is a public-private-partnership involving the Saint Johns Hospital and Fertility Centre who would set up the laboratory for operation. The GIS inaugurated its first ever clinic in March 2017 by the Interior Minister at the thanksgiving ceremony of the Service to provide free healthcare for its personnel. 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 Home Minister Amit Shah dismissed Congress leader Rahul Gandhis criticism of the government on India-China tensions, saying his party and he had no right to point fingers on the issue. Shah said the Congress leader should first give an account to the nation on how much territory his party ceded to China when it was in power. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the country is proud of the heroes who are dedicated to protecting it and who drove away the enemy from the arduous hills of Kargil. On the 21st anniversary of the country's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war, Shah said the "Kargil Vijay Diwas" is a symbol of India's self-respect, amazing valour and steadfast leadership. "I bow to the bravehearts, who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the difficult hills of Kargil and waved the tricolour there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India who are dedicated to protecting the motherland," he said in a tweet in Hindi. On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory over Pakistan after the nearly three-month-long battles in the icy heights of Kargil. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war. Chandigarh : President Pranab Mukherjee has said India will become a "modern economic power in the world" if the government's innovative schemes such as 'Clean India' and 'Digital India' are implemented successfully. As India is on a cusp of second Green Revolution, the country needs to learn from Israel to boost crop productivity by using modern technologies, he said. "New initiatives which our government has initiated in all areas of economic activity particularly innovative schemes like 'Make in India', 'Clean India', 'Smart India', Digital India - successful implementation of all these will convert this ancient civilisation into a prosperous, vibrant and modern economic power in the world," Mukherjee said at the inaugural function of CII Agro-tech event in Chandigarh. To become a modern economic power, he stressed on "effectively using our resources" and increase farm productivity to the maximum level. "We have to learn from Israel which has achieved higher yields using water-efficient irrigation technologies to the optimum level," he said while lauding Israel's efforts in making the country a food surplus and water surplus nation. Israel's President Reuven Rivlin, who was the guest of honour at the agri-event, said the strengthening of ties between the nations can bring 'magic in the world' as the two countries have potential to scale up. "When Israeli companies and Indian farmers are networking, they are doing magic together. You once said that every country has its own way to move forward. India leads the world in innovation and can scale up," he said. Rivlin shared that India taught Israel about the importance of food security. "In Israel, we are more concerned about inland security. India taught that the greatest challenge is food security." On a lighter note, Rivlin said he fell in love with Hindi word 'jugad' and added, "The state of Israel is jugad. There is 'jugad' in the way we work and the innovation." Rivlin is on a state visit to India on the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee. India and Israel signed agreements for agriculture partnership in 2006 under which Israel has been sharing its best practices and knowledge through professional training programmes. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Kargil War plays an important role in every Indians life and especially mine as it was a topic of discussion in my University twelve years ago. I brought up this topic in my debate against the topic Is United Nations relevant today for preventing wars and how India managed to defeat the Pakistani intruders without United Nations even taking part in any of it. Today marks the 21st anniversary of the dispute between the two countries and we decided to compile a list of interesting facts about the conflict that you may have forgotten or didnt know about. The victory over the Pakistani intruders is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Divas and commemorates the victory of Operation Vijay. 1. It Lasted for 60 Days Wikipedia Commons The war was fought in the Kargil-Dras sector for 60 days where both countries suffered a huge loss of life. India eventually won the war by reclaiming control of captured territories. It was also the first war between the countries since 1971 which resulted in the formation of the annexation of East Pakistan and a new country called Bangladesh was established. 2. Indian Airforce At Its Best Wikipedia Commons The Kargil War resulted in a coordinated attack from the Indian armed forces where the Indian Air Force (IAF) assisted the army in capturing the Kargil-Dras sector. The Indian Airforce used Mig 21 and Mirage fighters back in the day for precise aerial attacks using laser-guided bombs and missiles. The IAF was essential for tracking down and destroying hideouts and Pakistani Army supply lines. The operation was called Safed Sagar and it was the first time the Indian Army used airpower from an altitude of 32,000 feet. 3. High-Altitude Warfare Wikipedia Commons Kargil is infamous and highly touted as the most recent example of high-altitude warfare. India was able to defeat the Pakistani army thanks to a training and research establishment formed by the Indian Army in 1948. The school provides essential training to soldiers for nowcraft, mountain warfare and winter warfare. Each year, soldiers undergo the Mountain Warfare course in Sonmarg between May and October. Trainees also undergo a Winter Warfare course in Gulmarg between January and April. These training exercises were probably the sole reason behind the Indian Armys victory in the Himalayas during the Kargil war. 4. Indian Navy Had A Role To Play As Well Wikipedia Commons While the main war was fought in the mountainous region of Kargil-Dras, the Indian Navy also played a crucial role during the sixty-day conflict. The navy held a blockade on the Pakistani ports including Pakistans biggest port in Karachi. The purpose of the blockade was to stop the supply of oil and fuel to cripple the Pakistani economy. This was a brilliant move on the Indian Navys part that probably cut the war short by several months. 5. 500 Lives Were Lost Every life matters and even though India came on top after the conflict, it came at a high cost of 500 lives of Indian soldiers while Pakistan suffered 4000 casualties according to numbers stated by Nawaz Sharif. The name of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives are inscribed on the Kargil Memorial Wall which is open to the public. The public can also visit a museum attached to the memorial wall which houses pictures of Indian soldiers, recordings, important war documents, captured Pakistani equipment and official emblems of the Indian army from the conflict. 6. Bofors Gun Proved To Be Highly Effective BCCL The Indian Armys Artillery comprised of the most-watched imagery on news channels during the conflict. While it was considered highly controversial as these weapons are meant to be used against aircraft, it played a crucial role in Indias victory. The anti-aircraft auto cannon is a 40mm gun that has been in use since the second World War albeit the Indian version was a modern rendition of the weapon made in Sweden. The Bofors artillery gun was used for shelling and bombarding enemy hideouts and locations to provide cover for the advancing Indian army. New Delhi: Kannada actress Jayashree Ramaiah, who is an ex-contestant of 'Bigg Boss Kannada', has thanked superstar Kiccha Sudeep for "saving her". She recently created quite a stir with her Facebook posts like "I quit world" and "depression". Jayashree reportedly went live on Facebook recently and said that "she wants death as she is unable to deal with depression". The video is not available on Facebook now. Soon after her video, Jayashree wrote to Kiccha Sudeep and his team for "saving her" and apologised to fans for "creating panic". "Thanks a lot, Sudeep sir for your care and you saved me along with his team members and my loving friends and fans love you all!! Sorry for making you guys panic I am back to form..Thanks media for the support am grateful to u all," the actress posted. Thanks a lot Sudeep Sir for ur care and you saved me along with his team members and my loving friends and fans love u... Posted by Jayashree Ramaiah on Saturday, July 25, 2020 Earlier, "I quit. Goodbye to the world and depression" post by Jayashree had created panic. Her now-deleted post immediately drew attention and friends and colleagues started reaching out to her. All her posts alarmed her fans and also created confusion. The actress' posts were filled with comments saying they are always with her and she needs to be strong. Jayashree Ramaiah Posted by on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 Jayashree then removed the post to share another update saying, "I'm alright and safe!! Love you all." I'm Alright and safe!! Love you all Posted by Jayashree Ramaiah on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 As of now, after a thank you note for Kiccha Sudeep, Jayashree shared a TikTok video with a friend saying, "I AM BACK my loves!!" Drilling rig towers may soon break the horizon of Lake Somerville, a popular reservoir 90 miles northwest of Houston that has drawn outdoor enthusiasts to boat, fish and swim for more than five decades. The Bureau of Land Management hopes to lease some 384 acres for drilling and hydraulic fracturing along the southern rim of Lake Somerville. The lease offerings are a small piece of President Donald Trumps efforts to expand drilling on federal lands, off the nations coasts and along Alaskas Arctic coastline. The administration has called for opening 90 percent of U.S. waters for drilling, even as the world faced a glut of crude. The efforts, meanwhile, have run into opposition from lawmakers, federal judges who have canceled some leases and environmental groups trying to protect areas like Lake Somerville. Created in 1967 by damming the Yegua Creek, the 11,160-acre reservoir straddles Burleson, Lee and Washington counties. Thousands of people each year visit the area, which includes eight public parks, 11 boat ramps and several private campgrounds and marinas. But the lake also is located on the eastern end of the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk, two geologic formations rich in oil and gas deposits that have attracted drillers to the area for decades. The Land Management Bureaus six proposed leases would allow horizontal drilling and fracking thousands of feet under the reservoir and Yegua Creek Park in Washington County and a part of Lake Somerville State Park in Lee County. Environmentalists oppose the leases citing safety and pollution concerns. Tucson, Ariz., environmental group Center for Biological Diversity has criticized the Trump administration for reducing the time during which the public can comment on the Lake Somerville leases to 10 days from the usual 30. With starting bids as low as $2 per acre, the leases are scheduled to be offered for sale Aug. 26. Theyre poorly publicized, theyre short-cutting public notice, theyre short-cutting environmental review and there are some real risks here, said Taylor McKinnon, the centers senior public lands campaigner. It seems like the Bureau of Land Management is putting out leases and hoping that everyone is paying attention in the middle of the pandemic. Oil &Gas: Trump administration plans to open national forests in Texas to more oil drilling Biological Diversity leaders say the lake and surrounding area are under the flight path for the endangered whooping crane, a 6-foot-tall bird that breeds in Canada and spends winters along the Texas Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi. Experts fear that drilling could prevent the birds from resting in the area. The organization also plans to argue that vibrations from drilling and underground explosions from fracking could harm the integrity of the dam and bring earthquakes to the region. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the federal agency that built the Lake Somerville dam, requires that drilling taking place more than 3,000 feet, or just slightly more than a half-mile, from the dam. The nearest proposed lease in the Bureau of Land Managements new sale is more than double that distance. An earthquake has never hit the Lake Somerville area, U.S. Geological Survey data shows. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which manages Lake Somerville State Park, said it was not asked for input about the leases, and was not immediately aware of negative effects facing the park. Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox Federal lands make up less than 2 percent of the states 171.8 million acres of land. In Texas at the beginning of 2019, the Bureau of Land Management had 582 oil and gas leases on 346,000 acres. Most of those federal leases are inside four national forests in East Texas and two national grasslands in North Texas. Others are scattered around and under reservoirs built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, such as Choke Canyon Reservoir south of San Antonio, Lake Corpus Christi and Falcon Lake, along the Rio Grande south of Laredo. With the proposed leases for Lake Somerville, the bureau had hoped to offer a 71-acre oil lease along the Hickory Creek arm of Lake Lewisville near Dallas. The bureau, however, withdrew the proposed lease months after officials with the Upper Trinity Regional Water District raised concerns that drilling could pollute drinking water for 27 communities in Denton and Collin counties. The Brazos River Authority, which stores water in Lake Somerville for drinking, industrial, agricultural and mining uses, is neutral regarding the new oil leases. Any oil and gas drilling in the area would have to meet the very stringent standards set by the Bureau of Land Management, Brazos River Authority spokeswoman Judi Pierce said. Downturn: Texas oil & gas industry cut record 26,300 jobs in April Oil and gas wells drilled on the proposed leases at Lake Somerville would require drilling permits from the Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates the oil and gas industry in the state. Adams Resources, a Houston oil company founded in 1947 by K.S. Bud Adams, late owner of the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans, drilled dozens of horizontal wells around and under the lake over the decades, Railroad Commission records show. In a January 2018 sale, the Bureau of Land Management sold six parcels around the lake with a combined 1,408 acres of oil leases to private mineral lease holder Philip L. White and Corpus Christi oil company Magnum Producing for roughly $170,300. Houston-based Magnolia Oil & Gas, Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy and Dallas-based WCS Oil & Gas are among the biggest horizontal drillers around the lake today, records show. The industry points to the record of drilling in the area and criticizes efforts to prevent new operations. Its frustrating to see an Arizona-based organization like the Center for Biological Diversity step in to try to regulate Texas affairs, said Elizabeth Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the industry-funded group Texans For Natural Gas. There has been absolutely no evidence that any of the existing oil and gas activity around the lakes has presented a threat to the groundwater or increased seismic activity, and to claim that new activity would do so is a baseless accusation. sergio.chapa@chron.com http://twitter.com/SergioChapa 2. The Amazon River, South Americas essential life source, is unleashing the virus on the entire region. We spent weeks on the river documenting the toll. Brazil has the second-highest death toll in the world behind only the U.S. The six cities with the highest coronavirus exposure are all on the Amazon River, according to researchers. Nearly everyone there relies on the river and the boats that travel along it for transportation, food, medicine. Researchers say they are behind the spread of the virus. The regions ability to confront the pandemic has been further weakened under President Jair Bolsonaro, who has publicly mocked it, even though he tested positive himself. The U.S. still has by far the largest outbreak in the world, while much of Europe and Asia has flattened the curve. This chart shows how the U.S. compares with other hot spots. Californias attorney general is charged with providing a true and impartial title and summary for ballot propositions. Once again, the attorney generals office is being legitimately accused of skewing the language in favor of one side of an issue. This is not a new complaint for Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Two years ago, he could not find the space in the title or 100-word summary to straight-up tell Californians that Proposition 6 would repeal a 12-cent-a-gallon gas tax. Instead, his official description emphasized that the measure would eliminate road repair and transportation funding. Hes at it again. Advocates of a measure to allow drivers for ride-hailing firms to maintain their independent contractor status (Prop. 22) and opponents of a measure to raise taxes on commercial buildings (Prop. 15) are crying foul over their treatment in the titles and summaries delivered by the attorney general in the past week. No matter where one comes down on those issues our editorial board has not taken positions on either, pending our research and meetings with advocates pro and con Californians should agree that its the job of the campaigns, not the attorney general, to make their arguments. The attorney generals neutrality is especially critical because the title and summary may be the extent of some voters exposure to a proposition. Unfortunately, that has not been the case since at least 1966, when Attorney General Tom Lynch, a Democrat, agreed to remove a reference to the title and summary of Proposition 1A that said it would raise Senate and Assembly salaries as part of its establishment of a full-time Legislature. Lynch was bowing to the concerns of Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh that such disclosure would impair its passage. In the case of this years Proposition 22, the attorney generals description all but cries out for voters to reject it. The best that can be said of the title is that it is woefully incomplete in stating that it exempts app-based transportation and delivery companies from providing employee benefits to certain drivers. Curiously, the attorney generals Jan. 2 description for signature gathering was more expansive in spelling out the alternate benefits that would be extended to drivers who remained independent contractors. Organized labor, which heavily finances campaigns for Becerra and other Democrats, is lining up against Prop. 22. It does the voters a disservice, Stacey Wells, a spokeswoman for Yes on 22, said of the revised title and summary. Voters are smart. They should not be treated as if they are not. Wells said the Prop. 22 campaign is weighing all of our options on a potential legal challenge to the title and summary. So is the campaign against Prop. 15, which would significantly peel back the tax breaks for commercial property granted by California voters in the revolutionary Prop. 13 of 1978. The ballot title on Prop. 15 begins by stating that it increases funding sources for public schools, community colleges and local government services. It would do so, it states, by changing tax assessment not raising taxes on commercial and industrial property. Those types of verbal gymnastics are extraordinary, said Michael Bustamante of the No on 15 campaign. I reached out to Becerras office for comment on the controversy. A spokeswoman sent me a transcript of our editorial board meeting in which my colleagues and I asked him about the Prop. 6 language. He noted then that we have our checks and balances in this process in that those who disagree with a title and summary can challenge them in court. However, the reality is that judges have proved deferential to attorneys general in all but the most egregious cases. I asked Becerra, given Californias history of home cooking of ballot descriptions for partisan allies, whether the duty should be moved out of the attorney generals office. It really does depend on who youre going to have do it, he replied. There is not a soul on this Earth certainly not in California who is not at the end of the day political in some way. However, other states have found ways to reduce the political meddling. Colorado, for example, has a special Ballot Title Board to hear from initiative proponents before issuing title and summary. My suggestion is that the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office, which is widely regarded as fair and accurate in its reports, could take over the title-and-summary duty. The Democratic-controlled Legislature has consistently rejected the idea. But this is not a matter of one party behaving badly. Rest assured, the Republicans determination to reform the system would dissipate overnight if they held all statewide offices and super majorities in the Senate and Assembly, as Democrats do now. Bill Lockyer, attorney general from 1999 to 2007, told me he never changed a word on the ballot descriptions that crossed his desk. Its challenging, he said of the need to squeeze complex measures into a few clear sentences. He questioned whether anyone could do it without bumping into accusations of bias. Ive never, ever seen an independent whatever that doesnt become a captive of special interest groups, said Lockyer, a four-decade public official. At very least, California voters deserve a dedication to fair play when they sort through their ballot. They are not getting it now. John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron China turned up the heat as its PLA Navy confronts the Australian Navy conducting navigation in international waters far from the Spratlys, wrongly claimed as Chinese territory. Tension has been rising in the South China Sea and gotten worse with the Chinese Navy's attempts to show a glimmer of token resistance to more ships contesting their dominion. Australia media reported the interaction recently as the SCS sees more activity, reported Forbes. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said that the Australian Defense Force joint task group consisting of five warships were navigating free waters with those close to the Spratlys that was called by the US as illegal. China claims a large area that is not lawful. ABC added that the Australian warships were far from the 12-mile limit allowed by international law. Recently, the U.S. naval fleet has been doing freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) near the Spratlys and other illegal claims. During the sea encounter, the Chinese vessels shadowed the Australian Defense Force and kept a distance. Furthermore, the ADF added that all interactions with other navies in any deployment conducted safely and professionally. The vessels that are included in the Australia Task Force is the amphibious assault ship HMAS Canberra, destroyer Hobart, with frigates Arunta and Stuart, and supply ship Sirius. Both the Australia and Chinese navies had an encounter when the 5-ship battlegroup was steaming into contested waters in the South China Sea. Meeting up with U.S. and Japanese ships for a joint naval exercise slated in the Philippine Sea. After the trilateral exercises, the ADF will head to Hawaii for the RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercises. Also read: Ukrainian-American Sea Breeze' Joint Naval Exercises Held in the Black Sea This is not a mere coincidence as the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared plans to beef the Australian Military with a AU$270 billion (US$192 billion) for expenses to modernizing in the next ten years. More weapons to increase military capability and getting long-range anti-ship missiles to kill the Liaoning and Shandong lastly is bolstering cyberwarfare against more intrusions by CCP hackers. The CCP in Beijing is conducting a silent war to occupy the South China Sea, and Australia will not sit back in the sidelines. Communists are claiming waters and sea rocks in the SCS like the Spratlys which is also owned by the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Beijing is even attempting to grab Japanese territory in the East China Sea. China's moves are reminders of fears that communist China will attempt to control more territory in the Indo-Pacific. These fears drove Australia to have closer ties to the U.S. and an earlier threat. Morrison said Beijing and the CCP use economic power and military influence that affects not just the Indo-Pacific region but the global and regional order. Such situation exist in the 1930s and 1940s that preceded the Second World. The incident if it were a U.S. Navy ship and a Chinese vessel is not a surprise with a near collision and an actual one. In 2001, a PLA Air Force jet collided with U.S. patrol aircraft. China fears an encounter with any U.S. warship and the recent carrier exercises are pushing the CCP who may not accept the consequences of starting anything. The Australian Defense Force is not ready and capable as the 7th Fleet with more aircraft and air defense assets to stop CCP missiles and planes. Related article: US Navy Hosts Trilateral Naval Exercise with Australia, Japan in Philippine Sea @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Rabiu Omaku The revelation by the Project Coordinator of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, a World Bank Assisted programme in Nasarawa State, Kwakaha Ortoho Jonathan is a cause to celebrate especially by people leaving within the riverine area of River Benue and Niger as arrangement is on the pipeline o install an automated early warning device. Jonathan in an exclusive interview in his office said the installation of flood automated early warning devices in River. Benue and Niger was aimed at averting human casualties and lost of valuable within that axis He explained that the automated early warning device if installed would monitor the volume of water in River Benue and Niger through a sophisticated cable. The Project Coordinator however maintained that already there was an advert for the procurement of the device by only qualify bidders and expert in hydrology with proven experience. Calling on contractors with expertise in hydrology to take advantage of the oppurtunity,He said the stride is to dictate the intensity of water coming from other sources including the one from Lado Dam in Cameroun. Though in the bidding we want a citron device which is the best because it can work on moody water and you know flood comes with moody water,He added. Appealing to people leaving within the riverine communities to relocate to a saver place pending when water come back to normal level,urging the people of Guto and Aisa communities to be at red alert to avoid lost of lives and valuables. We have provision for flood safe camp in Rukubi Obendo, Ijiwo,Ajimaka,Loko-Aisa and Tunga and there is provision for water and electricity as well tents or collapsible houses which would be fold up in case of emergency. Kwakaha Ortoho Jonathan explained that the State Governor was committed to partner World Bank to construct 6 bridges washed away by flood disaster in the State. He listed the six collapsed bridges to includes Bokoko,Apawo,Keana,Barikin Abdullahi (BAD) Awonge,Ajaga in Akwanga and Panda bridges. The collapsed bridges has excise handful of communities,which are either using canoe to linked to other communities. When asked about the plans and area of intervention by NEWMAP,The project Coordinator said five Local Government were map out out of the thirteen Local Government ravaged by gully erosion. The Local Governments includes Doma,Lafia,Keffi,Nasarawa and Toto respectively. He opined that the selection of the five Local Government was due to the magnitude of devastation caused by gully erosion. The project Coordinator stated that a technical steering committee was set up to,complete design of the affected areas taken,set of approval of report which has to do with concretes,stepping stone. Kwakaha attributed the menace of erosion in the thirteen Local Governments to intensity of rainfall and human activities such as solid mineral exploration. He explained that World Bank has interest in afforestation programme,Indicating that boreholes would be provided for the watering of trees planted late. The Coordinator applauded Governor Abdullahi Sule for his dodgedness and quick response to the programme WASHINGTON For nearly two years, dozens of politicians non-politicians alike met with voters, held fundraisers and dedicated much of their lives in an attempt to be their partys nominee. Now, we're 100 days out from the general election and two candidates remain. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and President Donald Trump will face off in November. In the past year, Biden competed with one of the largest and most diverse Democratic fields in history and overcame a slow start in the early voting states to eventually beat them all. Trump has had his reelection bid challenged by an impeachment trial and a global pandemic, while also seeing long-shot candidates try to convince Republicans that they are the better choice for the party. Here are some of the top moments that got us to where we are now and what you have to look forward to: The Trump impeachment trial In late 2019, Trumps pending impeachment trial dominated news coverage, leaving pundits and voters alike wondering whether it would hurt or help the presidents reelection campaign. The House of Representatives approved two counts of impeachment against Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in December. He went on to be acquitted by the Senate in early January 2020. Amid the trial, Democrats were still campaigning for their presidential primary. 100 days: What can shake things up in the election home stretch? Here are 5 possibilities Several candidates took aim at the president for blocking key White House officials from speaking to lawmakers ahead of the trim. And the scheduling of the trial just before the first-in-the nation Iowa caucuses caused conflicts for Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, who were running for president and also were jurors in the impeachment trial. They sometimes spent their days in Washington and headed out to campaign events elsewhere in the evenings. But the trial showcased the Republican Partys unity: Nearly all Republican senators continued to support the president and voted to acquit him of the charges. Trump frequently called the charges and the trial a witch hunt to keep him from being reelected. Story continues The power and influence of voters of color Seen by many as the backbone of the Democratic Party, voters of color flexed their political muscle early on in the primary. Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg started off strong in the early voting states, exceeding expectations in Iowa and New Hampshire. But throughout the primary season, Buttigieg struggled to gain traction with Black and Latino voters. As the campaign headed to Nevada, which has a substantial Latino population, and South Carolina, with a large Black population, many pundits predicted he would struggle. The pundits were right. Sen. Bernie Sanders won Nevada by a large margin, with Biden in a distant second, followed by Buttigeig. Sanders credited much of his win to his support from Latino voters. In South Carolina, the fourth state to vote, Bidens campaign was revived by a blowout victory. His win is attributed to the large support he received from Black voters. Shortly after Bidens big win, several presidential contenders, including Buttigieg and Klobuchar, who also struggled with support from voters of color, dropped out. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, and The Rev. Al Sharpton, left, listen to Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., speak Feb. 26, at the National Action Network South Carolina Ministers' Breakfast, (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Throughout the primary, voters of color solidified their role in making or breaking a presidential candidates campaign. Sanders continued to have a strong hold with Latino voters, which helped him win the state of California and other states in the West like Colorado. But Bidens support among Black voters, along with other key voting blocs like older and suburban voters, helped catapult him to the nomination. The progressive Democrat vs. moderate Democrat battle Following Sanders rise in the 2016 Democratic primary, this election brought an increased focus on the progressive wing of the party. Sanders, who is an independent and identifies as a Democratic Socialist, created a following of mostly young voters who supported his signature Medicare For All platform, as well as his calls for free college education and his goals to combat climate change. When he decided to run for president again in 2020, the discussion of whether the country and Democrats were ready for a more progressive candidate came to a head once more. Sanders, as well as Warren, both ran on progressive stances and were at one point switching off in leading the Democratic field ahead of the early voting states. 'Wake up call': Prominent group warns Biden campaign that it's falling short on outreach to women of color Biden, along with Buttigeig and Klobuchar, instead ran their campaigns in a way appealing to more moderate Democrats. The divide was most apparent during the primary debates, where large portions were dominated by the discussion of health care. The divide became even more in focus once the field winnowed to just Sanders and Biden. The two candidates even had a chance to debate one-on-one once the field cleared out. Up until Super Tuesday on March 3, Sanders was seen as the front-runner, placing in the top two in several early voting states, and putting into question whether Americans really were more on board with a progressive candidate. But once Biden became the last moderate standing, he consolidated the support of moderates who left the race, and began to rack up primary wins. Sanders dropped out in early April. Despite the debate between the two groups of Democrats during the primary, Biden and Sanders have since worked together to create a platform that could appeal to both groups. Bidens and Trumps coronavirus pandemic response The campaign was totally upended by the rise of the coronavirus pandemic early in 2020. Its been one of the largest points of contention between Biden and Trump. Trump in late January played down concerns over the virus. On Jan. 24, the president told reporters "we have it totally under control" and that it's "going to be just fine." But by Jan. 29, the White House created a coronavirus task force and announced it was blocking travel from China just one day after the task force was formed. The president declared a national emergency on March 13 and two days later recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, called 15 Days to Stop the Spread," which encouraged social distancing. During that time, many states implemented stay-at-home orders, with a thousands of businesses closing down or offering limited services. Unemployment among Americans reached record highs as many across the country lost their job. Biden has been quick to contrast himself with the president, releasing his own plan on what should be done to combat the virus and help the economy. Since the pandemic, Trumps approval rating and standing in polling against Biden has plummeted. More than half of Americans disapprove of Trumps job as president, in addition to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape Project from mid-July. The coronavirus response and actions by Trump and Biden are expected to dominate the final 100 days of the campaign. George Floyds death and the protests against systemic racism George Floyd, a Black Minnesota man, started a movement after his death was recorded in a video showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyds death sparked nationwide protests calling for justice, as well as shining a light on systemic racism. Trump has become a point of ire among protesters, with many criticizing the presidents response to Floyd's death and the protests. Trump has repeatedly criticized protesters, especially after some protests devolved into violence. Trump also has denounced one of the key demands of protesters: defunding the police. That has also become a point of criticism against Biden among young progressive and young Black voters. Protesters are calling on lawmakers to reallocate funding from police departments to community services. Biden has said he does not support defunding the police. 'Past time': Obama urges Biden to address racial bias in policing in video contrast with Trump Biden has tried to highlight his relationship and history with Black voters. Biden met with Floyds family ahead of his funeral in Houston, where Floyd was from. Trump did not meet with the family but briefly spoke on the phone with them. Since the height of the protests, Biden has also released plans to allocate money to community programs and has released plans to help Black Americans and other people of color. The movement has continued and has focused on getting justice for many Black men and women who have died in police custody or as a result of police involvement, such as Breonna Taylor and Elijah McClain. The movement has intersectional support from not just Black Americans but white and other ethnic and racial groups. The questions raised by the movement are expected to be a key theme in the next 100 days. What to expect in the next 100 days A lot could change in three months. But there are traditionally key moments in the final 100 days of the presidential campaign that will influence voters: Each partys convention, the debates between the two presidential candidates and quite possibly an October Surprise. This election is unique in that the country also is reeling from the pandemic and nationwide unrest after Floyd's death. The typical party conventions, which are flashy affairs that work to generate as much media coverage as possible for the candidates, will largely not be in person. Congressional upsets: Progressives, candidates of color, and GOP outsiders net primary wins Three presidential debates are set between Trump and Biden, as well as a vice presidential debate between Pence and Bidens running mate, who has yet to be announced. The debates will likely focus on each others ability to run the country: Trump has repeatedly questioned Bidens acuity, and the former vice president has criticized the president's job performance. In addition, Biden's vice presidential pick could shake up the race. Biden has committed to picking a woman as his running mate and has noted that he is considering four Black women, but he has not named them. Regardless of whom he chooses, it will be a historical choice: Only two women, Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008, have been chosen as a running mate for the two major parties. Voters will also likely be faced with questions of how to vote safely, if the pandemic continues without a vaccine. Although some states expanded absentee voting and vote-by-mail systems for the primary, its unclear what systems will be in place for the general election. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 100 days out: Here's what defined the 2020 election and what to expect The quality of a society is determined by the quality of its people, and I'm sorry to say that those among us who wish to "tear down the system" and replace it with Bernie's communist gibberish are postmodern flowers of evil. Having rejected logical, fact-based, rational discussion as symptomatic of privileged white supremacy and having thrown God onto the trash heap, they goose-step with the absurd and the irrational, accompanied by an acute diminution of language acuity and the swinish manners of a mob gangster. (Yes, that means you, Nancy Pelosi.) The left's dystopia was perhaps inevitable due to the creeping "communization" of the USA over the last eighty years or more and its recent Faustian embrace of global capitalism, both of which now suppress free speech. Large swathes of society are already "communized" academia, schools, unions, the amoeba-like bureaucracy, information monopolies. The MSM is more left than Pravda. Back in the day, when I taught English as a second language to refugees from Soviet communism, it astounded me that so many of them privately praised the system they fled. It gave them a job and free childcare. It provided them with an apartment. There was a pension for their old age. No one had to worry about where his next meal came from, even though they might have to queue in the snow for it. No one was better than anyone else (equality of outcome) with the "natural" exception of bosses and administrators. And the newspapers reminded them daily what fortunate sheep they were. Only those who were independent thinkers, or who were official "enemies of the people," or who had irritated their neighbors were at risk of the gulag. (Everyone spied on everyone else.) It was the perfect welfare state, and many escapees just wanted to live in a wealthier welfare state over here. Imbeciles Biden, Bernie, and the vicious Squad have them covered. It is tragically apparent that people who embrace the welfare state and neo-Marxist ideology become an entirely different type of human being from those who wrote the Constitution. They do not admire the small entrepreneur or free thinker. They constitute a mass market for mass-produced goods (including mass information technology), and mass handouts. And they have a banal, brainwashed "mob" mentality, which abhors personal responsibility and has outsourced "wokeness" to an ever growing catalogue of ritual chants, name-calling, and the wholesale annihilation of any obstacle in their path. They wear their identities like this season's fashion (except tattoos are not so easy to remove) and insanely subscribe to the perfectibility of society, if only the Deplorables and other designated "hate" groups (whom they have given themselves permission to destroy) can be got rid of. Worse, the mob may now constitute over 50% of the population, and no matter what the outcome of the coming election is, they won't step down. If anything, another defeat will exacerbate their ire. My questions are, number one: has the left permanently dislodged its humanity? And number two: Is the human who learned to think with the ancient Greeks, who worshiped the Transcendental God with Judeo-Christianity, who held to the personal morality of the Ten Commandments, who worked hard and who believed in checks and balances against tyrannical political power with the Founding Fathers (in other words, the builder of the Republic) is that person now obsolete? The left would like to think so! "Dinosaur" is the word they apply to us. I beg to differ. I believe that the answer to the first question is affirmative. The left (since Marx) has defined all human interaction exclusively within the narrow, doctrinaire framework of power. You are always and ever either a persecutor or a victim. Leftists have dishonored justice using the very ideology they designed to enshrine it a totalitarian system that exiles the enormous and larger part of human experience not pertaining to either domination or submission. This fanaticism has, in every instance, led to the very violence it allegedly condemns. In turning into instruments of change, leftists have objectified themselves. An instrument, after all, is an object. An object lacks empathy. They cannot be welcomed back into the family of humanity for as long as they see their function as weapons of "social justice" twaddle, characterized by supreme intolerance of anyone who doesn't fall into line. They have forfeited our compassion. But we have a harder task ahead. Do we still believe that pursuit of the Good, the True, and the Beautiful (harmony) is the proper activity of human beings? Do we still honor a transcendental God who is both with us and ultimately unknowable? Do we still believe in personal initiative and responsibility? Do we wish to purge the administration of corruption? Then, in order to create a society that reflects those values all over again, we will have to fight hard. Because the left despises every one of them. If leftists prevail, we will be reduced to the plight of early Christians in the Roman Empire, or Christianized Rome after the barbarian invasions, because we fell asleep at the wheel. I hope we have learned our lesson. Therefore, the proper response to the left's intolerance is adamantine fight and take no prisoners! This is not only an existential struggle, but an ontological one. We fight for a particular interpretation of what it is to be human. The taxpaying citizens of Hamilton County are facing one of the most important decisions perhaps in the history of Hamilton County on August 6, 2020. With business closing and services restricted due to Covid-19 concerns, revenue shortfalls at the county and state level are certain. In fact, the state of Tennessee cut $284 million recently from their budget and further reductions are likely due to decreased sales tax. The media has widely publicized and there has been considerable public discussion for years about opportunities for improvement in our school system. Currently, over 62 percent of all tax dollars spent in Hamilton County go to funding the Hamilton County Department of Education. This percentage will certainly increase as the amount of tax collection decreases. Remember, by law, this funding amount cannot be decreased by the County Commission. Combined with state and federal funding the HCDE budget was over $421 million for 2020. Our hard-working teachers and staff need to be adequately compensated, commensurate with education and experience. Our schools often run out of essential supplies at year end such as paper towels, soap, toilet paper and copy paper. Some of our school buildings are in need of serious repair. The recent $500,000 facilities report revealed that approximately $879 million is necessary to accommodate our needs. Comparison to school districts in Tennessee of equal size reveal proper funding in Hamilton County. Yet 37 percent of children cannot read at grade level. The bottom line is for some reason the money doesn't make it to the classrooms and teachers where it is needed. The citizens living in District 2 of Hamilton County, i.e. Signal Mountain and Red Bank communities, have a rare opportunity on August 6, 2020 to potentially change the future of Hamilton County. We need a proven business leader, one who has spent over 40 years as a CPA, experienced in all facets of financial management, committed to fairness and has a love for his community. This person is Tom Decosimo.Tom Decosimos commitment to the community is best illustrated through his community service by serving on the board of directors of non-profit organizations like Girls, Inc, The Creative Discovery museum, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, and Chambliss Homes for Children. Tom also served two terms as Chairman of the United Way of Greater Chattanooga. For over two generations, business owners have trusted the Decosimo family for sound financial advice. Hamilton County and HCDE could certainly use some sound financial advice during these critical times. I urge all voters to place policy and responsibility over politics and vote for Tom Decosimo for School Board in District 2 on August 6, 2020.Dean Moorhouse * * * I was pleased to cast a vote for Tom Decosimo for District 2 School Board this week. We are all aware of the financial, social and health related struggles the country is undergoing as a result of the pandemic and the negative impact it is having on our state and countys situation as well. The next four years are likely going to be challenging for both Hamilton County and the Department of Educations budget. We have the privilege of voting for a man who has decades of experience guiding large organizations, both as an executive and a board member, through unsure financial waters. Perhaps more importantly, Tom has experience supporting and guiding organizations during times in which the future may not be as certain and clear as one would hope. Tom Decosimos years of dependable, steady leadership in Hamilton County - leading both public boards and private companies - will be a huge asset for us. Tom has excellent relationships and years of knowledge working with the Hamilton County Commission. That will be especially important as the Department of Education works with the Commission on budgeting and other financial needs over the next few years. Tom will represent the students, teachers, citizens and taxpayers of our County in a manner in which we can be proud of, and serve as wise counsel to Dr. Johnson and the HCDE Board over the next four years. Please join me in voting for Tom Decosimo for District 2 School Board. Bob Linehart * * * I agree with Dean Moorhouses observations and conclusion, however he mistakenly cites the inverse of a critically important statistic measuring third grade reading ability. As of the 2018-1019 school year, only 36.1 percent of our public school third graders could read at grade level. At the glacial level of our districts improvement, a significant percentage of another generation of Hamilton County public school students will be condemned to a life of underachievement. Unfortunately, the high correlation between poverty and illiteracy is inescapable. Unfortunately, there is little proven correlation In public education between per capita spending and performance. We have a history of our boards of education tolerating mediocrity at best and abysmal failure at worst and we as voters, failing to demand acceptable improvements in performance. It is time for leadership on the Board that is not beholden to the status quo, can think critically and will influence our countys educational priorities in the direction that will create many more productive citizens. I believe my brother, Tom Decosimo, will be such a board member. Fred Decosimo Signal Mountain EasyJet and British Airways told customers on Saturday they did not plan to cancel flights over the coming days, after Britain's government advised against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain due to COVID-19. Earlier on Saturday TUI, Europe's largest tour operator, said it was cancelling all holiday departures scheduled for Sunday. "Our flights are currently expected to operate normally," British Airways told one customer on Twitter. An EasyJet customer service representative told another customer: "We plan to operate our full schedule in the coming days." (TNS) - A tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico strengthened into a hurricane Saturday morning ahead of its Texas landfall.Just before 8 a.m. Saturday, Hurricane Hanna the eighth named storm of the year was producing winds up to 75 mph, moving west toward the Texas coastline, south of Corpus Christi, according to the National Hurricane Center.The storm, which was barely a tropical storm Friday morning with winds up to 40 mph, has intensified quickly over the past 24 hours.The Category 1 hurricane could produce life-threatening flash flooding in South Texas as well as a dangerous storm surge from Port Mansfield to Sargent, the center warned.The greatest threat for most of South Texas is the possibility for heavy rainfall, according to the National Weather Service office in Corpus Christi. Hanna could produce between 5 and 10 inches of rain, and as much as 15 inches in isolated areas, the weather service cautioned.Hanna is expected to make landfall Saturday evening before veering southwest into Mexico and weakening into a tropical storm, according to the hurricane center.As it makes landfall, a few tornadoes could develop in portions of South Texas along the coast, the center warned.Other than the possibility of a few scattered showers this weekend, Hanna is not expected to have much of an impact on weather in North Texas, according to David Bonnette, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth. The hurricane, however, is bringing increased moisture to the area, which could create some muggy conditions, Bonnette said.An abnormally humid air mass will reside across North and Central Texas, Bonnette said of this weekends forecast.Gov. Greg Abbott this week prepositioned state resources including water rescue operations to respond to the storm.Texans along the coast are advised to take precautionary measures to protect life and property, Abbott said Friday in a written statement. I urge all those who are in the path of this storm to heed the warnings and guidance from local officials before the storm makes landfall. The State of Texas will coordinate with local officials to provide assistance and resources to communities in the area.2020 The Dallas Morning NewsVisit The Dallas Morning News at www.dallasnews.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Gwynne Dyer Is there going to be a new Cold War with China? Probably not. Consider the case of Huawei. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo swept into London on Tuesday like an overweight Darth Vader, while his local satrap, Boris Johnson, waited nervously in Downing Street for judgment. People swore they could hear Pompeo's cloak swish as he strode through the door. But it was all good: the British prime minister had done enough to appease the overlord. The subject at issue was Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications firm whose equipment has been selling to governments throughout the West because there are no comparable Western products available at a competitive price. The U.S. response has therefore been political, not commercial. It demands that its allies ban Huawei on "security" grounds. The first U.S. strike was in late 2018, when it got Canada to arrest Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, as she was changing planes on her way to Mexico. She is still in Canada fighting extradition, while two Canadians are held in Chinese prisons effectively as hostages for her release. The initial U.S. charge was breaking sanctions against Iran, but she's now accused of stealing American trade secrets. Britain had agreed to involve Huawei heavily in building its new 5G network well before Johnson became prime minister, but he stuck to the deal despite mounting U.S. pressure to cancel because he is taking Britain out of the European Union and into what is potentially a very grim future. More than half Britain's trade is with Europe, but a free trade deal after it has left looks increasingly unlikely. What countries could pick up at least part of the slack? Only the U.S. or China, so Johnson desperately wanted to keep both of those options open. Washington, of course, wanted him to foreclose the Chinese option. Johnson stuck to his guns through the past year, reassured by Britain's security services that the Huawei technology posed no threat. But eventually the U.S. pressure became irresistible. Huawei was told that it would not be participating in Britain's 5G phone network, and that all its technology in the 2G, 3G and 4G networks would have to come out by 2027. Only days later, however, British officials whispered in Huawei's ear that all was not lost. Britain might reconsider its decision next year. Nobody said explicitly "after the U.S. election," but obviously Britain would be keen to bring Huawei back on board if Donald Trump loses that election in November, which now seems quite likely. Word about this reached Washington in microseconds. (When will they learn that in the modern communications environment, anything you say to anybody instantly becomes known to everybody?) So Johnson was understandably anxious as he awaited the arrival of the American viceroy. Sorry, secretary of state. But it was all right with Pompeo. Johnson would only be disloyal if Trump loses, and Trump won't lose because he's going to start a new Cold War. That's the plan but it won't work. It won't work because none of America's allies, not even one as desperate as Johnson, believes that China is a threat grave enough to justify a 40-year military confrontation. Or even a five-year confrontation. They are not naive about the current Chinese regime's flaws. It is a nasty, corrupt dictatorship, intolerant of dissent and oppressive toward its minorities. But it is not territorially expansionist, except in its own immediate neighborhood (Hong Kong, Taiwan, the South China Sea), and it is not ideologically attractive even to its own citizens. The only ideological tool available to Chinese President Xi Jinping is nationalism. He would deploy it if necessary to defend his own power, just as Trump is doing now. But for a sustainable cold war, there needs to be a more credible sense of threat than is currently available to either party. The idea that China is "the central threat of our times," as Pompeo put it on Tuesday, is laughable. It's a formidable competitor economically (although demographically speaking it has feet of clay), but it's simply not interested in a classic military confrontation. China does not bother, for example, to maintain a strategic nuclear force remotely comparable to America's or Russia's. It truly believes that nuclear deterrence makes that kind of war insane, and keeps only enough missiles to deter a crazed attacker. The border dispute with India is remote and petty, and will not be allowed to escalate by either side. The other major powers, including the European Union (EU), are simply are not buying into the Trump-Pompeo vision of a world divided into two hostile and militarized blocs like that of 1945-89. Even Boris Johnson, for all his sub-Churchillian pretensions, can't take the notion seriously and instantly hedges his bets after he has to give it lip-service. "Don't defend Trump attack China!" said the instructions sent to the Republican Party's senatorial candidates, but it doesn't work outside the United States. It probably won't work inside either. Gwynne Dyer (gwynne763121476@aol.com) has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years. He is the author of "Growing Pains: The Future of Democracy (and Work)." Amar Bhushan By J Beniks and P Jeyaraj recently succumbed to injuries sustained while in custody at Sathankulam police station in Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, and Vikas Dubey and his associates were killed in police encounters near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Such incidents have become a recurring feature of our police working. The problem is that we have vested enormous power in policemen but given them an environment which, instead of improving their efficiency, forces them to act violently. A policeman has really no choice but to compromise with criminals, politicians and numerous others who claim entitlement to circumvent law, to survive. He protects them because they protect him more than his own officers. The reasons are obvious. Police, which is essentially meant to investigate crime, enforce law, and maintain law and order, has additionally been burdened with duties such as managing traffic, removing encroachments, protecting and escorting countless VIPs, carrying out rescue operations during natural disasters and handling cases related to violation of prohibition and COVID-19 guidelines. This list keeps growing. The pity is that the means provided to the police by the governments to fulfil these responsibilities are abysmal. Junior officers who constitute 94 percent of the police force work 14 to 16 hours a day. Weekly day-off for them is rare because 28 percent posts remain permanently vacant. A one-room dingy apartment is all that 26 percent constables have. The rest hire accommodation after paying five times their house allowance. Constables (86 percent of the force) get promoted only once in their life time. The weapons shortage is staggering 77 percent and vehicle deficiency is 35.5 percent. This situation exists because state governments spend 1.2 to 2.7 percent of their annual budget on the police. That we still live reasonably safe is indeed a miracle. Since 1977, various police commissions and committees have unsuccessfully tried to address this sorry state of affairs. The Supreme Court has also issued guidelines suggesting constitution of State Security Committee in states to ensure that governments do not exercise unwarranted influence over police and lay down policy for their functioning, creation of Police Establishment Board to decide posting, transfer and promotion of officers, formation of Police Complaint Authority, minimum and fixed tenure for senior officers and separation of investigation from law and order. It is nothing more than an eyewash. The fact is, no political executive will ever give away his control over police because it helps him remain in power through fear and repression. Similarly, chief ministers will find ways to have final say in postings, transfers and promotions. They may agree to incrementally meet the shortage of manpower, housing and vehicles but conceding functional independence to police is out of question. (The author can be contacted at amarbhushan@hotmail.com) By PTI NEW DELHI: It is "high time" that the Congress appoints a full-time president by "selection or election", party leader Sandeep Dikshit said on Sunday, asserting that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) comprising senior leaders should have settled the leadership issue earlier, dealing with it on priority. There is a "sense of drift" and a feeling that "we need to get on with the job" in the party with an interim president at the helm, Dikshit said. In an interview to PTI, the Congress leader said that for him, there was no "particular fixation" with any person, and Rahul Gandhi or anyone else could be appointed by "selection or election", but the important thing is that the party needs a full-time president. Dikshit's remarks assume significance as Sonia Gandhi nears completion of one-year as interim Congress president in early August and the party is abuzz with hectic parleys on the way forward. He also hit out at Jyotiraditya Scindia for switching to the BJP and Sachin Pilot for his rebellion in Rajasthan, asserting that the fight was not between the young and the old in the party, but between the "usurpers" and those persevering through hardwork. "Much as I would say that Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi is doing a very able and commendable job (as president), one of the reasons that she left earlier was that she felt that it is time for her to take to the background and for other people to take over. In her case, it was Mr (Rahul) Gandhi," Dikshit said. "Here's an interim arrangement. Interim is a very iffy word because you know if you are interim you won't take long term decisions for the Congress. So, it is high time we get a full time president, whoever it is," the 55-year-old former MP said. ALSO READ | Despair in party over treatment to Scindia, Pilot: Kuldeep Bishnoi takes swipe at Congress top brass Whether it is through "selection or election" there is no issue, he said. "We should have a full-time president, whether it is Mr.A or Mr.B or Mr.Gandhi that is not an issue at all. Party ideology and collective leadership make a party," Dikshit said. He said initially it was thought that the CWC, the party's highest decision making body, will come together and select a president or maybe among themselves elect one, but that has not happened. It is not a bad idea to leave it open to the All India Congress Committee (AICC), where one can also have an election to the working committee, he said. "It (appointment of full-time president) should have happened earlier. I constantly maintain that here is the place where I point towards the inability of our senior leaders (CWC members) to have risen to the challenge, got together and got this thing done," Dikshit said. "Mr Gandhi very clearly made a statement that I am not coming back, then what were you (senior leaders) busy doing running around and not being able to decide," he said, adding that they should have got the process done. Noting that the CWC could not agree on one name and so it decided Sonia Gandhi should become interim president, Dikshit also pointed towards Scindia and Pilot for not taking a stand then as CWC members and enable a decision either then or later, whenever the party's top decision-making body met. "All these people (in the CWC), including the Scindias and Pilots, why couldn't they have fought for and enabled selection or election of a new president at that time. These people can do a revolt when it comes to personal ambition, but they could not risk their careers when it came to the party," he said. Asked if Rahul Gandhi should come back as party chief in the prevailing circumstances, Dikshit said whoever comes will do well for the Congress. "If it is Mr Gandhi, I will follow him, if it is someone else, I will follow that person. No particular fixation with any particular person. I am an AICC member, I have one vote, which if needed, will be cast on my conscience," he asserted. Earlier this year, Dikshit, son of three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, had voiced his opinion that the leadership issue must be settled and had asserted that the senior leaders must step up. His remarks come amid the crisis being faced by the party in Rajasthan with Pilot openly rebelling against the Ashok Gehlot government which comes close on the heels of Scindia toppling the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh by switching over to the BJP with MLAs supporting him. Talking about the back to back Scindia and Pilot episodes that have rocked the Congress, Dikshit said there is no such thing as the "young vs old" and these were the result of personal ambitions. "Basically it is their calculation, their self assessment and what they think they are. I don't know about Mr Pilot, because we do not know what he is going to do. I think it is a little premature to say anything," he said. Dikshit, however, added that both have shown all the weaknesses that political beings can have. Asked if Rahul Gandhi's stepping down as party chief had heightened insecurities among the younger leaders in the party, he said it heightened the insecurities only of those who wanted to "climb on his tailcoat". On why Gehlot or Kamal Nath were selected as chief ministers over their younger colleagues, he said that this question should not be asked of Rahul Gandhi or anyone else, but to the party MLAs in the respective Congress legislature parties. "More MLAs are with Kamal Nath than with Scindia. More MLAs are with Gehlot than with Pilot. So it is the MLAs' decision," Dikshit asserted. Criticising Scindia, Dikshit said that despite the royal scion losing the Lok Sabha, he was offered the post of state party chief and a nomination to the Rajya Sabha. For someone who claims to be a people's leader, he should have accepted people's verdict in the Lok Sabha and had the ability to remain without the trappings of power, fought for the party on the field and won back his seat for the party. "Mrs Gandhi offered him to become PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) chief in November last year. Scindia never came back with a yes. So what did he want, we couldn't have put him in place of Mr. (Narendra) Modi," Dikshit quipped. Gloria Bambo A 20-year-old Black woman was found hanging dead in her white roommates garage and the police department has ruled it a suicide, yet, friends and family speculate otherwise. The McKinney Police Department has declared the death of 20-year-old Gloria Bambo, a McKinney, Texas, resident, a suicide after she was found dead in the garage on July 12. Facebook user Jamilla Arnold posted this statement on her page: She wrote: Gloria Bambo, a South African citizen, and a resident of McKinney, Texas, was found hung inside her garage. Gloria resided with her roommate, a white male who found her in the garage Sunday July 12, 2020. Gloria went missing Thursday and supposedly died in that garage the same day July 9. Glorias body was in that garage 3 days, where people resided, and repairs were made. No one has heard anything about this Why? We need to know what happened to Gloria? There have been speculations that Gloria did not commit suicide and the McKinney Police Department posted a statement on its Facebook page to refute the speculation. The McKinney Police Department typically does not comment on suicides, including naming the deceased, but due to the public nature of this case we feel the need to clarify some inaccuracies. A number of posts on social media have speculated about the death of Gloria Bambo, a 20-year-old Black female. Ms. Bambos body was discovered by her 19-year-old male housemate who has fully cooperated during the investigation. All evidence in the case so far leads investigators to believe it was suicide. The Medical Examiners findings are still pending but the preliminary examination of the body has not uncovered any evidence to contradict what was discovered at the residence. This case is still under investigation and is not closed at this time. We are committed to a complete, thorough investigation of Ms. Bambos tragic death and we grieve the tragic loss of this promising, young life. The local NAACP chapter states they are looking forward to the results of the autopsy. 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. Haryana has witnessed a reverse trend in school enrolment amid Covid-19 pandemic as students from private schools are switching over to government ones. As many as 43,293 private school students have moved to government schools during the 2020-21 academic session across the state, revealed the figures provided by the Haryana school education department. A total of 3,434 private school students have shifted to government institutions in Hisar, 2,876 in Karnal, 2,604 in Fatehabad, 2,502 in Sonepat, 2,453 in Gurugram, 2,369 in Sirsa, 2,301 in Panipat, 2,299 in Yamunanagar, 2,249 in Kaithal, 2,132 in Jind, 2,122 in Rewari, 2,074 in Faridabad, 1,950 in Bhiwani, 1,840 in Kurukshetra, 1,655 in Ambala, 1,555 in Rohtak, 1,502 in Jhajjar, 1,400 in Panchkula, 1,290 in Palwal, 1,206 in Mahendergarh, 929 in Nuh and 546 in Charkhi Dadri. An official, who wished not to be named, said more than 87,000 students, who had last year studied in private schools, have applied for admission in government schools this year. Admission of these students will be confirmed on our website after they deposit their school leaving certificates. Most of the private schools are not issuing these certificates over fee issues. 21.49 lakh students have been enrolled in government schools against last years 20.97 lakh, the official added. On private schools not issuing transfer certificates and other documents to students, the official said a school has no authority to deny documents to a student when he/she wants to move to another school. If any legitimate claim is pending, the school has to move court for realising the same, but the future of children cannot be affected, he added. Haryana elementary education department director Pradeep Dagar said students were shifting to government schools from private ones due to improvement in education standards and infrastructure, apart from Covid-19 crisis. Income of people has declined during the pandemic and they have realised that good education can be achieved in government schools too. This year, both the toppers in Haryana boards Class 12 exams are from government schools. We have started online classes on Edusat and local cable TV channels free of cost. Class-12 board results show that government schools have given a tough competition to private ones as the difference in their pass percentage was less than 1.5%, Dagar added. Some days ago, In there regular habit, the Islamic extremists released a video showing the slayings of five aid workers who were abducted last month in northeastern Nigeria. The abductions which came around the same time that a Boko Haram splinter group said it would begin targeting Nigerians who work for international aid groups as well as those who help the military. The workers are said to be the aid workers had been traveling by a main road between Monguno and the state capital of Maiduguri when they were kidnapped. Once again, I became heavily provoked and infuriated as innocent ones yet lost their lives again. Is someone not outliving his patience already? Quite agreeable, we can say the world became familiar with 'popular terrorism' on 11 September 2001, as that terrible day did change the world. The attacks on the United States that claimed the lives of nearly three thousand innocent people showed us that terrorism had transposed into a global phenomenon that is already causing an everyday massive pain and destruction anywhere. Consequently, studies made it clear that the word terrorism originated from the reign of terror instigated by Maxmilien Robespierre in 1793 following the French revolution. This implies that terrorism is not a child of modernity; it is as old as the existence of man. Little did I know why the International Terrorism and Security Research (ITSR) alluded to the fact that terrorism is not new, and that even though the word has been used since the beginning of recorded history it can be relatively hard to define. Terrorism according to the ITSR has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. Today, many will agree that terrorism is now generally viewed as a leading global security threat. It's suffered in the Asia, a little in Europe amd most especially the continent of Africa. This has spurred broader thinking about its causes, what it entails, and how it impacts on people and society. However, the complexity of terrorist behavior and the diversity of root causes and objectives make it difficult to answer these questions. The Knowledge of what constitutes the root causes and objectives of terrorist organizations continues to evolve in response to the needs of governments, international organizations and security experts to develop strategies to prevent and manage terrorist attacks. For example, regarding root causes, there is growing evidence that terrorism is largely explained by socio-economic, political and most evidently religious factors. Although extensive writings has been written on the various underlying factors on terrorism, however one key missing element in these writtens is failure of these writers to make in the adequate findings on the sources of terrorism thinkings. Most especially here in Nigeria where it's activities are domineering in the Northern part, where Boko Haram, ANSARU, and ISWA the discomposing terrorist organizations are making marks due to its territorial ambition and regional focus. Hence, this study shall take a look into the some causes and effect of active terrorism in Nigeria and it's relative solutions. Without much ado, it's necessary to take a background look at the history of these most popular terrorist groups in the country. A June 2018 Journal on Law and Crimal Justice published by American Research Institute for Policy Development decribes Boko Haram was founded in 2002, with official name as Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati Wal-Jihad which literally means the Association for propagating the Prophets teaching and Jihad has become one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world which evokes insecurity and fear. Allegedly formed by Muhammad Yusuf, the group have carved a niche for itself in Nigeria as the most vicious and violent religious group ever witnessed by the country. Ideologically, Boko Haram is geared at imposing strict sharia law across Nigeria and abolishing western education. This fact is further compounded with the literal meaning of Boko Haram which comprised of the combination of Hausa word Boko meaning book and Haram an Arabic word translated to mean forbidden words suggest that western education is forbidden. Collectively, both While this appears to represent the widely held perception of Boko Haram, it seems however that, clarification on the extent to which western education is rejected has been made by the group. An instance is from the deceased leader of the group who stated that, while western education is not totally forbidden, if it contravenes with the provision of the Holy Quran, such western beliefs will be rejected . On a similar vein, according to Onuoha, a leader of the group has proffered the view that Boko Haram does not necessarily oppose western education but rather affirms their belief in the supremacy of Islamic culture over education. Someone might want to get confused here, maybe I am. Evidently to sights and records, In terms of mode of operation, Boko Haram has engaged in diverse diabolical attacks following the death of its leader Muhammad Yusuf in 2009. Although prior to his death, the group has engaged in altercation with the security representatives such as the police, however, the death of its leader marks the dynamic transformation of Boko Haram into a full fledge terrorist group. Popular instances of the groups attack include the use of suicide bombing: a practice alien to Nigeria. Other attacks comprise of the kidnap of 276 Chibok girls in 2014, bombing of the Nigerian Force Headquarters in the same year and the kidnap of over 100 Dapchi school girls in 2018. Today, a Raymond Okoro study on terrorism showed that the Boko haram has a membership composition which includes: disaffected northern youths, professionals, unemployed graduates, Islamic clerics, ex-almajirai children who constantly migrate for the purpose of acquiring Quranic education in the Hausa language, drop-outs from universities, plus some members of the Nigerian political elites. It also includes some members of the state security agencies who thus assist the group with training and useful intelligence reports. The sect claims to have over 40000 members altogether in Nigeria and some neighbouring African states including Chad, Benin, and Niger. Evidently in July 2013, Boko Haram was officially proscribed terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom, and since November 2013, a designated terrorist organisation in the United States. In May 2014, the UN Security Council added the group to its al-Qaeda sanctions list. Boko Haram has a loose operating structure, with disconnected cells provided with spiritual guidance by one overall emir, Abubakar Shekau, who has been killed many times by the Nigerian military but kept making variant public appearance mysteriously. This has made it hard for the Nigerian authorities to detect and defeat the group. The group has benefited from state corruption and has been able to infiltrate the government, the army and the security services. A study of Henry Jackson Society, In 2002, Osama bin Laden dispatched one of his aides to Nigeria to distribute $3 million to sympathetic Salafi groups. Among the recipients was Mohammed Yusuf, Boko Harams founder. Documents discovered in bin Ladens Abbottabad compound in May 2011 show Boko Harams leaders had been in contact with top levels of al-Qaeda, including potentially even bin Laden himself. Shekau, Boko Harams emir and Yusufs successor, very obviously backs al-Qaeda rhetorically; a message released in November 2012 featured Shekau praising al-Qaeda, its leaders (including bin Laden and Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq) and its fighters across the world, and threatening the US, Britain, Israel and Nigeria. Consequently, it was reported that in August 2016 that the group splited into 2 factions of Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) and JASDJ or Boko Haram. ISWA which is affiliated with ISIS core in Iraq and Syria and has expressed an intention to target Nigerian government, Christian and western interests. ISWA have launched a series of successful attacks against Nigerian military locations, increased their freedom of movement across Borno and Yobe states, and taken multiple hostages, including two humanitarian hostages who they executed in 2018. Another is the Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Vanguard for the protection of Muslims in Black Africa) (Ansaru is also another sister terrorist organization operating in Nigeria. Ansaru is an Islamist terrorist organisation based in northern Nigeria, and is proscribed by the UK. It emerged in 2012 and is motivated by an anti-Nigerian Government and anti-Western agenda. Ansaru is also broadly aligned with Al Qaeda. Since 2012, the group has kidnapped at least numerous hostages, mainly Europeans. They are believed to have killed a number of hostages, including 2 British nationals. Today, one cannot be certain of the numbers of the terrorist operating on the shores of the country and around the western part of Africa. There are a number of terrorist groups active in the region. These include Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), Islamic State West Africa (ISWA), Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS), Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Murabitoun, Ansar Dine and Boko Haram. These groups are capable of carrying out attacks and kidnaps over long distances. Kidnapping for ransom is the primary source of finance for Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM). Criminal gangs also carry out kidnapping for terrorist groups in return for financial rewards. Wherein, it's painful that the menace sourced by terrorism on our land is overwhelming. Hence, I've made many findings on the popular causes of terrorism through the help of studies and observations. First, some studies believed that many people in Nigeria call for the restorative justice paradigm because they are aggrieved and hurt socially, politically and economically; and could not explain why some people who stand in plenty of water should wash their hands with spittle. Similarly, the grievance theory instituted by John Omale of the department of Criminology and Penology, Salem University, Lokoja, Nigeria, averred that it appears to support the assumption of some people in Nigeria, that the violent dimension of Boko Haram is a reaction to job creation opportunities granted to the Niger Delta militants in the Amnesty Programme. For this reason, the unemployed youth in the north are aggrieved and want to benefit from same. He further agrued that where the Boko Haram members missed their mark is from their name Boko Haram 'western education is evil'. How do they intend to benefit from international and local trainings like the Niger Delta militants when their supposed ideology already defines western education as evil? A look into a May 2016 Journal of Criminology and Justice studies also backed the theory of Aggriveness as a relative absence of democracy. Democracy, in its truest sense, is supposed to be representative of the people, their wishes and interests. However, because this is not always the case in reality, terrorism can arise in a democracy in two occasions: when there is a case of a minority whose basic rights and liberties are denied or taken away by arbitrary action of the government or its agencies; and when one minority is attacked by another minority and does not receive adequate protection from the state and its forces of law and order. In other words, those who are the subjects of a liberal state, but who are not admitted to its rights of citizenship cannot be morally bound to show allegiance or obedience to the state. Ostentatively, from a two month research I conducted online from people on why there youths actively join terrorism on the daily basis, some set of people tell me that it is the inability of people to get education which might have opened their eyes to early civilisation; some also agreed that it's because of the rate of poverty in the Northern part of Nigeria, making people invest their mental strength into terrorism. Yet again, some people also have averred in their own conception that terrorism could be triggered by disgruntled and disaffected, intelligentsia who are in a social and moral crisis unable to mobilize the masses. When rigid social stratification shatters hopes for social transformation, then the ingredients are present for a start or rise in terrorist activities in an attempt to reconnect with the masses who they claim to represent and aspire to lead. Furthermore, some school of thoughts have also agreed on greed as a cause for terrorism. Apparently, greed as the outcome of rational individual choices to maximise economic, social or political benefits. Rebellion is only feasible when the opportunity and potential gain from joining an armed group outweigh the benefits of not fighting and pursuing alternative income-generation opportunities. Hence, the costs of organising rebellion are lower where there is a large youth population (which is relatively cheap to recruit), where there are high levels of poverty and illiteracy or where there is an abundance of easily lootable resources. As unfurled by Hilker and Fraser in 2019, the social and political exclusionism perspective is also a cause. Hence becomes a product of the social and political marginalisation of young people. The authors argued that there is a growing sense in the literature that the social and economic statuses required for adulthood are increasingly unattainable for young people. Some authors also argued that a number of ethnographic studies of young people in a number of different conflict-affected countries have identified various social, economic and political barriers that block young peoples transition to adulthood, and highlighted the central role these barriers can play in driving violent conflict. For example Sommers 2006 work on youthmen in Rwanda and on blocked youth transitions in West Africa research on waithood in the Middle East and studies of youth violence in Sri Lanka all emphasize a blocked transition to adulthood emerging as a result of a complex combination of demographic, economic, social and political factors. Consequently now, Religion is a 'big big' factor that's promoting terrorism in an averagely ignorant world, most especially Nigeria. Where the world Religion is quite ambiguous to the users. Hence religion has become a vital opiumthat some groups feed on to misinterpret the requirements of their religion and to carry out their fundamentalist beliefs which are generally aimed at conquering. It's this provoking. Wherefore, maybe of recent we can trace the peril of the daily activities of these different terrorist groups in Nigeria. This year alone, the pages of the Nigeria Newspapers has reported many uncomfortable incidence instigated by these terrorist sects, such as a January 2020 incidence, where the al Qaeda-linked terrorist group Jamaat al Ansar al Muslimeen fi Bilad al Sudan, better known as Ansaru, killed at least six people and destroyed several vehicles during an ambush along the Kaduna-Zaira highway in Kaduna State. One even gets provoked, is another February 19 lauch, where Insurgents are reported to have killed at least 30 people and abducted women and children. Victims were killed and abducted while sleeping in their vehicles during an overnight stop in Auno town, on a major highway near Maiduguri. Series of attack also came in June where Insurgents attacked Monguno town, killing at least 38 civilians, and targeting the humanitarian hub located in the town and also Insurgents are reported to have killed around 81 civilians in Felo village, Gubio LGA around that same months. True, in wagging war against these nameless group, the Federal Government of Nigeria in some regards has somehow 'equiped' the Nigerian security forces appear well equipped to track down Boko Haram and her sisters groups, efforts have been made to improve training, equipment and co-ordination of the Nigerian military and security services. Records shows the Nigerian military is approximately 200,000 people strong, operates over some combat aircraft and possesses helicopters and other heavy military hardware. Hence, tackling Boko Haram-styled terrorism and any form of terrorism in Nigeria goes beyond the resources and capabilities of government and its agencies. The hydraheaded terror monster, with its international allies and financing, requires more commitment, resources and support from many more stakeholders including government and its security agencies but extending to regional bodies, the international community, civil society, business community and faith organizations. Now, it's obvious that terrorists are young minds with sharp brains, a study once carried out that terrorists organisation possessed professionals such as software developers, engineers who are practically young men. Hence the Nigeria Government must be ready to look into the shelves with of her unemployed youths, exploitative politicians, radical clerics; population prone to violence and weakened national and community cohesions, offers competitive advantage for militant and terrorist organizations, criminal networks and evil political leaders alike. Nigerian government must be ready to prioritize quality education, vast employment especially to the 'non-beliving' youthsof the Northern part of the country, thus they might be opened to their fundamental human rights and civilisation. Seemingly, since Nigeria by constitutional provision is a secular state. By this it is meant that there is no one nationally accepted religion or way of worship. Everybody is free to practice any religion of choice provided the rights of others are not infringed. Now, there should be a check on the extremists of these religions that teaches hatred or war, religion leaders must teach the followers the right attitude to religion, thus having a better society. While government must address the variant issues of corruption, youth unemployment, illiteracy of many citizens, poverty of the vulnerable sectors, 'ineffective democracy', environmental pollution, poor governance processes and the different weaknesses of the state, already identified as the problems that initiated and have sustained the incidence of terrorism in Nigeria, it is swiftly important that government accedes to the request by interest groups within the polity to convene a truly national conversation to determine the terms of engagement of the nationalities that make up the Nigerian commonwealth. Government must also be ready to boost the efficacy of the law in combatting and reducing terrorism, the Judiciary and the police to work collaboratively in ensuring suspected terrorist cases are brought before the court and prosecuted. They must be also ready to fund massively the Nigeria Security forces, as of recent, over 300 military men left the battle field, complaining of poor financing and less equipped equipment to fight terrorism. Something must be done. Finally, we must all be vigilant to terrorism by reporting any strange event to the necessary quarters, if we see something, let's say something. Ogungbile Emmanuel Oludotun writes from University of Ibadan The recent spike in coronavirus cases across Louisiana has brought a corresponding jump at nursing homes, once again putting the state's most vulnerable citizens at high risk even after they have endured months of isolation from families and friends. Nursing homes reported 598 new coronavirus infections among residents in the week that ended July 22, the biggest increase in reported new cases since the height of the pandemic, according to numbers released Wednesday by the state Department of Health. Inconsistencies in testing and reporting make it difficult to divine trends, state officials have said, but the increase is in line with warnings from nursing home industry groups that a resurgence of COVID-19 in such vulnerable settings is likely in regions where the virus is on the rise again. A letter from the leaders of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, which represent thousands of care facilities around the country, warned governors to be prepared for nursing homes to see upticks. "With the major spikes of COVID cases in many states across the country, we are very concerned this trend will lead to a dramatic increase in cases in long-term facilities," the letter said. Fears about the potential impact of coronavirus among nursing home residents are well founded. Residents of nursing homes and other care facilities for the elderly have been particularly impacted by the virus because they often suffer the underlying health conditions that make the coronavirus more lethal than it is for the general population. In Louisiana, nursing home infections account for about 7% of the total known cases of the virus, but the 1,479 deaths of nursing home residents noted in Wednesday's report are about 42% of the state's total deaths from the disease. For those reasons, many nursing homes have been on strict lockdowns since March, when the pandemic first took hold. Residents have been barred from hosting visitors in almost every instance. The move heightens residents' isolation, but also hopefully limits their exposure to the virus. Nursing homes have also been screening employees and vendors who come into their buildings, but testing of employees has lagged in many places, meaning asymptomatic carriers could be passing undetected and spreading the disease within the homes. Many Louisiana nursing homes aren't following coronavirus guidelines. Sanctions might be next. As of June 17, approximately one-third of Louisiana's 278 nursing homes had not complied with state and federal coronavirus testing guidelines That may be happening in Louisiana. Wednesday's reported 598 new cases among nursing home residents is the most new cases reported in a week since 994 were reported on April 20. For much of June, the state reported fewer than 300 new resident cases each week. In July, however, as Louisiana has again become a hotspot for the virus, the numbers have started to ratchet up. On July 6, there were 339 new cases reported; on July 15, there were 508; and then on July 22, there were 598. Infections among nursing home employees the people seen as most likely to be introducing the virus are also on the rise. In June, the highest number of reported staff infections was on June 8, when 207 new staff cases were reported. For the three weeks after that, fewer than 200 new cases among staff were reported. But once the calendar turned to July, that trend reversed: there were 339 reported on July 6, and 479 new cases reported on July 22. Thus far in the pandemic, about one in five Louisiana nursing-home residents known to be infected has ended up dying, so the recent spikes could easily translate into hundreds of additional nursing-home deaths. The data has limitations, however. The key variable is testing, which has varied over time. In June, for instance, State Health Officer Jimmy Guidry chided the approximately one-third of nursing homes across the state that had not complied with state and federal requirements to test every resident and employee. A week after Guidry issued his warning, several homes had still not complied with those requirements, documents from the state show. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up On July 24, Health Department spokesman Kevin Litten said all of the state's nursing home residents had been tested, and 98% of the staff statewide. And more help is on the way: Gov. John Bel Edwards also said this week that the federal government was working on getting testing machines into every nursing home in the country. "I think we are starting to see those machines arrive in very small numbers this week and that's going to continue," Edwards said. The machines will speed the return of test results to under 24 hours if the program works properly, he said. That could improve the homes' response to the virus and allow them to quarantine positive cases more quickly. Another limitation of the data is that the state relies on self-reporting by the homes themselves. There have been some puzzling inconsistencies: One nursing home's death count went down from one week to the next; the number of total deaths in nursing homes dropped by nearly 30 in a different week; and there is often little agreement between the numbers of new reported deaths and the difference from one week's overall death total to the next. Litten said the inconsistencies are often due to facilities not reporting in a given week. When that happens, none of that facility's numbers are included in totals. And sometimes even the ones that do report make mistakes that are later corrected, often without an explanation provided to the public. "Reporting errors are sometimes identified that result in a corrected entry for the facility," Litten said. "Whatever is most current should be interpreted as what is correct to the best of our knowledge. Federal coronavirus numbers on nursing homes show devastating impact; full scope remains unclear For the first time, federal authorities on Thursday released nationwide data showing the coronavirus's impact on U.S. nursing homes, though th The data the state publishes is self-reported by the nursing homes, Litten noted, and is checked for discrepancies. When those cannot be resolved immediately, the data for that facility is listed as pending and is not counted in that week's total. Complicating matters, some nursing homes are accepting COVID patients from other facilities, which could mean some individuals were diagnosed at one facility but currently are being cared for and sometimes counted at another. State officials remove duplicates as they are discovered, Litten said. For these reasons, Litten has said that it remains difficult to identify trends in the states nursing home numbers. Once the public health emergency has passed, he said, the state will conduct a "comprehensive review" of the data. He declined to provide a member of the Department of Health's data team who could better explain the vetting and review process for nursing home data that is published each week. Regardless of the vagaries of the data, nursing homes should be prepared for a further rise in cases, said Denise Bottcher, Louisiana Director for the AARP. Bottcher and others have been urging homes and state officials to stock up on personal protective gear and smooth out the testing process, echoing national calls. "This is not only a problem for Louisiana," she said. "It's everywhere that's having upticks." New Delhi: A UN report on terrorism has warned that there are significant numbers of ISIS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka, noting that the al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent terror group, which reportedly has between 150 and 200 militants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, is planning attacks in the region. The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaeda and associated individuals and entities said that the al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan. "The group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan. The current leader of AQIS is Osama Mahmood, who succeeded the late Asim Umar. AQIS is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader," it said. According to the report, "One member state reported that the ISIL Indian affiliate (Hind Wilayah), which was announced on May 10, 2019, has between 180 and 200 members." It said that there are significant numbers of ISIL operatives in Kerala and Karnataka states. In May last year, the Islamic State (also known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) terror group claimed to have established a new "province" in India, the first of its kind announcement that came after clashes between militants and security forces in Kashmir. The dreaded terror outfit, through its Amaq News Agency, had said that the Arabic name of the new branch is 'Wilayah of Hind' (India Province). A senior Jammu and Kashmir police officer has rejected the claim. Previously, ISIS attacks in Kashmir were linked to its so-called Khorasan Province branch, which was set up in 2015 to cover "Afghanistan, Pakistan and nearby lands." Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 10:40:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CARACAS, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. decision to close the Chinese Consulate General in Houston is a "baseless aggression," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on social media Saturday to voice his support for China. "The political, ideological, diplomatic, economic and media escalation of the U.S. government against the People's Republic of China constitutes a baseless aggression against a sovereign country," Arreaza said on his Twitter account. "Crafting lies to attack China is part of (U.S. President Donald) Trump's electoral despair," Arreaza said. On Tuesday, the United States abruptly demanded that China close its Consulate General in Houston, the first consulate set up by China in the United States after the establishment of their diplomatic ties. Enditem If asked to describe President Muhammadu Buhari and his mode of governance, political watchers and Nigerians in general will have a lo... If asked to describe President Muhammadu Buhari and his mode of governance, political watchers and Nigerians in general will have a lot to say: good, bad and ugly. However, one common characteristic that will be mentioned, is his laid-back attitude to crises in the political parties he belongs to. Mr Buhari has, over the years, been criticised for taking the back seat in the face of internal party crisis, despite being the national leader of the party. He seldom intervenes in such crises and only does so when he appears to have been forced or when they seem to be getting out of hand or when the entire universe comes begging for his intervention. Although, the constitution of his current party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), does not recognise positions like national leader, it is sometimes expected that as a high ranking member of the party, a member of the National Executive Council, supposed member of the Board of Trustees, one of the founders and the president, he would intervene during such crises and make things right. The presidents prolonged silence in the recent crisis in the APC which led to the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as the partys national chairman, is one of many instances where he (Mr Buhari) has acted so. Many have said his attitude is perceived lack of interest in the affairs of the party. Others have also likened this attitude to his attitude towards insecurity and other ills ravaging the country. The president has also been advised to resign if he is too tired and overwhelmed to handle such crises. On the flip side, some political analysts believe the president is right to stay away from party crises. This, some said, will let democracy thrive within the party, which they considered supreme, and also give room for members of the party to resolve issues themselves. Dates back to his CPC days Mr Buharis apathetic attitude to internal party crises can be traced back to his days in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), where he contested for his third presidential election in 2011. Being one of the founders and the national leader of the party, Mr Buhari had many disciples who were loyal to him and to his cause. One of such people was Mike Ahamba with whom he subsequently fell out. Mr Ahamba, a senior Nigerian lawyer from Imo State had been Mr Buharis lead counsel at the tribunals where he challenged his loss to former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 and Umaru Musa YarAdua in 2007. Trouble started in 2010 when Mr Ahamba declared interest in running for the position of the national chairman. He had informed Mr Buhari who gave him his blessings. The party had decided to give the position to the South-east geo-political zone. But while preparations for the convention were ongoing, the party leadership rezoned the position to the South-south and in the end, Tony Momoh, a former information minister from Edo State, emerged national chairman while Buba Galadima was voted National Secretary of the party. In January 2011, Mr Ahamba, announced his resignation from the CPC and politics to return to his law profession following disagreements with the party leadership. After which he disclosed that Mr Buhari had promised to pick the vice-presidential candidate from the Southeast but failed to do so his main reason for leaving the party. In fact I am shocked and embarrassed that Buhari has not been able to stand for me. I am shocked that he will stand and let a party board he presides over humiliate me and zone the position to the South-south, against the partys constitution. I consider it a betrayal. There is nothing I have not done for the party and for Buhari, except that I have not committed a crime for him, he said in a press conference. In all of the drama, Mr Buhari, after sometime, merely wrote a letter urging Mr Ahamba to return to the party. One would have expected him to also address the internal crisis of confidence rocking the party and taking measures to remove the dead woods holding back the party. He however, failed to address those fundamental issues of concern raised by the lawyer. Many CPC supporters were privately convinced that Buhari was morally nervous to confront the alleged misbehaviour of those he trusts so much. Some analysts believe Mr Buhari seemingly allows the unwholesome activities of the opportunists around him who have undermined the larger interest of the party in no small measure. In APC, same story Since his emergence as president under the APC in 2015, the narrative has not changed. The APC has witnessed a series of leadership crises since its inception till date, most of which occur in the build up to elections at different levels. And the national leader, Mr Buhari, is always found wanting at the start of every hassle. It is almost as though he had to be briefed about happenings in the party and the need for him to intervene. It is almost as though he had to be reminded that he has the power to call to order, those who seem to be failing in their responsibilities to run the party; that he has the power to step in and make things right. Zamfara, Rivers example The APC lost all its seats to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 general elections majorly because of party crisis in Zamfara State. The dispute among leaders of the APC in the north-west state led to the inability to hold the primaries within the stipulated time. The state chapter had two factions; one loyal to the former governor AbdulAziz Yari which claimed it held congresses and had candidates and another faction loyal to ex-senator Kabiru Marafa which insisted that no primary was held. After weeks of legal battles, the court ruled that the party did not conduct valid primaries to select its governorship, national and state assembly candidates in the build-up to the elections. And during this period, the president only expressed hope of resolving the crisis in the state. Same thing happened in Rivers State because factions of the party loyal to the Nigerian minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and Magnus Abe, a former senator, could not reach a compromise on the partys flagbearer. The controversy between the APC leaders in the state paved the way for the incumbent governor, Nyesom Wike, who got a smooth ride to victory in the election. Tinubu/Oyegun feud Not forgetting the earlier feud between APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu and the partys former chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, which started in 2016. The duo confronted themselves publicly over the partys governorship primary election in Ondo State. Mr Tinubu accused Mr Odigie-Oyegun of playing an undignified role in forwarding the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the partys candidate in the November 26 Ondo State governorship election, despite the recommendation of the Appeal Panel that a fresh primary be held. He demanded Mr Odigie-Oyeguns resignation for duping the party and INEC. Mr Odigie-Oyegun not only denied Mr Tinubus allegation of corruption against him, he described it as reckless and baseless. Up uuntil 2018, Mr Tinubu still accused the former chairman of sabotaging his presidential assignments. This came weeks after he was asked by the president to lead the APC consultation, reconciliation and confidence-building efforts ahead of 2019 elections. The latter simply pledged to show support. Again, the president was absent during this brawl which nearly wrecked the party. Mr Oyegun was forced to go meet with Mr Buhari who simply told him to ignore Mr Tinubu and refrain from replying in like manner. Same attitude was displayed in the most recent crisis in the party which saw the removal of Adams Oshiomhole as the national chairman. Amid the leadership tussle which lasted for almost two weeks following Mr Oshiomholes suspension, the president kept mum on the matter. This prompted several groups and members of the party to urge him to intervene. Both APC governors and the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, met with Mr Buhari on the issue while some federal lawmakers called for his intervention via letters and press releases. The president finally intervened and when he did, threw his support behind one of the contenders for the position of acting national chairman, Victor Giadom. IN BUHARIS DEFENCE While some APC officials have frowned at Mr Buharis style of looking the other way, while the party was falling apart, his spokesperson, Femi Adesina said the president was a democrat who would rather prefer to allow the process to run its course. In a recent video interview with a UK-based Nigerian, Ata Ikiddeh, on the Edo APC crisis, he said the president likes to be fair to everybody and those complaining about his stillness do not know what he has done. What he has done is to meet with the parties separately. And he has been doing this for more than a year since the crisis in Edo began. So if the people are in entrenched positions and refuse to shift ground, what would the president do as a democrat? You allow the process to run its course. What people expect the president to do is to legislate things, to order Obaseki No, step down or order Oshiomhole No, give him the ticket. That is not democracy. When you begin to order and legislate things like that you would be unfair to one party, Mr Adesina said. EXPERTS VIEWS Experts who spoke expressed conflicting views on the presidents style. While some say Mr Buhari is right not to interfere in party crisis, others criticise him for ignoring the happenings in the party when his intervention as father of all is most needed. Ezenwa Nwagwu, chairman of Partners for Electoral Reform and Convener of Say No Campaign, said there is an extent to which Mr Buhari should meddle in the affairs of the party and that the president was right to have stayed aloof for most part of the crisis. Coming from the blackmail of being a military dictator, you will see a president that is restrained and does not want to interfere with workings within the political party. In a presidential democracy, the candidate of a party and the government are not fully participatory in the activities of the party immediately after elections are over. I dont think he is nonchalant. I think it is a cautious strategic response to what it has always been. If the president is aloof in the matters of his political party, that is the correct thing to do. It is for us to ask the organs of the party that has responsibility to whip members when they are misbehaving, to be alive to such responsibilities. People want to drag the president into party affairs just because it is a governing party, he said. He wondered why Nigerians and the media talk less about internal party democracy and the functioning of the Board of Trustees. The reason people talk about the president, he explained, is because we want him to solve every problem. Is it possible? If we want our political parties to grow, we must allow and understand that it is the organs of that party that should function effectively. We had a PDP government that was funding the party. When a government funds a party, it means members of the party will not have a say in the running of the party. We dont want a situation where the president begins to feel like it is a monarchy and can dictate what happens in the party and let other members have a say. Do not blame Buhari for not interfering. He eventually intervened but that is wrong. He, like other members, has only one APC card. His will should not be imposed on other members because he is the president. Public Affairs Analyst, Jide Ojo, noted that the constitution of APC does not recognise the title, national leader and the president is just a leader of the party and member of the NEC. The president is like a father figure. You cant jump in at the earliest smell of trouble. You allow the party organs to resolve the crisis. it is when they refuse, that you come in and that is what happened. Ordinarily, the NWC should constitute a conflict management committee for the crisis but as it stands out, they are the ones involved in the whole crisis. These are issues surrounding the presidents late interference. Mr Ojo also faulted the manner in which the president intervened as he said due process was not followed. Article 23b of the constitution of APC says in the event of an emergency NEC meeting, you need seven days notice but that notice was not up to two days. If the NWC had gone to court, they would have humiliated the president because due process for the meeting was not followed and as such, decisions taken there were null and void. He argued that the reason the president intervened was because there was an ambush where the ranks of the governors had been divided into pro and anti Oshiomhole and that at the end of the day, he had to wave the big stick. Mr Ojo cited lack of internal democracy as a challenge within political parties. He said if parties would obey their own constitution, electoral guidelines and the likes, there would be no more problem. The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, explains how running under the platform of a political party does not make the president the national leader. For him, it does not mean that the president and other high ranking members are above the party. He also believes the president did right by staying aloof. I think his non-interference is a principled position that should be encouraged because there is a difference between party politics and governance. He should face the business of governance to deliver on the manifesto of the party. It was a good decision to have done that. But you can see that at times when he intervened, what became of the party. I dont see the difference between the Oyegun-Tinubu crisis and this one because his interference has been like on the order of the president. It reaffirms the fact that we dont really have political parties in the true sense of the word. Because if a ruling party cannot resolve its internal dispute until the president intervenes, it speaks to constitutionalism and the democratic credentials of the political party. It means the party cannot uphold its own rules and their constitution. He further explained that a disadvantage of the presidents intervention means if the president has an agenda, regardless of party rules and policies, he will have his way. It also means the party structure is around an individual and Mr Buhari remains that individual. He is a rallying point and you dont build a party like that, he said. Inibehe Effiong, lawyer and human rights activist, disagrees. He said the apathy the president has shown towards crisis in the party is the same apathy he has shown towards governance generally. A president, he noted, is supposed to know and be interested in the happening in his party. The leader of the party is usually the president that the party has produced, not delivered officially but in terms of giving directions to the dealings of the party. Same is recognised in the US, UK and other countries where a party has produced the leader of the country, Mr Effiong said. But what we have in Nigeria are just vehicles for attainment of political power not necessarily political parties. So, the president has been showing this indifference openly towards the affairs of his party. It took him six months to appoint ministers, three years to constitute federal boards. We have a president that is very slow to govern and inefficient as well so that leadership deficit that the president has shown, has been replicated in the party. culled: PremiumTimes Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jason Redmond (Agence France-Presse) Seattle Sun, July 26, 2020 17:33 542 6657ac82168da9fa101c8a4066958f7f 2 World united-states,US,George-Floyd,black-lives-matter,Donald-Trump,US-election Free US police used flashbang grenades, pepper spray and tear gas as protestors marched in cities across the country amid a wave of public anger over Donald Trump's planned "surge" of federal agents into major metropolises. The demonstrations against racism and police brutality -- sparked by the death in Minneapolis of unarmed African-American George Floyd -- come as the US president faces an increasingly tough battle for re-election, and is campaigning heavily on a platform of "law and order". Protestors marched in Austin, Texas, as well as Louisville in Kentucky, New York, Omaha, California's Oakland and Los Angeles, and Richmond in Virginia -- where riot police fired chemical agents at a Black Lives Matter march, according to US media. In Seattle the sounds of repeated small detonations rang out in some streets, and smoke rose from an area where demonstrators had set fire to trailers by a construction site for a youth detention facility, an AFP reporter observed. Protestors slashed car tires and smashed trailer windows. Police in riot gear faced off against the protestors, some holding umbrellas against falling pellets of pepper spray. Late Saturday, Seattle Police said 45 people were arrested in connection with the demonstrations, which they designated a riot, according to the force's official Twitter account. Police Chief Carmen Best implored people to "come in peace to the city," and castigated the demonstrations. "The rioters had no regard for the community's safety, for officers' safety or for the businesses and property that they destroyed," local media reported her as saying. The latest violence came after police and federal agents fired tear gas and forcefully dispersed protestors further south in Portland early Saturday, also in anger over Trump's heavily-criticized surge of security forces. The city, the biggest in the state of Oregon, has seen nightly protests against racism and police brutality for nearly two months, initially sparked by Floyd's death. Portland is also a stage for the highly controversial crackdown by federal agents ordered by Trump -- one that is not supported by local officials, and which many say smacks of authoritarianism. Saturday's demonstration began peacefully, with crowds playing music and dancing, blowing soap bubbles and attaching red roses to the barricades. But it ended -- like many before it -- with tear gas fired after protestors attached ropes to barricades surrounding the city's courthouse in an attempt to pull them down. Portland police declared the area a riot, ordering protestors to leave, before they were joined by federal officers to clear the area. An AFP reporter saw at least two men being detained and escorted from the scene by federal officers. Portland police earlier confirmed a man was stabbed, with the suspect "held down by protestors" before he was detained by officers and charged with assault, according to a statement. The victim was transported to hospital with a serious injury. Earlier, protestors who spoke to AFP complained of the federal agents in the city and voiced their support for the Black Lives Matter movement. "I don't like what's happening down here, what Trump is doing," Mike Shikany, a 55-year-old aerospace engineer, said, adding he did not "want to get anywhere near the little green men," meaning the federal troops. Portland retiree Jean Mullen, 74, said that without pressure nothing would change. "It's time to become the country we always brag about being. And we can't brag anymore, about anything. We aren't first in anything and it's a terrible, terrible thing to see at the end of my life," she said. The inspector general of the US Justice Department on Thursday opened an official investigation into the federal crackdown, but an Oregon federal judge on Friday rejected a legal bid by the state to stop agents from detaining protestors. Trump last week announced a "surge" of federal agents to crime hotspots including Chicago, following an increase in violence in the nation's third-largest city. Agents deployed there will partner with local law enforcement, not riot control forces as seen in Portland. Local officials have warned they would draw the line at any Portland-style deployment. Nancy Pelosi played at President Donald Trump's own game Sunday morning by dubbing him 'Mr. Make Matters Worse' in regards to his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. 'This president I have a new name for him: Mr. Make Matters Worse,' the House Speaker told CBS News Face the Nation host Margaret Brenner Sunday morning. 'He has made matters worse from the start,' the California Democrat continued. 'Delay, denial, 'it's a hoax', 'it will go away magically, it's a miracle' and the rest.' Pelosi was responding to the Trump administration's push to reopen Kindergarten through 12th grade schools. Trump has asserted it is of the utmost important to get students back in the classroom rather than continue virtual and remote learning in the fall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi played President Donald Trump's own game on Sunday, giving him the new nickname 'Mr. Make Matters Worse' 'He has made matters worse from the start,' she told CBS News' Face the Nation Sunday morning in regards to Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic Trump, photographed here wearing a mask in public for the first time, often dubs politicians demeaning nicknames when he is criticizing or insulting them Critics, however, claim schools would be an incubation chamber for the virus, asserting that returning to the classroom would put both the student and teachers' health at risk. 'What we will not support is the following,' Pelosi detailed. 'What they're saying to essential workers, 'You have to go to work because you're essential. We place no responsibility on your employer to make that workplace safe, and if you get safe you get no recourse because we've given your employer protection.' She also claimed the new Republican coronavirus relief legislation would not allow those teachers who refuse to go to work if schools reopened in the fall any unemployment benefits. Trump has continued to see his poll numbers slide in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as the public has claimed he is not handling the crisis well. The president has deflected blame, claiming tens of thousands of more lives would have been lost if he did not ban travel from China which he claims Pelosi was against. As Trump's poll numbers on his handling of the crisis continue to spiral, he has redirected blame claiming it would have been much worse if he listened to Pelosi when she said she was against closing the border to china 'Crazy Nancy Pelosi said I made a mistake when I banned people from infected China from entering the U.S. in January,' Trump tweeted Sunday morning, using his own nickname for the Democratic leader. 'Tens of thousands of lives were saved, as she danced in the Streets of Chinatown (SF) in late February,' he continued. 'Biden agreed with her, but soon admitted that I was right!' The push for reopening schools comes as the U.S. is nearing the 4.2 million mark for the number of confirmed cases far more than any other country. The death toll has surpassed 146,000 in the U.S. The death and infection rate is substantially lower among young people, causing the administration to further claim it would be safe for students to return to in-person schooling. Some other names Trump has called opposition politicians or those he disagrees with are 'Mini Mike' Bloomberg; 'Wacko' John Bolton; 'Low Energy Jeb' Bush; 'Crazy,' 'Crooked' and 'Lyin' Hillary Clinton; 'Little Marco' Rubio, 'Leakin' James' Comey, among others. He also frequently calls presumed Democratic nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden 'Sleepy Joe' and 'Creepy Joe.' Coronavirus Updates: A 49-year-old government employee succumbed to COVID-19 in the Union Territory, while the 34 new cases took the total to 324. Auto refresh feeds Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be launching "high throughput" COVID-19 testing facilities in Kolkata, Mumbai and Noida at 4.30 pm today. This will help ramp-up Indias testing capacity and strengthen early detection and treatment in the country, the Prime Minister's Office said. With over 41.9 lakh reported cases till date, the United States is the worst-affected country in the world. The US is followed by Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa. The total confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the world stand at 1.6 crore, according to the Reuters tracker. This figure includes COVID-19 patients who have recovered and the overall global death toll which stands at 6.4 lakh. There are 8,106 active cases in the state, while three patients have migrated out of Assam. So far, 24,040 people have recovered from the disease in Assam. The current doubling time has increased to 14.5 days from the previous week's 11.4 days. Assam reported 1,142 new COVID-19 cases yesterday, taking the state's tally to 32,228, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Two COVID-19 patients also died in the state, raising the toll to 79, he said. Six new COVID-19 positive cases reported in Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the last 24 hours. The total cases rose to 324, including 182 patients who were discharged after recovering from the disease, according to the Andaman & Nicobar Administration, reports ANI. China reported 44 new asymptomatic patients, down from 68 a day earlier. As of Sunday, mainland China had 83,891 confirmed coronavirus cases, the health authority said. The COVID-19 death toll remained at 4,634. China reported 61 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for July 26, up from 46 cases a day earlier, the health commission said on Monday. Of the new infections, 41 were in the far western region of Xinjiang, 14 were in the northeastern province of Liaoning and two in northeastern province of Jilin, while the remaining four were imported cases, according to a statement by the National Health Commission. On Sunday, India's coronavirus case count mounted to 13,85,522 on Sunday with 48,661 people testing positive for the disease India registered 97,577 new cases in the past two days. On Saturday, India registered 48,916 COVID-19 infections in a single day, taking the overall count to 13,36,861. The COVID-19 toll reached 31,358 after 757 more patients succumbed to the novel coronavirus. The Punjab government has decided to provide plasma to private hospitals from the governments plasma bank at a cost of Rs 20,000 per unit, reports ANI. According to the officials, the customers who visited the bank have also been advised to voluntarily appear for coronavirus tests. Earlier, a senior official of the branch who was suffering from other complications, had died of COVID-19. At least 38 employees of a national bank's main branch in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, have tested positive for coronavirus, officials from the bank and the local civic body have said. India reports 49,931 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking its overall tally to 14,35,453. This is the highest single-day surge in fresh infections. The toll rises by 708 to 32,771. More than 9.17 lakh people have recovered. With 3,75,799 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far, Maharashtra remains the worst-affected state in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu (2,13,723) and Delhi (1,30,606). He said like many other countries, coronavirus hit the Indian economy, prompting the government to take necessary measures. He stressed the economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of the pandemic is equivalent to 10 per cent of the country's GDP. The Indian diaspora around the world can play a crucial role in making India self-reliant, said Minister of State for Defence Shripad Yesso Naik on Sunday. Naik was addressing a virtual seminar on atmanirbhar Bharat organised by the Jaipur Foot USA. Forty-three people have tested positive in Kasargod, Kerala, after they attended a wedding ceremony on 17 July, reports ANI. The Badiyudukka Police have registered a case against the brides father under Kerala Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that 1,68,06,803 samples were tested for COVID-19 in the country till 26 July. Of these, 5,15,472 were tested yesterday. The recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has increased to 63.92 percent. The recoveries/deaths ratio is 96.55%:3.45% now, according to the Government of India. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare says 404 beds are available in Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College Hospital as of 7 am today, as against a total of 529 beds, ANI reports. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 1,283 beds are available against a total of 1,515. Notably, the Vande Bharat Mission phase five will commence on a day the country will also enter unlock phase three. Air India announced on 26 July that the fifth phase of the Vande Bharat Mission, which is slated to begin from August 1, 2020, will see Indian carriers open up to many more international destinations. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that there was an improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Delhi. "The Delhi model is being discussed in India and across the world. Today the recovery rate in Delhi is 88 percent, only 9 percent of the people are ill now and 2-3 percent of the people have died. There is a decline in the number of deaths," he adds. Arvind Kejriwal also announced a portal to connect employers with job seekers. "Delhi government is starting a portal - jobs.delhi.gov.in Those who are looking to recruit people for jobs can go to the website and update their requirement. Job seekers can also go there and update their qualifications, experience and requirement. It'll be a 'Rozgar Bazar'," the chief minister said. Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that there was no need to impose a second lockdown in Delhi. "This is a matter of satisfaction," he says. As of now, theres an arrangement of 15,500 beds at hospitals in Delhi, said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday. Only 2,800 Covid-19 patients remain at these hospitals, 12,500 beds are vacant. In June, we were at 2nd position in the country as far as states with the highest cases were concerned. Today were 10th. The lockdown in Ballia and Rasra cities of Uttar Pradesh has been extended till 31 July due to the rising novel coronavirus cases, an official said on Monday. The lockdown in city and its adjoining areas in Ballia district was initially imposed on 2 July, but was extended later. It was first announced in Rasra on 18 July. Over 100 new cases and one death reported in Maharashtra Police Force in last 24 hours, according to ANI. With this, the total cases in the force rises to 8,584. According to reports , he is the sixth minister in chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's Maha Vikas Aghadi government to have tested positive for the infection. Earlier this year, ministers Jitendra Ahwad, Dhananjay Munde, Ashok Chavan, Aslam Shaikh and Abdul Sattar were diagnosed with COVID-19. Maharashtra minister of state for environment, FDA Sanjay Bansode on Sunday said that he tested positive for coronavirus and is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Mumbai, reports Indian Express. Telangana reports 1,473 new cases and 8 deaths on Monday, reports ANI. With this, the states total count rises to 55,532. Delhi on Monday reported 613 new COVID19 cases and 26 deaths reported in the last 24 hours with 1497 people recovered/discharged/migrated. The total positive cases in Delhi have now risen to 1,31,219 including 1,16,372 recovered/discharged/migrated and 3853 deaths. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan that the PM CARES Fund is a "voluntary fund" while funds to the NDRF and SDRF are made available through budgetary allocations. The Supreme Court reserved its order on Monday on a plea, which has said all the money collected under the PM CARES Fund for the COVID-19 pandemic should be transferred to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Supreme Court seeks reply from University Grants Commission (UGC) on a batch of pleas challenging its circular and seeking cancellation of final term examination in view of COVID-19. UGC to file reply by July 29. Matter to be heard on 31 July. Addressing Maharashtra BJP unit functionaries via video link, Nadda also said the Modi-led government has increased production of PPE kits and set up additional test facilities. BJP president JP Nadda on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took bold decisions to help people amid the COVID-19 situation in the country. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Himachal Pradesh have risen to 2,187. This includes 955 active cases, 1,203 recoveries and 12 deaths. Five personnel posted at the Lake police station and one at the Bidhannagar East police station have tested positive for COVID-19, following which the buildings were sanitised, a senior officer of the commissionerate said. All those who had come in contact with these police personnel have been asked to go under home isolation, he added. Six policemen of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate in West Bengal have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the count of its infected personnel to around 200 so far, reports PTI. Amid protests by local residents on Sunday evening, public representatives including Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan had intervened and the cremation of the elderly person who died due to coronavirus infection was put on hold. However, the body was cremated at around 11.15 pm on Sunday as per the COVID-19 protocol, officials said on Monday. The police also booked a municipal Councillor of the BJP and 30 persons for preventing the cremation of the 83-year old man at a public crematorium at Muttambalam, after locals raised fears of the spread of coronavirus. The body of a COVID-19 victim whose cremation was marred by protests on Sunday, was finally cremated here under tight police security late in the day, officials said on Monday. Odisha registers 1,503 new cases, taking the total number to 26,892. The toll in the state stands at 147. Rajasthan reported 448 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths on Monday. The total confirmed cases in the state stand at 36,878, including 10,124 active cases and 631 deaths. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Aaradhya have tested negative for the coronavirus and have been discharged from the hospital, tweeted Abhishek Bachchan. They were admitted at Mumbai'sNanavati Hospital on 17 July, days after testing positive for coronavirus. Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek have also tested positive and are undergoing treatment at the hopsital. Several other vaccines made by China and by Britain's Oxford University earlier this month began smaller final-stage tests in Brazil and other hard-hit countries. But the US requires its own tests of any vaccine that might be used in the country and will trial each vaccine in around 30,000 volunteers, also to check each vaccines potential safety. Following the same study rules will let scientists eventually compare all the shots. The world's biggest COVID-19 vaccine study got underway Monday with the first of 30,000 planned volunteers helping to test shots created by the US government one of several candidates in the final stretch of the global vaccine race. There's still no guarantee that the experimental vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc, will really protect against the virus. To obtain proof of the vaccines efficacy, volunteers will not be told if they're getting the real shot or a dummy version. After two doses, scientists will closely track which group experiences more infections as they go about their daily routines, especially in areas where the virus still is spreading unchecked. Covaxin, which is being developed by Bharat Biotech, was administered to several selected persons who had volunteered to be part of the crucial trial, Dr E Venkat Rao, principal investigator of the trial process, told PTI. The volunteers had undergone a rigorous screening procedure, he said, adding they were administered the vaccine strictly in accordance with the protocols laid down by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The human clinical trial of indigenously developed Covaxin, a possible vaccine against the novel coronavirus, began at an institute in Bhubaneshwar on Monday, a senior official told news agency PTI.The much-awaited trial of BBV152 COVID-19 vaccine or Covaxin commenced at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, one of the 12 centres selected by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for conducting phase one and two of the process. The high court noted that the sero-survey of the National Capital carried out by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) indicated that more than 22.86 percent of the population had gone through the llness without even realizing they were infected as they probably were asymptomatic.in such a scenario how can the Delhi government go with RAT as its front line test, when its rate of false negatives was very high, with RT/PCR being recommended for only those who were symptomatic, the court asked. The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the AAP government why it was going with Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), which has a high rate of false negative results, as the primary test of COVID-19 infection, reports PTI The court also instructed the Delhi government to "strictly" follow the guidelines on COVID-19 testing as issued by ICMR and not according to its own interpretation. 8706 patients discharged today; 2,21,944 COVID-19 patients discharged after full recovery until today; Recovery rate in the state is 57.84%: Maharashtra Health Department https://t.co/UW022hm1uo Maharashtra's COVID-19 toll rose to 13,883 with 227 deaths while the case count increased to 3,83,723 with the addition of 7,924 fresh COVID19 cases. As many as 8,706 patients were discharged after recovery, taking the number of recoveries to 2,21,944 and active cases to 1,47,592 active cases, said a state health department bulletin. Gujarat registered 22 deaths and 1,052 fresh infections in the last 24 hours, reports ANI quoting the state health department. Gujarat's case count mounted to 56,874 including 13,146 active cases 41,380 cured/discharged and 2,348 deaths. The high court noted that the sero-survey of the National Capital carried out by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) indicated that more than 22.86 percent of the population had gone through the llness without even realizing they were infected as they probably were asymptomatic.in such a scenario how can the Delhi government go with RAT as its front line test, when its rate of false negatives was very high, with RT/PCR being recommended for only those who were symptomatic, the court asked. The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the AAP government why it was going with Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), which has a high rate of false negative results, as the primary test of COVID-19 infection, reports PTI The court also instructed the Delhi government to "strictly" follow the guidelines on COVID-19 testing as issued by ICMR and not according to its own interpretation. State capital Kohima and commercial capital Dimapur are the other two places where total lockdown has been clamped. Mon currently has 132 cases out of the total 1384 confirmed cases in Nagaland. It also has 124 active cases, the third-highest number in the state, it said. commodities were permitted entry into the district only for Monday so that the general people can get them during the lockdown, officials said. except pharmacies and there will be total ban on movement of people barring medical emergencies, it said. However, trucks from Assam carrying essential Total lockdown has been extended to Nagaland's Mon district, reports news agency PTI quoting an official bulletin. The lockdown in Mon district in interior Nagaland will continue till 2 August, it said. The lockdown protocol will be followed and all shops, business establishments, offices, schools will be closed 1,033 #COVID19 cases and 39 deaths reported in Mumbai today; 1,706 patients recovered and discharged. Total positive cases rise to 1,10,129 including 81,944 patients recovered and discharged & 6129 deaths: Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai pic.twitter.com/ZU0q3jWzqt 1,033 new COVID-19 cases and 39 deaths were reported in Mumbai on Monday while a total of 1,706 patients were discharged after recovery. The total cases in the metropolis have risen to 1,10,129 including 81,944 recoveries 6,129 deaths, reports ANI quoting the Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai. Rajasthan reports 1,134 fresh cases and nine fatalities, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 37,564 and toll to 633, reports ANI quoting the state health department. The state now has 10,097 active cases as 25,663 patients have been discharged so far. Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported its first COVID-19 death as a 49-year-old patient lost his life on Monday, officials said. The Union Territory also detected 34 new cases of COVID-19, taking the tally to 324, they said. The man, a government employee, died around 6 am while undergoing treatment at the GB Pant Hospital, officials said. He had comorbid conditions, they said. The Bihar government on Monday removed Health Department's Principal Secretary Uday Singh Kumawat and replaced him with IAS officer Pratayaya Amrit, the third to occupy the position since COVID-19 ripped through the state, reports PTI.The top-level reshuffle comes days after the Indian Medical Association's Bihar chapter wrote to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanding Kumawat's removal due to his "indifferent behaviour" towards doctors. Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey had reportedly complained to the chief minister that Kumawat was not listening to him. Street vendors & hawkers are allowed to function from 10 am to 8 pm daily, initially for a period of one week in Delhi except in containment zones. However, weekly bazaars are not allowed till further orders: Delhi Government pic.twitter.com/r9Wv4Non00 The Delhi government has allowed street vendors and hawkers to function from 10 am to 8 pm daily, initially for a period of one week in the National Capital, except in containment zones, reports news agency ANI. However, weekly bazaars are not allowed till further orders, stated the order signed by Chief Secretary Vijay Dev. state Health Department bulletin issued on Monday. The state reported 2,112 new cases, while 2,166 people were discharged from different hospitals in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said. The total number of cases rose to 60,830 with the detection of the fresh infections, it said. Further, 39 patients died of COVID-19, taking the toll to 1,411. More COVID- 19 patients were discharged from hospitals in a single day in West Bengal than the number of new cases detected for the first time, as per the Coronavirus Updates: Rajasthan reports 1,134 fresh cases and nine fatalities, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 37,564 and toll to 633. Maharashtra's COVID-19 toll rose to 13,883 with 227 deaths while the case count increased to 3,83,723 with the addition of 7,924 fresh COVID19 cases. US President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien has tested positive for the coronavirus making him the highest-ranking official to test positive so far, said reports. Speaking at the virtual launch of three high throughput testing facilities, Prime MInister Narendra Modi said that there are more than 11,000 COVID-19 facilities and over 11 lakh isolation beds in the country. "We also have nearly 1,300 testing labs in the country and more than five lakh tests are being conducted daily," ANI quotes him as saying. BJP president JP Nadda on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took bold decisions to help people amid the COVID-19 situation in the country. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that there was an improvement in the COVID-19 situation in Delhi. 'The Delhi model is being discussed in India and across the world. Today the recovery rate in Delhi is 88 percent.' The reported active COVID-19 cases in India now stand at 4,85,114. The recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has increased to 63.92 percent. India reports 49,931 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking its overall tally to 14,35,453. This is the highest single-day surge in fresh infections. The toll rises by 708 to 32,771. India registered 97,577 new cases in the past two days. On Saturday, India registered 48,916 COVID-19 infections in a single day, while on Sunday, the case count mounted to 13,85,522 with 48,661 people testing positive for the disease. As India's coronavirus case count mounted to 13,85,522 on Sunday with 48,661 people testing positive for the disease, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned against displaying any laxity in following precautionary measures, saying that the virus remained as fatal as it was at the beginning of the pandemic. Several states, including Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, saw a spurt in daily cases while southern states, with the exception of Karnataka, recorded a marginal dip in fresh infections. In the northeast, Sikkim extended the complete lockdown till 31 August, hours after the state reported its first COVID-19 fatality. Restrictions were also extended in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhaderwah town after 14 more cases surfaced there. Tamil Nadu came to a virtual standstill on the last Sunday lockdown this month, with only milk supply and health care services remaining operational in the state. A similar situation prevailed in Maharashtra's Nagpur where a 'Janata curfew' elicited a good response on its last day. Modi stresses on exercising caution In his Mann ki Baat radio address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the importance of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. "At many places, the virus is spreading fast. We need to be extra vigilant. We have to bear in mind that the virus is as fatal today as it was in the beginning. Which is why we have to be cautious," Modi said. Modi also advised those feeling uncomfortable while wearing masks to remember the burden and sacrifice of those in the front lines of the battle against the virus. India reports 48,661 new cases, 705 deaths The data updated by the Union health ministry in the morning showed that the cumulative total of coronavirus cases in the country grew to 13,85,522 with 48,661 fresh cases reported since Saturday morning. The country's toll rose to 32,063 with 705 fatalities being recorded in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed. According to news agency PTI, this is the fourth consecutive day when COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 45,000. Of the 705 deaths reported, 257 were from Maharashtra, 89 from Tamil Nadu, 72 from Karnataka, 52 from Andhra Pradesh, 42 from West Bengal, 39 from Uttar Pradesh, 29 from Delhi, 22 from Gujarat, 14 from Bihar, 12 from Jharkhand, 11 from Rajasthan and 10 from Odisha. Of the total 32,063 deaths reported so far, Maharashtra accounts for 13,389 fatalities, followed by Delhi 3,806, Tamil Nadu 3,409 Gujarat 2,300, Karnataka 1,796, Uttar Pradesh 1,387, West Bengal 1,332, Andhra Pradesh 985 and Madhya Pradesh 799. Maharashtra has also reported the highest number of cases at 3,66,368, followed by Tamil Nadu 2,06,737, Delhi 1,29,531, Karnataka 90,942, Andhra Pradesh 88,671, Uttar Pradesh 63,742 and West Bengal 56,377, the health ministry's data showed. Recovery rate rises to 63.92% As many as 36,145 patients have recuperated from the novel coronavirus infection in a span of 24 hours, the highest recorded in a day, pushing the recovery rate to 63.92 percent, the ministry said on Sunday. The number of recoveries exceed active coronavirus infections by 4,17,694."Recovered cases are 1.89 times the active cases," the ministry said, adding that the case fatality rate has further dropped to 2.31 percent The total number of tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed the 16 million-mark in the country, it said. According to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), a cumulative total of 1,62,91,331 samples have been tested till 25 July with 4,42,263 samples being tested on Saturday. National Task Force decides to exclude Itolizumab from treatment protocols In another development, the National Task Force on COVID-19 decided against including Itolizumab drug in clinical management protocols for treating the disease even though the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved its "restricted emergency use" in infected patients, official sources told PTI. Itolizumab, an already approved drug of Biocon, used for treating psoriasis a skin condition was approved for "restricted emergency use" in 'moderate' to 'severe' Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome patients with COVID-19. The drug was left out of the clinical management protocols as there was not enough evidence, said the sources. However, a Biocon spokesperson said that nearly 1,000 persons have used the drug with good outcome. "The National Covid Task Force needs to see more evidence and we will provide them large real-world data to enable the committee to reconsider its decision on inclusion of Itolizumab in the protocol," he said. COVID-19 deaths decline in National Capital, claims Delhi govt The national capital has recorded a 44 percent decline in the number of COVID-19 deaths in early July as compared to early June, the Delhi government said. The city recorded 605 deaths due to the viral disease between 1 and 12 July as against 1,089 fatalities during the same period in June, according to an analysis carried out by the Health Department. The Delhi government's COVID-19 hospitals saw a 58 percent reduction in deaths from 361 in early June to 154 in early July, it said. Central government COVID-19 hospitals saw a 55 percent reduction in number of deaths, while private COVID hospitals witnessed a 25 percent decline. Delhi recorded 1,075 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, pushing the city's caseload to over 1.30 lakh, while the toll mounted to 3,827 with 21 deaths. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat report record increase in cases Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh reported their highest single-day addition in coronavirus cases. Madhya Pradesh saw its highest single-day spike in COVID-19 cases as 874 people tested positive for the infection, including 205 in capital Bhopal, taking the state's count to 27,800. The toll rose by 12 during the day to reach 811. Gujarat reported as many as 1,110 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total count to 55,822 while 21 patients died, including 12 in Surat, the state health department said. The cumulative toll in the state now stands at 2,326. However, the recovery rate also improved to 72.31 percent, with 753 patients being discharged during the day. Uttar Pradesh recorded its biggest single-day surge of 3,260 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the state's total to 66,988. As many as 39 more people died due to COVID-19 in the state, pushing the toll to 1,426, a bulletin said. Karnataka too witnessed a record increase of 5,199 new cases, taking the aggregate in the state to 96,141, while 82 succumbed to the virus and the toll rose to 1,878, the health department said. Bengaluru urban continued to record highest number of deaths. The city has seen 891 deaths so far including 29 on Sunday. Minor decline in new cases in southern states However, the rest of the southern states with high daily caseloads Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh saw minor dips compared to the previous days. Kerala, with 927 cases on 26 July, saw a marginal decline against the infections reported on Saturday, at 1,103. Andhra Pradesh also witnessed a minor dip on Sunday when compared to the infected persons on Saturday or Friday, but the state still reported cases in excess of 7,000 for the third day. The state's daily cases stood at 7,627 on Sunday while it recorded 7,813 cases yesterday. Telangana reported over 1,500 cases, taking the tally past 54,000, with a majority of the infections coming from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. Sunday lockdown observed in Tamil Nadu With 6,986, Tamil Nadu reported only two cases lesser than on Saturday, even as the state observed a strict Sunday lockdown. The roads wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors in keeping with lockdown curbs. Health care services were open, sanitary workers continued their clean up work, and personnel of civic bodies conducted door-to-door surveys to find people with flu-like symptoms and fever camps were also held. Shops selling essential commodities, fuel pumps and markets were closed as part of measures to help fight COVID- 19 while most vehicles also stayed off the roads. Similar scenes were observed in Maharashtra's Nagpur city where markets stayed shut and people remained indoors under the Janata curfew. Over 3,000 police personnel were deployed to enforce the curfew, officials said. An eight-day total lockdown began in Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland, from Sunday to stem the spread of COVID-19. Streets were empty and shops remained closed. A few pharmacies and hospitals were open in some localities to cater to people in medical emergencies. Government offices, banks and medical clinics that are exempted from the purview of the lockdown remained closed on Sunday. Sikkim extends lockdown The Sikkim government extended the statewide lockdown, scheduled to end on Sunday, till 1 August "After careful consideration of the situation, it has been decided to extend the period of lockdown in the entire state of Sikkim till 6 am of 1 August, 2020," a notification issued by Chief Secretary S C Gupta said. The state reported its first COVID-19 death on Sunday after a 74-year-old man succumbed to the disease at a state-run hospital. Sikkim has 357 active cases of COVID-19, while the total cases stand at 499. The Jammu and Kashmir administration also extended a complete lockdown imposed in Bhaderwah town of Doda district to arrest the spread of COVID-19. The restrictions will be in place till further orders to make way for a smooth contact-tracing and sampling exercise of the fresh cases, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Bhaderwah, Adil Rishu said. The curbs in Bhaderwah were initially imposed on 21 July after 30 positive cases of COVID-19 were detected in Doda. This is the third time that the lockdown has been extended. "We have extended the complete lockdown till further orders after 14 more persons were found coronavirus positive. Contact-tracing and sampling of them is still going on and will take sometime," Rishu said, adding that the situation will be reviewed on Monday. No relaxation will be granted even for medical shops, he said. With inputs from PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid his tribute to the soldiers of the Indian armed forces who died during the Kargil War more than two decades ago when India defeated Pakistan to recapture all posts occupied by the neighbouring country. The country is observing the 21st anniversary of the successful Operation Vijay this year, which marks the victory of the Indian armed forces over Pakistan in the mountains of Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir on July 26, 1999. On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations, PM Modi tweeted. Will speak more about this during todays #MannKiBaat, which begins shortly, he added with hashtag CourageInKargil. India launched Operation Vijay to clear the posts in the high-altitude Kargil sector, which was occupied by the Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC). On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations. Will speak more about this during todays #MannKiBaat, which begins shortly. #CourageInKargil Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 26, 2020 The armies of the nuclear-armed nations fought the war between May and July in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the LoC. It took about three months for the Indian forces to recapture the posts and led to 527 deaths on Indias side. Last year, PM Modi had posted a 1-minute-24-second video along with his tweets with scenes from the Kargil War Memorial in Dras town in Jammu and Kashmir in the foothills of the Tololing Hill, photographs of soldiers, who fought the war with the Tricolour, and his speeches to mark the day. Modi also posted four photographs of his meeting with the Indian Army soldiers, one of them in a hospital, in Kargil along with the tweet. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and home minister Amit Shah were among several leaders who also paid their tributes to fallen soldiers on Kargil Vijay Diwas. Kristin McClure and Joshua Ferrell got engaged on Feb. 1 at a time when the U.S. had just eight confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The couple looked for a wedding venue, and on March 9, booked a 12,000-square-foot converted factory in Atlanta that features pine beams, expansive skylights, and polished concrete floors, according to its website. But soon their excitement turned to worry. Like many other engaged couples around the U.S., McClure and Ferrell have had to wrestle with whether to go ahead with wedding plans and put the health of family members and friends in danger or postpone and risk losing thousands of dollars in deposits. By mid-March, the coronavirus epidemic was raging in some parts of the country, and many states were about to issue shutdown orders. In Georgia, where there was still a relatively small number of confirmed cases of the virus, McClure and Ferrell held out hope that by fall the worst of the pandemic would have subsided. Then at the end of June and on the first days of July, Georgia reported record spikes in cases. At that point, we knew we had to go ahead and make the decision, Ferrell said. The couple reached out to their venue, The Foundry at Puritan Mill, and on July 2 was sent a copy of the companys coronavirus policy, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News. It said: Any client who moved a 2020 event to either a Saturday in the first quarter of 2021, or to any Friday or Sunday throughout 2021, would lose their rental deposit. Clients who elected to postpone further out than the first quarter of 2021, would both lose their rental deposit and have to pay a $1,500 date-change fee. At that time, Georgia had more than 87,000 confirmed coronavirus cases with over 2,800 deaths. The next day, Ferrell and McClure, who had been laid off from her marketing job, emailed the president of Novare Events, the venue operator, to ask about postponing their 200-person wedding and reception, for which they had paid deposits of $6,500 for the rental and $5,000 for beverages. Story continues The couple wrote that they, their family and friends are African American a demographic disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus. The president, Myrna Antar, responded, I would like nothing more than to be able to allow all of our clients to move 100% of their deposits to a date in 2021 but thats just not economically feasible. She offered to make an exception to the companys policy and apply Ferrells $6,500 deposit toward a new date in 2021 and to waive the $1,500 date-change fee, which meant he would lose his $5,000 beverage deposit. Again, this is a devastating time for all of us and we are really trying to be fair to all our clients and work with everyone any way we can, Antar wrote. Kristin McClure and Joshua Ferrell. (Courtesy Joshua Ferrell) Ferrell, 26, who works as a recruiter, argued against these terms, citing ethical concerns and force majeure, a common contractual provision that excuses either party from fulfilling its obligation due to uncontrollable events, such as extreme weather or other acts of God. He noted in a July 13 email to an account executive at the wedding hall that in the past week there have been over 1,000 confirmed cases within 25 miles of your venue. The account executive said force majeure language did not apply. Your event is not scheduled until September, she wrote. At this time, Novare is open, and able to host your event. Venues as well as their prospective renters have invoked force majeure during the pandemic in attempts to renegotiate or cancel contracts, said Natalya Johnson, an attorney in New Jersey who has negotiated event contracts for clients ranging from nonprofit organizations to Fortune 500 companies. When state stay-at-home orders were first instituted, Johnson said she saw a lot of flexibility from venues, including in allowing people to postpone or reschedule their events. Months into the pandemic, however, she said she sees many venues that have become increasingly stringent. Antar told NBC News on Thursday that companies like hers have been hurt by the pandemic. Her firm has had more than 600 events either cancel or reschedule due to the coronavirus, but rent, utilities and other expenses at the companys six venues are due each month whether they have events or not, she said. Novare Events received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan, but it covered less than two months of rent and payroll, she said. We believe that we have been as fair to all of our clients as possible, while working to keep our small team of less than 20 employed and our company in operation, Antar said. Antar said, however, that based on the escalation of COVID-19 cases in Atlanta, the company revised its policy from the one sent to Ferrell and McClure early this month. Under the new terms, people contracted to rent a venue would lose less money if they cancel or change the date. Two days later, in a statement Saturday, Antar said that with coronavirus cases in the state continuing to rise, the policy was further changed to now allow any clients booked for 2020 to change their date with no fee. She said the company is constantly adjusting its policies to adapt to the new environment. Prior to Antar's relaying these policy changes to NBC News, Ferrell and McClure had reluctantly agreed to earlier revised terms with the venue and rescheduled their wedding and reception to Sept. 5, 2021, although it meant they would have to pay an extra $5,000, Ferrell said. Were at the point where we just have to give in, Ferrell said Wednesday. On Saturday night, Ferrell said he had yet to speak to Antar about the policy change. What bride would want to put her father 'in danger'? Another couple who planned to wed in the summer at a venue in rural, southern New Jersey said that they began inquiring in May about postponing their wedding. But, the options they were given were slim: Reschedule for some time in 2022. Marry on a Wednesday in 2020 or 2021, rather than on a weekend as they preferred. Or keep their original 2020 date. The bride-to-be said she made clear to the venue owner that her fathers health could make him vulnerable to the virus, and that most of their wedding guests would be from out of state, including from areas with high coronavirus rates. New Jersey currently requires visitors from certain states to quarantine for two weeks. What bride, if shes privileged enough to have a good relationship with her father and a father that is still in her life, would ever want to plan a wedding that might put him in danger? she said. After months of back-and-forth with the venue and under the condition that they sign a nondisclosure agreement, the couple, who asked that their names be withheld in this article, won agreement in July to have their deposit refunded. While the bride-to-be said she is grateful she will be refunded, she said she has been in touch with other couples with similar frustrations with this venue and believes the site operator expected that people trying to change or cancel an event might give up and forfeit their down payments. The venue has chosen to put all the previously booked couples impacted by COVID-19 between a rock and a hard place so that we'll walk away from our deposits and they get a year's worth of free money, she said. 'You cant tell me what I can and cannot do for my own reception' A groom in Michigan also encountered what he considered to be inflexibility by his wedding venue amid a historic pandemic. Fahmi Islam, 31, an elementary school dean from Sterling Heights, about 20 miles from Detroit, and his wife, a dental assistant who did not wish to be named, were married last year but were planning a 750-person reception on June 28. The couple are Bangladeshi American, and he said such large wedding receptions are common in their culture. Islam reserved the venue in September 2019 with a $1,000 deposit. On June 22, he emailed the banquet halls management that in light of the Michigan governors order restricting indoor dining to 50-percent capacity, the venue could not accommodate his planned reception and he wanted a refund. He indicated in the email that he had already spoken by phone with a manager from the hall about his concerns. Islam also said in the email that he was not willing to postpone his event to 2021 because it was unclear when the pandemic will end. The venue, The Imperial House, responded that he could have the reception with fewer guests or pick a future date, and that he could apply his deposit to an event for himself or a relative to occur within 12 months. Should you decide to cancel completely then deposits are non-refundable, the email stated. Islam said he found the venues suggestion that he hold the reception with fewer guests appalling. You cant tell me what I can and cannot do for my own reception, he said. The Imperial House, which has a capacity of more than 1,000 people, told NBC News on Thursday that Islam was aware when the hall reopened June 8 at 50 percent capacity that it could under the state order accommodate up to 540 guests. Many options were given so that they didnt have to forfeit the deposit, the venue said. The clients chose to cancel; and the deposit in the end is forfeited in this case. The banquet hall added, We are a family-owned and family-run business and like all small businesses, have a lot going on and trying to stay afloat ... Its an unfortunate time for all, however we have been and are doing the best we can." Islam said he still wants his money back because the venue could not meet the terms of the contract on the date his reception was to take place. Its a small amount. Its not about the money, he said. Its about the principle itself. There are other couples who can use that money for something else. Krystal Forscutt will soon welcome her third child with husband, Neil Hipwell. And on Sunday, the former Big Brother star compared what she looked like seven months after giving birth to her second child, versus seven months into her third pregnancy. The 33-year-old personal trainer posted two side by side photos to Instagram, showing the changes she has undergone in recent months, in both photos holding her daughter Nakoda. Changes: On Sunday, former Big Brother star Krystal Forscutt revealed what she looked like seven months after giving birth to her second child, versus seven months into her third pregnancy. She posted two side by side photos to Instagram, holding her daughter Nakoda She explained in the caption: 'Seven months postpartum after baby number two and seven months pregnant with baby number three. 'Gosh I miss these beautiful little arm and leg rolls of hers. This little nugget has definitely contributed to helping my upper-body strength however I'm really struggling to carry her around lately. 'I'm doing my best to keep her in the pram for as long as possible!' she added, before asking for pram recommendations from her fans. She explained in the caption: 'Seven months postpartum after baby number two and seven months pregnant with baby number three' Krystal, who is seven months pregnant, is already a mother of two children: Sunny, five, and Nakoda, one. She will soon welcome her third child with husband, Neil Hipwell, having announced the good news in March. That same month, she also revealed on Instagram that she almost suffered a devastating miscarriage. Krystal has suffered two miscarriages in the past. Happy news: She will soon welcome her third child with husband Neil Hipwell (right), having announced the good news in March Family: Krystal, who is seven months pregnant, is already a mother of two children: Sunny, five, and Nakoda, one. All pictured She said at the time that doctors told her to be 'cautiously optimistic' with the rest of her pregnancy. When she eventually went to her doctor's appointment, she was amazed when the specialist heard their baby's heartbeat. 'We were so shocked that our little baby had survived,' she said. 'We believe it is nothing short of a miracle! We still aren't completely out of the woods just yet. 'We are scared but hopeful for our baby's future and so grateful to God.' Divers have recovered the body of a 14-year-old girl who did not resurface after going into far the Monongahela River in western Pennsylvania on Friday. The incident occurred in West Mifflin when the girl, who was fishing with her family, went too far out while playing in the river, WPXI is reporting. The Allegheny County Medical Examiners Office later identified her as Kristina Rai, reports indicate. She got caught in the strong current of the river Friday, and her family tried to save her, WTAE is reporting. Numerous rescue groups joined the search of the river around Lebanon School Road and Route 837 Friday and Saturday, using boats, divers, sonar and drones, reports indicate. They started searching around 5:50 p.m. Friday and found her body around 1:55 p.m. Saturday. The river is always dangerous, West Mifflin police Chief Anthony Topolnak told WPXI. Theres always a strong current and theres a drop off in the river, so anyone who goes in the river or close to the river should always be wearing a life jacket. 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. Those programs are vital to the economy of Western New York and other border communities. It is only by sheer coincidence that the lie was told only weeks before the coronavirus pandemic prompted Canada and the United States to close their shared border to most traffic, rendering the action largely moot. Now, access to the programs has been restored. Earlier Thursday, before the admission by federal lawyers, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced that he had reversed his deceitful order. Green Light laws such as New Yorks are controversial. Opponents see them as granting official status to those here illegally. Supporters say that because those people are here and driving, licensing them makes the roads safer. Its a legitimate debate, and New York legitimately decided to pass the bill. The appropriate response to objectors is through the courts and persuasion. It isnt it must not be through government lies that undercut millions of honest citizens. But thats what Washington did. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) is calling on governments on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to think water when sinking dollars into economic stimulus packages. Lake Ontarios rising water levels have been slowly lapping away at the St. Catharines shoreline for many years, and the city is now having to contend with the fallout. In 2019, St. Catharines city council declared a climate emergency, and among other efforts, is working to address shoreline protection and identify investments to address climate change, as part of its Climate Change Action Plan. St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik, who is also vice-chair of the the GLSLCI a binational mayors group said last year the city experienced significant flooding events backing up entire neighbourhoods. It has never happened before, he said, pointing out that water outtake pipes were below the lakes water line. We have infrastructure that was built 30 to 40 years ago above the water line, and now its completely below water, he added. The citys 4,700 metres of shoreline are also being threatened. According to last years capital budget, 2,900 metres already have shoreline protection structures. But more work, at great expense, still needs to be done. A Shoreline Protection Review conducted by Shoreplan Engineering identified priority areas along the line especially vulnerable to erosion. Their work is continuing this year after historically high water levels in 2019. One of those spots identified last year, was a 70-metre stretch where 15 Mile Creek links into Lake Ontario. At a cost of over $468,000, the work to install a stone revetment (a sloping structure to absorb the energy of incoming water) was completed earlier this spring. Another major effort, known as the Abbey Mews project, rings in at $2.6 million. Work started last week and is expected to be completed in two years. To pay for it, nearly half of that money is made up of previously approved debt from a storm sewer project, since put off. But the gap is closing between extremes of record highs and lows. Lake Ontarios levels broke records in 2017 and again in 2019. At the beginning of July, Lake Ontarios water level was 16 centimetres above average, but still 68 centimetres lower than 2019s historic high, according to data from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Data from the ILOSRB shows that between June 16 and 23, 2019, Lake Ontarios level reached its highest daily-mean in more than a century, at 75.92 metres. The ILOSRB dictates the outflow of water from Lake Ontario through the Moses-Sauders Dam, but they cant just drain the lake. Regulations limit how much can be done. And for good reason flushing a centimetre here can mean double-digit effects elsewhere. Recent drought conditions are essential to lowering the lakes level. So far, the citys shoreline projects havent been eligible for upper-tier funding, and Sendzik doesnt see why the federal government shouldnt chip in. Federal governments are focusing on climate initiatives protecting the Great Lakes and investing into the Great Lakes should be one of their top priorities, he said, noting the lakes are federally regulated. In the absence of being able to secure funding, lower-tier municipalities like St. Catharines wont have the financial means to get projects moving forward, said Sendzik. Future shoreline projects already identified are forecasted to cost around $5.1 million in the next five years, according to an email from the mayors office chief of staff, Scott Rosts. Sendzik acknowledged the financial stresses on the feds from COVID-19, but says investing in water infrastructure will create jobs and bear fruit for years to come with safer and secure water infrastructure for future generations. They are projects that need to be done, he said. In an emailed response to questions from Niagara This Week, a media relations staffer from Infrastructure Canada said the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund supports a number of shoreline protection projects. After one round of funding, the government will launch a new call for proposals under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund to address the impacts of climate change. The spokesperson also said, Infrastructure projects that improve community resilience to natural disasters like flooding are also eligible for funding under the Green Stream under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and noted that St. Catharines has received $4 million this year from the federal Gas Tax Fund. In another emailed response, a spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada said the minister has received the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiatives proposal, and will consider its recommendations. Jordan Snobelen is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for Niagara This Week, covering agriculture across the Niagara Peninsula, from farm to fork and everything in between. His reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. Read more about: A MOTHER whose late daughter was allegedly raped in accommodation sourced by social services has called for police checks on where vulnerable young people are placed. Lisa Arthurs told Sunday Life her beloved child Gabrielle Connolly was subjected to a serious sexual assault in October last year. But the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust were content for the then 17-year-old to be placed back in the same accommodation where the attack happened. "Gabrielle was a fun-loving, kind-hearted young girl, I was going through a bit of a rough time with her younger brother Thomas and the house was in a bit of an uproar," explained Belfast woman Lisa. "But Gabrielle passed five GCSEs and she was going on to do A-Levels and she asked me could she take a break. "She then worked two jobs and had a boyfriend, but her relationship with the boyfriend broke down. "Gabrielle's behaviour got worse and she left the house at 17. I asked social services for help and she moved in a hostel. "She was then placed into a B&B where she was raped and this is an ongoing investigation. Gabrielle was never the same after that." Gabrielle, an ex-pupil at Trinity College in Belfast, was assessed at The Rowan sexual assault referral centre, but was due to be placed back in the same accommodation where she was attacked. Lisa sought the help of lawyer Ciaran Mooney, of Hunt Solicitors, who took a judicial review challenging the decision at the High Court. The action was withdrawn after several weeks when the trust found alternative living arrangements, with Gabrielle living at home in the meantime. A spokesperson for Belfast Trust said: "We appreciate this is a difficult time for Ms Connolly (Arthurs) and we are very sorry to hear of Gabrielle's passing. "Unfortunately we cannot comment on this individual case which is currently subject to a police investigation." Mr Mooney said: "The Trust did confirm that they don't carry out and access police checks on where vulnerable people live, but if you are to work in the Trust you need those checks, so why are they not carrying those out when they are placing young vulnerable adults?" Lisa continued: "Her mental health got worse and she was running about the streets in the city centre, engaging with older males. She then spent three months in secure accommodation and then she came and I begged her to stay in the house where I could keep her safe." A friend came to my door to tell me a girl's body had been found at a house on a street in Belfast Gabrielle was then placed in another series of hostels and B&Bs in Londonderry, Maghera, Portstewart, Belfast and other locations around Northern Ireland. On the Sunday before she was found dead at a house in west Belfast on July 10, Gabrielle came home again and was in "great form", according to Lisa. "I dyed her hair and she got a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast then I dropped her back sometime in the afternoon," explained Lisa. "The next time I heard from her was she asked a woman outside the Rock Bar to use her phone saying she had to ring the hostel as she was staying out." Gabrielle was then sighted four times in Belfast city centre and again in the west of the city and a police appeal for her whereabouts was issued. "At around lunchtime on Friday, July 10, a friend came to my door to tell me a girl's body had been found at a house on a street in Belfast," said Lisa. The police investigation into her death is ongoing. Lisa said: "She was beautiful, she had sparkling white teeth, she took care of herself and she wanted to do things with her life. "You think where the Trust is placing the child is safe and it turns out it was not. "It's the next kid that's going to get hurt and if I can do anything to help them I will." It will be difficult for Vietnamese businesses to keep stable rice exports to the Philippines in large quantities as currently seen, experts said. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) said the Philippines plans to tighten control over rice imports to ensure food hygiene. The country is the biggest rice importer in the world and the No 1 export market for Vietnam. In 2019, the country imported 2.9 million tons of rice, including 2.132 million tons from Vietnam, worth $885 million, or 73.4 percent of total amount of rice imported by the country. In 2020, the country plans to import 2.5 million tons. Vietnam exported 87.828 tons to the Philippines in June, worth $42.768 million tons, a decrease of 44.62 per cent in quantity and 34.9 percent in export turnover. The figures were 1.376 million tons and $634.26 million in H1, which represented increases of 12.89 percent in quantity and 30.06 percent in export turnover. The Philippines initially planned to send it staff to Vietnam to examine rice production earlier this year, but it later postponed the plan because of Covid-19. The examination is expected to be carried out after the epidemic is contained. Tran Tuan Kiet, deputy general director of Dung Nam Trade and Import-Export Services, warned that the technical barriers by the Filipino government would be a big obstacle for Vietnam, though Filipino consumers favor Vietnams rice. Kiet said the technical requirements set by the Philippines are nearly the same as the requirements set by China, and it would be difficult for Vietnams enterprises to continue exporting rice to the Philippines in large quantities. The tentative requirements can be met only by large corporations, and it would be a big obstacle for small and medium enterprises, Kiet said. The Philippines initially planned to send it staff to Vietnam to examine rice production earlier this year, but it later postponed the plan because of Covid-19. The examination is expected to be carried out after the epidemic is contained. It is highly possible that the Philippines will follow China and grant export licenses only to enterprises which have processing plants meeting their food hygiene requirements. A rice market analyst said the Philippines decision to set barriers on rice imports will cause difficulties for Vietnams rice exporters. Malaysia and Indonesia do not set food hygiene requirements on rice imports. Theres a possibility that the Filipino government has set barriers to restrict import volume and protect domestic production. However, domestic production cannot satisfy domestic needs, and the rice from Filipino farmers is much more expensive than rice imports from Vietnam. The decision would affect peoples purse strings. The Philippines currently is very short of rice, and it wont find other supply sources that can provide delicious rice at such competitive prices like Vietnams products, the analyst said. Kim Chi Vietnam's rice exports may slide after one-month high Rice exports were the only bright part in the picture of Vietnams farm exports in the first six months of the year. However, the achievements may not be upheld in the second half. Tour operator TUI has announced the cancellation of flights from UK to Spanish airports this Sunday. The decision comes after the UK government's announcement on Saturday to bring back two-week self-isolation requirements for all travellers arriving from Spain. Were incredibly disappointed that we didnt get more notice of this announcement, or that this decision wasnt made yesterday, as many Brits travel on holiday at the weekend, TUIs managing director for the UK and Ireland, Andrew Flintham, told Reuters. He also said that he didn't understand why quarantine had been imposed for travellers from the entire country, including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, when the UK government's travel advice for Spain was not the same for all regions. Three TUI flights were due to arrive at Malaga airport this Sunday. One from Manchester and one from Birmingham, which have been cancelled, and one from London, which did operate. On Sunday morning the operator said it was still studying whether to cancel further flights to Spain from Monday. Flintham confirmed that tourists already in Spain would be able to return to UK on their reserved flights as planned. 21 years since India's Kargil war victory: Defence minister pays tributes at National War Memorial India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, July 26: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tributes at the National War Memorial here on Sunday on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the country's victory over Pakistan in the Kargil war. PM Modi pays tribute to the heroes of Kargil war on Mann ki Baat | Oneindia News On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army had announced the successful culmination of "Operation Vijay", declaring victory after the nearly three-month-long battles in the icy heights of Kargil. The country lost more than 500 soldiers in the war. "I congratulate all Indian citizens on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. Our armed forces' valour inspire generations: PM on Kargil Vijay Diwas The sacrifices made by soldiers, which helped us win the Kargil war, will always be a source of inspiration for the armed forces," Singh told reporters. Along with the defence minister, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief General M M Naravane, Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh also paid tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the National War Memorial. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back the Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks. The day is observed as "Kargil Vijay Diwas" to commemorate India's victory in the war. The Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a bitter standoff at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last 10 weeks. The tension escalated manifold after 20 Indian soldiers were killed by the Chinese troops in a violent clash in Galwan Valley on June 15. The Chinese side also suffered casualties, but is yet to give out the details. According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35. New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday took stock of banking and ATM services in Delhi post Centre's demonetisation move on Monday. Rahul visited city's Jahangirpuri, Inderlok and Zakira areas and interacted with the people standing in queues outside ATM machines. It has been 13 days since the Narendra Modi government banned high denomination currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 to tame the black money menace and to fight corruption. The move led to chaos across the country as people queued up for hours to get valid currency notes to meet their daily expenses. It is the second time in the week when the Congress leader met people in the Capital in this regard. On November 17, Rahul visited Sarojini Nagar market and met a group of street vendors to enquire how Modi government's currency ban move has affected their business. However, the Congress leader was left red-faced after he was greeted with pro-Modi chants by the BJP workers. A united Opposition is all set to corner the government in Parliament on Monday on the demonetisation issue with the Congress issuing a whip to its MPs and leaders of opposition parties slated to meet to chalk out a joint strategy. Opposition leaders will meet at around 9.30am and are likely to raise the demand of a joint parliamentary committee probe into the alleged selective leakage of demonetisation information to the ruling BJP. Sources in the opposition camp said there is unanimity among all parties on the need for a comprehensive investigation into prior intimation of the decision to some people. Here are the live updates: # Wherever I went today I saw people were troubled, they said we are standing in queue and bank is giving money to few from backdoor # Whatever the Prime Minister does is to benefit his own people # PM Modi is filling coffers of 15-20 selected people, while poor people are standing in queues # Why does PM need to appear in Parliament, he is on another level these days # PM Modi talks to his cabinet and does whatever he feels like # Rahul Gandhi interacts with people outside ATM in Delhi's Anand Parbat area # Rahul visits Zakira area, meets people affected due to demonetisation move (With inputs from agencies) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Former US Senior Strategist Praises Major Chipmaker for Halting New Huawei Orders Robert Spalding, a former senior director of strategy to President Donald Trump, is applauding the decision of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), one of the top worlds chipmakers, to stop taking orders from Chinese telecom giant Huawei, while strongly recommending that the United States and its allies bring back some manufacturing from China. Among factors affecting the worlds chipmakers are traditional Intel-based architecture being gradually replaced by neuromorphic computing, which resembles some functions of the human brain, and Chinas work in the field of quantum computing, Spalding says. In addition, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to use Chinese SMIC as a chip supplier instead of TSMC, at a time when TSMC plans to build a factory in Arizona, Spalding said on July 22 in an interview at the Jamestown Foundation. The bottom line is TSMC is at the epicenter of a big struggle for the future of the semiconductor world, Spalding said. A logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) at its headquarters in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on Aug. 31, 2018. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters/File Photo) For the sake of national security, the United States must win this battle through reshoringbringing manufacturing back from overseasand partnering with allies to ensure that no semiconductor technology will flow to China, Spalding said, calling the struggle for chip technology dominance the main battle of the second cold war. We need to figure out how to have an industrial policy that protects the United States industrial base and it really focuses incentives on companies in the United States and in allied countries to rebuild a supply chain that we can be assured that is not infected with Chinese Communist Party technology, Spalding said. Spalding has supported such policy, quoting on Twitter a paragraph of an article by Global Economic Warfare: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must now take the moral, ethical, and legal decision to deregister and delist any Chinese company shares that fail to follow our accounting rules, disclosure requirements, and securities laws. "The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must now take the moral, ethical, and legal decision to deregister and delist any Chinese company shares that fail to follow our accounting rules, disclosure requirements, and securities laws." https://t.co/stCj3Prz5R General Spalding (@robert_spalding) May 14, 2020 Spalding considers the flow of American innovation technology talent and capital to China a major challenge. Once we eliminate the flow of those things and we redirect them into the United States and other democracies, youre going to see a real change in the economic competitiveness of democracies vis-a-vis the authoritarian side of the bipolar world, he said. This strategy has been in effect for almost three years now, he said, adding, I think youre going to see a lot of reshoring in the next three to five years. I think we just need to get better at implementing the authority, the existing authorities, that the Department of Defense has, to reinvigorate the U.S. industrial base, Spalding said. TSMC in May suspended new orders for chips from Huawei, one of its main customers, and will stop shipping chips to Huawei after Sept. 14 in compliance with U.S. regulations, according to the Nikkei Asian Review. The U.S. Department of Commerce toughened its export restrictions for non-U.S. chip companies requiring them to apply for licenses to use American technology and tools to supply chips to Huawei or its chip design division, HiSilicon, according to Nikkei. TSMC doesnt forecast any effects on its revenue due to this decision, although it warned of some uncertainties, according to Nikkei, adding that it hasnt been affected by the pandemic. The Fish Box In Dingle, the Flannery family are synonymous with seafood, with dad Michael having been a fisherman since 1975. In recent years, sons Micheal and Patrick stepped up to the plate with The Fish Box - Flannery's Seafood Bar, where mum Deirdre is head chef, and sister Eimear also works, and it's been a huge hit among locals and tourists alike, whether they're dining in or taking the fab fresh seafood takeout boxes down to the water's edge. Micheal told me how they've been affected by the pandemic. "When we first learned of the Covid-19 outbreak, we closed our doors for two weeks. We analysed the situation, made a plan of the best safe practices, and decided to reopen on weekends initially, providing a takeaway service. We also have our own fishing trawler whose market completely collapsed. We only had one option - try to sell the fish through the restaurant." Micheal is quick to credit the local community. "Dingle is an amazing town, full of amazingly supportive people, and we are currently open seven days a week from 12.30pm-9pm." The Flannerys are continuing to be proactive, planning for the new normal. "Our industry has changed, but when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. We've created a brand-new mobile app in conjunction with Flipdish, offering our customers a safe, easy way of ordering, and keeping up with our latest dishes. Also, we wrote The Fish E-Book, which is completely free from our website." thefishboxdingle.com The Producer Expand Close Nuala Hickey, Hickeys Bakery, Clonmel, Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nuala Hickey, Hickeys Bakery, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Four generations of bakers have made Hickey's Bakery, in the shadow of the West Gate in Clonmel, what it is today. The current incumbent and local entrepreneur, Nuala Hickey, has been in the business for over 20 years, and, judging by the number of awards the bakery has garnered during her tenure, and my own experience, she's doing a fantastic job. Their all-year-round rich, fruity barm brack is such a legend, it even had the Queen of Cakes, Mary Berry, come to Clonmel to investigate, which will be shown on the BBC later this year. "When Covid hit, I knew immediately my business was going to change. However, those changes resulted in me going right back to the beginning in the most wonderful way. Even though I had to close the cafe, I was able to keep the bread counter open, which allowed us the time to connect again with our customers." Hickey's Bakery has survived two world wars, and now this pandemic, Nuala says, and kept true to its values of quality and service. "Our locals have kept me busy wrapping barm bracks to send to their families abroad. They evoke memories, a sense of comfort, and a real taste of home. The bakery has never been busier and I've added a new local artisan corner supporting my friends in the Tipperary Food Producers group." Change, Nuala says, has allowed her appreciate generations of hard work, a tradition she is determined to continue. hickeysbakery.com The Restaurant Expand Close Derry and Sallyanne Clarke, LEcrivain, Dublin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Derry and Sallyanne Clarke, LEcrivain, Dublin Derry and Sallyanne Clarke are probably the best-known duo in the Irish restaurant industry. Since 1989, their Michelin-starred L'Ecrivain has entertained the creme de la creme of high society in corporate, celebrity and society terms. They've been through recessions and personal tragedy, but, when it comes to their business, they've never flinched. They are the ultimate professionals. Earlier this year, they announced they were closing L'Ecrivain to pursue another venture but they are now staying open until December and say they are delighted to be back after a 13-week closure. "Derry is not just a chef," says Sallyanne. "He power-hosed inside and out, painted and became a furniture mover. Our capacity has been modified from 120 to 52, with sharing tables on the terrace replaced with five tables for two. We ordered visors with our logo so as not to look like Darth Vader, and painted 'white feet' in the courtyard making sure there is no queue in our reception area." They were extremely nervous on reopening, but guests were overjoyed to be able to dress up and enjoy a night out where they felt safe. "No one objected to having their temperature checked, and they loved the new table layout. We've implemented see-through dividers between side-to-side tables, even though we've just over one metre distance between each table." Front-of-house staff have the choice of a visor or face mask, for their own, and for our guests' protection. "The reservations are pouring in and have exceeded our expectations." Do not miss the chance to dine at L'Ecrivain. lecrivain.com The Hotel Expand Close Ronan Branigan, The Savoy Hotel, Limerick / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ronan Branigan, The Savoy Hotel, Limerick With its fabulous Hunt Museum, King John's Castle, Milk Market, proximity to the pretty village of Adare, not to mention Bunratty and the Wild Atlantic Way, Limerick city is a terrific place for a staycation. A new campaign, 'Limerick 50 Days of Summer', has just been launched, setting out 50 great reasons to visit the city and county this summer. Ronan Branigan, proprietor of the superb five-star Savoy Hotel in Limerick city centre, told me how they'd been very busy during the lockdown, with extensive renovations of their 94 bedrooms, plus the addition of 13 new suites on its second floor, all with a 'Scandi-chic' inspired fit-out, including "the very latest technology". The ground floor has also been totally reimagined, in a nod to the Savoy's swinging 1920s heritage, with Art Deco-inspired open-plan lounges, bars and VIP areas. "We've been tremendously busy behind the scenes getting our new offering just right. Obviously, it's been doubly frustrating getting a restoration completed during the shutdown," said Ronan. They've also reopened The George Hotel on O'Connell Street, and their restaurants there, Da Vincenzo and the Alex Findlater & Co Foodhall. The food is great, too, at the Savoy, one of the best breakfasts in the country, with the executive chef being Stephen Smith, formerly of the Hilton, Park Lane. Also, rather novel, and I know a lot of people will love this, the Savoy's Afternoon Tea experience is available from 10am-10pm, seven days a week, and they will be curating global afternoon tea interpretations every week from September. "We employ close to 300 people right here in the city centre all of those smiling faces await you on your next city staycation in Limerick, just 50 minutes from Lahinch and the Wild Atlantic Waves!" savoylimerick.com; limerick.ie/50days Lucinda's noticeboard "Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild..." WB Yeats Anthony's is the new all-day restaurant at the Doolin Inn, Co Clare, with a large terrace, wonderful water views and great food. doolininn.ie Connemara-bound to the holiday home? Pre-order supper-to-go and collect en route at the White Gables, Moycullen. whitegables.com Fire's new Sunday lunch menu at the Mansion House is accompanied by live jazz. firesteakhouse.ie IASC is the smart new seafood bar and takeaway in Dungarvan by Caitlin Ui Aodha, who has her own trawler. facebook.com Martin Shanahan, of Fishy Fishy in Kinsale, has been giving it Insta wellie with his fantastic Land & Sea tapas boards. Great terrace, too. fishyfishy.ie Original Irish Hotels, made up of 60 family owned hotels, is gifting holidaymakers who stay in one of its properties a 50 voucher against a stay at another. originalirishhotels.com Reyna, a new Turkish restaurant, has replaced the lamented Iskander's on Dame Street. Great kebabs. reyna.ie Sojourning in the Kingdom? Seafood and sea views are to be had at the Boat House Restaurant & Bar at the newly refurbished Derrynane Hotel & Cottages. thederrynanehotel.com Tell Lucinda how you're fighting back: info@lucindaosullivan.com Twitter/Instagram @lucindasireland #FoodiesFightBack Prince Harry felt Prince Charles valued his own public image above their father-son relationship, a bombshell biography detailing the Sussexes' dramatic departure from royal life has revealed. According to Finding Freedom, the Duke of Sussex felt the Prince of Wales put the British public's opinions of him above anything else. The biography, written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, also revealed Harry had 'grown frustrated' that he and Meghan 'often took a back seat to other family members,' including his father and brother. Prince Harry (right with Meghan) felt Prince Charles (left with Prince William) valued his own public image above their father-son relationship, a bombshell biography detailing the Sussexes' dramatic departure from royal life has revealed The biography, written by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, also revealed Harry had 'grown frustrated' that he and Meghan 'often took a back seat to other family members,' including his father and brother. Pictured: The royal family after the annual Commonwealth Service in March Harry's feelings, as the hotly anticipated book suggests, are set to hurt Prince Charles who walked his youngest son's bride down the aisle in 2018, The Sunday Times reports. Finding Freedom: Harry, Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, has been written by royal watchers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, described as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 'cheerleaders' An extract of the biography, serialised this weekend by The Times, said: 'Increasingly Harry had grown frustrated that he and Meghan often took a back seat to other family members. 'While they both respected the hierarchy of the institution, it was difficult when they wanted to focus on a project and were told that a more senior ranking family member, be it Prince William or Prince Charles, had an initiative or tour being announced at the same time so they would just have to wait.' Charles was always going to include Harry and Meghan in the future of the royal family - even if it was cut down in size - and he is said to have told the couple so. But feelings were hurt when Harry and Meghan didn't tell the Firm when they were developing their own Sussex Royal website. The extract read: 'Even sources close to Harry and Meghan had to admit that the way the couple were forced to approach the situation (mainly in the act of keeping the family and their team in the dark about their website) created a lot of ill will in the household and especially in the family.' Prince Charles, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry arrive for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in 2018 Palace sources fear the book - which lifts the lid on the Sussexes' exit from the Firm - could make Harry and Meghan's rift with the Royals worse due to it's account of some of their grievances. The book provides an intimately detailed and personalised version of the events leading up to the Sussexes' dramatic departure from royal life, with co-authors Scobie and Durand insisting 'all information in this book has at least two sources'. Harry and Meghan deny giving interviews. In other explosive revelations revealed in the excerpts: Prince Harry was 'p****d off' with 'snob' William as he was warned to take things slow with 'this girl' Meghan; William questioned Meghan's intentions and feared that Duke of Sussex was being 'blindsided by lust'; Palace insiders referred to Meghan as 'Harry's showgirl' and said US actress came with a 'lot of baggage'; High-ranking palace courtier was overheard telling colleague: 'There's something about this girl I don't trust'; Two couples hardly spoke at March Commonwealth service despite not having seen each other since January; The Sussexes felt their complaints were not taken seriously and believed other royal households were leaking stories about them to the press; Being told to operate under Buckingham Palace's umbrella after splitting their household from the Cambridges was 'a big disappointment' to the Sussexes; The Sussexes even considered breaking protocol by springing a surprise visit on the Queen when they believed they were being blocked from seeing the monarch. Meghan, Prince Harry and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on the 100th anniversary of the RAF, 2018 The book also suggests that Kate Middleton and Meghan never became friends - while the Duchess of Sussex was 'disappointed' she never reached out to her or visited. The Duchesses 'struggled to move past distance politeness' and had 'nothing in common other than the fact that they lived at Kensington Palace', it read. In one particularly awkward encounter when Meghan was dating Harry, Kate went alone in her Range Rover on a shopping trip - despite the fact Meghan was also going to the same street. The lack of any friendship between the pair was confirmed in 2018 when the Sussexes announced they wanted to base their family at Windsor. Despite this frostiness, Meghan felt hurt at newspaper stories of the 'duelling duchesses' and was angry at the failure of the palace press office to correct them. Kite flying in Lucknow formally begins a day after Diwali. That is well after the cloud-laden purvaiyya has run its course. And the westerly rushes in on cue to bid farewell to the retreating monsoons. In the autumn of 1997, the winds of change started to blow a bit early than expected. Just three weeks into office as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the second time, Kalyan Singh, who was then heading the BSP-BJP coalition government, was facing open criticism from its ally. The BJP leader had replaced Mayawati at the helm, after the latters six-month tenure as rotational CM of the coalition government ended in the third week of September. The tenuous ties between the two parties finally broke a month later when BSP wrote to Governor Romesh Bhandari withdrawing support. The next day Kalyan Singh moved a trust motion in the state assembly. Violence broke out. Mikes were used as missiles. Chairs as shields. Singhs deputy, sitting next to him in the house, took a blow on the head. Pictures of Kalraj Mishra on the right of CM Kalyan Singh, bandaged at forehead are perhaps one of the most lasting images of the fracas. Despite injury, Mishra returned to the house that evening to pass the vote of confidence in the government. A few hours later, on recommendations of Governor Bhandari, the BJP government was dismissed. All party MLAs and those supporting from outside - a total of 222 in the house of 425 - were flown out of Lucknow in a Sahara India chartered flight to Delhi. Kalraj ji was injured and hence he did not take the flight to Delhi. He and Kalyan Singh remained in Lucknow to manage things in the state capital, recalls a former close aide of Mishra. The MLAs staged a protest at Rashtrapati Bhawan, seeking intervention from President KR Narayanan. In one of those rarest of the rare cases, the President returned IK Gujral led United Front governments proposal to dismiss the UP government. This, despite Mulayam Singh Yadav - the then Defence Minister and ally - pressed for imposition of Presidents rule. So did Congress President Sitaram Kesari, whose party was supporting Gujral from outside. Twenty three years later, Kalraj Mishra is the governor of Rajasthan. Congress MLAs have staged a protest at Raj Bhawan seeking a floor test as the political crisis in the state enters its third week. Its yesterday once more. Kalraj Mishra, then Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha president, attends the BJP National Council Meet in Mumbai in 1980. The trio of Kalyan Singh, Mishra and Rajnath were tested in UP again a few months later in the middle of Lok Sabha polls in 1998 as the group of rebel Congress MLAs supporting the government withdrew support. Governor Bhandari swung into action and sacked Kalyan Singh to install Jagdambika Pal as CM at mid-night. Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced a fast unto death. The Allahabad High court had to intervene to order a floor test in the state assembly that Kalyan Singh again won. Mishra comes from the Jan Sangh stable- the earlier avatar of the BJP. The first president of BJPs Youth Wing in 1978, he entered Rajya Sabha the same year, when he was just 38. He became a minister in Kalyan Singh government in 1991, when the BJP first came to power in UP. A close aide of former PM Vajpayee, Mishra, however, remained a perpetual number-2 to all BJP CMs in UP. The best opportunity for a promotion came in 1999 when Kalyan Singh was removed for openly challenging Vajpayee. There were many contenders for the top post. So as a compromise formula, the party brought back Ram Prakash Gupta from retirement and installed him as CM. The stop-gap arrangement ended with Rajnath Singhs oath as UP CM a few months later. And Mishra became his number two. In 2012 UP assembly polls, Nitin Gadkari and Sanjay Joshi tried to project Mishra un-officially as partys face for CMs post. But it all came a cropper. Two years later, Mishra contested Lok Sabha polls from Deoria in eastern UP and was nominated to the union council of ministers in the Modi government. Having surpassed the 75-year threshold, he was denied a ticket in the next election and was instead accommodated as Rajasthan governor where he currently is: in the thick of all the action. A veteran of many run-ins with governors in Lucknow Raj Bhawan, Kalraj Misha now finds himself on the other side of the fence. If confirmed, it would be the first officially recognised case of COVID-19 in North Korea. North Korean authorities imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong after discovering what they say is the countrys first suspected coronavirus case. Leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting to implement a maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert to contain the virus, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Sunday. Kim was quoted as saying the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country, and officials took the pre-emptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong city. If confirmed, it would be the first officially recognised case of COVID-19 in North Korea, where medical infrastructure is seen as woefully inadequate to deal with any epidemic. KCNA said a defector who left for South Korea three years ago returned on July 19 after illegally crossing the heavily fortified border dividing the two countries. It is extremely rare for anyone to leave the South through what is one of the worlds most secure borders, replete with minefields and guard posts. But the South Korean military said there was a high possibility that a defector recently returned. A 24-year-old man is believed to have swum back to the North after being investigated for rape allegations in the South, according to multiple media reports and defectors. Dangerous situation Pyongyang previously insisted that not a single case of the coronavirus had been seen in the North despite the pandemic sweeping the globe, and the countrys borders remain closed. The patient was found in Kaesong city, which borders South Korea, and was put under strict quarantine, as would any close contacts, KCNA said. It was a dangerous situation that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster, the agency added. Cho Han-bum, a senior fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul, said it was significant that North Korea was reporting that its first suspected coronavirus case was imported. North Korea is in such a dire situation, where they cant even finish building the Pyongyang General Hospital on time. Pointing the blame at an imported case from South Korea, the North can use this as a way to openly accept aid from the South, Cho said. Nuclear-armed North Korea closed its borders in late January as the virus spread in neighbouring China. It imposed tough restrictions that put thousands of people into quarantine, but analysts say the isolated state is unlikely to have avoided the contagion. Kaesong, a city with an estimated population of 200,000, is located just north of the heavily fortified land border with South Korea. It once hosted the Koreas jointly run industrial complex, which has been shut since 2016 amid nuclear tensions. Last month, North Korea blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong to protest against a campaign by South Korean activists who have been sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. Porous border China and North Korea share a 1,400-km (870-mile) border that is especially porous during the winter, when frozen rivers allow people to cross more easily in and out of the two countries. Dozens of North Koreans cross the border to smuggle black market goods every day and analysts suggest they may have carried the virus into the isolated country before the frontier was closed. Theres no question the coronavirus in the North is imported from China, said Go Myong-hyun, an analyst at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, noting the heavy border traffic and Chinas high total number of cases. But Pyongyang was singling out the case from the South to highlight defectors as dangerous beings, Go said, as the North ramps up pressure against Seoul. South Korea is currently recording about 40 to 60 new infections a day, with most of them imported cases. Another analyst said the announcement was important not only because North Korea was for the first time reporting a suspected coronavirus case, but also because it suggested it was appealing for help. Its an ice-breaking moment for North Korea to admit a case, said Choo Jae-woo, a professor at Kyung Hee University. It could be reaching out to the world for help. Perhaps for humanitarian assistance. North Korea is under economic pressure because of international sanctions over its nuclear programme. Earlier this month Kim warned against any hasty relaxation of anti-coronavirus measures, indicating the North would keep its borders closed for the foreseeable future. More than 30,000 North Korean civilians have fled their homeland since the peninsula was divided at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea has received thousands of coronavirus testing kits from Russia and other countries. Till mid-May, Odisha government kept patting its back for successfully containing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Calling itself a model state, chief secretary Asit Tripathy claimed that Odisha excelled while states like Delhi and Gujarat struggled to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease. Two months later, the tables have turned with Odishas daily Covid-19 numbers outstripping both Gujarat and Delhi - the two states that were counted as hotspots initially. On July 25, Odisha reported 1,320 cases while Delhi reported 1,025 cases and Gujarat 1,081 cases. The daily sample positivity rate that hovered around 3.6 in mid-May has now climbed to over 10 while local cases account for about one third of the total cases. A Bhubaneswar student studying in Italy was diagnosed as the first Covid-19 positive case of the state on March 15. It took 114 days for Odisha to register its first 10,000 cases (on July 7). The next 10,000 cases came in just 15 days, indicating the rapid spread of the infection. In July alone, the state has recorded 105 new deaths, up from 25, even as the state government announced complete lockdown in four hotspot districts including Ganjam and Khurda. Here is a look at how the Covid-19 pandemic has unfolded in Odisha: Return of migrant workers Odisha did well to start a dedicated Covid-19 helpline before the nationwide lockdown was announced. In March, it launched a dedicated website, making it mandatory for all visitors of the state to register on the portal and announced an incentive of Rs 15,000 for those completing 14-day quarantine after return from abroad. It was the mass influx of eight lakh migrant workers to Ganjam and several other districts that slowly led to the spread of the virus. Ganjam alone saw influx of four lakh such workers. In Balangir, the district labour officer had prepared 28,000 beds at various quarantine centres, but 1.5 lakh people arrived in the district from other states. Though a large majority of the migrant workers religiously followed the government order on staying in quarantine centres, several others jumped quarantine and mingled with the villagers. Hundreds of migrant workers coming from Covid-19 hotspot states slipped away to their villages spreading the pandemic in rural Odisha. Lack of adequate testing In testing too, Odisha started early setting up eight labs in the month of April and May. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik later announced that the number of daily tests would be scaled up to 15,000 by June. However, the government did not scale up testing and the numbers kept swinging between 3,000 and 5,000 for most days of June even as the virus transmission happened on ground unchecked. In the quarantine centres, not everyone was tested even though they had arrived from Covid-19 hotspots. It was only in July when the cases started rising that the government raised the daily testing numbers to 5,000 and more. In the last three days, the tests have gone beyond 10,000 a day. On Friday, the state tested 12,733 samples, its highest so far. The state should have done aggressive testing from the day migrant workers arrived. Many of the migrant workers may have been asymptomatic and RT-PCR test would have confirmed the absence or presence of the virus. The delay may have proved costly, said Dr TM Mohapatra, renowned microbiologist and former director of Institute of Medical Sciences of Banaras Hindu University, who advises ICMR. Management of quarantine centres To manage the quarantine centres, Odisha entrusted the sarpanch in each of the gram (village) panchayat and gave them the powers of district collectors. But weeks later, the plan unravelled as several district collectors did not consult the sarpanch. The state government later bypassed the sarpanch asking the sub-collector, and block development officers (BDOs) to monitor the quality of food, cleaning, light arrangement and overall smooth functioning of the centres. A sarpanch in Jagatsinghpur district spent around Rs four lakh on food, drinking water facilities, sanitation and other facilities allegedly from his own pocket as the BDO refused to sanction funds. With food quality as well as overall management in several quarantine centres not measuring up, chaos prevailed in several such centres. In several such places of Ganjam, migrant workers jumped quarantine that has now led to rising infection in the district over the last one month. The Rs 2,000 cash incentive that the government had announced for each of the persons completing the quarantine period, is yet to be given to hundreds of villagers. Rising infection among corona warriors The mainstay of the governments fight against the pandemic, an estimated 800-900 anganwadi workers and ASHA workers have been infected while conducting door-to-door surveillance and managing the quarantine centres over the last two months. An additional district magistrate of Gajapati district, who was in charge of Covid-19 hospitals, himself succumbed to the pandemic even though his swab tests came negative. Hundreds of school teachers who managed the quarantine centres too have been infected with the government not been able to minimise the interaction among the migrant workers/infected people and the Covid-19 warriors. More than 100 policemen on duty also tested positive which led to shutting down of three police stations. Lack of social distancing and masks Odisha was among the first states to make masks and social distancing mandatory and even introduced penalty for those violating it. Yet, till last week, the police had collected more than Rs 5 crore as penalty from people flouting social distancing and masks. In Ganjam, a Covid-19 hotspot, a hotel owner organised the marriage of his son. The wedding party at a star hotel on Gopalpur sea beach saw 500 people in attendance throwing social distancing norms to the winds. A naib sarpanch in the same district was arrested this for conducting a religious function in gross violation of Covid-19 regulations. Despite penalty and pleadings by chief minister and celebrities, there have been numerous violations regarding wearing of masks and following social distancing norms which have led to spike in cases. Though the state government has resorted to weekend shutdown and lockdowns, it has not been able to follow up on its success by doing strict containment measures. Rising infection in hospitals Four major hospitals of the state including AIIMS Bhubaneswar, VIMSAR in Burla, The Regional Cancer centre at Cuttack, MKCG medical college and hospital in Berhampur town and Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar shut down their OPDs as more than 200 doctors, nurses and patients were infected last month. In these hospitals the standard operating procedures of treating patients were not followed while doctors did not get the necessary PPE suits and masks. Before the pandemic began, the states health infrastructure was woefully inadequate to deal with the existing health issues. With the OPDs shut, it has been a nightmarish situation for patients in the state where the doctor and patient ratio is a staggering 1:7339. Lack of transparency in Covid-19 procurement The procurement exercise of PPE suits, masks, sanitisers as well as setting up of Covid-19 hospitals was mired in controversy with the government not caring about making the process transparent. A senior IAS officer boasted about getting a blank cheque in procurement till he was shunted out. There was allegation of purchase of triple-layered masks, RT-PCR machines, testing kits at prices higher than what was available in market. Lack of involvement of political leaders and civil society In a crisis, when the role of political leaders in motivating the people to adhering to Covid-19 guidelines including social distance and wearing masks is important, the politicians were largely absent from the scene for about four months starting from lockdown and influx of migrant workers. The civil society too was not involved in mitigating the crisis of migrant workers return. As bureaucrat-driven Covid-19 management started coming apart by mid-July, BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi early this month wrote to chief minister Patnaik to involve the MLAs, ministers and panchayati raj institution members in Covid-19 management. Finally, Patnaik has now asked his ministers to organise donation drive of blood plasma of people who have recovered from Covid-19. The National Women's Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Kate Abena Gyamfua, has condemned in no uncertain terms the attack and gruesome lynching of a 90-year old woman accused of witchcraft at Kafaba in the Upper West Region of Ghana. A horrible video that has gone viral shows a self styled Priestess who was accused to be a soothsayer, by name Fatima from the Upper West Region, leading a group of other women in the community to beat this innocent woman who is accused to be a witch leading to her untimely death. It is believed that wherever this Priestess Fatima has stayed, she perpetrates such acts. "As a mother and a leader, I condemn unequivocally and state that nobody has the right to accuse anyone of being a witch or wizard or have the audacity to even lead an attack on such persons, so all those who are fond of indulging in such negative and barbaric acts, must desist from them, Madam Gyamfua stated. She called on all the appropriate authorities to investigate and prosecute where necessary all those involved in this heinous crime". The NPP National Women's Organizer also sent condolences of the party and herself to the deceased's family. All the women fraternity in the NPP and I, do commiserate with the bereaved family and pray for the comfort of the Lord in these difficult times''. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United Kingdoms foreign secretary Dominic Raab has stood by his governments sudden decision to impose a two-week coronavirus quarantine on travellers returning from Spain, which has provoked anger and confusion among tourists. The move to take Spain off a safe-travel list was announced late on Saturday and took effect from midnight (23:00 GMT on Saturday), leaving travellers with no time to plan ahead. Raab defended the imposition of the quarantine as a real-time response to a jump in Spains coronavirus cases reported on Friday, the latest in a month-long resurgence in infections. We cant make apologies we must be able to take swift, decisive action, he told Sky News. The opposition Labour Partys health policy chief, Jonathan Ashworth, slammed Prime Minister Boris Johnsons government for its frankly shambolic handling of the measure, which has scuppered the plans of many would-be holidaymakers. The move will also hit hard at the Spanish tourism sector just as it is starting to recover from months of coronavirus lockdowns and travel restrictions. At Madrids Barajas airport, Emily Harrison, who was taking a flight to London, mulls the prospect of having to self-isolate for two weeks. Its really bad because its just come all of a sudden, its not given very much time to prepare, so everyone is now panicking, said Harrison, who is from Essex. We had a wedding to go to, and we had plans to visit friends and family who we havent seen in a very long time, and now we are going to have to cancel all those plans, so its really quite upsetting. Spain respects decision Spain had been on a list of countries that the British government had said were safe for travellers to visit, meaning tourists returning home would not have to go into quarantine. But it has seen cases rise in the last few weeks, prompting most regions to impose rules for masks to be worn everywhere and, in several areas including Barcelona, calls for people to stay at home. A Spanish foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Saturday evening that Spain respects decisions of the United Kingdom and was in touch with the authorities there. Spain was one of the European countries worst-hit by the pandemic, with more than 290,000 cases and more than 28,000 deaths. It imposed very strict lockdown measures to contain the spread, gradually easing them earlier in the summer. The British decision follows steps by Norway on Friday to re-impose a 10-day quarantine requirement for people arriving from Spain, while France advised people not to travel to Spains northeastern region of Catalonia. A collapse of tourism from Britain would have a significant impact on Spains economy, where tourism accounts for 12 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Britons made up more than 20 percent of foreign visitors to Spain last year, the largest group by nationality. A Corruption Watch investigation has found that Procurement Minister, Sarah Adwoa Safo , allegedly gave GHc3,000 and a GLICO Life Insurance package worth GHc10,000 to delegates in the just ended NPP primaries. Her challenger, Michael Aaron Oquaye Jr., Ghanas High Commissioner to India, on the other hand, allegedly gave GHc3,000, a 32-inch Nasco flat screen television set and an Indian-made cloth to the 500 delegates. The candidates targeted 500 delegates which they needed to win. Meanwhile a Corruption Watch follow up check on the GLICO insurance cover found that the cover took effect three days to the election, June 17, 2020 and will expire on June 16, 2021. The Insurance Interest was for the benefit of Delegates of the Dome Kwabenya Constituency Response to allegation When CW contacted Mr. Oquaye for his response to the allegations of providing the gravy train goodies and money to delegates, he said the election was over and he has put everything about the election behind him. Madam Safo on the other hand, did not respond to a request for comments despite, phone calls and a follow up letter Corruption Watch submitted to her through the director of public affairs at the Procurement Ministry, Solomon Sasu Mensah. After follow up phone calls to Sasu Mensah he said Madam Safo wasnt entertaining visitors over COVID-19 fears. Corruption Watch then requested for a telephone interview but at the time of filing this report more than one week after requesting for the phone interview, she has not responded. ADENTA CONSTITUENCY Elsewhere in Greater Accra, in the Adentan Constituency where incumbent MP Yaw Buaben Asamoa won the election, garnering 422 out of the 739 valid votes to beat four other contenders there were alleged payments in the forms of cash and machinery to delegates. MP Buaben Asamoa, who is also the NPPs National Communications Director, through his campaign team allegedly made some payments to some delegates on the night of 19th June and in the morning of the election day. Emmanuel Mantey, who got 217 votes and the runner-up to MP Buaben Asamoa, allegedly distributed GHC200 to delegates through his agents. On his part, Rahman Zak, who placed third with 83 votes, purportedly dished out GHC500 to an unspecified number of delegates through his agents on the day of voting. Alfred Ababio Kumi, who came forth with 10 votes, went into the race with a pledge to donate a total of 516 tricycles (aboboyas). He intended to give 16 fully-funded tricycles to the party to use for income-generation activities in the 16 electoral areas in the constituency. His reward for delegates was that he would distribute 500 tricycles to 500 delegates at 50% subsidy. Corruption Watch undercover reporters could not establish that Freda Agyemang Sarpong, who polled seven (7) votes, made any offers or actually made any payments to delegates. Response to allegations When Corruption Watch contacted MP Buaben Asamoa, hedeclined to discuss the allegations of offering money to delegates. He indicated that the primaries were over and he had moved on. On the other hand, Mantey admitted to giving money to delegates but said it was not intended to influence the way they voted. According to him, he gave to each delegate an amount between GHC200-300 to cover delegates transportation costs. What is more, he gave each delegate a very decent lunch pack that included water and beverage. He disclosed that from the first day when he decided to contest the primaries, he began to invest in all delegates. He estimated that each of the over 770 delegates may have benefitted from him to the tune of GHC3,000 during the past one year. Cumulatively, that works up to a minimum of GHc2.3 million. Zak denied giving delegates GHc500 per person. Instead, he said he only paid GHc50 and GHc100 to his agents for transportation. On the other hand, Alfred Ababio Kumi admitted making pledges to donate a total of 516 tricycles to the party and delegates. However, he said this was not an inducement. He disclosed that he has already delivered the first two of the 16 tricycles he is donating to electoral areas in the constituency. Ababio Kumi defends tricycle pledge EASTERN REGION Northwards of the Greater Accra Region, the story about alleged payment of money and presentation of items to delegates was not different in the Eastern Region. ABUAKWA NORTH CONSTITUENCY Incumbent MP Gifty Twum Ampofo who won the primary with 150 of the valid votes cast allegedly gave GHc1,500 and a flat screen TV set to each delegate. Her challengers: Mr. Kay Amoah who polled 116 votes allegedly gave each delegate GHc500 in addition to a table-top refrigerator or flat screen TV; Kofi Obeng who garnered 112 votes also paid GHc500 to each delegate. CW undercover reporters could not establish that Nana Serwaa Acheampong, who polled 35 votes, offered any cash or material gifts to delegates. Response to allegation When Corruption Watch contacted MP Gifty Twum Ampofo for her response, she admitted giving the GHc1,500 and TV each to delegates but said she doesnt consider that an inducement as this is not the first time she has given gifts to delegates in her constituency, citing fridges she gave each delegate during Easter this year. When Corruption Watch contacted Kofi Obeng, he admitted giving Ghc500 each to some delegates but said the money was paid on his behalf by his financier. According to him, the money was meant to cover the cost of transportation and accommodation for delegates, some of whom came from far. All efforts to reach Mr. Kay Amoah for his response failed. NKAWKAW CONSTITUENCY Still in the Eastern Region the contest for the Nkawkaw NPP parliamentary slot was one involving heavyweights and allegations of equally hefty payments to delegates came up. Incumbent MP and Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darffuor slugged it out with five others for the nod of 709 delegates. He ran against Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Middle Belt Development Authority Joyce Opoku Boateng, ex-MPs Seth Agyei Baah and Kwabena Adusah Okerchiri, Ghana Publishing Company Limited MD, David Boateng Asante, and Nkawkaw Senior High School tutor, Joseph Frimpong. Joseph Frimpong won the day with 206 votes in the Nkawkaw Constituency but not without the accusation that he allegedly offered each of the 450 selected delegates GHc2,000 and a flat screen television or Bruhm refrigerator. Corruption Watch learnt that two days to the polls, he initially gave GHc1,000 to each of the 450 delegates and topped it up with a flat screen television set or refrigerator depending on the choice of each delegate. Then, on the day of voting, when news went viral that one of the aspirants was giving GHc2,000 to delegates, Frimpongs team allegedly moved in to give additional GHc1,000 to the delegates. Incumbent MP Eric Kwakye Darffuor, who polled 159 votes and placed second, allegedly gave some money and an item of value to delegates. Ex-MP and board chairman of MASLOC, Seth Agyei Baah, who garnered 156 and secured third place, also allegedly gave GHc2000 to each of the 250 selected delegates. The sole female aspirant and lawyer, Joyce Opoku Boateng, who finished fourth, obtained 82 amidst allegations that she gave Ghc400 each to an unspecified number of delegates. Eye witnesses claim that even though the money was shared to delegates by her campaign coordinator, candidate Opoku Boateng, she was part of the team that personally moved from house to house to give out the money to the delegates. The claim against David Boateng Asante, who received 73 votes and placed fifth, is that he supposedly gave to each of an unspecified number of targeted delegates GHc500 plus a gas cylinder and a burner. Another ex-MP, Kwabena Adusah Okerchiri, polled 28 votes and finished at the bottom of the pack. It is alleged that he gave money to each delegate but varied the amount as he gave some GHc200 and others GHc100 depending on each persons loyalty towards him. Response to allegations Corruption Watch reached out to them for their response to the allegation of payment of money and items of value to delegates. Joseph Frimpong denied ever distributing money, TV set or refrigerator to delegates and insisted that he was a teacher and the poorest among the candidates. He, however, admitted giving a token to delegates, which amount he declined to say. Eastern Regional Minister Kwakye Darffuor refused to discuss the allegations of making payments to delegates. However, he said all politicians commonly know that in every election a candidate has to provide for the transportation and feeding of delegates. Responding to the allegations Seth Agyei Baah told Corruption Watch that he was not in a position to confirm or deny the allegations of sharing GHc2,000 to 250 delegates. He said he went to an election and lost and wants to get over the shock of losing the election. In the case of Joyce Opoku Boateng, she admitted giving everybody an amount of GHc400. She explained that it is a practice that during periods such as primaries candidates give an incentive for delegates to know that you are person of substance who is coming to be there for them.Joyce Opoku Boateng gives incentive Ex-MP Kwabena Adusah Okerchiri admitted giving money to delegates but said it was for their transport and what they would eat. He justified his action, saying that everybody gives something to delegates during elections regardless of which political party is organizing the polls. Boateng Asante did not respond to our calls and text messages. CENTRAL REGION AWUTU SENYA WEST Multiple CW sources in the Awutu Senya West Constituency of the Central Region alleged that the campaign team of both candidates gave money to the delegates in the election which incumbent MP and Deputy Minister of Communications, George Andah won with 438 votes of the valid votes cast. Mr. Joseph Aidoo, his challenger, garnered 191 votes. Mr. Andah parried claims of giving money and other items of value to delegates when contacted by Corruption Watch even though he had told JOYFMs Kwesi Parker Wilson after winning the primary that he gave a token to delegates. Similarly, when Corruption Watch contacted Mr. Aidoo, he denied giving delegates any money, arguing that he lacks the financial capacity to do that. According to him, apart from food and drinks which every delegate benefited from, he only gave some delegates transportation each time they had to transport themselves to meet him. He said the amount per delegate was dependent on cost of transportation from the individual locations, adding that he gave some as low as Ghc20 as transportation. ASHANTI REGION In Ashanti Region, Corruption Watch monitored events in the Bantama, Nhyaeiso and Ejisu constituencies. There were lots of allegations of payments to delegates by aspirants in this region. BANTAMA CONSTITUENCY This was the case for the Bantama Constituency, which received a lot of attraction because Francis Asenso-Boakye, a deputy chief of staff at the presidency squared off with incumbent MP Daniel Okyem Aboagye. It was alleged that many delegates received two thousand cedis (GHC2,000) each. However, Corruption Watch has not been able to independently verify the payments and the giver(s). In the end, Asenso-Boakye beat Okyem Aboagye with 456 votes against 122 votes. Response to the allegations Nonetheless, Corruption Watch made contact with both men to respond to the allegations. However, neither of them responded. EJISU CONSTITUENCY The primary in Ejisu Constituency, also in the Ashanti Region, was equally engulfed in allegations of payments of money to delegates as incumbent MP, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi locked horns with the Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurial and Innovation Programme (NEIP), John Kumah. Kumah polled 397 votes to beat Owusu Aduomi who managed 307 votes. Corruption Watch reporters could not independently establish the veracity of alleged payments and the supposed giver(s). NHYAEISO CONSTITUENCY Still in the Ashanti Region, the contest in the Nhyaeiso Constituency was a straight fight between incumbent Kennedy Kwasi Kankam and the CEO of MASLOC, Stephen Amoah. Kankam polled 315 votes to fall behind the MASLOC boss who obtained 332 votes. Corruption Watch reporters could not independently establish any incident of payments to delegates. BONO In the Bono Region, where the election took place in six constituencies, Corruption Watch monitored the election in the Wenchi Constituency. In that contest, Professor George Gyan Baffour, who is incumbent MP and Minister for Planning, was up against four other persons, namely Albert Ameyaw, Kojo Frempong, Yaw Opoku Atuahene and Tina Abrefa-Gyan. At the close of polls, Prof Gyan Bafffuor garnered 172 votes to beat stiff competition from Ameyaw (167 votes). Frempong (148 votes), Abrefa Gyan (61 votes) and Opoku Atuahene (19 votes) placed third to fifth in that order. Corruption Watch reporters could not independently establish any incident of payments to delegates. Source: Corruption Watch Ghana (Natural News) Spanish researchers may have discovered a new symptom of COVID-19, the disease caused by the Wuhan coronavirus. After observing infected patients at a tertiary care hospital, the researchers found that one-third had rash-like splotches not only on their arms and legs, but also on the roofs of their mouths. The researchers, who are all affiliated with the Ramon y Cajal University Hospital in Madrid, said that healthcare workers should examine the oral cavities of confirmed or suspected coronavirus patients to check if they have this manifestation. Mouth lesions join growing list of COVID-19 symptoms When COVID-19 first emerged, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed only three symptoms to look out for: fever, cough and shortness of breath. But as more and more studies emerged, the CDC has expanded its list to include chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and the loss of sense of taste and smell. According to health officials, as more information about the coronavirus is uncovered, new symptoms are bound to emerge. This latest discovery about COVID-19 was described in a paper published in JAMA Dermatology. In it, Spanish researchers shared their observations after studying 21 coronavirus patients who had a skin rash from March 30 to April 8. Of these patients, six had enanthem, a rash that typically appears on the mucous membranes, such as in the mouth, throat and nose. The researchers noted that the average time between the onset of known COVID-19 symptoms, such as coughing, and the appearance of the lesions was about 12 days. They also noted that the patients were between the ages of 40 and 69 and that four of the six were female, which suggests that the new symptom might appear only in certain subgroups. In addition, the team noted that enanthem in COVID-19 patients has been reported by previous studies. Specifically, a number of COVID-19 cases with this skin manifestation has been recorded in Italy. Linking skin rashes to COVID-19 has been challenging, according to the researchers. They state, however, that previous reports of enanthem strengthen the case that the rash is caused by the coronavirus and not an adverse reaction to drugs used to treat the infection. Despite the increasing reports of skin rashes in patients with COVID-19, establishing an etiological diagnosis is challenging, the authors wrote. However, the presence of enanthem is a strong clue that suggests a viral etiology rather than a drug reaction, especially when a petechial pattern is observed. Safety concerns kept lesions from being noticed earlier According to the researchers, one reason why enanthem is only now being discussed as a possible symptom is that many COVID-19 patients dont have their mouths examined due to safety concerns. Clinicians fear that mouth examinations may cause the patients to expel infected droplets. This, plus the fact that patients and suspected carriers often wear face masks, means that hundreds more could have had these mouth lesions without healthcare workers noticing. The new study is reminiscent of reports from early April describing foot sores in mostly young coronavirus patients in France, Italy and Spain. In some of these cases, healthcare workers simply treated the foot sores without knowing that it was a symptom of COVID-19 in fact, the only symptom exhibited by the patients. It was only after several reports came out that authorities started considering foot sores as an early sign of coronavirus infection. These studies demonstrate the importance of researching other possible symptoms of COVID-19. With asymptomatic carriers playing a huge role in the spread of the virus, discovering other symptoms, especially those that may precede the more common ones, could help in identifying silent carriers of the disease. Read the latest news about the coronavirus at Pandemic.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk JAMANetwork.com Billboard companies are in negotiations with transport agencies, airports and local councils about ways to offset massive declines in advertising spending caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Companies such as oOh! Media and JC Decaux were among the worst affected by weak advertising market conditions which forced local media businesses to withdraw earnings guidance, renegotiate broadcast deals, shut newspapers and magazines and axe jobs. Billboard companies believe the coronavirus pandemic has reduced the value of their contracts. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui Multiple industry sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of commercial sensitivities said that discussions between the outdoor companies and some landlords - such as Sydney Airport, Yarra Trams and Sydney Trains - in relation to discount rent and removal of minimum guarantees had been underway. Sources said that Sydney Airport had already agreed to a short-term rental relief package for its client JC Decaux, but a spokesman declined to comment. Advertising is the main revenue stream for the outdoor media sector, which operates billboards that appear next to highways, train stations, bus stops and on buildings. In the same way that television networks like Nine Entertainment Co (owner of this masthead) renegotiated sports broadcasting deals, the billboard companies are arguing that they are not getting the same value for money from their contracts because of the lack of people in airports and on transport and the uncertainty around a second wave and future social distancing restrictions. Money and mental health are inexorably linked. The topic of money keeps Canadians awake at night, is often a cause of disharmony in relationships, and has been shown to reduce productivity at work. As one of the essential functions and drivers of life, its no wonder it can become a consuming and overwhelming topic for many. Additionally, finances, health, relationships and work are deeply interconnected. Stress in one area can cause tension in other areas. Specifically, anxiety in one realm will make people less able to cope with stress in another. Its important to manage stress overall, and not let money drive concern when it can be controlled and managed. The effect financial worries are having on Canadians is explored in the latest Financial Stress Index from FP Canada, the national professional body for certified financial planner professionals and qualified associate financial planner professionals. It is a stark reminder that more can be done to support the financial well-being of all Canadians. Consistent with similar FP Canada studies from 2014 and 2018, the index found money is the number 1 cause of stress for Canadians by a large margin. Four-in-ten (38 per cent) said it outranks personal health (28 per cent), relationships (17 per cent) and work (15 per cent) as the top source of stress in life. We cannot ignore the unprecedented economic environment were currently enduring under COVID-19. The pandemic grew from a public health crisis into a full-blown economic upheaval; Canadians concerns about money and their ability to manage household finances are being tested. With nearly one million jobs added in Canada in June, Statistics Canada says, things are getting better economically. But its important to weigh that gain against the more than 3.3 million job losses in March and April, plus those that have left the labour force altogether. More importantly, the rebound is not shared among all demographic cohorts, with women, youth, low-wage and service industry workers still slower to recover. As society grapples with the repercussions of these challenges, Canadians have become consumed by much more than a health crisis. Illustrating that point, the Financial Stress Index found one-in-10 Canadians feel the pandemic has significantly effected their stress levels. That strain is greater for younger Canadians. Results reveal people are less stressed about money as they age. Forty-four per cent of 18-to-34-year-olds list money as their leading concern compared to only one-in-four (25 per cent) of those aged 65-plus. Half of Canadians (49 per cent) have lost sleep over money worries. These numbers are identical to 2018 (48 per cent) and slightly down from 2014 (53 per cent). Again, younger Canadians (under 35) are significantly more likely to have lost sleep due to money stress than those over 35 (55 per cent to 46 per cent). Financial concerns eventually become microeconomic kitchen-table issues that confront people daily from bill payments, to job security, to saving enough for retirement and debt. While COVID has certainly distorted the money picture for many, it has provided an opportunity to slow down and reflect. There is an opportunity for Canadians of all ages and backgrounds to re-evaluate priorities, talk to loved ones, and take stock of their financial picture. Police are investigating after a 20-year-old man was fatally shot Friday night in Vallejo. Officers responded to reports of shots fired about 7:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Gateway Drive, a neighborhood a few blocks from Crest Ranch Park. While they were headed to the scene, officers were updated by 911 calls reporting the victim was not breathing. Emergency crews arrived and pronounced the victim dead. Police did not release the name of the man, who was a Vallejo resident, pending notification of family. No arrests have been made in the shooting, police said. The death is Vallejo's 16th homicide this year. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective J. Caitham at (707) 648-4280 or Detective T. Schillinger at (707) 648-4278. The Petaluma Fire Department has quarantined 15 crewmembers after a firefighter tested positive last week for COVID-19, fire officials said Saturday. The firefighter, who tested positive on July 19, is currently in good condition and has not been hospitalized, said Fire Marshal Jessica Power. The firefighter and 14 crewmembers that he had close contact with have been isolated. In addition, Station 3, where the infected firefighter works, is closed for cleaning by a professional cleaning company. While the station is closed, Rancho Adobe Fire Department will assist the Petaluma department in responding to emergency calls, Power said. During the pandemic, the Petaluma Fire Department has implemented procedures to protect the community and fire department, including wearing N95 or surgical masks while outside the station, Power said. Police are searching for an SUV involved in a hit-and-run crash Friday night in Pleasant Hill. The collision happened shortly before 11 p.m., when a Ford Explorer headed northbound on Contra Costa Boulevard reportedly ran a red light and hit a Toyota traveling westbound on Concord Avenue, according to Pleasant Hill police. The SUV, described as a tan 2000s model Ford Explorer, left the scene, fleeing onto southbound Interstate Highway 680. Information about whether anyone was injured in the crash was not immediately available. Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact Pleasant Hill police regarding case 20-2350. The Vallejo Police Department on Friday reported the department has been responding to sideshow activity recently. Police said large groups of cars are participating in sideshows at various intersections throughout the city. The department is getting an overwhelming number of calls for service and complaints about the sideshows, police said. Police estimate there are approximately 100 vehicles and at least 300 people involved in any given sideshow, and participants have thrown bottles and explosive fireworks at responding officers. Officers have also heard gunfire when responding to sideshows, according to the police department. Some areas where the incidents have occurred include Fairgrounds Drive, Sonoma Boulevard, Lake Herman Road and Maple Street. Vallejo police are working with agencies including the California Highway Patrol, the Solano County Sheriff's Office and the American Canyon Police Department to issue citations, seize vehicles and make arrests to help address the illegal sideshows. Two rallies to support protesters in Portland, Oregon are planned Saturday in the Bay Area, one in Palo Alto near Stanford University and the other in downtown Oakland. The rally in Palo Alto is set for 1 p.m. at Embarcadero and El Camino Real, according to the group Wall of Moms Bay Area. The second event will start at 7:30 p.m. at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza at 14th Street and Broadway in Oakland, according to organizers that include the Wall of Moms Bay Area, Refuse Fascism Bay Area and Vigil for Democracy. The Wall of Moms group is encouraging participants are encouraged to wear yellow and bring sunflowers. All must wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "Reject secret federal police in our cities, and celebrate our right to gather peacefully and protest," the moms group Facebook page states. Portland has seen nearly two months of protests since the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Federal officers were sent by President Donald Trump to protect federal property in the city, but their presence has escalated tensions and drawn several other groups to the protests. Wall of Moms groups formed in recent weeks after Trump announced he was sending federal troops to Democratic-led cities. Community leaders around the country are redoubling efforts to ensure the 2020 census includes marginalized communities in the wake of President Donald Trump's latest effort to skew the count. The U.S. Constitution requires the federal government to count every person living in the country every 10 years, regardless of immigration or citizenship status. In 2018, the Trump administration sought to place a citizenship question on the census questionnaire but was rebuffed by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. Critics argued that the citizenship question, if added, would either help the administration to better enact its anti-immigration policies or would discourage immigrants, whether documented or not, from filling out the form, thereby reducing the electoral power of Democrats. On Tuesday, Trump took another tack by directing the U.S. Department of Commerce to remove undocumented immigrants from the national population count during the reapportionment process, which determines how many congressional representatives each state sends to Washington, D.C. "This amounts to nothing more than cooking the numbers, making up an entire new data set on which to base the most important element of our democracy, and that's the reapportionment of representation in the House of Representatives," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. Police in Fremont on Friday worked with private contractors to board up what had been deemed a nuisance residential property that had seen various types of illegal activity in recent months. The police department's Street Crimes Unit coordinated with the property owner to secure the vacant residence. The residence is located in the 37000 block of 3rd Street in Niles. Police said trespassers had been occupying the property, and there were continuous problems at the location including drug use, thefts and loud disturbances at night. There were repeated arrests made at the property, according to police. Firefighters with the Sonoma County Fire District on Friday responded to a residential structure fire near Windsor. At 5:35 p.m., fire crews responded to a fire at 2405 Silk Road and found heavy fire showing from the rear of a single story residence. A large deck, a storage area and surrounding vegetation had also caught fire. Crews were able to contain the fire in about 31 minutes, and crews spent another three hours on salvage and overhaul operations. The occupants and their pets were able to safely evacuate before firefighters arrived. The fire did an estimated $400,000 in damage. Investigators determined the fire started when one of the occupants was smoking bacon with a food smoker on the rear deck. The city of Pittsburg will hold a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a mixed-use development near the Pittsburg BART station, city officials said Friday. The high-density development, The Atchison, will sit less than a half-mile from the BART station and include 202 residential units and 13,000 square feet of commercial space, according to the city of Pittsburg. "This project addresses the need in Pittsburg for high quality and amenity-driven transit-oriented development, and shows that during these uncertain times, Pittsburg is a community that is working, building, and looking toward the future," Mayor Jelani Kilings said. The complex will also include amenities like a pool, fire pits, barbecue areas, playgrounds, a gym and a lounge area. City officials plan to hold a small groundbreaking ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday with proper physical distancing protocols and personal protective equipment. A virtual ceremony will also be held via Zoom. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 08:39:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Sales of top 10 Chinese-branded carmakers reached 4.36 million units during the first half of the year, data showed. The figure accounted for 84.53 percent of the total sales of Chinese-branded cars, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The Shanghai-based SAIC Motor, Chongqing Changan Automobile, and Geely Auto ranked the top three in terms of sales volumes during the period. China's auto industry has seen a wider recovery in recent months although the COVID-19 epidemic took its toll on the sector, said Fu Bingfeng, deputy secretary general of the association. In the passenger car sub-sector, medium and high-end brands will likely fare well during the second half, while the demand for low-end cars will further shrink, leaving some manufacturers financially troubled, Fu said. Enditem North Korean authorities have imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong after discovering what they called the country's first suspected case of the novel coronavirus, state media reported Sunday. Leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting on Saturday to implement a "maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert" to contain the virus, official news agency KCNA said. If confirmed, it would be the first officially recognised COVID-19 case in the North where medical infrastructure is seen as woefully inadequate for dealing with any epidemic. KCNA said a defector who had left for the South three years ago returned on July 19 after "illegally crossing" the heavily fortified border dividing the countries. But there have been no reports in the South of anyone leaving through what is one of the world's most secure borders, replete with minefields and guard posts. Pyongyang has previously insisted not a single case of the coronavirus had been seen in the North despite the illness having swept the globe, and the country's borders remain closed. The patient was found in Kaesong City, which borders the South, and "was put under strict quarantine", as would anybody who had come in close contact, state media said. It was a "dangerous situation... that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster", the media outlet added. Kim was quoted as saying "the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country", and officials on Friday took the "preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City". The nuclear-armed North closed its borders in late January as the virus spread in neighbouring China and imposed tough restrictions that put thousands of its people into isolation, but analysts say the North is unlikely to have avoided the contagion. South Korea is currently recording around 40 to 60 cases a day. Earlier this month Kim warned against any "hasty" relaxation of anti-coronavirus measures, indicating the country will keep its borders closed for the foreseeable future. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting on Saturday to implement a "maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert" to contain the virus, official news agency KCNA said The Spanish government insisted on Sunday that the situation there is "under control" in spite of a recent surge in coronavirus cases, a day after Britain abruptly imposed a two-week quarantine on all travellers arriving from the country. The statement from Madrid comes in response to a string of travel restrictions announced in recent days, which have dramatically reversed the opening of the European continent to tourism after months of lockdown. From Sunday, passengers arriving from Spain to the UK will have to undergo a fortnight in isolation while Norway imposed restrictions on travel to Spain. In France, which shares a border with Spain, Prime Minister Jean Castex "strongly recommended" Friday that the French avoid going to neighbouring Catalonia, where the epidemic is particularly on the rise. "The Spanish government considers that the situation is under control, the outbreaks have been located, isolated and controlled," Spain's foreign ministry told AFP. "Spain is a safe country," the ministry said, adding that in the case of the British quarantine, Spain is "in contact" with London whose decisions it "respects". In an interview with FRANCE 24 on Friday, Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said the country is experiencing isolated outbreaks "but not a second wave". New restrictions Spain, one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, has had 272,400 cases and more than 28,400 fatalities since the start of the outbreak. The country reported nearly a thousand new cases a day on both Thursday and Friday. Its number of cases has tripled in two weeks while more than 280 homes are being closely monitored by the authorities. The Ministry of Health is particularly concerned about the situation in Aragon and Catalonia, where the regional authorities have urged residents of Barcelona to stay at home. They also decided on Friday to close nightclubs and bars, considered hotbeds of contagion. Story continues Most regions have tightened the screw by reinforcing the compulsory use of masks, which must be worn at all times in the street under threat of a fine. In some of them, restrictions have been taken locally, such as limiting the number of people who can meet or banning visits to retirement homes. The central government considers that the regions have sufficient tools to control the epidemic. It has ruled out the possibility of a new state of emergency, which allowed Madrid to impose a strict lockdown in mid-March which was not completely lifted until June 21. Blow to tourism A total collapse of tourism from Britain would have a huge impact on the country's vital tourism industry, which accounts for some 12% of Spain's economy. More than a fifth of foreign visitors to Spain last year were British, the largest group by nationality. The British foreign ministry also announced it was recommending against all but essential travel to mainland Spain, a move likely to prompt tour operators to cancel package holidays and trigger claims against insurers. Spain's Canary and Balearic Islands were not covered by the advice to avoid travel to the mainland, but holidaymakers returning to Britain from the islands will still be subject to quarantine on return. Spain had been on a list of countries that the British government had said were safe for travellers to visit meaning tourists returning home would not have to go into quarantine. The announcement of such lists just weeks ago had allowed Europe's tourism sector to begin its revival after the near total shut-down prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS) The driver of a SUV that burst into flames following a crash along Route 46 in Warren County remains hospitalized with significant burn injuries, Warren County Prosecutor Jim Pfeiffer said. Robert Buskirk, 37, Hackettstown was headed east shortly after 3 p.m. Friday near mile-marker 13 on Route 46 East in Liberty Township when for an unknown reason, his Toyota Rav4 struck a guardrail and the SUV became engulfed, New Jersey State Police said. Buskirk was able to exit the vehicle but suffered serious injuries and was flown to Morristown Medical Center for treatment, state police said. Pfeiffer said Sunday Buskirk remains at the burn unit at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, Morris County. A condition was not immediately available and a woman from the hospitals public relations office had no information about Buskirk. Fridays accident remains under investigation by authorities. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. (Natural News) Winning an election is easy if you can silence the opposition. (Article by Luis Miguel republished from TheNewAmerican.com) The social-media giants led a combined crack down on pro-Trump users and content Monday, with Reddit deleting thousands of communities for hateful conduct, including the large Trump-centered r/The Donald subreddit. Additionally, the live-streaming service Twitch temporarily banned President Donald Trump for comments made during the 2016 election, and right-wing philosopher Stefan Molyneaux was banned from YouTube. All communities on Reddit must abide by our content policy in good faith. We banned r/The_Donald because it has not done so, despite every opportunity, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said in a post on the website. The r/TheDonald boasted a following of thousands. Then-candidate Trump himself even did an AMA (Ask Me Anything) in the community in the lead up to the 2016 election. That same year, Trump digital director Dan Scavino said on Twitter that he monitored the reddit channel daily. Reddit claims the community refused to meet our most basic expectations even after being placed on quarantine, in which the subreddit was hidden beneath an extra page requiring users to click through. Ultimately, its our responsibility to support our communities by taking stronger action against those who try to weaponize parts of Reddit against other people, added Huffman. Reddit said many of the 2,000 other banned subreddit were dormant or had few users. Many of the users of the community had already migrated to a pro-Trump website that cloned Reddits design but will provide conservatives with an open space for discussion. On the same day as Reddits purge, Twitch placed a temporary ban on the president for hateful conduct. The Amazon-owned company said in a statement that politicians must follow the same rules as any other user. One of the two comments that landed President Trump in hot water with Twitch moderators was from all the way back in 2016. It was his infamous rapists comment about violent criminal aliens who come across the border (a statement that the Left endlessly misconstrued as referring to all Mexicans). The other was a video from a rally in which the president spoke about tough hombres committing break-ins. Like anyone else, politicians on Twitch must adhere to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. We do not make exceptions for political or newsworthy content, and will take action on content reported to us that violates our rules, a Twitch statement read, adding that hateful conduct is considered a zero-tolerance violation. YouTube on Monday deplatformed a number of channels belonging to individuals or organizations the left-wing media has deemed white supremacist. Among them is Canadian political philosopher Stefan Molyneux, who, fittingly, has been a guest on The New American discussing the subject of censorship. https://twitter.com/StefanMolyneux/status/1277665653000986625 Big Tech companies claim they are nonpartisan and nonbiased, that their purge campaigns are merely a matter of removing hateful (a vague word that means whatever they want it to mean) speech. Yet when the victims of censorship are conveniently usually of the right-wing persuasion, only the most naive can still believe that such crackdowns are apolitical. Representative Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) is one of many lawmakers who have begun to speak out against the obvious bias of Big Tech and the one-sided impact it can have on this election. Reacting earlier this month to news that Google had taken action again against two right-of-center websites at the insistence of a British-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, Gosar said: This appears to be a blatant effort to interfere with our U.S. elections by silencing perceived conservative voices to suppress the vote for President Trump and other conservatives. Such foreign interference by a shady U.K. group has no business in our domestic politics. I will be asking Attorney General Barr to add Google to the list of subpoena recipients for the ongoing investigation into election interference, censorship and foreign meddling. Social media was seen as a major component in the victory of President Trump in 2016. Thus, its no surprise that the left-aligned corporations want to prevent constitutionalists from using those platforms. This comes at a time of immense unrest in the country. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter riots, the social-media purges, and even a new migrant caravan on the horizon. Is it a coincidence that all this is happening at the same time? Or is it the working of a Deep State that, with four months before the election, has decided to pull out all the stops to derail four more years of a Trump presidency? Read more at: TheNewAmerican.com The incoming president of the United Nations General Assembly announced Sunday that he was postponing a scheduled visit to Pakistan due to some technical flight problems. Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir was elected president of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly last month and was scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday. But in a Twitter post, he said the visit to Pakistans capital would have to wait. Pakistans foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted in response to Bozkir that I look forward to welcoming you to Pakistan soon for a constructive and fruitful visit. A day earlier, a jubilant Qureshi, while announcing the visit, had hoped he would discuss a range of issues with Bozkir. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over the disputed region since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. The two sides often exchange fire in Kashmir, causing troops and civilian casualties on both sides. Pakistan wants the United Nations to play its role in resolving the issue of Kashmir under its resolutions by allowing people living in the Himalayan region to decide whether they want to merge with India, with Pakistan or whether they prefer independence. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal The images have been striking. Miles of the Rio Grande, the largest and most vital waterway in New Mexico, show dry, jagged cracks where water used to flow and dead fish strewn about the land. Much of this area is south of Albuquerque and is the result of a serious drought, which worsens as the year moves along, plaguing nearly all of the state to some degree. But its the far reaches of northern New Mexico that have been hit hardest by drought. The region is currently attempting to cope with the droughts effects on local bodies of water, agriculture and ecosystems. Now, those effects have begun rippling to some of the states largest population centers and when they will end remains unknown. Running dry All of New Mexico is currently facing some level of drought, according to the most recent map produced by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Forty-two percent of the state is suffering from severe drought, while 11% is classified as being in extreme drought. Areas along the New Mexico-Colorado border, from Farmington to Cimarron, are among those facing the most serious drought conditions. Three months ago, more than half the state had no levels of drought at all. Water and climate scientists say the worsening drought situation is due to a combination of a lackluster monsoon season so far and a short-lived snowpack from last winter in the northern mountains. It was just amazing how little water was running through, said Dave DuBois, state climatologist and director of the New Mexico Climate Center. A few areas like the Pecos River were above average, but then it melted out and its down to very little right now. In general, many waterways in northern New Mexico are running at levels far below normal. At a water gauge of the Rio Grande in Embudo, where data has been collected for 89 years, levels are at 188 cubic feet per second, less than half the normal amount. Large reservoirs, many of which funnel water to Albuquerque and Santa Fe through the San Juan-Chama Project, are also seeing huge declines in their supply of water. Heron, El Vado and Abiquiu lakes are all just above 30% of their average storage amount. Rolf Schmidt-Petersen, director of the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, said those reservoirs are key to providing water to urban areas such as Albuquerque, since many hold San Juan-Chama water. All of the water is coming out of either Heron Reservoir, El Vado and Abiquiu and all of those reservoirs are low, he said, adding 80% of the water pumped south of Los Alamos comes from these points. Abiquiu Lake Operations Project Manager John Mueller said the lake currently holds around 52,000 acre-feet of water, equal to almost 17 billion gallons. While thats a lot of water, Mueller said that level is still historically low. Thats in comparison to looking back at the past 30 years, he said. A new normal Nearly all the water in Abiquiu Lake is part of the San Juan-Chama Project, meaning its owned by communities within the project. Demand from these communities as the drought worsens has contributed to the significant decline in Abiquiu and other reservoirs. One day, we dropped 36 inches in a 24-hour period, Mueller said. The owners are calling for it. Declining water levels have also begun impacting recreation at Abiquiu Lake, which is a popular fishing and boating spot. Many of the facilities were built when the lake was much higher, so the Army Corps of Engineers has started planning to adjust ramps and other features to the new normal, Mueller said. Last year, the lake closed temporarily due to blooms of dangerous blue-green algae in the water. Mueller said low water levels most likely contributed to the algae and, with water even lower this year, theres a risk of it appearing again. While the drought is having adverse effects on water flowing through the San Juan-Chama Project, smaller waterways in northern New Mexico are also seeing an impact. Around 700 acequias zig-zag across various portions of northern New Mexico, providing water and irrigation that many farmers rely on. These acequias, many of which date back hundreds of years, have seen their supply of water dwindle as the drought deepens. Brian Gallegos, acequias liaison for the State Engineers Office, said many acequias around the Rio Chama basin have seen their allotment of water decrease. In June, the supply of water ran so low that water was cut off to some of them for a short time. Gallegos said those working in agriculture have had to bear the brunt of the drought, especially those reliant on acequias. A lot of them arent aware of the situation, he said. They take it for granted theres going to be ample water for them all the time. Those people are surprised. DuBois said hes seen pictures in Taos County of hay fields going brown, and that many ranchers are having to purchase extra food and water for their livestock. Problems caused by the drought range from far rural areas to urban centers, with the city of Albuquerque having recently stopped diverting water from the Rio Grande. The city of Santa Fe, on the other hand, has been able to maintain consistent supply from its three main water sources the river, the Santa Fe watershed and groundwater wells albeit with a little help. Officials at the citys water division feared levels of the Rio Grande were running too low to operate the Buckman Direct Diversion, which diverts water from the Rio Grande to consumers in Santa Fe and has become one of the citys main sources of water. But water management tactics in Albuquerque have kept water levels from dropping further and officials say Buckman can still be used, probably until September. Praying for rain Santa Fe has had a tumultuous history with droughts in the past. A drought in 2002 was particularly troublesome as overpumped city wells began failing to supply enough water to the area. Schmidt-Petersen, of the Interstate Stream Commission, said the effect that drought had on Santa Fe can still be seen today. All those lawns and big trees died because they had issues physically getting water to people, he said. Water Division Director Jesse Roach said the diversity of water sources enables Santa Fe to provide enough water during a drought, even if Buckman has to be shut down at a later time. Roach said the city could run off its wells, which are used sparingly, for multiple years before water supply becomes a serious concern. But while the all-important monsoon season kicks off across the state, water and climate scientists still have concerns about New Mexicos water for the rest of 2020. In a July 22 meeting of the Drought Mitigation Workgroup, Royce Fontenot of the National Weather Service said all signs point to La Nina conditions, which typically lead to dry, warm winters in New Mexico. DuBois said a La Nina could negatively impact potential for snowpack in the states northern mountains, which is desperately needed to store water for the rest of the year. We really need at least an average to above-average snowpack, but the cards are not there for that, he said. La Nina could exacerbate problems already evident in acequias and other irrigation systems, worsening already historically bad drought levels, DuBois said, and possibly eliminating the temporary reprieve brought by the monsoons. This drought, Gallegos said, is already worse than droughts in previous years because it came much earlier in the year. A bad snowpack this winter could bring drought even earlier next year. DuBois said people can help monitor conditions by joining the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. People in the network purchase rain gauges and report the results to scientists, who verify the data. Help is especially needed in northern New Mexico, DuBois said, since radar in Albuquerque cannot reach that far due to the Jemez Mountains. Its these areas most affected by the drought, he said, that have the least amount of information. What New Mexico really needs, though, is a lot of rain and a good snowpack for next year. We cant just produce water, Gallegos said. Its all about Mother Nature, and prayers and sharing during these limited supply times. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Partly cloudy skies with gusty winds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 33F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies with gusty winds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 33F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. An increasing number of coronavirus cases in the metro has Kansas City parents worried it isn't safe to send their kids back to school. But as other families struggle to choose between in-person and online instruction, Kurt Austin and his wife have already sent their two school-aged children back. Hurricane Hanna roared ashore onto the Texas Gulf Coast on Saturday, bringing winds that lashed the shoreline with rain and storm surges, even threatening to bring possible tornadoes to a part of the country trying to cope with a spike in coronavirus cases. The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall twice as a Category 1 storm on Saturday afternoon within the span of little over an hour. Many parts of Texas, including areas near where Hanna came ashore, have been dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, but local officials said they were prepared for whatever the storm might bring. Chris Birchfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Brownsville, said residents needed to remain alert. While Hannas winds were expected to weaken throughout Saturday night, the storms real threat remained heavy rainfall, he said. Were not even close to over at this point. Were still expecting catastrophic flooding, Birchfield said. In a tweet, President Donald Trump said his administration was monitoring Hanna, along with Hurricane Douglas, which was heading towards Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Hanna came nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey made landfall northeast of Corpus Christi. Hanna was not expected to be as destructive as Harvey, which killed 68 people and caused an estimated $125bn in damage in Texas. In the Mexican city of Matamoros, which is in Tamaulipas and across the border from Brownsville, Texas, volunteers were keeping a close eye on Hanna, worried the storm could affect a makeshift migrant camp near the Rio Grande where about 1,300 asylum seekers, including newborn babies and elderly residents, have been waiting under the US immigration policy informally known as Remain in Mexico. Im not sure what all the fuss is about. Our schools will open. I wish we would stop saying theyre going to reopen. That misses the point. Public and nonpublic teachers will deliver the best education possible under unforeseen circumstances. And its looking different in different places. The East Baton Rouge Parish School System decided to have an all-virtual learning model through Labor Day. The Lafayette Parish School Board voted to return students to in-building instruction with a hybrid schedule, giving parents the option of choosing self-guided learning. Jefferson Parish Public Schools chose a combination of in-person and virtual learning. New Orleans public schools plan to open with distance learning then consider a post-Labor Day option for in-building education. St. Bernard Parish schools are giving parents options; in-school education with specific safety precautions, or register children for virtual education. St. Tammany Parish public schools will have students in school buildings. On July 21, the state issued a comprehensive set of guidelines for opening schools for fall 2020. Ive read the document. I suggest that you read it, too. There are variations based on phases 1, 2 and 3. Single-file lines. No field trips. Staggered class changes and transitions. No visitors. Band and vocal music only in Phase 3, with restrictions. Face coverings required for all in grades 3-12. Highly visible COVID-19 reminders. The state guidelines include these statements: Given the levels of COVID-19 currently in our communities, schools should plan for and expect that some students will get COVID-19 during the school year. And, As part of their planning to reopen, schools should expect that there will be students who get COVID-19 and that those students will possibly expose other students/staff in the school setting. Why would any parent want to send her kid to school with the expectation that his classmates will get sick with COVID, exposing her baby to the virus? Ive been in touch with some parents, grandparents and educators, and most of those I heard from are, at a minimum, concerned and, at most, afraid. National polls show most Americans share their concerns: A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs shows only 1 in 10 Americans think day care centers, preschools and K-12 schools should open without precautions and restrictions. The same poll shows 3 in 10 believe teaching students in classrooms shouldnt happen. Period. A POLITICO/Morning Consult poll shows 65% of voters oppose President Donald Trumps insistence that federal funding will be cut for schools that dont reopen school buildings with regular operations. A recent Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index shows 7 in 10 American parents believe in-person classroom instruction is too risky, and that includes 82% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans. That same poll shows a stunning number of Black (89%), Latino (80%) and White (64%) parents looking at returning to physical school buildings as a moderate or large risk. The state guidelines are well-intended, and they offer good, specific guidance. But they dont address enough of these deep concerns, largely because the emphasis is on moving students back into buildings. Were urging people to restrict their movements while forcing parents, students and teachers to support crowds. Based on what I heard from my sample group, consider some of their questions: What happens if a kid catches COVID-19, doesnt get sick and takes it home? Is the school or the school district responsible? Congress is looking at this, but nothing is in place. The Legislature made it harder to sue school districts for COVID-19 issues. NBA players are being COVID tested every day to make sure they remain healthy and that they dont infect others. Are we going to COVID test students every day? Whos going to pay for that? Temperature checks are one step, but ... What happens if a teacher tests positive for COVID. When they go into quarantine, is that sick time covered by their districts? Are we going to distinguish between those who are symptomatic and those who test positive? When that teacher is out and a substitute teacher comes in what happens if that teacher gets sick and he goes to two or three more schools to sub before we find out he has COVID? Students with disabilities and special needs deserve special attention. Will we have extra precautions to protect them and those who serve them? Schools are required to do what's in an individual education plan, but who anticipated a pandemic? The best place for our students and educators is at home, with virtual learning. I recognize that socialization and other in-school benefits are a part of a well-rounded education. But Im not looking forward to daily education death data. This is a strange new world for education, and we havent seriously thought about what happens in the spring. Based on existing data and lack of public cooperation, its not likely to be much better. Teachers need the option to say no to in-school teaching. They didnt sign up for COVID-19 duty. When British Prime Minister Boris Johnson landed on Thursday in Orkney, an archipelago off Scotland's northern coast, he boldly proclaimed that the trip proved his commitment to a united nation. "The Union is a fantastically strong institution -- it's helped our country through thick and thin," he said. "I think what people really want to do is see our whole country coming back strongly together, and that's what we're going to do." Together, perhaps, but not with Scotland's leader. For his first trip to Scotland this year, Johnson chose a sparsely populated group of islands hundreds of miles from the seat of Scottish political power in Edinburgh; he did not meet with Scotland's top elected official, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. That may be for good reason. Though Scotland has suffered badly from Covid-19, Sturgeon's popularity has surged, largely as she has steered a more cautious approach out of the pandemic than her English counterparts. Support for Sturgeon's ultimate political goal, Scottish independence from England, is also on the up. Johnson's personal ratings, meanwhile, have taken a hit, as the messaging around reopening south of the Scottish border has been more haphazard. His visit to Scotland was an attempt to regain some political capital north of Hadrian's Wall. Divergent approach One of the many lessons from the pandemic in the UK has been the starkly different governing styles of the country's political leaders. Johnson, despite being educated at England's most elite establishments, has made a career of playing the klutzy everyman. It's a routine that works great for photo ops -- the infamous zipline mishap during the 2012 Olympics, as London mayor, was a highlight -- but perhaps not so well for global pandemics. Long before Johnson himself contracted Covid-19, he told a group of journalists with a mischievous smile that he had recently visited a hospital and "I think there were actually a few coronavirus patients, and I shook hands with everybody, you'll be pleased to know." Johnson faced particular ridicule for confusing advice about reopening. He told Brits on May 10 that if they could not work from home, they should now be "actively encouraged to go to work" but that they should also "stay alert." Sturgeon was not impressed. "I don't know what 'stay alert' means," Sturgeon said at the time, adding that she had asked the British government not to deploy that slogan in Scotland. When Johnson's government introduced new rules that allowed residents to visit certain countries without quarantining on return, Sturgeon called the decision-making process "shambolic." Unlike Downing Street, she refused to allow unrestricted travel from Spain. Another area of divergence has been over the issue of face coverings -- Sturgeon made them mandatory in shops here a full two weeks before Downing Street followed suit with a similar ordinance for England. Sturgeon's tartan face mask has become a sartorial signature. Johnson has not resisted masks with the zeal of US President Donald Trump, but he is more often seen without a face covering, even indoors, than with one. His visit to Orkney drew a small protest; one man heckled, "Where's your mask, Boris?" Perception of power To an outsider (and in fact to many Brits), the division of power in the UK can be confusing. Boris Johnson is Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but since the late 1990s, much power has been transferred to the UK's constituent nations -- a process known as devolution. This means many policy decisions concerning health, education, and transportation for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are taken not in London, but in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. It has not been unusual to see a grand policy announcement emanating from Downing Street, only to find a postscript explaining that the rule only applies to England. "This is really the most significant time where devolution has been the most obvious to the ordinary citizens," the pro-independence pollster Mark Diffley said on a typically rainy summer day in Edinburgh. That perception is evident on the streets of Scotland's capital. "London is too choppy, too changing its mind all the time, can't make out what it wants to do," said Karen Miele, 58, from Edinburgh. "Does it want to help people? Does it want to put the economy first? Or does it just not care? Doesn't know what it's doing." Andrew MacDonald, 21 from Linlithgow, said that his view of Sturgeon has "definitely gone up" over the course of the pandemic. "I think Nicola has done the right thing in trying to keep the politics out of it, and go with the science first and foremost throughout the whole thing," he said. Despite this perceived divergence in approach, Covid-19 outcomes -- so far, at least -- have not been so dissimilar. In fact, the death rate in Scotland has only been slightly better than in England. For every 100,000 people, 77 in Scotland have died and had Covid-19 listed on their death certificate, versus 86 in England. "There are important differences in the approach, and also important differences in the public perception of the approach," said Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh. Boost for independence The question for Sturgeon -- and the fear for Johnson -- is whether this positive regard for her stewardship of the pandemic will transfer into political support for the cause of Scottish independence, which remains the bedrock goal of her Scottish National Party. The last time Scots formally voted on independence, in 2014, "no" won out by more than 10 percentage points. Much has since changed. In the 2015 UK general election, the SNP went from six seats at the House of Commons in Westminster to 56 -- taking all but three Scottish constituencies. Scots voted heavily against Brexit in 2016. The renowned pollster John Curtice, of the University of Strathclyde, told the BBC on Thursday that support for independence has been surging for about and a year, and is now going up even among those Scots who voted for Brexit. The latest polling, Diffley said, "would suggest that support for independence is higher than it has been for actually a really, really long time." That's a problem for Johnson, leader of a party whose full name is the Conservative and Unionist Party. By visiting Scotland, Johnson hoped to underline the benefits to Scots of the 300-year-old union with England -- he was keen to point out that it was the Treasury in London that saved thousands of Scottish jobs with its generous furlough scheme, for example. But Conservative prime ministers have historically enjoyed little support in Scotland, and Sturgeon joked on Twitter that Johnson's visit didn't do her any harm. The SNP had promised a new referendum on independence before next year's Scottish parliamentary elections. That's now been put on hold, because of the pandemic. For SNP members of parliament like Tommy Sheppard, who represents Edinburgh East, it is only a matter of time. "Those who wish to see Scotland become an independent country welcome as many trips as possible by Boris Johnson to Scotland, because every time he sets foot in Scotland, support for independence increases," he said. The pandemic response, he believes, has opened many skeptical Scottish eyes to the real differences between Scotland and England. "They're aware of that in the way they never were before. And they are perhaps open to the possibility of what an independent Scotland could do if it had the political power to act." THE Shannon Chamber has become the second business organisation to urge Shannon Heritage to keep both Bunratty and King Johns Castle open. Despite widespread protests, the semi-state company will close the two tourist attractions at the end of next month, in a move which will cost hundreds of local jobs. Shannon Group maintains this has come about due a collapse in tourism numbers due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, after a protest was this Monday held at the entrance to the Shannon Free Zone, the Shannon Chamber has joined the Limerick Chamber in seeking for the sites to stay open. Shannon Chamber chief executive Helen Downes said the lobby is concerned at the closure of these State-owned assets when Ireland needs a resilient tourism industry. She said: As the larger day visitor attractions in any location are the magnets that attract visitors to that area or region, so too are they the drivers of tourism traffic to the smaller attractions, thereby giving the visitor a range of places to visit during their stay. Closure of these sites not only impacts the sites themselves but, as in Bunratty villages case, the 600 people employed overall in the hospitality sectors. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Cyberabad police, on Saturday, arrested a self-declared miracle worker Mohd Ismayil alias Corona Baba, who has been cheating people under the guise of providing treatment for Covid-19 and other ailments, at Hafeezpet. Ismayil created a WhatsApp group Hafeezpet Darbar, where regular updates were shared. People in the group were informed that they can approach Corona Baba for a cure from any sort of ailments. He operated from a dargah Ghouse Pak Chilla. Miyapur police said 47-year-old Ismayil has been detained for questioning. Based on a tip-off, police raided the dargah premises on Saturday and found people had gathered in large numbers to meet Ismayil for consultation. They took Ismayil into custody. Police found that Ismayil started working here four years ago as a Baba and has been performing special prayers. He would conduct prayers on Fridays where people joined in large numbers. They would later consult him on various ailments and seek solutions for different problems. After the pandemic broke, Ismayil began claiming that he could cure any disease without medicines because he had supernatural powers. Many people from different parts of the city visited him in search of miracle cures for their diseases, including Covid- 19. Ismayil charged anywhere between `12,000 to `40,000 from the victims. Police said he had violated several lockdown rules, primarily that of social distancing apart from cheating people. Ismayil has been charged under the Sec 420 of IPC (Cheating), Disaster Management Act, Epidemic Diseases Act and violating lockdown orders. Fake Godman Since four years, Mohd Ismayil has been conducting weekly prayers every Friday, after which people would consult him for their ailments Ruth Langsford has sent a message of condolence and support to Dr Alex George after he announced the death of his younger brother, Llyr, to mental health. This Morning host Ruth, 60, told Alex, 30, to reach out to her should he want to talk, having lost her own sister to suicide last year. Ruth's sister Julia was 62 when she took her own life. Llyr was believed to have been just 19. Reaching out: Ruth Langsford has sent a message of condolence and support to Dr Alex George after he announced the death of his younger brother, Llyr Ruth penned: 'Alex, I am so, so sorry for your tragic loss. I lost my sister to mental health last year so I understand the pain and shock you and your family will be feeling. 'I send you the hugest of hugs and if you ever need to talk you know how to reach me. My condolences to you and your family and may your darling brother rest in peace.' Julia Johnson died in June 2019, and Ruth spoke of the tragedy last month, revealing that she almost quit her TV presenting career after being left 'heartbroken'. Julia - who had battled depression for years - was found dead by her husband Paul at their home in Lingfield, Surrey. Heartache: Dr Alex announced Llyr's death alongside the tribute 'I have lost my beautiful little brother to mental health. I love you so much Llyr. The kindest and most caring soul' Ruth penned: 'Alex, I am so, so sorry for your tragic loss. I lost my sister to mental health last year so I understand the pain and shock you and your family will be feeling' Much missed: In June 2019, Ruth's sister Julia Johnson, 62, who had battled depression for years, was found dead by her husband Paul at their home in Lingfield, Surrey At the time, the ITV host told viewers her sister had died 'after a long illness', with an inquest later ruling she had died by suicide. Speaking to Best Magazine, the This Morning and Loose Women star admitted: 'It seemed wrong to be cheery on screen, when, inside, my heart was breaking.' It was Ruth's husband Eamonn Holmes who encouraged her to go back to work in memory of Julia, after she admitted she had 'no motivation or desire' to be in the public eye. After a month of 'crying, screaming and sobbing', Ruth said Eamonn told her she had 'so much to live for.' Ruth explained: 'Eamonn pointed out that he was, in effect, losing not one, but two of the most precious people in his life Julia and me. He showed me how I had so much to live for in Julia's memory and beyond.' A shoulder to lean on: Ruth and Alex are pictured in 2019 with Ruth's husband Eamonn Holmes Love: It was Ruth's husband Eamonn who encouraged her to go back to work in memory of Julia, after she admitted she had 'no motivation or desire' to be in the public eye Colleagues: Ruth and Alex have worked together on This Morning since he found fame on Love Island [pictured in 2018] 'He pleaded with me not to let it win, by ruining everything I had achieved and still had to celebrate.' Ruth took a week off her regular presenting duties with Eamonn on This Morning immediately after Julia's death. Two months later she left the This Morning studio in tears unable to continue with a phone-in on anxiety and depression. Speaking to psychologist Emma Kenny on This Morning in February this year, Ruth spoke in public about her sister's suicide for the first time, explaining: 'This happened in my family. I remember my shock at that. It's the questions it leaves the families'. She continued with a list of a list of questions family members may have: 'I should have gone round. I should have phoned. I was going to go round. I was going to phone. Maybe I should have stayed longer!' Distraught: The grieving Love Island star, 30, announced on Instagram on Friday he had lost his 'beautiful little brother to mental health' (posted on Instagram in 2018) She added: 'You are left with the 'what ifs'. It's her family now that I think will need so much help.' Sharing a photo alongside Julia in June last year, Ruth told her Instagram followers at the time of her sister's tragic death: 'My lovely Sis Julia has sadly died after a very long illness. My heart is completely broken. 'She was the kindest and most gentle soul and I will miss her forever. As I am sure you will appreciate I need to take time to grieve with my family. 'Thank you for your understanding.' Alex - of Love Island fame - thanked his own well-wishers for their messages of support following Llyr's death, and said he is still trying to process the news. Grieving: Dr Alex took to his stories on Saturday morning, thanking his followers for their kind messages in the wake of such tragic news The grieving star announced on Instagram on Friday he had lost his 'beautiful little brother to mental health' and took to his stories on Saturday morning, thanking his followers for their support and said he needs to time to take in the tragic news. He wrote: 'Thank you for all the messages of kindness here and to my phone. I am incredibly grateful of the support and it means so much. 'I am sorry that I can't reply yet. I need to try and process what has happened somehow.' In the emotional tribute announcing Llyr's death, the A&E doctor wrote: 'I can't believe I am actually writing this post. Moving: In his emotional post he said 'I was so proud of you starting medical school next month, you would have been the most incredible doctor' 'I have lost my beautiful little brother to mental health. I love you so much Llyr. The kindest and most caring soul. 'I was so proud of you starting medical school next month, you would have been the most incredible doctor. We are hurting so bad. No words can explain. 'As a family we are devastated. We love you and miss you so much. Please rest in peace x Our boy.' It is believed Dr Alex's brother would have been 19 at the time of his death. MailOnline have contacted his representatives for comment. In 2018, Dr Alex competed on ITV's Love Island, the popular reality dating series which has seen former contestants Sophie Gradon, 32, and Mike Thalassitis, 26, as well as 40-year-old host Caroline Flack kill themselves. Emotional: It is believed that Dr Alex's brother would have been 19 at the time of his death, which came after he'd been accepted to medical school Many of Alex's Love Island co-stars rushed to pay tribute to his late brother in the comments of his post, with Rosie Williams writing: 'Oh no Alex! This is so awful. 'I'm so so sorry from the bottom of my heart. Sending you all the love in the world. Thinking of you and your family through this terrible time.' Charlie Brake penned: 'So, so sorry mate. Here if you need anything. Devastating,' Frankie Foster wrote: 'Sending my love to you and family mate.' Samira Mighty wrote: 'Stay strong,' and Wes Nelson added: 'So sorry to hear this Alex! Stay strong I love you mate!' Josh Denzel also commented: 'Brooo here if you need me.' Sympathies: Many of Alex's Love Island co-stars rushed to pay tribute to his late brother in the comments of his post Dr Alex is currently working on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic at the University Hospital Lewisham in south-east London. Originally from Carmarthen, Wales, he studied medicine at the University of Exeter before he set his heart on finding romance on Love Island. He struggled to find his dream girl in the villa, though he did enjoy a brief fling with Alexandra Cane and started dating Amelia Bath in December 2018. Dr Alex admitted finding his recent split with Amelia 'really tough' after being forced to spend lockdown apart while he worked on the frontline. Challenging: Just two weeks ago, Dr Alex admitted he was finding it 'really tough' in an emotional post after splitting from girlfriend Amelia Bath Heroic: Alex found fame on Love Island 2018 but has returned to his job as an A&E doctor since, working on the NHS frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic The reality star said 'The last few days have been really tough but I am so grateful for the love and support I have received, it means the world to me. 'Life happens. Being able to pick yourself up and move forward with positivity and an appreciation for life is what matters.' Dr Alex said in a statement announcing his split from Amelia: 'Guys just want to let you know, Amelia and I have decided to go our separate ways. 'As you know, we've been apart for most of lockdown which has been hard on us both and we both agree this is for the best. 'We will remain good friends and I have nothing but respect for Amelia. Thank you for the love and support always.' Amelia shared a similar statement to her own social media, as she thanked fans for their messages of support. The former flames had reunited briefly, after spending 102 days apart during lockdown. If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org. Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. Rajasthan crisis puts governors powers in the spotlight A governors powers and role in the state legislatures affairs are back in focus amid the political crisis in Rajasthan. Congress legislators backing Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot staged a five-hour sit-in on Friday asking governor Kalraj Mishra to call a special assembly session for a floor test. Read more Explainer: What is mahajobs portal and how it is helping during Covid-19 The Mahajobs portal launched by the Maharashtra government has seen lakhs of registrations in the last few weeks. In fact, reports claim that around 2.5 lakh people have registered on the portal. The government officials, however, have told state media outlets that there are issues with the submissions made by the people and they need to apply again. Read more Unlock 3: Metro trains, schools likely to not reopen Barring a last-minute change of mind, the Narendra Modi government is unlikely to allow the reopening of schools in the next phase of easing of restrictions that is expected next week, according to top officials involved in the discussions related to this. Read more Protesters clash with cops amid anger over surge of federal agents in major cities Police in Seattle used flashbang grenades and pepper spray Saturday against protesters who set fire to construction trailers outside a youth jail, amid a wave of public anger over President Donald Trumps planned surge of federal agents into major cities. Read more Couldnt believe Mahi bhai said something like that to me: Stuart Binny reveals what MS Dhoni told him on Test debut All-rounder Stuart Binny has revealed what MS Dhoni told him on his Test debut for India. After making his India debut in January of 2014, Binny received his Test cap from Dhoni during the first Test of Indias tour of England and the all-rounder scored a match-saving 78 in the first Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Read more The Kissing Booth 2 movie review: Stretched, overstuffed, but still quite fun Lara Jean may have been able to resist the charms of a second hot boy in her life but Elle Evans may not be made of such stern stuff. The Kissing Booth 2 presents a similar dilemma to its nerdy American high schooler lead, as earlier this years To All The Boys: PS I Love Youfalling for another unearthly cute guy when you already have an unearthly cute guy in your arms. Read more Microsofts long-awaited dual-screen device may finally launch Microsofts long-awaited dual-screen device Surface Duo may finally see the light of day. Microsoft has not yet revealed the official launch date, but the phone-tablet hybrid has made an appearance on the US FCC certification website. Surface Duo has also shown up on the Bluetooth SIG website. Read more Two paintings and a love story Most workplaces are inherently dull and utilitarian. Working from home translates mostly into a search for the grayest and most staid spaces to serve as backgrounds for video meetings. Rarely does a workplace take you back in time and reveal hidden connections. Read more Relax: Anand Mahindras weekend advice sparks motivational Twitter thread Anand Mahindra is known for sharing some of the most interesting, and often inspiring, posts on his Twitter handle. The business tycoon uses his tweets to keep his Twitter followers engaged and a recent post of his involving a weekend advice is no different. Read more Watch| Sushant Rajput death: Why Kangana Ranaut hasnt given statement to police yet TDT | Manama The reciprocal agreement between the US and Bahrain to allow ten-year multi-entry for tourists creates a win-win situation for both countries, said AmCham Bahrain President. Tourism and trade are vitally important to both economies, and the new 10-year visa will certainly enhance both countries as preferred travel destinations, said Qays Zubi of American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain. Applying for a visa can be time-consuming the 10-year visa will save time, money and stress which is beneficial for both business and tourism, Qays Zubi said. The agreement, came into force earlier this month, doubles the previous five-year visitor visa duration for Bahraini and US Citizens. The move, Qays Zubi said, will further support the use of the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as citizens travel to establish business opportunities. Since the FTA was initiated, bilateral trade between the US and Bahrain has more than tripled from $782 million in 2005 to $2.5 Billion in 2019, Zubi added. The US citizens holding a 10-year multi-entry visa are allowed to stay a maximum of 180- days per visit. US nationals visiting Bahrain can obtain a visa at the airport. However, Bahrain is not among the 39 countries whose citizens are allowed to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. North Korea has declared a state of emergency after a person suspected of having coronavirus entered the country. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting after the person suspected of having COVID-19 entered from South Korea by illegally crossing the border this month, state media said on Sunday. If confirmed, it would be the first case officially acknowledged by North Korean authorities, who have so far said the country has no confirmed cases of the disease. Kim declared a state of emergency and imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong, calling it a 'critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country,' state news agency KCNA reported. In this hand-out photo from North Korea's state news agency KCNA, leader Kim Jong Un reportedly holds an emergency enlarged meeting of Political Bureau of WPK Central Committee in this undated photo released on July 25, 2020 after a person suspected of having COVID-19 returned from South Korea after illegally crossing the border this month According to KCNA, a person who defected to South Korea three years ago returned across the fortified border that divides the two Koreas with symptoms that suggested COVID-19. 'An emergency event happened in Kaesong City where a runaway who went to the south three years ago, a person who is suspected to have been infected with the vicious virus returned on July 19 after illegally crossing the demarcation line,' KCNA said. KCNA did not specifically mention whether the individual had been tested, but said an 'uncertain result was made from several medical check-ups of the secretion of that person's upper respiratory organ and blood,' prompting officials to quarantine the person and investigate anyone he may have been in contact with. The unnamed person 'was put under strict quarantine as a primary step and all the persons ... who contacted that person and those who have been to the city in the last five days are being thoroughly investigated' and quarantined, KCNA said. To address the 'dangerous situation ... that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster,' North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened the emergency politburo meeting on Saturday to adopt a 'maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert' to contain the epidemic, KCNA said. Despite strict preventative measures 'the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country,' Kim said, according to KCNA, and that the government took the 'preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City' on July 24. Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo (the principal policymaking committee of a communist party) meeting after the person suspected of having COVID-19 returned from South Korea, pictured above The meeting was made up to key North Korean officials and dictator Kim Jong Un (centre) who has made limited public appearances in 2020 amid speculation around his health, and that he is trying to avoid catching Covid-19 North Korea has received thousands of coronavirus testing kits from Russia and other countries, and imposed strict border closures, with the country being almost totally closed off since January 30. Thousands of people in North Korea were quarantined, but restrictions had recently eased, however on Wednesday, it emerged that North Koreans will reportedly be subjected to three months of hard labour for not wearing Covid-19 face masks under tough new rules. In July, Kim Jong Un ended a month-long absence from public view as he appeared at a meeting of the country's political bureau, during which he praised North Korea's 'shining success' in fighting coronavirus. Kim has been seen in public only a handful of times this year amid speculation of poor health, or that he is trying to avoid catching coronavirus, which observers believe has been spreading widely in North Korea for some time despite the official denials. In this undated photo provided on Thursday, July 23, 2020 by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, visits a new chicken farm being built in Hwangju County, North Korea. There is some speculation that the coronavirus has been spreading widely in the secretive country for some time State media said that Kim used an early-July meeting to urge officials to stay vigilant in the fight against coronavirus, warning of an 'unimaginable and irretrievable crisis' if they become complacent. But he also praised vigilance which he claimed has so-far 'thoroughly prevented the inroad of the malignant virus' despite the worldwide health crisis. Describing its anti-virus efforts as a 'matter of national existence,' North Korea earlier this year shut down nearly all cross-border traffic, banned tourists and mobilized health workers to quarantine anyone with symptoms. Experts say the country's self-imposed lockdown is hurting an economy already battered by stringent U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile programs. Pictured: North Korean students wearings face masks stage a rally in Pyongyang to denounce South Korea following that defectors and other activists in South Korea flew anti-Pyongyang leaflets over the border, June 6, 2020 In recent weeks, North Korea has also stepped up a campaign criticizing defectors to South Korea as 'human scum' and calling for South Korea to crack down on groups that send propaganda messages and food aid into the North. Kim ordered an investigation into the military units along the border where the person was suspected of crossing to 'administer a severe punishment and take necessary measures.' In February, as the coronavirus crisis was beginning to take hold around the globe, a North Korean official was reportedly executed for going to a public bath while he was meant to be in quarantine. The trade official was arrested and immediately shot after risking the spread of coronavirus by visiting the public bath, South Korea's Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported. The official had been placed in isolation after travelling to China, with Kim Jong Un imposing military law to enforce the lockdown, sources at the time said. North Korea has claimed to have had no cases of coronavirus up until this point, despite neighbouring China where the virus originated. Pictured: People wearing masks walk in the Ryomyong street in Pyongyang, North Korea Friday, July 3, 2020 Meanwhile, South Korea reported 113 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the largest single-day increase in almost four months, and officials warned the upward trajectory could continue as people carrying the disease enter the country from abroad. More than three-quarters of the latest reported infections were imported, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said. 'Everyday, we feel sense of crisis that COVID-19 pandemic may have not yet peaked yet,' KCDC deputy director Kwon Jun-wook told a briefing. South Korea has reported a total of 14,092 cases and 298 deaths from the pandemic. Saturday's 113 infections was the highest since March 31. Around 16% of all the country's infections have been imported, with around 70% of those Korean nationals. Two South Korean military aircraft arrived from Iraq on Friday, carrying 293 workers who were evacuated as cases swelled in that country. Kwon said on Saturday that 71 of those people were infected with COVID-19 and a further 11 people were being reexamined. 'Its likely that there will be similar cases like this Iraq case anywhere in the world, and (South Korea) will repeat the same measure, so we urge people to factor that in when looking at figures of the confirmed cases,' Kwon said. A large number of crew members on a Russian ship have also tested positive, Kwon said. Glowing tributes were paid to the soldiers who fought the Kargil War as India on Sunday celebrated the 21st anniversary of its victory, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the world had witnessed the country's strength and the valour of its armed forces when Pakistan tried to "backstab" it. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too used the occasion to assert that if an "enemy attacks our country, we have shown, as in Kargil, we will give a befitting response" and "this sentiment is as strong today as it was 21 years ago". "We are a peace loving country, but we are ready to take any big step that is required to defend our national unity and sovereignty," he said in remarks which come in the backdrop of the ongoing standoff with China along the Ladakh borders. Wreaths were laid at various memorials across the country by leaders and senior officers of the three services to commemorate the victory of Indian armed forces after a 60-day war against the Pakistan Army intruders in the Kargil, Drass and Batalik sectors in 1999. Defence Minister Singh, along with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs, paid homage to the bravehearts, who laid down their lives in 'Operation Vijay', at the National War Memorial in the national capital. "Kargil Vijay Diwas is symbol of fearless determination and exceptional valour of our armed forces. I salute the soldiers who fought the enemy and laid down their life to defend Bharat Mata. The nation is forever grateful to them and their families," said President Ram Nath Kovind, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces. Lieutenant General Harinder Singh, General Officer Commanding of the Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps, laid a wreath at the iconic Kargil War Memorial in Drass. Every years scores of family members of the martyrs and war veterans would gather for the ceremony and various other events. However, the celebrations were low-key this year due to the coronavirus-induced restrictions. Political leaders and people from all walks of life took to social media to praise the exemplary courage and sacrifice of the Indian forces. Hashtags like KargilHeroes, KargilVijayDiwas, IndianArmy and CourageInKargil were trending on Twitter. The three services and the defence ministry handles released videos celebrating India's victory. "On Kargil Vijay Diwas, we remember the courage and determination of our armed forces, who steadfastly protected our nation in 1999. Their valour continues to inspire generations," Modi tweeted. Later, in his Mann Ki Baat radio address, the prime minister invoked former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to ask people to speak and act keeping in mind the morale of soldiers. He also urged the youth to visit a website, www.gallantryawards.gov.in, highlighting the tales of bravery of armed forces and police personnel since Independence. India can never forget the circumstances under which the conflict took place, he stressed. "Pakistan had embarked upon this misadventure, nursing delusions of encroaching upon Indian soil, to distract attention from the internal strife prevailing there. India was then in the process of making efforts to foster good relations with Pakistan," he said. Referring to an old saying in Sanskrit, Modi said, "To the wicked, enmity with one and all for no reason comes naturally. People with such a disposition keep thinking of harming even their well-wishers" that is why when India extended a hand of friendship, Pakistan tried to stab in the back." When the Indian Army displayed deeds of valour, when India demonstrated its might, the whole world watched, the prime minister said. Modi said he too got an opportunity to visit Kargil and witness the gallantry of the jawans and described the day as "one of the most precious moments" of his life. In his message, Rajnath Singh said, "Kargil is not only a symbol of national pride but also a big step that was taken against injustice". Singh too invoked Vajpayee's views on national security. "He said we have proved we will not bow down in front of any external pressures," Singh mentioned. "He (Vajpayee) said we have also proved we are a responsible country. Whatever steps we take with respect to national security, it is always in self-defense and not to attack anyone. If an enemy attacks our country, then we have proven, as in Kargil, we will give a befitting response. Friends, this sentiment is as strong today as it was 21 years ago," the defence minister said. Referring to the recent visits by him and the prime minister to Ladakh, he lauded the dedication of the soldiers, and noted that the country is militarily in terms of guns and aerial assets far better placed in the area than it was 20 years ago. Addressing an event attended by veterans, BJP Chief J P Nadda hailed the armed forces, saying they combined inspiration and strategy with valour to vanquish Pakistan during the Kargil war despite facing adverse circumstances. The Kargil war was declared over on July 26, 1999, after Indian soldiers pushed back Pakistani troops, a bulk of them drawn from the neighbouring country's Northern Light Infantry, from the captured peaks in Kargil. Samsung is adding an Apple Watch-style fall detection as well to the Galaxy Watch 3s arsenal as well. Samsung is going to make it easier for you to answer to reject a call with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. According to reports, Samsungs new Galaxy Watch 3 Plugin app has a reference for support of hand gestures that allows you to answer calls, among other things. If you get a call on the watch, all you need to do is clench your fist to answer it. If you dont want to take the call, you can shake your hand to stop the watch from ringing. The Galaxy Watch 3, thats going to be unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event scheduled for the first week of August, is also getting support for an Apple Watch-style fall detection. If the Galaxy Watch 3 detects a fall, it will ring for 60 seconds to get a response. If there is no response in that time, it will text your location and a five-second audio recording to your emergency contacts. The watch can also make an emergency call after that 60-second wait, but that is optional. Reports indicate that the Galaxy Watch 3 is going to come with a smalled 41mm and 45mm sizes and have Watch Active 2 features like ECG and blood pressure monitoring among other things, Since there is no Galaxy Watch 2, the Galaxy Watch 3 should be that upgrade you have been waiting for since the Galaxy Watch. You just need to wait till August 5, thats all. Cicadas come around every 17 years. Candidates for governor show up every four years, and we have another crop on the way, and it looks like a bumper crop, at that. Democrats may have as many as six contenders; we count at least four Republicans who have made noises about running. Its fair to say that most of them dont have much familiarity with Southwest and Southside Virginia. Unfortunately, that wont matter much in the end: This isnt where the votes are. Yet were still here, and we have questions for all the candidates. Here goes: 1. Whos got a plan to build a new economy in rural Virginia? Those candidates from the urban crescent may not fully understand how lucky their communities are, economically speaking. Theyre not in a part of the state that has seen traditional employers wither and die and not replaced. Theyre generally from parts of the state that are seeing double-digit population growth over the past decade. Meanwhile, most rural counties are losing population some by double-digit margins. There are two very different Virginias. So what does our next governor intend to do about this? Were under no illusion that any governor, acting on his or her own, can reverse these trends. These are national trends indeed, global trends. The new economy rewards localities with a deep labor pool of high-skilled workers and thats not rural Virginia, or rural anywhere. Why did Amazon pick Arlington? Because 74% of the workers there have at least a college degree. In much of Southside and Southwest Virginia, that figure is only in the teens if that. In Dickenson County, the figure is 9.3%; in Greensville County, 7.5%. Before he died, former Gov. Gerald Baliles urged Virginia to mount a modern-day Marshall Plan to raise the educational levels in rural Virginia. Whos got a plan for that? 2. Whos got a plan to replace coal jobs in Southwest Virginia? No part of Virginia is hemorrhaging people at a faster rate than the coal counties or perhaps we should say, the former coal counties. All the Democrats, to one degree or another, have backed a faster transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Thats great for the planet, just not that particular part of the planet. Democrats say that renewable energy will create its own jobs boom and theyre right it will, it is. But those jobs are all over, not concentrated in Southwest Virginia like those coal jobs were. Some Democrats will point out that there are incentives for companies to locate those green energy jobs in distressed communities. That sounds nice, but likely insufficient. Republicans, meanwhile, are often keen to look backwards and blame the environmental regulations of the Obama administration. Heres the problem: More coal plants have closed under President Trump than under Barack Obamas first term. The real war on coal now is being waged by something conservatives used to champion the free market. Democrats, please dont come out here and talk about how green energy will save us economically unless you have a specific plan for how those green energy jobs will be located in the coalfields. Republicans, please dont come out here saying youre going to save coal when even you should know you cant. Do either of you have a specific economic plan for the coal counties or are you content to let them depopulate? 3. Whos got a plan to end disparities in school funding? Heres an inconvenient fact: Many rural counties in Virginia would be better off if they were in West Virginia. Yes, you read that right. West Virginia funds its schools at a higher level than Virginia does. More to the point, every Virginia locality along the state line gets less per student than its counterpart across the border except two Highland County and Shenandoah County. Are our gubernatorial candidates proud to be in a state where many rural schools are less-funded than in West Virginia? How many even know that? They may not because with the exception of Republican Bill Carrico of Grayson County theyre all from suburbs that can afford to kick in lots of their own money. In rural Virginia, thats just not realistic. Some of you may already have connected the dots or at least connected question 3 with question 1. Were living in an economy where education usually dictates results, yet our rural localities cant really afford to fund schools at the level they need to be. Most school systems in rural Virginia are subsidized by the state but even then its not enough. And not what West Virginia West Virginia! is spending. Now, money alone doesnt guarantee a quality education. But it can pay to fix up schools that are, in some cases, literally falling apart. And it can pay for technology that schools in the states more privileged suburbs often take for granted. And, please, dont point to the part of the Virginia Constitution that says the state shall seek to ensure that an educational program of high quality is established and continually maintained. The state Supreme Court ruled back in 1994 thats essentially meaningless the shall seek to phrase makes it merely aspirational. If you want to make that mean something, then you can pass the constitutional amendment that state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, proposed earlier this year that would have mandated equal educational opportunities. Does anyone support that? We dont mean to single out specific candidates, but one of them state Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond voted against that. Why should we believe any candidates protestations about school disparity if they dont support that amendment? 4. Who has a plan for getting rural Virginia fully wired with rural broadband? This should be an easy one because theres already a plan, it just hasnt been fully acted on because the solution is expensive and laborious. Northam has set a goal of getting the whole state on broadband by 2028. Whos got a plan to accelerate that? This is one issue where Democrats and Republicans can easily find common ground because everybody agrees that rural Virginia cant participate in the modern economy if theres no broadband. The pandemic has only highlighted that digital divide: You cant do virtual learning or virtual anything else if theres no internet and in some parts of Virginia thats what they have. None at all. So, now that weve posed these four questions, wed like to hear the candidates answers. U.S. Africa Command has discovered more Russian military equipment in Libya capable of assisting in operations against the U.S. and United Nations-backed Government of National Accord, officials said in a media release. The latest overhead imagery details military cargo aircraft, air defense equipment, utility trucks, and mine-resistant, ambush-protected armored vehicles provided to the Wagner Group a private military company that U.S. officials have warned has close ties to the Kremlin and is headed by a former Russian intelligence officer. LIBYA: #Russia & the #Wagner Group continue to be involved in both ground & air operations in #Libya "Russia continues to play an unhelpful role in Libya by delivering supplies & equipment to the Wagner group," said Maj. Gen. Gering. More: https://t.co/NewSqn0cMJ pic.twitter.com/E7zEMDQxZi US AFRICOM (@USAfricaCommand) July 24, 2020 Despite constant denials of involvement from Russia, officials believe the imagery reflects a broad scope of Russian involvement and attempts to gain a foothold in Libya a violation of a UN arms embargo according to a press release. Russian involvement is evident which the Kremlin lies about every time they deny it, said Col. Chris Karns, AFRICOM director of public affairs. Libya was split into two governments after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi who was later killed. In the east stands a government allied with military commander Khalifa Hifter, backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Russia and in the west is one in Tripoli, supported by the UN. Story continues The imagery, released July 24, shows Wagner forces and equipment on the front lines of the Libyan conflict in Sirte where both sides in Libyas civil war have been mobilizing to in previous weeks. Hifters forces took over Sirte, Gadhafis birthplace and a former stronghold of the Islamic State, in January. Retaking Sirte would give Tripoli forces a chance to gain control of oil fields and facilities in the south that Hifter had earlier seized. The type and volume of equipment demonstrates an intent toward sustained offensive combat action capabilities, said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Bradford Gering, AFRICOM director of operations, and indicates the Russian Ministry of Defense is supporting these operations. In May, AFRICOM reported at least 14 Mig-29 and Su-24 aircrafts had been flown from Russia into Syria and were repainted to conceal their Russian origin before continuing to Libya. They were expected to back the Wagner group in close-air support and offensive fires. Most recently, AFRICOM accused Wagner forces of planting land mines and improvised explosive devices in and around the Libyan capital of Tripoli. They said they imagery had shown booby traps and minefields around Tripoli and out towards the city of Sirte since mid-June. Russia continues to play an unhelpful role in Libya by delivering supplies and equipment to the Wagner group, Gering said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26) University of the Philippines public administration professor Dr. Edna Co said it is not the time to discuss constitutional amendments, when the government still has a lot to do to allay people's anxiety about the coronavirus. As some lawmakers push for constitutional reforms, Co echoed critics stance that the need to strengthen the countrys COVID-19 response is the most urgent issue at the moment. Sa panahon ba naman na ito, kailangan bang pag-usapan ang constitutional reform? Palagay ko medyo ano 'yon, medyo wala sa panahon, Co told CNN Philippines Newsroom Weekend on Sunday. Mahirap tugunan yan dahil hindi magkakaron ng mahusay na pag-uusap diyan. Napakalaki ng anxiety ng mga populasyon sa komunidad, she said. [Translation: At a time like this, is it necessary to talk about constitutional reform? I think its not appropriate to the current situationThat will be hard to address because there can be no meaningful discussions on that. Theres widespread anxiety among the population in communities.] Co said the national government should first augment the country's healthcare capacity and ensure that the local governments are provided with enough aid to manage the disease. READ: Philippines' COVID-19 cases exceed 80,000 The House Committee on Constitutional Amendments earlier announced it is once again opening deliberations on Charter reform when Congress opens session later this month. According to Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, a virtual meeting will be held to tackle the proposals of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines to institutionalize the so-called Mandanas Ruling of the Supreme Court in the Constitution. Under the ruling, regions will get their share from all national taxes, apart from internal revenue allotments. This will supposedly help local government units address the pandemic better and "strengthen local autonomy" in the country, Rodriguez said. Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque clarified that President Rodrigo Duterte has not floated the idea of pushing through with Charter reforms anytime soon while the government grapples with the prevailing crisis. READ: House panel to discuss Cha-cha proposals after Duterte's SONA A probe into a rare cobra's bite, that severely injured a student, is reported to have busted an exotic animal trafficking ring in Brazil. As per reports, a monocled cobra -- which is native to Asia -- bit 22-year-old Pedro Krambeck Lehmkuhl in Brasilia that raised questions about the rare snake species ending up at the boys apartment. In a detailed probe that followed, at least 16 exotic snakes, three sharks, a moray eel, and a Tupinambis lizard were reportedly retrieved at a property of the victim's friend. Read: Brazil: Sao Paulo Carnival Indefinitely Postponed Due To COVID-19 Pandemic As per reports, the snake, identified as an exotic animal by the police, raised suspicion after its bite was found to be so venomous that the medics had to import the anti-venom shots from Sao Paulo. The subsequent probe busted an exotic species smuggling ring and two officials at the Brazilian environmental regulator (IBAMA) were reportedly expelled over fake import permits issued to several wildlife traffickers. Among the people that came under the polices radar were the student's mother and stepfather, his friend, also a police colonel. The accused were penalised for 8,500 reals (approximately $1,600) and were slapped with obstructing justice' charges, as per reports. Read: Indigenous Leader Raoni Is Discharged From Brazil Hospital Victim fined for $ 11,000 Meanwhile, the victim after being admitted to the hospital was able to recover over the course of six days. He was later discharged and investigated by the cops. He was also slapped with $11,000 fine, as per the report. The snake, that the accused had confined was found to be a rare cobra, termed as Naja" in the Portuguese language. The reptile was released by the victim's friend with an intention to distort the evidence after the incident but it was caught near a shopping complex. (With agency inputs) Read: Researchers Find Rare Snake-like Venom Glands In New Amphibian Species Caecilian Read: Video: Man Fights Off Deadly Snake In His Car While Driving On Highway, Escapes Unhurt Where did I put mine? Not in the closet. In the garage? No, under the bed! I dragged it out and unzipped it to add anything else that might fit. A few family photos. A book I published 20 years ago. My laptop computer and a copy of my will. Odds and ends, pieces of my life. As I packed up all that I could take, I felt painfully aware of all that I had to leave behind: The dining room table where my kids once did their homework. Paintings and photos and keepsakes that could never be replaced. My husbands musical instruments. And more than 30 years of yellowed newspaper clippings of my work. I grabbed my wedding ring off the bathroom counter, slipped it on my finger and told myself, Take what you can, leave the rest, all that matters is life. So I picked up my bag and walked out of my house for what I knew might be the last time. And then, I was given a gift, a finer ending to a story that couldve been a tragedy. While my husband and I and our neighbors were packing up our lives, the firefighters, God bless them, had fought back the blaze. The tankers were still circling. But the flames were gone. And the smoke was slowly clearing. The Supreme Court will hear on July 27 pleas challenging a University Grants Commission (UGC) circular and seeking cancellation of final term examination in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan will hear the pleas on Monday. As many as 31 students from different universities across India approached the apex court to quash the UGC circular dated July 6 in which all universities in the country have been asked to wrap up the final term examinations before September 30. The students, in their petition, said that the examinations should be cancelled and results of such students should be calculated on the basis of their internal assessment or past performance. The petition filed by students from 13 states and one union territory requested that mark sheets of students should be issued before July 31. One of the students, among the 31 petitioners, has tested positive for COVID-19 and prayed for directions to the UGC to adopt the CBSE model and conduct an examination at a later date for the students who are not satisfied with the marks awarded on the basis of the assessment. The plea said that planned examinations be cancelled in the interest of justice for the students as the number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise. UGC has said that universities were approached to get the status about the examinations and responses were received from 818 universities (121 deemed universities, 291 private universities, 51 central universities, and 355 state universities). Out of the 818 universities, 603 have either conducted the examination or are planning to conduct. While 209 others have already conducted examination (on-line/off-line), 394 are planning to conduct examination (on-line/off-line/blended mode) in August or September. The commission has also said that for 35 universities, of which 27 are private, seven state-run, and one deemed university, the first batch is yet to become eligible for the final exams. Another petition on the issue, filed in the apex court by final year law student Yash Dubey, also sought cancellation of UGC mandated final year exams. Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray has also moved the apex court on behalf of Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, against the mandated final year exams in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases. (Natural News) The Russian Ministry of Health has proposed a ban on the use of mobile phones and Wi-Fi technology in elementary schools throughout Russia, citing the dangers associated with non-ionizing radiation. The Medical Department of the Russian Academy of Science, along with the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection and the Russian Ministry of Health, put together a series of recommendations explaining how keeping young students away from these technologies would directly benefit both their health and learning capacities. Professor Oleg Grigoriev, Dr.Sc, PhD, Chairman of the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, has been an outspoken opponent of wireless technology, which he warns is very dangerous, especially for developing youth. Our proposal became the #official opinion in the new #hygiene regulations for #digital school, Grigoriev wrote in a tweet. The #electromagnetic exposure of #children will decrease, he added. In 2018, Professor Martin Pall put together a meta-analysis paper entitled, Wi-Fi is an important threat to human health, that outlines various reference studies showing that Wi-Fi causes: Oxidative stress on the body Sperm and testicular damage Neuropsychiatric effects including EEG changes Apoptosis (cellular death) in healthy cells Cellular DNA damage Endocrine changes (hormone damage) Calcium overload This is a mere sampling of what science has uncovered about the detrimental effects of Wi-Fi and cell phones, which are prolific in todays society, including among young children. And because Russia actually cares about the health of its people, it is trying to nip this problem in the bud before it creates a major public health crisis. Joining Israel and Cyprus, Russia is trying to keep developing youth away from wireless Back in 2013, the nation of Israel became the first country in the world to adopt limitations on the use of Wi-Fi in schools. It outright banned Wi-Fi in kindergarten classrooms, and greatly limited the use of Wi-Fi in subsequent elementary grades. Wi-Fi is only allowed to be used in first and second grade classrooms for three hours per week, and for up to six hours per week in third grade. At all other times, the technology must be turned off for the health and safety of students. In Cyprus, officials made a similar move in 2017 by banning Wi-Fi in kindergarten classrooms. The Cyprus National Committee on Environment and Child Health also launched a nationwide campaign that same year to raise public awareness about the dangers of cell phones and wireless radiation, especially in young children. In the United States, the governor-appointed Maryland State Childrens Environmental Health and Protection Advisory Council (CEHPAC) issued a report back in 2016 advising the Department of Education to recommend that local school districts work to reduce student exposure to wireless radiation. Nothing was ever done, of course. This is because the United States is run by technocrat oligarchs who could not care less about the health and safety of children, let alone citizens. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to insist that all wireless radiation is safe, and the federal government at large, even under Trump, is diving headlong into spreading more of it through the nationwide rollout of 5G technology. The FCC health guidelines rely on the obsolete scientific assumption that the non-ionizing radiation emitted by microwave frequencies used for wireless technology can be harmful, only if they cause thermal change in tissue, explains Childrens Health Defense (CHD). That assumption has been proven false in thousands of studies, even before cell phones were commercialized in the 1980s. Contrary to the FCCs position, in the 1970s, the Russians had already acknowledged that the radiation emitted from radio and microwave frequencies based technologies can be harmful at levels that are at least 1,000 times lower than the levels that create thermal effects. For more related news about the deadly effects of Wi-Fi and cell phone radiation, check out EMF.news. Sources for this article include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org NaturalNews.com A 'sexual healer' has been accused of ripping off people who paid for hundreds of dollars for the 'Here She Comes' orgasm course and egg-shaped vaginal inserts. Charlena Barry, who goes by Charlena Ishani online, charged people up to $290 for the online course consisting of seven weekly video lectures on how to achieve 'insane, mind blowing, out of this world orgasms'. The package also included a 'Yoni Egg' made out of stone, which can be inserted into the vagina to 'help women achieve powerful orgasms and sexual confidence'. But customers claim Ms Barry, who is from Perth but now lives in Bali, never delivered on the course or the Yoni Eggs last month, according to The West Australian. Perth-born woman Charlena Barry (pictured), who goes by Charlena Ishani online, charged people up to $290 for the online course consisting of seven weekly video lectures on how to achieve 'insane, mind blowing, out of this world orgasms' The package also included a 'Yoni Egg' made out of stone, which can be inserted into the vagina to 'help women achieve powerful orgasms and sexual confidence' Ms Barry apologised to her customers with an Instagram post on June 5. 'To all the women affected by my lack of integrity, communication and financial situation. I want you you to know I'm deeply sorry and all refunds have been issued,' she wrote at the time. 'If there is anyone who hasn't received a refund, please send me a DM (direct message) and I will respond and action immediately.' A few months before, Ms Barry said 'communication is sexy' in an Instagram post that boasted how she and her partner Oliver are open and honest with each other. 'We are both well equipped with clear and honest communication,' she wrote. Customers claim Ms Barry, who now lives in Bali, never delivered on the course or Yoni Egg vaginal inserts last month, according to The West Australian But less than two months after the apology, Ms Barry is now once again offering the same 'Here She Comes' course, which is due to kick off on August 5. Instead of charging hundreds of dollars this time, the sexual healer is running the course on donations. Once again it promises 'weekly video lectures on the seven types of orgasms and how to achieve them' and a 'guided Yoni Egg journey'. The Yoni Eggs are also available for purchase on her website for $90 each. Ms Barry sits naked by the water. Less than two months after apologising, Ms Barry is now once again offering the same 'Here She Comes' course, which is due to kick off on August 5 In a statement given to The West Australian, Ms Barry said she has learnt from her mistakes. 'Sharing my experiences with others is my passion and learning through my past mistakes is and has always driven me to become a more humbled and refined version of myself. This experience is no exception,' she said. 'I am offering Here She Comes as a donation based online course so that financial restraints aren't an issue for anyone who wants to join. 'The course was already pre-recorded so all the content will be uploaded and participants will be able to access it straight away.' Ms Barry is the sister of former Bardot member Chantelle Barry. A union chief has warned that civil servants may go on strike if ordered back to their desks to clear the backlogs in public services. Mark Serwotka said ministers will face serious industrial unrest if they tell their staff to return. The hardline stance of the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union threatens Boris Johnsons attempt to tackle backlog Britain. These are the huge delays that have built up in issuing official documents such as passports, driving licences and birth certificates. The hardline stance of the general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union threatens Boris Johnsons attempt to tackle backlog Britain It also threatens efforts to breathe life into towns and cities by encouraging office staff back to work. Mr Johnson wants plans from ministers this week to clear the delays that have built up since civil servants were told to work from home in March. Last week civil service chief Alex Chisholm told Whitehall departments to start getting officials back in from August 1. The PCS is the biggest civil service union, with 200,000-plus members. After being briefed on the back-to-work plans, it told members they did not have to co-operate and blamed the instruction on political pressure exerted by Tory MPs. In a letter to Mr Chisholm, Mr Serwotka wrote: This unnecessary and hasty push for an upscaling at workplaces has the potential to create serious industrial unrest. It is clear this is a political decision to use public sector workers to prop up a decaying economic model. Last night ex-Cabinet minister Damian Green said the strike threat was appalling. He added: It is clear some services cannot be run properly working from home. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 19:48:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Sunday reported 464 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths, raising the tally of infections to 63,773 and the death toll to 433, the Health Ministry said in a statement. Currently, 8,967 patients are receiving treatment, including 123 in ICU, the statement added. The ministry also announced the recovery of 766 more patients, raising the total recoveries in the country to 54,373. Kuwait will start the third phase plan of restoring normal life on July 28, Tareq Al-Mezrem, the government spokesman, said Thursday. During the third phase, labor capacity will increase to no more than 50 percent and visits to social care homes will be allowed, he said, adding curfew hours will be further reduced. In addition, the government decided to lift the lockdown on Farwaniya area starting July 26. 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 By PTI MELBOURNE: Australia's migration intake will drop significantly to 31,000 in 2020-21 from 232,000 in 2018-19 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, impacting thousands of Indians planning to emigrate to this country. While the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Australian economy are still evolving, migration, which is a key driver of the economy, has been hit following the travel bans, border closures imposed earlier this year since the contagion began. The Australian Economic and Fiscal Update report, released on Thursday by the treasury department, said that the Net Overseas Migration (NOM) is significantly affected by the international travel restrictions and constraints on the ability of applications to meet visa application requirements. "The NOM is assumed to fall from 232,000 in 2018-19 to be 154,000 in 2019-20 and 31,000 in 2020-21," it said. The Indian community in Australia is comprised of nearly seven lakh people. India is one of the top sources of skilled immigrants to Australia. Approximately 90,000 students are studying in Australian universities. The report further said that the international borders were expected to reopen in Januray next year, but a two-week quarantine period would remain in place for arrivals to Australia. "Future migration levels remain highly uncertain, due to the path of the pandemic and the nature and duration of measures taken to contain its spread at home and abroad." The government implemented international travel bans in March 2020. "This prevented all arrivals on visitor and temporary migration visas and prevented Australian citizens and permanent residents from departing Australia," the document read. According to the treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, no decision was taken yet on when Australia's travel ban will be lifted. "In terms of the borders, the assumptions are - to very gradually start to come back that the quarantine is applied, that you start bringing in some international students"," he was quoted as saying by AAP news agency. "Of course, the environment with respect to coronavirus is very fluid. So decisions haven't been taken about the start dates for that. These are treasury's forecasts and as you can understand, it's a very dynamic environment," he said. According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the contagion has infected over 16 million people and killed more than 644,000 across the world. In Australia, the COVID-19 has infected over 13,900 people and killed 155 others. The COVID-19, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has also battered the world economy with the International Monetary Fund saying that the global economy is bound to suffer a "severe recession". The family of the late Prof. John Evans Atta Mills paid a courtesy call on Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang the Vice Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the upcoming December 7th, 2020 elections at her office on Friday 24th July 2020. The family, led by Opanin George Aryee Thompson the Family Linguist, was in Accra for the wreath-laying ceremony in connection with the commemoration of the passing of President Mills. The family expressed their delight and excitement about the nomination of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, as the NDC Vice Presidential candidate. They pledged their support to her and the NDC and wished her well in the upcoming campaign. They advised her to focus on the task ahead and not be distracted by negativity from persons who do not wish her or the nation well. Prof. Opoku-Agyemang thanked the family for their support and also pledged to abide by their advice and work hard towards securing victory for the NDC come December 7th, 2020. She said, " For me, a victory for the NDC means victory for the whole of Ghana and an opportunity to work hard to address the many development needs that confront our nation today. It will also be a victory for the legacy that President Mills left this country. " The meeting ended with a prayer by the family linguist. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video LAKE GEORGE August is going to be a busy month for Lake George businesses, according to a new survey released by the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce. Results from the survey, which was sponsored by the chamber and Warren County Tourism, found that 62% of respondents plan to visit Lake George in August or sometime during the fall, and that the region meets many of the interests tourist are seeking in a summer vacation. Nearly 6,000 people responded to the online survey, which was sent to individuals who have shared their email address with either a Warren County or Lake George business. Thirty prizes were donated by area businesses to encourage participation. The survey provides valuable insights for how businesses should be preparing to operate for the remainder of the year, said Gina Mintzer, executive director of the LGRCC. This will assist us as we continue to communicate with our valued visitors and plan for the future as a business community, Mintzer said in a statement. The survey found that 29% of respondents plan to visit Lake George at least three times this year, and that only 8% have no plans to travel this year because of the pandemic. In addition, 62% of those surveyed said they plan to stay overnight. Lake George, according to the survey, offers many of the accommodations tourists are looking for, including beaches, shopping and water sports. Survey results show that visitors are seeking a safe and uncrowded summer vacation, which is exactly what we have to offer, Warren County Tourism Director Joanne Conley said in a statement. Its been a busy summer for Lake George, even with the pandemic. Sidewalks in the village have been crowded and parking meter revenue for the first two weeks of July is in line with what it was last year, according to Mayor Robert Blais. The Adirondack region was named one of five Perfect (and socially distant) summer weekend getaways from New York City by Vogue magazine last month. Really want to get away from it all like, no cell service away? Enter the Adirondacks, the magazine wrote. The article highlighted the regions vast hiking opportunities and rich history. Safety has been a top priority for Lake George-area businesses this year in wake of the pandemic. The village recently hired a COVID-19 inspector to ensure all guidelines put in place by the state are being followed. Funarama Play Park, a small amusement park that doubles as an arcade, was shut down and issued a citation last week for illegally operating without clearance from the state, while Duffys Tavern was issued a verbal and written warning by village inspectors for not adhering to social distancing guidelines. But a majority of businesses have been adhering to state mandates, which include limiting capacity, wearing face coverings and following social distancing protocols. In fact, nearly 200 businesses have committed to the Health and Safety Pledge sponsored by the Lake George and Adirondack Regional chambers of commerce. The pledge requires businesses to follow all COVID-19-related guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the states Department of Health. The regions commitment to safety and various attractions make it the perfect place to visit, according to Conley. The Lake George area offers the perfect combination of family attractions and unlimited, healthy outdoor recreation, she said. Chad Arnold is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls and the town and village of Lake George. Follow him on Twitter @ChadGArnold. Love 10 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 17 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Last week, the minister for external affairs said the free trade agreements (FTA) that India entered into over the years had not been able to largely serve the countrys economy well in terms of building its capacities. A day later, the minister for commerce and industry said India and the US were closer to a quick trade deal. A week earlier, India and the European Union were discussing ways to take forward the talks for a trade agreement. India had been taking the lead towards increasing the trade among South Asian neighbours for the past few decades, without much success. In ... The graffiti mecca 5 Pointz is seen after being painted over by developers in the dead of night in the Long Island City neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City on Nov. 19, 2013. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) Developer Asks Supreme Court to Overturn Award for Covering Graffiti A property owner in New York City petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court last week to overturn a $6.75 million damages award granted to graffiti artists after the owner whitewashed street-art paintings at an experimental site where works were routinely painted over to clear the way for new art. The legal battle concerns the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 (VARA), which authorizes courts to impose damages of up to $150,000 against the owner of a work of visual art of recognized stature if the owner destroys it. VARA pits these statutory rights against the building owners rights, as well as the Fifth Amendments Due Process Clause, which states in part, No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. The graffiti deemed art was spray-painted on dilapidated warehouses known collectively as 5Pointz in Long Island City, New York. 5Pointz was also known as The Institute of Higher Burnin and as 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center, and became well-known as a showplace that attracted graffiti aficionados. Numerous artists painted the buildings exterior and interior walls and the site became a popular tourist attraction with New York City locals calling it The Mecca of Graffiti, The Art Newspaper reports. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit affirmed the decision of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, ruling against the company. The case, known as G&M Realty L.P. v. Castillo, was docketed by the high court July 24, well after the usual deadline for filing an appeal. In response to the public health concerns relating to COVID-19, on March 19, Chief Justice John Roberts extended the time to file a petition to 150 days from the date of the lower court judgment. The other sides response to the property owners petition seeking review is due Aug. 24. We are hopeful the Court will agree to review [the] case, which concerns important (and interesting) issues, the companys counsel of record, Scott E. Gant of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. The graffiti artists couldnt immediately be reached by The Epoch Times for comment. The case goes back to 2013 when G&M Realty, a real estate development company headed by Jerry Wolkoff, decided to tear down its buildings and replace them with luxury residential housing. (Wolkoff died at age 83 earlier this month.) A group of artists tried to save the structures through legal action but failed. In November 2013, the artists claimed the walls of 5Pointz had been covered over with white paint without notice, making it impossible to preserve the graffiti. Outraged, the artists sued, claiming that they hadnt been given proper legal notice of the painting-over. U.S. District Judge Frederic Block, who was appointed by then-President Bill Clinton, gave the artists a $6.75 million damages award and rebuked Wolkoff for his supposed insolence in covering over the graffiti that was never intended to be on permanent display. If not for Wolkoffs insolence, these damages would not have been assessed, wrote Block, reportedly a 5Pointz graffiti fan, in a 2018 decision. If he did not destroy 5Pointz until he received his permits and demolished it 10 months later, the Court would not have found that he had acted willfully. In his petition to the Supreme Court, Gant argues that VARA was inspired by foreign law. VARA marked the first and only time that Congress has conferred artists with moral rightsa concept borrowed from the laws of European countries, he writes. The recognized stature provision concerns itself with an artists moral right to integritybroadly speaking, the right to ensure that the work is not altered without the artists consent. But this provision raises a host of constitutional red flagsincluding questions about Congresss authority to enact it, and First Amendment objections, as well as due process requirements because Congress neglected to define this novel phrase [recognized stature], which fails to provide a person of ordinary intelligence fair notice of what is prohibited. As the tussle between the camps of Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have been hitting headlines for over two weeks, a first-time legislator, away from the glaring eyes of the media, is busy protecting his field from locusts. Bikaner's Shri Dungargarh constituency, from where Girdharilal Mahiya (62) had won elections on a CPI(M) ticket, is one of the worst hit by locust attack, and he says that Centre and state governments have not done enough to help farmers and compensate for their losses. "Be it cotton, groundnut, or other crops, agriculturists are sustaining serious losses in wake of the locust attack. And at this time public representatives and political parties are busy bickering with each other," Mahiya was quoted as saying by Outlook. A political slugfest is currently on between CM Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot. Pilot, a former Union minister, was recently sacked as the deputy CM and PCC chief of the state. The power struggle between Gehlot and Pilot has been on since the Congress' central leadership picked the senior leader for the chief minister's post, but has now deepened with those in Pilot's camp claiming that there have been repeated attempts to undermine his authority. The battle between the two has seen charges of horse-trading against the BJP, approaching governor and courts, and hundred of MLAs camping at luxury hotels enjoying exquisite food and movies. "Public representatives are elected by the people to work for their welfare and not for sitting inside five-star hotels, especially during a pandemic," Mahiya was quoted, as he claimed that he doesn't even know the name of the hotel where the Congress MLAs are staying. He also listens to the grievances of fellow farmers every day who are battling the locust menace, he added. The Outlook report stated that people close to him vouch for his simplicity, which was also evident in his election campaigning. "He had no extra money to spend on his campaigning. It was a low-key affair where villagers volunteered for every bit. Small gatherings were held. Also, on the day of polling, villagers sent their own vehicles and carried voters to the booths", a close aide of Mahiya was quoted as saying. As per the election affidavit filed in 2018, his movable property is worth Rs 8 lakhs only. Pia Miller has moved out of the $950-a-week Randwick rental she had been living in since splitting with her ex Brad Miller in 2015. Removalists were spotted moving the former Home and Away star's furniture and appliances into her new Bondi pad on Friday. While Pia, 36, was nowhere to be seen, she appeared to hire a few muscly men to help transport her belongings into the Bondi property. New diggs! Chilean-born Australian actress Pia Miller has moved out of her of the $950-a-week Randwick rental which she had been living in since 2015 on Friday A truck was parked on the street in front of her home, with much of her furniture covering the footpath and nature strip. Several boxes were loaded into the back of the truck, with a team of men working to clear out the property. Among the things being carted out of Pia's home were a mattress and bed frame. Moving: A truck was parked on the street in front of her home, with much of her furniture littering the footpath and nature strip Move it: Other items being lugged out of the home included the star's bike and a surfboard A dryer was also spotted being carried out of the property on a black trolley. Other items being lugged out of the home included the star's bike and a surfboard. Neighbours were given a rare glimpse into the actress' family life, with an oversized pot plant and several white chairs also loaded onto the truck. The gruelling job seemed to have taken some time, with many of the removalists appearing worn out by the heavy lifting. Pia will reside in the new luxury pad with her two sons Isaiah, 18, and Lennox, 14. On the move: Removalists were spotted moving the former Home and Away star's furniture and appliances into her new Bondi pad Time for a change: While Pia, 36, was no where to be seen muscly men were pictured carrying her belongings into the Bondi property All white now: A dryer was also spotted being carted out of the property on a black trolley The move comes after Pia showed off the giant bouquet she'd received from her boyfriend Patrick Whitesell earlier this month. She captioned the photo 'P', which is the nickname the couple have given themselves. With the coronavirus pandemic prompting international border closures, Pia has been in Sydney while Patrick, 55, has remained in Los Angeles. Heavy lifting: Among the things being carted out of Pia's home were a matress and bed frame New home: Pia will reside in the new luxury pad with her two sons Isaiah, 18, and Lennox, 14 Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, giving a daily COVID-19 update to reporters. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County health officials on Sunday reported 1,703 new COVID-19 cases and 10 related deaths. However, they cautioned that the information is incomplete, and the true numbers could be higher. "The data reported today is incomplete due to delays in the state electronic lab reporting system," the county Department of Public Health said in a news statement. "The number of cases is expected to increase in the coming days once the data becomes available." Overall, officials have identified 173,995 coronavirus cases in the county and reported 4,360 deaths since the outbreak began in the spring. Countywide, authorities say, there are 2,033 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19; 31% of them are in intensive care. However, six hospitals did not provide their most recent information, officials said. Of the 10 new deaths in L.A. County, three were older than 80, three were between 65 and 79, one was between 50 and 64 and one was between 30 and 49. Details on two of the victims were not immediately available. About 92% of people who have died from COVID-19 have had underlying health conditions, officials said. "We send our condolences and prayers to our neighbors who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, including the families and colleagues mourning two devoted first responders a city of Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter and a Los Angeles Police Department officer," said county Health Director Barbara Ferrer, referring to two additional deaths in recent days. The actions each of us take affect the lives of others, including the very people we rely on to protect us first responders and healthcare workers," she added. "We know that staying physically distant from people not in your household, wearing face coverings and washing hands frequently works to slow the spread of COVID-19 and saves lives. This pandemic has been tragic for many and frustrating and exhausting for most. We know the sooner we get back to slowing the spread, the sooner we can move forward on our recovery journey. The Los Angeles Times is keeping track of COVID-19 cases statewide. Keep up with the latest here. Paris, TX (75460) Today Windy. Cloudy skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 24F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Windy. Cloudy skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 24F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. A baby girl was among three people killed when a plane crashed into the back yard of a home in Utah, setting a house on fire. The nine-month-old girl and a woman, both passengers, and the pilot of the Piper PA-32 all died as the plane came down in the town of West Jordan, a suburb of Salt Lake City. Six people were on board the aircraft. Another woman is in critical condition in hospital, a two-year-old boy is described as stable and another child was treated and discharged. The crash caused a fire in one home and damaged several others. A woman inside one of the homes is in a critical condition in hospital, police said. 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 The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash, which happened on Saturday. The plane had taken off from South Valley Regional Airport. The Associated Press contributed to this report (Natural News) A lot of anger has been directed toward the police in recent months, but some of it is far more subtle than what you see in loud protests on city streets. Theres no question that the job of law enforcement officers has grown even more challenging recently, and now it appears that they cant even enjoy their morning coffee without worrying about what else might be inside the cup. According to New Jersey authorities, a Starbucks barista has been arrested after he admitted that he spit in beverages ordered by police officers. 21-year-old Kevin Trejo was charged with subjecting a law enforcement officer to contact with a bodily fluid, tampering with a cup of coffee ordered by a police officer, and creating a hazardous or dangerous condition. Other workers at the Starbucks in Bergen were reportedly not involved in the incident, and a spokeswoman for the chain said that Trejo has been fired from his job. According to the Chief of Police of Park Ridge, Joseph Madden, Trejo was arrogant enough to be bragging about it when he was questioned by law enforcement after the incident. Park Ridge Police Lieutenant James Babcock said that the police were told that Trejo had done this repeatedly with different officers who came into the Starbucks, although Trejo claims that he only did it once. An investigation carried out by Starbucks officials and the police found evidence of the disgusting act. On this occasion, it is believed that somebody caught him spitting into the drink. A Starbucks spokesperson said: We want everyone who comes into our stores to receive a positive experience and when that doesnt occur, we move quickly to address it and hold ourselves accountable. We will continue to support Park Ridge Police in their investigation and have a deep respect for the Park Ridge Police Department and the officers who help keep our partners and communities safe. Spitting in someones beverage is disgusting under the best of circumstances, but it takes on an even more ominous tone in the age of coronavirus. If the barista had been infected, he could have placed the officer and all those he comes into contact with at risk of developing the deadly disease. Multiple police officers are being tested for COVID-19 as a precaution because the department is finding it difficult to identify which officers could have been exposed. The president of the police union of New Jersey, Patrick Colligan, said: Every time I think we as society hit bottom, there is a new incident. Officers risk their lives daily, it shouldnt be while getting coffee. Tampering with officers food and drinks is disturbingly common This type of behavior is nothing new, but its a growing problem at a time when anti-police sentiment is soaring to new heights. A McDonalds employee was recently sentenced to 45 days in jail and 100 hours of community service after being arrested for spitting on food that a Bakersfield police officer ordered. She was seen on surveillance video wiping a hamburger bun on the floor and then spitting on a cheeseburger while preparing food ordered by the officer at the drive-through. The 21-year-old also allegedly shouted black lives matter and called officers pigs. Thankfully, the officer who ate the burger did not get sick. In another case, an employee of Dunkin Donuts admitted to spitting in a police officers coffee. The officer discovered balled-up spit in his beverage after noticing that something was off about it when he began drinking it. According to his attorneys, the officer suffered from concerns about his health after the incident, including undergoing testing for HIV and other illnesses. Although the man responsible claimed he did not target the officer, who was wearing plain clothes at the time, the police officers attorneys believe he was targeted and say that he had visited the donut shop in uniform on many previous occasions. Regardless of how a person might feel about the actions of an individual officer, police as a whole serve to protect us and deserve our respect. These fast food workers are tampering with the food and drinks of the same officers they would likely call if they were held up at gunpoint. This type of behavior is absolutely vile, and restaurant workers who put their patrons health at risk, whether they are cops or not, should be held accountable. See StarbucksWatch.news for more stories about Starbucks. Sources for this article include: JonathanTurley.org Bakersfield.com Harry Dunn's parents have dropped their legal claim against Northamptonshire Police after concluding the force are 'absolved of any blame' in their son's death. The 19-year-old's family are set for a two-day judicial review hearing at the High Court in November where they allege the Foreign Secretary 'obstructed justice' by allowing suspect Anne Sacoolas to leave the UK. Northamptonshire Police were brought into the legal claim in January as Mr Dunn's mother Charlotte Charles and father Tim Dunn sought to understand how Sacoolas was able to claim diplomatic immunity following the fatal crash in August last year. It is understood the force will now only be involved in the claim as an 'interested party' on the request of Chief Constable Nick Adderley. It is also understood the force will not seek costs against the family for its involvement in the proceedings. Harry Dunn's parents have dropped their legal claim against Northamptonshire Police after concluding the force are 'absolved of any blame' following their son's death The 19-year-old's family (pictured, his mother and step-father) are set for a two-day judicial review hearing at the High Court in November where they allege the Foreign Secretary 'obstructed justice' by allowing suspect Anne Sacoolas to leave the UK The Dunn family has decided to discontinue proceedings against the police after alleging documents disclosed for court proceedings demonstrated the force was 'kept in the dark' by the Foreign Office (FCO). Recent documents showed Northamptonshire Police said it was 'not informed' by the FCO of the arrangements that allowed Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity. The force also claims the FCO did not tell it about the risk of Sacoolas being withdrawn from the UK or the existence of a waiver in respect of her husband Jonathan's immunity - preventing officers from interviewing him as a witness. Sacoolas is pictured in Virginia where she and her family returned after Harry Dunn was killed In December last year, Sacoolas was charged with causing Mr Dunn's death by dangerous driving but an extradition request submitted by the Home Office was rejected by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in January. The US State Department described the decision as 'final' but the UK and the US have since agreed to amend the 'anomaly' which allowed Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity. Explaining why the parents have dropped the claims against Northamptonshire Police, family spokesman Radd Seiger said: 'Having carefully reviewed the documents disclosed by the Foreign Secretary, the parents are now satisfied that the police are absolved of any blame and could have done no more to ensure that Mrs Sacoolas was brought to justice. The Dunn family has decided to discontinue proceedings against the police after alleging documents disclosed for court proceedings demonstrated the force was 'kept in the dark' by the Foreign Office (pictured, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab) 'Our case remains that the documents clearly show how the police investigation was effectively stopped in its tracks abruptly when the Foreign Office told the police shortly after Harry died that Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity. 'We say the documents reveal that the Foreign Office kept the police in the dark for 14 days about the uncertainty surrounding Mrs Sacoolas' claim to immunity. 'They failed to tell them that Mrs Sacoolas was planning to leave the country, and then did not tell the police that she had gone until the day after she left. 'In the United Kingdom, it is the police's responsibility to establish who has diplomatic immunity, not the Foreign Office, yet he and his team did just that - the parents say unlawfully. 'In discussions with the police, they have now graciously confirmed that they will remain in the legal case as an interested party.' A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: 'This is an ongoing legal matter and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further at this time.' The Foreign Office has been approached for comment. Ethiopia Fuels Regional Tensions with Next Phase of Blue Nile River Mega-Dam By Salem Solomon July 25, 2020 After Ethiopia acknowledged this week it has begun to fill the reservoir at its massive dam on the Blue Nile River, observers worry that neighboring countries may feel they are running out of options to respond to a long-planned energy project that could endanger their access to fresh water. Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow and director of the Middle East Institute's Egypt Studies Program, told VOA that news about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) being filled could ratchet up tensions between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. She believes military aggression is "option Z" in a long list of strategic moves, but remains possible. "Nobody wants that kind of conflict. But I do think that if Egypt and Sudan have their backs up against the wall, it may be a final option," Mabrouk said. "At least possibly for Egypt, with the understanding that Egypt understands very, very well that any military option is really not going to be in anyone's favor." In mid-July, reports emerged that Ethiopia had begun filling the 70 billion cubic meter dam, which lies along the Blue Nile tributary of the Nile River. The claims were backed by satellite images, which appeared to show the dam filling. Ethiopia had previously attributed the water to seasonal overflow. On Wednesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the dam had reached its first-year target for water. Ethiopia has said the dam will take up to seven years to fill. The first-year target was 4.9 billion cubic meters, Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopia's water and energy minister said, speaking to VOA Amharic. "There is no other option. Ethiopia has its own natural rights. Ethiopia doesn't ask for water from Egypt. It is Ethiopia's own water resource, and, [within] its sovereignty," Seleshi said. "Therefore ... [finding] a peaceful solution is for all parties to recognize developmental goals and find a medium where there is effectual development. "But it is clear that the path forward is not sustainable if one party gets zero and the other full benefits," he added. Support from opposition Internally, Prime Minister Abiy appears to have gained support from some opposition parties. "We believe that it is a good thing that a certain amount of water has already started filling, and, especially when we look at the issue from the Egyptians' perspective, their stance appears to be that they wouldn't want a drop of water to fill," Kejela Merdasa, public relations head of the Oromo Liberation Front, told VOA's Amharic service. "And so, if you look at it from this perspective, it is a good sign that it is being filled. But even now, there is more work left to be done." "The Nile dam is being built not with the intention of harming others, but so that Ethiopians can be self-reliant," said Mulugeta Abebe, the deputy president of the All-Ethiopia Union Party. "It is great that the dam has reached this level of initial filling despite the environment where there are many internal and external armed groups, and our organization is happy to learn about the development." Outside Ethiopia's borders, the news has angered Sudanese and Egyptian negotiators who believe the 2015 Declaration of Principles signed by the three nations forbids unilateral filling. 'Nothing has shifted' Some observers say the new announcement hasn't changed much. "The African leaders meeting on GERD [was] a non-event. Fundamentally, nothing has shifted. To sell it as 'progress,' 'breakthrough' is utterly misleading, if not dishonest," Rashid Abdi, a Horn analyst tweeted. "The situation is ... past a dangerous moment, as Egypt, until now, has wisely not responded to [the] first filling by increasing diplomatic pressure and returning to the U.N. Security Council," William Davison, the International Crisis Group's senior analyst for Ethiopia, tweeted. Sudan has recorded a drop of 90 million cubic meters per day at its al-Deim station on the Blue Nile since Ethiopia began filling the dam. That could spell trouble for the nation's access to fresh water. Sudan is 50% desert and Egypt is 96% desert, Mabrouk said, and both rely heavily on the Nile for fresh water. Egypt, for example, has about 560 cubic meters of water available per person, far less than the 1,000 cubic meters needed to be above the U.N.'s water poverty threshold. "The amount of water that Egypt gets from the Nile basin annually to date is more or less 55 billion cubic meters. Egypt uses between 80 to 90 billion cubic meters every year. And that difference has got to be made up by clever water use. And it's mostly reuse of water," Mabrouk said. "Egypt is very, very conscious of its water use and it's been working on [it] a long time. It has cut down on water-intensive crops like cotton." A quick resolution to the GERD conflict appears unlikely. Ethiopia says it will complete the dam between the year 2022 to 2023, but filling it might continue for a year or two after that, Seleshi told VOA Amharic. Horn of Africa Service's Solomon Abate and Meleskachew Amiha contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Delhi/Kolkata, July 26 : Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution, Raosaheb Patil Danve, has urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to facilitate the implementation of the Consumer Protection Act in the state. Danve said on Sunday that the Consumer Protection Act 2019 would be a vital tool in protecting consumer rights, as it provides for simplifying the consumer dispute adjudication process. He was speaking in a webinar organised by the Press Information Bureau, Kolkata. Danve said that with the passage of the Consumer Protection Act in the Indian Parliament and a notification by the Central government, the Act has come into force from July 20. Now it is the collective responsibility of the Centre and the state to ensure that the Act is enforced in an appropriate manner, he said. Danve urged the West Bengal government and its Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to facilitate the implementation of the Act in the state. Speaking on the occasion, G.C. Rout, an official of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, said that advantages are multi-dimensional for the stakeholders in the value chain with emphasis on the consumers. The Act has the additional advantage of providing protection to the buyers, not only from traditional sellers but also from the e-commerce retailers/platforms, he added. Varavara Rao deserves to get medical treatment, and there is no second opinion about it. But to demand his release from the prison under the pretext that he is innocent is definitely a sign of distrust of the judiciary. Instead of accepting the decision given by the honourable court, there seems to be a despicable attempt of putting pressure on the government and the courts. A section of Left leaning intellectuals have come forward to demand the release of the Telugu poet who was arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon (in Pune district) violence of January 2018. Several arguments have been made in support of Rao by certain section of intelligentsia. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has already filed an affidavit regarding Raos medical condition in the Supreme Court. Despite this, it is a great surprise to learn that intellectuals, journalists and writers should make efforts for the release of the accused in one of the heinous crimes. Their only contention is that Rao is innocent and that he does not have any links or connection with the Maoists organisations. The apex court as well as the high court have indicated, on the basis of the prima facie evidence, that Rao and other accused have links with Maoists organisations and that they were involved in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. This is evident by the fact that time and again the bail applications of Rao and other accused have been rejected by the Supreme Court and the lower courts. In such a situation to claim that these accused are innocent and that they have been implicated in the case is like the intellectuals and supporters of Maoists organisations do not have any faith in the countrys judiciary. In the recent past, some Supreme Court judges had held a press conference where all these intellectuals and scholars came together against the Narendra Modi government in defence of the judiciary claiming that the Modi-led government and the Bharatiya Janata Party are working towards destroying the judicial system in the country. But in this case against the urban Naxalites these intellectuals contradict their own ideologies by openly distrusting the judiciary which proves their double whammy. It also highlights how conveniently they alter the use of judiciary, democracy and the constitution. In 2014, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government had banned the Communist Party of India (Maoist), the Kabir Kala Manch, the Revolutionary Democratic Front and the Democratic Students Union for various illegal activities. The announcement to this effect was made by the then Union Home minister RPN Singh in the Parliament on February 18, 2014. But after the arrest of Rao and other activists, Congress President Rahul Gandhi publicly supported the organisations organising the Elgar Parishad. And he conveniently forgot that it was his party that had banned these organisations. Urban Naxalism is a serious threat to the security of the country this was time and again recorded and tabled by the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh , the then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Shivraj Patil in the Parliament from 2004 to 2014. Congregations targeting the Modi government under the pretext of the Bhima Koregaon violence case must revisit their old tabled documents and check the recorded statements made by their leaders. In 2011, Maharashtra police had arrested some activists from the Kabir Kala Manch when many progressive thinkers came to the rescue of these activists. The then state home minister R R Patil had stated that the government had evidence about strong links these activists had with the Naxalite organisations. Thousands of police and security personnel along with civilians have lost their lives in these Maoists and Naxal operations since 1990. These progressive thinkers and intellectuals never took to the streets to protest against such Naxal attacks nor did they take any initiative to reassure the relatives of these martyred officials who fell victim to the Naxal violence. It will not sound incorrect if someone opines that these thinkers justify Naxal violence. The violence at Bhima Koregaon was highly premeditated and was a part of a vicious conspiracy to widen the divide between the upper castes and the Dalit community. The Maoists are against the democracy and the constitution and there is a lot of documentary evidence and literature available that proves that the goal of the Maoists is to overthrow the existing democracy. Their goal is to create distrust in the minds of the common man about the law, the constitution and the government administration system through various means. They propagate and preach that the system in the country is incapable of giving justice to the common man and hence one needs to rise up against the system. This is how the Maoists organisations provoke the minds of the youth. If we study the available documents regarding the Naxals intentions to provoke the youth and incite them to violence, it seems clear that the Naxals want to take over the entire country by 2025 by armed revolution. They have realised that it is very easy to capture or take control of the rural areas at gun-point. But in urban areas, one cannot take control of the various activities and thus they resorted to spreading chaos and unrest in the cities. They hatched cunning ploys whereby animosity between different castes can be created, Bhima Koregaon violence being one such insidious ploy. The Maoists are using this (Bhima Koregaon violence) card to achieve their goal of spreading unrest and chaos in the country. Urban Naxalism is worst as compared to the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. There is no second opinion on medical aid be granted to Rao but to release him from prison because he is innocent is a sign of distrust against the judiciary. This is a despicable attempt to put pressure on the courts instead of trying to accept the decision of the court. The writer is the Chief Spokesperson of Maharashtra BJP. Views expressed are personal. Advertisement A day after roaring ashore as a hurricane, Hanna lashed the Texas Gulf Coast on Sunday with high winds and drenching rains that destroyed boats, flooded streets and knocked out power across a region already reeling from a surge in coronavirus cases. Downgraded to a tropical storm, Hanna passed over the US-Mexico border with winds near 50mph, the National Hurricane Center said. It unloaded more than 12 inches of rain on parts of South Texas and northeastern Mexico. John Nolan drags his kayak over debris as he prepares to survey the damage to a private marina after it was hit by Hurricane Hanna in Corpus Christi on Sunday Allen Heath is distraught as he observes the damage sustained to a private marina that was hit hard by Hurricane Hanna in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Shawn Pugsley takes a look at the wreckage left behind by Hurricane Hanna at a private marina in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Border communities whose health care systems were already strained by COVID-19 cases - with some patients being airlifted to larger cities - found themselves under siege from the first hurricane of the 20202 Atlantic season. There were no immediate reports of any deaths on either side of the border. Dr. Ivan Melendez, the health authority in Hidalgo County, Texas, was treating a patient overnight at a hospital when he and a nurse noticed water streaming down a wall and pooling on the floor. The water was flowing through a vent in the room, which had been retrofitted with a fan to create negative pressure and prevent the virus spreading through the hospital. John Nolan uses his kayak to assess the damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Hanna in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Myrle Tucker talks about being rescued from his boat that was damaged and sunk in a private marina after it was hit by Hurricane Hanna Several boats are seen after sustaining serious damage as a result of Hurricane Hanna in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Allen Heath bails water from his boat after it was hit by Hurricane Hanna in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Several boats are seen floating among the wreckage at the private marine in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Debris is seen floating around the water after a hurricane ravaged the area in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday After driving home in the storm in the middle of the night, Melendez was trapped Sunday morning in his home by downed trees and had no electricity. He used the phone to discuss whether to put a 58-year-old woman on a ventilator, a decision he felt uncomfortable making without seeing the patient in person. 'You look at the people's eyes,' he said. 'You'll know if they're in despair.' Henry Van De Putte, CEO of the Red Cross' Texas Gulf Coast chapter, said the organization would open more shelters with reduced capacity to ensure social distancing. Volunteers and people seeking refuge will undergo temperature checks, and a medical professional will be assigned to each location, he said. He emphasized that people should not delay seeking help because of the virus. 'Yes, coronavirus provides risk, but so does floodwater, so does not having electricity, so does not having required medications,' he said. 'We're doing everything we can do possible to make it a safe environment.' In the Mexican border city of Reynosa, a maternity hospital was damaged by heavy rain, and water had to be pumped out, authorities said. Some patients had to be moved to upper floors, and a few were evacuated to other hospitals, said Pedro Granados, director of civil protection for Tamaulipas state. People walk along the beach near the damaged Bob Hall Pier the morning after Hurricane Hanna in Corpus Christi on Sunday The damage to the walkway along the beach is seen above in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Yellow tape is seen at the entrance to the Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday A man uses a cell phone to take pictures of the damage incurred at the private marina in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Sunday Traffic is halted as tow trucks surround an overturned HEB supermarket truck along US Route 77 in the aftermath of high wind gusts from Hurricane Hanna in Sarita, Texas, on Sunday The satellite image above shows the progression of Hanna, which was downgraded to a tropical storm after it made landfall as a hurricane on Saturday in south Texas A community building known as the 'Dome' in Mercedes, Texas, was set aside for evacuees who had tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to the virus. Across the region, shelters were also opened in hotels, schools and gyms. Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna was the first big test. Governor Greg Abbott said Saturday that some people in need of shelter would be given hotel rooms to keep them apart from others. Abbott announced Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved an emergency declaration that will provide federal aid. Hanna blew ashore as a Category 1 storm late Saturday afternoon with winds of 90 mph not far from Port Mansfield, which is about 130 miles south of Corpus Christi. Myrle Tucker, 83, tried to ride out the storm in a powerboat docked in a Corpus Christi marina. But winds and rain blew out the vessel's windows. Eventually rescuers in a dinghy were able to reach him and bring him to shore. Many other boats were flooded and lashed by the storm. Tucker said he told his rescuers he wasn't sure he would be able to climb out of his boat. 'They picked me up,' he said. 'They carried me like a box of napkins.' Winds of up to 40mph were reported in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico as the tropical storm continued westward on Sunday The storm was listed as a Category 1 hurricane went it made landfall in southern Texas on Saturday The storm has gradually weakened since making landfall on Saturday as wind gusts of up to 25mph were reported in Brownsville Most of the border region in southern Texas remained under flood watch as of Sunday afternoon Significant rainfall is expected in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico through Monday morning, according to the latest meteorological forecasts More than 150,000 customers lost power Sunday throughout South Texas, including Corpus Christi, Harlingen and Brownsville, utility officials said. Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where 60 babies tested positive for COVID-19 from July 1 to July 16. Farther south in Cameron County, more than 300 new cases have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks. The past week has also been the countys deadliest of the pandemic. Hanna came nearly three years after Hurricane Harvey blew ashore northeast of Corpus Christi. Hanna was not expected to be as destructive as Harvey, which killed 68 people and caused an estimated $125billion in damage in Texas. In the Mexican city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, the rains shook tents in a refugee camp housing an estimated 1,300 asylum seekers, including newborns and elderly people, who have been waiting for months for court dates under a tough new US immigration policy. In the Pacific Ocean, meanwhile, Hurricane Douglas closed in on Hawaii over the weekend. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research also finds Mr Trumps approval for his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic falling to a new low, with just 32% of Americans supportive of his approach. Even Mr Trumps standing on the economy, long the high watermark for the president, has fallen over the past few months after appearing ascendant earlier this year. Those political headwinds have sparked a sudden summer shift in the White House and the Trump campaign. After spending months playing down the pandemic and largely ignoring the viruss resurgence in several states, Mr Trump is now warning that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better. After repeatedly minimising the importance of wearing masks to limit the spread of the virus, Mr Trump is now urging Americans to wear them. And after insisting he would press forward with a large campaign convention in August, the president has announced he is scrapping those plans. Advertisement The AP-NORC poll shows eight in 10 Americans say the country is heading in the wrong direction. That is more than at any point since Mr Trump took office. The poll also finds just 38% of Americans say the national economy is good, down from 67% in January, before the pandemic upended most aspects of everyday life. Democratic candidate Joe Bidens campaign is eager to keep the final months of the campaign focused squarely on Mr Trump, confident that the former vice president can emerge victorious if the contest is a referendum on whether the current commander in chief has succeeded during his four years in office. Kate Bedingfield, Mr Bidens deputy campaign manager, said: People are sick and tired of a government that is divided and broken and unable to get things done. What people feel like theyre getting from Trump right now is a hodgepodge mess of self-interested political talk. The past few months have proved to be beneficial for Mr Bidens campaign. He managed to swiftly consolidate the Democratic Party in ways Hillary Clinton, the partys 2016 nominee, struggled to do. Mr Bidens fundraising, a weakness for him in the contest to become the Democratic nominee, has surged, allowing his campaign to build an infrastructure and start spending on adverts in both traditional battleground states and more aspirational targets, including Texas and Georgia. Advertisement Mr Biden has also benefited from Mr Trump landing on the wrong side of the public in his initial reactions to the pandemic. For example, three in four Americans back requiring people to wear masks in public, which Mr Trump initially dismissed. Another pandemic test for the president lies ahead in August and September, as Mr Trump and his administration aggressively try to sell a sceptical public on reopening schools. The poll finds that about a third of Americans are opposed entirely to the idea, while close to half say major adjustments to instruction will be required. The limitations the pandemic has placed on the candidates ability to travel and hold large rallies have also played more to Mr Bidens strengths. While Mr Trump relishes headlining rallies at packed arenas, Mr Biden is less adept in those settings. He has instead spent the past several months delivering speeches to small groups of invited guests and journalists within driving distance of his home in Delaware, and holding virtual events with supporters and donors. Mr Trump argues that shows Mr Biden does not have the stamina for a full-blown campaign; Mr Bidens advisers say voters want to see their leaders abide by the same public health guidelines they are urging others to follow. Democrats have been buoyed by public polls finding Mr Biden ahead of Mr Trump both nationally and in some battleground states by a comfortable margin. However, Mr Bidens advisers warn that they expect the race to tighten in the final stretch before polling day as more Republicans who may be dissatisfied with Mr Trumps job performance gravitate back to their partys leader. Overall, 38% of Americans approve of the presidents job performance well within the narrow range that Mr Trumps approval ratings have stayed throughout this presidency, but down slightly from earlier this year before the pandemic. Most Republicans 81% approve of Mr Trumps job performance, but just 68% of Republicans support his handling of the pandemic. The Congress launched its nationwide digital campaign, '#SpeakUpForDemocracy', on Sunday and hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for its 'attempts to violate constitutional and democratic traditions'. IMAGE: Congress workers take part in a protest over Rajasthan's political crisis, in Jaipur, on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said democracy in the country will function in accordance with the Constitution and echo the voice of the people, who will reject the BJP's 'conspiracy of deceit and deception'. He was participating in the online campaign to expose what it called the designs of the BJP to topple the Ashok Gehlot dispensation in Rajasthan and other state governments run by opposition parties. A large number of party leaders participated in the digital campaign. 'India's democracy will function in accordance with the Constitution and echo the voice of the people. The people of the country will protect democracy and the Constitution by rejecting the BJP's conspiracy of deceit and deception,' he said in a tweet in Hindi. The Congress government in Rajasthan is facing a threat after Gehlot's former deputy Sachin Pilot rebelled against the party. 18 other MLAs are backing Pilot. The Congress has accused the BJP of being behind the revolt, a charge denied by the saffron party. "The Congress government in Rajasthan is trying its best to control the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also been appreciated globally. At such a time, the BJP is trying to destabilise the elected government in the state," Congress general secretary and the party's Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande said. State Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasara alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and the leaders of the saffron party are working to topple the Rajasthan government. "The Congress government is working effectively to battle against the pandemic. Even the prime minister has lauded its efforts. Then why is the BJP working towards bringing down the government? I want to say that democracy will win and the BJP's conspiracy will fail," he said. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is camping here with party leaders, said, "The BJP's conspiracy to kill democracy in broad daylight in Madhya Pradesh and now in Rajasthan has been exposed." "Is democracy a slave of the Delhi Durbar? Is the majority a puppet in Delhi's hands? Doesn't the rule of vote matter? If not, then raise your voice," he added. Reacting to the allegations, state BJP president Satish Poonia used a Hindi proverb to take a dig at the Congress -- a cat going on a pilgrimage after eating 900 mice. "The Congress is responsible for the political crisis in Rajasthan. It violated democratic values and insulted the Constitution for years. Will old sins be washed away through this 'SpeakUpForDemocracy' hypocrisy?" he asked. From a distance, it looks like a typical July paddock: dun-coloured and a bit bedraggled. Even the granite swell of the You Yangs in the background can only lift this midwinter scene so far. But get up close and you can see delicate plants growing between the tussocks of kangaroo grass; sedge, rushes, orchids, lilies and broad-leaved herbs. Visit Wurdi Youang in the spring and this paddock will be dotted with native flowers. Its quite possible many Victorians have never seen a healthy grassland ecosystem. Theyre among the most critically endangered habitats in Australia, and only 1 per cent of the original covering remains. Reg Abrahams is project co-ordinator at Wurdi Youang grasslands regeneration project near Little River. Credit:Justin McManus Reg Abrahams, a Gunditjmara man and grasslands expert, has worked at Wurdi Youang, near Little River, for many years. Two Indian subsidiaries of German carmaker Volkswagen group have been booked for allegedly selling seven Audi cars fitted with "cheat devices able to deceive excessive pollution emission tests to a Noida businessman, police said on Friday. The FIR lodged in Sector 20 police station against Noida-based carmakers Audi India and Skoda Auto-Volkswagen India on charges of forgery and cheating also names their top officials and parent company in Germany, said police. Businessman Aniljit Singh said in his complaint that he was sold substandard vehicles after misrepresentation of facts on emission. He said he bought the cars in 2016, costing him crores of rupees. He alleged the carmakers induced him into buying their vehicles and he bought them with an impression that they were compliant with the latest emission norms of the country. However, these were substandard vehicles fitted with cheat devices, Singh said in his complaint, adding he was duped by the company on disclosure of pollution emission by its vehicles at the time of sale. When contacted, a spokesperson for SAVW Group, however, denied the allegations and claimed: Vehicles from our group are compliant with the emission norms prescribed in India. The FIR names as accused Noida-based firms Audi India, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India and Volkswagen India besides Audi AG and Volkswagen AG of Germany. The top officials of the multinational firm, who have been named in the FIR, are Audi Indias country head Balbir Singh Dhillon, its brand director Rahil Ansari, its sales chief Nitin Kohli and Volkswagen Indias managing director Gurpratap Boparai, a copy of the FIR accessed by PTI revealed. The other officials are Audi AG chairman Bram Schot, its overseas distribution head Michael Friscii and Volkswagen AG CEO Herbert Diess. Businessman Singh also cited in the FIR what is now popularly known as the Volkswagen Emission Scandal or the diesel dupe involving the violation of environmental norms by automobile giant by the installation of cheat device on its cars, able to deceive pollution emission tests. India's National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in March 2019 too slapped a fine of Rs 500 crore on German auto major Volkswagen for damaging the environment through the use of cheat device in its diesel cars in India. It was after the NGT order that the complainant realized that he has been duped of his hard-earned money by the accused persons as they had misrepresented him about the quality of their expensive cars by making false representation and forging the documents and devices, the FIR stated. Accordingly, the complainant was induced into buying their cars and resultantly the accused persons have caused wrongful gain to themselves and wrongful loss to the complainant, the FIR stated. A senior officer of Noida Police said the investigation has been taken up and if needed, officials of Volkswagen group, including those in Germany, could be summoned for questioning. Yes, the FIR has been lodged at the Sector 20 police station based on the complaint given by the complainant. The investigation has been taken up, and whether the allegations against the car companies are true will be ascertained only after the probe, Noida Deputy Commissioner of Police Sankalp Sharma told PTI. He added, If required, the accused persons and company officials could be summoned to Noida for joining the investigation. A woman who breached Bunnings policy by refusing to wear a mask has filmed herself berating workers and threatening to sue the hardware chain over the rule. The outburst is believe to have occurred at the Narre Warren Bunnings store in Melbourne's south east on Friday, a day after the state government made face masks mandatory for residents in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire while out in public. The video of the extraordinary rant was posted on Facebook on Sunday as Victoria recorded 459 new coronavirus cases and ten deaths, prompting Daniel Andrews to slam a disturbing wave of 'selfish' residents who are refusing to wear masks. Additional videos showed the shopper in a heated debate with police outside the store. The footage began with the woman filming as she briskly walks through the store while an employee can be heard tailing behind her. The bizarre outburst, which is believed to have occurred at a Bunnings in Melbourne, began after an employee (pictured) told the woman she was required to wear a mask in store 'Excuse me,' the worker called out, trying to get her attention. 'Excuse me, you need a mask on.' The woman turned around and stormed toward the Bunnings staff member. 'I beg your pardon?' she said in hostile manner, drawing the camera up towards the employee's face. 'It's alright,' the worker said calmly, trying to diffuse the situation. 'I was just asking if you have a mask.' The woman retorted: 'Well it is clear I don't, and you are not authorised to ask me or question me about it.' The worker asked the woman if she would like to discuss the issue with her manager, before guiding her to speak with her boss. When the manager informed the woman she must have a medical certificate to be permitted in the store without a mask, the woman unleashed a tirade about how the store's policy is illegal and she is being discriminated against. 'Actually I don't need a medical certificate,' she said, as the manager politely requested she stops filming. 'No. I am allowed to do this and your discriminating against me.' 'We are not discriminating against you, we are just all trying to be in this together,' the manager replied. 'And we all just need to wear a mask.' The woman was then directed to the store's manager (pictured) who told the hostile shopper it was the store's policy that customers wear face masks 'All in what together? You are not authorised by the Australian government to even question me about it,' she claimed. VICTORIA'S COVID-19 NUMBERS FOR JULY 26 * 459 new cases, and the 21st consecutive day of a triple-digit increase, taking active cases across the state to 4233. * Ten more deaths, bringing the state's toll to 71 and the national figure to 155. * Their ages range from a man in his 40s to men and women in their 80s. * Seven of the deaths have been linked to aged care outbreaks. * 560 active cases in aged care centres. * 381 active cases among health care workers. * 228 people in hospital and with 42 in intensive care. * 42,973 tests conducted on Saturday. Advertisement A male member of staff chimed in to tell the woman it is a condition of entry to their store, prompting the woman to bizarrely claim the company's rule is sexist. 'Well then that is discrimination and I can have you sued personally for discriminating against me as a woman,' she said. 'We are not discriminating against anyone, it is a condition of entry to all Bunnings store, we require everyone to wear a mask,' he said. 'You are,' she continued, 'it is an unlawful condition of entry.' 'Therefore that exposes you personally and Bunnings to being sued for discrimination because it is in breach of the 1948 Charter of Human rights to discriminate men and women.' The male employee then calmly asked her to stop filming multiple times, all of which she refuses, citing the necessity of the recording as vital evidence of the 'discrimination' against her. The woman then told the man she will be proceed to shop in the store and there is nothing they could do to stop her because the regulation is 'illegal'. Other videos posted on Facebook show the woman later being arrested by two police officers outside in the Lauderdale Road car park. After being handcuffed, the woman handed over a medical certificate to show she has an exemption from wearing a face mask. A male employee (pictured) chimed in to reiterate the regulation when the woman refused to listen to the manager's instructions, but the aggressive customer began accusing the staff of 'discrimination' against her as a woman and threatening to sue them and the hardware chain When more officers arrived at the scene, the woman had her handcuffs taken off but launched into a debate with officers as to why her arrest was unlawful. She claimed legislation in place allowing police to arrest her was not voted upon by Australians or approved by the monarch. 'You're talking about legislation that hasn't been presented to parliament three times, we the people haven't given our consent to act under it, and it hasn't been consented by the queen,' she said. 'That legislation is fraudulent. It doesn't apply to me.' 'Legislation and acts can't apply to living humans. They only apply to dead people.' Growing impatient, the sergeant said he was not going to argue over her 'opinion' about the law. 'That's your personal belief, but that is not the law we work under,' he said. 'I am not going enter into an argument about what you believe the law is. That is a conversation between you and the judicial system.' Another video posted on Facebook shows the woman later being arrested by two police officers outside in the Lauderdale Road car park (pictured) The woman was removed from handcuffs after presenting a medical exemption, but then began debating with officers (pictured) about how the arrest was 'unlawful' because legislation allowing the police to arrest people was not 'consented by the queen' Police told the woman she is free to leave, and she asked for each officer's details before they departed. Bunnings announced earlier in the week that face masks would be required for customers in the Melbourne and Mitchell Shire stores as Victoria battles to contain a horror second wave of COVID-19. The regulation coincided with the state government's order that made masks mandatory for residents in those areas to wear while in a public places from Thursday. Rick Sarre, the Adjunct Professor of Law and Criminal Justice at the University of South Australia, says Australian businesses have the right to require customers to wear face masks. 'Australian law, quite simply, says that private landowners or occupiers can take reasonable steps to protect themselves, their employees and people on their property,' he wrote in The Conversation. 'So it would be legal for businesses - including cafes and supermarkets - to make it a condition of entry that customers wear a mask and sanitise their hands.' In a video posted to Facebook on Saturday, the officers told the irate woman she was committing a crime but she threatened to sue them for 'armed kidnapping' if they attempted to arrest her Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews had a scathing message for residents wasting police resources by debating about face masks. 'If it was a genuine error, a sense of any confusion - police use good judgement,' he said. 'They are trying to be fair as they possibly can be, but if you are just making a selfish choice that your alleged personal liberty, quoting some, I don't know, something you've read on some website - this is not about human rights. 'There are 10 families that are going to be burying someone in the next few days. Wear a mask! It's not too much to ask. 'What's more, the nurse who will be treating you or a loved one, they will be wearing a mask, so you wear one to prevent that nurse from having to treat more patients. 'It can't get any more serious than that. 10 families are currently planning funerals. And the youngest among them, this he have' lost someone in their 40s.' On Saturday, a Melbourne woman filmed an encounter she had with police who requested her details after she was found in public without face protection. A later post on her Facebook page defending her freedom has attracted widespread criticism from the public The video has since gone viral, racking up more than 1400 comments and over 600 reactions. Australians flocked to the comments section to praise the stoic reaction of the Bunnings workers and slam the woman's behaviour. 'Well done to all the Bunnings staff for staying calm and professional through this!' one person wrote. 'This woman is a prime example of a really rubbish human being. Shed rather win an argument by bullying someone than think about how shes making other people feel and putting them at risk.' Another added: 'She should show her own face if she thinks she is innocent. These staff did Bunnings proud. I hope they get recommended for it! We all dont like wearing a mask but if it means we can get back to normal then so be it!' The incident joins a growing list of videos circulating online from around the globe of people rebelling against COVID-19 regulations. Eve Black, from Melbourne, shared footage on Thursday of herself driving past an officer at a COVID-19 police barricade On Saturday, a Melbourne woman filmed an encounter she had with police who requested her details after she was found in public without face protection. When she declined to hand over her identification, the officers told her she was under arrest and being taken back to the station. 'I do not consent to that and I will be suing you personally. Not your department. You will be personally sued for $60,000 each,' she said. 'If you do arrest us we will be suing you for armed kidnapping.' The videos uploaded onto the woman's personal Facebook drew widespread criticism from the public. In two other Melbourne altercations last week, a man filmed his incredible 22 minute argument with police after refusing to wear a face mask while a woman filmed herself driving past an officer at a police barricade. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Victoria Police for comment. European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero on Thursday said the fresh lockdown in Serbia due to a spike in coronavirus cases was "cause for concern", but that a planned Belgrade-Pristina dialogue planned for Sunday would still go ahead. Serbia announced this week it would be bringing in restrictions following a surge in cases of the new coronavirus, prompting clashes between police and anti-lockdown protesters. Serbia's crisis team is expected to ban gatherings in the capital, Belgrade, and limit the operations of cafes and nightclubs, but have not yet confirmed whether they will reintroduce the weekend curfew. European Commission spokeswoman Ana Pisonero told reporters in Brussels on Thursday that "people's lives and health should be the first priority" and that it is "for the government to determine, of course, the necessary measures to address the COVID-19 risks." While she defended the "right to peaceful protest" she said that "public order must also be guaranteed" and that "the inviolability of the democratic institutions must be respected and preserved." Iran Dubs US Harassment of Passenger Airliner 'Act of Terror', Says May Take Legal Action Sputnik News 17:27 GMT 24.07.2020(updated 17:35 GMT 24.07.2020) A Mahan Air Airbus A310 jetliner with over 150 people onboard was forced to take evasive maneuvers over Syria on Thursday after being intercepted by a pair of US F-15 jets, with the incident leaving at least 12 passengers with injuries of varying severity. Tehran submitted a complaint the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Friday. Iran considers US fighter jets' maneuvers near its civilian airliner on Thursday to have been an "act of terror," and has the right to pursue the matter legally, Transport Minister Mohammad Eslami has announced. "Harassing a passenger plane is a terrorist act. How can a passenger plane that is flying it its commercial route in accordance with aviation protocols be attacked and threatened by another country's warplanes?" the minister asked, speaking to Iranian media on Friday. "Unfortunately, 12 people, including the flight's crew and passengers, have been hurt in this terrorist act," Eslami added. The minister stressed that Iran's representative to the ICAO will follow up on Iran's complaint, and added that Tehran expects the US's "terrorist move" to be condemned by the organization. He also called on Lebanon and Syria to file their own separate complaints against the US in the ICAO in relation to Thursday's incident. Iran is also expected to submit a letter of protest to the United Nations Security Council and to Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Collision Alert Also Friday, Mahan Air announced that its plane was flying in full compliance of international air navigation rules when Thursday's incident took place, and added that its commercial aircraft have been flying the same Tehran-Beirut for over a decade. The company confirmed that the intercept took place during a stage of the flight when passengers were allowed to unbuckle their seatbelts, and revealed that the plane's pilot had to abruptly lower the plane's altitude after receiving an alert on a possible collision. US Central Command maintains that the intercept was conducted in a safe and professional manner, with its warplanes scrambled to carry out a "standard visual inspection" of the Iranian plane from a "safe distance" as it flew near the US garrison at At-Tanf in southern Syria. CENTCOM says its jets never approached closer than 1,000 meters from the Mahan Air flight. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi called the latter CENTCOM claim a "mockery." Laya Joneydi, vice president of legal affairs in President Hassan Rouhani's administration, said that "the explanations provided so far [by the US side] are unjustified and unconvincing." "The harassment of a passenger plane on the territory of a third country is a clear violation of aviation security and freedom of civilian aircraft," she noted. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif urged the international community to "stop" the US "outlaws" before they cause a "disaster" in a tweet Friday. Mahan Air Flight 1152 safely landed at its destination in Beirut, Lebanon following Thursday's incident, refueled and returned to Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport with no further provocations reported. Video footage of the episode showed passengers screaming and emergency oxygen masks deploying from some overhead panels, with one passenger telling media that a "black jet" had approached very close to the passenger aircraft. Several passengers were reported to have hit their heads against the ceiling as the plane took its evasive maneuver, with one passenger seen lying unconscious on the floor in one of the videos. Two children reportedly received hand fractures and were sent to hospital in Beirut. At least one senior Iranian official compared Thursday's close call to the Iran Air Flight 655 disaster of July 3, 1988, when the US Navy's USS Vincennes warship shot down an Iranian passenger jet flying over Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 passengers and crew onboard. The US Navy initially blamed the aircraft's pilots for the incident, saying it had made repeated attempts to contact the plane but received no response. Washington later apologized and issued compensation to the victims' families, but the USS Vincennes' crew was nonetheless given medals for their tour of duty, and the ship's commander received a Legion of Merit award for "exceptionally meritorious conduct." A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Vandalism spotted at a New York City landmark in Richmond Town was removed over the weekend, thanks to a joint-effort by borough residents and the office of a city councilman. Graffiti on a stone wall outside the historic Church of St. Andrew first was spotted by residents passing by on Snake Hill Road. On Sunday, it was removed by the Clean Team of City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid Island). The NYPD cordoned off a section of the road as a safety precaution for workers. St. Andrews is not only a beautiful landmark church, but an important part of the history of this borough and integral part of the fabric of our religious community, said Matteo in a written statement over the weekend. If we allow vandals to desecrate St. Andrews, then no building would be safe. An "after" picture on Snake Hill Road shows the stone wall outside Church of St. Andrew, minus the graffiti. (Submitted) The church -- located at 40 Old Mill Road-- was designated a landmark in 1967. The original building was constructed between 1709 and 1712 at the site, then later enlarged. It nearly was destroyed twice in the 19th century by fires that occurred five years apart. The church, with its picturesque outline and steeply pitched gable roofs, reflects the character of the austere and simple English parish churches of the 12th century, the city Landmarks Preservation Commission once noted. The Central District Health Departments COVID-19 cases have increased in recent weeks, which has caused concern. Teresa Anderson, health director for CDHD, said the positivity rate is going up a little bit, going from 5% a few weeks ago to 7% as of July 17 (the most recent data available as of Wednesday afternoon). While CDHDs overall COVID-19 positivity rate is 7%, Anderson said it is exceptionally higher in Hamilton County, where it is at 17%. It is up a little bit, but we will keep watching it; we want to stay away from double digits, she said. We are going to provide more testing in Hamilton County to see exactly what is going on there with that increased percentage. None of us (counties) have been in double digits since April and May. What we are looking for now is we were at 3% on June 13 and now, two months later, we are at 7%. We would like to see it stay at 5% or lower. That is our goal until we have vaccines. Test Nebraska was in Aurora this past Wednesday at East Park Villa, 1704 L St. It will be there again this Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. Test Nebraska also will be in Grand Island from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday and from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday at Fonner Park. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 25) Former Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr. has contracted COVID-19 and is currently intubated, his daughter Zeena announced on Saturday. The younger Brillantes shared the news on her Facebook page, asking for prayers for her father. Her post indicated that Brillantes was on his first day of intubation, where a tube is inserted into the airway so that a patient can be placed on a ventilator to assist with breathing. This is a developing story. (Natural News) Recent events in the U.S. have drawn more than a few comparisons to what took place during the Cultural Revolution in China in the 1960s and 70s. John Gray, an emeritus professor at the London School of Economics, recently explored the connection in a thought-provoking piece for The Mail on Sunday. He started out by stating that we no longer live in a free society. Instead, were being ruled by people who are trying to enforce their extreme views on others by shaming and ruining people who dont think the same way. He believes the current cancel culture were seeing and the destruction of peoples professional standing for not being woke enough is just a modem expression of the Mao brand of intolerance. He also calls the promotion of woke ideology by the media, local authorities, publishers, businesses and universities a terrifying development. At his first academic job in the early 70s in England, Gray said that although the University of Essex, where he worked, was pretty far to the left, he was able to adopt a fairly detached attitude because he and his colleagues didnt feel threatened. Even in his time at Oxford and his earlier days at the London School of Economics, no one had to fear the repercussions of their beliefs. Now, however, those who oppose leftist ideals, no matter how weakly, are being silenced. This is where he really launches into the parallel to Maos Cultural Revolution, which ruined much of what was left of Chinas ancient civilization. The Cultural Revolution was launched by Mao in 1966. His mobs were tasked with purging the capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society and replacing them with his own beliefs. It was often young people and urban workers who formed Red Guard paramilitary units that went after anyone who was tied to an official blacklist, typically elderly Chinese and intellectuals. Their goal was to get rid of what they called the four olds old culture, old ideas, old habits and old customs. Because religion was considered to be a capitalist tool, churches were destroyed. They also killed people who thought differently than them; police were told not to intervene. The Red Guards destroyed religious and cultural sites along with historical relics and statues. Sound familiar? The only way people accused of a thought crime could avoid punishment was by confessing publicly, undergoing reeducation, and agreeing to struggle sessions that entailed torture and humiliation. The Cultural Revolution ultimately destroyed the Chinese economy and left millions of people dead. In The American Conservative, Peter Van Buren drew a similar comparison, writing: Still, the intellectual roots of our revolution and Chinas seem similar: the hate of the old, the need for unacceptable ideas to be disappeared in the name of social progress, intolerance toward dissent, violence to enforce conformity. He also pointed out that if you switch out the terms revisionism and capitalism for white supremacy and racism in some of Maos speeches, you have a decent speech draft for a Black Lives Matter rally. Where does this end? Its becoming harder and harder to keep track of all the examples of this today. First, we have statues being torn down of American historical figures before the anger started being directed at Jesus. Now Christian churches are being burned down and statues of the Virgin Mary are being beheaded. We have young people like the 16-year-old daughter of a police officer ambushed and killed in the line of duty who tweeted kind words in memory of her father with the hashtag #bluelivesmatter being slammed with hateful words from people who claim to be concerned about equality. We have people losing their jobs and other professional opportunities, like a journalism professors offer to become dean being withdrawn by Arizona State University after she tweeted offering prayers for both George Floyd and good police officers who keep people safe. Meanwhile, a UCLA accounting lecturer was removed from teaching after he declined to give minority students an extended deadline during the George Floyd protests. Its clear that the comparisons to the Chinese Cultural Revolution are not a very big stretch, so now the real question is whether or not society will wake up and realize the path were headed down before its too late. Read ThoughtPolice.news for more coverage of thought crimes. Sources for this article include: DailyMail.co.uk TheAmericanConservative.com NaturalNews.com PoliceMag.com NationalReview.com Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 26 (ANI): With an aim to gain first-hand knowledge of the United Kingdom's legal system, a Kashmiri student has recently bagged a fellowship to study at Queens Mary University in London. Hasnain Mustafa Khawaja is a law student selected for 'Chevening Scholarship', which enables students with leadership qualities from over 160 countries and territories to undertake postgraduate study or courses in universities in the UK. These scholarships are readily available every year to students across the globe who wish to study abroad. Thousands of students from all over the world dream of getting this scholarship and take part in the exam. But only a handful of the lucky ones are able to bag the coveted scholarship after cracking the test. "I took an entrance exam for law after completing Class 12. I got admission in Kashmir University from where I have completed this five-year graduation course," Khawaja said. "There was a female student in our university who got this scholarship three years ago. Only then I got to know about this programme," he said. Apart from the academic qualification, the programme requires two years of work experience. When Khawaja came to know about this requirement, he took part in volunteer work and interned in an NGO. "To get this scholarship, there is a requirement that anyone who wants to apply for it, the person should have two years of work experience and it could be any volunteer work, internship, part-time or full-time job. So when I came to know about this, I started taking part in volunteer work and did my internship in an NGO," he said. As it was difficult for Khawaja to believe the award letter which he received through e-mail, he called up the Chevening secretariat and confirmed the letter. "At first, I did not believe that I got this award letter. So, I called them up and confirmed about the mail. I then shared this news with my family members. As going abroad for studies is a dream for every student, a common student who belongs to a middle-class family cannot afford the expenses. This opportunity is very good for me as I will come back to Kashmir after studying human rights in Queens Mary University," he said. "I will serve the people here by working for juvenile rights," said the beaming Kashmiri student. Asif Ali, a friend of Khawaja, expressed his happiness over the news and said it is a proud moment. "We are very happy and proud that he has got this opportunity. Now he will study in the UK and will come to help people as he is a lawyer. He wants to work for human rights and poor people who cannot afford the high fees of a lawyer," Ali said. (ANI) Phuket Opinion: Earlier to start, earlier to recover PHUKET: The Ministry of Tourism this week released its Tourism Economic Review, which other than reporting what everyone already knows that international tourism has been devastated and that domestic tourism has also taken one almighty hit had one clear message: the longer that international tourism remains shut down, the longer the recovery itself will take even after measures to allow tourism to return are taken. Sunday 26 July 2020, 02:12PM The longer the reopening of international tourism is delayed, the longer the actual recovery period will be. Image: MoTS / UNTWO Citing projections by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNTWO) based on tourism statistics through March, the report points out that the gradual reopening of borders and lifting of travel restrictions in July would likely result in a comparative loss of 58% of international arrivals year on year by December. However, a delay in reopening international tourism until September would see that figure blow out to an impact of -70% of international arrivals year on year. A third scenario, of delaying the reopening of international tourism until December, will see that fall further to a loss of -78% of arrivals compared with last year. The report does point out that domestic demand is expected to recover faster than international demand, and that international demand is expected to recover by Q4 2020 and mainly in 2021, according to UNTWO Panel of Experts survey responses. Highlighting the lag in recovery after measures to restore tourism to return, still citing UNTWO figures, the report also points out that global tourism overall took 11 months to recover from SARS, 14 months to recover from the Sept 11 attacks and 19 months to recover after the 2009 global economic crisis. Respectively, the areas most heavily affected by those crises saw Asia take 14 months to recover to pre-crisis levels after the SARS outbreak, Europe took 29 months to recover from the 2009 financial crisis and that the Americas took 42 months to recover after the Sept 11 attacks. The campaigns in Thailand are underway to drive tourism, and there are upbeat reports that it is working, except for here in Phuket. Rayong and Trat are enjoying a return of visitors this long weekend, but for Phuket the positive note is still in the verbage. In Pattaya, several large beachfront hotels say their bookings have jumped to a strong 90% from July 24-28, according to a local tourism industry source, reports the Bangkok Post. Pattaya is one of the most popular seaside destinations when it comes to spending a holiday as it is close to Bangkok, the report notes, with the source reporting that the heavy hotel bookings are believed to be a result of sales promotions and the Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) tourism campaign where the government offers subsidies for peoples holidays. In Trat, hotels and resorts on Koh Chang and Koh Kut islands were close to booked out. The provinces two ferry piers were yesterday jam-packed with cars waiting to board a ferry to the islands, the report added. However, for Phuket, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket chief Napasorn Kakai, well experienced and well respected for her career with the TAT, is still talking about the 6,000 visitors reported to have visited the island during the previous long weekend from July 4-7. For this long weekend (July 25-28), the strongest comment she could give the Bangkok Post was that she expects visitors this weekend would pump money into the economy. The positivism comes a day after Manager Online reporting that Ms Kakai had confirmed that only 10% of rooms available in Phuket had been booked for this weekend. Trying to keep the positivism rolling, Ms Kakai pointed out that some five-star resort were fully booked for this weekend, yet Phuket Chamber of Commerce President Thanusak Pungdet pointed out that those bookings were most likely Thais who usually travelled abroad for such holidays, but this year had no option to do that. The poor bookings for Phuket this weekend follows Mr Thansuks warnings earlier this month that the push to boost domestic tourism was not likely to work for Phuket as it is expected to help the likes of Pattaya. Phuket is not like Pattaya. They have different domestic tourist markets to appeal to. When it comes to having cheap holidays, Thais do not travel far from their home provinces. Pattaya is close to Bangkok and people from Isan [Northeast Thailand] generally travel to visit the Eastern seaboard not Phuket, he told The Phuket News two weeks ago. Among the campaigns what has been quiet in the English-language press is the Travel to Thailand, our guard is not down ( ) tourism promotion blitz launched by the TAT on Friday under the concept of: non-stop to publicize and build confidence for both Thai and foreign tourists in recognizing that Thailand is a reliable destination for the strength of the public health system and have hygiene safety (Amazing Thailand Trusted Destination). The push, through different videos, by positive example tells Thais what is needed to restore confidence among tourists to want to choose Thailand as a holiday destination while showing tourists what they should expect when they come here. They are excellent. What is odd is that this campaign is being launched now, appealing to international tourists, while all but medical tourists and visiting businesses folk in specific industries remain banned from entering the country. At the launch on Friday (July 24) of yet another simultaneous campaign the Thailand Smiles with You campaign to promote Thailand to the world through Leicester City FC through a joint effort by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the TAT and King Power Group Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said he hoped that the overall picture of the Thai economy would improve once travelling and tourism resume in the future. Indeed, but as always the silence on what the plan actually is still emanates from Bangkok, as if they are worried that any plan announced will be perceived as a promise. Sheer fear by officials that the government will be held responsible for any further delay in reopening the gates for international tourists regardless of international circumstances is dominating the narrative. Meanwhile, the obvious hint is that after Sept 26 any tourists still stuck in Thailand will again be treated by Immigration as tourists, who will need to prove their need to stay in the country. The only way that such a policy could pass muster through international diplomatic channels is if such tourists by that date will finally have options to go home. The Sept 26 deadline marks six exact months since the first visa amnesty came into effect, and puts any plan to reopen international travel smack bang on the UNTWO predicted recovery period for travel to mostly recover by late 2020 early 2021 exactly what leading figures have been saying they expect tourism to recover by. We can only hope. : ScarletLan (), : Travel : Current travel policy to China from US : Travel : BBS (Sun Jul 26 16:24:20 2020, ) China (Mainland) Entry restrictions Foreign nationals with visas issued before 28 March 2020 are not permitted to enter China. Foreign nationals with residence permits or APEC Business Travel Cards are not permitted to enter China. Entry restriction exemption Foreigners holding diplomatic, service, courtesy or C visas Foreign nationals coming to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities; foreign nationals arriving for emergency humanitarian needs may apply for visas at Chinese embassies / consulates Foreign nationals with visas issued on or after 28 March 2020 Further entry restrictions in Sanya (SYX) and Haikou (HAK) Passengers travelling on China ID cards or PRC passports that show Hubei province as the place of issue, or passengers have visited Hubei province in the past 14 days will be denied entry Transit restrictions Passengers are no longer permitted to transit through Beijing Capital International Airport and Xiamen Airport. Visa restrictions All visa free transit services have been suspended. This includes the: 24/72/144-hour visa free transit policy Hainan 30-day visa-free policy 15-day visa-free policy for foreign cruise-group-tours through Shanghai Port Guangdong 144-hour visa-free policy for foreign tour groups from Hong Kong or Macao SAR Guangxi 15-day visa-free policy for foreign tour groups from ASEAN countries Additionally, the visa exemption policy is suspended to nationals of Japan, Singapore and Brunei Quarantine measures All passengers, regardless of nationality, will be subject to the latest quarantine policies https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/prepare-trip/travel-advisories/notice -regarding-travel-restrictions.html -- :ScarletLan Jul 26 16:43:10 2020 [FROM: 2601:86:201:58c0] :WWW mitbbs.com [FROM: 2601:86:201:58c] Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: The Bihar chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for the removal of Uday Singh Kumawat, the principal secretary of health department and reinstate Sanjay Kumar, whose replacement had taken everyone in the state by utter surprise. The association has sent a letter to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in this regard. Dr Sunil Kumar, honorary general secretary of Bihar IMA said that Kumawat's behaviour towards the doctors is indifferent and the decisions taken by him have infuriated the medical fraternity. Lauding the performances of former principal secretary Sanjay Kumar, a tough and upright IAS officer, the IMA demanded that Kumar be re-appointed to the post as he was very sensitive towards doctors The IMA has also requested the removal of the district magistrates of Bhojpur and Gopalganj complaining that the behaviour of both the IAS officers has been insensitive towards doctors and other medical personnel. It must be noted that during the last cabinet minister, the state health minister Mangal Pandey had brought Kumawat's arbitrary nature to CM Nitish Kumar's attention. Following this, Kumar had reprimanded Kumawat and ordered him to increased the testing capacity of RTPCR to 20000 per day in Bihar. "If it is not achieved, government will think of taking action on you," Kumar had reportedly said. It is not just the IMA or the health minister but even the public has been demanding the reinstement of Sanjay Kumar as the principal secretary of state health department to control the situation. Kumar was removed abruptly about two months ago and made Principal Secretary of Tourism Department at a time when he was marvelously doing the best in the department. Apart from updating the status of COVID-19, he was approachable at any given time to everyone in the state. He was available on Twitter during his tenure as principal secretary and took cognizance of several public complaints. His updates on the virus were transparent and elaborate enough with no room for doubt to anyone, be it in public or political domain. Kumawat, on the other hand, has no social media presence and does not speak to anyone in media. Myanmar's Kachin Army Vows Investigation, Compensation For Two Shan Ni Teenagers Killed in Custody 2020-07-24 -- The rebel Kachin Independence Army in Myanmar has detained five of its fighters for killing two teenaged boys from the Shan Ni ethnic group after taking them captive on July 6, promising to punish the killers and compensate victim's families, sources in Kachin State said Friday. The KIA, which is battling Myanmar government forces for greater autonomy in Kachin State, has admitted its troops killed the two boys and promised to apologize and compensate their families, but denied that the killings were ordered by senior commanders. Family members learned of the killings only 16 days later. "The persons responsible for killing the two Shan boys are our members, but this does not mean the KIA/KIO [Kachin Independence Organization] ordered the killings," KIA Colonel Naw Bu told RFA's Myanmar Service on Friday. "The KIA is not directly responsible for the killings," Naw Bu added, saying that an investigation into the deaths is still ongoing and that the KIA is now trying to return the boys' bodies to their parents. The two boys, both 17, were identified as Thant Zin Aung, a student at Monywa University, and Zaw My Oo, a student in the 10th grade, and were abducted while vacationing in Hpakant township in northern Myanmar's Kachin state. They were taken into custody by KIA troops in Hpakant's Sal Zinn village after becoming involved in a fight while gambling, Thant Zin Aung's father Eik Sann told RFA. "They were taken away in the trunk of a car. They were having a picnic during a farewell party, and wandered off to Sal Zinn village," the boy's father said. "They were supposed to go back to school on July 7," he added. Sai Htay Aung from the Tai Leng (Shan Ni) Nationalities Development Party said that the KIA had informed community leaders on July 22 of the killings, with the rebel army adding that a formal apology would be made to the boys' parents and compensation paid for the deaths. "They said they have detained five soldiers who are responsible for the deaths and have promised to punish them," he said. Ethnic Shan people have been the targets of frequent abuse by KIA soldiers in recent years, with extortion, forced recruitment, and killings all reported by victims and grieving family members, local activists and rights groups say. The Shan Ni (also known as the Red Shan) are a subgroup of the Shan, which is Myanmar's second largest ethnic group after the majority Bamar, and live in Kachin State and northern Sagaing Region. Reported by Elizabeth Jangma for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Richard Finney. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2020/07/25 Having women protagonists and issues that deal with the place of women in Korean society was not exactly common ground in the 60's (as is also not now), so it comes as a surprise that Gwon Yeong-sun directed a film like that, although the premises are anything but feminist. Advertisement The movie begins with a rather intense trial scene, with Hyeon-hee, the protagonist, being accused for murdering a customer, Choe Yeong-cheol, at her dabang, after overhearing a discussion of him with a foreigner that involved selling her to him. The judge does not take well to her justification, but before the verdict is announced, a flashback of her story begins. Hyeon-hee is a mother to an illegitimate daughter, a fact that has not allowed her to pursue a "proper" career, despite the fact that she is a college graduate. Instead, she takes a loan and opens a dabang in order to sustain herself, along with her daughter and elderly mother. At one point, she falls in love with one of her customers, editorial writer Lee Sang-hyeon, who seems anything but indifferent to her feelings, but eventually reveals he is married. Another suitor of hers, poet Min-woo is repeatedly turned down, to the point that he starts drinking and behaving badly. Kwang-hee, an employee in Madonna (the name of the dabang), likes Min-woo and sleeps with him, but when he turns her down, her life takes an intense downward spiral. Before that, however, she turns against her employee the worst fashion, belittling her in the most offensive way possible. One day, Hyeon-hee learns that Sang-hyeon will leave on a business trip to the US, which is the same day the incident that led her to court happens. Her fate, expectedly, becomes even worse. In an approach that lingers between the melodrama and the soap opera, Gwon Yeong-sun presents a number of stories that highlight the hardships women faced in the Korean society of the 60's. The most obvious one is the prejudice that permeated all aspects of society, from the professional to the social and everything between, with Hyeon-hee's story being the main medium comment. The many and various hardships women faced at the time are presented quite eloquently, with their lives without a man to protect and take care of them are unbearable, but the shocking part is that the film seems to actually accuse them for their fate, no matter how awful it is. In that regard, having a child out of wedlock and falling in love with a married man are presented as the reasons for the protagonist's growingly deteriorating state, with similar comments dealing with the rest of the female characters. Kwang-hee sleeps with a man without being married, while Soo-jeong decides that exploiting her body to get what she wants is the way to proceed in life, choices that eventually lead them to a fate that can only be described as purgatorial. Furthermore, Kwon shows that there is no friendship between women, as are all presented as eager to gossip and take advantage of their co-workers. He also manages to absolve Lee Sang-hyeon, who in fact pursues Hyeon-hee despite that he is married, by having his wife telling her that their marriage is long since over in essence, and has not problem with what the two of them do. Lastly, the name of the dabang can only be perceived as ironic. On the other hand, and despite these comments and the melodramatic/soap opera approach, the story is quite captivating, with the work done in the adaptation of Park Kyung-ni's novel by Choi Keum-dong, the direction and Lee Won-do's editing helping the most in that regard. Lee Seong-chun's cinematography captures the events with realism without any exaltation, allowing the story to be the main focus, although some of his frames, as the one with the slapping scene, are quite interesting. The acting is on a very high level, with the cast not succumbing to intense melodramatic performances, despite the main premises of the narrative. Moon Jung-suk in particular is exceptional as Hyeon-hee, in a rather nuanced performance that has her exhibiting a number of sentiments and psychological statuses with utmost artistry. Um Aing-ran as Gwang-hee is also excellent as the "villain". #MeToo movement people will probably be overly frustrated with a film such as this, but if one can move beyond its chauvinistic comments, one will enjoy a very entertaining movie, which actually shows the way society perceived women at the time with accuracy. Review by Panos Kotzathanasis Facebook ___________ "A Drifting Story" is directed by Gwon Yeong-sun, and features Moon Jung-suk, Kim Jin-kyu, Choi Moo-ryong, Um Aing-ran, Park Am, Hwang Jung-soon. Release date in Korea: 1960/12/17. Is the Brown family facing more financial trouble? The stars of TLCs Sister Wives faced some big money challenges after they moved from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, Arizona. Kody Brown and his four wives were carrying five mortgages while also struggling to sell their homes in Nevada. Financially, were drowning, Christine Brown said in 2020 episode of the familys reality show. They were finally able to unload the Vegas properties after several price cuts, according to In Touch Weekly. But that might not have been enough to stop the bleeding, fans speculate. Now, an Instagram post from Janelle Brown has some theorizing shes trying to find new ways to make money amid a cash crunch. Janelle Brown promotes an ayurvedic health training course In a couple of recent Instagram posts, Janelle has been a course from the Joyful Bely School of Ayurveda that teaches people how to become an Ayurveda health counselor. The reality TV star explained she recently completed her first year of training and wants to share what shes learned. The Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda helped me understand that Ayurveda is so much more than that. Its a dynamic way of approaching your health by tuning into your own body, she shared in a post. She also offered her followers a $900 scholarship to be used to the schools 2-year training program, which costs $6,499. Critics wonder if the Browns are having money problems Janelle Brown, Meri Brown, Kody Brown, and Christine Brown from Sister Wives | Ethan Miller/Getty Images for AEG Live RELATED: Sister Wives: Kody Brown Knew He Was Headed Toward Financial Ruin Before Officially Moving to Flagstaff Janelle says that the things shes learned about Ayurveda a holistic form of medicine developed in India and practiced there for centuries have improved her life and health. But skeptics wondered if the course was legitimate. This is an obvious MLM and wellness scam, one person commented on Instagram. You should know better than to get sucked in and to try to suck people in. Gossip vlogger Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball looked into the school Janelle was promoting and discovered the Sister Wives star likely received referrals and commissions if people signed up for the courses she promoted. She wondered if the Brown familys rumored money woes were the reason she was suddenly encouraging her 365,000 Instagram followers to register for the Joyful Belly training programs. In addition to advertising the wellness course, Janelle recently joined Cameo. Her personalized shout-outs go for $30. Some of the familys other business ventures have been controversial RELATED: Sister Wives: Are Meri Brown and Christine Brown Going to Lose Their Jobs? LuLaRoe Is On the Rocks Its not surprising some Sister Wives fans are skeptical about Janelles push to get people enrolled in the Ayurveda course. Her fellow sister wives Meri and Christine Brown have been slammed for selling Lularoe, an MLM that some have described as a pyramid scheme. (Meri also runs a B&B in Utah called Lizzies Heritage Inn.) Christine recently told fans in her private Facebook group that the money she earned from LuLaRoe was going to pay for a surgery for one of her daughters, The Sun reported. I dont know how we would be able to get the surgery she needs without LuLaRoe, she said. I really appreciate it a lot, thank you! Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook! 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. It seems that President Trump is trailing in the polls again. In other "shocking" news, it seems that only women menstruate; "green energy" is a massive scam; Trump-Russia collusion was a massive hoax; media leftists hate America; and on everything from masks to guns to lives that matter, liberals are hypocrites. Americans especially Trump supporters should pay little to no attention to the national polls on the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Such polls are usually not designed to inform us as they should but rather to form public opinion. This is true of the polls in the so-called "battleground" states as well. Twenty sixteen provides the valuable lesson here. People define battleground states differently. For the purposes of this piece, I'll define a "battleground state" as a state that was won by either Trump or Hillary in 2016 by less than 5 percentage points. There were eleven such states in 2016. Six were won by President Trump (margin of victory in the parentheses): North Carolina (3.66%), Arizona (3.55%), Florida (1.20%), Wisconsin (0.77%), Pennsylvania (0.72%), and Michigan (0.23%). Five were won by Hillary: Colorado (4.91%), Maine (2.96%), Nevada (2.42%), Minnesota (1.52%), and New Hampshire (0.37%). Going into the 2016 election, according to the Real Clear Politics (RCP) polling average, Hillary Clinton led Donald Trump in seven out of 11 battleground states (Hillary's RCP polling average lead in parentheses): WI (6.5%), PA (2.1%), MI (3.6%), CO (3.0%), ME (5.5%), MN (6.3%), and NH (0.3%). In other words, Donald Trump won three of the battleground states WI, PA, and MI where he (supposedly) trailed significantly in polls done just days prior to the election. Additionally, whether he won the state or not, Trump outperformed the RCP polling average in seven out of 11 battleground states. He did so by an average margin of 3.5%. However, since the RCP average is typically only the handful of polls just prior to the election which are often and "amazingly!" (hear my sarcasm) more accurate it is more informative to examine the polls months prior to the election. After all, these are the ones that are used in the nefarious attempts to shape public opinion. Let's look at the battleground polls that were done almost exactly four years ago, in July and August of 2016. In the July-August polls reported by RCP, Hillary had a polling average lead in all but one (AZ) of the 11 battleground states. The numbers in parentheses are her average lead at the time: NC (2.2%), FL (1.9%), WI (6.8%), PA (6.1%), MI (6.9%), CO (8.6%), ME (only a single poll: 10%), NV (0.8%), MN (RCP reports only seven polls in 2016. The average Hillary lead: 7.0%.), and NH (9.3%). In the final 2016 election result, Trump outperformed every one of these polling averages except one (NV). He did so by an average of 6.2%. According to the RCP polling, currently, Joe Biden leads President Trump in every battleground state poll average (Biden's lead in parentheses): NC (2.0%), AZ (2.8%), FL (7.0%), WI (6.0%), PA (7.3%), MI (8.0), CO (only a single poll: 10.0%), ME (10.3%), NV (4.0%), MN (11.4%), and NH (4.3%). Note how similar these results are to the 2016 numbers. It is also worth noting that today's media are much more afraid of a second term for President Trump than they were of a potential first term for then-candidate Donald Trump. This is why, along with their polling games, we had to endure years of a Trump-Russia-collusion hoax, are bombarded daily with Wuhan virus case counts which are about as meaningless as the presidential polls told that we must remain in some form of shutdown mode, and are nightly exposed to scenes of riots and destruction. Democrats in 2016 thought Donald Trump was a joke and Hillary was a shoo-in. Having seen what he's capable of accomplishing, even in the face of unprecedented opposition, Democrats in 2020 are terrified of giving Donald Trump four more years. Thus the portrayal of near-constant chaos across America. In other words, all in the name of getting rid of President Trump, Democrats and their like-minded allies in the media are invested in the continued suffering of Americans. As Tucker Carlson recently put it: Democrats understand that the unhappier Americans become, the more likely they are to win. Unhappy people want change. It is not complicated. So every ominous headline about the state of the country makes it more likely that Donald Trump will lose his job. The more that people suffer, the greater Joe Biden's advantage. Democrats have a strong incentive, therefore, to inflict as much pain as they can, and that's what they are doing. Instead of laying the blame where it belongs the Chinese own the Wuhan virus; democrats own the violent, crime-ridden, riotous cities; the media and the Democrats own the Trump-Russia-collusion hoax the media continuously point their crooked finger at President Trump and constantly blame him and his administration for virtually all that they perceive is wrong in America. Whether true or not, the polls whether national or state are meant to sell the notion that most of the voting public is buying what the leftist media are selling. And so what if the polls are wrong now? What have the drive-by media to lose? If Biden wins, they will have succeeded. If Trump wins, they can tell themselves, "At least we tried." Their polls months out from the election in 2020 look no worse than they did in 2016, and however the election turns out, the drive-bys seemingly never undeterred by failed wrongdoing will move on to their next evil assignment. Last, if, like me, you're a Trump-supporter, let none of this discourage you. In fact, let it motivate you, as it does me. I've never been more enthusiastic about voting for Trump as president of the United States. In 2016, my vote for Trump was more of a vote against Hillary. That's not the case this year. And every bogus poll, every media lie, every ignorant mask mandate (take note, corporate America), every business closed, every park closed, every school shut down, every statue torn down, every conservative canceled, every knee bowed at our National Anthem, every hateful, violent act toward our police, and all other such garbage only further motivates me to cast my ballot for Donald J. Trump! Trevor Grant Thomas: At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason. www.trevorgrantthomas.com Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America. tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr. Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire was removed from his post in a vote of no confidence on Saturday. Reports claimed that Hassan was removed for having failed to facilitate a fully democratic election in the country. 170 of the 178-member parliament supported the motion of no-confidence and the removal was immediately endorsed by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. Vote backed by 170 lawmakers As per reports, the no-confidence motion was moved on July 25 as members of the Parliament learnt that the ruling government had failed to live up to its promise of holding a free, fair and democratic election in 2021. While speaking about what comes next, parliamentary speaker Mohamed Mursal reportedly said that the president will now appoint a new prime minister who will have to facilitate democratic elections in 2021. Read: Somalia Says 8 'very Young' Aid Workers Abducted, Killed Read: Heavy Rains Cause Flooding Crisis In Somalia The government of Somalia only controls part of the country and is constantly in conflict with the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab militant group who have been conducting an ongoing insurgency. The country has set itself the goal of holding a one-person-one-vote by the year 2021 instead of the complex and confusing system it uses currently wherein special delegates are tasked with choosing lawmakers that in turn choose the president. When it became clear that Khaire, 52, who was a newcomer to the political scene could not fulfil the promise of a fully democratic election in 2021, lawmakers decided to pass a no-confidence vote. In the absence of Khaire, President Mohamed has appointed deputy prime minister Mahdi Mohamed Guled as the acting prime minister citing that government programs must continue. According to reports, the internal security minister, Mohamed Abukar who is a key ally of Khaire has claimed that the parliamentary speaker and the president conspired to remove Khaire so that they could extend their terms. Read: Years Of Conflict Leave Somalia Ill-equipped To Fight Virus Read: Somalia To Delay Elections By 13 Months, Says Official Moderna Inc said on Sunday it has received an additional $472 million from the U.S. governments Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support development of its novel coronavirus vaccine. The drug maker said the additional funding will support its late-stage clinical development including the expanded Phase 3 study of Modernas vaccine candidate. Islamabad, July 26 : The newly-elected President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) will arrive in Islamabad on Monday as the Imran Khan-led government in Pakistan aims to rank up the Kashmir issue against India. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that he will be having a one-on-one meeting with UNGA President Volhan Bozkir, in which, he will brief the latter about the situation in "occupied Kashmir" and present Pakistan's stance on the matter. Qureshi had congratulated Turkey's Bozkir on his election on June 21. "On behalf of the people and government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, I would like to extend my warm felicitation on your unanimous election by all member states as the President of the historic 75th Session of the UN General Assembly," Qureshi had said in a letter. As per sources, Pakistan is eyeing the visit as an opportunity to bring the longstanding issue of Kashmir between India and Pakistan to the front, calling on the UNGA President to take notice of the conflict. Commenting about his meeting with the UNGA President, Qureshi said that his prime focus would stay on what he called "atrocities committed by the Indian armed forces in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir". Bozkir is the first Turkish national to head the UNGA. He will be taking office in September and will keep the post for a period of one year. Bozkir is currently a ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party lawmaker from Istanbul and head of the Turkish Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. While on one side Pakistan is planning on ranking up the Kashmir issue with the UNGA President, a buildup to the cause is already in full swing as Pakistan military establishment, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) arranged a trip to the Line of Control (LoC) for foreign media journalists. Journalists were taken to Chirikot sector of the LoC, where they engaged with the families of those Kashmiris, who have suffered casualties and damages of properties due to ongoing exchange of shelling between Indian and Pakistan border forces in the recent past. "They witnessed for themselves the destruction and injuries caused to the civilian population along the LoC. They also witnessed the multilayered surveillance and defence system along the LoC erected by India which completely negates the hollow allegations by senior most military and civilians officials of India and the constant propaganda by the Indian media against Pakistan of cross-border infiltration and the so-called launch pads," said Aisha Farooqui, spokesperson of Pakistan Foreign Office. Qureshi highlighted the importance of the visit of foreign journalists and challenged India to do the same in Jammu and Kashmir. "Will India follow suit and allow independent media to visit the occupied valley?" he questioned, adding that "India even denied access to UN observers who are allowed to visit and observe violations on Pakistan's side of the LoC". Taking a dig at India, Qureshi stated that it was not only Pakistan that India had bad relations with as China, Nepal and Bangladesh too had strained relations with New Delhi. "The expulsion by Iran of India from Chabahar project is also because of its wrong policies and this was due to its Hindutva mindset," he said. The overall exercise seems to be a build-up to the visit of UNGA president, aimed at creating references of international media coverage and Pakistan's stance on the Kashmir issue, showing it as being in line with the resolution of the UN Security Council (UNSC). Pakistan also aims to show India as the clear and open violator of human rights as well as the UN resolution requirements. In line with Fidelity Banks deep-rooted commitment to growing its Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) base, the bank in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) held the second session of its four-part webinar series on the topic Accessing Finance During Crises. Organized under the Fidelity Presents thought leadership initiative, this second session focused on training SMEs on how to access loans, funds and grants to grow their businesses during and after the COVID-19 crisis. SMEs drawn from various sectors of the economy took part in the webinar to get adequate information on the topics of funding options, loan vs. line of credit, borrower considerations, and lender considerations. Opening the webinar, Linus Kumi, Director, Commercial and SME Banking of Fidelity Bank Ghana, noted that, a number of small businesses struggle to gain access to finance. The situation has become more difficult with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Without adequate financing it is difficult for small businesses to run successfully. Fidelity believes in SMEs, not only as clients, but as partners in job creation and economic growth. Hence, we saw the need to help SMEs to understand the key considerations for borrowing money. Nana-Esi Idun-Arkhurst, Divisional Director, Retail Banking of Fidelity Bank Ghana added that our strong commitment to the growth and development of SMEs led to the provision of incentives like loan moratoriums, loan restructuring, and other considerations to help SMEs to fortify their businesses to withstand the economic shocks resulting from the pandemic. On the possible reasons for pandemic borrowing, leading IFC consultant, and the facilitator for the webinar, Margaret Jackson advised participants to invest borrowed money into technology to adapt to changing trends and to increase production to meet demand. Do not borrow money to repay debt. You put your business in a debt cycle that is difficult to exit she informed participants. Ms. Jackson added that participants need to create a plan to keep their businesses profitable, manage their cash flow and adapt for the crisis and the future. While expressing appreciation and gratitude to Fidelity Bank and IFC for providing them with such valuable content, participants also requested for more capacity building programmes in the area of finance. Fidelity Bank held the first edition of its thought leadership series Fidelity Presents for SMEs on Thursday June 11, 2020 on the topic An SME Perspective: Surviving Today to Thrive Tomorrow. The next edition in the SME webinar series will take place on Thursday July 30, 2020 at 10am on the topic Communicating with Stakeholders During Crises and the final edition titled Adjusting your Business Plan During Crises will be held on Thursday August 13, 2020 at 10am. Source: peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Attention Disneyland fans (or Southern California travelers): would you like to fly from the Napa airport to the John Wayne airport in business class seats for around $200 round trip? If one company gets its way, you just might be able to do that, at least temporarily. A semi-private hop on jet service named JSX could be coming to Napa County Airport, said a news release. The new service would also offer Napa residents a long-awaited solution to the sometimes hours-long drives to commercial service airports, such as Oakland and San Francisco, said the release. J3 Jet, a respondent to the countys request for proposal to bring a second Fixed Base Operation (FBO) to Napa County Airport, holds the keys to launching JSX service for the valley. An FBO is a private aviation terminal for general aviation and business flyers which offers aircraft refueling, aircraft parking, charter and maintenance services. In August of last year, the county released an request for proposals for a second FBO, providing airport users a choice of FBOs. The Napa Airport already has one FBO, Lynx. A second operator has not been announced yet said Greg Baer, Napa County airport manager. The county Board of Supervisors could make a recommendation about which company is chosen in the coming months, he said. Our hope is to win the FBO, said J3 Jet CEO Joe Daichendt. While most FBOs tend to focus on only those services, J3 Jet brings a twist regularly scheduled air service through JSX. J3 Jet is comprised of JSX, Super Bowl winner and Sommelier Will Blackmon, plus aviation industry veterans Daichendt and Doug Wilson. Their novel approach includes JSX service in addition to the array of FBO services, they would offer, said the release. In the wake of COVID-19, while direct-to-consumer sales provides a stable income stream for wineries, the feeder business to that DTC model is tourism in the valley, said Blackmon, a partner in J3 Jet. Since the pandemic, travel is significantly off and we hope to be part of the solution. The company JSX operates 24 or so of Embraer 135 jets, one of the quietest medium jets in existence, said the release. While most airlines cram 50 seats such aircraft, JSXs aircraft are configured to hold only 30 seats in an all business class configuration, the release said. This 30-seat rule means JSX falls under a different regulation than traditional airlines, so there is no need to show up hours in advance, or run the gauntlet typical to cramped airline terminals with thousands of passengers, the release said. Instead, JSX only uses private terminals at FBOs, which usually only cater to private airplanes. Napa County was not originally on our list of viable service markets for JSX, said CEO and Founder of JSX Alex Wilcox. Though we would love to offer air service to a number of underserved communities, the decision for us must be pragmatic, and driven by the economics. If it were not for our longstanding relationship with the J3 Jet team, we would not be coming to Napa. JSX hopes to begin with weekly service to and from Orange County to J3 Jets proposed FBO at Napa County. Additional flights from Orange County would increase in frequency, followed by cities such as Burbank and Seattle, said the release. An Orange County resident, Blackmon noted the Orange County is the perfect initial city pair for Napa. Orange County is home to more than 116,000 millionaire households, the third highest concentration in the entire country. And right now, getting to Napa for them is painful. Initial flights would be in the $200 price range for a round trip between the John Wayne Airport in Orange County and Napa, if customers stay two nights at either destination. The regular round trip cost would be approximately $499. Watch now: A CHP fly-along over the Bay Area You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. When the pandemic lockdown kicked in back in March, Niall Dorrian, chief executive of Linked Finance, says the peer-to-peer lender quickly sprang into action to support some of its worst-affected customers. "At the start of the lockdown, we took some very aggressive, proactive steps, particularly with the shutdown of the hospitality and tourism industry." "We just put them on three-month, interest-free, payment holidays straight in, without really asking them," says Dorrian, originally from Bangor, Co Down. "It was just the logical right thing to do." At the time, three months might have felt a long enough break for most businesses but Covid-19 has and will continue to cast a shadow over very many Irish companies. Some will need more than loan holidays to stay afloat. Dorrian, however, is seeing some promising signs. "Some 70pc of those businesses have confirmed they do not need any additional support, as in any further holiday, and that they expect to recommence payments at the next payment date, so that is very encouraging. For the balance, we are engaging and looking at what their needs are." Given that SMEs will need access to finance to get them through the coming months and beyond, Dorrian is naturally very keen that Linked Finance be covered by the Government's 2bn credit guarantee scheme. "It's been somewhat misrepresented as a pillar bank solution. But I think clearly we have seen that the pillar banks are not the only solution here," he said. "The devil will be in the detail of the legislation but our expectation is, the message we've been getting so far from Government and the SBCI is that the non-bank sector will have an opportunity to partake in that. "I think common sense will tell you that having companies in the fintech space that, let's be honest, can operate quicker and more efficiently and more effectively, makes sense." One of Linked Finance's main selling points is that it takes a very different loan approval approach from the pillar banks. "There is no bureaucracy, there is no paperwork, there is no business plans, there is no security it is a very straightforward process. Our mission is to transform how SMEs secure finance in Ireland," he said. This does not mean easy money, however, as Dorrian says more than 50pc of applicants are turned down. "We've developed our own risk-assessment model, which continues to evolve, but it is based on statistical analysis of around 6,000 or 7,000 SMEs in Ireland. It's up-to-date information. We don't put a lot of credence in forecasting or business models, and, let's be honest, you can make a model or forecast say whatever you want." He says companies are scored on multiple different risk factors and the default rate is 1.3pc, having deployed 135m since it was founded in 2011. Companies which have raised funding through the platform include some of Ireland's most innovative small firms, including Viking Splash Tours, The Rolling Donut and the Irish Fairy Door Company.During the lockdown, around 7m was deployed by Linked Finance, while last year 43m was lent, which suggests the run-rate has, unsurprisingly, slowed this year owing to Covid-19. But lending did continue, with pharmacies investing in health and safety measures and companies such as Schoolbooks.ie enjoying increased demand. "What we've seen as the lockdown has eased is the demand going up again, so that's very encouraging." Dorrian admits he was fascinated by finance from a young age. "When I was very young I had an uncle who was a senior guy in banking and he said to me if you ever want to work in business then you have got to understand business. And the best way to do that is to become an accountant. "As sad as it sounds, from nine years of age, that was always the plan." After studying accounting and finance in Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, he worked in various industries in Northern Ireland, ranging from electronics to ship outfitting. "It allowed me to gain varied and wide experience in different industries," he says. "I still say to people that just having all those different experiences adds to your ability to work in different environments." He then joined Guinness owner Diageo as finance manager in Belfast in 2001. "That was a fantastic learning experience because of what was going on. If you recall there was an amalgamation of Guinness plants and packaging." But the big attraction in Diageo was the doors it could open internationally. Dorrian pounced on the opportunity to work in Jamaica, heading to the Caribbean with his then girlfriend, Caroline, to take the role of finance and strategy director with Diageo's beer Red Stripe. "The Jamaicans have a very laid-back attitude, a great way of life," he says. "There was plenty of hard work, but there was a great play ethic as well. "The socialising was fantastic, the weather was a big bonus. We were living in Kingston but you're only an hour and half away from the best beaches in the world." At the same time, an "upstart" Irish telecoms company, Digicel, was building up its presence in Jamaica. Dorrian naturally got to know a lot of the Irish people working for the telco and, in time, took up a job with the company as chief operating officer. It was an exciting time to work in telecoms which was in high growth mode. He later became CEO of Digicel in Trinidad and Tobago and then worked with the company in Panama. Originally, the couple planned to work abroad for two years but time went by quickly. "I always said if you're away more than 10 years you're probably never coming back so we decided that coming up on the 10th year it was time to move back." Dorrian joined Eircom on his return to Ireland as it was transitioning to Eir, taking over as director of mobile, but he soon missed the start-up vibe of entering new territories at Digicel. "While it was interesting, it did lack that entrepreneurial speed of execution that I would have been used to and was frustrating at times." A scheduled IPO of Eir was pulled in 2015 and Dorrian began looking for a new role focusing on areas which offered high growth potential, in the way telcos had in the previous decade. He settled on Linked Finance. "I decided that there was a real opportunity here, to really transform financial services and particularly focus on SME funding." The business has grown since Dorrian joined but he says that awareness and understanding of the role played by it and other non-traditional lenders is still lacking: "Irish businesses in some ways are still quite traditional and you either head to you banker or your credit union." Dorrian says that while there is plenty of criticism of the banks, there is little support for alternative lenders. For example, the statistics on lending from the Central Bank don't include non-bank lending. "It's ignored because they think it's statistically not relevant. We have been engaging with them over the last 12 months, so the non-bank sector is coming together through the Independent Finance Providers of Ireland." The organisation estimates that alternative lenders deployed 2bn last year. While some individual lenders to Linked Finance will back a particular company - such as a friend's business - the average retail investor puts in 11,000. "What we've done is created an asset class in Ireland which allows people to make returns on their savings. It's not correlated to equities and it's not correlated to bonds or property prices." Loans are graded so investors can back companies according to their own risk appetite. Over the last six years, diversified portfolios have been getting returns of 8.5/9pc. The average investor has invested in "at least 55 loans" and so is diversified, which should in theory reduce the risk. "We're confident that even in a downturn our asset returns will still be in the positive space. While that may not be where they have been historically, we're confident they will stay on a positive footing." In addition to private investors, institutions such as Portuguese digital bank BNI Europa have also committed to lend at scale through the Linked Finance platform. Dorrian says it is inevitable some SMEs will struggle in the coming months. He says that some of the government supports, such as the wage subsidy scheme and Revenue's pause on VAT payments, have been successful. However, he thinks they have created something of a false economy for SMEs. "In some cases they actually have more cash now than they did back in March. "What we're doing is working with our customers and advising them to really start looking now at your financial structure, what are your cashflow forecasts for the next 12 months, what facilities do you need to start thinking about putting in place." While challenges clearly lie ahead, Linked Finance itself has ambitious plans for the future. The British peer-to-peer lending market is well developed but Dorrian sees opportunities in Europe for more cross-border lending. He expects that technological advancements will speed up lending processes for business significantly in the next few years. "It's really going to change the whole game and we expect Linked Finance to be at the forefront of that." Curriculum Vitae Name: Niall Dorrian Age: 48 Position: Chief executive of Linked Finance Lives: Dublin Education: Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Belfast; Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Previous experience: Diageo, Digicel, Eir Family: Married to Caroline Pastimes: I'm a lifelong Liverpool fan. Caroline and I are keen skiers. I am trying to do a bit more running and have started doing pilates Favourite box-set: The West Wing Favourite book: I read quite a lot and have just finished American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, which was fantastic Business Lessons After working abroad for a decade, what observations did you have about Irish business on your return? In terms of anybody running a business, you have to be able to talk finance. You dont need to be an expert, but you need to understand it. And I think that is a gap in Irish businesses, particularly in the SME sector. I was always told know your numbers and it does amaze me at times, some large businesses are just not on top of their numbers. Best piece of business advice? I would always advise people to, given the opportunity, get international experience. It gives you a different perspective. And always looks for advisers or mentors, particularly in the early part of your career. The economic upheaval brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic has forced several families to migrate to other cities for jobs or move back to their native places. But the escalating pandemic has also given rise to a different type of migration from elite private schools to less expensive ones or, in some cases, to government-funded schools. Amid layoffs and pay cuts across sectors, affordability has become parents prime concern over the elite school tag. Unable to meet the fee structure, many parents are mulling moving their children to less expensive ones or to government schools. Some are angry with schools administrations for not giving fee concessions or demanding quarterly fees. A Tough Call Its not like my children wont have a good education if I dont send them to a private school, said Jai Singh from Haryana. Singh thought hard and long before writing to the private school his children currently attend, informing them that he would be shifting his children to a government school soon. This model wont work with three kids to be educated, he said. Earning Rs 12,000-15,000 per month as a helper in a shop, Singh was earlier able to afford Rs 6,200 school fee for his three children Rs 2,300 each for his older kids and Rs 1,600 for the youngest one. But money is hard to come by these days. I have to shift them to a government school and am not ashamed of it, he said. Singh wrote to the principal of Vaishya Model School a few days ago, informing them that he had lost his job and cant afford to send his children to a private school anymore. He the school authorities to give him his childrens school leaving certificate. I have lost my job because of the pandemic. I wont be able to pay high fees for my three children who study in your school. I want to send my children to a government school. Kindly provide the School Leaving Certificate so that the process of transferring them to a new school is expedited, he wrote. Like Singh, several other parents are forced to face the new reality. Delhi-based Neha Paswan used to earn a living by making rotis at weddings. I have spent my life making rotis at weddings. I want my children to have a comfortable life. I sent them to a good school (private school) for the same reason. It gave them a good environment to study, but now I cant afford that education, she said. Paswans income has dried up since no lavish weddings are taking place during the pandemic, and smaller gatherings dont pay well. There is no work for me to do, she said, With no certainty of money coming in, I will shift them to a government school. Even amid job losses, education should not suffer, she said. Three of her children study in BR International Public School, but now they will attend a government school nearby. Some parents have been forced to compromise on the elite tag in exchange for affordable education. Affordable vs Elite Simple Bedis child was studying at the prominent DPS School in Delhis Mathura Road. A single parent, Bedi lost her job as a fitness trainer in a Nizamuddin gym which was shut down. Now, she cannot afford DPS, but doesnt want a radical change in her childs education. I cannot radically change the school environment for my son. Switching from an elite school to a government school is not what I am looking at, she said. I will send my son to a less expensive private school because he has studied in a certain kind of environment. She will now be paying Rs 3,500 as fees in a new private school, far less than the Rs 10,000 she was paying at DPS. Aparajita Gautam from the Delhi Parents Association, however, warned that parents opting for cheaper private schools may eventually be forced to consider government ones as the pandemic and its effects drag on. In Delhi, the middle class would prefer migrating to a private school over a government one. But if the job losses continue, there will be more students shifting to government schools. Breaking the Stereotype The desperate times are forcing parents to shed the notion of public schools being bad. During lockdown, schools didnt open and online education has not been effective for my children. There are disruptions but there has been no fee relief in private schools, said Pradeep Kumar Yadav, a health worker in Haryana. If you see the Board results, there is not much difference in performance between students of government schools and private schools. Learning takes places in government schools too. I dont mind sending the children to a sarkari school, he said, adding that he cannot afford expensive smartphones and laptops private school students need for e-classes. Yadav cannot spend Rs 40,000 a year on his daughters education in a private school and is planning to shift her to a government school. He said he has influence in his locality and helped almost 45 families go for private schools in happier times. Now all 45 of them will listen to me padhane ka matlab bhaari fees nahi hai (educating your children doesnt mean a heavy price tag). Meena Sharma, an activist in Haryana, said she has helped several parents, who cannot afford high fees in private schools, find budget private schools or government schools. The trend has started, we don't know how it will unfold, she said. No Cooperation from Schools When Jai Singh pulled his children from the private school they attended, he asked the authorities to provide him the school leaving certificate, which is necessary for admission in government schools. The government of Haryana had on July 15 passed an order asking schools to ensure there is no academic loss to students due to non-availability of SLCs. But in 10 days, the government changed its stand and issued another order making SLCs mandatory for transfer to government schools. Schools are not providing the certificate without demanding fees for next session. How can I give that with no job? Singh said. Sushil Verma, a child rights activist and formerly with Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said, Private schools have exposed their corporate style of working. It is disappointing to see how the government made a U-turn from its earlier stand in the spirit of RTE ensuring no academic loss due to non-issuance of SLCs. It has now made SLCs mandatory for migrating students. In his petition filed in the Haryana High Court, Verma has appealed for action against private schools that are violating the state governments directive to collect only monthly tuition fees. He alleged that schools are adopting malpractices by increasing their tuition fees which is almost equal or higher to the amount of total fees charged by them during last academic year, as monthly tuition fees. He said many schools are still demanding quarterly fees from parents despite state government directions to collect only monthly tuition fees. Many schools are pressuring the parents to deposit the fees by sending them messages or issuing circulars on school websites. The situation could have been managed had governments in various states acted transparently, said Aparajita Gautam. She said governments should have uploaded the approved fee structure of private schools. Then the migration from private to public schools or from costly to less expensive schools wouldnt have happened, she said. The Other Side Aware of the migration, private schools maintain that they are acting as per rules. Shiju Augustine, director of the All India Private Schools Association, said they are following rules and court orders without any violation of the RTE Act. Due to Covid-19 and the job crisis, there are situations where parents from the middle-class who send their children to private schools are facing challenges. We are aware, but we have to pay teachers. We have also given relaxation in payment of fees and announced scholarship schemes. The buildings are closed, not the classes. We need to pay teachers who are working hard, he said. By ANI NEW DELHI: As the country celebrates the 21st Kargil Vijay Diwas on Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh remembered the sacrifices and the valour of the Indian Army during the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan and said, their sacrifice will always work as a "motivating power for us". Singh, along with MoS Defence Shripad Naik and three service chiefs, paid tributes to the fallen soldiers who fought valiantly during Kargil War at National War Memorial this morning. "I extend my greetings to all the countrymen on the occasion of 21st Kargil Vijay Diwas. The sacrifice made by our soldiers will always work as a motivating power for us," he said while speaking to ANI. India observes Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26 every year to mark the anniversary of the day we achieved victory over Pakistani infiltrators in the 1999 Kargil War. This day is also a day of remembrance for the hundreds of Indian soldiers who died in this war initiated by Pakistan. Source: Xinhua| 2020-07-26 19:09:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People are seen wearing face masks in Mexico City, Mexico, July 25, 2020. (Photo by Sunny Quintero/Xinhua) - Global COVID-19 cases surpass 16 mln: Johns Hopkins University - DPRK declares state of emergency after Kaesong city reports suspected COVID-19 case - India's death toll rises to 32,063 as total cases reach 1,385,522 - Brazil's COVID-19 deaths top 86,000 BEIJING, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - BEIJING -- Global COVID-19 cases have surpassed 16 million on Sunday, the most recent statistics of the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University showed. The global count reached 16,048,100 with a total of 644,537 deaths, according to the latest data. - - - - Undated photo handed out by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Dec. 31, 2019 shows Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), addressing the 5th Plenary Meeting of the 7th Central Committee of the WPK in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). (KCNA/Handout via Xinhua) PYONGYANG -- Kim Jong Un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), declared a state of emergency in Kaesong after the border city reported a suspected case of COVID-19, said Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday. "There happened a critical situation in which the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country," Kim said on Saturday as he presided over an emergency enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party - - - - Patients do yoga at a COVID-19 care center in New Delhi, India, July 24, 2020. (Photo by Partha Sarkar/Xinhua) NEW DELHI -- India's federal health ministry Sunday morning reported 705 more deaths and 48,661 COVID-19 cases during the past 24 hours, taking the number of deaths to 32,063 and total cases to 1,385,522. According to ministry officials, 885,577 people have been discharged from hospitals after showing improvement, and the number of active cases in the country stood at 467,882. - - - - HANOI -- Vietnam reported a new community case of COVID-19 infection on Sunday, bringing its total confirmed cases to 418 with zero death so far, according to the country's Ministry of Health. The latest case was a 61-year-old man from central Da Nang city's Hai Chau district and is being treated in a local hospital, said the ministry. - - - - BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN -- Brunei reported no new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday with the national tally of cases standing at 141. It marked the 80th consecutive day without new cases since May 7. - - - - People are seen outside the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, May 20, 2020. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) CANBERRA -- Australia recorded 10 COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, when the country's total confirmed cases surpassed 14,000. All 10 deaths confirmed on Sunday were in the state of Victoria, with the victims aged between 40 and 80. - - - - People take selfies at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul, South Korea, May 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang) SEOUL -- South Korea reported 58 more cases of the COVID-19 as of 0:00 a.m. Sunday local time compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 14,150. The daily caseload remained high after growing in triple digits in the previous day due to a surge in imported cases and the continued small cluster infections. Of the new cases, 46 were imported from overseas, lifting the combined figure to 2,290. - - - - SAO PAULO -- Brazil registered 1,211 new COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, taking its total to 86,449, the Ministry of Health announced Saturday. Meanwhile, 51,147 new confirmed cases were reported, bringing the nationwide count to 2,394,513, the ministry said. - - - - LIMA -- The Peruvian government will reevaluate the national health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to determine if "tougher measures" are needed, Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti said Saturday. "We are monitoring the figures. There has been a new rebound," Mazzetti said, adding quarantine measures may be extended in regions where cases are increasing. First, a few facts. About 2001, Culpeper Countys Lenn brothers built a memorial near Mountain Run, with private funds and personal research, to a Civil War engagement that occurred at that site and to two South Carolina soldiers, Lt. Col. Matthew Butler and Capt. William Farley. About 2006, the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors acquired the property, the memorial and the brothers mandate to fly the Confederate battle flagalongside the American flagwith the intent to build a public park funded with taxpayers money. Nine years later, the local NAACP chapter approached the Board of Supervisors, requesting that it remove the Confederate battle flag. The board attempted to resolve the issue by divesting the county of ownership of the Farley memorials land. They informed the NAACP that the land had been returned to the Lenn Brothers, creating a private-rights issue rather than a public-interest scenario. But prior to early July 2020, there was no transfer of ownership. The Confederate battle flag flew over a public park, paid for by county taxpayers, for 14 yearsduring which time there was a consistency of membership on the Board of Supervisors. The county has apparently now completed that land transfer. At Lenn Park, nothing has changed visually. The Confederate battle flag continues to fly over the entrance to the public park, although the land holding that flagpole is now privately held. For longer than 14 years, in many communities, flying the Confederate battle flag on public property has been questioned, objected to, and subsequently discontinuedfor a multitude of reasons. In this case, what are the historical facts? No one was buried at the memorials site during the Civil War. It is probable that a few of Virginias native people died near this spot, as the Lenns have found a plethora of artifacts that those predecessors left behind. But during the Stevensburg phase of the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, Butler and Farley were wounded near this spot by a Union artillery round. Butler lost his foot and Farley his leg and, as a result, later his life. Farley died, and was buried in Culpepers Fairview Cemetery. More than a century later, his remains were ceremoniously exhumed and returned to his home in Laurens, S.C. If one could have witnessed this unfortunate day in history when the men of the 2nd South Carolina Cavalry held off Union forces, the flag proudly waving above their positions would have been one from homeSouth Carolinas state flag, of brilliant blue with a white palmetto tree and a crescent gorget in the canton. Zann Nelson of Culpeper County is a historical researcher, public speaker and award-winning writer. Write her at M16439@aol.com or ZannsPlace on Facebook. Air Serbia will temporarily suspend its year-round flights to Madrid and Kiev, as well as its seasonal service to Nice, until the 2021 summer season due to travel restrictions and falling demand. Operations to the Spanish capital will be discontinued from July 29, to Nice from August 8 and to Kiev from August 31. Furthermore, the planned resumption of several destinations has been postponed by a few weeks, while frequencies to several cities will be reduced. The carrier intends on restoring operations to Rome, Milan and Bucharest on August 16 instead of August 1, as initially planned. In addition, the Serbian national airline plans to resume flights to Brussels following a break, on August 27, while services to Venice will start on August 31. Flights to Moscow and Tel Aviv, which were originally to be restored in August, have now been pushed back to September 1. All affected passengers will be informed about changes to the schedule and their new travel options. Air Serbia previously discontinued its flights to Helsinki, Malta, Cairo, Beirut and Rijeka and cancelled plans to launch operations to Lviv, Amman, Florence, Chisinau, Rostov on Don and Geneva, Last week, the carrier added a new destination to its network - a two weekly service to Oslo. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and re-introduced flight bans and travel restrictions, we have been forced to further adjust our destination network in the coming period, the company said in a statement. President Vladimir Putin said the Russian navy will get 40 new ships and vessels this year, as he attended a Navy Day parade in St Petersburg. The event in St Petersburg and the nearby town of Kronshtadt, featuring 46 ships and vessels and more than 4,000 troops, aimed to demonstrate the growing power of our navy, Mr Putin said. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for the Navy Day celebrations in St Petersburg (Dmitri Lovetsky/Pool/AP) He said 40 ships and vessels of different classes will enter service this year, and that the Russian navy will be equipped with hypersonic weapons to boost its combat capabilities. Opening the parade, he said that six more vessels for the far-sea zone were laid down at Russias three leading shipyards in the past few days. The Kremlin has made military modernisation its top priority amid tensions with the West that followed Moscows 2014 annexation of Crimea. Warships pass the Dvortsovy (Palace) drawbridge rising above the Neva River during the Navy Day parade in St.Petersburg (Dmitri Lovetsky/Pool/AP) Similar parades marking Russias Navy Day on Sunday took place in the Far Eastern cities of Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsk, Sevastopol in the annexed Crimea, the seaport towns of Severomorsk and Baltiysk, Kaspirsk in the south of Russia and the port city of Tartus in Syria. Earlier this week Putin attended a ceremony of keel-laying of new warships in Crimea and pledged to continue an ambitious program of building new warships, saying that Russia needs a strong navy to defend its interests and help maintain a strategic balance and global stability. A doctor checks on a family for diphtheria symptoms in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam's Central Highlands, July 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Oanh. A 14-year-old boy has become the first diphtheria case reported in Binh Phuoc Province and the second in southern Vietnam, taking the national tally to 126. Ho Chi Minh City earlier reported one diphtheria infection, the first locality in the south. Diphtheria cases have soared to 119 in the Central Highlands and killed three, while the central province of Quang Tri has recorded five. The Binh Phuoc patient is an 8th grader from Tay ethnic minority group living in Thong Nhat Village, Dak Nhau Commune, Bu Dang District. Thirty two people whod come into close contact with the boy were quaranited and given vaccines Sunday. His mother had taken him home from school in Phu Rieng District on July 11 for the summer vacation. He did not travel outside his locality. On July 15-17, the teenager had fever, sore throat, fatigue and lack of appetite. He was examined at a private clinic in the commune. He had come into contact with many people and moved around without wearing a mask. On July 18, the boy was taken to the Bu Dang District Health Center for emergency treatment, with his temperature reading 37.5 degrees Celsius, a slightly red throat and tonsils with translucent white spots. Both the mother and the patient were quarantined after doctor suspected that the patient got diphtheria. Health officials have disinfected the medical center, the patients' home and neighborhood. Tests done at the HCMC Pasteur Institute last Friday showed the teenager had diphtheria. The Bu Dang District Health Center transferred him to the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases for further treatment. Tran Duy Thao of the Dak Nhau Commune Health Center, said: "We have disinfected the surrounding neighborhood and administered diphtheria vaccines for 32 people who came into close contact with the child." In Vietnam, children under two are given free five-in-one vaccine shots that include diphtheria. Diphtheria, which can be prevented with vaccination, is an infection caused by the Corynebacterium diphtheria bacterium. It spreads through the air and direct contact. Symptoms include fever, a sore throat, swallowing difficulties, and white patches in the throat that could block the airway. Complications include myocarditis, kidney problems, respiratory failure, inflammation of nerves, coma, and death.